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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was quite the page-turner. Even though it clocks in at 400 pages, it flew by. Recommend.
That ending!!!
So when I first started it, I wasn’t sure where it was going or what to think. Mid way through I couldn’t put the book down.
The ending though, is such a good ending. Bit of a cliffhanger but I was more shocked, I was actually shouting “no” at the book. Would recommend this.
So when I first started it, I wasn’t sure where it was going or what to think. Mid way through I couldn’t put the book down.
The ending though, is such a good ending. Bit of a cliffhanger but I was more shocked, I was actually shouting “no” at the book. Would recommend this.
dark
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Genuinely the best ending of a book I have possibly ever read!!!
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and the plot really pulls you in. Our house kept me amused as I read through one lie after another. I loved the narrative of Fi and of course I loathed the husband who put his family in this situation. It did get repetitive in the middle, but overall it was very entertaining. This book definitely reminds me of a lifetime movie (one that I would watch and like). Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
eesh. where do i begin?
there’s no reason for our house to be 400+ pages. we follow two narrators, bram and fiona, as they recount the events from their perspective; bram through a suicide note and fiona through a crime podcast. we’re given timestamps for the podcast, which concludes at the 3 hour mark. imagine listening to a 3 hour long crime podcast where the crime is discussed in the last 10 minutes and there is no closure, no justice, not even relevant case details. this is what reading the first 342 pages of our house feels like.
the plot moves at a snail’s pace because we’re given so much unnecessary detail. if candlish had used omniscient narration with the occasional first-person account our house wouldn’t have been such a slog to read. i wouldn’t even classify this as a thriller or suspense, since we’re told from pg1 what happened. the twists candlish provides are forced and not all that shocking; logically, many of these “twists” would’ve been revealed far sooner if someone was retelling a story.
the ending is absolutely ridiculous. fiona makes such a dumb (unbelievable for her) decision and it just comes together nicely with a neat little bow.
and the characters. ugh. bram is a man-child and complete moron. i get that his behavior and inaction is what makes our house, but our house is 400+ pages and he’s one of the main narrators; it’s a lot to digest. bram has the gall to victimize himself even after the events have unfurled and he’s ruined fiona and his kids’ lives.
"i told myself that the legal system [...] would intervene to bring an end to the lunacy into which i’d plunged. to stop mike holding my head underwater until my lungs burst.” might i suggest, i don’t know, taking accountability for your own actions.
times i wished someone would throat punch bram:
• when he’s relieved that fiona caught him cheating
• when the blackmailers threaten his kids and he just turns off his phone
• when he decides the best course of action is to commit seller fraud
• when he hopes comforting fiona after fraudulently selling her house will fix their marriage
• when he “defrauded the fraudsters”; like hello? that would make it worse for fiona and the kids (see chapter 50)
fiona is more tolerable, if only by comparison.
in fairness, i should've tapped out the first time the dark web was mentioned.
there’s no reason for our house to be 400+ pages. we follow two narrators, bram and fiona, as they recount the events from their perspective; bram through a suicide note and fiona through a crime podcast. we’re given timestamps for the podcast, which concludes at the 3 hour mark. imagine listening to a 3 hour long crime podcast where the crime is discussed in the last 10 minutes and there is no closure, no justice, not even relevant case details. this is what reading the first 342 pages of our house feels like.
the plot moves at a snail’s pace because we’re given so much unnecessary detail. if candlish had used omniscient narration with the occasional first-person account our house wouldn’t have been such a slog to read. i wouldn’t even classify this as a thriller or suspense, since we’re told from pg1 what happened. the twists candlish provides are forced and not all that shocking; logically, many of these “twists” would’ve been revealed far sooner if someone was retelling a story.
Spoiler
and really? the end reveal that bram had an affair with merle? not surprising. though, i guess it would’ve been even more obvious if it had been alison.the ending is absolutely ridiculous. fiona makes such a dumb (unbelievable for her) decision and it just comes together nicely with a neat little bow.
and the characters. ugh. bram is a man-child and complete moron. i get that his behavior and inaction is what makes our house, but our house is 400+ pages and he’s one of the main narrators; it’s a lot to digest. bram has the gall to victimize himself even after the events have unfurled and he’s ruined fiona and his kids’ lives.
"i told myself that the legal system [...] would intervene to bring an end to the lunacy into which i’d plunged. to stop mike holding my head underwater until my lungs burst.” might i suggest, i don’t know, taking accountability for your own actions.
times i wished someone would throat punch bram:
• when he’s relieved that fiona caught him cheating
• when the blackmailers threaten his kids and he just turns off his phone
• when he decides the best course of action is to commit seller fraud
• when he hopes comforting fiona after fraudulently selling her house will fix their marriage
• when he “defrauded the fraudsters”; like hello? that would make it worse for fiona and the kids (see chapter 50)
fiona is more tolerable, if only by comparison.
in fairness, i should've tapped out the first time the dark web was mentioned.
It took me a long time to finish this book. Not because I was busy with other things. No, it was because I was bored for 99% of it.
The characters were dull, lacking any real substance or uniqueness. They weren’t likeable so whatever happened to them didn’t make you feel bad.
The idea of the story, slightly great, just wasn’t executed well. Step by step there were things that happened that weren’t surprising or ‘thriller’ worthy.
The format of the book was another one that just didn’t work for me. Split in three, podcast, word document and the present. The podcast read like a normal story, not one where you would think she is talking to anyone really. There are clues at the beginning of each chapter to maybe indicate she’s talking to someone but not in the way you would in real life.
The word document was probably the worst one for me. It didn’t read like a ‘suicide note’ or anything like that. It was just another angle to the same boring story that you just wanted to get through.
It’s going to take a miracle for me to read her next book because this one was a big let down.
The characters were dull, lacking any real substance or uniqueness. They weren’t likeable so whatever happened to them didn’t make you feel bad.
The idea of the story, slightly great, just wasn’t executed well. Step by step there were things that happened that weren’t surprising or ‘thriller’ worthy.
The format of the book was another one that just didn’t work for me. Split in three, podcast, word document and the present. The podcast read like a normal story, not one where you would think she is talking to anyone really. There are clues at the beginning of each chapter to maybe indicate she’s talking to someone but not in the way you would in real life.
The word document was probably the worst one for me. It didn’t read like a ‘suicide note’ or anything like that. It was just another angle to the same boring story that you just wanted to get through.
It’s going to take a miracle for me to read her next book because this one was a big let down.
Great read. Lots of plot twists, and a volleying between his and hers perspectives. Definitely left with questions and wondering how Bram's last attempt at redemption will work considering he's not in London and they are blaming Mike's death on Bram. Can't be in two places at once?
I read this because I really wanted to watch the ITV drama and I am so glad I did. The TV version was great but only because the book was so damn good!
A great concept for a book, one that I didn’t even know was a thing, now I am wondering if I could sell my husbands house from under him! I am of course joking… I love our house too much to sell it!
The characters and their reactions were completely believable and it kept me guessing all the way through.
A great concept for a book, one that I didn’t even know was a thing, now I am wondering if I could sell my husbands house from under him! I am of course joking… I love our house too much to sell it!
The characters and their reactions were completely believable and it kept me guessing all the way through.
Our House Louise Candlish
4.5 out of 5.
Waterstones Book of the Month this book was everywhere on social media, so I thought I would give it a go.
The story starts with Fi returning to her exclusive house in London and finds that there is a new couple moving in and they are convinced that they have bought it legally from Fi and husband Bram.
Fi and her husband are separated but living together for the sake of the children, Fi has been away for the weekend with a new man and comes home to find out that her husband and her children Harry and Leo are nowhere to be seen and her home sold.
The book then is written from the point of view of Fiona who is retelling her story to a crime podcast and Bram who is writing his story from his exile.
I liked how the book was set out and how it was recounted from Bram’s side, which uncovers adultery, deceit, death and blackmail and violence which has meant Bram feels that he has no alternative but to run away from his family for good.
I felt sorry for Bram as he isn’t really a bad person he just loses his way and ends up on a path of self-destruction although at the time he doesn’t realise it.
The book takes a dramatic turn with Fi uncovering the depths of Bram’s action and also how she has been deceived on many levels.
I found it quite sad It was cleverly written and really kept me guessing all the way through and the ending is shocking.
If you love a fast-paced thriller you will love this.
4.5 out of 5.
Waterstones Book of the Month this book was everywhere on social media, so I thought I would give it a go.
The story starts with Fi returning to her exclusive house in London and finds that there is a new couple moving in and they are convinced that they have bought it legally from Fi and husband Bram.
Fi and her husband are separated but living together for the sake of the children, Fi has been away for the weekend with a new man and comes home to find out that her husband and her children Harry and Leo are nowhere to be seen and her home sold.
The book then is written from the point of view of Fiona who is retelling her story to a crime podcast and Bram who is writing his story from his exile.
I liked how the book was set out and how it was recounted from Bram’s side, which uncovers adultery, deceit, death and blackmail and violence which has meant Bram feels that he has no alternative but to run away from his family for good.
I felt sorry for Bram as he isn’t really a bad person he just loses his way and ends up on a path of self-destruction although at the time he doesn’t realise it.
The book takes a dramatic turn with Fi uncovering the depths of Bram’s action and also how she has been deceived on many levels.
I found it quite sad It was cleverly written and really kept me guessing all the way through and the ending is shocking.
If you love a fast-paced thriller you will love this.