Some cheap tricks to help spice up a plodding story that mostly amounted to characters sitting and waiting and watching. The Last House on Needless Street, by Catriona Ward, is the best written book I wish Id never read. Ward initially worked as an actor based in New York. Synopsis: A communitys past sins rise to the surface when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery. Reviews| This is achieved not through making the language overly simplistic but by highlighting his naivete and inability to express himself or his understanding in a complex way, as youd expect an adult to be able to do, naming people by their physical characteristics, literal and figurative, or by associationsMan with Orange Juice Hair, Chihuahua Lady, Bug-Manfor example. How would the story be different if they were just friends? There were moments when I thought continuity mistakes had been made (I have a proof copy so it can happen) but trust me when I say that nothing in this book is a mistake. With the recent Black Lives Matter protests and other similar movements in the news in the United States, how does this book contribute to the conversation about racial injustice? For both characters, their house represents their grief. A missing child. Here to talk books, film, mental health and lifestyle. Personally, I had Cameron Britton in my head as Ted. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Which is more important to the Hockley family? All storytellers are liars, but Catriona Ward is a particularly good one. Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. Any book is up for discussion as long as that discussion is respectful. Excellent review. I was listening to it on Audible and was struggling hard with it. Click here to receive notifications of An Average Life new posts by email. WebThe Chihuahua lady and the mom seemed to be close, and the mom told her later on that she would be going out of town as a way to lead false tracks away from her if However, intrinsically, The Last House on Needless Street is a tale of survival. Its another way to show how unreliable all of the characters are, since they never seem to agree on what they see or experience. At times, you find yourself feeling genuinely sorry for Ted, a man who is obviously a threat to the women around him. WebDescription This is the story of a murderer. Thats okay. --Sarah Pinborough, New York Times bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes The buzzis real. It doesn't matter if you're into Stephen King, Octavia Butler, Jack Ketchum or Shirley Jackson, this is the place to share that love and discuss to your heart's content. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Would you look for excuses to extend your solitary visit with this possible pervert child murderer in his own house by asking things like Can I use the bathroom? and Could I have a drink of water? Would you spy on his movements and follow him, all by yourself, when you see him walking into the forest at night with a shovel? as they happened was a truly immersive experience. the characters are, since they never seem to agree on what they see or experience. Unfortunately I can't read Sundial because I've heard that the plot surrounds animal/dog abuse and I just can't even begin to go there. "Loneliness felt like a disease with no cure," Ellie says in chapter 40. The audiobook is narrated by Christopher Ragland, and while he was committed to the characters, some of the portrayals were distracting. He knows this, because he buried them there himself. Now Im more excited than EVER to read this!!! This is the story of a serial Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy. Its definitely more psychological horror, if thats something you enjoy. Excerpt| Ultimately, it was. And that is the beauty of this storygetting to the truth is a circuitous and uneven path, one I never grew tired of. Often when I see those declarations, my initial thought is marketing malarkey because how many original ideas are there really these days? Naturally we are encouraged to scratch our chins and think Hmm, Lulu Lauren is there a connection?. The other device the author uses is that she shows the same events from two different perspectives. Oct 12, 2021 | Book Reviews, Horror, mystery, Thriller | 12 comments. What is the significance of what happens to each house at the end of the novel? Broadly, the novel follows Ted, a man living alone in his mid-30s, his daughter Lauren, his lesbian Bible-reading cat Olivia and a woman named Dee who lost And its here that Ward just stops playing fair with her readers. A fantastic readathon running this year, check it out here:The 2021 SFF Badge Collection, Dramatic, curly-haired wannabe writer from a nowhere town in Somerset. Hes going to struggle massively to live up to what lies between these pages, but I cant wait to hear who they cast. This is the story of a serial killer. // Lets Talk Bookish. Lulus guilt-ridden older sister Dee has been on a mission to find the little girls killer. Moreover, it becomes evident as you read that Ward does not establish anything at all in her story that she doesnt plan to completely overturn with an M. Night Shyamalan-style twist. In chapter 21, Kayla finds a letter that her father, Reed, wrote to Jackson, describing their new house as "haunted." What is the significance of that decision? Maybe its nothing, or maybe hes visiting his favourite place in the woods. Ward does a great job of creating an ominous atmosphere, especially surrounding Ted, his house, and Olivia and Lauren. Mothers, either of the abusive or excessively smothering variety, who have left their adult children with a boatload of devastating mental health problems have become one of horror fictions most recycled tropes. Ted and Laurens voices are childlike, Lauren because she is a child; Ted, it becomes apparent, due to serious emotional and psychological trauma. A stolen child. Theyre all complex and driven by completely different pain and fears. 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. See below for more (spoiler filled) details on that. Dates read: January 27 February 2, 2022. I just finished it and felt like starting it all over again so I could read it with a more complete understanding of how it all fits together. His young daughter stays from time to time, but he keeps her hidden away too. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. It all just struck me as so much unnecessary red herring. The nerve-shredding tension and creeping unease comes with you having to work things out at the characters pace. What significance does the Hockley house have in the town of Round Hill? At the half way point I couldn't justify spending any more time with it and refunded it. Is Brenda lonely in Round Hill despite being surrounded by the people she grew up with? You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. WebThe Last House on Needless Street is a dark and disturbing story about a man, his teenage daughter, and his bible-reading cat, Olivia. Like putting a hat on a hat. 100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: All is not what it seems on Needless Street. Why or why not? It's all just so preposterous. For example, both Brenda and Ellie were raised in the same society, but had very different values and, consequently, led very different lives. This has been in my list for a while.I just might get it now thanks! The reveal at the end was sort of mind-blowing, and I loved the authors Afterword where she gives some background on how the story came to be. Additionally, two characterizations didn't sit right with me. ** This title earned me the Animal Companion badge in the Spells & Spaceships SFF collection! [2] Little Eve also went on to win the prestigious Shirley Jackson Award for best novel. At this point, Ward asks us to believe a chain of events that are frankly incredible. For Ellie, her house is a reminder of her tragic loss and familial betrayal. Synopsis This is the story of a serial killer. I have been lied to in the best possible way and I enjoyed every single moment. My hold for this book just came in yesterday! A Book Blog for Speculative Fiction, Graphic Novels and more! Who killed Teds songbirds? From the ramshackle houses to the disappearing children, theres something nefarious at How did the alternating timelines and voices impact your reading experience? hah. This House may look good on the outside, but inside, its a real fixer-upper. Secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960sa poignant tale of a mother's enduring love. Hi, I'm Tammy, avid reader, book collector & reviewer of quality fantasy, horror & science fiction. The narrative structure each chapter is told from the viewpoint of one of four characters, and each person provides a slightly different view of what we learned in the previous chapter. In what ways does it not impact them? Revenge. All these things are true. "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. This is the story of Ted, who lives with his young daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. This is her first novel with Serpents Tail imprint, Viper Books. If you read it for its mood, for its sense of dread, if you enjoy being surprised and you dont care to think too closely about the choices the writer is making and why theyre making them, then yes, The Last House on Needless Street is a novel that can have a profound emotional impact. Bestsellers rank 30,480. My first DNF in quite a while. Another fabulous review, Tammy! Switching between POVs, Needless Street is the tale of Ted-a reclusive drunk, his cat Olivia, daughter Lauren and Dee-a woman in search of her missing sister Lulu. Is Ellie lonely in California? Its powerful, beautifully designed and comes with everything you need to engage your visitors and increase conversions. But there is an area in the forest he considers sacred and inhabited by gods. WebI am 66% into The Last House on Needless Street by @Catrionaward & I can honestly say its mind-blowing. WebHer next gothic thriller, The Last House on Needless Street, was published through Viper Books (an imprint of Serpent's Tail) in March 2021, and Tor Nightfire in the US, in Hi, I'm Cara and welcome to my bookish world. Frustrated with the lack of results from the police, she has zeroed in on Ted as the prime suspect. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. BOOM! I just dont think that such emotional impact requires abandoning good storytelling logic and realistic characters. He found her after her mother and siblings all passed away one stormy night. Once you realize misdirection is the entire goal here, its no longer misdirection, its just a book believing that its smarter than its readers. I have to admit I was confused for quite a long time, but Ward does bury clues within her tale, and astute readersor even readers who are well versed in thrillersmay be able to figure things out. Sadly I am not a fan of this kind of book, horror is not for me, amd psychological horror is definitely not for me, but your review was captivating! The ending was alright and even though I wanted a bit more, I'm looking forward to reading her next novel, "Sundial" by the end of March :-). At last, she has the address of the man who was originally suspected of her abduction. Now on the anniversary of her disappearance, Dee has tracked down a new lead, and that lead just happens to be Ted. BookBrowse LLC 1997-2023. The fact that Catriona has crafted characters that you can be scared of and feel sorry for at the same time is incredible. Multi-tasking: Good to go, but since it feels like we toggle between fantasy and real-life, its better to stick to activities that will allow you to concentrate on the mystery. A stolen child. Think Ill pass I much prefer nasty ghosts to nasty people , I prefer nasty ghouls to nasty people any day! I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wish I could wax lyrical about what twists I liked best and the clues I missed, but I have no intention of explaining the ending. 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. If youve read the novel, you understand that mental illness is the central plot. When Olivia talks about how much she hates the creepy Russian nesting dolls that sit on the mantlepiece, its almost like a Symbolism Siren goes off. Thats where youre wrong. In the dark of the forest, among the white birch trees, something lies buried. All rights reserved. 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! 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. Ted frequently loses time, and what appear to be occasional inconsistencies and contradictions between the different narrators may frustrate at first, but gradually the clues begin to emerge and the puzzle pieces fall into place, revealing a chilling picture. He seems to be obsessed with his dead mother, who he refers to as Mommy. Even more unsettling is his relationship with his daughter, Lauren. Ted lives alone in his childhood home with his cat, Olivia. Language English. Ward takes a well-worn horror device and portrays it in a way thats much more sympathetic, less superficial, but without making it any less scary (because the survival itself and the things survived are pretty horrific). Wink the Astrokitty drawn by Matt Olson. The house itself, although not haunted like I first expected, also acts as another character, releasing shuddering movements at particular times that only the cat can recognize. Clearly this was not the case while it slowly dawned on me that the evil in this book is purely human. The very subject matter of parental abuse and the destructive traumas that children of abusers can carry into adulthood is alone enough to be triggering to a great many readers. Revenge. The Last House on Needless Street moves away from the historical to the contemporary gothic, but deserves just as much praise and attention. WebSummaries Follow Ted, who lives with his daughter and his cat. A gut-punch of a novel about a Cherokee child removed from her family and sent to a Christian boarding school in the 1950s. 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. But, its also not what you think when you start reading it, it turns into something totally unexpectedI dont want to give anything away! An exquisitely rendered portrait of a unique father-daughter relationship and a moving memoir of family and identity. A teenage girl who isnt allowed outside, not after last time. house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. Hes not a complete shut-in. How does this impact each of them? And yet, it was unputdownable despite this dark subject matter, so although its not the spooky haunted house I was expecting for my Halloween reading, I was terrified all the same. Weve seen many stories told from an animals POV, but Olivia was something else. This is all I can say without giving I couldnt put it down! Stephanie @ Bookfever recently postedCant-Wait Wednesday: A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur, I really thought the whole pull the rug out from under you was well done. WebThe last book I can think of that I finished (that probably wasnt worth the effort of finishing) was The Last House on Needless Street. 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. What does it represent in each timeline? Now stop reading this and go buy it, I promise you wont regret it. And yet some of them ar Read more Community Reviews Summary of 7,367 reviews Moods dark 95% mysterious 81% Article But I think Ward could have given poor Ted a mother who fit that trope, if thats the trope she really needed to utilize, without going overboard into making the woman into some kind of Resident Evil villain performing devilish medical experiments on missing children. Honestly, I cant stop thinking about it since it forced me to reassess almost the whole book. Her research took two years, she interviewed people living with the condition, and the back of the book includes a bibliography listing 38 sources. 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. With me or experience is narrated by Christopher Ragland, and that is story! In Teds past Olivia the cat thinking about it since it forced me to reassess almost the whole book have... 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