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The Glass House
Outside a remote manor house in an idyllic wood, a baby girl is found.
The Harrington family takes her in and disbelief quickly turns to joy. They're grieving a terrible tragedy of their own and the beautiful baby fills them with hope, lighting up the house's dark, dusty corners. Desperate not to lose her to the authorities, they keep her secret, suspended in a blissful summer world where normal rules of behaviour - and the law - don't seem to apply.
But within days a body will lie dead in the grounds. And their dreams of a perfect family will shatter like glass.
Years later, the truth will need to be put back together again, piece by piece . . .
From the author of Black Rabbit Hall, The Glass House is a emotional, thrilling book about family secrets and belonging - and how we find ourselves when we are most lost.
The Harrington family takes her in and disbelief quickly turns to joy. They're grieving a terrible tragedy of their own and the beautiful baby fills them with hope, lighting up the house's dark, dusty corners. Desperate not to lose her to the authorities, they keep her secret, suspended in a blissful summer world where normal rules of behaviour - and the law - don't seem to apply.
But within days a body will lie dead in the grounds. And their dreams of a perfect family will shatter like glass.
Years later, the truth will need to be put back together again, piece by piece . . .
From the author of Black Rabbit Hall, The Glass House is a emotional, thrilling book about family secrets and belonging - and how we find ourselves when we are most lost.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2020
About the author
Eve Chase
15 books1,115 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Eve Chase is the author of Black Rabbit Hall and The Wildling Sisters, and the pseudonym of journalist and novelist Polly Williams. She lives in Oxford, England with her husband and three children. (source: Amazon)
Eve Chase is the author of Black Rabbit Hall and The Wildling Sisters, and the pseudonym of journalist and novelist Polly Williams. She lives in Oxford, England with her husband and three children. (source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,875 reviews
August 16, 2020
"Once I see the forest, I can't unsee it."
The Daughters of Foxcote Manor is a fascinating mystery/family drama about a foundling, the family who takes her in, and the nanny who knows all of their secrets.
The narrative unfolds over two timelines:
In 1971, Big Rita works as a nanny for the Harrington family. The Harrington’s seem perfect to Big Rita until they are not. Forced to move from London to an estate in the countryside, Big Rita finds herself struggling to hold the crumbling family together. When a baby is found in the forest surrounding Foxcote Manor, their world is turned upside down in more ways than one.
In the present, Sylvie, a 46-year-old woman, is starting over after leaving her husband. But her 18-year-old daughter is about to rock her world. Furthermore, when her mother suffers a terrible accident, Sylvie is forced to face the secrets of her family’s past.
Chapters are divided between three narrators: Rita, Sylvie, and Hera Harrington. It’s not clear for some time how these stories relate, but once they all come together, they make for a compelling narrative.
In addition to Sylvie, Rita, and Hera, other characters play a large role. Little Teddy, Baby Forest, angry housekeeper Marge, suffering mother Jeannie, Don the lothario, and lovely Robbie, amongst others. The forest plays many roles, from protector to villain. It’s almost as if it is another character in the book. It’s not hard to keep track of who is who, as they all have distinct voices and qualities. Big Rita was my absolute favorite character.
I really enjoyed this book. Eve Chase’s writing style drew me in from the beginning. What I loved most was that I was able to visualize the characters, hear the noises of the forest that surrounds Foxcote, and feel the sense of foreboding that surrounds Foxcote manor. Chase brings this story to life, especially through the characters and the forest.
The ending is a little sappy and got me a little teary-eyed. Overall, this was both a dark and heartwarming read. This was my first book by Eve Chase and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
I won a copy of this book from a GoodReads giveaway!
The Daughters of Foxcote Manor is a fascinating mystery/family drama about a foundling, the family who takes her in, and the nanny who knows all of their secrets.
The narrative unfolds over two timelines:
In 1971, Big Rita works as a nanny for the Harrington family. The Harrington’s seem perfect to Big Rita until they are not. Forced to move from London to an estate in the countryside, Big Rita finds herself struggling to hold the crumbling family together. When a baby is found in the forest surrounding Foxcote Manor, their world is turned upside down in more ways than one.
In the present, Sylvie, a 46-year-old woman, is starting over after leaving her husband. But her 18-year-old daughter is about to rock her world. Furthermore, when her mother suffers a terrible accident, Sylvie is forced to face the secrets of her family’s past.
Chapters are divided between three narrators: Rita, Sylvie, and Hera Harrington. It’s not clear for some time how these stories relate, but once they all come together, they make for a compelling narrative.
In addition to Sylvie, Rita, and Hera, other characters play a large role. Little Teddy, Baby Forest, angry housekeeper Marge, suffering mother Jeannie, Don the lothario, and lovely Robbie, amongst others. The forest plays many roles, from protector to villain. It’s almost as if it is another character in the book. It’s not hard to keep track of who is who, as they all have distinct voices and qualities. Big Rita was my absolute favorite character.
I really enjoyed this book. Eve Chase’s writing style drew me in from the beginning. What I loved most was that I was able to visualize the characters, hear the noises of the forest that surrounds Foxcote, and feel the sense of foreboding that surrounds Foxcote manor. Chase brings this story to life, especially through the characters and the forest.
The ending is a little sappy and got me a little teary-eyed. Overall, this was both a dark and heartwarming read. This was my first book by Eve Chase and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
I won a copy of this book from a GoodReads giveaway!
August 30, 2020
A young nanny, armed only with her own decency, tries to take care of two children and their foolish mother in an out of the way, forest retreat. Big Rita, as the nanny is called, because of her height, loves her job for the Harringtons, a posh London family with 12 year old, Hera, and toddler, Teddy. Mom, Jeannie, is about to have another as the story begins.
A tragedy occurs and the family, without their authoritarian father, goes to the family home of Foxcote Manor to recuperate. There, out of sight of father, the whole family runs wild and kind, decent Rita, the calm eye in the storm, aims to keep the family safe from themselves and outside forces.
The story is told by three voices, each a remarkable woman and girl: Rita, the bulwark against disaster, a child of light, Hera, the troubled child, not beautiful like her mother, with dangerous tendencies, and Sylvie, Rita's future daughter, as strong and kind as her mother.
The way their stories are connected in the end is masterful.
A tragedy occurs and the family, without their authoritarian father, goes to the family home of Foxcote Manor to recuperate. There, out of sight of father, the whole family runs wild and kind, decent Rita, the calm eye in the storm, aims to keep the family safe from themselves and outside forces.
The story is told by three voices, each a remarkable woman and girl: Rita, the bulwark against disaster, a child of light, Hera, the troubled child, not beautiful like her mother, with dangerous tendencies, and Sylvie, Rita's future daughter, as strong and kind as her mother.
The way their stories are connected in the end is masterful.
September 22, 2020
3.5 rounded up - This was such an easy book to read with engaging characters and an absorbing mystery. Rita Murphy takes a job as a nanny to Hera and Teddy Harrington. Their parents are self-absorbed and mother, Jeannine is expecting a new baby. When tragedy strikes, Walter Harrington sends his family along with Rita to a forested estate called Foxcote Manor. Occurring in 1971 and present day, it’s intriguing to watch the author connect the two timelines. The author’s writing flows well and while she doesn’t belabor descriptions, I felt immersed in the setting. Occasionally, she pens these light little flippant analogies that are absolutely delicious, like “ I didn’t mourn my lost freedoms, even though my career soon shrank like cashmere in a hot wash.” I almost got annoyed with her cliffhangers. Once I was captivated by the characters, I started thinking, no need for so many as a chapter seldom raced by without one. Overall, this story and plot was a healing distraction, much needed.
May 14, 2020
At the beginning of the book I was unsure if I was going to enjoy it but then something resonated and I found myself drawn into the storytelling. This is the story of two women, Rita and Sylvie that centres around Foxcote Manor in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. This is the second home of the wealthy Harrington family, the father is stern Walter, the mother is Jeannie who is having an affair with odious Don who is a friend of Walter. Some friend. Walter and Jeannie have two children Hera and Teddy to whom Big Rita is the much loved nanny. Rita is exceptionally tall and very striking. The second principal character Sylvie Broom who is recently separated from Steve and they have a daughter Annie. In ways you don’t see initially the Harrington family’s lives intertwine across the generations with those of Rita and Sylvie and what unfolds is an atmospheric and intriguing story. The tale is told in different timeframes by Rita, Sylvie and Hera which works really well.
The characters are very well created and many are very likeable especially Rita and Robbie who Rita meets when she lives at Foxcote in 1971. Robbie is a lovely kind man who helps Rita to heal and cast off a trauma from childhood. Rita is the lynch pin at Foxcote and throughthe book as none of the Harrington family function well without her and nor do her immediate family. The Forest provides a wonderfully atmospheric setting as it is also pivotal to the story which is shown in the clever use of descriptive language that makes it come alive. The Forest is part of the body and soul of Robbie and Sylvie and I find that fascinating. Sylvie's and Annie’s story are also really interesting and I enjoyed how their stories fit well into past events at Foxcote.
The story is well written, the storyline unfolds naturally with some well placed creepy moments, there’s tension where some characters act so horribly that your jaw clenches but it’s also peppered with humour which I especially like. There are some surprising revelations although some you do see coming but that doesn’t mar the enjoyment. The ending pulls the whole story together and is heart warming and makes you smile. Overall a very enjoyable read with lots of elements that keeps you interested.
The characters are very well created and many are very likeable especially Rita and Robbie who Rita meets when she lives at Foxcote in 1971. Robbie is a lovely kind man who helps Rita to heal and cast off a trauma from childhood. Rita is the lynch pin at Foxcote and throughthe book as none of the Harrington family function well without her and nor do her immediate family. The Forest provides a wonderfully atmospheric setting as it is also pivotal to the story which is shown in the clever use of descriptive language that makes it come alive. The Forest is part of the body and soul of Robbie and Sylvie and I find that fascinating. Sylvie's and Annie’s story are also really interesting and I enjoyed how their stories fit well into past events at Foxcote.
The story is well written, the storyline unfolds naturally with some well placed creepy moments, there’s tension where some characters act so horribly that your jaw clenches but it’s also peppered with humour which I especially like. There are some surprising revelations although some you do see coming but that doesn’t mar the enjoyment. The ending pulls the whole story together and is heart warming and makes you smile. Overall a very enjoyable read with lots of elements that keeps you interested.
January 31, 2021
Audiobook narrated by Katherine Press, 10 hours, 32 minutes.
A baby is found in the woods at Foxcote Manor, in 1971. This begins a family drama and tons of secrets. The story is told in alternating timelines, from 1971 and now. The alternating timelines are well done, and never confusing.
I highly enjoyed this audiobook. I took off 1 star only because the pacing in the middle dragged or stalled a bit, but I would love to read another of her books.
A baby is found in the woods at Foxcote Manor, in 1971. This begins a family drama and tons of secrets. The story is told in alternating timelines, from 1971 and now. The alternating timelines are well done, and never confusing.
I highly enjoyed this audiobook. I took off 1 star only because the pacing in the middle dragged or stalled a bit, but I would love to read another of her books.
December 17, 2023
5+ stars!
All Time Favourites List! 🏆
A crumbling, isolated manor house surrounded by forest. A baby left abandoned in the woods. A nanny whose heart loves like a mother. The power of nature. Generational family secrets. Gothic and mysterious plot. Two timelines linking one family.
This book captured my bookish heart in every way possible! Absolute perfection!
I was engrossed with this storyline from the very first page - no exaggeration. I immediately fell in love with the characters. Two characters in particular will stay with me for a long time - Rita, the nanny, and Hera, the girl she cares for. Both characters have their own unique perspectives shared throughout the story and they were brilliant.
The pace and flow were perfect. I never once lost my intense connection and was always thinking of this book, even when I wasn’t reading it. I cared for the characters and wanted them to uncover the mystery and find the answers they longed for. Nature is a strong theme that was presented in a powerful and interesting way - loved that aspect.
This book reminded me of Kate Morton’s (my favourite author) novels but with less detailed writing. It also reminded me of Emilia Hart’s debut, Weyward, but with less of the witchy-ness. That was another 2023 Favourite for me. If you enjoy either of those authors, you’ll connect with this one.
I have read and loved “Black Rabbit Hall” and “The Wildling Sisters” by this author. As soon as I finished this, I ordered “The Birdcage” which is sure to be another winner for me. I adore this authors writing. Her words seem to jump off the page and go straight to my heart. Highly recommend all of her books!
All Time Favourites List! 🏆
A crumbling, isolated manor house surrounded by forest. A baby left abandoned in the woods. A nanny whose heart loves like a mother. The power of nature. Generational family secrets. Gothic and mysterious plot. Two timelines linking one family.
This book captured my bookish heart in every way possible! Absolute perfection!
I was engrossed with this storyline from the very first page - no exaggeration. I immediately fell in love with the characters. Two characters in particular will stay with me for a long time - Rita, the nanny, and Hera, the girl she cares for. Both characters have their own unique perspectives shared throughout the story and they were brilliant.
The pace and flow were perfect. I never once lost my intense connection and was always thinking of this book, even when I wasn’t reading it. I cared for the characters and wanted them to uncover the mystery and find the answers they longed for. Nature is a strong theme that was presented in a powerful and interesting way - loved that aspect.
This book reminded me of Kate Morton’s (my favourite author) novels but with less detailed writing. It also reminded me of Emilia Hart’s debut, Weyward, but with less of the witchy-ness. That was another 2023 Favourite for me. If you enjoy either of those authors, you’ll connect with this one.
I have read and loved “Black Rabbit Hall” and “The Wildling Sisters” by this author. As soon as I finished this, I ordered “The Birdcage” which is sure to be another winner for me. I adore this authors writing. Her words seem to jump off the page and go straight to my heart. Highly recommend all of her books!
July 31, 2020
5 converging storyline stars
This is my third Eve Chase book and the third one that I’ve rated 5 stars. I just can’t think of something I would deduct for in her books! I love the mysterious settings, fascinating characters, and the way she brings it all together at the end in unexpected ways.
In this one, we have the very tall nanny, Big Rita, who is caring for children in a troubled family, first in London and then at the country house. The Harringtons have two children and a third is about to be born. Rita is loving taking the children to London museums and field trips to the Thames, but two tragedies force the family to relocate to the country house, Foxcote Manor. The children -- Hera and Teddy – love tramping around in the forest around Foxcote, but Rita worries something terrible will happen to them out there, and she’s not too fond of forests herself. She does love terrariums however!
The summer at Foxcote is meant to be a break for Mrs. Harrington, but she seems to be struggling with depression. There are mysterious happenings that summer with an odd local housekeeper who keeps turning up, a baby left behind in the forest, and a budding romance for Rita. There’s an explosive end to the summer including a dead body in the woods. Rita is forced to say goodbye to the Harringtons.
The alternating storyline features a woman named Sylvie who is dealing with drama with her daughter and an unexpected accident with her mother. Sylvie is trying to get past her divorce and help her daughter navigate a life changing event.
The two storylines come together with a delicious twist and I love how this one ended up. So many clues I missed the first time reading, I would love to read this one again! I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Eve Chase, Edelweiss, and G.P. Putnam for a complimentary copy of this one to read.
This is my third Eve Chase book and the third one that I’ve rated 5 stars. I just can’t think of something I would deduct for in her books! I love the mysterious settings, fascinating characters, and the way she brings it all together at the end in unexpected ways.
In this one, we have the very tall nanny, Big Rita, who is caring for children in a troubled family, first in London and then at the country house. The Harringtons have two children and a third is about to be born. Rita is loving taking the children to London museums and field trips to the Thames, but two tragedies force the family to relocate to the country house, Foxcote Manor. The children -- Hera and Teddy – love tramping around in the forest around Foxcote, but Rita worries something terrible will happen to them out there, and she’s not too fond of forests herself. She does love terrariums however!
The summer at Foxcote is meant to be a break for Mrs. Harrington, but she seems to be struggling with depression. There are mysterious happenings that summer with an odd local housekeeper who keeps turning up, a baby left behind in the forest, and a budding romance for Rita. There’s an explosive end to the summer including a dead body in the woods. Rita is forced to say goodbye to the Harringtons.
The alternating storyline features a woman named Sylvie who is dealing with drama with her daughter and an unexpected accident with her mother. Sylvie is trying to get past her divorce and help her daughter navigate a life changing event.
The two storylines come together with a delicious twist and I love how this one ended up. So many clues I missed the first time reading, I would love to read this one again! I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Eve Chase, Edelweiss, and G.P. Putnam for a complimentary copy of this one to read.
December 20, 2021
I thought I would give 4 stars to this book, but the ending was even more fantastic than I thought it would be!
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
May 15, 2020
The Glass House is the third standalone novel by Eve Chase and is as lush, rich and suspenseful as her previous books featuring explosive family secrets that threaten to shatter countless lives. It's August, 1971 and Jeannie Harrington decides to relocate her children, twelve-year-old Hera and five years old Teddy, to Foxcote Manor in the beautiful Forest of Dean after a fire gutted their London home. Then one day, as though a gift from the gods, a baby girl is discovered perched precariously on a tree stump in the deserted forest by Hera who takes the tot home with her knowing she can't be left there another second longer without someone to supervise her. They decide to keep the baby girl and with Jeannie having sadly not long lost her own baby she feels it'll go some way to mending her soul and easing the depression caused by such a devastating loss. Jeannie is extremely careful not to do anything which may alert the authorities as to the babies location but how can they possibly keep this up, what must they sacrifice in order to do so and what about the child's real parents?
This is a gripping, evocative and beautifully-imagined tale full of mystery and intrigue and the type of dysfunctional family life most readers will only have read about in fiction. It is an immersive read you can easily lose yourself in and therefore the pages turn themselves. A wonderful page-turner with a cast of intriguing and superbly developed characters, they manage to strike the perfect balance between being interesting enough to be thoroughly engrossing but relatable enough to be believable. The wondrous descriptions of the greenery and countryside in all their sprawling beauty are profoundly intoxicating and the mystery contained within these pages nothing short of riveting. This is a book that'll appeal to loyal fans of Ms Chase whilst also gaining her many new readers. Recommended to those who enjoy solid historical family dramas teeming with the darkest secrets and skeletons that will come tumbling out of the closet despite best efforts to keep them hidden from sight. This is the ideal escapist page-turner. Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC.
This is a gripping, evocative and beautifully-imagined tale full of mystery and intrigue and the type of dysfunctional family life most readers will only have read about in fiction. It is an immersive read you can easily lose yourself in and therefore the pages turn themselves. A wonderful page-turner with a cast of intriguing and superbly developed characters, they manage to strike the perfect balance between being interesting enough to be thoroughly engrossing but relatable enough to be believable. The wondrous descriptions of the greenery and countryside in all their sprawling beauty are profoundly intoxicating and the mystery contained within these pages nothing short of riveting. This is a book that'll appeal to loyal fans of Ms Chase whilst also gaining her many new readers. Recommended to those who enjoy solid historical family dramas teeming with the darkest secrets and skeletons that will come tumbling out of the closet despite best efforts to keep them hidden from sight. This is the ideal escapist page-turner. Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC.
March 11, 2022
"Mother bends down to tie on the little bootees and presses the rattle into the baby's tight damp fist. She shakes it and the room fills with silvery sounds and dead-baby ghosts with my mother's smile. She jiggles Baby Forest around the room, trailed by me and Teddy. I don't see Big Rita go upstairs. But when she doesn't come down for ages, I go and find her." (PG. 199)
After the build up of the initial 50 page mark, I got hooked to the story. I got into the rhythm of the characters and I could not stop turning the pages. Every chapter ending was like going into a commercial break without the commercial. The author knows how to hook her audience.
While this was a drama told in three different perspectives, it was all cohesive and added an extra depth and drama to the story and was bounded together wonderfully. It was a satisfying ending.
Big Rita goes to work for the Harrington family one summer in 1970. All I can say is that this is a toxic atmosphere. A family that doesn't bond but has many secrets and the children being psychologically damaged by unhappy adults.
The 70s meet the present and collide opening up secrets everyone was shielding even from themselves.
After the build up of the initial 50 page mark, I got hooked to the story. I got into the rhythm of the characters and I could not stop turning the pages. Every chapter ending was like going into a commercial break without the commercial. The author knows how to hook her audience.
While this was a drama told in three different perspectives, it was all cohesive and added an extra depth and drama to the story and was bounded together wonderfully. It was a satisfying ending.
Big Rita goes to work for the Harrington family one summer in 1970. All I can say is that this is a toxic atmosphere. A family that doesn't bond but has many secrets and the children being psychologically damaged by unhappy adults.
The 70s meet the present and collide opening up secrets everyone was shielding even from themselves.
December 13, 2020
I've become a bit of an Eve Chase fan, this is her third book and it didn't disappoint. A lovely story of the bonds between mothers and daughters, her tales always have a kind of warmth about them, I loved the beautiful Forest of Dean setting, the dual timelines, the mystery and the way all the strands came together in the end. Most of all I loved the characters, especially Big Rita, I wanted to be her friend, I'm so looking forward to the next book by this author.
September 10, 2021
Recovering from a heart-breaking loss, the Harringtons retreat to their country home, Foxcote Manor, only to find a baby girl left on their doorstep. Secretly taking the baby in, their hearts are warmed, however, other secrets also linger and threaten at Foxcote and by the Summer's end the idyll is over, a body found in the forest. Years later and Sylvie finds herself being drawn back into the secrets of her past.
I absolutely loved Chase's first novel, Black Rabbit Hall and quite enjoyed her second too, as such I was looking forward to this her third novel and had heard good things about it. Whilst I continued to enjoy Chase's writing style and the sense of atmosphere and mystery that she is able to create, I have to say that unfortunately this book did not hold me as enthralled as her previous works.
As with Chase's previous books this is a dual time frame novel, the narrative alternating from the 1970s, where we have two different narrators, Rita, the Harrington's nanny, and Hera, one of her young charges, and the current time, where the story is told from Sylvie's point of view. It is about a fifth of the way in that it becomes clear how Sylvie is connected with the characters and story from the past. Again, as with Chase's previous works, the story is very much mystery based, but also at heart a story about families, and the Harringtons are certainly a dysfunctional one at that.
As already mentioned, the strengths here for me were the evocative writing style and ambiance created. Foxcote Manor, located in the Forest of Dean, very much felt like a character in its own right as did the forest itself, and in the past narrative in particular there was a strong sense of suspense created with a feeling of being watched and something sinister lurking, the tension building throughout until the climax.
I did personally feel though that the plot itself was somewhat lacking and rather contrived, and also feeling very stretched out. Indeed it rather felt like a case of style over substance, and whilst I like the tension and mystery that Chase is able to create, there was too little pay off for me here, and it rather began to feel like endless description and tension building merely for the sake of it. I also struggled to connect with most of the characters, even the ones who were supposed to be more likable such as Rita, which made it harder to feel invested and retain interest as the story went on.
Aspects of the book felt very repetitive and formulaic, and whilst there were one or two surprises towards the end, most of the story felt very predictable, and relied heavily on coincidence to connect characters together in the current strand. The present day storyline centering around Sylvie, I found even less engaging than the story set in the 1970s. Whilst the story started off quite slow-paced, I wasn't put off by this as Chase's previous novels have very much been in the same vein, and I kept expecting this one to improve and suddenly take off, but unfortunately it never did, and as the book went on, it actually became harder work to keep going with it.
Overall, based on my previous experiences with Chase's books and the generally positive reviews of this one too, I have to say I was personally rather disappointed. 2.5 stars
I absolutely loved Chase's first novel, Black Rabbit Hall and quite enjoyed her second too, as such I was looking forward to this her third novel and had heard good things about it. Whilst I continued to enjoy Chase's writing style and the sense of atmosphere and mystery that she is able to create, I have to say that unfortunately this book did not hold me as enthralled as her previous works.
As with Chase's previous books this is a dual time frame novel, the narrative alternating from the 1970s, where we have two different narrators, Rita, the Harrington's nanny, and Hera, one of her young charges, and the current time, where the story is told from Sylvie's point of view. It is about a fifth of the way in that it becomes clear how Sylvie is connected with the characters and story from the past. Again, as with Chase's previous works, the story is very much mystery based, but also at heart a story about families, and the Harringtons are certainly a dysfunctional one at that.
As already mentioned, the strengths here for me were the evocative writing style and ambiance created. Foxcote Manor, located in the Forest of Dean, very much felt like a character in its own right as did the forest itself, and in the past narrative in particular there was a strong sense of suspense created with a feeling of being watched and something sinister lurking, the tension building throughout until the climax.
I did personally feel though that the plot itself was somewhat lacking and rather contrived, and also feeling very stretched out. Indeed it rather felt like a case of style over substance, and whilst I like the tension and mystery that Chase is able to create, there was too little pay off for me here, and it rather began to feel like endless description and tension building merely for the sake of it. I also struggled to connect with most of the characters, even the ones who were supposed to be more likable such as Rita, which made it harder to feel invested and retain interest as the story went on.
Aspects of the book felt very repetitive and formulaic, and whilst there were one or two surprises towards the end, most of the story felt very predictable, and relied heavily on coincidence to connect characters together in the current strand. The present day storyline centering around Sylvie, I found even less engaging than the story set in the 1970s. Whilst the story started off quite slow-paced, I wasn't put off by this as Chase's previous novels have very much been in the same vein, and I kept expecting this one to improve and suddenly take off, but unfortunately it never did, and as the book went on, it actually became harder work to keep going with it.
Overall, based on my previous experiences with Chase's books and the generally positive reviews of this one too, I have to say I was personally rather disappointed. 2.5 stars
October 2, 2022
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I am so glad I got the chance to read The Glass House by Eve Chase! I read it for a readalong, alongside some amazing people! It was a very good book, and I enjoyed it a lot. However, it lacked some mystery elements, which was the main reason I picked it up.
Synopsis
When the Harrington family discovers an abandoned baby deep in the woods, they decide to keep her a secret and raise her as their own.
But within days a body is found in the grounds of their house and their perfect new family implodes.
Years later, Sylvie, seeking answers to nagging questions about her life, is drawn into the wild, beautiful woods where nothing is quite what it seems.
My Thoughts:
The Glass House is a well written drama with a couple of mysterious elements. Through a couple of characters and two different timelines, we discover how two families end up connected to each other, and what secrets they have been keeping over the years.
It was very easy for me to get into this book, as the writing is captivating and colourful. I started to connect the dots very early and from then on, I was more and more curious to see what direction the story will take.
I loved Rita, the nanny. She was the one person in the book I truly cared about and I really wanted the best for her. I was invested in the other characters as well – they were all likeable in their own way and I enjoyed getting to know them better. However, apart from Rita, no one else made a huge impact on me.
The story and the development were set up very nicely. I could predict almost all plot twists way before they happened, which was slightly disappointing. I was expecting more thriller elements, as there is a murder involved, but that wasn’t quite the case. The focus was on secrets and family drama, and this part managed to keep me entertained. There was a slight lack of suspense though.
The Glass House tells a lovely tale about how secrets can connect two completely different families. And also how fate can reunite them. It was gripping and full of family secrets and drama. If you are looking for the next murder mystery or suspenseful thriller, this is not it. But if you love a good story with likeable characters and a lot of family secrets buried in the past, you will definitely enjoy this one!
I am so glad I got the chance to read The Glass House by Eve Chase! I read it for a readalong, alongside some amazing people! It was a very good book, and I enjoyed it a lot. However, it lacked some mystery elements, which was the main reason I picked it up.
Synopsis
When the Harrington family discovers an abandoned baby deep in the woods, they decide to keep her a secret and raise her as their own.
But within days a body is found in the grounds of their house and their perfect new family implodes.
Years later, Sylvie, seeking answers to nagging questions about her life, is drawn into the wild, beautiful woods where nothing is quite what it seems.
My Thoughts:
The Glass House is a well written drama with a couple of mysterious elements. Through a couple of characters and two different timelines, we discover how two families end up connected to each other, and what secrets they have been keeping over the years.
It was very easy for me to get into this book, as the writing is captivating and colourful. I started to connect the dots very early and from then on, I was more and more curious to see what direction the story will take.
I loved Rita, the nanny. She was the one person in the book I truly cared about and I really wanted the best for her. I was invested in the other characters as well – they were all likeable in their own way and I enjoyed getting to know them better. However, apart from Rita, no one else made a huge impact on me.
The story and the development were set up very nicely. I could predict almost all plot twists way before they happened, which was slightly disappointing. I was expecting more thriller elements, as there is a murder involved, but that wasn’t quite the case. The focus was on secrets and family drama, and this part managed to keep me entertained. There was a slight lack of suspense though.
The Glass House tells a lovely tale about how secrets can connect two completely different families. And also how fate can reunite them. It was gripping and full of family secrets and drama. If you are looking for the next murder mystery or suspenseful thriller, this is not it. But if you love a good story with likeable characters and a lot of family secrets buried in the past, you will definitely enjoy this one!
March 17, 2021
This is definitely a book that will grow on you (no pun intended).
I’m not going to lie, the first little bit had me slightly bored, and the characters were all a bit confusing as we switched between 3 different POVs, two from the past and one from the present. But as we keep going, things clear up, and you just get SUCKED right into the imagery, and the deep, dark secrets of the Harrington family.
Another really good book choice from Once Upon a Book Club!
I’m not going to lie, the first little bit had me slightly bored, and the characters were all a bit confusing as we switched between 3 different POVs, two from the past and one from the present. But as we keep going, things clear up, and you just get SUCKED right into the imagery, and the deep, dark secrets of the Harrington family.
Another really good book choice from Once Upon a Book Club!
July 4, 2023
Negaliu kitaip pradėt apžvalgos - knygos viršelis!!! Užburiantis! Jau vien į jį pažvelgus noris imt ir skaityt. O visas gėris tame, kad ne tik viršelis čia geras - pagi knyga dar puikesnė. Nu nuoširdžiai nesitikėjau, kad romanas apie šeimos paslaptis ir dar dviejų laikų istorija mane taip sužavės. Bet sužavėjo ir turėjau nuos tą bų laiką su knyga.
Istorija apie miške rastą kūdikį knygoje virsta tikra, kokybiška drama. Savo naujagimio gedinti Džina grimsta depresijoje, nesugeba pilnavertiškai pasirūpinti savo vaikais. Čia gelbėja auklė, kuria vaikai meiliai vadina Milžine Rita. Rita - nuovoki, darbšti, protinga ir visa siela atsidavusi vaikams ir šeimai, kuriai dirba. Rasto kūdikio pasilikimas jai neatrodo gera mintis, bet matydama atsigavusią ir vėl pražydusią šeiminkę sutinka vaiką slėpti, ir auginti slapta. Nes čia dalykas pavojingas - bet kada jo gali pasigesti tikroji motina ar tiesiog policija. Ypač, kai netrukus po to, tame pačiame miške randamas ir lavonas...
Kalbant apie šiuos laikus, sutinkame Silvi - moterį, išgyvenančią skyrybas ir sužinančią dukters paslpatį, apversiančią visą jų gyvenimą aukštyn kojom.
Nenoriu nieko per daug spoilint, nes šioje knygoje kaip puslapis, taip naujiena. Intriga. Paslaptis. Drama. Skausmas ir tikro gyvenimo aštriausi kampai. Patiko kaip autorė neperspausdama paliečia pogimdyminės depresijos klausimą, kūno kultą, motiniško atsidavimo kainą, moters stiprybę ir vaikų drąsą, kuomet mylimiems kyla pavojus. Istorija nuostabi, tačiau ji nebūtų buvus tokia paveiki, jei ne gyvas, literatūriškai gražus ir atidus vertimas. Puikiai sudirba su tekstu - knygoje pilna išnašų, kurios paaiškina ne tik svetimos kalbos žodžius, bet ir kultūrinius dalykus, juokelius ir tt. Taip skaitytojas absoliučiai pilnavertiškai gali suprasti istorijos esmę ir potekstes. Nuostabi knyga. Net man, dviejų pasakojimų linijų ir šeimos paslapčių nemėgėjai viskas taip patiko, kad tie, kurie mėgsta šituos reikalus, turėtų alpt iš džiaugsmo skaitydami.
Istorija apie miške rastą kūdikį knygoje virsta tikra, kokybiška drama. Savo naujagimio gedinti Džina grimsta depresijoje, nesugeba pilnavertiškai pasirūpinti savo vaikais. Čia gelbėja auklė, kuria vaikai meiliai vadina Milžine Rita. Rita - nuovoki, darbšti, protinga ir visa siela atsidavusi vaikams ir šeimai, kuriai dirba. Rasto kūdikio pasilikimas jai neatrodo gera mintis, bet matydama atsigavusią ir vėl pražydusią šeiminkę sutinka vaiką slėpti, ir auginti slapta. Nes čia dalykas pavojingas - bet kada jo gali pasigesti tikroji motina ar tiesiog policija. Ypač, kai netrukus po to, tame pačiame miške randamas ir lavonas...
Kalbant apie šiuos laikus, sutinkame Silvi - moterį, išgyvenančią skyrybas ir sužinančią dukters paslpatį, apversiančią visą jų gyvenimą aukštyn kojom.
Nenoriu nieko per daug spoilint, nes šioje knygoje kaip puslapis, taip naujiena. Intriga. Paslaptis. Drama. Skausmas ir tikro gyvenimo aštriausi kampai. Patiko kaip autorė neperspausdama paliečia pogimdyminės depresijos klausimą, kūno kultą, motiniško atsidavimo kainą, moters stiprybę ir vaikų drąsą, kuomet mylimiems kyla pavojus. Istorija nuostabi, tačiau ji nebūtų buvus tokia paveiki, jei ne gyvas, literatūriškai gražus ir atidus vertimas. Puikiai sudirba su tekstu - knygoje pilna išnašų, kurios paaiškina ne tik svetimos kalbos žodžius, bet ir kultūrinius dalykus, juokelius ir tt. Taip skaitytojas absoliučiai pilnavertiškai gali suprasti istorijos esmę ir potekstes. Nuostabi knyga. Net man, dviejų pasakojimų linijų ir šeimos paslapčių nemėgėjai viskas taip patiko, kad tie, kurie mėgsta šituos reikalus, turėtų alpt iš džiaugsmo skaitydami.
July 31, 2020
Eve Chase has a gift for spinning stories, bringing characters to life, and making glorious houses live and breathe.
This book begins with a report of the discovery of a body deep in a forest, and then comes the house.
Behind a tall rusting gate, Foxcote manor erupts from the undergrowth, as if a geological heave has lifted it from the woodland floor. A wrecked beauty, the old house’s mullioned windows blink drunkenly, in the stippled evening sunlight. Colossal trees overhang a sweep of red-tiled roof that sags in the middle, like a snapped spine, so the chimney’s tilt at odd angles. Ivy suckers up the timber and brick-gabled facade, dense, bristling, alive with dozens of tiny darting birds, a billowing veil of bees …
That house is the focus of three entwined narratives, two from the past and one from the presents, telling a story of mothers and daughters, of love and loss, and of history and its consequences.
Rita came to Foxcote, that wonderful country home, as the nanny of two children whose family who had just suffered a terrible trauma. She wasn’t entirely happy about that, as becoming a nanny to a wealthy family in London had been her dream job, but she loved her charges and she know that they needed her, more than every now that their mother was mentally frail.
She was a city girl but she came to love the country.
The father of the family had to stay in London, his request that she send him regular reports made her uncomfortable, and what was happening to his wife and children – especially when one particular person visited – gave her serious cause for concern.
Another voice from the past filled out the story, speaking of things that Sylvie didn’t see or know.
Years later, Sylvie was making plans to leave her husband. They were calling it a trial separation, but she knew that they had drifted apart and that it was time for a permanent change.
She felt positive about the future, but her plans had to be put on hold when a terrible accident left her usually bright and active mother in a comma. Her daughter’s reaction to that was not what she expected, Sylvie suspected that something was very wrong, because that had always been very close and they always talked about anything and everything.
I was captivated by both stories, past and present. Because the characters and relationships were so beautifully drawn that they lived and breathed, that they drew me in and made me care and want to know what would happen. Because the writing was so rich and evocative that the I felt that I really knew the times and places that the story visited.
At first there was nothing to indicate what would tie the stories together, but hints and facts were dropped in a way that was quite perfectly judged, until I knew and understood everything.
I wish that I could stop there, but I can’t.
The early chapters were perfect, but as time went on I worried that two serious incidents in the story set in the past would be difficult to resolve. The plot, beautifully constructed though it was, took the lustre from the characters and the relationships. They needed space to shine, but they were weighed down and stretched too far by an excess of story.
I was able to keep faith for most of the book, but I found that in the later chapters I couldn’t help feeling that the author spoilt her own story by trying to account for everything and everyone, and by tying the story set it the past and the story set in the present together much, much too tightly.
That is why, though I found much to love in this book, though it never lost its hold on me, I couldn’t love it as much as I hoped I would, or as much as I loved Eve Chase’s last book.
I hope that this wasn’t a sign that the author isn’t running out of ideas for this type or book, that she isn’t trapped in a niche or under pressure to come up with new ideas to quickly. I hope that this is just a mis-step.
Maybe it was the literary equivalent of an artist who doesn’t know when to put her brush down. I say that because I love the pictures that this book painted, but I need to stand back and not look too closely at some of the details.
This book begins with a report of the discovery of a body deep in a forest, and then comes the house.
Behind a tall rusting gate, Foxcote manor erupts from the undergrowth, as if a geological heave has lifted it from the woodland floor. A wrecked beauty, the old house’s mullioned windows blink drunkenly, in the stippled evening sunlight. Colossal trees overhang a sweep of red-tiled roof that sags in the middle, like a snapped spine, so the chimney’s tilt at odd angles. Ivy suckers up the timber and brick-gabled facade, dense, bristling, alive with dozens of tiny darting birds, a billowing veil of bees …
That house is the focus of three entwined narratives, two from the past and one from the presents, telling a story of mothers and daughters, of love and loss, and of history and its consequences.
Rita came to Foxcote, that wonderful country home, as the nanny of two children whose family who had just suffered a terrible trauma. She wasn’t entirely happy about that, as becoming a nanny to a wealthy family in London had been her dream job, but she loved her charges and she know that they needed her, more than every now that their mother was mentally frail.
She was a city girl but she came to love the country.
The father of the family had to stay in London, his request that she send him regular reports made her uncomfortable, and what was happening to his wife and children – especially when one particular person visited – gave her serious cause for concern.
Another voice from the past filled out the story, speaking of things that Sylvie didn’t see or know.
Years later, Sylvie was making plans to leave her husband. They were calling it a trial separation, but she knew that they had drifted apart and that it was time for a permanent change.
She felt positive about the future, but her plans had to be put on hold when a terrible accident left her usually bright and active mother in a comma. Her daughter’s reaction to that was not what she expected, Sylvie suspected that something was very wrong, because that had always been very close and they always talked about anything and everything.
I was captivated by both stories, past and present. Because the characters and relationships were so beautifully drawn that they lived and breathed, that they drew me in and made me care and want to know what would happen. Because the writing was so rich and evocative that the I felt that I really knew the times and places that the story visited.
At first there was nothing to indicate what would tie the stories together, but hints and facts were dropped in a way that was quite perfectly judged, until I knew and understood everything.
I wish that I could stop there, but I can’t.
The early chapters were perfect, but as time went on I worried that two serious incidents in the story set in the past would be difficult to resolve. The plot, beautifully constructed though it was, took the lustre from the characters and the relationships. They needed space to shine, but they were weighed down and stretched too far by an excess of story.
I was able to keep faith for most of the book, but I found that in the later chapters I couldn’t help feeling that the author spoilt her own story by trying to account for everything and everyone, and by tying the story set it the past and the story set in the present together much, much too tightly.
That is why, though I found much to love in this book, though it never lost its hold on me, I couldn’t love it as much as I hoped I would, or as much as I loved Eve Chase’s last book.
I hope that this wasn’t a sign that the author isn’t running out of ideas for this type or book, that she isn’t trapped in a niche or under pressure to come up with new ideas to quickly. I hope that this is just a mis-step.
Maybe it was the literary equivalent of an artist who doesn’t know when to put her brush down. I say that because I love the pictures that this book painted, but I need to stand back and not look too closely at some of the details.
September 20, 2022
W jej gatunku zostawiam 5⭐️ - bawiłam się świetnie, a do tego końcówka kilkukrotnie mnie zaskoczyła:) fenomenalny klimat 😊
January 22, 2023
4,5* Genul acesta de scriere îmi place cel mai mult!
August 11, 2020
There are two major time periods in the book, the first we encounter is in 1970-1971.
We find out that Rita was raised by her grandmother in a tiny, cramped council bungalow. Her parents had died in some tragedy that was as of yet unrevealed at this point in the story. And even at this very early stage, Eve Chase is “painting” very vivid word pictures. The bungalow itself, she tells us, features a “coin gobbling” electricity meter, (I love it!) We also learn that Rita and her Nan lived in a town named Torquay, and despite the fact that Rita adored her grandmother, she generally associates her early years in this town with feelings of loneliness and a small town kind of “smallness” that she found very restricting to her aspirations and the life she wanted to live as an adult.
But even amidst the general gloom of Rita’s years living in Torquay, there were a few things she like and appreciated, very much the same sentiment as the American musician Johnny Rivers must have felt when he penned the famous lyrics, “It’s hard to find nice things on the poor side of town.” Not impossible, as Rivers indirectly points out, but difficult.
In Rita’s case, the “nice thing” came in the form of a job nannying for a certain family who rewarded her years of excellent service with a precious gift. It would turn out to be the most important asset an aspiring young lady could possibly possess…a stellar employment reference.
Rita had been with the family for some time when her Nan suddenly passed away. The council had reclaimed her bungalow and Rita left for the great City of London to apply for her dream nannying job…working for the celebrated Harrington Family.
On the day of the job interview, three things happened, all of which worked together in favor of Rita landing the job. First, Mrs. Jeannie Harrington read her reference letter aloud as the candidate sat, as demurely as possible, on the soft across from her, the children listening intently to mother’s spoken proclamation:
“Loyal, kind, and adored by my four children. Brilliant with the baby. Not so good on laundry or cooking. Very nervous driver. Would hire her again in a heartbeat.”
Mrs. Harrington sets down the letter, and much to Rita’s delight, was wearing a smile on her face.
The second, less obvious beneficial development came when Rita received a piece of daintily presented cake from the Harrington daughter, the immediately dropped it all over the expensive looking carpet…
That immediately lead to the third of the fortunate turns, as the girl who handed Rita the cake began to giggle in such an infectious way that Rita, despite herself, began a bit of a giggle fit herself.
It was sometime later that Jeannie Harrington informed Rita that this was the very moment she knew she was the right person for the job. She wanted, she explained, a “fun” and young nanny for her two children, not some, “cross old boot.”
So, Rita had been hired, and over the course of the next fourteen months, came to adore the two Harrington children, Teddy, who was five and Hera, (Here-rah), who was twelve when she began working in the household. And there was a third child on the way, due to arrive soon as was evidenced by Jeannie Harrington’s growing baby bump.
Rita enjoyed working for Mrs. Harrington, loved that she had her own bedroom, and thrilled at living in the exciting City of London. She felt as though she was living with the Darlings of Peter Pan…life, she thought, could not possibly be better.
And then two terrible blows strike the Harrington household, one almost immediately after the other…
The first concerned the baby which did not survive childbirth. The second was a destructive fire which engulfed a sizeable portion of the great house they lived in.
The family would have to be relocated, all except for Mr. Walter Harrington, who would stay in London in order to continue running the Harrington Glass Company which was located in Mayfair.
Rita, Jeannie, Teddy and Hera would make the five-hour driving trip from London to the family’s country estate, a manor house located in a remote, heavily wooded location. Rita envisioned these two developments with a foreboding feeling. She hated driving, and she despises the woods. But even so, considering how much she came to care for the family, and the fact that she loves her job, causes her to grit through these temporary annoyances.
But then a third, rather unanticipated circumstance reveals itself…
Walter Harrington is expecting Rita to spy on his wife while they are apart. She’s to report, he informs Rita, on his wife’s condition, her state of mind, her moods, her appetite and the “quality of her mothering.”
“I’ll expect your absolute discretion, of course. My wife must not find out.”
So, there Rita finds herself, facing the prospect of living in fear of this frightening forest home, all the while betraying the woman that she’s come to respect and care for…
The second timeline takes places now.
Sylvie and her husband Steve, we learn, are going through a trial separation after nearly nineteen years of marriage…nineteen years in which the fabric of the reasons for them to remain a couple are gradually becoming frayed and weakened, like a, once-loved garment left in a moth-filled wardrobe, they nibble away, “until one day you notice a hole…”
Part of the “nibbling away” process was the result of Sylvie’s habit of holding back on discussing difficult subjects, keeping the revelation of the “sticky stuff of life” on a “need to know” basis.
She’d developed the habit early on, after that terrible thing that happened to her in the woods when she was a child, the one that she was certain would give her mother a “coronary grimace” if she ever dared to share it with her.
The childhood incident, so awfully affecting that it set her of on a life of secret keeping.
Steve, for his part, also contributed toward the unravelling of the fabric of their marriage. His “moths” came in the form of a blonde named Lisa, a HR Specialist he knew from work, not to mention his doubles tennis partner, attractive and friendly. Sylvie tells us she’d at least “55% sure” her husband was having an affair with the tennis player…
As a matter of fact, it could be either of these woman Sylvie thinks, or it could’ve been both…
So, as we read in the opening pages of the book, Sylvie and Steve are living separately, he in the home they shared before, and she in the apartment of an understanding friend, a place conveniently located just a couple of bus stops from Steve’s.
The purpose of this close arrangement is for the benefit of their teenage daughter Annie. But upon finding out about her parent’s split, will choose neither location, instead favoring a decampment at Sylvie’s mom’s cottage in Devon for the summer. For Annie, this choice has the benefit of distracting her, one in the form of a waitressing job, the other, a boyfriend, the identity of whom she chooses not to reveal to her mother over the phone.
So, this is where the two timelines stand as of the opening pages of the novel. The first, involving a nanny and part of a family moving to a mysterious house in the woods. The second, concerning a recently separated woman who’s holding a dark secret of a tragic event that took place in a remote forest in that same year of 1971.
The fruits of Eve Chase’s storytelling brilliance were on display as these two timelines flowed into each other…a confluence of life experiences of two families…all intersecting at the house seep in the forest…Foxcote Manor.
As has been the case with Eve Chase’s other novels, I was drawn in right from the beginning, expecting to savor every intriguing moment of the stories of Rita, Sylvie and Hera and the storied old manor house itself…
Among my favorite aspects of this story were:
The way this wonderful author brings old mansions to life, in this story, it’s Foxcote Manor…
“Behind a tall, rusting gate, Foxcote Manor erupts from the undergrowth, as if a geological heave has lifted it from the woodland floor. The mullioned windows on the old house, a wrecked beauty, blink drunkenly in the stippled evening sunlight. Colossal trees overhang a sweep of red-tiled roof that sags in the middle, like snapped spine, so the chimneys tilt at odd angles. Ivy suckers up the timer-and-brick gabled façade, dense, bristling, alive with dozens of tiny darting birds, a billowing veil of bees…”
Also, when I became aware that this Eve Chase story would feature children living in a mysterious home in the woods, I anticipated the arrival of some seriously enchanting scenes as I progressed.
I was not disappointed.
Here was one such moment:
“A sort of manic savage glee intoxicates children in the woods, Rita noticed. It worries her, since she’s unable to follow them around every second of the day. They hop in and out of the holes in the wall like hares. When she opens the garden gate and yells, ‘Lunch!” her breath’s held, and what was a vague anxiety edges toward panic until the moment they tear out of the trees and the gate’s rusty catch clicks shut behind them.
She can’t mentally map where they’ve been in those missing minutes, the mossy gullies they’ve skidded down – snagging their clothes and fingernails – or their winding routes back to the house. Neither can she gauge how dangerous the forest actually is, if she’s worrying unnecessarily. ‘You didn’t climb the log stack, did you?’ She sees it in her mind’s eye, the logs precariously balanced, ready to roll like huge, spine-crushing ninepins…”
Despite the overall quality of all these aspects I mentioned, Chase does not speed over the romantic parts of her novels, quite the opposite, in fact. The moments where relationships are built are presented in a way that seems completely authentic and believable, yet amazingly charming at the same time. A small example was when a woman, unfamiliar with the woods, is frightened and embarrassed when she encounters a man who is a stranger to her:
“’I’m used to signposted streets. One tree looks like another,’ she’d explained briskly, shivering.
The next day, the man comes to the manor in the woods where the woman is nanny to two children:
’I brought you something,’ he says, handing her a parcel. She looks to him for further explanation, ’A forest map, if you like,’ he says as she opens the parcel.
Inside are a bunch of leaves. Each one named in pencil on a parcel label, tied with a string to the stem: silver birch, oak, holly, beach, elm…
‘Once you know your trees, you’ve got your street signposts,’ he says.”
What a wonderful way to capture the “seeds” of this budding relationship!
And then there’s perhaps the most wonderful aspect of Eve Chase’s novels.
Time…
And the way it flexes, bends, speeds up and slows down, as if subservient to the needs of the story:
“And there’s a lot of time to be had, the days at Foxcote loose and baggy, bookended between the din of the dawn chorus and the sunset whorl of the bats…”
In summary, this author has a unique talent for turning what might have been a merely interesting scene into an enchantingly atmospheric experience. These “adventures of the mind” kind of reading delights were present throughout her past novels, and I’m thrilled to say that this one was equally excellent on this count.
Her talent for bringing manor houses to life, to alter the reader’s mood a she portrays time in a unexpected way, and the charming moments such as the one I described above are but a taste of what you’ll experience as you lose yourself in the pages of this wonderful story. What I’ve shown you is just a bit…
A nibble of an appetizer at a sumptuous banquet…
We find out that Rita was raised by her grandmother in a tiny, cramped council bungalow. Her parents had died in some tragedy that was as of yet unrevealed at this point in the story. And even at this very early stage, Eve Chase is “painting” very vivid word pictures. The bungalow itself, she tells us, features a “coin gobbling” electricity meter, (I love it!) We also learn that Rita and her Nan lived in a town named Torquay, and despite the fact that Rita adored her grandmother, she generally associates her early years in this town with feelings of loneliness and a small town kind of “smallness” that she found very restricting to her aspirations and the life she wanted to live as an adult.
But even amidst the general gloom of Rita’s years living in Torquay, there were a few things she like and appreciated, very much the same sentiment as the American musician Johnny Rivers must have felt when he penned the famous lyrics, “It’s hard to find nice things on the poor side of town.” Not impossible, as Rivers indirectly points out, but difficult.
In Rita’s case, the “nice thing” came in the form of a job nannying for a certain family who rewarded her years of excellent service with a precious gift. It would turn out to be the most important asset an aspiring young lady could possibly possess…a stellar employment reference.
Rita had been with the family for some time when her Nan suddenly passed away. The council had reclaimed her bungalow and Rita left for the great City of London to apply for her dream nannying job…working for the celebrated Harrington Family.
On the day of the job interview, three things happened, all of which worked together in favor of Rita landing the job. First, Mrs. Jeannie Harrington read her reference letter aloud as the candidate sat, as demurely as possible, on the soft across from her, the children listening intently to mother’s spoken proclamation:
“Loyal, kind, and adored by my four children. Brilliant with the baby. Not so good on laundry or cooking. Very nervous driver. Would hire her again in a heartbeat.”
Mrs. Harrington sets down the letter, and much to Rita’s delight, was wearing a smile on her face.
The second, less obvious beneficial development came when Rita received a piece of daintily presented cake from the Harrington daughter, the immediately dropped it all over the expensive looking carpet…
That immediately lead to the third of the fortunate turns, as the girl who handed Rita the cake began to giggle in such an infectious way that Rita, despite herself, began a bit of a giggle fit herself.
It was sometime later that Jeannie Harrington informed Rita that this was the very moment she knew she was the right person for the job. She wanted, she explained, a “fun” and young nanny for her two children, not some, “cross old boot.”
So, Rita had been hired, and over the course of the next fourteen months, came to adore the two Harrington children, Teddy, who was five and Hera, (Here-rah), who was twelve when she began working in the household. And there was a third child on the way, due to arrive soon as was evidenced by Jeannie Harrington’s growing baby bump.
Rita enjoyed working for Mrs. Harrington, loved that she had her own bedroom, and thrilled at living in the exciting City of London. She felt as though she was living with the Darlings of Peter Pan…life, she thought, could not possibly be better.
And then two terrible blows strike the Harrington household, one almost immediately after the other…
The first concerned the baby which did not survive childbirth. The second was a destructive fire which engulfed a sizeable portion of the great house they lived in.
The family would have to be relocated, all except for Mr. Walter Harrington, who would stay in London in order to continue running the Harrington Glass Company which was located in Mayfair.
Rita, Jeannie, Teddy and Hera would make the five-hour driving trip from London to the family’s country estate, a manor house located in a remote, heavily wooded location. Rita envisioned these two developments with a foreboding feeling. She hated driving, and she despises the woods. But even so, considering how much she came to care for the family, and the fact that she loves her job, causes her to grit through these temporary annoyances.
But then a third, rather unanticipated circumstance reveals itself…
Walter Harrington is expecting Rita to spy on his wife while they are apart. She’s to report, he informs Rita, on his wife’s condition, her state of mind, her moods, her appetite and the “quality of her mothering.”
“I’ll expect your absolute discretion, of course. My wife must not find out.”
So, there Rita finds herself, facing the prospect of living in fear of this frightening forest home, all the while betraying the woman that she’s come to respect and care for…
The second timeline takes places now.
Sylvie and her husband Steve, we learn, are going through a trial separation after nearly nineteen years of marriage…nineteen years in which the fabric of the reasons for them to remain a couple are gradually becoming frayed and weakened, like a, once-loved garment left in a moth-filled wardrobe, they nibble away, “until one day you notice a hole…”
Part of the “nibbling away” process was the result of Sylvie’s habit of holding back on discussing difficult subjects, keeping the revelation of the “sticky stuff of life” on a “need to know” basis.
She’d developed the habit early on, after that terrible thing that happened to her in the woods when she was a child, the one that she was certain would give her mother a “coronary grimace” if she ever dared to share it with her.
The childhood incident, so awfully affecting that it set her of on a life of secret keeping.
Steve, for his part, also contributed toward the unravelling of the fabric of their marriage. His “moths” came in the form of a blonde named Lisa, a HR Specialist he knew from work, not to mention his doubles tennis partner, attractive and friendly. Sylvie tells us she’d at least “55% sure” her husband was having an affair with the tennis player…
As a matter of fact, it could be either of these woman Sylvie thinks, or it could’ve been both…
So, as we read in the opening pages of the book, Sylvie and Steve are living separately, he in the home they shared before, and she in the apartment of an understanding friend, a place conveniently located just a couple of bus stops from Steve’s.
The purpose of this close arrangement is for the benefit of their teenage daughter Annie. But upon finding out about her parent’s split, will choose neither location, instead favoring a decampment at Sylvie’s mom’s cottage in Devon for the summer. For Annie, this choice has the benefit of distracting her, one in the form of a waitressing job, the other, a boyfriend, the identity of whom she chooses not to reveal to her mother over the phone.
So, this is where the two timelines stand as of the opening pages of the novel. The first, involving a nanny and part of a family moving to a mysterious house in the woods. The second, concerning a recently separated woman who’s holding a dark secret of a tragic event that took place in a remote forest in that same year of 1971.
The fruits of Eve Chase’s storytelling brilliance were on display as these two timelines flowed into each other…a confluence of life experiences of two families…all intersecting at the house seep in the forest…Foxcote Manor.
As has been the case with Eve Chase’s other novels, I was drawn in right from the beginning, expecting to savor every intriguing moment of the stories of Rita, Sylvie and Hera and the storied old manor house itself…
Among my favorite aspects of this story were:
The way this wonderful author brings old mansions to life, in this story, it’s Foxcote Manor…
“Behind a tall, rusting gate, Foxcote Manor erupts from the undergrowth, as if a geological heave has lifted it from the woodland floor. The mullioned windows on the old house, a wrecked beauty, blink drunkenly in the stippled evening sunlight. Colossal trees overhang a sweep of red-tiled roof that sags in the middle, like snapped spine, so the chimneys tilt at odd angles. Ivy suckers up the timer-and-brick gabled façade, dense, bristling, alive with dozens of tiny darting birds, a billowing veil of bees…”
Also, when I became aware that this Eve Chase story would feature children living in a mysterious home in the woods, I anticipated the arrival of some seriously enchanting scenes as I progressed.
I was not disappointed.
Here was one such moment:
“A sort of manic savage glee intoxicates children in the woods, Rita noticed. It worries her, since she’s unable to follow them around every second of the day. They hop in and out of the holes in the wall like hares. When she opens the garden gate and yells, ‘Lunch!” her breath’s held, and what was a vague anxiety edges toward panic until the moment they tear out of the trees and the gate’s rusty catch clicks shut behind them.
She can’t mentally map where they’ve been in those missing minutes, the mossy gullies they’ve skidded down – snagging their clothes and fingernails – or their winding routes back to the house. Neither can she gauge how dangerous the forest actually is, if she’s worrying unnecessarily. ‘You didn’t climb the log stack, did you?’ She sees it in her mind’s eye, the logs precariously balanced, ready to roll like huge, spine-crushing ninepins…”
Despite the overall quality of all these aspects I mentioned, Chase does not speed over the romantic parts of her novels, quite the opposite, in fact. The moments where relationships are built are presented in a way that seems completely authentic and believable, yet amazingly charming at the same time. A small example was when a woman, unfamiliar with the woods, is frightened and embarrassed when she encounters a man who is a stranger to her:
“’I’m used to signposted streets. One tree looks like another,’ she’d explained briskly, shivering.
The next day, the man comes to the manor in the woods where the woman is nanny to two children:
’I brought you something,’ he says, handing her a parcel. She looks to him for further explanation, ’A forest map, if you like,’ he says as she opens the parcel.
Inside are a bunch of leaves. Each one named in pencil on a parcel label, tied with a string to the stem: silver birch, oak, holly, beach, elm…
‘Once you know your trees, you’ve got your street signposts,’ he says.”
What a wonderful way to capture the “seeds” of this budding relationship!
And then there’s perhaps the most wonderful aspect of Eve Chase’s novels.
Time…
And the way it flexes, bends, speeds up and slows down, as if subservient to the needs of the story:
“And there’s a lot of time to be had, the days at Foxcote loose and baggy, bookended between the din of the dawn chorus and the sunset whorl of the bats…”
In summary, this author has a unique talent for turning what might have been a merely interesting scene into an enchantingly atmospheric experience. These “adventures of the mind” kind of reading delights were present throughout her past novels, and I’m thrilled to say that this one was equally excellent on this count.
Her talent for bringing manor houses to life, to alter the reader’s mood a she portrays time in a unexpected way, and the charming moments such as the one I described above are but a taste of what you’ll experience as you lose yourself in the pages of this wonderful story. What I’ve shown you is just a bit…
A nibble of an appetizer at a sumptuous banquet…
May 19, 2020
I’ve enjoyed both the books by Eve Chase I’ve read previously – Black Rabbit Hall and The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde (US title, The Wildling Sisters). The author sticks to the same successful formula in The Glass House (US title, The Daughters of Foxcote Manor): multiple points of view and timelines, a story involving family secrets and an atmospheric location. In this case, the latter is the slightly rundown Foxcote Manor situated deep in the dense Forest of Dean.
The book opens in 1971 with the arrival at Foxcote Manor of the Harrington family – Jeannie, her daughter Hera and son Teddy along with nanny, Rita (known in the family as ‘Big Rita’). Jeannie’s husband, Walter, is notable by his absence on business and it transpires this is no summer vacation but an enforced relocation from their London home in the wake of traumatic events. And it becomes apparent that Rita has found herself in a rather dysfunctional family and in a house whose location she finds unsettling. She experiences “an eerie watched feeling, especially at night when the house is lit up and the darkness rubs against the windows”.
The author is certainly fond of metaphors and similes, some of which work better than others. However, the depiction of family dynamics is deftly handled, such as the way in which the arrival of the baby affects Teddy, no longer the centre of attention as the youngest in the family. And there are moments of insight such as the observation on married life as “an editing process…a discerning closing down of other options…like choosing a capsule wardrobe – navy, black and cream – over fleeting extravagance, throwaway fast fashion”.
Moving to the present day, the reader is introduced to Sylvie, recently separated from her husband and dealing with domestic problems of her own, including her ailing mother and her troubled teenage daughter, Annie. For support she has only her sister, Caroline, but she lives abroad. The connection between the two storylines gradually unfolds, revealing intriguing echoes of the past and secrets waiting to be discovered.
But what about the mystery of the dead body found in the forest, I hear you ask? Who is it, how did they die and who was responsible? You’ll discover the answer to the first two fairly quickly after the event but I’d be surprised if you work out the solution to the third.
As always in this kind of story, a degree of suspension of disbelief is required in relation to some of the coincidences that occur. I have to say as well that the sections set in the past didn’t scream 1970s to me, apart that is for the cheese and piccalilli sandwiches! Having said that, The Glass House is a well-crafted mystery about family secrets and the lasting, unforseen consequences of past actions. It will definitely appeal to fans of Eve Chase’s previous books and readers of the books of Kate Morton.
The book opens in 1971 with the arrival at Foxcote Manor of the Harrington family – Jeannie, her daughter Hera and son Teddy along with nanny, Rita (known in the family as ‘Big Rita’). Jeannie’s husband, Walter, is notable by his absence on business and it transpires this is no summer vacation but an enforced relocation from their London home in the wake of traumatic events. And it becomes apparent that Rita has found herself in a rather dysfunctional family and in a house whose location she finds unsettling. She experiences “an eerie watched feeling, especially at night when the house is lit up and the darkness rubs against the windows”.
The author is certainly fond of metaphors and similes, some of which work better than others. However, the depiction of family dynamics is deftly handled, such as the way in which the arrival of the baby affects Teddy, no longer the centre of attention as the youngest in the family. And there are moments of insight such as the observation on married life as “an editing process…a discerning closing down of other options…like choosing a capsule wardrobe – navy, black and cream – over fleeting extravagance, throwaway fast fashion”.
Moving to the present day, the reader is introduced to Sylvie, recently separated from her husband and dealing with domestic problems of her own, including her ailing mother and her troubled teenage daughter, Annie. For support she has only her sister, Caroline, but she lives abroad. The connection between the two storylines gradually unfolds, revealing intriguing echoes of the past and secrets waiting to be discovered.
But what about the mystery of the dead body found in the forest, I hear you ask? Who is it, how did they die and who was responsible? You’ll discover the answer to the first two fairly quickly after the event but I’d be surprised if you work out the solution to the third.
As always in this kind of story, a degree of suspension of disbelief is required in relation to some of the coincidences that occur. I have to say as well that the sections set in the past didn’t scream 1970s to me, apart that is for the cheese and piccalilli sandwiches! Having said that, The Glass House is a well-crafted mystery about family secrets and the lasting, unforseen consequences of past actions. It will definitely appeal to fans of Eve Chase’s previous books and readers of the books of Kate Morton.
February 23, 2023
Poate că Eve Chase nu a scris cea mai bună carte de acțiune. Povestea asta a avut unghiurile ei moarte, porțiunea ei de nisipuri mișcătoare sau de noroaie înghețate. Dar a existat ceva deasupra lor: farmecul pădurii. Știți forța aia căreia nu vă puteți împotrivi nicicum? Știți că nu e bine, vă uitați în spate și aștepțați semnalul ăla de avertizare (da, sună puțin a scenariu de film horror low-budget). Dar tot vă încumetați și intrați în mijlocul întunericului, în spatele tufișurilor enorme, încremenite în timp și cu brațe amenințătoare.
Așa a fost povestea asta. Nu m-am împotrivit chemării sale. M-am trezit atrasă în interiorul pădurii, prinsă în capcană țesută din secrete, minciuni și adevăruri spuse pe jumătate. Mi-am lăsat frica în seama bonei și am găsit curaj pentru a rămâne în casa pitită în mijlocul pădurii. Nu știam până unde să ofer încredere. Și mai ales cui. Dar m-au alinat brațele calde, vorbele sigure și blânde, gesturile mici, venite din dragoste. Ale cui au fost toate? Ale femeii care va deveni catalizatorul întregii povești: Big Rita.
https://ancasicartile.ro/casa-de-stic...
Așa a fost povestea asta. Nu m-am împotrivit chemării sale. M-am trezit atrasă în interiorul pădurii, prinsă în capcană țesută din secrete, minciuni și adevăruri spuse pe jumătate. Mi-am lăsat frica în seama bonei și am găsit curaj pentru a rămâne în casa pitită în mijlocul pădurii. Nu știam până unde să ofer încredere. Și mai ales cui. Dar m-au alinat brațele calde, vorbele sigure și blânde, gesturile mici, venite din dragoste. Ale cui au fost toate? Ale femeii care va deveni catalizatorul întregii povești: Big Rita.
https://ancasicartile.ro/casa-de-stic...
July 30, 2020
Foxcote Manor is slightly neglected and rundown, but its tranquil forest setting seems perfect for the Harrington family as they regroup following tragedy in 1971. Family secrets, choices, mistakes and consequences don't go away though. This tale uncovers the hidden secrets of the Harrington family and how the entire game plays out over time.
I normally don't really like stories that jump back and forth in time, but for this tale, it's necessary. Dead bodies in the forest. Babies left just outside gates. Every action, every choice, every lie or omission has a price....
It takes a talented storyteller to pull off a multi-layered, emotional story like this. And Eve Chase does a superb job of it! I was glued to the page from start to finish, even through all the time jumps. I recommend readers try to avoid reviews and discussions that reveal too much of the plot. To get the full effect, it's really necessary to go in with only bare bones facts. This story develops slowly and is definitely character driven. Eve Chase chooses each word and description carefully, revealing the emotions, motivations and soul of each of her characters.
A well told story with very deep characters -- enjoyable read! This is the first book by Eve Chase that I've read. I will definitely be reading more!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Penguin/Putnam. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
I normally don't really like stories that jump back and forth in time, but for this tale, it's necessary. Dead bodies in the forest. Babies left just outside gates. Every action, every choice, every lie or omission has a price....
It takes a talented storyteller to pull off a multi-layered, emotional story like this. And Eve Chase does a superb job of it! I was glued to the page from start to finish, even through all the time jumps. I recommend readers try to avoid reviews and discussions that reveal too much of the plot. To get the full effect, it's really necessary to go in with only bare bones facts. This story develops slowly and is definitely character driven. Eve Chase chooses each word and description carefully, revealing the emotions, motivations and soul of each of her characters.
A well told story with very deep characters -- enjoyable read! This is the first book by Eve Chase that I've read. I will definitely be reading more!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Penguin/Putnam. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
August 15, 2020
A traditional mystery with strong gothic notes, an excellent cast of characters and a very strong plot.
Foxcote Manor is central to the tales being told. The characters (Rita, Sylvia and Hera) are entwined so beautifully, the mystery so rich that the story unfolded naturally and without effort.
Deep, dark secrets and embedded in an exploration of mother-daughter relationships. A really beautiful read!
Foxcote Manor is central to the tales being told. The characters (Rita, Sylvia and Hera) are entwined so beautifully, the mystery so rich that the story unfolded naturally and without effort.
Deep, dark secrets and embedded in an exploration of mother-daughter relationships. A really beautiful read!
December 14, 2020
The rating is rounded up, it's more a 2.5. I did not like this for most part, but the ending - even if it was emotionally overwrought - tied more lose ends together than I had expected. It's the usual method of past and present, with two plot lines that seem to be completely separate but turn out to be highly intertwined. Okay, but nothing memorable and utterly unexceptional.
May 19, 2020
BEAUTIFUL. BEAUTIFUL. BEAUTIFUL.
Absolutely breathtaking was this book where the genius of an author Eve Chase took me through the circle of life. I came to where I started, but I breathed a lifetime of a journey. I saw the characters as they were, but I felt their emotions deep within. I read the story as told to me, but I lived through the nuances of them all.
Harrington family moved to the country for the summer where they found an abandoned child in the woods, until a catastrophe made them lose themselves and the child. Years later, the truth was finally pieced together.
Author Eve Chase wrote this with a mesmerizing poignant touch where each word was delicately kissed by the sheer talent of storytelling. Scenes blew me away with the suspense, the dread, the secrets. Characters were confusing on the surface until I was shown their heart. The silent breeze flew through the forest, a child’s cry was heard soon. They took the happiness in, then lost her. They went further away with their secrets that resided deep within, blew away one by one, so they did when the lost child found them all.
I loved each of them, I took them into my heart, but then I realized it was the book who drew me deep within itself, to show me a world filled with secrets and lies, darkness and shadows, grays and blacks of the woods until the beam of light revealed the truth. And rejoiced I did as I got to the end, laughed a cheer at the family again, wiped a tear when the mother turned to blow one last kiss. A smile. Then gone.
A sigh and a happy tear was I left with with a strange joy in my heart for having read the story of the lost found family.
Absolutely breathtaking was this book where the genius of an author Eve Chase took me through the circle of life. I came to where I started, but I breathed a lifetime of a journey. I saw the characters as they were, but I felt their emotions deep within. I read the story as told to me, but I lived through the nuances of them all.
Harrington family moved to the country for the summer where they found an abandoned child in the woods, until a catastrophe made them lose themselves and the child. Years later, the truth was finally pieced together.
Author Eve Chase wrote this with a mesmerizing poignant touch where each word was delicately kissed by the sheer talent of storytelling. Scenes blew me away with the suspense, the dread, the secrets. Characters were confusing on the surface until I was shown their heart. The silent breeze flew through the forest, a child’s cry was heard soon. They took the happiness in, then lost her. They went further away with their secrets that resided deep within, blew away one by one, so they did when the lost child found them all.
I loved each of them, I took them into my heart, but then I realized it was the book who drew me deep within itself, to show me a world filled with secrets and lies, darkness and shadows, grays and blacks of the woods until the beam of light revealed the truth. And rejoiced I did as I got to the end, laughed a cheer at the family again, wiped a tear when the mother turned to blow one last kiss. A smile. Then gone.
A sigh and a happy tear was I left with with a strange joy in my heart for having read the story of the lost found family.
December 14, 2020
*3.5 stars ✨
Secrets...secrets....secrets.... So many secrets in this book. A story that has dual timelines and follows three pov’s. Of course, as usual I enjoyed the past storyline the best. I thought the ending was wrapped up too nicely but overall this was a nice escape.
Secrets...secrets....secrets.... So many secrets in this book. A story that has dual timelines and follows three pov’s. Of course, as usual I enjoyed the past storyline the best. I thought the ending was wrapped up too nicely but overall this was a nice escape.
July 23, 2021
Boy, this was a slow-burner, I’d heard a lot about this author’s books and wanted to give this one a try. I found it laborious and quite boring as well as a little strange. Maybe my heart wasn’t in this book but, I will try and read another of hers at a later date.
July 8, 2023
Tikrai laukta ši Svajonių leidyklos naujiena 😍 Užburiantis knygos viršelis, kuris taip ir ragina pasinerti į magišką kelionę knygos puslapiais ✨️📚
Miško viduryje šalia dvaro, aptinkama naujagimė. Haringtonų šeimai tai tarsi stebuklas. Taip norėtas bei trokštamas vaikelis "tarsi nukrito iš dangaus".
Nenorėdami atkreipti pašalinių žmonių bei policijos dėmesio šeima mažylę slepia, tačiau kaip žinia yra tai, jog tokios paslaptys anksčiau ar vėliau išaiškėja.
Šalia esančiame miške yra aptinkamas vyro lavonas, kuris šeimos viltis bei svajones sudaužo į šipulius..
Ši istorija pasakojama dabartiniais laikais ir taip pat įpinta praeities linija. Dažniausiai tokiose knygose viena iš jų būna stipresnė, tačiau šiame pasakojame jos abi išties stiprios. Buvo įdomu skaityti, o ir paslapčių, intrigų bei nenuspėjamų siužeto vingių čia netrūko.
Noriu pagirti autorę už pasitelktą meistriškumą, kuris taip tarpusavyje viską supynė bei apipynė į bendrą visumą. Net ir norėdama siužeto posūkių tikrai nebūčiau atspėjusi.
Įtraukiantis pasakojimas, širdį virpinanti istorija, kuri patiks mėgstantiems jautrias šeimos dramas.
Net neabejoju, jog prie šios knygos sėkmės prisidėjo ir puikus Augustės Čebelytės - Matulevičienės knygos vertimas 💛
Miško viduryje šalia dvaro, aptinkama naujagimė. Haringtonų šeimai tai tarsi stebuklas. Taip norėtas bei trokštamas vaikelis "tarsi nukrito iš dangaus".
Nenorėdami atkreipti pašalinių žmonių bei policijos dėmesio šeima mažylę slepia, tačiau kaip žinia yra tai, jog tokios paslaptys anksčiau ar vėliau išaiškėja.
Šalia esančiame miške yra aptinkamas vyro lavonas, kuris šeimos viltis bei svajones sudaužo į šipulius..
Ši istorija pasakojama dabartiniais laikais ir taip pat įpinta praeities linija. Dažniausiai tokiose knygose viena iš jų būna stipresnė, tačiau šiame pasakojame jos abi išties stiprios. Buvo įdomu skaityti, o ir paslapčių, intrigų bei nenuspėjamų siužeto vingių čia netrūko.
Noriu pagirti autorę už pasitelktą meistriškumą, kuris taip tarpusavyje viską supynė bei apipynė į bendrą visumą. Net ir norėdama siužeto posūkių tikrai nebūčiau atspėjusi.
Įtraukiantis pasakojimas, širdį virpinanti istorija, kuri patiks mėgstantiems jautrias šeimos dramas.
Net neabejoju, jog prie šios knygos sėkmės prisidėjo ir puikus Augustės Čebelytės - Matulevičienės knygos vertimas 💛
April 22, 2024
#366pagini
💚💚Mi-au trebuit câteva capitole pentru a înțelege firul poveștii acestei cărți,neputând sa-mi dau seama de legătura dintre personaje, dar și când l-am înțeles tare mult mi-a plăcut intriga ei.
Prima carte citita de la Eve Chase,dar cred ca se merita citite și altele.
Deși cu o poveste întortocheata,cu legături între personaje greu de înțeles si scrisa pe doua planuri narative trecut-prezent,mi-a plăcut cum a evoluat povestea,astfel încât sa se aranjeze toate lucrurile.
Povestea cărții începe cu un bebeluș și se termina cu un bebeluș la distanta de zeci de ani.
Rita este bona familiei Harrington,pentru Hera și Teddy,care va trece printr-o tragedie, pierderea bebelușului și după un incendiu le va schimba viețile radical. Mutându-se la conacul Foxcote viata lor devine una simpla, izolata de restul lumii și un incident major le va răsturna încă o data viețile. Găsirea unui bebeluș în pădure si moartea cuiva va face ca viețile tuturor sa ia o întorsătură neprevazuta și drumurile lor sa se despartă,astfel încât Rita și familia Harrington sa piardă orice legătură.
Pentru ca după mulți ani secrete bine îngropate sa iasă la iveală,secrete care au distrus și au schimbat viețile tuturor.
Toate aceste răsturnări de situații m-au intrigat mult și m-au convins sa citesc,cartea cât mai repede.💚💚
🌟🌟🌟🌟
💚💚Mi-au trebuit câteva capitole pentru a înțelege firul poveștii acestei cărți,neputând sa-mi dau seama de legătura dintre personaje, dar și când l-am înțeles tare mult mi-a plăcut intriga ei.
Prima carte citita de la Eve Chase,dar cred ca se merita citite și altele.
Deși cu o poveste întortocheata,cu legături între personaje greu de înțeles si scrisa pe doua planuri narative trecut-prezent,mi-a plăcut cum a evoluat povestea,astfel încât sa se aranjeze toate lucrurile.
Povestea cărții începe cu un bebeluș și se termina cu un bebeluș la distanta de zeci de ani.
Rita este bona familiei Harrington,pentru Hera și Teddy,care va trece printr-o tragedie, pierderea bebelușului și după un incendiu le va schimba viețile radical. Mutându-se la conacul Foxcote viata lor devine una simpla, izolata de restul lumii și un incident major le va răsturna încă o data viețile. Găsirea unui bebeluș în pădure si moartea cuiva va face ca viețile tuturor sa ia o întorsătură neprevazuta și drumurile lor sa se despartă,astfel încât Rita și familia Harrington sa piardă orice legătură.
Pentru ca după mulți ani secrete bine îngropate sa iasă la iveală,secrete care au distrus și au schimbat viețile tuturor.
Toate aceste răsturnări de situații m-au intrigat mult și m-au convins sa citesc,cartea cât mai repede.💚💚
🌟🌟🌟🌟
May 17, 2020
Visit the locations in the novel
Eve Chase has written a novel of fairytale-esque imagery and an ethereal, timeless quality to it. It’s set in the Forest of Dean which takes on a whole fairytale, gothic quality to it and it’s so vivid, dark and immersive that you are soon drawn in a world of wonder.
Three narrators and two timelines give you a bird’s eye view of the forest and those within. There’s the present day story which takes you back to that of the past; the time when a body was found in the forest. A family took a holiday in the Forest of Dean. The mother of the family was in particular need of a rest and some relaxation if not recuperation from her life at that time.
The story is at once gothic, timeless and of the Brothers Grimm variety. You see if unravel in front of you and it’s a whirl of a read. Think of that terrarium on the cover – think of the novel taking place inside and you, the reader, looking straight inside it. Then you get to see inside both the forest and the house, the characters within.
What goes on in that house and in the forest over the years is interesting. Add to that a mix of characters who have many problems with their mental health that weren’t recognised at the time, real trauma, and you have a fascinating story on all sides. The novel contains a few ‘domestic noir’ images here and it was easy to feel for the well-developed characters with their various dramas. Together with the world of that dark forest and you have a wonderful multilayered read.
The nature of the dual timelines and the three voices were like a fern in that forest, unraveling and going in different directions at the same time.Great use of plot, technique and atmosphere I thought. It felt like a play unfolding on a stage with that forest as a backdrop which could hold its own as a character where they themselves were just ‘anon’
A reading experience set in a magical setting and I’m now off to buy one of those terrariums
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