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mamah11's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bookhoarder76's review against another edition
4.0
Very well done Historical Fiction based on the true events of the 1811 Theater fire in Richmond VA. I enjoyed all of the characters and hearing the events as they saw it through their eyes. Fast paced and never boring which I find is a struggle for me with a lot of HF books. I would read this author again!
kelly_inthe419's review against another edition
4.0
On December 26, 1811 a fire at the Richmond (Virginia) Theatre became the worst disaster in American history at the time. Rachel Beanland's second novel, The House is on Fire, spotlights that tragedy through the eyes four different characters - Jack Gibson , a young stagehand; Sally Henry Campbell, daughter of Patrick Henry and newly widowed; Cecily Patterson, a young black slave who was acting as a chaperone for her young white mistress but was required to sit on a different floor, and Gilbert Hunt, an enslaved blacksmith who ends up helping rescue 12 white women from the theater.
The story maintains a brisk pace as it alternates these four POVs and their respective roles before, during and after the fire. The characters are beautifully rendered and I was especially drawn to the two women and their stories as the book powerfully highlights the places of women and Blacks in southern society at the time.
As always with historical fiction, I loved reading Beanland's author's notes at the end where she talked about this historic impact of the fire and discussed the characters and how they were developed along the way.
Big thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for my eARC of this great story.
The story maintains a brisk pace as it alternates these four POVs and their respective roles before, during and after the fire. The characters are beautifully rendered and I was especially drawn to the two women and their stories as the book powerfully highlights the places of women and Blacks in southern society at the time.
As always with historical fiction, I loved reading Beanland's author's notes at the end where she talked about this historic impact of the fire and discussed the characters and how they were developed along the way.
Big thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for my eARC of this great story.
mroderique's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Al la a less elegant Anthony Doerr in a highly intriguing true-crime micro-era about full people with full lives; tense, moving, and absolutely holds the attention for all 374 pages
bsmith27's review against another edition
4.0
I really like the story that was based on a true event in Richmond 1811.Sally, Cecily, Jack, and Gilbert are the main characters. Sally is a recent widow who is attending the theater with her sister-in-law. Your sister-in-law is badly injured in the fire because her husband pushed her down to the ground. Her sister-in-law and stuff losing her leg and then dying. Especily is asleep raped by the Master's son. She just learned that he plans to take her to his new house when he gets married. In the confusion after the fire cecially decides to run away anderson. Jack is a stage hand and is partially responsible for the fire. His point of the story takes you backstage of the theater and what it would have been like. Gilbert is actually these uncle and a blacksmith in the town. He helps save lots of people at they jumped out of the theater. He wants to purchase his freedom but his owner will never allow it. The whole story is fascinating especially when you learn the true history behind it and how these were based on people but we're fictionalized.
dabbo's review
I checked out during a Libby “skip the line” loan, didn’t finish it and now I don’t want to wait the “several months” it will take me to get it again. It was fine!! Narration was great. Story was compelling enough!!
janelleybanelley's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
natattack_11's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
macsuga's review
4.0
The hopelessness of the slave narrative is so real. We need to know this story and not forget.