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Malbry #4
A Narrow Door
Now I'm in charge, the gates are my gates. The rules are my rules.
It's an incendiary moment for St Oswald's school. For the first time in its history, a headmistress is in power, the gates opening to girls.
Rebecca Buckfast has spilled blood to reach this position. Barely forty, she is just starting to reap the harvest of her ambition. As the new regime takes on the old guard, the ground shifts. And with it, the remains of a body are discovered.
But Rebecca is here to make her mark. She'll bury the past so deep it will evade even her own memory, just like she has done before. After all...
You can't keep a good woman down.
It's an incendiary moment for St Oswald's school. For the first time in its history, a headmistress is in power, the gates opening to girls.
Rebecca Buckfast has spilled blood to reach this position. Barely forty, she is just starting to reap the harvest of her ambition. As the new regime takes on the old guard, the ground shifts. And with it, the remains of a body are discovered.
But Rebecca is here to make her mark. She'll bury the past so deep it will evade even her own memory, just like she has done before. After all...
You can't keep a good woman down.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2021
About the author
Joanne Harris
95 books6,020 followersJoanne Harris is also known as Joanne M. Harris
Joanne Harris is an Anglo-French author, whose books include fourteen novels, two cookbooks and many short stories. Her work is extremely diverse, covering aspects of magic realism, suspense, historical fiction, mythology and fantasy. She has also written a DR WHO novella for the BBC, has scripted guest episodes for the game ZOMBIES, RUN!, and is currently engaged in a number of musical theatre projects as well as developing an original drama for television.
In 2000, her 1999 novel CHOCOLAT was adapted to the screen, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and in 2022 was awarded an OBE by the Queen.
Her hobbies are listed in Who's Who as 'mooching, lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion'. She also spends too much time on Twitter; plays flute and bass guitar in a band first formed when she was 16; and works from a shed in her garden at her home in Yorkshire.
Joanne Harris is an Anglo-French author, whose books include fourteen novels, two cookbooks and many short stories. Her work is extremely diverse, covering aspects of magic realism, suspense, historical fiction, mythology and fantasy. She has also written a DR WHO novella for the BBC, has scripted guest episodes for the game ZOMBIES, RUN!, and is currently engaged in a number of musical theatre projects as well as developing an original drama for television.
In 2000, her 1999 novel CHOCOLAT was adapted to the screen, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and in 2022 was awarded an OBE by the Queen.
Her hobbies are listed in Who's Who as 'mooching, lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion'. She also spends too much time on Twitter; plays flute and bass guitar in a band first formed when she was 16; and works from a shed in her garden at her home in Yorkshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 697 reviews
July 4, 2021
Rebecca Buckfast née Price is the first woman headteacher through the ‘narrow door’ of St Oswalds, Malbry, the institution rocked by murder and scandal. She represents its future just as Roy Straitley, classics teacher of many years, is its past. Becky aims to demonstrate that Roy is wrong about woman, that her ambition will throw open these hallowed narrow doors wide by, shock, horror, admitting female students. Both are haunted, Becky by the ghostly form of her missing brother Conrad, her aged five memories seem to make little sense while Roy is haunted by Eric Scoones, one time friend whose memory is seriously tainted. This is a journey through memories, a face off for the soul of St Oswalds, the old versus the new, who is the spider, who the fly and who will emerge victorious? The novel has alternating timelines from 1989 and 2006, with rival schools St O’s and King Henry’s Grammar School taking centre stage.
I’m so glad to return to St O���s and Straitley, who, despite his straight jacket of convention is a favourite character and I enjoy the battle between him and feminist Becky who is a strong woman who has overcome much. It’s a clever psychological thriller that uses the Greek mythological rivers of the underworld to get to the truth about Conrad Price. The writing and plot flow as effortlessly as the rivers we float through. First Acheron, where the woes of creepy, spooky, menacing images of Becky’s childhood haunt the page. Onto Cocytus (Lamentation) which is spine tingling, hair raising and jaw dropping especially the archaic nature of male dominated King Henry’s in its dismissiveness of any femininity. Onward to Lethe (Forgetfulness) with the dilemma of childhood memories versus imagination, what is real and what is false? Here suspicion grows, there’s control and the bubbling up of guilt. The pace and tempo increases in Phlegethan (Burning) where tension is as taut as piano wire as the narrow door of suspicion crashes and burns and is battered down in Styx (hate). Here is reality and understanding of Becky’s raison d’être with monstrous revelations and fighting back. It comes to a head in Mnemosyne (Goddess of Memory) often unreliable and into Asphodel, the land of the dead where through the distorted mirror of memory we get to Tartarus, the land of eternal darkness and oh boy, it is dark and breathtaking. The storytelling is superb, the characterisation is masterful, it’s multilayered, extremely clever and absolutely impossible to put down.
Overall, I knew I’d love this and I do. Joanne Harris is one of my favourite authors, she is a superb writer of compelling and immersive books. Although this is Malbry #3 (Gentlemen and Players, A Different Class) it is an easy read as a stand-alone. It’s a well deserved five star read in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
I’m so glad to return to St O���s and Straitley, who, despite his straight jacket of convention is a favourite character and I enjoy the battle between him and feminist Becky who is a strong woman who has overcome much. It’s a clever psychological thriller that uses the Greek mythological rivers of the underworld to get to the truth about Conrad Price. The writing and plot flow as effortlessly as the rivers we float through. First Acheron, where the woes of creepy, spooky, menacing images of Becky’s childhood haunt the page. Onto Cocytus (Lamentation) which is spine tingling, hair raising and jaw dropping especially the archaic nature of male dominated King Henry’s in its dismissiveness of any femininity. Onward to Lethe (Forgetfulness) with the dilemma of childhood memories versus imagination, what is real and what is false? Here suspicion grows, there’s control and the bubbling up of guilt. The pace and tempo increases in Phlegethan (Burning) where tension is as taut as piano wire as the narrow door of suspicion crashes and burns and is battered down in Styx (hate). Here is reality and understanding of Becky’s raison d’être with monstrous revelations and fighting back. It comes to a head in Mnemosyne (Goddess of Memory) often unreliable and into Asphodel, the land of the dead where through the distorted mirror of memory we get to Tartarus, the land of eternal darkness and oh boy, it is dark and breathtaking. The storytelling is superb, the characterisation is masterful, it’s multilayered, extremely clever and absolutely impossible to put down.
Overall, I knew I’d love this and I do. Joanne Harris is one of my favourite authors, she is a superb writer of compelling and immersive books. Although this is Malbry #3 (Gentlemen and Players, A Different Class) it is an easy read as a stand-alone. It’s a well deserved five star read in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
July 6, 2022
A Narrow Door is the final book in this excellent trilogy set in St. Oswald's Academy, which has only just opened to allow girls as pupils. Along with this change is the arrival of the school's first ever female headmaster, Rebecca Buckfast. Things are changing fast and the "old guard" are not happy.
Our old friend and main character from the first two books, Roy Straitley, is definitely not comfortable with any changes. In each book he has been firmly resisting all that he can but he particularly rejects any suggestions of his retirement. When the remains of a body is found and the Head appears to be covering it up he wants to know why.
The story is told in the alternating voices of Rebecca and Roy. She tells her tale in instalments as a delaying tactic, and he, unbeknown to her, records it in a diary. Suffice it to say Rebecca has led a very dramatic life and is not always a reliable narrator. It is hard to stop reading at any point because the reader, like Roy, develops a desperate need to find out the truth.
I enjoyed the whole thing enormously as I did the first two books. The author writes with great skill and all her characters are well drawn. So many of them are not what they seem which keeps the reader constantly on their toes, and there is really no way to guess what is going to happen next. The ending was sad but necessary and perfect in its own way, especially the little twist at the end which leaves some things open for us to make up our own minds about.
A great conclusion to a brilliant series.
Our old friend and main character from the first two books, Roy Straitley, is definitely not comfortable with any changes. In each book he has been firmly resisting all that he can but he particularly rejects any suggestions of his retirement. When the remains of a body is found and the Head appears to be covering it up he wants to know why.
The story is told in the alternating voices of Rebecca and Roy. She tells her tale in instalments as a delaying tactic, and he, unbeknown to her, records it in a diary. Suffice it to say Rebecca has led a very dramatic life and is not always a reliable narrator. It is hard to stop reading at any point because the reader, like Roy, develops a desperate need to find out the truth.
I enjoyed the whole thing enormously as I did the first two books. The author writes with great skill and all her characters are well drawn. So many of them are not what they seem which keeps the reader constantly on their toes, and there is really no way to guess what is going to happen next. The ending was sad but necessary and perfect in its own way, especially the little twist at the end which leaves some things open for us to make up our own minds about.
A great conclusion to a brilliant series.
December 24, 2021
Neither narrator is reliable. Mind blowing, I regret reading it at 2 am!
I didn't realize it's part of a trilogy until I checked the goodreads page but oh wow, what a read! The feminist agenda were spot on and I love every single bit of it, the layers of Rebecca's story and her past gets unfolded also makes me think if anything that had happened is real. Can you trust your memory when everyone around you seems suspicious?
The thing I loved most is the title, A Narrow Door, which represents how women have to squeeze themselves into a world dominated by men. How we have to belittle ourselves just to fit in the world and standards made by men. Gosh, what a read!
I didn't realize it's part of a trilogy until I checked the goodreads page but oh wow, what a read! The feminist agenda were spot on and I love every single bit of it, the layers of Rebecca's story and her past gets unfolded also makes me think if anything that had happened is real. Can you trust your memory when everyone around you seems suspicious?
The thing I loved most is the title, A Narrow Door, which represents how women have to squeeze themselves into a world dominated by men. How we have to belittle ourselves just to fit in the world and standards made by men. Gosh, what a read!
September 26, 2022
Didn't know this was part 3 is a series and even though I've read the first one a year ago. I didn't remember anything from that. But still found this an engaging read.
December 22, 2021
It wasn’t until I was about to read the novel that I realised it was the third book in a series. That said I didn’t feel that it spoilt my enjoyment at all and worked perfectly good as a stand alone novel.
Forty year old Rebecca Buckfast has become the first headmistress in the history of St Oswald’s school and is determined to make changes. She plans to accept female students for the first time and make drastic changes to the facilities. It is while these changes are been implemented that a body is discovered and not only threatens the ongoing construction but also the secrets that are buried in the school.
Rebecca is determined to make her mark and will do whatever is necessary to keep the past buried.
The novel is nicely written and well paced with very interesting strong characters.
Forty year old Rebecca Buckfast has become the first headmistress in the history of St Oswald’s school and is determined to make changes. She plans to accept female students for the first time and make drastic changes to the facilities. It is while these changes are been implemented that a body is discovered and not only threatens the ongoing construction but also the secrets that are buried in the school.
Rebecca is determined to make her mark and will do whatever is necessary to keep the past buried.
The novel is nicely written and well paced with very interesting strong characters.
July 11, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed Gentlemen and Players and Different Class and this is a worthy third and final chapter in a series that follows the life of Latin teacher, Roy Straitley, and his fellow teachers and pupils at St Oswalds. It took me a little while to get into it. It’s a while since I read the other books so I struggled to remember the characters at first. Once it gets going though, it’s a real page turner with twists and turns along the way, like all good psychological thrillers.
The title, The Narrow Door, refers to the difficulty women have in breaking into the world of men. Rebecca Buckfast is a complex character who manipulates men to suit her needs. I enjoyed that aspect very much!
With thanks to Orion Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy.
The title, The Narrow Door, refers to the difficulty women have in breaking into the world of men. Rebecca Buckfast is a complex character who manipulates men to suit her needs. I enjoyed that aspect very much!
With thanks to Orion Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy.
January 19, 2023
"I have committed two murders; one a crime of passion, the other, a crime of convenience."
The third book of the Malbry Series, A Narrow Door by Joanne Harris as brilliant as the other two with two differents; can shelf it as a feminist, and although the story is great, but it's a pity that Roy Straitley is a sub-character this time.
In 1989, Rebecca was 5 years old and her brother, Conrad has been disappeared on their birthday, her whole life has been changed. Now in 2006, Rebecca Buckfast (Price) is the first woman headmaster at St Oswald's Grammar School for Boys, which now is for girls too and an academy!
Roy Straitley is a Latin teacher for more than 30 years and has faced a woman headmaster who strongly wants to bury her past secrets. Roy is my favorite character with his sense of humor, cleverness, improvisation, and unique relationship with others, Brodie Boys!
The novel has two timelines from 1989 at King Henry’s Grammar School and 2006 at St. Oswald's. Roy wants to know the truth, and Rebecca wants to tell: her brother's story, Conrad, the ghost who never left her family; as a young teacher in men's school; and a liar husband!
This story is very intelligent, suspenseful, unpredictable, and hard to put down, in this case hard to pause the audio. I listened to two other books too, so this was nice to hear the same narrator. Alex Kingston and Steven Pacey did great!
Many Thanks to OrangeSky Audio via NetGalley for the ARC, I have given my honest review.
Previous books:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The third book of the Malbry Series, A Narrow Door by Joanne Harris as brilliant as the other two with two differents; can shelf it as a feminist, and although the story is great, but it's a pity that Roy Straitley is a sub-character this time.
In 1989, Rebecca was 5 years old and her brother, Conrad has been disappeared on their birthday, her whole life has been changed. Now in 2006, Rebecca Buckfast (Price) is the first woman headmaster at St Oswald's Grammar School for Boys, which now is for girls too and an academy!
Roy Straitley is a Latin teacher for more than 30 years and has faced a woman headmaster who strongly wants to bury her past secrets. Roy is my favorite character with his sense of humor, cleverness, improvisation, and unique relationship with others, Brodie Boys!
The novel has two timelines from 1989 at King Henry’s Grammar School and 2006 at St. Oswald's. Roy wants to know the truth, and Rebecca wants to tell: her brother's story, Conrad, the ghost who never left her family; as a young teacher in men's school; and a liar husband!
This story is very intelligent, suspenseful, unpredictable, and hard to put down, in this case hard to pause the audio. I listened to two other books too, so this was nice to hear the same narrator. Alex Kingston and Steven Pacey did great!
Many Thanks to OrangeSky Audio via NetGalley for the ARC, I have given my honest review.
Previous books:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 15, 2022
Abandoned at 35%.
Joanne Harris should probably leave it to Stephen King to write about creepy creatures in drainpipes. The stuff about Mr. Smallface and all the scary noises coming from the sink drain comes across like a bargain basement version of Pennywise the Clown.
I stuck with this for quite awhile because I've enjoyed some of Harris's other campus novels. She really does do well at creating an immersive, believable private school atmosphere. But around Chapter 11 when she started banging on again about the noises in the drain, it was time for me to bail.
September 2, 2022
I received a digital copy of this novel from the publisher, OrangeSky Audio, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Narrow Door is one of the smartest, most interesting and sympathetically voiced pieces of crime fiction I’ve read in a very long time. The only other modern book in the genre I’ve enjoyed this much was We Begin at the End, but this book had more in common with The Maidens and The Divines, both of which disappointed me last year. It was a perfectly paced, pitch perfect blend of mystery and academia that captivated me from the prologue through to the epilogue. I hung on every word. This is a story that felt so incredibly real, which such a delicious building tension, that I thought about it almost constantly when I wasn’t reading it. It found its way into my dreams, which has become a rare thing as I’ve gotten older. And the ending was something that, in hindsight, I might should have been able to see. Especially considering the opening. But I didn’t.
This is a book that I stumbled across on NetGalley and requested mere days before its U.S. release. I regret that I couldn’t read it before publication, but I’m so grateful that my request was approved anyway. I had no idea this was the third book in a series until I had already read 10% of it, but it wasn’t to the story’s detriment. It was very enjoyable on its own. I didn’t feel as though I was missing anything vital. However, I will be going back and reading more of not only this series but the rest of Harris’s backlog. Three of her books are sitting on my physical shelves: Chocolat, The Gospel of Loki, and The Testament of Loki. The fact that I’ve never read any of her work both saddens and delights me. I feel like I’ve missed so much, and yet I’ve suddenly discovered a new-to-me author with over 20 novels in their backlist. It’s like finding a doubloon that leads to an entire treasure chest.
The audio was absolutely brilliant, and is probably one of the best audiobooks I’ve experienced. Two narrators are featured: Alex Kingston of Doctor Who fame; and Steven Pacey, who narrates Abercrombie’s First Law series and is one of my favorite audiobook narrators. While Kingston delivered the majority of the story as Headmaster Rebecca Buckfast, and she did so with fantastic aplomb, Pacey’s additions as Roy Straitley were a lovely break in the narrative, giving you a chance to take a breath in the midst of Rebecca’s very compelling and tense story. Had I not recognized the narrators on NetGalley, I would never have requested this book and wouldn’t have stumbled upon a new author whose backlist I’m so incredibly excited to read.
Rebecca is the new Headmaster of what was formerly an all-boys’ private school that is opening up to girls for the first time in its history. Seeing this school and others like it through her eyes was an enlightening experience. There’s a lot of discourse here about women in academia, especially in private schools. Even when Rebecca is able to break into the “old boys’ club” atmosphere, she isn’t treated like the rest of her colleagues. One of the schools in this book doesn’t even have a lady’s restroom; the women are instead forced to use the handicap facilities, which goes a long way to showing how their male counterparts view them. Being female isn’t a disability. But so many men in so many professions seem to believe so. Harris managed to both romanticize academia, as readers tend to do, and shine a light on its underbelly.
I absolutely love an unreliable narrator when done right. There are so many thrillers that rely heavily on this trope while not doing it particularly well. But Harris used the trope so deftly, and I truly felt as though I was making Rebecca’s discoveries alongside her. And the difference in tone between the Rebecca of her memories and the one telling her story to Straitley was fascinating. There were times when I couldn’t tell if there was a supernatural element to the book, or if that was simply mind games being played on or by the narrators. That balance was kept on a razor-sharp edge that delighted me to no end. I was honestly more than a little in awe so how well Harris balanced every aspect of this story.
The setup of A Narrow Door was fantastic. I was equally invested in the framework story and the coldcase mystery housed within it. It’s also one of the best academia novels I’ve read, though it’s told from the perspective of teachers instead of students. I would comfortably shelve this alongside The Secret History and The Orchard. While not quite as philosophical, and a bit more plot-driven, the writing was absolutely superb and the school atmosphere permeated the story very well. The divisions of this book alone, based around the five rivers in the Greek Underworld, enchanted me. As did the frequent use of Latin during Roy Straitley’s perspective chapters. This was an incredibly intelligent book in so many ways, but it never felt as though Harris was prideful of that fact or using it as purposeful misdirection. This is the kind of smart book that makes you feel smarter while reading it, instead of feeling like it’s talking down to you.
There’s so much I want to say about A Narrow Door that I can’t even get my thoughts in order. I know it’s only the first week of January, but I can confidently say that this novel will appear on my list of favorites for the year. It’s a wonderful blending of a smart plot, impeccable writing, sympathetic characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing. If you’re a fan of crime fiction, or dark academia, or novels with a strong voice that never grates on your nerves, you should give this one a go. Especially on audio. And if you love all of the aforementioned building blocks in a novel, I’m begging you to track down a copy of this book.
You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
A Narrow Door is one of the smartest, most interesting and sympathetically voiced pieces of crime fiction I’ve read in a very long time. The only other modern book in the genre I’ve enjoyed this much was We Begin at the End, but this book had more in common with The Maidens and The Divines, both of which disappointed me last year. It was a perfectly paced, pitch perfect blend of mystery and academia that captivated me from the prologue through to the epilogue. I hung on every word. This is a story that felt so incredibly real, which such a delicious building tension, that I thought about it almost constantly when I wasn’t reading it. It found its way into my dreams, which has become a rare thing as I’ve gotten older. And the ending was something that, in hindsight, I might should have been able to see. Especially considering the opening. But I didn’t.
“But nothing stays buried forever, I thought. The past is a gift that keeps giving, pulling names from a big black hat.”
“Sometimes, burial is best. Why would you want to dig up the past? Especially when the mystery is so much better than the truth.”
This is a book that I stumbled across on NetGalley and requested mere days before its U.S. release. I regret that I couldn’t read it before publication, but I’m so grateful that my request was approved anyway. I had no idea this was the third book in a series until I had already read 10% of it, but it wasn’t to the story’s detriment. It was very enjoyable on its own. I didn’t feel as though I was missing anything vital. However, I will be going back and reading more of not only this series but the rest of Harris’s backlog. Three of her books are sitting on my physical shelves: Chocolat, The Gospel of Loki, and The Testament of Loki. The fact that I’ve never read any of her work both saddens and delights me. I feel like I’ve missed so much, and yet I’ve suddenly discovered a new-to-me author with over 20 novels in their backlist. It’s like finding a doubloon that leads to an entire treasure chest.
“Hope is the thing that kills you… Hope is what breaks when you hit the ground.”
The audio was absolutely brilliant, and is probably one of the best audiobooks I’ve experienced. Two narrators are featured: Alex Kingston of Doctor Who fame; and Steven Pacey, who narrates Abercrombie’s First Law series and is one of my favorite audiobook narrators. While Kingston delivered the majority of the story as Headmaster Rebecca Buckfast, and she did so with fantastic aplomb, Pacey’s additions as Roy Straitley were a lovely break in the narrative, giving you a chance to take a breath in the midst of Rebecca’s very compelling and tense story. Had I not recognized the narrators on NetGalley, I would never have requested this book and wouldn’t have stumbled upon a new author whose backlist I’m so incredibly excited to read.
“I have never believed in the mantra ‘what does not kill me makes me stronger’, but I do believe that what does not kill me gives me the chance to fight back.”
Rebecca is the new Headmaster of what was formerly an all-boys’ private school that is opening up to girls for the first time in its history. Seeing this school and others like it through her eyes was an enlightening experience. There’s a lot of discourse here about women in academia, especially in private schools. Even when Rebecca is able to break into the “old boys’ club” atmosphere, she isn’t treated like the rest of her colleagues. One of the schools in this book doesn’t even have a lady’s restroom; the women are instead forced to use the handicap facilities, which goes a long way to showing how their male counterparts view them. Being female isn’t a disability. But so many men in so many professions seem to believe so. Harris managed to both romanticize academia, as readers tend to do, and shine a light on its underbelly.
“The mistake you made was one of scale. Men always do, used as they are to taking the main entrance. Women must be more discreet. All we need is a narrow door. And when we have crept in unseen, like a spider through a keyhole, we spin ourselves an empire of silk, and fill you with astonishment.”
I absolutely love an unreliable narrator when done right. There are so many thrillers that rely heavily on this trope while not doing it particularly well. But Harris used the trope so deftly, and I truly felt as though I was making Rebecca’s discoveries alongside her. And the difference in tone between the Rebecca of her memories and the one telling her story to Straitley was fascinating. There were times when I couldn’t tell if there was a supernatural element to the book, or if that was simply mind games being played on or by the narrators. That balance was kept on a razor-sharp edge that delighted me to no end. I was honestly more than a little in awe so how well Harris balanced every aspect of this story.
“Children see the world differently. They filter their realities through fairy tales and metaphors.”
The setup of A Narrow Door was fantastic. I was equally invested in the framework story and the coldcase mystery housed within it. It’s also one of the best academia novels I’ve read, though it’s told from the perspective of teachers instead of students. I would comfortably shelve this alongside The Secret History and The Orchard. While not quite as philosophical, and a bit more plot-driven, the writing was absolutely superb and the school atmosphere permeated the story very well. The divisions of this book alone, based around the five rivers in the Greek Underworld, enchanted me. As did the frequent use of Latin during Roy Straitley’s perspective chapters. This was an incredibly intelligent book in so many ways, but it never felt as though Harris was prideful of that fact or using it as purposeful misdirection. This is the kind of smart book that makes you feel smarter while reading it, instead of feeling like it’s talking down to you.
“Memory is like a young child: it is immensely suggestible. It is coloured by feelings; dreams; other people’s convictions. And, like its friend, the subconscious, it loves to deal in metaphor, so that Memory often leaves home dressed in a sensible outfit, and returns in a tutu and fairy wings, with its face painted like a tiger.”
There’s so much I want to say about A Narrow Door that I can’t even get my thoughts in order. I know it’s only the first week of January, but I can confidently say that this novel will appear on my list of favorites for the year. It’s a wonderful blending of a smart plot, impeccable writing, sympathetic characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing. If you’re a fan of crime fiction, or dark academia, or novels with a strong voice that never grates on your nerves, you should give this one a go. Especially on audio. And if you love all of the aforementioned building blocks in a novel, I’m begging you to track down a copy of this book.
You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
July 19, 2021
This novel follows on directly from, "Different Class," the sequel to "Gentlemen and Players." We are again at St Oswald's, which is now no longer, 'St Oswald's Grammar School for Boys,' but has been re-branded as, 'St Oswald's Academy.' After the various scandals that have befallen the school, St Oswald's has merged with its sister school, Mulberry House, bringing girls into the hallowed halls and Ms Buckfast (formally Becky Price, who we have also met before) as Headmistress - although it will take more than a female Head to make Roy Straitley drop the title, 'Headmaster.'
It is the beginning of a new term and Roy Straitley is struggling with the changes forced upon him, including a new class and the loss of his Brodie boys. However, when they appear at his door, it is to tell him bad news - a body found in building works on the school grounds... Faced with a new scandal, Straitley rushes to the Head, who is unsurprisingly calm. What unfolds is a story which Ms Buckfast tells throughout the novel, of her brother, Conrad Price, and his disappearance, back in 1989, when he was a student at - not St Oswald's - but rival school, King Henry's.
This is a story about memory and the past, as we learn about Ms Buckfast's childhood and also of Mr Straitley trying to come to terms with his feelings for his old friend, Eric Scoones. If you enjoyed the previous novels, set at St Oswald's, then you should also find this an interesting addition to the story. It does work as a stand-alone story, but, ideally, read the previous books first, before embarking on this one. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
It is the beginning of a new term and Roy Straitley is struggling with the changes forced upon him, including a new class and the loss of his Brodie boys. However, when they appear at his door, it is to tell him bad news - a body found in building works on the school grounds... Faced with a new scandal, Straitley rushes to the Head, who is unsurprisingly calm. What unfolds is a story which Ms Buckfast tells throughout the novel, of her brother, Conrad Price, and his disappearance, back in 1989, when he was a student at - not St Oswald's - but rival school, King Henry's.
This is a story about memory and the past, as we learn about Ms Buckfast's childhood and also of Mr Straitley trying to come to terms with his feelings for his old friend, Eric Scoones. If you enjoyed the previous novels, set at St Oswald's, then you should also find this an interesting addition to the story. It does work as a stand-alone story, but, ideally, read the previous books first, before embarking on this one. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
August 16, 2021
It´s diificult for me to rate this one. So, after trying to put my thoughts in words, I´ll go for a 3/10. A perfect duology, completely ruined.
I loved the first two in this trilogy and was eagerly anticipating the third.The writing, as usual, is beautiful,the build up is great, the characters engaging...and yet,and yet, I was very disappointed,and here´s why
I loved the first two in this trilogy and was eagerly anticipating the third.The writing, as usual, is beautiful,the build up is great, the characters engaging...and yet,and yet, I was very disappointed,and here´s why
May 10, 2022
Vāks. Autore. Apsolījums. Iekritu uz šo superkombo. Es gana bieži saku, ka man netīk trilleri, bet man vienkārši netīk prasti trilleri, pif paf, nepatiesi apsūdzētais spiegs, blā blā blādī blā. Tā nu reizi pa reizei es tomēr riskēju, kā šajā gadījumā, kur tika solīts stāsts par sievieti, kas bijusi gana apņēmīga, lai iegūtu smalkas zēnu skolas direktores amatu. Tā ir tā pati skola, kurā mācījās viņas brālis, kurš pazuda bez vēsts, kad Rebekai bija vien 5 gadi.
Par spīti superkombo, jau pašā sākumā man bija vīliens, ka esmu iekritusi uz grāmatu ar šizo varoni, kurai šilierējas un kas tik vēl ne. Labā ziņa ir tā, ka, stāstam turpinoties, Rebeka kļūst arvien interesantāka un ne tik neuzticama, kā varētu gaidīt no sākuma notikumiem. Lielāka problēma par galvenās varones personību izrādījās tā, ka, kašņājoties pa GR, es nejauši sev nospoiloju galveno intrigu, biju tik dusmīga uz sevi! Jo tas nu reāli atņēma pusi lasītprieka.
Lai gan man ir zināmas iebildes pret “kāpēc” un “kāpēc” (par to nevaru izplūst, jo tad būtu maitekļi), šis kopumā ir ļoti labi uzrakstīts stāsts, kas notur lasītāja uzmanību un saglabā intrigu (pat ja stulbais lasītājs ir sev saspoilojis pusi). Kā jau gaidīju no Džoanas Harisas - lieliska valoda un grodi savērpts stāstījums, uz vidu jau biju visai aizrāvusies. Kopumā vērtējums kaut kur starp 3 un 4, bet palieku pie 3, jo nu visi tie iepriekšminētie iemesli.
Par spīti superkombo, jau pašā sākumā man bija vīliens, ka esmu iekritusi uz grāmatu ar šizo varoni, kurai šilierējas un kas tik vēl ne. Labā ziņa ir tā, ka, stāstam turpinoties, Rebeka kļūst arvien interesantāka un ne tik neuzticama, kā varētu gaidīt no sākuma notikumiem. Lielāka problēma par galvenās varones personību izrādījās tā, ka, kašņājoties pa GR, es nejauši sev nospoiloju galveno intrigu, biju tik dusmīga uz sevi! Jo tas nu reāli atņēma pusi lasītprieka.
Lai gan man ir zināmas iebildes pret “kāpēc” un “kāpēc” (par to nevaru izplūst, jo tad būtu maitekļi), šis kopumā ir ļoti labi uzrakstīts stāsts, kas notur lasītāja uzmanību un saglabā intrigu (pat ja stulbais lasītājs ir sev saspoilojis pusi). Kā jau gaidīju no Džoanas Harisas - lieliska valoda un grodi savērpts stāstījums, uz vidu jau biju visai aizrāvusies. Kopumā vērtējums kaut kur starp 3 un 4, bet palieku pie 3, jo nu visi tie iepriekšminētie iemesli.
January 18, 2022
5 Stars
October 11, 2021
Со скрипом прочитала 30 процентов и развязку.
(Хулиганю) Наверное Джоанн Харрис надоели претензии, что в её хороших историях плохо раскрыты актуальные темы и теперь в плохой (я, правда, как-то в шоке от нелогичности и тупости всего, что происходило за узкой дверью) истории упомянуто всё: угнетение женщин; девочка-мальчик в бывшей школе мальчиков, но нынешней совместной академии; и особое внимание уделено тому, как неприятно слово ме��струация преподавателю в школе мальчиков (три раза).
(Хулиганю) Наверное Джоанн Харрис надоели претензии, что в её хороших историях плохо раскрыты актуальные темы и теперь в плохой (я, правда, как-то в шоке от нелогичности и тупости всего, что происходило за узкой дверью) истории упомянуто всё: угнетение женщин; девочка-мальчик в бывшей школе мальчиков, но нынешней совместной академии; и особое внимание уделено тому, как неприятно слово ме��струация преподавателю в школе мальчиков (три раза).
March 25, 2022
Este é o último livro da trilogia passada no Liceu de St. Oswald e onde vamos reencontrar o professor de latim Roy Straitley e, pela primeira vez, tem uma reitora, a Rebecca Buckfast.
À semelhança dos outros dois livros, a autora envolve-nos na história através de duas linhas temporais, 2006 e 1989, e ainda algumas recordações de 1971. Isto porque, em 1971, o irmão mais velho de Rebecca desapareceu misteriosamente e, ela, com apenas 5 anos, ficou muito abalada.
Temos uma história cheia de mistérios e que me deixou sempre muito agarrada.
O final, confesso, apanhou-me completamente desprevenida, não só pela revelação mas também por algo que aconteceu e que me deixou algo triste e que representa o fim de um ciclo.
Uma história brilhante!
Vejam a minha opinião mais detalhada em vídeo, AQUI.
À semelhança dos outros dois livros, a autora envolve-nos na história através de duas linhas temporais, 2006 e 1989, e ainda algumas recordações de 1971. Isto porque, em 1971, o irmão mais velho de Rebecca desapareceu misteriosamente e, ela, com apenas 5 anos, ficou muito abalada.
Temos uma história cheia de mistérios e que me deixou sempre muito agarrada.
O final, confesso, apanhou-me completamente desprevenida, não só pela revelação mas também por algo que aconteceu e que me deixou algo triste e que representa o fim de um ciclo.
Uma história brilhante!
Vejam a minha opinião mais detalhada em vídeo, AQUI.
August 16, 2021
This one just wasnt for me unfortunately.
I'm not sure if its because I haven't read the previous books in this series not realising that it was one or if for some reason I just didn't engage.
For me it dragged. The feminist undertones were well written and intriguing however and the story itself had merit but this is just one of those times it didnt resonate enough with me for me to completely enjoy it.
It will have appeal for a wide readership however no doubt, so I wouldn't let my thoughts put you off.
I'm not sure if its because I haven't read the previous books in this series not realising that it was one or if for some reason I just didn't engage.
For me it dragged. The feminist undertones were well written and intriguing however and the story itself had merit but this is just one of those times it didnt resonate enough with me for me to completely enjoy it.
It will have appeal for a wide readership however no doubt, so I wouldn't let my thoughts put you off.
May 7, 2024
This is the final book in the Malbry trilogy. We are back in St Oswald's with Roy Straitley and a body turns up. This is not a normal 'crime' book. This is far more about relationships, deception and how we deceive ourselves. As usual Joanne Harris depicts the school setting with all the characters in the schools with such sharp observance that they feel real. Definitely needs to be read in order though.
September 29, 2023
After reading a lot of books and watching movies about private schools, I always wonder why the schools don't have Classics and Latin. Although I understand the amount of disciplines the kids have nowadays and today's generations' needs (well, they would be lost without computer science or AI or big data), Classics and Latin seem to have a huge influence on your reasoning and overall thinking. For me, these pupils seem from the high league.
A Narrow Door is told from two people's perspective - telling stories and their thoughts. One is an old Classic professor, the other is the new Headmistress. The story unfolds around a disappearance of the Headmistress's brother, when she was a little girl. It's a story about childhood memories and traumas, coping with grief and lose of a family member.
I am discovering Joanne Harris with a different angle and am positively surprised how good she is when writing thriller/mystery. The first book I read from her was Chocolat, quite different from those series. Harris is as always a master of prose, suspense, and twists. Few detectives will keep you awake like this. Thriller writers should take a leaf out of her books.
Her books are both character and story driven. Few authors manage to come out clean with both. However, I feel that Harris needs time with her characters. The Classic professor was a deeply developed character, as he comes from the previous 2 books. The new Headmistress, however, would need more depth.
One of the coolest tricks Harris has, she doesn't force her opinion on the character, keeps it as neutral as possible for you to figure out it yourself. So, in the end, you can doubt and try to guess your personal feelings, without author's compulsion.
I read these book series in a different order - Different Class, the second one without knowing it was a part of the series, then read Gentlemen and Players, the first. A Narrow Door was the third one. I would advise reading those in order, if you want to know the characters best. Those are perfect for private school story lovers! 4 stars, as something was missing, also maybe a tiny amount of disappointment, just a little, with the ending. Mind you, the ending will make you want to read the 4th book. Can't wait for the next book!
A Narrow Door is told from two people's perspective - telling stories and their thoughts. One is an old Classic professor, the other is the new Headmistress. The story unfolds around a disappearance of the Headmistress's brother, when she was a little girl. It's a story about childhood memories and traumas, coping with grief and lose of a family member.
I am discovering Joanne Harris with a different angle and am positively surprised how good she is when writing thriller/mystery. The first book I read from her was Chocolat, quite different from those series. Harris is as always a master of prose, suspense, and twists. Few detectives will keep you awake like this. Thriller writers should take a leaf out of her books.
Her books are both character and story driven. Few authors manage to come out clean with both. However, I feel that Harris needs time with her characters. The Classic professor was a deeply developed character, as he comes from the previous 2 books. The new Headmistress, however, would need more depth.
One of the coolest tricks Harris has, she doesn't force her opinion on the character, keeps it as neutral as possible for you to figure out it yourself. So, in the end, you can doubt and try to guess your personal feelings, without author's compulsion.
I read these book series in a different order - Different Class, the second one without knowing it was a part of the series, then read Gentlemen and Players, the first. A Narrow Door was the third one. I would advise reading those in order, if you want to know the characters best. Those are perfect for private school story lovers! 4 stars, as something was missing, also maybe a tiny amount of disappointment, just a little, with the ending. Mind you, the ending will make you want to read the 4th book. Can't wait for the next book!
August 13, 2021
2.5 ⭐️
I really wanted to love this book. A psychological thriller about a woman’s journey to tearing down the patriarchy and solving her brother’s disappearance. I expected it would receive a big tick from me. However, whilst I enjoyed the powerful feminist vibes peppered throughout, the story itself was slow and tiresome.
You know the books that keep you hooked enough to keep reading even when you’re not necessarily enjoying them? Those ones? Well unfortunately ‘A Narrow Door’ was one of them. I wanted to know what happened, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed the journey that eventually got me there. It was a slow process with a lot of unnecessary interruptions that dragged the story out. The author could have condensed this by 100 pages to achieve a succinct novel, with the intrigue but without the frustration.
The elusiveness was equal parts infuriating and addictive. I couldn’t guess what was going to happen, so I kept turning the pages and eating up each bread crumb. Unfortunately, however,the ending was rather anticlimactic. I wasn’t shocked or devastated just underwhelmed.
There were some redeeming qualities, however, which meant I did choose to persevere. The writing was brilliant. Her descriptions were evocative and vivid, it helped to absorb you into the web the protagonist was trying to weave. The author created a very murky, mysterious atmosphere that actually creeped me out. I had to put the book down a couple of times and return to reality just to escape the trickle of fear.
I found out half way through reading that this is part of a series so perhaps had I read the other two I would’ve liked this better. ‘A Narrow Door’ was a well written novel, that I couldn’t quite give up on, but couldn’t quite commit to either. It sucked me in against my will, but now that I’ve been coughed out, I won’t be rereading this anytime soon.
I really wanted to love this book. A psychological thriller about a woman’s journey to tearing down the patriarchy and solving her brother’s disappearance. I expected it would receive a big tick from me. However, whilst I enjoyed the powerful feminist vibes peppered throughout, the story itself was slow and tiresome.
You know the books that keep you hooked enough to keep reading even when you’re not necessarily enjoying them? Those ones? Well unfortunately ‘A Narrow Door’ was one of them. I wanted to know what happened, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed the journey that eventually got me there. It was a slow process with a lot of unnecessary interruptions that dragged the story out. The author could have condensed this by 100 pages to achieve a succinct novel, with the intrigue but without the frustration.
The elusiveness was equal parts infuriating and addictive. I couldn’t guess what was going to happen, so I kept turning the pages and eating up each bread crumb. Unfortunately, however,the ending was rather anticlimactic. I wasn’t shocked or devastated just underwhelmed.
There were some redeeming qualities, however, which meant I did choose to persevere. The writing was brilliant. Her descriptions were evocative and vivid, it helped to absorb you into the web the protagonist was trying to weave. The author created a very murky, mysterious atmosphere that actually creeped me out. I had to put the book down a couple of times and return to reality just to escape the trickle of fear.
I found out half way through reading that this is part of a series so perhaps had I read the other two I would’ve liked this better. ‘A Narrow Door’ was a well written novel, that I couldn’t quite give up on, but couldn’t quite commit to either. It sucked me in against my will, but now that I’ve been coughed out, I won’t be rereading this anytime soon.
August 9, 2021
It's over fifteen years since I read the first in the St Oswald's series; Gentlemen and Players and five years since I read the follow up; Different Class. Joanne Harris has long been one of my favourite authors, her ability to write in different genre and keep her readers entertained is amazing. I've been delighted to enter the world of St Owald's again, although it's a dark and twisted word with a lead character who is totally unforgettable.
The 'narrow door' of the title refers to how difficult it usually is for a woman to enter and rise up in the world of academia. We meet Rebecca Buckfast, who readers of the previous books will remember as Becky Price. Rebecca is now the head of St Oswald's, and the school is no longer a 'grammar school for boys' but an academy. The biggest and probably most important of the changes that Rebecca has made. Girls now frequent these classrooms, taking lessons along with the boys, treated as equals.
If Rebecca is the future of St Oswald's, then classics teacher, Roy Straitley is the past. Rebecca and Roy make up the core of this story, both taunted by episodes from their past, both tortured by memories of important people now missing from their lives. Rebecca can never let go of her brother Conrad who went missing when she was just a child, whilst Roy's memories are of his colleague Eric Scoones. Eric was his dear friend but revelations about him have tainted how he remembers their relationship.
When Straitley is told that a body has been found in the school grounds, he is certain that Rebecca will deal with it. However, he is shocked by her apparent calmness and it is then that their stories begin to be told.
Needless to say, as is to be expected from this author, the story that unfolds is beautifully and intelligently written. The battle between the then and the now, the fight against the patriarchy, the control and apparent ease within the writing is just outstanding.
I thought about talking more about the actual story, but it's too complex and skilfully woven to describe without giving too much away. There is such cunning and sharpness here, it's a story that totally enfolds the reader and doesn't let go until the very final line.
Another triumph from one of our finest authors
The 'narrow door' of the title refers to how difficult it usually is for a woman to enter and rise up in the world of academia. We meet Rebecca Buckfast, who readers of the previous books will remember as Becky Price. Rebecca is now the head of St Oswald's, and the school is no longer a 'grammar school for boys' but an academy. The biggest and probably most important of the changes that Rebecca has made. Girls now frequent these classrooms, taking lessons along with the boys, treated as equals.
If Rebecca is the future of St Oswald's, then classics teacher, Roy Straitley is the past. Rebecca and Roy make up the core of this story, both taunted by episodes from their past, both tortured by memories of important people now missing from their lives. Rebecca can never let go of her brother Conrad who went missing when she was just a child, whilst Roy's memories are of his colleague Eric Scoones. Eric was his dear friend but revelations about him have tainted how he remembers their relationship.
When Straitley is told that a body has been found in the school grounds, he is certain that Rebecca will deal with it. However, he is shocked by her apparent calmness and it is then that their stories begin to be told.
Needless to say, as is to be expected from this author, the story that unfolds is beautifully and intelligently written. The battle between the then and the now, the fight against the patriarchy, the control and apparent ease within the writing is just outstanding.
I thought about talking more about the actual story, but it's too complex and skilfully woven to describe without giving too much away. There is such cunning and sharpness here, it's a story that totally enfolds the reader and doesn't let go until the very final line.
Another triumph from one of our finest authors
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September 2, 2022Трудно ми е да пиша за книги от поредица, която ме е завладяла много и съм очаквала с нетърпение продълженията, а съм останала разочарована от тях в една или друга степен..
За съжаление така се получи с "Тясна врата" на Джоан Харис, третата част от поредицата за колежа "Сейнт Осуалдс".
Не че книгата не е интересна, но за мен чувството беше подобно на онова чувство, което изпитваш, когато се завърнеш на места, на които си бил щастлив в миналото и със съжаление установявиш, че магията и очарованието са изчезнали...
Да, завърнах се в "Сейнт Осуалдс", но този съвременен и политкоректен "Сейнт Осуалдс" не ми допадна. Искам си стария колеж, със старата атмосфера - с латинските неправилни глаголи, тебеширен прах и тихи, мрачни коридори, с калпазаните на Стрейтли, а не с небинарни третостепенни герои и актуални феминистични нотки.
Съвет към тези, на които тепърва им предстои тази поредица: четете "Джентълмени и играчи", "Различен клас" и "Тясна врата" по възможност веднага една след друга.
Не позволявайте на магията да изчезне.
Не можеш два пъти да влезеш в една и съща река. Е, на мен ми се получи с първите две части, но третия път не успях 🙂
Няма да слагам оценка на книгата.
За съжаление така се получи с "Тясна врата" на Джоан Харис, третата част от поредицата за колежа "Сейнт Осуалдс".
Не че книгата не е интересна, но за мен чувството беше подобно на онова чувство, което изпитваш, когато се завърнеш на места, на които си бил щастлив в миналото и със съжаление установявиш, че магията и очарованието са изчезнали...
Да, завърнах се в "Сейнт Осуалдс", но този съвременен и политкоректен "Сейнт Осуалдс" не ми допадна. Искам си стария колеж, със старата атмосфера - с латинските неправилни глаголи, тебеширен прах и тихи, мрачни коридори, с калпазаните на Стрейтли, а не с небинарни третостепенни герои и актуални феминистични нотки.
Съвет към тези, на които тепърва им предстои тази поредица: четете "Джентълмени и играчи", "Различен клас" и "Тясна врата" по възможност веднага една след друга.
Не позволявайте на магията да изчезне.
Не можеш два пъти да влезеш в една и съща река. Е, на мен ми се получи с първите две части, но третия път не успях 🙂
Няма да слагам оценка на книгата.
October 4, 2021
A wonderful read. I`ll write a little more elaborate review later.
September 14, 2021
I wonder if this book stands as evidence that one can take the pitcher to the well once too often.
I enjoyed Joanne Harris’s previous novels featuring ageing Classics teacher Roy Straitley and the troubled St Oswald’s School: Gentlemen and Players, and Different Class.. Indeed, I re-read both of them prior to starting this, and enjoyed them just as much the second time around. Unfortunately I found this latest addition to the canon rather a bind, and, having lost momentum about half way through, I struggled to finish it.
As with its predecessors, the story is recounted through two separate narrative: one from Straitley, who has somehow manged to summon the energy to return to start teaching teach for yet another academic year; the other from Rebecca Buckfast, who has emerged from the problems left at the end of Different Class, to take on the headship as St Oswlad’s first female headteacher.
The new year sees some significant changes at the school. Not only is there a female head teacher, but the school has now gone coeducational, and Straitley finds himself required to teach girls. At first I found this worked well, and it was amusing to follow his struggles to adapt to the ‘new normal’.
Sadly, however, I started to find the rest of the book rather annoying. The various experiences that Ms Buckfast underwent during her teens and twenties simply failed my verisimilitude test, and I found the credibility gap simply too wide.
The book was well written, as Joanne Harris’s novels always are, but I just felt that the substance and plot did not live up to the promise of the style.
I enjoyed Joanne Harris’s previous novels featuring ageing Classics teacher Roy Straitley and the troubled St Oswald’s School: Gentlemen and Players, and Different Class.. Indeed, I re-read both of them prior to starting this, and enjoyed them just as much the second time around. Unfortunately I found this latest addition to the canon rather a bind, and, having lost momentum about half way through, I struggled to finish it.
As with its predecessors, the story is recounted through two separate narrative: one from Straitley, who has somehow manged to summon the energy to return to start teaching teach for yet another academic year; the other from Rebecca Buckfast, who has emerged from the problems left at the end of Different Class, to take on the headship as St Oswlad’s first female headteacher.
The new year sees some significant changes at the school. Not only is there a female head teacher, but the school has now gone coeducational, and Straitley finds himself required to teach girls. At first I found this worked well, and it was amusing to follow his struggles to adapt to the ‘new normal’.
Sadly, however, I started to find the rest of the book rather annoying. The various experiences that Ms Buckfast underwent during her teens and twenties simply failed my verisimilitude test, and I found the credibility gap simply too wide.
The book was well written, as Joanne Harris’s novels always are, but I just felt that the substance and plot did not live up to the promise of the style.
July 14, 2021
Oh my, what a read. I hadn't realised this is part of a trilogy and would say you can certainly read this as a stand alone but I shall be reading the other two. Roy Straitley is approached by a group of his students, they think they have found a body in the school's grounds. Roy investigates and goes to the schools Headmaster Rebecca Buckfast, however the Headmaster has other plans, she decides to share her life story with Roy, spinning a tale which ensnares Roy in her spider's web. With each chapter Rebecca Buckfast sheds layer upon layer of her dark tale taking Roy and the reader into her dark tale.
Joanne Harris has produced a masterly work of fiction, a novel which demands your attention and has you clinging to it wishing it would never end.
Joanne Harris has produced a masterly work of fiction, a novel which demands your attention and has you clinging to it wishing it would never end.
September 26, 2021
I haven't read the other books in this series so perhaps I am missing something but I didn't engage with the plot of A Narrow Door or the characters. The main protagonist, Rebecca, is unsympathetic and while the story starts well, by the end it is completely ridiculous (admittedly this isn't unusual in contemporary psychological thrillers). Several people are dispatched during the course of the story for reasons that I still don't fully understand although I won't spoil the surprise by saying more. Disappointing.
October 29, 2021
This is the third book in the series based at St Oswald's School for Boys in the fictional town of Malbry. Set just a year after the events in 'A Different Class', we find Classics teacher Roy Straitley still trying to uphold tradition but fighting a losing battle - the new headmaster is a woman, the school has gone co-educational (it is now St Oswald's Academy) and a new leisure facility is being built on the grounds.
Before the school year has even started in earnest, Straitley is approached by his Brodie Boys from his old class, who have made a shocking discovery - the building site appears to have turned up a body. When Straitley takes his findings to Rebecca Buckfast (nee Price), she is at pains to point out the problems that disclosure of the find could have for the school and sets out to tell her life story to Straitley to explain why.
Thus we have a series of chapters, alternately from the new headmaster and Straitley. As Rebecca tells of the disappearance of her 14-year-old brother, Conrad, when she was five years old, she is plumbing the depths of her own memories to tease out what could have happened to him. As the story is gradually revealed, and Straitley reacts to it, we yet again are entertained by a public school-based mystery and thriller par excellence....
Loved this one every bit as much as the first two - pity it has been such a long time coming that I had lost track of the characters to a certain extent but still a great read - 9/10.
Before the school year has even started in earnest, Straitley is approached by his Brodie Boys from his old class, who have made a shocking discovery - the building site appears to have turned up a body. When Straitley takes his findings to Rebecca Buckfast (nee Price), she is at pains to point out the problems that disclosure of the find could have for the school and sets out to tell her life story to Straitley to explain why.
Thus we have a series of chapters, alternately from the new headmaster and Straitley. As Rebecca tells of the disappearance of her 14-year-old brother, Conrad, when she was five years old, she is plumbing the depths of her own memories to tease out what could have happened to him. As the story is gradually revealed, and Straitley reacts to it, we yet again are entertained by a public school-based mystery and thriller par excellence....
Loved this one every bit as much as the first two - pity it has been such a long time coming that I had lost track of the characters to a certain extent but still a great read - 9/10.
March 5, 2023
estava super empolgada pela sinopse e fiquei desiludida com o livro, não me consegui conectar com a história e embora o fim seja bom, não compensou
October 23, 2022
*3,5
Joanne Harris é uma escritora muito boa. Todas as suas personagens são bem construídas, com várias camadas.
Mas a expetativa criada não correspondeu à revelação do grande final.
Joanne Harris é uma escritora muito boa. Todas as suas personagens são bem construídas, com várias camadas.
Mas a expetativa criada não correspondeu à revelação do grande final.
September 25, 2024
sigh i guess september is the month of being disappointed by my favorite authors :/
so there are two main problems with this book. the first one is very prominent and that's rebecca buckfast as a character. her narration is basically amy dunne's cool girl monologue deprived of all its feminist poignancy by being bloated to the size of a full length novel. i was so unbelievably annoyed by her endless reciting of truisms about how hard it is for a girlboss to live under patriarchy that i wouldn't be able to sympathize with her even if i wanted to. what's more, i was so distracted by questioning whether this truly is some inexplicably bad writing from joanne harris who has previously explored the themes of gender and class discrimination with so much more nuance OR if maybe i'm the problem for scoffing at an unlikable female character despite having followed the stories of despicable men with interest - i was so distracted by this internal wokeness debate that i almost failed to grasp the real reason for why the conclusion to this dark academic saga is so disappointing.
in essence, this story has nothing to do with st oswald's as a place or as a symbol. the two previous novels introduced us to this elite school for boys through the eyes of a teacher for whom it is his entire life and so he has no choice but to love it despite its scandals and inequities. this image then was put into perspective by a second narrator who has been deeply hurt by this school as an institution, as a collective of people, as an abstract ideal. beyond any murders and tragic accidents that take place in their stories, to me, this examination of education in its broadest sense as it relates to society is the very soul of dark academia as a genre. therefore i was looking forward to returning to st oswald's - once again in a state of upheaval, merging with a school for girls, for the first time ruled by a woman headmaster who, as the previous novels have led me to expect, may or may not have some vendetta against st oswald's and will take her revenge, unless roy straitley, the school's elderly champion, will manage to thwart his counterpart's plans once again.
what i got instead was a barely passable domestic thriller / family drama which harris incorporated into this world in a painstakingly contrived manner by having rebecca buckfast tell her tragic backstory to roy straitley, stretching it out for several days (weeks?) and filling it with a lethal dose of stock phrases about how women are being oppressed and need to find "a narrow door" etc etc. nothing in the tale she makes straitley and the reader listen to has anything to do with st oswald's: the events in question take place when she used to be a teacher at a different school and even that school is nothing but a place where a certain tragedy just happened to happen - the school didn't "cause" it. instead, the problems la buckfast has were all caused by the big and small traumas she suffered from her brother, her parents and her husband - they are at the heart of this book and should've been explored in a standalone mystery novel that isn't shooting itself in the foot by trying to make these events relevant to roy fucking straitley and his creepy school of gays and sociopaths. and since the present day timeline is merely a contrived framing device for the life and times of rebecca buckfast, we don't find out anything about how she runs st oswald's as the first woman headmaster or how the girls are getting integrated, which becomes embarrassingly obvious in the last chapter during her final feminist monologue about the bright future of st oswald's girls that does ring rather hollow, given how much the book is NOT about st oswald's girls.
and, to top it all off, roy straitley - everyone's favorite classics master, an ace icon and one of the coolest fictional characters ever - had to be relegated to simply sitting there all book long and listening to this random woman's story. and, i guess, serving as some sort of epitome of the old patriarchal regime to be symbolically demolished on the way to our bright feminist future. i wish we'd seen more of him discovering that girls can study latin too and learning about pronouns and trans issues. i wish we'd followed his reluctant budding friendship with his former nemesis dr devine. i wish his grief and coming to terms with what he had learned about his old friend in the previous book had been better explored. ultimately, i wish we'd spent more time at st oswald's together with its teachers and students in this final st oswald's novel :(
so there are two main problems with this book. the first one is very prominent and that's rebecca buckfast as a character. her narration is basically amy dunne's cool girl monologue deprived of all its feminist poignancy by being bloated to the size of a full length novel. i was so unbelievably annoyed by her endless reciting of truisms about how hard it is for a girlboss to live under patriarchy that i wouldn't be able to sympathize with her even if i wanted to. what's more, i was so distracted by questioning whether this truly is some inexplicably bad writing from joanne harris who has previously explored the themes of gender and class discrimination with so much more nuance OR if maybe i'm the problem for scoffing at an unlikable female character despite having followed the stories of despicable men with interest - i was so distracted by this internal wokeness debate that i almost failed to grasp the real reason for why the conclusion to this dark academic saga is so disappointing.
in essence, this story has nothing to do with st oswald's as a place or as a symbol. the two previous novels introduced us to this elite school for boys through the eyes of a teacher for whom it is his entire life and so he has no choice but to love it despite its scandals and inequities. this image then was put into perspective by a second narrator who has been deeply hurt by this school as an institution, as a collective of people, as an abstract ideal. beyond any murders and tragic accidents that take place in their stories, to me, this examination of education in its broadest sense as it relates to society is the very soul of dark academia as a genre. therefore i was looking forward to returning to st oswald's - once again in a state of upheaval, merging with a school for girls, for the first time ruled by a woman headmaster who, as the previous novels have led me to expect, may or may not have some vendetta against st oswald's and will take her revenge, unless roy straitley, the school's elderly champion, will manage to thwart his counterpart's plans once again.
what i got instead was a barely passable domestic thriller / family drama which harris incorporated into this world in a painstakingly contrived manner by having rebecca buckfast tell her tragic backstory to roy straitley, stretching it out for several days (weeks?) and filling it with a lethal dose of stock phrases about how women are being oppressed and need to find "a narrow door" etc etc. nothing in the tale she makes straitley and the reader listen to has anything to do with st oswald's: the events in question take place when she used to be a teacher at a different school and even that school is nothing but a place where a certain tragedy just happened to happen - the school didn't "cause" it. instead, the problems la buckfast has were all caused by the big and small traumas she suffered from her brother, her parents and her husband - they are at the heart of this book and should've been explored in a standalone mystery novel that isn't shooting itself in the foot by trying to make these events relevant to roy fucking straitley and his creepy school of gays and sociopaths. and since the present day timeline is merely a contrived framing device for the life and times of rebecca buckfast, we don't find out anything about how she runs st oswald's as the first woman headmaster or how the girls are getting integrated, which becomes embarrassingly obvious in the last chapter during her final feminist monologue about the bright future of st oswald's girls that does ring rather hollow, given how much the book is NOT about st oswald's girls.
and, to top it all off, roy straitley - everyone's favorite classics master, an ace icon and one of the coolest fictional characters ever - had to be relegated to simply sitting there all book long and listening to this random woman's story. and, i guess, serving as some sort of epitome of the old patriarchal regime to be symbolically demolished on the way to our bright feminist future. i wish we'd seen more of him discovering that girls can study latin too and learning about pronouns and trans issues. i wish we'd followed his reluctant budding friendship with his former nemesis dr devine. i wish his grief and coming to terms with what he had learned about his old friend in the previous book had been better explored. ultimately, i wish we'd spent more time at st oswald's together with its teachers and students in this final st oswald's novel :(
October 15, 2021
The third novel in the Malbry trilogy, A Narrow Door is a sequel to Gentleman and Players (2005) and Different Class (2016). This entire series has been an enthralling read, as Joanne Harris writes haunting psychological thrillers.
It was great to catch up once again with a character I felt I knew, Roy Straitley, his boys, colleagues and St Oswald’s School. Times have moved on at St Oswald’s and the traditional narrow door has opened a smidgeon and admitted not only a female head of school but also girls as pupils.
The head teacher and female protagonist Rebecca Buckfast, nee Price is the future of the school and Roy Straitley who has been a main male character in all three books, is the traditional past. Both Roy and Rebecca have dark memories buried in their pasts that torture them. The story unfolds as they reveal their stories to each other and the reader is drawn deep into the complex events of the past.
Written by an author who is skilful at keeping us guessing right up to the very last page, I recommend highly to her many fans and those that enjoy psychological thrillers.
It was great to catch up once again with a character I felt I knew, Roy Straitley, his boys, colleagues and St Oswald’s School. Times have moved on at St Oswald’s and the traditional narrow door has opened a smidgeon and admitted not only a female head of school but also girls as pupils.
The head teacher and female protagonist Rebecca Buckfast, nee Price is the future of the school and Roy Straitley who has been a main male character in all three books, is the traditional past. Both Roy and Rebecca have dark memories buried in their pasts that torture them. The story unfolds as they reveal their stories to each other and the reader is drawn deep into the complex events of the past.
Written by an author who is skilful at keeping us guessing right up to the very last page, I recommend highly to her many fans and those that enjoy psychological thrillers.
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