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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I kept putting this down and honestly not caring at all about the characters or story line. I was hoping for something more spooky I think. Meh
I love a good dual timeline historical mystery! This book gave me tons of Possession vibes with a great investigation into a dead Elizabethan woman's past life in an English manor house, Ashton Hall. Staying at Ashton Hall for the summer, American mother Hannah Larson and her son Nicky get wrapped up in the history of the house when Nicky discovers a dead body hidden in the walls. I loved how Hannah and Nicky both get drawn into figuring out what the dead woman's life was like and the focus on what mothering a child with special needs is like through Hannah's eyes. Her son has an undiagnosed condition (somewhere along the lines of ADHD or Autism, with a unique violent tendency). Great on audio and perfect for fans of Kate Morton or AS Byatt, I got sucked into this story right from the start and didn't want it to end. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
First DNF of the year!
I can't decide whether the attempted justification of a homosexual affair irked me most, or the insufferable brat who isn't violent or dickish, but "so yoo-neek uwu uwu"
I suppose the constant head-up-the-arse naval gazing mother who has literally no other interests besides her shitty son should be in there too.
All this and I couldn't even stomach 100 pages
Avoid. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
I can't decide whether the attempted justification of a homosexual affair irked me most, or the insufferable brat who isn't violent or dickish, but "so yoo-neek uwu uwu"
I suppose the constant head-up-the-arse naval gazing mother who has literally no other interests besides her shitty son should be in there too.
All this and I couldn't even stomach 100 pages
Avoid. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
Ashton Hall is set in present-day Cambridge, England, but reconstructs aspects of life of the family who lived in the fictional house in the sixteenth century. The action opens with the discovery of a skeleton and takes the reader through investigation into the cause and circumstances of the death, while also inviting us into the daily life of protagonists Hannah and her son Nicky.
I found this an interesting and transporting story, filled with details large and small that brought me into the world of Ashton Hall. However, having completed the book, I realize that many characters and plot points feel incomplete and slightly unsatisfying. I would have liked to have seen some of the minor characters brought back into the story before its conclusion.
All in all, an enjoyable read, perfect for summer.
Ashton Hall is set in present-day Cambridge, England, but reconstructs aspects of life of the family who lived in the fictional house in the sixteenth century. The action opens with the discovery of a skeleton and takes the reader through investigation into the cause and circumstances of the death, while also inviting us into the daily life of protagonists Hannah and her son Nicky.
I found this an interesting and transporting story, filled with details large and small that brought me into the world of Ashton Hall. However, having completed the book, I realize that many characters and plot points feel incomplete and slightly unsatisfying. I would have liked to have seen some of the minor characters brought back into the story before its conclusion.
All in all, an enjoyable read, perfect for summer.
What a great book to read in the fall, specifically around Halloween! This book had just enough mystery and atmosphere to be a tad bit creepy/haunting without being scary or filled with horror. At the core, this book had a past/present divide - the modern day story centered around Hannah and her son Nicky, as well as her husband Kevin and her "father" Christopher. Hannah and Nicky entered the past as they stayed with Christopher at Ashton Hall in England, and discovered more about the past than they expected. This book was layered, and while I truly enjoyed the past mystery/drama, I was less captivated by Hannah's story in the present. The writing was great and the sense of place was strong, so I really enjoyed that. This wasn't my favorite book but I am glad I read it and had a hard time putting it down. I will be thinking about the themes of family, faith (specifically the Catholic vs. Protestant division in the Tudor era), and women's roles in the coming days.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
mysterious
reflective
**I received aneGalley of this title from NetGalley. Thank you to Ballantine Books and Random House Publishers for my advanced copy.**
When her uncle falls terminally ill, Hannah Larson brings her son to Cambridge to care for him for the summer. Her uncle, Christopher, lives in an apartment in a large country estate called Ashton Hall. Part of the old house is now apartments and part of the house is a museum relating to the history of the estate and its former family (the Creshams who died out in WWI.) It turns out parts of the house were totally unexplored and Hannah's son Nicky discovers a section of the house from the 1500s and human remains in one of the rooms. Over this summer of self-discovery, Hannah learns who she is as a mother, a wife, and a scholar, all as she searches for the identity of the woman who died in Ashton Hall.
I tore through this book in a day. I really appreciated that this book was told in only one timeline. I often read historical fiction books that flash between the past and present. You really got the historical aspect through the research Hannah helped conduct. It was definitely a different take on weaving a historical plot line with a modern one. I was also interested and hugely invested in how Hannah and Micky's future would play out. His autism and Tourette's plus violent outbursts often had my heart racing and breaking at the same time. All the characters are well crafted and leave you surprised at time.
I'd recommend this to readers of Kate Morten and Jojo Moyes.
When her uncle falls terminally ill, Hannah Larson brings her son to Cambridge to care for him for the summer. Her uncle, Christopher, lives in an apartment in a large country estate called Ashton Hall. Part of the old house is now apartments and part of the house is a museum relating to the history of the estate and its former family (the Creshams who died out in WWI.) It turns out parts of the house were totally unexplored and Hannah's son Nicky discovers a section of the house from the 1500s and human remains in one of the rooms. Over this summer of self-discovery, Hannah learns who she is as a mother, a wife, and a scholar, all as she searches for the identity of the woman who died in Ashton Hall.
I tore through this book in a day. I really appreciated that this book was told in only one timeline. I often read historical fiction books that flash between the past and present. You really got the historical aspect through the research Hannah helped conduct. It was definitely a different take on weaving a historical plot line with a modern one. I was also interested and hugely invested in how Hannah and Micky's future would play out. His autism and Tourette's plus violent outbursts often had my heart racing and breaking at the same time. All the characters are well crafted and leave you surprised at time.
I'd recommend this to readers of Kate Morten and Jojo Moyes.