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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
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
The story is amazing...but beyond the story, this book reminds you history is more than dates, places, and research. it is people and choices. History is a bunch of personal stories that weave together to make a larger more complex story.
This is an engaging and captivating examination of family history, how we become who we are, and what it means to find the truth.
I had a few momentary issues with one character I felt was acting out of character, but really this was beautiful.
I had a few momentary issues with one character I felt was acting out of character, but really this was beautiful.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Suspenseful and I assume well-researched (I don't know enough to know, but there were a lot of details), The London House is a story of how lies and broken relationships can cause generations of pain, and how one woman searches for answers to break the cycle. Much of the story is told through the diaries and letters of previous generations (where the story starts), written in way too much detail to be realistic. Through her search, Caroline comes to learn the truth that is the solution to all their problems: "I have come to realize that my “right” is subjective and must be in line with something higher, absolute, and fully formed." In fact, the generations of pain were caused simply because "No one got out of their own way to see what was rather than what they perceived it to be.”
I like this message because I believe in absolute truth and I do think when we take our subjective perceptions of truth as absolute, then yes, we can cause ripple effects that damage our family for centuries.
However, I didn't really enjoy this book. For one thing, the message and closure stopped too short for me, with zero mentions of faith or God, and therefore was significantly more shallow than it should have been. Simply put, this family needed God. They talked repeatedly of being in darkness and feeling lost. The only real anecdote for this in life is Jesus, and I'm not sorry for saying so. Yet when the main character reached the end of her character arc, it was only because she now had "something new." What?
Secondly, the amount of pain everyone was in for most of the book just made them not likeable. They weren't on the level of villains, not evil- but they weren't fun to be around. Thankfully they all had a happy ending and expressed love for each other at the end, but I wasn't really rooting for anyone. For most of the book they were continuing the cycles of dishonesty and avoidance that caused the original problems.
I didn't completely believe that one great-aunt's alleged defection during WWII would affect Caroline's father to the degree it did. He never even met her. Maybe I'm just lucky but of all the families I know personally, I don't see this kind of lack of love in normal life.
The original characters - the great-aunt and her twin sister, the grandmother - were described as "funny, touching, kind, jealous, and in love" yet as the reader, I only saw them as arrogant, selfish, and dishonest. My opinion of the great-aunt did change slightly at the end, but she really wasn't written as the delightful character she was supposed to be. The book kept telling us they were close, but over and over again, they allowed divisions into their relationship. All the characters were an odd combination of extremely self-aware and clueless (probably like a lot of humans). Also the twins were supposed to be super close and the grandmother was supposed to be in the great-aunt's corner, even if she didn't understand everything, the great aunt asked her over and over to believe her and stick up for her "if anything happened" but when everything went south, the grandmother apparently believed the worst along with everyone else. Which was because the great aunt had a letter sent (a lie) to the family telling them that she HAD done the very worst. Just- why?! Generations! Of pain! As a result. And none of it had to be that way.
Lastly, the book was written in order of the granddaughter conducting research so the grandmother/great aunt story is not told in chronological order, which was just plain confusing to follow.
I read this book quickly to get it over with because it was stressful and I didn't enjoy it. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. I received a copy from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review, and I hoped to like this book more than I did. My apologies, but all opinions are my own.
I like this message because I believe in absolute truth and I do think when we take our subjective perceptions of truth as absolute, then yes, we can cause ripple effects that damage our family for centuries.
However, I didn't really enjoy this book. For one thing, the message and closure stopped too short for me, with zero mentions of faith or God, and therefore was significantly more shallow than it should have been. Simply put, this family needed God. They talked repeatedly of being in darkness and feeling lost. The only real anecdote for this in life is Jesus, and I'm not sorry for saying so. Yet when the main character reached the end of her character arc, it was only because she now had "something new." What?
Secondly, the amount of pain everyone was in for most of the book just made them not likeable. They weren't on the level of villains, not evil- but they weren't fun to be around. Thankfully they all had a happy ending and expressed love for each other at the end, but I wasn't really rooting for anyone. For most of the book they were continuing the cycles of dishonesty and avoidance that caused the original problems.
I didn't completely believe that one great-aunt's alleged defection during WWII would affect Caroline's father to the degree it did. He never even met her. Maybe I'm just lucky but of all the families I know personally, I don't see this kind of lack of love in normal life.
The original characters - the great-aunt and her twin sister, the grandmother - were described as "funny, touching, kind, jealous, and in love" yet as the reader, I only saw them as arrogant, selfish, and dishonest. My opinion of the great-aunt did change slightly at the end, but she really wasn't written as the delightful character she was supposed to be. The book kept telling us they were close, but over and over again, they allowed divisions into their relationship. All the characters were an odd combination of extremely self-aware and clueless (probably like a lot of humans). Also the twins were supposed to be super close and the grandmother was supposed to be in the great-aunt's corner, even if she didn't understand everything, the great aunt asked her over and over to believe her and stick up for her "if anything happened" but when everything went south, the grandmother apparently believed the worst along with everyone else. Which was because the great aunt had a letter sent (a lie) to the family telling them that she HAD done the very worst. Just- why?! Generations! Of pain! As a result. And none of it had to be that way.
Lastly, the book was written in order of the granddaughter conducting research so the grandmother/great aunt story is not told in chronological order, which was just plain confusing to follow.
I read this book quickly to get it over with because it was stressful and I didn't enjoy it. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. I received a copy from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review, and I hoped to like this book more than I did. My apologies, but all opinions are my own.
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A review that I've struggled with for a couple of days since I finished this book. I was able to read this fairly new release from a favorite author via the Hoopla digital offering at my library. I've enjoyed other Katherine Reay books in the past, though those have primarily been the Jane Austen themed type ones. This one was different for her, and though well written, didn't resonate with me as much. To be fair, I had just finished "The Book of Lost Names" by Kristin Harmel and had a bit of a "book hangover". Add in a similar setting and time period, and it made it even harder for me to get into this book. I wanted to love it, and while I did enjoy it, it was not my favorite read. I struggled with some of the story and making connections to the characters. Mostly, I struggled to find some elements of faith, grace and redemption in what I normally would classify as Christian fiction. I found little to no references to God, Christ, faith, etc and that really pushed me down to 2.5 or 3 stars for this one. Still, I did enjoy it and would not hesitate to read more by Katherine Reay in the future, just not my favorite of hers.