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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
More like 3.5. Slow until about 2/3 way through but I enjoyed the end.
I listened to this book and it sucked me in right from the start. I didn't know a lot about the plot as I was heading in, but I was pleasantly surprised by how everything played out. The timeline moved from past to present through an exploration of letters between sisters to uncover some long-held family secrets and mistruths. There was family drama, letters from the past, a sprinkle of espionage, and some love as well. A fun and engaging read!
Such an excellent book!
WW2 historical fiction taking place in Germany, London and France.
It follows a present-day woman who finds an unsettling truth about her family's past. An old college classmate writing an article brings some information to her attention but she doesn't believe it and goes on a hunt for the truth. In reading letters and diary entries from her grandmother and her sister, she's able to bring her family closer and find love through the journey.
WW2 historical fiction taking place in Germany, London and France.
It follows a present-day woman who finds an unsettling truth about her family's past. An old college classmate writing an article brings some information to her attention but she doesn't believe it and goes on a hunt for the truth. In reading letters and diary entries from her grandmother and her sister, she's able to bring her family closer and find love through the journey.
I can’t even begin to put I to words how much I loved this book! At first, I was skeptical, but after a few chapters, all I wanted to do was read this book and fall into the settings and characters. I felt like I was there with Caroline and Mat, and even with Margaret and Caro! I spent whole chapters crying, and others trying to figure out the mystery as Mat and Caroline were. While I was really hoping that Caro had survived, I think that the way the book ended was perfect. I do wish that we could have seen more of the future of the family after finding out the truth about Caro, but the focus really was in the right place. What a wonderful book. I hate that I’ve finished it already though. I highly recommend it!
I don’t even know where to start! This book took me so long to read, and not in a bad way. There’s SO much history, and it’s written so beautifully. Katherine Reay used the perfect tone and it had me in tears multiple times. Loved it. So glad I bought the paperback, so it can live on my bookshelf forever.
{3.5 stars}
"Our conceptions of love and home are very different..."
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The London House is a story that explores the idea of familial trauma and the truth behind the buried secrets a family holds. Caroline is named after her great aunt, a woman who was beloved and venerated by her twin sister after she died quite young. Or did she? Caroline is contacted by an old friend who has done some research about another family and uncovered a life her aunt had that no one was aware of. Caroline and her family struggle with the idea that her aunt may not have died young and may have actually been wiped from the family after an association with a Nazi officer during WWII. The narrative of the story follows Caroline and her friend as they read her grandmother's diary and letters written by her aunt, slowly working their way to the truth, which may be quite far from anything they knew or assumed.
I liked the way the story slowly revealed itself and we got to know Margo (the grandmother) and Caro (the aunt) each individually and together. An illness pulls the two apart and they grow into different people who can't seem to understand one another anymore and yet fiercely love one another. The two paths taken are starkly different in ideology and action and yet tied by their love for one another and the same man. We see how the family trauma repeats itself even as far as the current Caroline's generation and how through this research she was finding healing in her own time with her parents. I enjoyed learning yet another new angle on WWII. There was a small love story element for those who need that in their historical fiction but that wasn't the star for me. I did really appreciate the character arcs of self acceptance, dealing with grief and finding your truth. It is also lovely to see yet another story about a woman empowered beyond her generation.
Thanks to Booksparks for a gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
"Our conceptions of love and home are very different..."
------------------------------
The London House is a story that explores the idea of familial trauma and the truth behind the buried secrets a family holds. Caroline is named after her great aunt, a woman who was beloved and venerated by her twin sister after she died quite young. Or did she? Caroline is contacted by an old friend who has done some research about another family and uncovered a life her aunt had that no one was aware of. Caroline and her family struggle with the idea that her aunt may not have died young and may have actually been wiped from the family after an association with a Nazi officer during WWII. The narrative of the story follows Caroline and her friend as they read her grandmother's diary and letters written by her aunt, slowly working their way to the truth, which may be quite far from anything they knew or assumed.
I liked the way the story slowly revealed itself and we got to know Margo (the grandmother) and Caro (the aunt) each individually and together. An illness pulls the two apart and they grow into different people who can't seem to understand one another anymore and yet fiercely love one another. The two paths taken are starkly different in ideology and action and yet tied by their love for one another and the same man. We see how the family trauma repeats itself even as far as the current Caroline's generation and how through this research she was finding healing in her own time with her parents. I enjoyed learning yet another new angle on WWII. There was a small love story element for those who need that in their historical fiction but that wasn't the star for me. I did really appreciate the character arcs of self acceptance, dealing with grief and finding your truth. It is also lovely to see yet another story about a woman empowered beyond her generation.
Thanks to Booksparks for a gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
The London House is a truly compelling story. The mystery of it pulled me in, and the way the story is woven for Caroline and Mat as they try to solve it was completely intriguing to me. The book is really good but there's a lot of heartbreaking tragedy to the mystery so be aware. This is a superb read but it's definitely not a "light read" by any means. Still worth the read though if you can handle the sadness.
Katherine Reay creates such layered characters, and in this book she did it across generations. I enjoyed how the story was told through characters in the present day and letters and diary entries from the past. The story would be good fodder for a book club discussion. I must admit that the book's melancholy tone wore on me, though that may have more to do with the world we're living in than the book itself!
I received an ARC from NetGalley. The book will be released on November 2, 2021.
I received an ARC from NetGalley. The book will be released on November 2, 2021.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
When Matt, Caroline's former friend from college, unexpectedly contacts her, she hears her great aunt collaborated with the Nazis during World War II. He plans to publish a story in The Atlantic, and she requests a few days to talk to her family and learn more.
The historical narrative jumps back and forth through time in a series of letters and diaries between Caroline's grandmother Margo and her twin sister for whom Caroline is named. We learn the past at the same time as Caroline and through the same archival material. Thus, the book becomes a more realistic study of history than a beautifully chronological tale with everything neatly tied up.
This learning from history is even more emphasized through Caroline 's interactions with the writer who contacted her. Matt's goal is to write a story about history that we can learn from and apply to the present. Between the mix of the past and the present, the plot and the storytelling within it, this book raises questions about how we should use history now to improve our response to present challenges. The perspective was an utterly unique approach to historical fiction. At the same time, it was also a family drama and a tale of perceptions and reality, truth and lies, and love lost. I was so fascinated throughout and couldn't put it down.
Thank you to Harper Muse and UpLit Reads for this book. These opinions are my own.
TW: cancer, loss of a loved one
4.5 stars rounded up
The historical narrative jumps back and forth through time in a series of letters and diaries between Caroline's grandmother Margo and her twin sister for whom Caroline is named. We learn the past at the same time as Caroline and through the same archival material. Thus, the book becomes a more realistic study of history than a beautifully chronological tale with everything neatly tied up.
This learning from history is even more emphasized through Caroline 's interactions with the writer who contacted her. Matt's goal is to write a story about history that we can learn from and apply to the present. Between the mix of the past and the present, the plot and the storytelling within it, this book raises questions about how we should use history now to improve our response to present challenges. The perspective was an utterly unique approach to historical fiction. At the same time, it was also a family drama and a tale of perceptions and reality, truth and lies, and love lost. I was so fascinated throughout and couldn't put it down.
Thank you to Harper Muse and UpLit Reads for this book. These opinions are my own.
TW: cancer, loss of a loved one
4.5 stars rounded up