This article discusses materiality as a structural component of the narrative in House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. The reader is constantly reminded of the physicality of the book by being confronted with a systematic blurring of words. Letters are being enlarged or obliterated. The text is staged on the page so that its construction relies on a system of deconstruction, based on an aesthetic principle of frustration. This article explores the paradox whereby the more the narrative disintegrates, the more the plot ties itself and captivates the reader. What are the strategies available to the reader to progress within this intricate text?