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The House Uptown
For fans of Megan Abbott and Laura Lippman, Melissa Ginsburg's The House Uptown is an emotional coming-of-age novel about a young girl who goes to live with her eccentric grandmother in New Orleans after the death of her mother.
Ava, 14 years old and totally on her own, has still not fully processed her mother's death when she finds herself on a train heading to New Orleans, going to stay with Lane, her grandmother whom she's never met.
Lane is a well-known artist in the New Orleans art scene. She spends most of her days in a pot-smoke haze, sipping iced coffee, and working on the mural that has been her singular focus for years. Her grip on reality is shaky at best, but her work provides a comfort.
Ava's arrival unsettles Lane. The girl bears an uncanny resemblance to her daughter, whom she was estranged from before her death. Now her presence is dredging up painful and disturbing memories, which forces Lane to retreat even further into her own mind. Ava, meanwhile, is entranced and frightened by her grandmother. She wants to be included in her eccentric life, but can't quite navigate Lane's tempestuous moods.
Attempting to keep the peace is Oliver, Lane's assistant and confidant. As this unlikely trio attempts to find their way and form a bond, the oppressive heat and history of New Orleans bears down on them, forcing them to a reckoning none of them is ready for.
Ava, 14 years old and totally on her own, has still not fully processed her mother's death when she finds herself on a train heading to New Orleans, going to stay with Lane, her grandmother whom she's never met.
Lane is a well-known artist in the New Orleans art scene. She spends most of her days in a pot-smoke haze, sipping iced coffee, and working on the mural that has been her singular focus for years. Her grip on reality is shaky at best, but her work provides a comfort.
Ava's arrival unsettles Lane. The girl bears an uncanny resemblance to her daughter, whom she was estranged from before her death. Now her presence is dredging up painful and disturbing memories, which forces Lane to retreat even further into her own mind. Ava, meanwhile, is entranced and frightened by her grandmother. She wants to be included in her eccentric life, but can't quite navigate Lane's tempestuous moods.
Attempting to keep the peace is Oliver, Lane's assistant and confidant. As this unlikely trio attempts to find their way and form a bond, the oppressive heat and history of New Orleans bears down on them, forcing them to a reckoning none of them is ready for.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 16, 2021
52 people are currently reading
6736 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Ginsburg
5 books134 followersMelissa Ginsburg is the author of the poetry collection Dear Weather Ghost, published by Four Way Books, and the chapbook Arbor, from New Michigan Press. Her poems have appeared in Field, Pleiades, Jubilat, Denver Quarterly, and other magazines. She holds a BA in English from the University of Houston and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Originally from Houston, Texas, Melissa now lives in Oxford, Mississippi. She teaches creative writing and literature at the University of Mississippi.
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March 16, 2021
The House Uptown by Melissa Ginsburg
I know that the synopsis says that this is a coming-of-age story but I didn't see it as that. The story takes place over the summer of Ava's fourteenth year. Her dad died two years earlier, after the loss of the family farm, and then Ava's mother dies suddenly. Ava is shipped off to New Orleans to spend time with her grandmother, Lane, an eccentric, pot smoking, heavy drinking, losing her mind, 60 something who is a well known artist.
From the time we meet Ava, she seems to be one of the most well adjusted and level headed teens in literature. She has no idea what is going to happen, how to deal with a grandmother who doesn't know her, doesn't care about her, and who seems to be suffering from dementia. The person who has been keeping her grandmother's life running smoothly is Oliver, who is Lane's pot smoking, heavy drinking, personal assistant. The most functional person in this trio is Ava, still a kid, but finding that she must try to pull her aunt's household together because she's not sure about Oliver's place in her grandmother's life.
There is a huge secret in Lane's past that is only coming out due to her dementia. Oliver, always on the lookout for "more", decides to do something that causes an avalanche of events. This story is a character study of this trio and one other integral character. It's slow moving but was interesting to me, in a bystander sort of way.
Publication: March 16, 2021
Thank you to Macmillan Publishers/Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
I know that the synopsis says that this is a coming-of-age story but I didn't see it as that. The story takes place over the summer of Ava's fourteenth year. Her dad died two years earlier, after the loss of the family farm, and then Ava's mother dies suddenly. Ava is shipped off to New Orleans to spend time with her grandmother, Lane, an eccentric, pot smoking, heavy drinking, losing her mind, 60 something who is a well known artist.
From the time we meet Ava, she seems to be one of the most well adjusted and level headed teens in literature. She has no idea what is going to happen, how to deal with a grandmother who doesn't know her, doesn't care about her, and who seems to be suffering from dementia. The person who has been keeping her grandmother's life running smoothly is Oliver, who is Lane's pot smoking, heavy drinking, personal assistant. The most functional person in this trio is Ava, still a kid, but finding that she must try to pull her aunt's household together because she's not sure about Oliver's place in her grandmother's life.
There is a huge secret in Lane's past that is only coming out due to her dementia. Oliver, always on the lookout for "more", decides to do something that causes an avalanche of events. This story is a character study of this trio and one other integral character. It's slow moving but was interesting to me, in a bystander sort of way.
Publication: March 16, 2021
Thank you to Macmillan Publishers/Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 5, 2021
"The only measure of [time] that had relevance to Lane was before, during, after a painting. She could see time in brush strokes, in line, in an expanse of wall yet to be covered." Lane was well-known in the New Orleans art scene. She sketched with focused energy..."nothing mattered but the work... Something distressing lived in part of her mind...slivers of trouble coming or trouble already happened and forgotten...just beyond the edges of thought".
For years, Oliver had been Lane's assistant, protecting her from distractions, paying bills, purchasing food and art supplies. "...he had learned not to question Lane's process." The arrival of Lane's orphaned, fourteen year old granddaughter, Ava from Iowa, tipped the precarious balance Oliver had established.
"Ava's likeness to her mother dredges up painful and disturbing memories." Lane's daughter, Louise had left home at seventeen. She had little time for Louise.... was always painting. "Lane always seemed baffled by Ava's presence...Ava had no idea how to handle living with Lane...they were strangers to each other, Louise had seen to that."
The sights and the flavor of New Orleans are brought forth through Ava's bike rides as she tries to navigate the perplexing geography of an unfamiliar city. Did her mother Louise visit these same sites and sit under the same trees? Why had Ava never met her grandmother until now? Perhaps the truth lies in past secrets and promises kept, dating back twenty five years.
"The House Uptown" by Marisa Ginsburg is a mystery/ thriller deeply rooted in scenic New Orleans. The three main protagonists, all having experienced prior traumatic events, tried to be there for each other. This captivating novel had a shocker of an ending! Highly recommended.
I received a free ARC of "The House Uptown" by Melissa Ginsburg from Macmillan in an exchange for an honest review.
For years, Oliver had been Lane's assistant, protecting her from distractions, paying bills, purchasing food and art supplies. "...he had learned not to question Lane's process." The arrival of Lane's orphaned, fourteen year old granddaughter, Ava from Iowa, tipped the precarious balance Oliver had established.
"Ava's likeness to her mother dredges up painful and disturbing memories." Lane's daughter, Louise had left home at seventeen. She had little time for Louise.... was always painting. "Lane always seemed baffled by Ava's presence...Ava had no idea how to handle living with Lane...they were strangers to each other, Louise had seen to that."
The sights and the flavor of New Orleans are brought forth through Ava's bike rides as she tries to navigate the perplexing geography of an unfamiliar city. Did her mother Louise visit these same sites and sit under the same trees? Why had Ava never met her grandmother until now? Perhaps the truth lies in past secrets and promises kept, dating back twenty five years.
"The House Uptown" by Marisa Ginsburg is a mystery/ thriller deeply rooted in scenic New Orleans. The three main protagonists, all having experienced prior traumatic events, tried to be there for each other. This captivating novel had a shocker of an ending! Highly recommended.
I received a free ARC of "The House Uptown" by Melissa Ginsburg from Macmillan in an exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2021
One of the things I loved most about this book is I was never quite sure about the endgame until literally the last few pages. It’s a great fiction story with some mystery and suspense elements.
Ava is fourteen years old and her mother passed away recently. She is sent to stay with her grandmother, Lane, in New Orleans. A tough situation for Ava especially since she hasn't had any type of interaction with Lane other than a one time visit when she was a few years old. It's fair to say Lane is not your typical grandmother. She is a successful artist who spends her days getting lost in her work and getting high with her assistant, Oliver. Ava's arrival will stir up some painful memories for Lane. And you know what they say, the past has a way of rearing its ugly head.
The story gets off to a great start with a flashback to 1997 when Lane was raising her daughter, Louise, and a kid shows up unexpectedly at her house. You are left wondering the relevance of that moment and how is it going to tie in to the current day story with Ava and Lane.
The feel of the story is unique and in my opinion doesn't fit in a nice and neat box of any genre other than regular fiction. It's not a typical coming of age story but technically it might meet the definition. You have the mystery of what happened years ago as well as suspense elements with the current day storyline. It's interesting because I was never sure what the intentions were by the author in regards to the story but that turned out to be a positive thing. I was able to just sit back and enjoy this story as it unfolded without the usual theories floating around in my head on how it was going to end.
Worth reading as Ava and Lane are fascinating characters.
I received a free ARC of The House Uptown by Melissa Ginsburg from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.
Ava is fourteen years old and her mother passed away recently. She is sent to stay with her grandmother, Lane, in New Orleans. A tough situation for Ava especially since she hasn't had any type of interaction with Lane other than a one time visit when she was a few years old. It's fair to say Lane is not your typical grandmother. She is a successful artist who spends her days getting lost in her work and getting high with her assistant, Oliver. Ava's arrival will stir up some painful memories for Lane. And you know what they say, the past has a way of rearing its ugly head.
The story gets off to a great start with a flashback to 1997 when Lane was raising her daughter, Louise, and a kid shows up unexpectedly at her house. You are left wondering the relevance of that moment and how is it going to tie in to the current day story with Ava and Lane.
The feel of the story is unique and in my opinion doesn't fit in a nice and neat box of any genre other than regular fiction. It's not a typical coming of age story but technically it might meet the definition. You have the mystery of what happened years ago as well as suspense elements with the current day storyline. It's interesting because I was never sure what the intentions were by the author in regards to the story but that turned out to be a positive thing. I was able to just sit back and enjoy this story as it unfolded without the usual theories floating around in my head on how it was going to end.
Worth reading as Ava and Lane are fascinating characters.
I received a free ARC of The House Uptown by Melissa Ginsburg from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2021
"Love erupted, broke, a violence no one had explained to Lane and for which she was unprepared. Lane, helpless and bound, alone with love that too often seemed interchangeable with terror."
Lane, a highly successful artist within the backdrop of New Orleans, has always been brushed by the rougher side of life. She became a widow at a very young age when a freak automobile accident took the life of her husband and left her with her three year old daughter Louise. Through the years, she settled for a back door romance that would lead to nowhere. Eventually, Louise would leave her as well moving to Iowa at seventeen and distancing herself from her mother.
But the days have become muddled for Lane. Her memory drifts like the waters near the levees holding fast one day and letting go the next. Smoking pot from her personal pipe brings calm, but makes her quake inside later. So much so that she forgets to pick up her granddaughter, Ava, arriving at the bus station from Iowa. After Louise's death, Ava will come to spend the summer with her. Lane is fearful of making plans......
Melissa Ginsburg tipped me out of my chair with this one. She begins with a secret of incredible depth that will saturate the storyline throughout. We, as readers, will munch on bits and pieces as the reveal surfaces. The character of Ava is deftly written as a complex young girl wrapped in the naivete of a small town in Iowa. And on the flip side, she has been groomed well by a mother who had to tackle life immediately at seventeen. Ginsburg's Ava fascinates us as she maneuvers her way through New Orleans and tries to balance a grandmother teetering on the brink of Alzheimer's.
Look for the multi-faceted character of Oliver, Lane's personal assistant, as well. Oliver leads with a gentle heart that beats with a rhythm of its own. There's quite the story there. Melissa Ginsburg is a superb writer who gave us a panoramic view of New Orleans along with a front row seat in Lane's House Uptown. A solid 4.5 Stars with a desire for more with the open door ending. I'm next in line for the next, Ms. Ginsburg.
Lane, a highly successful artist within the backdrop of New Orleans, has always been brushed by the rougher side of life. She became a widow at a very young age when a freak automobile accident took the life of her husband and left her with her three year old daughter Louise. Through the years, she settled for a back door romance that would lead to nowhere. Eventually, Louise would leave her as well moving to Iowa at seventeen and distancing herself from her mother.
But the days have become muddled for Lane. Her memory drifts like the waters near the levees holding fast one day and letting go the next. Smoking pot from her personal pipe brings calm, but makes her quake inside later. So much so that she forgets to pick up her granddaughter, Ava, arriving at the bus station from Iowa. After Louise's death, Ava will come to spend the summer with her. Lane is fearful of making plans......
Melissa Ginsburg tipped me out of my chair with this one. She begins with a secret of incredible depth that will saturate the storyline throughout. We, as readers, will munch on bits and pieces as the reveal surfaces. The character of Ava is deftly written as a complex young girl wrapped in the naivete of a small town in Iowa. And on the flip side, she has been groomed well by a mother who had to tackle life immediately at seventeen. Ginsburg's Ava fascinates us as she maneuvers her way through New Orleans and tries to balance a grandmother teetering on the brink of Alzheimer's.
Look for the multi-faceted character of Oliver, Lane's personal assistant, as well. Oliver leads with a gentle heart that beats with a rhythm of its own. There's quite the story there. Melissa Ginsburg is a superb writer who gave us a panoramic view of New Orleans along with a front row seat in Lane's House Uptown. A solid 4.5 Stars with a desire for more with the open door ending. I'm next in line for the next, Ms. Ginsburg.
February 24, 2021
If 2020 didn't depress you enough - here's a book that promises to do so in 2021.
If nothing else, it’s a great warning that bad choices, an overdependence on substances, and undealt with abuse can affect generations. What bothered me the most though was at the end of the book, I had no hope that young Ava, the protagonist, would break the cycle either. After what happens in the last few pages, I’m not sure that all the therapy in the world could fix her.
It’s a shame because I liked Ava, but every other character could kick rocks as far as I was concerned. Just a big " oh hell no" for me! 2 stars.
If nothing else, it’s a great warning that bad choices, an overdependence on substances, and undealt with abuse can affect generations. What bothered me the most though was at the end of the book, I had no hope that young Ava, the protagonist, would break the cycle either. After what happens in the last few pages, I’m not sure that all the therapy in the world could fix her.
It’s a shame because I liked Ava, but every other character could kick rocks as far as I was concerned. Just a big " oh hell no" for me! 2 stars.
February 3, 2021
This was a tragic and emotional tale, but didn’t come off as a coming-of-age story...nor a thriller, but I still enjoyed it. It brought tears to my eyes, as I read about Ava’s sad journey, after her mother dies suddenly! This poor girl! I wanted to reach into the pages and hug her.
When Ava is sent to live with her grandmother—Lane— after her mother dies, she’s totally unprepared for her new life. To begin with, there is a huge contrast between Iowa and Louisiana. Then she finds Lane to be unlike anyone she’s ever met before. She’s an eccentric—but phenomenal artist. She struggles to take care of herself, so she has no support to offer Ava. She spends her days smoking pot and drinking, only able to focus on her art. Although she hasn’t been formally diagnosed with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, it’s plain to see that she is easily confused and has major memory issues.
Ava’s new life is unstructured and there is no one to set limits or watch over her daily activities. Oliver—Lane’s long-time assistant—is the only person that she can talk to or rely on. And he’s as bad as Lane, with the drinking / drugs. But that changes when Lane’s Dementia causes her to spill long buried secrets!
The one thing I wasn’t completely satisfied with was the ending. It was a great ending, but I would have liked a little more closure, regarding the characters. I’ve never been to Louisiana and I forgot about their liberal liquor laws. I’m amazed at how lax they still are! I love reading about the New Orleans setting, and visiting has been on my bucket list since before Katrina. I’m hoping to make it there one of these days! Until then, I’ll keep reading about it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan and Melissa Ginsburg for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: March 16th 2021 by Flatiron Books
Pages: 336
Recommend: Yes
@Ginsburgmelissa @Flatironbooks @NetGalley
#TheHouseUptown #readinginsidersclub #NoRulesJustThrills #InExchangeForReview #BookReview #JustFinished
#NewOrleans #NetGalley
When Ava is sent to live with her grandmother—Lane— after her mother dies, she’s totally unprepared for her new life. To begin with, there is a huge contrast between Iowa and Louisiana. Then she finds Lane to be unlike anyone she’s ever met before. She’s an eccentric—but phenomenal artist. She struggles to take care of herself, so she has no support to offer Ava. She spends her days smoking pot and drinking, only able to focus on her art. Although she hasn’t been formally diagnosed with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, it’s plain to see that she is easily confused and has major memory issues.
Ava’s new life is unstructured and there is no one to set limits or watch over her daily activities. Oliver—Lane’s long-time assistant—is the only person that she can talk to or rely on. And he’s as bad as Lane, with the drinking / drugs. But that changes when Lane’s Dementia causes her to spill long buried secrets!
The one thing I wasn’t completely satisfied with was the ending. It was a great ending, but I would have liked a little more closure, regarding the characters. I’ve never been to Louisiana and I forgot about their liberal liquor laws. I’m amazed at how lax they still are! I love reading about the New Orleans setting, and visiting has been on my bucket list since before Katrina. I’m hoping to make it there one of these days! Until then, I’ll keep reading about it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan and Melissa Ginsburg for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: March 16th 2021 by Flatiron Books
Pages: 336
Recommend: Yes
@Ginsburgmelissa @Flatironbooks @NetGalley
#TheHouseUptown #readinginsidersclub #NoRulesJustThrills #InExchangeForReview #BookReview #JustFinished
#NewOrleans #NetGalley
April 29, 2021
This book was a complete and utter disappointment for me. I feel like I just wasted almost eight hours of my life and learned absolutely nothing. I listened to the audiobook, which was read by a slow reading robotic voice. Just painful. This very, very, slow burn “thriller” is sad, depressing and incredibly boring. When 12 year old Ava’s mother dies, she leaves her Iowa farm to live with a grandmother she barely remembers in New Orleans. For such a lively town as New Orleans, the setting is missing the ambiance of the French quarter and true southern vibe. Her grandmother is a mean and neglectful old woman, who is losing her memory and slipping into the holds of dementia. Consequently, Ava must rely on her grandmother’s shady personal assistant, Oliver, for parental guidance. He encourages her to drink alcohol and is constantly smoking marijuana. Interspersed in this story is a weak “mystery” surrounding a politician, that lacks any intrigue or substance. The reveal fell completely flat in the end, leaving me sad for Ava, who did all she could to make herself matter to her grandmother and is never fully accepted. The cycle of abuse seems to continue to take hold of this family, and just won’t let go.
Disclaimer: I dislike writing negative reviews, but readers should be forewarned of this one!
2/5 stars
Disclaimer: I dislike writing negative reviews, but readers should be forewarned of this one!
2/5 stars
January 4, 2021
New year new me???? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, more like . . . .
I thought it was because I’m still an idiot who somehow was mistaken that this was presented as a coming of age story when I chose it, but I just re-read the blurb and it appears the bookpushers are the idiots because they totally claim this to be a coming of age story. Now I know a lot of people have different opinions about what makes a particular genre that particular genre, but simply having a 14-year old as a character in the novel does not a coming of age story make as far as my opinion is concerned.
The good news is, the page turnability factor of this one hovers right around a 10 throughout. It’s probably best to know as little as possible about the plot because the big reveals are necessarily all that big and it would be very easy to spoil things for yourself should you dig around the Goodreads or the ‘Gram too much.
All you really need to know is this is the story of a young girl who gets sent to New Orleans to live with her artist grandmother after her own mother passes away and said grandmother has a bit of an issue deciphering the difference between the present and the past. There’s a potential old mystery to solve as well as some other shenanigans going on in the present and some truly readable characters delivering the tale. It almost reads like a real good Young Adult family/whodunit hybrid (if it weren’t for all the pot smoking).
This was my choice for my Macmilland Insiders Reading Club selection this month and it was a good one.
I thought it was because I’m still an idiot who somehow was mistaken that this was presented as a coming of age story when I chose it, but I just re-read the blurb and it appears the bookpushers are the idiots because they totally claim this to be a coming of age story. Now I know a lot of people have different opinions about what makes a particular genre that particular genre, but simply having a 14-year old as a character in the novel does not a coming of age story make as far as my opinion is concerned.
The good news is, the page turnability factor of this one hovers right around a 10 throughout. It’s probably best to know as little as possible about the plot because the big reveals are necessarily all that big and it would be very easy to spoil things for yourself should you dig around the Goodreads or the ‘Gram too much.
All you really need to know is this is the story of a young girl who gets sent to New Orleans to live with her artist grandmother after her own mother passes away and said grandmother has a bit of an issue deciphering the difference between the present and the past. There’s a potential old mystery to solve as well as some other shenanigans going on in the present and some truly readable characters delivering the tale. It almost reads like a real good Young Adult family/whodunit hybrid (if it weren’t for all the pot smoking).
This was my choice for my Macmilland Insiders Reading Club selection this month and it was a good one.
January 5, 2021
The cover of this says "thriller" and I was expecting a crime novel because I was a huge fan of Ginsburg's last, excellent one SUNSET CITY. But the summary is correct on this one, it isn't really a thriller. It's barely a crime novel, at best the crime is the B plot, and besides a quick prologue you don't even get back to it until nearly halfway through the book. It's also much too slowly paced to be a thriller so I'd suggest adjusting your expectations to the summary rather than the cover.
Ava, newly orphaned, is sent to live with Lane, a grandmother she doesn't know. Lane is an artist in New Orleans, eccentric and prickly, and also in the grips of a growing dementia. Oliver is technically Lane's assistant, but he is more often her drinking and smoking buddy, and Ava's arrival upsets all of their routines. For Ava, it's a rude awakening from her orderly childhood to a house where no one seems to act like an adult. The crime is an old one that at first seems barely connected to the present situation, but gradually becomes all-encompassing.
This is basically lit fic. It has the very slow pace, the focus on character and setting. It also has a slightly unusual narration, third person omniscient, but it sometimes shifts from one character to another in the middle of a scene. It is about art and grieving with plenty of coming-of-age thrown in. And yes there is a crime that ends up being at the center of the story, but that's true of plenty of literary novels that we wouldn't classify as crime fiction so I think it's best we put it there.
For me, this didn't quite work because I never quite got the characters. On the surface it all made sense but as we dived deeper I just couldn't connect with them more fully. Lane is the best written of them, the prose moves very well through the jumping thoughts of her mind pulling her from one time to another. I very much relate to Ava but she is so thoroughly put together through all of this, even if that is true to character it didn't feel true to her internal life. And Oliver kept doing things that made no sense to me, especially near the end. I'd hoped this could build to something, but it never quite did. And the journey along the way didn't hold my interest as well as I would have liked.
Ava, newly orphaned, is sent to live with Lane, a grandmother she doesn't know. Lane is an artist in New Orleans, eccentric and prickly, and also in the grips of a growing dementia. Oliver is technically Lane's assistant, but he is more often her drinking and smoking buddy, and Ava's arrival upsets all of their routines. For Ava, it's a rude awakening from her orderly childhood to a house where no one seems to act like an adult. The crime is an old one that at first seems barely connected to the present situation, but gradually becomes all-encompassing.
This is basically lit fic. It has the very slow pace, the focus on character and setting. It also has a slightly unusual narration, third person omniscient, but it sometimes shifts from one character to another in the middle of a scene. It is about art and grieving with plenty of coming-of-age thrown in. And yes there is a crime that ends up being at the center of the story, but that's true of plenty of literary novels that we wouldn't classify as crime fiction so I think it's best we put it there.
For me, this didn't quite work because I never quite got the characters. On the surface it all made sense but as we dived deeper I just couldn't connect with them more fully. Lane is the best written of them, the prose moves very well through the jumping thoughts of her mind pulling her from one time to another. I very much relate to Ava but she is so thoroughly put together through all of this, even if that is true to character it didn't feel true to her internal life. And Oliver kept doing things that made no sense to me, especially near the end. I'd hoped this could build to something, but it never quite did. And the journey along the way didn't hold my interest as well as I would have liked.
June 27, 2021
After her mother’s death, fourteen-year-old Ava moves to New Orleans to live with her grandmother. Ava’s grandmother, Lane, is an eccentric artist suffering from dementia. Ava tries to navigate her new living situation, but Lane is not exactly welcoming.
A slow-paced, character-driven novel. This book combines coming-of-age and family drama with a little suspense. I found this to be an enjoyable read, but can see where other readers may be disappointed in how the book is categorized. It’s more like literary fiction, and readers looking for a true suspense novel should look elsewhere.
Well-drawn characters in an incredible setting. Atmospheric, unique, and intriguing.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A slow-paced, character-driven novel. This book combines coming-of-age and family drama with a little suspense. I found this to be an enjoyable read, but can see where other readers may be disappointed in how the book is categorized. It’s more like literary fiction, and readers looking for a true suspense novel should look elsewhere.
Well-drawn characters in an incredible setting. Atmospheric, unique, and intriguing.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2021
This was a surprisingly wonderful story. I had heard it was good but had not expected to like it this much. The story was wonderful, the characters were wonderful and I grew so attached to them I was disappointed when the story ended. Ava is a young girl whose mother dies and she is sent to live with her grandmother who she has never met. Mother and grandmother were estranged, never visited. Grandmother is a very eccentric artisit and she and her assistant try to give Ava a good life. A lot of things happen and Ava ends up having to go back to Iowa to stay with her mother's friend. But so many things happen between this. Oliver the assistant, really cares about Ava and helps her out more than you would believe. Definitely recommend if you want a feel good story.
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November 17, 2020Don't mind me, just casually adding more mystery/suspense novels to my 2021 TBR. I'm especially loving the atmosphere this book has, and I'm definitely going to be looking out for it in March.
March 16, 2021
Ava is 14 years old, and she is heading to New Orleans to stay with her grandmother, after her mother’s death. She has never met Lane (her grandmother) before, Lane is in her sixties and a well-known artist and Ava’s arrival disturbs her, Ava is just like her mother and Lane feels guilty that she has distanced herself from her daughter and never saw her before her death. Every time she looks at Ava, she feels the pain of her disturbing memories.
Ava, however, is a very well-adjusted teenager and has no idea how she is going to deal with her grandmother who is apparently suffering from dementia.
When at her grandmother she meets Oliver, Lane’s assistant who is running her grandmother’s life.
We get to read a flashback to 1997 when Lane was raising Louise, Ava’s Mom. And we read about moments that tie to the present.
One thing that I really liked was that I was not able to see what is coming and how it is going to end until the last pages. I was really satisfied with the ending.
I liked the choice of characters. I found Ava very amiable. and Lane’s character fascinated me. The three main characters have all experienced trauma in their lives and are getting together to help each other.
I found this book a unique story with a remarkable setting, and it surprised me with a shocker of an ending.
Many thanks to flatiron books for this gifted copy.
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Ava, however, is a very well-adjusted teenager and has no idea how she is going to deal with her grandmother who is apparently suffering from dementia.
When at her grandmother she meets Oliver, Lane’s assistant who is running her grandmother’s life.
We get to read a flashback to 1997 when Lane was raising Louise, Ava’s Mom. And we read about moments that tie to the present.
One thing that I really liked was that I was not able to see what is coming and how it is going to end until the last pages. I was really satisfied with the ending.
I liked the choice of characters. I found Ava very amiable. and Lane’s character fascinated me. The three main characters have all experienced trauma in their lives and are getting together to help each other.
I found this book a unique story with a remarkable setting, and it surprised me with a shocker of an ending.
Many thanks to flatiron books for this gifted copy.
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Amazon
December 22, 2021
Ginsburg's story has a foreboding atmosphere with deeply flawed characters. As troubled as they are, each has likable qualities. Uptown New Orleans characters are thrown together and expected to blend as smooth as gumbo. There's Lane — the popular, successful artist who's facing the unknown. Then, there's Oliver, Lane's enabling assistant. He's likable, dependable, and at the same time...sneaky. Lane and Oliver have a confusing, yet easy coexistence. Drop fourteen year-old Ava into the simmering pot and brown frothy roux starts boiling over the edge. Nothing is predictable. Let's just say that Lane's past and future are headed south.
Loved the pace, the NOLA setting, and the false-comfort! For me, this was a page turner. It goes down best with storm clouds brewing. Pass the hot sauce.
* I won an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks to Flatiron Books.
Loved the pace, the NOLA setting, and the false-comfort! For me, this was a page turner. It goes down best with storm clouds brewing. Pass the hot sauce.
* I won an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks to Flatiron Books.
March 30, 2021
Outstanding novel about New Orleans. An instant classic!
April 25, 2021
OH MY GOD... from the standpoint of this could really happen... OH MY GOD...
So, talk about life showing up with a bunch of coincidences and making a mess out of lemons!!!
This is one ingenious plot that is sticky and tricky and just oh so good. The book jacket says it is a "coming of age" story, but really not so much... it does have a 14-year-old in it as A main character and I guess that she is growing up while the story moves forward.. but I thought it was more about family dynamics and the realities of life.
Poor little Eva, orphaned at 14 and sent to live with her grandmother, Lanie who is a renowned artist in the big easy... (NO). Unfortunately, Lanie is suffering from some undiagnosed medical condition that seemed dementia or something worse. Eva arrives from the mid-western farmlands and is grieving her mother's recent death, only to find that her Grandmother barely remembers what day it is or who she is sometimes. But there is an excellent right-hand guy, Oliver who helps Lanie do all of the mundane things required to live day to day.... take care of groceries, cleaning people.. bank accounts, and everything in-between...
I loved all of the characters, so clearly drawn and relatable, despite their personal issues they fit together. It is a story where not everything that is tarnished is really unworthy of love. It is also one about mistakes not truly defining a man.... but these are the problems that you should probably read about... For me, it was a 5-star read, short, quick, and super good.
5 Stars
Happy Reading!
tangled web
So, talk about life showing up with a bunch of coincidences and making a mess out of lemons!!!
This is one ingenious plot that is sticky and tricky and just oh so good. The book jacket says it is a "coming of age" story, but really not so much... it does have a 14-year-old in it as A main character and I guess that she is growing up while the story moves forward.. but I thought it was more about family dynamics and the realities of life.
Poor little Eva, orphaned at 14 and sent to live with her grandmother, Lanie who is a renowned artist in the big easy... (NO). Unfortunately, Lanie is suffering from some undiagnosed medical condition that seemed dementia or something worse. Eva arrives from the mid-western farmlands and is grieving her mother's recent death, only to find that her Grandmother barely remembers what day it is or who she is sometimes. But there is an excellent right-hand guy, Oliver who helps Lanie do all of the mundane things required to live day to day.... take care of groceries, cleaning people.. bank accounts, and everything in-between...
I loved all of the characters, so clearly drawn and relatable, despite their personal issues they fit together. It is a story where not everything that is tarnished is really unworthy of love. It is also one about mistakes not truly defining a man.... but these are the problems that you should probably read about... For me, it was a 5-star read, short, quick, and super good.
5 Stars
Happy Reading!
tangled web
April 7, 2022
3.5 Stars
This was a strange book and I had a hard time telling where it was going. But it was strange in a good way, and it all tied together at the end.
There wasn’t a lot of action until the last few chapters, it was more of a character study and a commentary on grief and loss. Ava, Lane and Oliver were an odd group, but they had an interesting dynamic.
To me, this book was so-so until the last 25%, and then I started enjoying it. It’s a very easy, quick read. I thought I was about halfway through when I was actually near the end. That was a bit jarring.
This was a very subtle and sad story, but one I think I’ll remember.
This was a strange book and I had a hard time telling where it was going. But it was strange in a good way, and it all tied together at the end.
There wasn’t a lot of action until the last few chapters, it was more of a character study and a commentary on grief and loss. Ava, Lane and Oliver were an odd group, but they had an interesting dynamic.
To me, this book was so-so until the last 25%, and then I started enjoying it. It’s a very easy, quick read. I thought I was about halfway through when I was actually near the end. That was a bit jarring.
This was a very subtle and sad story, but one I think I’ll remember.
December 22, 2021
I didn’t like the book, but it was made much worse by the narrator of the audiobook.
January 30, 2021
The House Uptown
“An emotional coming of age novel about a young girl who goes to live with her eccentric grandmother in New Orleans after the death of her mother.”
This book was beautiful yet tragic. It was a change from the typical thrillers I read, and it was much needed!
First off, thanks again for this copy to read and review from Flatiron. I truly appreciate the opportunity you have given me. I had a very hard time putting this book down, especially toward the end when everything hit the fan, as they say. This book is a prime example that whatever happens in the past, will come out eventually. Also teaches you to be good, like Ava.
Avas mother Louise passes away unexpectedly, leaving Ava with no one to care for her. She packs up from Iowa and goes to live with her grandmother. Only mere hours after arriving, she realizes something is not right with her grandmother. She is very forgetful, forgets who Ava is every other day, confuses her with Louise, brings up random stories from the past that believes is current. Ava just lost her mom, and is now basically overseeing and taking care of her grandmother, along with her grandmothers eccentric assistant Oliver. Avas grandmother knows a secret that could ruin someone’s life, that happened many years before. This person wants to keep whoever knows his secret quiet. The story was written beautifully. Lane was a painter and I could almost vividly imagine her paintings by the way the author described it. As usual, this book is hard to describe without giving major plot away so my advice, grab the book when you can. This book will be released in March!!
#melissaginsburg #thehouseuptown #flatironbooks #advancedreadercopy #cantstopreading #bookobsessed #bookreview #bookstagram #bookblog #januaryreads #bookchallenge2021 #saturdayafternoonreading #bookaddict #booknerd #bookmailisthebestmail
“An emotional coming of age novel about a young girl who goes to live with her eccentric grandmother in New Orleans after the death of her mother.”
This book was beautiful yet tragic. It was a change from the typical thrillers I read, and it was much needed!
First off, thanks again for this copy to read and review from Flatiron. I truly appreciate the opportunity you have given me. I had a very hard time putting this book down, especially toward the end when everything hit the fan, as they say. This book is a prime example that whatever happens in the past, will come out eventually. Also teaches you to be good, like Ava.
Avas mother Louise passes away unexpectedly, leaving Ava with no one to care for her. She packs up from Iowa and goes to live with her grandmother. Only mere hours after arriving, she realizes something is not right with her grandmother. She is very forgetful, forgets who Ava is every other day, confuses her with Louise, brings up random stories from the past that believes is current. Ava just lost her mom, and is now basically overseeing and taking care of her grandmother, along with her grandmothers eccentric assistant Oliver. Avas grandmother knows a secret that could ruin someone’s life, that happened many years before. This person wants to keep whoever knows his secret quiet. The story was written beautifully. Lane was a painter and I could almost vividly imagine her paintings by the way the author described it. As usual, this book is hard to describe without giving major plot away so my advice, grab the book when you can. This book will be released in March!!
#melissaginsburg #thehouseuptown #flatironbooks #advancedreadercopy #cantstopreading #bookobsessed #bookreview #bookstagram #bookblog #januaryreads #bookchallenge2021 #saturdayafternoonreading #bookaddict #booknerd #bookmailisthebestmail
August 7, 2021
Was a quick read, but did not really connect with the characters at all. Writing felt somewhat choppy, and the plot left me rolling my eyes quite a bit. Overall, was just ok and not very memorable.
October 11, 2022
*Thanks Faber for sending me a copy of this to review!*
I was so intrigued by this book that upon finishing it I can’t help but feel anything except profound disappointment. If you’re looking for a book with mystery/thriller elements with eerie atmosphere and an interesting cast of characters, I’d say go and look somewhere else.
Above all, I think this book was boring. The premise sets us up for such a great, twisty story but it just fell so flat. I honestly could not have cared less about these people if I tried. Though it was brilliantly written and I liked the writing style, it still end up flat. There was no real emotion or sense of urgency at any point, this book just felt so two dimensional. For something that’s supposed to be thrilling, it did not fulfil that criteria at all. I was bored. For a book of this genre also, it was slow and borderline uneventful. Every time something questionable was happening, we’d get absolutely no answers. It was very unsatisfying and confusing to finish.
The length of it was a source of conflict for me, on the one hand the short chapters and small length made it snappy and easy to power through. On the other hand, it just felt like everything that could have built suspense or character was skipped over and the book ended up losing elements that would have given it more depth to a shorter length.
This book was just neither here nor there for me, it was just very average and I finished it with no strong pull either way. I don’t see what the point was though.
I was so intrigued by this book that upon finishing it I can’t help but feel anything except profound disappointment. If you’re looking for a book with mystery/thriller elements with eerie atmosphere and an interesting cast of characters, I’d say go and look somewhere else.
Above all, I think this book was boring. The premise sets us up for such a great, twisty story but it just fell so flat. I honestly could not have cared less about these people if I tried. Though it was brilliantly written and I liked the writing style, it still end up flat. There was no real emotion or sense of urgency at any point, this book just felt so two dimensional. For something that’s supposed to be thrilling, it did not fulfil that criteria at all. I was bored. For a book of this genre also, it was slow and borderline uneventful. Every time something questionable was happening, we’d get absolutely no answers. It was very unsatisfying and confusing to finish.
The length of it was a source of conflict for me, on the one hand the short chapters and small length made it snappy and easy to power through. On the other hand, it just felt like everything that could have built suspense or character was skipped over and the book ended up losing elements that would have given it more depth to a shorter length.
This book was just neither here nor there for me, it was just very average and I finished it with no strong pull either way. I don’t see what the point was though.
April 4, 2021
The novel started out promising with a young teenager traveling to be with her grandmother after her mother’s death. They have never met nor has she ever visited New Orleans. The grandmother is an eccentric painter with a gay assistant who manages her life and slowly steals from her. The teenage girl adjusts to her grief and a new city and a grandmother who has dementia. But a weird subplot causes the book to suddenly end in a dramatic murder. I was shocked that the book just stopped there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2021
3 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
Ava, 14-years-old and on her own, has not fully processed her mother’s death when she finds herself heading to New Orleans to stay with Lane, her grandmother whom she’s never met. Lane is a well-known artist in New Orleans and spends her days in a pot-smoke haze while working on a mural. Her grip on reality is shaky, and Ava’s arrival unsettles Lane because Ava bears an uncanny resemblance to her daughter. Ava’s presence is bringing up painful and disturbing memories, which forces Lane to retreat further into her own mind. Meanwhile, Ava is entranced and frightened by her grandmother, but wants to be included in her life even though she can’t navigate her grandmothers tempestuous moods.
Thank you to Macmillan for providing me with an ARC of “The House Uptown” by Melissa Ginsburg as part of their Reading Insiders Club in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Lane who is sent to live with a grandmother she’s never met after the death of her mother. This story is about the relationship between Lane and her grandmother as well as her grandmother’s past and the secret she is keeping. I did enjoy this story and there is quite a bit more that goes on that is not included in the official synopsis. Overall, I was hoping for a hard-hitting emotional read, but I felt that it was a bit lacking. I wanted to see more development and connection out of the relationships. I also thought that some parts of the plot seemed a bit rushed through and not fully explored. However, I thought that this was a unique story (with an awesome setting) that did surprise me in the direction it did take!
Release Date: March 16, 2021
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
Ava, 14-years-old and on her own, has not fully processed her mother’s death when she finds herself heading to New Orleans to stay with Lane, her grandmother whom she’s never met. Lane is a well-known artist in New Orleans and spends her days in a pot-smoke haze while working on a mural. Her grip on reality is shaky, and Ava’s arrival unsettles Lane because Ava bears an uncanny resemblance to her daughter. Ava’s presence is bringing up painful and disturbing memories, which forces Lane to retreat further into her own mind. Meanwhile, Ava is entranced and frightened by her grandmother, but wants to be included in her life even though she can’t navigate her grandmothers tempestuous moods.
Thank you to Macmillan for providing me with an ARC of “The House Uptown” by Melissa Ginsburg as part of their Reading Insiders Club in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Lane who is sent to live with a grandmother she’s never met after the death of her mother. This story is about the relationship between Lane and her grandmother as well as her grandmother’s past and the secret she is keeping. I did enjoy this story and there is quite a bit more that goes on that is not included in the official synopsis. Overall, I was hoping for a hard-hitting emotional read, but I felt that it was a bit lacking. I wanted to see more development and connection out of the relationships. I also thought that some parts of the plot seemed a bit rushed through and not fully explored. However, I thought that this was a unique story (with an awesome setting) that did surprise me in the direction it did take!
Release Date: March 16, 2021
January 31, 2024
I had adds this to my TBR on a whim and hadn’t really looked at it since. I enjoyed the story but the characters were just meh to me. It was a quick listen and I was able to follow along enough listening while I worked. New Orleans has always been on my want to visit list so I was hoping there would be more description of the area and history. Also I had to lol at how often they referenced that Ava was from Iowa and used that as an explanation for her behavior or response to things. “Midwest attitude” is truly an entire personality haha .
May 3, 2021
I don’t know why this book only has a general rating of three and a half stars. This is clearly a five star book. I’ve read many books in my reading career, including most of the classics and some bizarre and obscure tomes that were very interesting. This little book really impressed me with the way it grabs you emotionally and never lets up until the end. I highly recommend this book.
December 27, 2021
A rushed story with totally unsympathetic characters. There is so much that was bad about this book I don’t know where to start. Who were we supposed to care about in this story? What was with the pornographic sex scene in the middle? Was it supposed to be that kind of book? The only saving grace was that they all got what they deserved at the end and I was glad.
April 28, 2021
Thank you so much to Marlena Bittner from Flatiron Books for sending me the NetGalley and a finished copy of Melissa Ginsburg’s latest book The House Uptown and for asking me to take part in the blog tour!
Published: March 16, 2021.
The House Uptown tells the tragic and emotional story of Ava, a fourteen-year-old girl from Iowa, who is sent to live with her grandmother, Lane, in New Orleans after her mother’s sudden passing. Upon her arrival, Ava quickly realizes that her new life will not be anything close to what she knew before.
Lane, although a brilliant and phenomenal artist, is not fully present mentally and—without it being explicitly stated—it is clear that she suffers from Alzheimer’s or Dementia. As such, Lane struggles to take care of herself and spends her days painting and self-medicating with drugs and alcohol supplied to her through her assistant Oliver (who struggles with substance abuse himself). This is made worse when Ava’s arrival forces Lane to confront the painful memories she has of her now dead daughter. Because of this, aside from Oliver’s “help,” Ava is left unsupervised, without structure, and has to find a way to care for the household and her grandmother by herself.
Ava, Lane, and Oliver seem to be making the most of the situation and balancing their new dynamic until one day when Lane accidentally lets a major secret from her past slip, causing an avalanche of events to ensue that none of them could have ever prepared for.
MY THOUGHTS:
Overall this was a good book and I really enjoyed it! It’s a short and quick read, but the story itself is more of a slow burn with some added mystery and suspenseful elements to it. The prologue starts the book off with a bang (which I won’t give any details on!) and you’re left wondering where the story will go from there… right up until the final pages! I really loved that I could not figure out where the story was headed. I do, however, wish that there had been more closure at the end for all of the characters.
Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the characters. Lane is such a complex and interesting character… her memory lapses and confusion were so sad but also so believable, and it was so interesting to see inside parts of her mind and to see how she makes sense of things. Lane is simply a heartbroken mother over her estranged relationship with her now-dead daughter… and the arrival of Ava dredges up so many old and painful memories for her. Ava, on the other hand, was so relatable to me on so many different levels. She brought me back to my fourteen-year-old self. Her life has been completely flipped upside down with the death of her mother and she’s left to try and figure out how to make the most of it and her new situation. I just wanted to hug her through the pages to try to make things better for her. Now for Oliver… I liked his character the least of the three, just because he made me so angry with his decisions, and you’ll see why when you read the book.
https://rebekahreads.ca/the-house-upt...
Published: March 16, 2021.
The House Uptown tells the tragic and emotional story of Ava, a fourteen-year-old girl from Iowa, who is sent to live with her grandmother, Lane, in New Orleans after her mother’s sudden passing. Upon her arrival, Ava quickly realizes that her new life will not be anything close to what she knew before.
Lane, although a brilliant and phenomenal artist, is not fully present mentally and—without it being explicitly stated—it is clear that she suffers from Alzheimer’s or Dementia. As such, Lane struggles to take care of herself and spends her days painting and self-medicating with drugs and alcohol supplied to her through her assistant Oliver (who struggles with substance abuse himself). This is made worse when Ava’s arrival forces Lane to confront the painful memories she has of her now dead daughter. Because of this, aside from Oliver’s “help,” Ava is left unsupervised, without structure, and has to find a way to care for the household and her grandmother by herself.
Ava, Lane, and Oliver seem to be making the most of the situation and balancing their new dynamic until one day when Lane accidentally lets a major secret from her past slip, causing an avalanche of events to ensue that none of them could have ever prepared for.
MY THOUGHTS:
Overall this was a good book and I really enjoyed it! It’s a short and quick read, but the story itself is more of a slow burn with some added mystery and suspenseful elements to it. The prologue starts the book off with a bang (which I won’t give any details on!) and you’re left wondering where the story will go from there… right up until the final pages! I really loved that I could not figure out where the story was headed. I do, however, wish that there had been more closure at the end for all of the characters.
Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the characters. Lane is such a complex and interesting character… her memory lapses and confusion were so sad but also so believable, and it was so interesting to see inside parts of her mind and to see how she makes sense of things. Lane is simply a heartbroken mother over her estranged relationship with her now-dead daughter… and the arrival of Ava dredges up so many old and painful memories for her. Ava, on the other hand, was so relatable to me on so many different levels. She brought me back to my fourteen-year-old self. Her life has been completely flipped upside down with the death of her mother and she’s left to try and figure out how to make the most of it and her new situation. I just wanted to hug her through the pages to try to make things better for her. Now for Oliver… I liked his character the least of the three, just because he made me so angry with his decisions, and you’ll see why when you read the book.
https://rebekahreads.ca/the-house-upt...
August 2, 2021
What a beautifully written novel. Complex characters, interesting plot, vivid New Orleans setting. Putting it into a genre category is a puzzle. The cover copy says "coming of age" and libraries are shelving it as mystery, and yet it really isn't either of those. It's a damned good novel by someone who understands the craft.
The only imperfection is that the ending happens awfully quickly, and she could have wrung more tension out by turning the last chapter into two. And there's an explicit sex scene - just one chapter - and if that would bother you, just skip the chapter and you should enjoy the book anyway.
And on a personal level, when Lane was thinking about "niceness" of the sort that women are taught, and how she kept track of all she did and resented it, I ached with sympathy. I loathe all that hearthkeeping bullshit, and resent every birthday card I send, hating the recipient a little more with every year I feel pressured to send one.
The only imperfection is that the ending happens awfully quickly, and she could have wrung more tension out by turning the last chapter into two. And there's an explicit sex scene - just one chapter - and if that would bother you, just skip the chapter and you should enjoy the book anyway.
And on a personal level, when Lane was thinking about "niceness" of the sort that women are taught, and how she kept track of all she did and resented it, I ached with sympathy. I loathe all that hearthkeeping bullshit, and resent every birthday card I send, hating the recipient a little more with every year I feel pressured to send one.
April 18, 2021
I must say I had to suspend my disbelief with this novel. Ava, the fourteen-year-old, was more mature than either Lane or Oliver. The book had the feeling of a short story, with its unresolved ending. What happens to Oliver? What happens to the house? What happens to Lane's estate (money, possessions, antiques, paintings, etc.)? Will Ava ever return? Will the author write a sequel? Somehow I think this unresolved story with so many questions begs for one.
March 21, 2021
The titular dwelling in Melissa Ginsburg’s second novel, The House Uptown is the New Orleans home of boho artist Lane. Her slow drift into dementia on skeins of marijuana smoke is interrupted by the arrival of her granddaughter Ava, whose mother, Lane’s daughter Louise, has just died. The resourceful 14-year-old soon begins to wonder not only about the cause of the long estrangement between her mother and grandmother, but also about the behaviour of Lane’s assistant, the apparently loyal Oliver. Told as a time-slip – the roots of the alienation date back to 1997, when teenage Louise witnesses the 2.30am arrival of Lane’s local politician lover, blood-covered teenage son in tow – this is a superbly written, intriguing character study of how the past impacts on the present.
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