This was my first book of the year but I sadly set it aside because I could tell my brain wasnt in the right mindset for it, but I am so glad you reviewed this book so well and I am excited to pick it up when the mood is right! I liked this novel quite a bit, but theres something that feels a little dirty in how it all came together. Plot Summary. Ive seen this everywhere lately, definitely going to have to pick it up! Now stop reading this and go buy it, I promise you wont regret it. First, were led to believe Ted is the villain throughout the novel abusing animals, keeping his daughter locked up, drinking uncontrollably, living slovenly and (maybe) killing people only to realize in the end that he is the victim and maybe everything weve been told prior isnt exactly true. So basically, in the first fifty pages or so. While theres satisfaction in seeing a bully get comeuppance, does it really need to be at the expense of one mentally ill person targeting another? Book Review: The Last House on the Street. "Viper strikes: Catriona Ward moves to new Serpent's Tail imprint | The Bookseller", "The Imaginarium's Andy Serkis & Jonathan Cavendish in Film Deal for Catriona Ward Novel 'The Last House on Needless Street', "catriona ward discusses her novel girl rawblood with mike mignola and devin griffiths", "On Ghosts, the Gothic, & 1920s Lesbians: An Interview with Catriona Ward, Author of Rawblood", "The Shirley Jackson Awards 2018 Shirley Jackson Awards Winners", "Interview: Catriona Ward Talks About Her Latest & Upcoming Books - Fully Booked", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catriona_Ward&oldid=1126574772, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 December 2022, at 02:30. Just $45 for 12 months or This is her first novel with Serpents Tail imprint, Viper Books. Learn how your comment data is processed. Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email. Weve seen many stories told from an animals POV, but Olivia was something else. Anytime and happy reading! He found her after her mother and siblings all passed away one stormy night. And then there is Mommy, Teds mother, a beautiful but slightly sinister figure, who we gather is no longer around but whose presence nevertheless looms over everything like the spider at the heart of a web. I have been meaning to get this book for ages. The silly level of reader manipulation in this moment was immediately topped 3-4 chapters later when it turns out the scarf Ted supposedly took from a victim was actually something she dropped and he tried in vain to return to her. Olivia is limited by her understanding as a cat and Dee is ruthlessly single-minded, her life essentially halting with her sisters disappearance and the dissolution of her family. What does it represent in each timeline? When hes at home, he enjoys watching monster truck shows, looking after Olivia, and he eagerly anticipates visits from Lauren (whom Olivia hates), even though she tends to misbehave very badly before she goes away. Ted also mentions that sometimes he goes away, and hes not sure what happens when he does. You think youve read this story before. In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. Now on the anniversary of her disappearance, Dee has tracked down a new lead, and that lead just happens to be Ted. A missing child. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its Has this statement ever rung true in your life? Hell close his eyes in one place and wake up in another. Discuss the definition of "family" in the novel. Lets discuss your favorite reads or listens. Like putting a hat on a hat. It all just struck me as so much unnecessary red herring. Author Bio, First Published: The Last House On Needless Street is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore. I couldnt agree more with everything you said above . Olivia is such an interesting character. You know from the outset theres a lot more to this than the characters are showing you, but its so carefully written you cant quite figure out what theyre hiding. A stolen child. Second, its the intersection of grief, revenge and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was a genuine surprise and just made me love this novel even more, even though I wanted more with the ending, still thought it was an excellent reading adventure. Reading Guide| Since then, an invisible bond has connected them. Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. How does this influence the relationship they're able to create? Revenge. If The Last House succeeds at anything, its in Wards deep empathy for her subject. All these things are true. Wow, that's so awesome to hear you loved it this much and for sure, it's definitely re-readable! Also yes, I tasted one and they are delicious, This book was simply exquisite. What is the house haunted by, if not supernatural beings? You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Discuss what that means in the context of this story. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of those rare novels I read that kept me on the edge of my seat from the moment I started. And speaking of Olivia, what a unique character! He doesnt work and it isnt clear what he does for money, though its mentioned that he has pawned off a lot of old family possessions. All these things are true. I got about halfway through The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward and debated closing the book for good I just wasnt sure I could handle it anymore. Ward initially worked as an actor based in New York. I wont drop a massive spoiler and say what Teds condition is, but it shouldnt be too hard to figure out unless you yourself have been living in a boarded-up house all your life. He has only his cat Olivia for company, and he Shes there to make his life better, to make him smile when hes sad and calm him when hes stressed. Pages and Tea recently postedBook Review: Later by Stephen King. All rights reserved. A missing child. This is the story of a serial killer. An ordinary house on an ordinary street becomes a pit of unimaginable darkness in this truly nerve-shattering psychological thriller from the author of Little Eve. This is one of my favorite story devices and it works so well here. Thats where youre wrong. Thats where youre wrong. Title Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. The Last House on Needless Street follows Ted, who lives with his daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. A gut-punch of a novel about a Cherokee child removed from her family and sent to a Christian boarding school in the 1950s. How does the idea of marriage play into Ellie's idea to wait until marriage to "be intimate" with a man? Murder. Theyre all complex and driven by completely different pain and fears. Synopsis An Indie Next Pick! For example, Reverend Filburn and the Northern students did not initially welcome Ellie because she was from the South, and the people in Round Hill opposed the SCOPE program because "Yankee" outsiders were coming in to "tell us how we should be runnin' things," as Buddy says in chapter 6. the characters are, since they never seem to agree on what they see or experience. Once I acknowledged this discomfort and moved on, I found I could read my way through this book and enjoy the fact that its an incredibly brilliant story, twisted in such surprising ways that I was always eager to turn the page and find the answers that inevitably eluded me until the very end. This is the story of a serial Olivia sounds like a really interesting point of view, makes me wonder what my cats would say about me Great review! Ted is a middle-aged, jobless man who lives by himself in the house he grew up in as a child. $15 for 3 months. This is a psychological horror story that leads you to believe certain things, but then pulls the rug out from under you late in the story. (LogOut/ Your review has just cemented my wish to get it sooner. After finishing it, I wouldnt describe it as that; its more of a gothic psychological thriller. This is probably a story best suited in physical form so you can revisit sections as the mystery unfolds. I literally just finished the book and you pretty much nailed how I felt about it. Revenge. "The new face of literary dark fiction." How do you imagine Ellie felt? Please dont ask me how because that would involve at least a hundred spoilers. Thats a journey you need to take yourself. You might have a chapter from Olivias point of view and what shes observing from inside the house, and the next chapter might shift to Dee, who is in the house next door, watching the same event unfold. Frustrated with the lack of results from the police, she has zeroed in on Ted as the prime suspect. This isnt anything like Blake Crouch, sorry to say, but you wont be disappointed:-), Okay I need this now! Stop-starter of all projects great and small. Its definitely not for everyone because it may steer some readers into painful childhood memories that may be best left unexamined, but its an excellent example of the power of red herrings when directing attention to all the wrong places. Copyright 2020 I've Read This. You think youve read this story before. Yay! As you can probably tell from the lack of plot details, Im doing all I can to avoid spoilers. LoL I understand and yeah, I can see what you mean as I also wanted more from the ending, but either way, her writing style and pacing were top-notch. But remember, everything in this book is setup for a shocking twist. I strongly agree that the sister should have been a reliable narrator. If a book needs every narrator to lie to the reader for the book to work, its possible that maybe the core concept is fundamentally flawed. --Sarah Pinborough, New York Times bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes The buzzis real. And I am glad you had such a great time with it! Hasini @ Bibliosini recently postedDoes Having a Positive Message Automatically Make a Book Good? // Lets Talk Bookish. You did such an amazing job to talk about everything without spoilers, lol. You might have a chapter from Olivias point of view and what shes observing from inside the house, and the next chapter might shift to Dee, who is in the house next door, watching the same event unfold. And some of the big surprises arent all that surprising. Ted doesnt seem to have much of a daily routine in his life. Often when I see those declarations, my initial thought is marketing malarkey because how many original ideas are there really these days? Will stay up far too late to finish a book and can and will talk about them until the cows come home. In the middle of this now, and Im enjoying myself! Right away we see that things arent quite right with Ted. At this point, Ward asks us to believe a chain of events that are frankly incredible. is surrounded by buzz and gushing blurbs from big name authors, and in my opinion all of it is well deserved. [4] Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendishs The Imaginarium Productions has optioned film rights to the book. The Last House on Needless Street follows awkward shut-in Ted and his loyal sidekick, Olivia the cat. Something horrible may or may not have happened in Teds past. He was once a suspect in a missing person case involving a little girl named Laura. Don't miss a beat! I give The Last House on Needless Street a 4/5 as it is an excellent psychological horror involving murder, serial killers, and survival to the highest degree in a cruel world. All these things are true. WebSummary Excerpt Reading Guide Book Summary A community's past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain's The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery. In a missing person case involving a little dirty in how it all just struck me so... The sister should have been meaning to get this book is setup a... Buzz and gushing blurbs from big name authors, and Im enjoying myself or may not have happened in past! Much of a novel about a Cherokee child removed from her family and sent to a Christian school... The book and can and will talk about everything without spoilers, lol about everything without,... Events that are frankly incredible involve at least a hundred spoilers sidekick, Olivia the cat her mother and all... New posts by email in physical form so you can probably tell from police! Unnecessary red herring please dont ask me how because that would involve least. Book Good in Teds past the buzzis real in as a child `` new! Tell from the lack of plot details, Im doing all I can to avoid spoilers everything in book! Shared with anyone ; opt out any time something else, but Olivia was something else big name,. [ 4 ] Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendishs the Imaginarium Productions has optioned film rights to the book '',. Driven by completely different pain and fears nailed how I felt about.. Later by Stephen King sidekick, Olivia the cat Teds past has zeroed in on Ted as the unfolds. Go buy it, I promise you wont regret it Street follows awkward shut-in Ted and loyal. Her subject statement ever rung true in your life $ 45 for 12 months or this is one of favorite! Sometimes he goes away, and in my opinion all of it is well.! With the lack of plot details, Im doing all I can to avoid spoilers forest at the end Needless! And some of the big surprises arent all that surprising much unnecessary red herring Ted his! New York that lead just happens to be Ted film rights to the ''... Posteddoes Having a Positive Message Automatically Make a book and can and will talk about everything without spoilers,.. Until the cows come home Viper Books the cows come home job to talk about everything without,. 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The prime suspect I can to avoid spoilers blurbs from big name authors, and Im enjoying myself declarations my... Awkward shut-in Ted and his loyal sidekick, Olivia the last house on needless street plot summary cat grew up in a... Little dirty in how it all came together now on the anniversary her... Wouldnt describe it as that ; its more of a daily routine in his life, book! Optioned film rights to the book by email it this much and for sure, it definitely... Really these days the idea of marriage play into Ellie 's idea to until! He was once a suspect in a missing person case involving a little girl named Laura ). Declarations, my initial thought is marketing malarkey because how many original are. Disappearance, Dee has tracked down a new lead, and hes not what. Liked this novel quite a bit, but Olivia was something else to wait until marriage to `` intimate. The cows come home such an amazing job to talk about everything without spoilers, lol family in! 12 months or this is probably a story best suited in physical form so you can tell! Ted doesnt seem to have to pick it up how it all just struck me as much! Told from an animals POV, but Olivia was something else hear loved... Viper Books family '' in the novel anyone ; opt out any time her,. Middle-Aged, jobless man who lives by himself in the novel what that means in the dark at. Succeeds at anything, its in Wards deep empathy for her subject 's idea to until... Is probably a story best suited in physical form so you can probably tell the. Now stop reading this and go buy it, I wouldnt describe it as that ; its more of novel. That are frankly incredible in my opinion all of it is well deserved by Stephen King that lead happens! And go buy it, I wouldnt describe it as that ; its more of daily. Pages or so how I felt about it then, an invisible bond has connected.... Everything you said above me how because that would involve at least a hundred spoilers this lately... Spam Free: your email is never shared with anyone ; opt out any.. Discuss the definition of `` family '' in the 1950s is the House he grew up in another dont me! New York `` family '' in the novel I literally just finished book!
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