Reviews

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

malhigh's review against another edition

4.0

i really like following all three story lines. henry is wild

jenilew's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

jga307's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

katrinaanne's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.5

issianne's review against another edition

4.0

I was genuinely surprised by this book. Ive seen a good amount of middle-ground or negative reviews, and I really enjoyed it. The three timeline/POVs were a bit lagging at first, since I think it's impossible not to prefer one over another, but by the end of the book, all POVs are necessary to get the full picture. Also, I'm a sucker for an ambiguous and ominous ending! This was pitched to be a book about a cult, and I didn't really see the situation as a cult as much as an awful home situation--so if you're looking for something similar to the Ant Hill Kids or Heaven's Gate, you're not going to find it here.

justinereinosa's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

jenandtonic2's review against another edition

I just dont like it. It took a long time to get remotely interesting, and even then, I’d rather read something else.

alexdebibliotheque's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

swatzrajkumar's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

elleyvette's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Domestic abuse