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bookapotamus's review
3.0
I really wanted to love this one! I really did. But unfortunately this was a bit of a struggle for me and took a loooong time to get through. I love historical fiction. I love war stories. But this one just fell really flat for me.
Greta Goldbaum is a bright spot in the story and I devoured every chapter about her. She's smart and feisty and goes by the beat of her own drum. despite being part of the Goldbaum empire - one of the wealthiest families in the world. All the men are bankers and the Goldbaum women, marry the Goldbaum men just to produce heirs, and more Goldbaum bankers. I already dislike them. Yes, I know - it's how it was in the early 1900's. Everyone married their cousins to keep the bloodline going and everyone who had money was full of themselves and thought they were better than everyone else. This is especially evident in this LONG family saga. Which made it particularly hard for me to like anyone but Greta.
Greta is sent from Vienna to England, to marry her distant cousin Albert. She is NOT happy about the arrangement and struggles in her new life. But them her mother-in-law introduces her to gardening and a new love blooms, and may just help her get to know Albert a little better. But war is looming and there is a whole cast of characters to keep track of - including multiple cousins and family members. We follow them all though loves, and loss and war.
There's a lot of political and government conversations that go on as far as, who the family will align with, who they will loan money to and the reasons behind these decisions - which BORED THE HELL OUT OF ME. Half of the story - the strategies and wealth and political/government decisions - just to much. Too confusing. Too many character and countries and opinions and numbers and who gets along with who, and I think my head just exploded.
I loved Greta. I loved her story, and the gardens and the talk about plants. I hated just about everyone else, and there were SO MANY story lines and plots to follow. A bit too much for me. This book felt like work.
Greta Goldbaum is a bright spot in the story and I devoured every chapter about her. She's smart and feisty and goes by the beat of her own drum. despite being part of the Goldbaum empire - one of the wealthiest families in the world. All the men are bankers and the Goldbaum women, marry the Goldbaum men just to produce heirs, and more Goldbaum bankers. I already dislike them. Yes, I know - it's how it was in the early 1900's. Everyone married their cousins to keep the bloodline going and everyone who had money was full of themselves and thought they were better than everyone else. This is especially evident in this LONG family saga. Which made it particularly hard for me to like anyone but Greta.
Greta is sent from Vienna to England, to marry her distant cousin Albert. She is NOT happy about the arrangement and struggles in her new life. But them her mother-in-law introduces her to gardening and a new love blooms, and may just help her get to know Albert a little better. But war is looming and there is a whole cast of characters to keep track of - including multiple cousins and family members. We follow them all though loves, and loss and war.
There's a lot of political and government conversations that go on as far as, who the family will align with, who they will loan money to and the reasons behind these decisions - which BORED THE HELL OUT OF ME. Half of the story - the strategies and wealth and political/government decisions - just to much. Too confusing. Too many character and countries and opinions and numbers and who gets along with who, and I think my head just exploded.
I loved Greta. I loved her story, and the gardens and the talk about plants. I hated just about everyone else, and there were SO MANY story lines and plots to follow. A bit too much for me. This book felt like work.
charlotte_suhr's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
taraw's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this book, felt like there were too many sub-plots going on and most were left open in the end, including the major story line with Alberts brother, Clement.
womanon's review against another edition
3.0
This book was delightful! I loved the contrasts in this book, and the different storylines.
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
The House of Gold is a family saga about the Goldbaums - an extremely wealthy Rothschild-like banking family. Their sons are destined to become bankers while the women are expected to marry strategically in order to cement relationships between the different branches of the family across Europe.
Starting in 1911, the novel follows the fortunes of a number of Goldbaums as WWI approaches. The linchpin is Greta - the rather spoilt and defiant daughter of the Austrian line of the dynasty whose fate is to be sent to Hampshire to marry Albert from the English house. As the war comes closer the family's loyalties are stretched as they end up on different sides of the conflict. But money somehow finds a way.
As ever, Natasha Solomons creates a cast of fascinating and believable characters that you cannot help caring about, despite their astonishing levels of wealth and privilege. She deftly introduces the changing social attitudes of the time into the story as well as the all-pervasive prejudice towards Jews, whatever their position on the social scale. Her love of gardening is also evident, not for the first time using a subject close to her heart to make a totally engrossing read. Her writing just gets better and better - so much so that subject matter that on the face of it doesn't sound overly interesting becomes fascinating and unputdownable.
Starting in 1911, the novel follows the fortunes of a number of Goldbaums as WWI approaches. The linchpin is Greta - the rather spoilt and defiant daughter of the Austrian line of the dynasty whose fate is to be sent to Hampshire to marry Albert from the English house. As the war comes closer the family's loyalties are stretched as they end up on different sides of the conflict. But money somehow finds a way.
As ever, Natasha Solomons creates a cast of fascinating and believable characters that you cannot help caring about, despite their astonishing levels of wealth and privilege. She deftly introduces the changing social attitudes of the time into the story as well as the all-pervasive prejudice towards Jews, whatever their position on the social scale. Her love of gardening is also evident, not for the first time using a subject close to her heart to make a totally engrossing read. Her writing just gets better and better - so much so that subject matter that on the face of it doesn't sound overly interesting becomes fascinating and unputdownable.
bkish's review
4.0
Fascinating novel about a family the author calls Goldbaum yet is built upon Rothschild family and empire. Year is about 1900 - 1919 and calls in WW I.
she is a very good writer and I am sure she did her research on the Rothschilds. Yet this is a work of fiction or what is called historical fiction.
Having just finished a book I consider disjointed pieces just not fitting together I have a new distinction for analyzing a book. I see an author as responsible for character analysis as the author in a book of fiction created that character out of nothing. The author is responsible for how he or she presents that character to the reader. The pieces should tie together and the author is the creator and the designer. If an architect designs a place w a major flaw the occupants will suffer. If a character is created as flawed his or her life and relationships will b affected...
This is a very well done book and the characters are vivid. There is an overlying theme to this and it is not just the background of finance for the family its that this is a Jewish family. The family and this is based on reality kept itself intermingled especially with marriage.
Judy
she is a very good writer and I am sure she did her research on the Rothschilds. Yet this is a work of fiction or what is called historical fiction.
Having just finished a book I consider disjointed pieces just not fitting together I have a new distinction for analyzing a book. I see an author as responsible for character analysis as the author in a book of fiction created that character out of nothing. The author is responsible for how he or she presents that character to the reader. The pieces should tie together and the author is the creator and the designer. If an architect designs a place w a major flaw the occupants will suffer. If a character is created as flawed his or her life and relationships will b affected...
This is a very well done book and the characters are vivid. There is an overlying theme to this and it is not just the background of finance for the family its that this is a Jewish family. The family and this is based on reality kept itself intermingled especially with marriage.
Judy
thain's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable family saga featuring a Jewish banking family in the years leading up to the First World War. A nice array of characters give different perspectives on the events and personages of the time.