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The House at the End of Hope Street
After Alba Ashby suffers the Worst Events of Her Life, she finds herself at the door of 11 Hope Street, Cambridge. There, a beautiful older woman named Peggy invites Alba to stay, on the house's usual she'll have 99 nights, and no more, to turn her life around.Once inside, Alba sees that 11 Hope Street is no ordinary place. Past residents include Virginia Woolf, Dorothy Parker, and Agatha Christie, who all stayed there when they, too, had lost hope. With the house's help, Alba decides to risk everything - and embarks on a journey that may even save her life.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2013
276 people are currently reading
8982 people want to read
About the author
Menna Van Praag
26 books874 followersMenna van Praag was born in Cambridge, England and studied Modern History at Oxford University. Her first novella - an autobiographical tale about a waitress who aspires to be a writer - Men, Money & Chocolate has been translated into 26 languages. Her magical realism novels are all set among the colleges, cafes and bookshops of Cambridge. The House at the End of Hope Street (2014), The Dress Shop of Dreams (2015), The Witches of Cambridge (2016), The Lost Art of Letter Writing (2017) & The Patron Saint of Lost Souls (2018). Her fantasy trilogy, The Sisters Grimm, was published (2020-24) by Transworld (UK) HarperVoyager (US). She's just published her first series of cozy crime novels: The Biscuit Tin Murders. The final book in the series is out January 31st...
Men, Money & Chocolate: 2009 (Hay House UK & US)
Happier Than She's Ever Been: 2011 (Hay House UK)
The House at the End of Hope Street: 2013 (Penguin US)
The Dress Shop of Dreams: 2014 (Random House US)
The Witches of Cambridge: 2015 (Random House US)
The Lost Art of Letter Writing: 2017 (Allison & Busby UK)
The Patron Saint of Lost Souls: 2018 (Allison & Busby UK)
The Sisters Grimm: 2020 (Transworld, UK & HarperVoyager US)
Night of Demons & Saints: 2022 (Transworld, UK & HarperVoyager US)
Child of Earth & Sky: 2023 (Transworld, UK)
The Biscuit Tin Murders: 2024-25 (Amazon).
Men, Money & Chocolate: 2009 (Hay House UK & US)
Happier Than She's Ever Been: 2011 (Hay House UK)
The House at the End of Hope Street: 2013 (Penguin US)
The Dress Shop of Dreams: 2014 (Random House US)
The Witches of Cambridge: 2015 (Random House US)
The Lost Art of Letter Writing: 2017 (Allison & Busby UK)
The Patron Saint of Lost Souls: 2018 (Allison & Busby UK)
The Sisters Grimm: 2020 (Transworld, UK & HarperVoyager US)
Night of Demons & Saints: 2022 (Transworld, UK & HarperVoyager US)
Child of Earth & Sky: 2023 (Transworld, UK)
The Biscuit Tin Murders: 2024-25 (Amazon).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,142 reviews
October 18, 2015
A fun, easy to read book with quirky characters and a touch of magic thrown in. I enjoyed it very much. Set in Cambridge, England it is about women who for various reasons have reached the end of their tether and who are given the opportunity to find themselves again while they stay in the magical house. A bit serious, a bit whimsical but a whole lot entertaining. I will be looking out for this author's other books.
April 7, 2013
Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read a book that is fun, with some great characters and an important message, all couched in the most wonderful way. Dorothy Parker, Sylvia Plath, many of literature greats as well as feminist icons are all present, speaking and helping the woman who are called to this house. Even the cups and saucers change pictures daily, the walls laugh and messages float down from the ceiling meant for those who need them the most. Feel almost like a child reading a wonderful book for the first time. Absolutely super!
September 19, 2024
While I was traveling back in 2017, I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting a quaint little bookstore in Astoria, Oregon that displayed these books for me to peruse. Of course, I saw that they were doing this particularly for me! This was one of those books that stood out.
Magical Realism at its best. Enchanting, magical, whimsical. Characters you will love.
Lucy's Books in Astoria, Oregon recommended this and they were right!
Magical Realism at its best. Enchanting, magical, whimsical. Characters you will love.
Lucy's Books in Astoria, Oregon recommended this and they were right!
April 7, 2013
“This house may not give you what you want, but it will give you what you need.”
“The house has stood at the end of Hope Street for nearly two hundred years.” So begins Menna van Praag’s debut novel. In those opening pages, nineteen-year-old Cambridge doctoral student Alba Ashby, reeling from an unnamed “worst event in [her] life,” is inexplicably drawn to the house. Alba is more than an academic over-achiever. She sees things that others can’t: ghosts and auras, but also vibrant and colorful scents and sounds. She immediately senses that this house is different.
Welcomed in by Peggy, the house’s elderly caretaker, she’s told, “You can stay here for ninety-nine nights, until the seventh of August, just before midnight. And then you must go… No rent, no bills. Your room will be your own, to do with as you like. But take care of the house and it’ll take care of you.” This last is an understatement. The house at the end of Hope Street is a veritable Hogwartsian Room of Requirement. When you’re sad and lean against the wall, it softens to comfort you. When you want to draw, a notebook materializes. You get the idea.
The tale opens with Alba, but eventually it proves to be an ensemble fantasy, as readers meet the other inhabitants of the house. There’s Peggy, of course, as well as an aspiring singer, Carmen, and actress, Greer. Each woman gets her ninety-nine days for healing, for reinvention, for whatever it is she needs. And this has been going on for two centuries. All over the house are framed photos of illustrious and accomplished ladies: Florence Nightingale, Daphne du Maurier, Vita Sackville West, Beatrix Potter, and dozens of others. (Don’t worry that you won’t recognize all the names—such as Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first female doctor in England—there’s a handy guide to all the ladies at the novel’s end.) These women are more than the house’s history; they’re a part of its present. Their photographs speak and frequently advise the house’s current tenants. It’s just that kind of place. Okay, so that’s the set up. I’ll leave the actual plot for you to uncover.
The reason I actually decided to take a chance on this book is that Ms. Van Praag was compared to so many authors whose work I loved: Jasper Fforde, Sarah Addison Allen, Alice Hoffman. I’d say that Addison Allen is the most apt comparison, and that fans of her light, magical realism-filled novels are likely to enjoy this. I don’t believe that van Praag’s prose is up to par with Ms. Hoffman’s lush writing. And Jasper Fforde was, for me, the strangest and most disappointing comparison. While it’s true that many classic literary figures make an appearance in the novel’s pages, this book contains none of the wit and great humor that is such a feature of his work. Overall, I’d describe this as gentle women’s fiction with a fantastic edge.
As the paragraph above indicates, I had a mixed response to the novel. I’m not going to lie… I had issues with Alba. “Every day she went to the library at the same time. Every day she bought her lunch at the same café and ordered the same thing.” This character is not just boring and repressed; she’s painfully shy and incredibly passive. When confronting a person who has wronged her terribly, she’s “barely audible.” Again and again I found myself wanting to slap this little mouse. And this is something I see in fiction all the time. An author who wants to show growth creates a character that is so damaged and diminished that it’s hard to care about her. (Kinder, gentler readers may well disagree with me on this.)
In general, I found the characters of the novel to be fairly one-dimensional. Alba has siblings, for instance, that are so cold and uncaring that they in no way resemble real human beings. And another thing—if you use historic figures like Dorothy Parker and Sylvia Plath as characters, write them dialogue that sounds like it might come out of their mouths. Give Parker a witty line, for God’s sake! Give Plath some poetry!
On the other hand, one of the great pleasures of the novel is the bibliophily on display throughout. Alba is a serious book lover, her one redeeming quality. I thoroughly enjoyed her ruminations on literature. And even if they weren’t well-characterized, the extensive literary cast and references were great fun. I’ve always said that you can’t go wrong preaching to the choir. The story, in general, is entertaining and it all moves quickly. Also, Ms. van Praag did manage to surprise me with a few fun plot twists I didn’t see coming. And I actually quite enjoyed the theme of female empowerment, as exemplified by the house’s past tenants. The other thing that van Praag handled well was the novel’s resolution. While I felt frustration with certain elements of the tale, I have no complaints about the ending. It was the feel-good fix I was looking for.
So, all in all, a mixed bag. I’m happy enough to have read the book. It was quick and not overly challenging. In other words, not a bad way to pass a day. And the great thing about debut novels? The authors are still learning and growing. Who knows what Menna van Praag may dream up next?
“The house has stood at the end of Hope Street for nearly two hundred years.” So begins Menna van Praag’s debut novel. In those opening pages, nineteen-year-old Cambridge doctoral student Alba Ashby, reeling from an unnamed “worst event in [her] life,” is inexplicably drawn to the house. Alba is more than an academic over-achiever. She sees things that others can’t: ghosts and auras, but also vibrant and colorful scents and sounds. She immediately senses that this house is different.
Welcomed in by Peggy, the house’s elderly caretaker, she’s told, “You can stay here for ninety-nine nights, until the seventh of August, just before midnight. And then you must go… No rent, no bills. Your room will be your own, to do with as you like. But take care of the house and it’ll take care of you.” This last is an understatement. The house at the end of Hope Street is a veritable Hogwartsian Room of Requirement. When you’re sad and lean against the wall, it softens to comfort you. When you want to draw, a notebook materializes. You get the idea.
The tale opens with Alba, but eventually it proves to be an ensemble fantasy, as readers meet the other inhabitants of the house. There’s Peggy, of course, as well as an aspiring singer, Carmen, and actress, Greer. Each woman gets her ninety-nine days for healing, for reinvention, for whatever it is she needs. And this has been going on for two centuries. All over the house are framed photos of illustrious and accomplished ladies: Florence Nightingale, Daphne du Maurier, Vita Sackville West, Beatrix Potter, and dozens of others. (Don’t worry that you won’t recognize all the names—such as Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first female doctor in England—there’s a handy guide to all the ladies at the novel’s end.) These women are more than the house’s history; they’re a part of its present. Their photographs speak and frequently advise the house’s current tenants. It’s just that kind of place. Okay, so that’s the set up. I’ll leave the actual plot for you to uncover.
The reason I actually decided to take a chance on this book is that Ms. Van Praag was compared to so many authors whose work I loved: Jasper Fforde, Sarah Addison Allen, Alice Hoffman. I’d say that Addison Allen is the most apt comparison, and that fans of her light, magical realism-filled novels are likely to enjoy this. I don’t believe that van Praag’s prose is up to par with Ms. Hoffman’s lush writing. And Jasper Fforde was, for me, the strangest and most disappointing comparison. While it’s true that many classic literary figures make an appearance in the novel’s pages, this book contains none of the wit and great humor that is such a feature of his work. Overall, I’d describe this as gentle women’s fiction with a fantastic edge.
As the paragraph above indicates, I had a mixed response to the novel. I’m not going to lie… I had issues with Alba. “Every day she went to the library at the same time. Every day she bought her lunch at the same café and ordered the same thing.” This character is not just boring and repressed; she’s painfully shy and incredibly passive. When confronting a person who has wronged her terribly, she’s “barely audible.” Again and again I found myself wanting to slap this little mouse. And this is something I see in fiction all the time. An author who wants to show growth creates a character that is so damaged and diminished that it’s hard to care about her. (Kinder, gentler readers may well disagree with me on this.)
In general, I found the characters of the novel to be fairly one-dimensional. Alba has siblings, for instance, that are so cold and uncaring that they in no way resemble real human beings. And another thing—if you use historic figures like Dorothy Parker and Sylvia Plath as characters, write them dialogue that sounds like it might come out of their mouths. Give Parker a witty line, for God’s sake! Give Plath some poetry!
On the other hand, one of the great pleasures of the novel is the bibliophily on display throughout. Alba is a serious book lover, her one redeeming quality. I thoroughly enjoyed her ruminations on literature. And even if they weren’t well-characterized, the extensive literary cast and references were great fun. I’ve always said that you can’t go wrong preaching to the choir. The story, in general, is entertaining and it all moves quickly. Also, Ms. van Praag did manage to surprise me with a few fun plot twists I didn’t see coming. And I actually quite enjoyed the theme of female empowerment, as exemplified by the house’s past tenants. The other thing that van Praag handled well was the novel’s resolution. While I felt frustration with certain elements of the tale, I have no complaints about the ending. It was the feel-good fix I was looking for.
So, all in all, a mixed bag. I’m happy enough to have read the book. It was quick and not overly challenging. In other words, not a bad way to pass a day. And the great thing about debut novels? The authors are still learning and growing. Who knows what Menna van Praag may dream up next?
October 20, 2024
خیلی ایده ی نوشتن این کتاب رو دوست داشتم.
یه خونه که تبدیل بشه به مکانی امن برای خانمهای بیخانمان و بد سرپرست، برای کسانیکه از هر لحاظ به بن بست رسیدن ، مکانی برای آسایش و اجازه دادن برای بال و پر گرفتن استعداد .
یه خونه که تبدیل بشه به مکانی امن برای خانمهای بیخانمان و بد سرپرست، برای کسانیکه از هر لحاظ به بن بست رسیدن ، مکانی برای آسایش و اجازه دادن برای بال و پر گرفتن استعداد .
February 28, 2015
I think this setting is every reader's dream... Alba Ashby (What a perfect name for a protagonist, right???) thinks her life is over and she's got nothing left to live for when suddenly she finds herself standing in front of this old Victorian house, filled with magical trinkets.
The house is run by Peggy Abbott, and takes in women boarders who are meant for greatness and have hit a stumbling block in figuring out where to go next. The author has crafted a fun novel that combines comedy, magic, and has serious undertones. I very much enjoyed this little escape!
Would recommend for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.
The house is run by Peggy Abbott, and takes in women boarders who are meant for greatness and have hit a stumbling block in figuring out where to go next. The author has crafted a fun novel that combines comedy, magic, and has serious undertones. I very much enjoyed this little escape!
Would recommend for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.
April 12, 2013
I am not going to be able to praise this book enough! I am enraptured by its perfectly woven tale and the intricate characters and the magical house that lies inside its pages. I am completely in love with this magical house, and the idea of it appearing to women who have lost their hope, hence the name “Hope Street.” I was already sold on this idea, and then Menna has to go and add talking pictures and charming ghosts to the mix as well. This story follows Alba Ashby, who is a rather odd character with a keen sixth sense; she can see sound and smell. They appear as colors to her. She can also talk with ghosts and sense things that others may not be able to. She is extremely intelligent, and when we meet her in the opening pages of this book we find that she has given up hope.
I cannot tell you all how much I love this book. If you are reading this, you need to get up and go purchase a copy of it right now. I will cherish this book forever! You know I loved the book if I am already raving about it and I am only on the second paragraph of my review. I honestly tried to draw out my time with this book. I reread pages, just to make it take longer. I hated to part with it once I was finished, but the characters and the entire concept behind this book will stick with me forever.
My favorite part of this book was the cozy feel behind the magical house and all that came with it. There are pictures on the wall of inspirational women throughout history who have stayed at the house for a short period of time. Some of these inspiring women are Sylvia Plath, Florence Nightingale, Beatrix Potter, Virginia Woolf, and many more. Did I mention that they come alive? Yes, they talk! They give life advice and writing advice and whatever else the guests of the house may need. Who comes up with this? Menna van Praag, that’s who! She is brilliant and I have just found my new favorite book of 2013! Please start working on your next book, Menna!
***An ENOURMOUS thank you to the publishers at Pamela Dorman Books for providing me with a copy of this charming book in exchange for my honest review***
I cannot tell you all how much I love this book. If you are reading this, you need to get up and go purchase a copy of it right now. I will cherish this book forever! You know I loved the book if I am already raving about it and I am only on the second paragraph of my review. I honestly tried to draw out my time with this book. I reread pages, just to make it take longer. I hated to part with it once I was finished, but the characters and the entire concept behind this book will stick with me forever.
My favorite part of this book was the cozy feel behind the magical house and all that came with it. There are pictures on the wall of inspirational women throughout history who have stayed at the house for a short period of time. Some of these inspiring women are Sylvia Plath, Florence Nightingale, Beatrix Potter, Virginia Woolf, and many more. Did I mention that they come alive? Yes, they talk! They give life advice and writing advice and whatever else the guests of the house may need. Who comes up with this? Menna van Praag, that’s who! She is brilliant and I have just found my new favorite book of 2013! Please start working on your next book, Menna!
***An ENOURMOUS thank you to the publishers at Pamela Dorman Books for providing me with a copy of this charming book in exchange for my honest review***
November 15, 2015
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
A copy of The House at the End of Hope Street was provided to me by Pamela Dorman Books for review purposes.
"If you stay I can promise you this. This house may not give you what you want, but it will give you what you need. And the even that brought you here, the thing you think is the worst thing that's ever happened? When you leave, you'll realize it was the very best thing of all."
Alba, Carmen and Greer all recently experienced life-changing events that they never thought they could possibly persevere over, and that's when they discovered the House on Hope Street.
To me, magical realism is based in contemporary with subtle magical undertones. When well done, magical realism has the ability to absorb you so completely in the story that all of the magical elements become real and possible. With 'Hope Street' it was so magical and at times far-fetched in the belief department I would almost go so far as to consider it a lite-fantasy novel, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
From the very first page, I knew that this novel would require a suspension of disbelief when Alba walks into a strangers house and immediately accepts the offered invitation to stay for 99 days so she could get her life back on track. Alba had never been there before and had never seen the house before, yet had felt safer within those walls than she had in a long time. Hm. What I never quite understood was their complete acceptance of the 'out-of-the-ordinary' events that were taking place in the house. Like the talking pictures of deceased individuals or the letters that the 'house' would leave for them. I would've at least liked a moment of aw by these characters in regards to the amazement they felt towards the house rather than an immediate blind acceptance without question.
Much is disclosed about all of the characters, yet I had a hard time liking or 'feeling' anything for any of them. Alba is an intellectual prodigy and is fighting internal battles over a personal secret, Carmen is from Portugal and has run away from a bad situation but it always manages to follow her, and Greer is healing after heartbreak and trying to discover what she wants in life. In addition to the women, there are two incredibly tortured male characters that provided additional yet unnecessary drama. Albert had an affair with a woman two decades ago, fathered her child, yet she ended up returning to her husband and forcing him out of her life. He spent the rest of his life waiting and hoping she would come back to him. Blake has resolved to never marry and frequently cheats on whoever he's with in order to avoid feeling anything for her. He says he does this because his mother left him when he was young. The amount of dramatic effect that was added to all the characters was in excess. It made them less realistic and made me less likely to empathize with them.
The frequently alternating POVs (I wasn't even trying to keep track of the different POVs but I remember 9 just off the top of my head) was distracting at first but once you get a handle on the chaotic mess of characters it did become slightly easier to follow. I did think that each character section was far too short and ultimately created a jarring effect whenever the switch in POV was made. Also jarring, was the fact that it felt the story jumped around in time and I was always unclear how much time had passed.
I was hoping for a light, fluffy read, something that would fit that cutesy cover that drew me in to begin with. There were some good bits where I found myself really enjoying it but unfortunately, the chaotic mess of characters with a ridiculous amount of problems and the implausibility of the whole thing lessened my overall enjoyment.
A copy of The House at the End of Hope Street was provided to me by Pamela Dorman Books for review purposes.
"If you stay I can promise you this. This house may not give you what you want, but it will give you what you need. And the even that brought you here, the thing you think is the worst thing that's ever happened? When you leave, you'll realize it was the very best thing of all."
Alba, Carmen and Greer all recently experienced life-changing events that they never thought they could possibly persevere over, and that's when they discovered the House on Hope Street.
To me, magical realism is based in contemporary with subtle magical undertones. When well done, magical realism has the ability to absorb you so completely in the story that all of the magical elements become real and possible. With 'Hope Street' it was so magical and at times far-fetched in the belief department I would almost go so far as to consider it a lite-fantasy novel, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
From the very first page, I knew that this novel would require a suspension of disbelief when Alba walks into a strangers house and immediately accepts the offered invitation to stay for 99 days so she could get her life back on track. Alba had never been there before and had never seen the house before, yet had felt safer within those walls than she had in a long time. Hm. What I never quite understood was their complete acceptance of the 'out-of-the-ordinary' events that were taking place in the house. Like the talking pictures of deceased individuals or the letters that the 'house' would leave for them. I would've at least liked a moment of aw by these characters in regards to the amazement they felt towards the house rather than an immediate blind acceptance without question.
Much is disclosed about all of the characters, yet I had a hard time liking or 'feeling' anything for any of them. Alba is an intellectual prodigy and is fighting internal battles over a personal secret, Carmen is from Portugal and has run away from a bad situation but it always manages to follow her, and Greer is healing after heartbreak and trying to discover what she wants in life. In addition to the women, there are two incredibly tortured male characters that provided additional yet unnecessary drama. Albert had an affair with a woman two decades ago, fathered her child, yet she ended up returning to her husband and forcing him out of her life. He spent the rest of his life waiting and hoping she would come back to him. Blake has resolved to never marry and frequently cheats on whoever he's with in order to avoid feeling anything for her. He says he does this because his mother left him when he was young. The amount of dramatic effect that was added to all the characters was in excess. It made them less realistic and made me less likely to empathize with them.
The frequently alternating POVs (I wasn't even trying to keep track of the different POVs but I remember 9 just off the top of my head) was distracting at first but once you get a handle on the chaotic mess of characters it did become slightly easier to follow. I did think that each character section was far too short and ultimately created a jarring effect whenever the switch in POV was made. Also jarring, was the fact that it felt the story jumped around in time and I was always unclear how much time had passed.
I was hoping for a light, fluffy read, something that would fit that cutesy cover that drew me in to begin with. There were some good bits where I found myself really enjoying it but unfortunately, the chaotic mess of characters with a ridiculous amount of problems and the implausibility of the whole thing lessened my overall enjoyment.
September 25, 2013
Alba is a very young PhD student from Cambridge who leaves school under mysterious circumstances. She finds herself at 11 Hope St., where the spirits of famous women like Virginia Woolf and Dorothy Parker, spent time in life and also time and death. The house itself seems to be alive, interacting with the women as well as the spirits. Each living woman in the house must tackle enormous emotional obstacles to become the woman she was meant to be.
A wonderful, unexpected, life-affirming story about rebuilding when all is lost. I love these characters. This is not a book that shouts its lessons: it whispers them in your ear and gives you goosebumps, as if the ghosts of 11 Hope St. are looking over your shoulder while you are reading. Uplifting and full of wisdom, this is a book I would recommend to any woman who could use a retreat and time to think about what matters in her life.
A wonderful, unexpected, life-affirming story about rebuilding when all is lost. I love these characters. This is not a book that shouts its lessons: it whispers them in your ear and gives you goosebumps, as if the ghosts of 11 Hope St. are looking over your shoulder while you are reading. Uplifting and full of wisdom, this is a book I would recommend to any woman who could use a retreat and time to think about what matters in her life.
March 7, 2017
I read this novel for a challenge. I was looking for something cute, light, and not too long. The blurb seemed charming, and it has glowing GR reviews, it looked like a good choice. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me.
Probably, this novel is best suited to younger readers who enjoy magic, ghosts, romance and fairy tales. Personally, I wasn’t impress by the writing, the author uses too many standard tropes, the plot is far-fetched and silly, the characters too melodramatic (I risked asthenopia from rolling my eyes every few pages).
Judging from the great reviews, I’m in the minority with my opinion, but you can’t love them all. 1.5 stars
Probably, this novel is best suited to younger readers who enjoy magic, ghosts, romance and fairy tales. Personally, I wasn’t impress by the writing, the author uses too many standard tropes, the plot is far-fetched and silly, the characters too melodramatic (I risked asthenopia from rolling my eyes every few pages).
Judging from the great reviews, I’m in the minority with my opinion, but you can’t love them all. 1.5 stars
May 7, 2013
When I saw praise for this book on the jacket by three authors I really like, I knew I was in for a treat. Indeed, this is an absolutely delightful novel about a magical house with female empowerment as a key theme. If you were an English major like me, you'll appreciate the literary references even more. If you don't recognize them all, don't fear as there's a handy reference guide at the end!
February 24, 2017
You know what I think is great? Women who pursue the things they care about. More people reading Virginia Woolf. A more complex understanding of women's history. You know what I think is terrible? This book. Menna van Praag's novel about a magic house that is only visible to women in need is chock-full of lazy storytelling and sentiment that feels pre-packaged. It's like a wish fulfillment story someone wrote in tenth grade.
In this magical house, there are portraits of every notable women from every field ever, and these portraits talk to the residents of the house. Apparently, women like Dorothy Parker just really wanted to spend their afterlives becoming shallow self-help authors. Every historical woman in this novel is reduced to prop to help characters who seem unsure of their feelings, though we never are. Nope, we understand everything a character is going through because the narrative makes sure to explicitly tell us, as though we are not smart enough to understand any kind of statement other than the most direct. Alba is sad. How do we know this? Because her "heart is steeped in sadness." You know two characters like each other because they have the same favorite book. That's how it works in real life -- If you like the same novel as someone, you're soul mates, right? You can just go ahead and skip all that other compatibility stuff.
What it is is lazy, just like the bar owner who can't commit to a woman. We know this because he just tells us. No slow learning about anybody, just "Blake can declare that he doesn't care that his mother left him, but he knows it's a lie....And being left is something Blake refuses to endure again." That's an outline, notes for what drives the way a character behaves, not the writing itself.
But for someone who has clearly never heard the writer's axiom "show, don't tell," the plot remains remarkably obtuse. I don't mean the love affairs or the "twists" that are anything but. I mean a grasp on actual events. Two characters face the legal system in this novel, and in the world of "Hope Street," law enforcement seems like a dodgy affair. They'll investigate a murder without finding a body, but when there's an actual dead person involved, they seem to be pretty okay with letting it go.
The thing that frustrated me the most about this book was its claim to the "literary." Just because you name-check famous writers doesn't make you literary. No writer, no trailblazer, wants to be reduced to a mere platitude. But that's just what happens here. Apparently the dead have no interests apart from making sure we can all FOLLOW OUR DREAMS, and all women need are to OPEN UP AND EXPERIENCE LOVE. Ladies. Ladies. We all deserve better than this. Instead of reading this novel, read a much better one by any of the women listed in the back pages.
In this magical house, there are portraits of every notable women from every field ever, and these portraits talk to the residents of the house. Apparently, women like Dorothy Parker just really wanted to spend their afterlives becoming shallow self-help authors. Every historical woman in this novel is reduced to prop to help characters who seem unsure of their feelings, though we never are. Nope, we understand everything a character is going through because the narrative makes sure to explicitly tell us, as though we are not smart enough to understand any kind of statement other than the most direct. Alba is sad. How do we know this? Because her "heart is steeped in sadness." You know two characters like each other because they have the same favorite book. That's how it works in real life -- If you like the same novel as someone, you're soul mates, right? You can just go ahead and skip all that other compatibility stuff.
What it is is lazy, just like the bar owner who can't commit to a woman. We know this because he just tells us. No slow learning about anybody, just "Blake can declare that he doesn't care that his mother left him, but he knows it's a lie....And being left is something Blake refuses to endure again." That's an outline, notes for what drives the way a character behaves, not the writing itself.
But for someone who has clearly never heard the writer's axiom "show, don't tell," the plot remains remarkably obtuse. I don't mean the love affairs or the "twists" that are anything but. I mean a grasp on actual events. Two characters face the legal system in this novel, and in the world of "Hope Street," law enforcement seems like a dodgy affair. They'll investigate a murder without finding a body, but when there's an actual dead person involved, they seem to be pretty okay with letting it go.
The thing that frustrated me the most about this book was its claim to the "literary." Just because you name-check famous writers doesn't make you literary. No writer, no trailblazer, wants to be reduced to a mere platitude. But that's just what happens here. Apparently the dead have no interests apart from making sure we can all FOLLOW OUR DREAMS, and all women need are to OPEN UP AND EXPERIENCE LOVE. Ladies. Ladies. We all deserve better than this. Instead of reading this novel, read a much better one by any of the women listed in the back pages.
July 20, 2014
Menna Van Praag has written a magical tale in Hope Street, a story full of whimsy, literary ghosts, and secrets. The main characters are multi-dimensional and intriguing, full of quirks and foibles, but also full of strength. The house is a character in its own right, so well-sketched that it lingers in the mind after the book is done. I loved the literary ghosts, true to history and to something deeper -- an abiding and uplifting faith in the power of women to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and losses. This is a rich tale, an entrancing story. Five stars simply aren't enough. A new favorite on my shelves.
Favorite quotes:
"Milly laughed. 'But I also know that not everything I want every moment will actually make me happy. This is my circus, I'd miss it after a minute.'" (149)
". . . but the house can't do everything. And some people don't have what it takes to be happy. It's not an easy thing, you know. It takes great courage and determination, to keep looking for light in all the darkness of life." (158)
Favorite quotes:
"Milly laughed. 'But I also know that not everything I want every moment will actually make me happy. This is my circus, I'd miss it after a minute.'" (149)
". . . but the house can't do everything. And some people don't have what it takes to be happy. It's not an easy thing, you know. It takes great courage and determination, to keep looking for light in all the darkness of life." (158)
April 7, 2013
The House At The End Of Hope Street
By
Menna Van Praag
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Alba finds a house of red bricks...her life is a MESS...the house is magical...and she gets to stay there for 99 days because that's how long the house will give her to feel all better again!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Well...first of all I love Peg, Mog...the cat...invisible cat...and her thick cups of creamy cocoa!
Then...I loved every word of this precious book. I think I would call this book a magical adult fantasy because it truly is filled with delightful magic.
Alba isn't the only troubled soul who finds this house...at the time of this story there were two other residents...Carmen and Greer...also lost...also troubled...also at various times in their 99 day time allowance.
In this book everyone has a story...everyone needs to find their way...and the house is there to help. Also...all the famous women whose pictures are on the walls all over the house...are there to help. Oh...Peggy and Mog are there to help, too!
I will give you one little example of the magic...Greer loves clothes so her room is filled with amazing ones...Alba loves books so her room is filled with the books the house thinks she should read. And the people in the photos...talk to each other and the houseguests and offer tidbits of advice and wisdom, too!
What I loved about this book...
I loved everything. I loved this writer's incredible imagination. It was like reading a Harry Potter for grown ups. Simply said it is a truly lovely book!
What I did not love about this book...
I hated that other than a few names...I didn't know who the famous women in the hanging pictures were. Oh...I knew Florence Nightingale and Virginia Wolfe but not so many of the others. However...there is a guide to the names at the end of the book. Had I not been reading an ebook I would have checked it out.
Final thoughts...
I found this book to be different, absorbing, magical and totally delight filled. It was a very special book. If you love a bit of realistic fantasy...with hot chocolate, tea and ginger biscuits thrown in...you will love this book!
By
Menna Van Praag
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Alba finds a house of red bricks...her life is a MESS...the house is magical...and she gets to stay there for 99 days because that's how long the house will give her to feel all better again!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Well...first of all I love Peg, Mog...the cat...invisible cat...and her thick cups of creamy cocoa!
Then...I loved every word of this precious book. I think I would call this book a magical adult fantasy because it truly is filled with delightful magic.
Alba isn't the only troubled soul who finds this house...at the time of this story there were two other residents...Carmen and Greer...also lost...also troubled...also at various times in their 99 day time allowance.
In this book everyone has a story...everyone needs to find their way...and the house is there to help. Also...all the famous women whose pictures are on the walls all over the house...are there to help. Oh...Peggy and Mog are there to help, too!
I will give you one little example of the magic...Greer loves clothes so her room is filled with amazing ones...Alba loves books so her room is filled with the books the house thinks she should read. And the people in the photos...talk to each other and the houseguests and offer tidbits of advice and wisdom, too!
What I loved about this book...
I loved everything. I loved this writer's incredible imagination. It was like reading a Harry Potter for grown ups. Simply said it is a truly lovely book!
What I did not love about this book...
I hated that other than a few names...I didn't know who the famous women in the hanging pictures were. Oh...I knew Florence Nightingale and Virginia Wolfe but not so many of the others. However...there is a guide to the names at the end of the book. Had I not been reading an ebook I would have checked it out.
Final thoughts...
I found this book to be different, absorbing, magical and totally delight filled. It was a very special book. If you love a bit of realistic fantasy...with hot chocolate, tea and ginger biscuits thrown in...you will love this book!
May 14, 2023
I loved all of the implications of this book and this house—what an uplifting sense of living.
I despised the lack of regard from the women's family members. This house creation was seriously amazing though.
Being able to have such a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips would be a life dream.
The flow of the book was well done. Even following four different characters, there was never any confusion about how it was referenced, and each woman had her battle to fight to regain hope and strength in her life.
I highly recommend this book, a delightful find, thanks to my local library's blind date with a book option.
4.5-5 Stars
I despised the lack of regard from the women's family members. This house creation was seriously amazing though.
Being able to have such a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips would be a life dream.
The flow of the book was well done. Even following four different characters, there was never any confusion about how it was referenced, and each woman had her battle to fight to regain hope and strength in her life.
I highly recommend this book, a delightful find, thanks to my local library's blind date with a book option.
4.5-5 Stars
April 3, 2013
This book is a wonderful treat, I couldn't put it down. It's so full of love and live, so skillfully written you became friends with the characters and the house right away and you feel as if you live in it. You can hear, feel and smell it. It made me hold my breath, I laughed and cried with it. A truly inspiring and magical book, you can't stop reading and you wish it will never end.
March 26, 2014
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for the ARC.
Feminists Unite! That's what comes to mind with this book. It is definitely a woman's book, but I am sure some men would enjoy it too.
Alba is nineteen and her life is in a tailspin. For reasons that she cannot explain, she is drawn the the house at the end of Hope Street. It is as though the house is calling to her, and naturally she knocks on the door and is greeted by Peggy (the person in charge of the house).
It turns out that the house has some kind of magical abilities and heals the women who show up on the door step. They are offered to stay no more or less than 100 days. Many successful women such as Florence Nightingale, Agatha Christie, and Virginia Wolfe have been guests there and they even talk from the pictures of themselves on the walls.
I thought this was a good read, although I had trouble really connecting with any of the characters and I don't know why. Sometimes it seemed to me that the book went into too many directions with all of the characters which may be the reason why I didn't connect with Alba so well. But other than that, it was an easy and fun read and written very well.
I would recommend this book, but mostly to women, as it is targeted in that direction.
Feminists Unite! That's what comes to mind with this book. It is definitely a woman's book, but I am sure some men would enjoy it too.
Alba is nineteen and her life is in a tailspin. For reasons that she cannot explain, she is drawn the the house at the end of Hope Street. It is as though the house is calling to her, and naturally she knocks on the door and is greeted by Peggy (the person in charge of the house).
It turns out that the house has some kind of magical abilities and heals the women who show up on the door step. They are offered to stay no more or less than 100 days. Many successful women such as Florence Nightingale, Agatha Christie, and Virginia Wolfe have been guests there and they even talk from the pictures of themselves on the walls.
I thought this was a good read, although I had trouble really connecting with any of the characters and I don't know why. Sometimes it seemed to me that the book went into too many directions with all of the characters which may be the reason why I didn't connect with Alba so well. But other than that, it was an easy and fun read and written very well.
I would recommend this book, but mostly to women, as it is targeted in that direction.
March 12, 2020
May 2018
March 22, 2013
What an absolutely delightful read! If you enjoy heartfelt and uplifting literature with a generous sprinkling of magic on the side, then The House at the End of Hope Street is for you.
I really don’t want to give too much of the plot away, because it is completely wonderful to discover all the twists and turns for yourself. There are delicious mysteries to be solved and eccentric characters to fall in love with. The entire novel is peppered with literary references, and for a bookworm this is very exciting.
Even if you are not usually a fan of fantasy fiction (like me), suspend your disbelief for a moment and believe in magic. It is worth it. The book really does leave you feeling hopeful.
I really don’t want to give too much of the plot away, because it is completely wonderful to discover all the twists and turns for yourself. There are delicious mysteries to be solved and eccentric characters to fall in love with. The entire novel is peppered with literary references, and for a bookworm this is very exciting.
Even if you are not usually a fan of fantasy fiction (like me), suspend your disbelief for a moment and believe in magic. It is worth it. The book really does leave you feeling hopeful.
October 15, 2012
A kind and magical novel for fans of Sarah Addison Allen. Beautifully written and delightful on every level. I couldn't put it down
March 3, 2023
جادویی بود
June 13, 2022
This magical reality novel had some good potential—smart female characters with the ability to support each other. A house where they can have 99 days to stay rent-free and figure out their issues. A wonderful, quirky landlord. And the support of the ghosts of dead female historical figures who once stayed there.
However, the three main characters didn’t seem to gel, for me or for each other. Honestly, I spent ⅔ of the book waiting for something to happen, and the last third accepting that what was to happen was either over or obvious.
The book was ok for me. I absolutely loved the author’s note at the end. She lists the featured historical figures with a brief biography for each. That was fascinating.
However, the three main characters didn’t seem to gel, for me or for each other. Honestly, I spent ⅔ of the book waiting for something to happen, and the last third accepting that what was to happen was either over or obvious.
The book was ok for me. I absolutely loved the author’s note at the end. She lists the featured historical figures with a brief biography for each. That was fascinating.
October 29, 2013
I had the great pleasure of getting a sneak peak of this book in its early incarnations and I can't wait to read the published version this April 2013!! You instantly fall in love with the colorful characters - the women who live in the house at the end of Hope Street - their stories are full of suspense and adventure, romance and mystery. Warning: once you pick it up you may not be able to put it down, and it is entirely likely that you will be up until 3am reading "...just one more chapter". Can't wait to read it (again, for the first time) and can't recommend it highly enough!
March 27, 2013
Another wonderful book of Menna van Praag! Every book of her touches my heart, they are so charming, wise and inspiring and I always learn so much about myself! This one again is a must-read for everybody who needs a little hope and trust...
May 12, 2015
A little gem of a book, utterly enchanting!!!
April 26, 2013
ORIGINAL POST:
http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...
DOES YOUR HOUSE GIVE T+YOU WHAT YOU NEED?
Rich in symbolism and beautifully written Von Prang's story is a pleasure to read, and made me long to have had a place like this to go to when times were tough. This house is the perfect mother's lap, and like any good mother it provides what you need to get on with life.
The magic appears at several levels in the story. First, the house itself is filled with magic, and with the wisdom of women who have sheltered in it. Then, Alba is someone gifted with the ability to see beyond what we do: the color of a persons words, ghosts and who knows what. She is a prodigy growing up, and it occurs to me that she lives with some undiagnosed autism.
The blurb is correct is comparing it to Sarah Allan Addison; it reminded me very much of the gentle prose and magic to be found in her writing. And, it is charming and whimsical - especially in it's details. There's some adult content, but not enough to call it steamy romance. It is really literary fiction along the lines mentioned above. There is the use of some language.
The story offers up a weighty sense of mystery from the beginning. There is something sinister trying to expose the secrets of the house. At times, the omniscient narration is written in such a way that I feel as if I am reading a screen play. Since films and books that have been made into films, like ROOM WITH A VIEW, are important in the story, this may be intentional.
Another thing I noted is, and perhaps this is due to Alba's shunning of technology, it all feels rather like an old movie, or a contemporary book eing retold in an old movie. It's a bit uncanny. And, once in a while, I felt something about the book's symbolism which was later mentioned by a character. For example, early on there is a forbidden tower and my mind immediately went to fairy tales: Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty and Bluebeard. Later on Alba notes the same thing. This kind of synergy always makes me feel intelligent.
We early learn that the current caretaker of the house, Peggy, is about to move on and throughout we are led to each of the current sheltering inhabitants as her successor. She has given her life to the care of the house and its inhabitants. Greer is an actress, a failing actress named after Greer Garson. She doesn't have any magic but is intuitive and kind. Carmen is allowed by the house to see some things others cannot; will the house choose her? And Alba's ability to see things that others cannot makes her a possible choice, even given her naivete. Delicious clues are offered throughout the book which only heightens its sense of mystery. And, I was never certain through out which way the story would go until quite close to the end.
While Alba's story is the main one Peggy, Greer and Carmen each have important stories as well. I thought that perhaps they might all become caretakers of the house and thereby not require so much in the way of sacrifice for the woman who takes it on.
I often see that many people get wisdom and such from the writings and lives of notables. in this case, other women. You see, the house's grantees are all women and their photos line the walls. Every so often, or very often, the many photos will speak and offer advice. They also speak to each other like gossipy old friends.
The house gives each woman what she needs, and is not the same to each person. At one point Alba has to travel back to the coldly forbidding ancestral home. Von Prang writes:
"Alba misses Hope Street so sharply it hurts. It is the home she dreamed of a s a little girl. Somewhere soft and loving,where the walls breathe, the garden hides your secrets."(at about 17%. location 579)
This helped me become aware that this lost child prodigy caught in a adult web of revenge is really in need of love of every kind: parental, romantic, and from herself as well. If the house itself doesn't provide the love, it may put the character in the way of it and provide her with someone who can help her open to it. I started to believe in the house myself.
Maybe the book will provide each reader with what she or he needs too. At a few points the story seems to slow down and take a deep breath. But the pauses all have importance and provide rhythm. It is quite lovely and I highly recommend it for lovers of lightly magical and heartfelt fiction.
It strikes me that if Peggy wanted to sell the house, its magic would be an amazing selling point. Wouldn't we all love a house like this. I often dream about a house that has every room I need.
Thanks for coming by!
http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...
DOES YOUR HOUSE GIVE T+YOU WHAT YOU NEED?
Rich in symbolism and beautifully written Von Prang's story is a pleasure to read, and made me long to have had a place like this to go to when times were tough. This house is the perfect mother's lap, and like any good mother it provides what you need to get on with life.
The magic appears at several levels in the story. First, the house itself is filled with magic, and with the wisdom of women who have sheltered in it. Then, Alba is someone gifted with the ability to see beyond what we do: the color of a persons words, ghosts and who knows what. She is a prodigy growing up, and it occurs to me that she lives with some undiagnosed autism.
The blurb is correct is comparing it to Sarah Allan Addison; it reminded me very much of the gentle prose and magic to be found in her writing. And, it is charming and whimsical - especially in it's details. There's some adult content, but not enough to call it steamy romance. It is really literary fiction along the lines mentioned above. There is the use of some language.
The story offers up a weighty sense of mystery from the beginning. There is something sinister trying to expose the secrets of the house. At times, the omniscient narration is written in such a way that I feel as if I am reading a screen play. Since films and books that have been made into films, like ROOM WITH A VIEW, are important in the story, this may be intentional.
Another thing I noted is, and perhaps this is due to Alba's shunning of technology, it all feels rather like an old movie, or a contemporary book eing retold in an old movie. It's a bit uncanny. And, once in a while, I felt something about the book's symbolism which was later mentioned by a character. For example, early on there is a forbidden tower and my mind immediately went to fairy tales: Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty and Bluebeard. Later on Alba notes the same thing. This kind of synergy always makes me feel intelligent.
We early learn that the current caretaker of the house, Peggy, is about to move on and throughout we are led to each of the current sheltering inhabitants as her successor. She has given her life to the care of the house and its inhabitants. Greer is an actress, a failing actress named after Greer Garson. She doesn't have any magic but is intuitive and kind. Carmen is allowed by the house to see some things others cannot; will the house choose her? And Alba's ability to see things that others cannot makes her a possible choice, even given her naivete. Delicious clues are offered throughout the book which only heightens its sense of mystery. And, I was never certain through out which way the story would go until quite close to the end.
While Alba's story is the main one Peggy, Greer and Carmen each have important stories as well. I thought that perhaps they might all become caretakers of the house and thereby not require so much in the way of sacrifice for the woman who takes it on.
I often see that many people get wisdom and such from the writings and lives of notables. in this case, other women. You see, the house's grantees are all women and their photos line the walls. Every so often, or very often, the many photos will speak and offer advice. They also speak to each other like gossipy old friends.
The house gives each woman what she needs, and is not the same to each person. At one point Alba has to travel back to the coldly forbidding ancestral home. Von Prang writes:
"Alba misses Hope Street so sharply it hurts. It is the home she dreamed of a s a little girl. Somewhere soft and loving,where the walls breathe, the garden hides your secrets."(at about 17%. location 579)
This helped me become aware that this lost child prodigy caught in a adult web of revenge is really in need of love of every kind: parental, romantic, and from herself as well. If the house itself doesn't provide the love, it may put the character in the way of it and provide her with someone who can help her open to it. I started to believe in the house myself.
Maybe the book will provide each reader with what she or he needs too. At a few points the story seems to slow down and take a deep breath. But the pauses all have importance and provide rhythm. It is quite lovely and I highly recommend it for lovers of lightly magical and heartfelt fiction.
It strikes me that if Peggy wanted to sell the house, its magic would be an amazing selling point. Wouldn't we all love a house like this. I often dream about a house that has every room I need.
Thanks for coming by!
June 9, 2013
Story Description:
Pamela Dorman Books|April 9, 2013|Hardcover|ISBN: 978-0-670-78463-9
A magical debut novel about an enchanted house that offers refuge to women in their time of need.
Distraught that her academic career has stalled, Alba is walking through her hometown of Cambridge, England, when she finds herself in front of a house she’s never seen before, 11 Hope Street. A beautiful older woman named Peggy greets her and invites her to stay, on the house’s usual conditions: she has ninety-nine nights to turn her life around. With nothing left to lose, Alba takes a chance and moves in.
She soon discovers that this is no ordinary house. Past residents have included Virginia Woolf and Dorothy Parker, who, after receiving the assistance they needed, hung around to help newcomers literally, in talking portraits on the wall. As she escapes into this new world, Alba begins a journey that will heal her wounds and maybe even save her life.
Filled with colourful and unforgettable cast of literary figures, The House at the End of Hope Street is a charming, whimsical novel of hope and feminine wisdom that is sure to appeal to fans of Jasper Fforde and especially Sarah Addison Allen.
My Review:
A magical book, an enchanted house, a cast of characters who previously lived there but remain on the walls in photographs to be talked to whenever the desire strikes you. Florence Nightingale, Agatha Christie and Sylvia Plath to name a few. This whimsical house lives and breathes, the walls moving in and out like a heartbeat, the lampshades bowing to get a closer look at you. The mysterious and magical 82-year-old Peggy who runs 11 Hope Street is a kind and wise woman.
Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will love this novel. I put it in the same category as Allen’s novel and the book Night Circus. A beautifully written, happy, magical story that is a very rare treat! A book you won’t want to see end. Alba, Carmen, Greer, Stella and Peggy are characters I won’t soon forget. They are all there for different reasons and the house knows exactly what each woman needs.
I lived at 11 Hope Street from the time I read the first chapter. I couldn’t have forced myself to leave even if I had wanted to. I loved the happiness, the love, the caring and the warmth the house enveloped me in. The house knows what you need. You may think you need one thing but the house won’t give it to you unless you really do need it. It’s the house that decides and does and provides you with what you truly and sincerely need in your life.
I will be keeping this as part of my permanent collection and am going to read it again before I put it away on my shelf for a while, that’s how much I enjoyed this book and I know you will too. I highly, highly recommend this book for everyone. If I could rate it at a one thousand, I would! For a debut novel, this is an unbelievable story, a story you’ll absolutely fall in love with.
Pamela Dorman Books|April 9, 2013|Hardcover|ISBN: 978-0-670-78463-9
A magical debut novel about an enchanted house that offers refuge to women in their time of need.
Distraught that her academic career has stalled, Alba is walking through her hometown of Cambridge, England, when she finds herself in front of a house she’s never seen before, 11 Hope Street. A beautiful older woman named Peggy greets her and invites her to stay, on the house’s usual conditions: she has ninety-nine nights to turn her life around. With nothing left to lose, Alba takes a chance and moves in.
She soon discovers that this is no ordinary house. Past residents have included Virginia Woolf and Dorothy Parker, who, after receiving the assistance they needed, hung around to help newcomers literally, in talking portraits on the wall. As she escapes into this new world, Alba begins a journey that will heal her wounds and maybe even save her life.
Filled with colourful and unforgettable cast of literary figures, The House at the End of Hope Street is a charming, whimsical novel of hope and feminine wisdom that is sure to appeal to fans of Jasper Fforde and especially Sarah Addison Allen.
My Review:
A magical book, an enchanted house, a cast of characters who previously lived there but remain on the walls in photographs to be talked to whenever the desire strikes you. Florence Nightingale, Agatha Christie and Sylvia Plath to name a few. This whimsical house lives and breathes, the walls moving in and out like a heartbeat, the lampshades bowing to get a closer look at you. The mysterious and magical 82-year-old Peggy who runs 11 Hope Street is a kind and wise woman.
Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will love this novel. I put it in the same category as Allen’s novel and the book Night Circus. A beautifully written, happy, magical story that is a very rare treat! A book you won’t want to see end. Alba, Carmen, Greer, Stella and Peggy are characters I won’t soon forget. They are all there for different reasons and the house knows exactly what each woman needs.
I lived at 11 Hope Street from the time I read the first chapter. I couldn’t have forced myself to leave even if I had wanted to. I loved the happiness, the love, the caring and the warmth the house enveloped me in. The house knows what you need. You may think you need one thing but the house won’t give it to you unless you really do need it. It’s the house that decides and does and provides you with what you truly and sincerely need in your life.
I will be keeping this as part of my permanent collection and am going to read it again before I put it away on my shelf for a while, that’s how much I enjoyed this book and I know you will too. I highly, highly recommend this book for everyone. If I could rate it at a one thousand, I would! For a debut novel, this is an unbelievable story, a story you’ll absolutely fall in love with.
April 22, 2014
3.5 stars.
I was really excited to read this book. It held tons of promise for literature lovers. The novel has a distinct element of magical realism but it isn’t the central point of this novel.
I loved meeting all the literary greats in this book as well as many other famous women in history. They weren’t the central focus of the novel though either…the book was about the four women of Hope Street (Peggy, Greer, Carmen, and Alba).
Reading the four stories had an interesting effect on the overall plot. On one hand, it was intriguing and each woman was very unique and I liked getting to know each one for different reasons. On the other hand, it bogged the plot down a little with all the changing perspectives.
Part of me would have liked to have seen the Hope Street plots split into a series, so one book for Greer, one book for Carmen, one book for Alba, and one book for Peggy rather than a single novel containing parts of four unique stories.
Each character had so much potential and intrigue that I really wanted to get to know them more and read their back stories instead of having it all crammed into one book.
I did enjoy the feminist qualities about the novel. I am a huge fan of Women’s Studies and Women’s History. I loved that the author brought this unique flavor to the novel touching on issues of sexuality and female empowerment….WONDERFULLY executed!
See my full review here
I was really excited to read this book. It held tons of promise for literature lovers. The novel has a distinct element of magical realism but it isn’t the central point of this novel.
I loved meeting all the literary greats in this book as well as many other famous women in history. They weren’t the central focus of the novel though either…the book was about the four women of Hope Street (Peggy, Greer, Carmen, and Alba).
Reading the four stories had an interesting effect on the overall plot. On one hand, it was intriguing and each woman was very unique and I liked getting to know each one for different reasons. On the other hand, it bogged the plot down a little with all the changing perspectives.
Part of me would have liked to have seen the Hope Street plots split into a series, so one book for Greer, one book for Carmen, one book for Alba, and one book for Peggy rather than a single novel containing parts of four unique stories.
Each character had so much potential and intrigue that I really wanted to get to know them more and read their back stories instead of having it all crammed into one book.
I did enjoy the feminist qualities about the novel. I am a huge fan of Women’s Studies and Women’s History. I loved that the author brought this unique flavor to the novel touching on issues of sexuality and female empowerment….WONDERFULLY executed!
See my full review here
March 14, 2013
I LOVED every minute of this book. Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will also enjoy this book.
The House at the End of Hope Street tells the story of 3 women who have lost hope. They find themselves at a house that can help them pick up the pieces and get their lives back together, if they let it.
Alba is the 19 year old intellectual prodigy. On top of that, she can see the ghosts of people who are no longer alive. But all that stops when her life takes a downward spiral. Alba is betrayed by her mentor Professor and finds herself lost.
When Alba's bipolar mother kills herself, Alba's world takes a turn she never saw coming. She learns her family has been hiding a secret from her. The house is her only source of comfort and it helps her solve the mystery.
Carmen is running away from the past the ghost of her ex-husband. Greer is set adrfit by her cheating fiance and the death of her newborn daugter. Like Alba, the house helps them get on the right path to their futures.
The house is by far my favorite character in the book. With the talking pictures of famous former guests, to the China with the pictures coming alive, to the messages the house leaves for it's guests. I didn't want this book to end. Things I thought would happen didn't and I was invested in each story line.
Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down. Curl up and get ready to go on an adventure like no other.
The House at the End of Hope Street tells the story of 3 women who have lost hope. They find themselves at a house that can help them pick up the pieces and get their lives back together, if they let it.
Alba is the 19 year old intellectual prodigy. On top of that, she can see the ghosts of people who are no longer alive. But all that stops when her life takes a downward spiral. Alba is betrayed by her mentor Professor and finds herself lost.
When Alba's bipolar mother kills herself, Alba's world takes a turn she never saw coming. She learns her family has been hiding a secret from her. The house is her only source of comfort and it helps her solve the mystery.
Carmen is running away from the past the ghost of her ex-husband. Greer is set adrfit by her cheating fiance and the death of her newborn daugter. Like Alba, the house helps them get on the right path to their futures.
The house is by far my favorite character in the book. With the talking pictures of famous former guests, to the China with the pictures coming alive, to the messages the house leaves for it's guests. I didn't want this book to end. Things I thought would happen didn't and I was invested in each story line.
Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down. Curl up and get ready to go on an adventure like no other.
May 22, 2013
What a delightful reading experience. It immediately brought to mind When Autumn Leaves by Amy S. Foster and of course all books by Sarah Addison Allen. The house was a safe haven for Alba and the friends she met. The walls moved, the pictures talked and Stella sat in the kitchen sink. How could I not love everything about this book? I so look forward to Menna van Praag's next book.
Two other reviews said it better than I can:
The magic appears at several levels in the story. First, the house itself is filled with magic, and with the wisdom of women who have sheltered in it.
...you'll appreciate the literary references even more. If you don't recognize them all, don't fear as there's a handy reference guide at the end!
Two other reviews said it better than I can:
The magic appears at several levels in the story. First, the house itself is filled with magic, and with the wisdom of women who have sheltered in it.
...you'll appreciate the literary references even more. If you don't recognize them all, don't fear as there's a handy reference guide at the end!
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