The House of Six Doors

by Patricia Selbert

Serena, at thirteen, leaves her home on the colorful Caribbean island of Curaçao and  her beloved grandmother, Oma, when her ambitious, impulsive, and emotionally unstable mother takes her and her sister to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. They drive from Miami to Hollywood, where their luck runs out and a 1963 Ford Galaxie becomes their first American home. Compelling and exotic, the narrative weaves together the hard realities of 1970s Hollywood  and memories of an innocent past. The story is rich and tangy, filled with images from around the world. The timeless wisdom Serena's grandmother imparted to her becomes the compass by which Serena navigates the unscrupulous world she confronts. Filled with brilliant and visceral characters from multiple countries that come to life and reveal themselves and their cultures, The House of Six Doors gives the reader an intimate look at  the complexities of an immigrant's journey and a young girl's coming of age in a multicultural Los Angeles. A pageturner, this story is so distinct and intimate that it becomes universal and leaves the reader with profound insights. 

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 22, 2011

Reviews

[Lauren]

Subtitled as "an autobiographical novel", this emotional coming-of-age story begins in the Customs line at the Miami Airport. Immediately the reader is with teenage Serena, along her mother and older sister, who have just immigrated to the US from Curaçao in the early 1970s.

Young Serena narrates the multiple trials of coming to a new country, largely against her will, taken away from her beloved grandmother and adult siblings in Curaçao. Interspersed within the stories in the US, are the rich memories of life on the island, the enduring love of Oma and descriptions of the island, and the architecture of the landhuis - The House of Six Doors - a bright blue heritage plantation house that the family owns and maintains.

Serena struggles in school as she learns English from television and from the few friends she is able to meet. One of my favorite parts of the novel is when Serena is in a pharmacy in Los Angeles and recognizes a Dutch accent. She approaches the woman and is so happy to learn that she is from Suriname (neighboring Curaçao on continental SA north coast) and they speak together in Dutch and Papiamentu, languages of the Dutch Caribbean. As a language lover, this was (yet again) a beautiful testament to the power of language, words, and linguistic culture.

My first literary journey to Curaçao, and I hope to return again with some translations from the Dutch Caribbean.

[Nancy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page, I was sucked in. I've been in publishing for a long time. I've reviewed books, interviewed authors, and am on many a press list. A lot of people ask me to read their books.

I was intrigued to learn more about Curacao, a place I'd only vaguely heard of (enough to know it was an island in the Caribbean). The colorful history and traditions of the blend of cultures that form Curacao permeate the story, from Dutch slave traders and colonists, to slaves and their descendants, to the Arawak people who were there first. They all find themselves wrapped into the backstory of one family.

The plot of the well-woven tale involves a young girl whose mother spontaneously uproots she and her sister to emigrate to the US, arriving with nothing, to discover a whole new world. Through the twists of a girl coming of age, we see Los Angeles in the 70s from the backseat of the Ford Galaxie that provides their first American home. I lived in LA Harbor (in San Pedro), on a sailboat, in the 70s. It was as the author paints it.

I was left with a sense of acceptance, new possibilities despite great odds, and a re-discovery of the concept of "home". It's a cautionary tale we can all relate to. And the book also completely revived my childhood love for goats. I highly recommend it. (http://www.thehouseofsixdoors.com )

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

For starters, let me say this isn't a Christian novel. I found the mother and grandmother's superstitions quite intriguing, if not a bit disconcerting at times. The House of Six Doors is a coming of age story and is truly hard to put down. I just wanted to keep reading until I finished the book. I liked the part early on where they traveled through Tombstone, Arizona in 1972 looking for ghosts because it was labeled a ghost town at the time. I found that funny - I live near Tombstone, so that was a plus for me.

I was intrigued by how they survived at first and how they sacrificed to help each other, sometimes to their detriment. The mother's manipulation and her guilt inducing behavior is not uncommon in families. It was intense at times and the way the author showed the negative impact on the daughters was powerful. The story really picked up for me and grabbed my heart when Serena met Sandu. Their story was beautiful and heartbreaking. I loved the occasional flashbacks where Serena remembered things from the past (before she went to live in California) that made up who she was. I found Serena to be a strong and wise girl in then end even though she started out fearful and insecure as a young teenager. Her struggles to fit in and make friends in a country where she didn't read and write English was well done. I loved the illustration of her life and how it matched the strangler-fig tree. Her older sister gave her perspective when she needed it most and her Oma provided her with the encouragement she needed to mature over time. Everyone needs an Oma in their lives who makes sense of the world and loves you regardless.

I found the ending bittersweet and yet empowering. Serena did find her place in the world and it was rewarding to see her grow once she decided to make something of her life. She did the right thing in many situations despite the obstacles she came up against. I disagreed with how she dealt with several things early on, but the author did a wonderful job of showing her intense pain and fear. She was only fifteen and felt desperate and she grieved with Sandu because it was not something that could be easily healed or taken back. I don't agree with the religious beliefs of the people in the book - like the souls and spirits reentering people and reincarnating, etc., but I still found this novel intriguing. I loved reading about their culture and how they saw the world.

Bottom line... I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to people who aren't squeamish about reading stories that involve superstitious beliefs -- knowing that is not a Christian book. Some stuff was sadly funny like the get rich quick schemes that existed back in the 1970s. I remember some of them and since I grew up in the 70s and 80s I found some of the descriptions nostalgia-inducing. There are a lot of things that can be learned from this story, and for that reason I enjoyed it. This novel made me think about life, and I cared about the characters. That always makes for a powerful read, in my opinion. Your emotions will get involved while reading this story. The book was very well written, too, and makes you think about all of the things in your life and in the past that make up who you are today.

[Guilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For eleven years, ever since I came--by accident--to live in Curaçao, I've been looking for books about this island's rich history and people. And for eleven years I found nothing. There's plenty in Dutch or Papiamentu, neither of which I read, and even if I did, most of it is non-fiction, drab and clinical, that doesn't come close to doing this magical, surreal place justice.

And then I found Patricia Selbert's House of Six Doors. The book has flaws--it is, after all, a debut novel--but richness of setting isn't one of them. Neither is emotional charge, which comes across clear and sharp, without drama, without falling into maudlin o-woe-is-me. I teared up twice, the second time uncontrollably (yeah, near the end). But I laughed, too. And I learned so much about this place I've called home for over a decade.

Patricia's knack for narrative touches a nerve at the same time ubiquitous in today's world and, strangely, seldom mentioned: the multicultural personality. In our current, globalized, reality, multiculturality is the new normal--mixed-race families, migration, children growing up in cultures diametrically different than their parents', the cultural exchange that border-breaching technology makes possible. And yet we continue to focus on "race"--skin color, place of birth--to define each other, and ourselves. And we continue to ignore the impact of culture--especially multiculture.

Serena, the book's protagonist and narrator, is light-skinned, which, in skin-color-über-sensitive Curaçao, awards her a special place in society. She's the one child that gets taken to visit her father's family on Sundays--but this family, Netherlands-born Dutch, reject her with cruel pettiness. Her mother, see, comes from a mixed-race family: Arawak native, black slave, Portuguese. Serena's life revolves around Oma, her maternal grandmother: a tall, sculptural black woman with eyes that shine like a meteor shower in the night sky. When Serena's mother takes her and her sister to the US, in search of the American Dream, it's Oma that Serena misses above all. She finds little to like in this new country, so hostile to the three women--but it is here, amidst tragedy, poverty, and heartbreak, that she discovers not only herself, but the depth and breadth of her cultural--multicultural--roots.

This is a story that will resonate with every immigrant, whether from Curaçao or Timbuktu. It has everything: a mother-daughter relationship that crackles with tension and betrayal, a yearning for what was--the childhood we've all lost, a discovery of what it means to grow up and let go, and--perhaps above all--the realization that nothing, and no one, we love is ever truly lost. It's a beautiful, beautiful book.

[Stephen]

It's strange that a book like this, a young adult novel centered on a female character, would resonate with me, seeing as I am just a teenage guy, but this really was a great book! I enjoyed reading it, and that's saying a lot because I can never finish a book.

I really loved the parts about Serena and her sister learning how to grow up and function in the new culture they found in Los Angeles.

I hope other young guys will give this book a shot because it was really great!

[Chris Ligrano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic read. I really enjoyed the more humorous parts when Serena and her sister got into some sticky situations. I felt like I was able to get a sneak peek into the mind of a young girl, how she felt in her first relationship, and what it was like to move to a foreign country. I definitely recommend this novel to anyone interested in understanding women a little bit more.

[Lynn Lumayag-Bardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply put, its EXCELLENT! All immigrants can relate to the story. An immigrant like me, i completely understand the hardships of moving to the US. The culture-shock, the challenge of amalgamation among other things. I truly enjoyed reading this book and i recommend it.

[Michelle Khzouz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Godreads for this copy! Beautifully written story that speaks to the heart of mother-daughter relationships, immigration, coming of age and finding oneself. Enjoy!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Patricia Selbert's The House of Six Doors, I stepped out of my comfort zone when it comes to books considerably, and thankfully enough it was well worth the risk. Because The House of Six Doors is not only unique but also full of great messages and plenty of vivid descriptions to keep nearly any reader intrigued as well.

The House of Six Doors begins the day Serena and her mother and sister land in the beautiful and vast America, the land of promise and success. Serena is not too happy with the move because not only has she left her beautiful Curaçao behind but her beloved grandmother as well. However, Serena's mother promises her a life of luxury so she goes. At first, everything goes horribly. The people at the airport treat them with little kindness. Her mother loses her cool more than once, and their first house quickly becomes their car as they make the trek from Florida to California on the search for happiness. After a while, everything begins to go better. Serena makes a good friend named Sandu who maybe could be something more. However, at the same time, her mother and sister are slowly falling apart. After a traumatic event leaves everything askew, Serena begins to question everything in her world, such as what is love, and when have you gone too far for a person you love, and what does happiness truly mean- money or the people who make you that way? Will Serena ever find her place in this crazy, crazy world? Only time and more pages will tell in this richly told coming-of-age tale from Patricia Selbert.

The thing I adored the most about The House of Six Doors was the setting. From the sunny and richly described Curaçao to the glamorous and sultry California, plenty of descriptions were given that never failed to take me to the place described. I simply loved finding out more about Curaçao and Serena’s childhood there as well as Serena’s coming-of-age in California.

In addition, talking about Serena, I adored her character as well! I warmed up to Serena quite easily because she truly is the definition of a scared and lonely child who does not know who or what she wants in life. Patricia did such a great job of giving her regular problems associated with not only teens but also people who come from different countries to a new one, and I feel most will be able to relate to her desire and need to fit in. Better yet, I enjoyed the different relationships that took up places in The House of Six Doors between not only sisters and mothers-and-daughters but romantic ones as well. Because not only did they bring up some great and common questions within Serena, but also it was always interesting to see how Serena dealt with each problem that came with them.

The one thing I was not too pleased about in The House of Six Doors was the overall plot. It was often slow moving in the beginning and middle. While it did speed up towards the end, I was still left with the feeling of wanting more. However, the characters and setting details over shadowed this minor flaw greatly.

Full of emotions, rich settings, and a main character whom you cannot help but root for, The House of Six Doors is the perfect read for older fans of YA.

Grade: B

[Diana Mcneill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of Six Doors is filled with wisdom and honesty.

The passages when Serena remembers Curacao are winsome, woeful and wonderful at the same time.

The character of Mama is difficult to identify with, however, I did find myself feeling for her, which is the mark of a solid character, and a victory for an author. Even the evilest of villains contain some trace of humanity in them, that is what makes their evilness so compelling, because we can identify with them in some way, even if we are ashamed to admit it. Sometimes our revulsion with a character is more telling about our own shortcomings than a character that we easily identify with.

I loved what this book did for the new nation of Curacao. It painted a romantic portrait of a relatively unknown island that definitely sparked my interest in the culture.

I hope to see more from Selbert in the future. I hope the insights that I gained from reading this novel can be shared by all.

[Erika Romer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely journey to the Caribbean island of Curacao. Selbert weaves the present and past together beautiful, creating a mesmerizing experience. The nuggets of wisdom we are left with are precious.

[Royal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The House of Six Doors details Serena’s journey immigrating from Curacao to LA with her frenetic yet ambitious mother and her sister, Henrika, leaving two of their siblings and their father behind.

I picked up this book to learn more about Curacaoan culture while on vacation in Curacao. Having lived in LA, I thought that this book did a great job of providing a snapshot of LA during the 70s/80s. While I think all of the descriptions of LA and Curacao are pretty on the mark, the narrator Serena is only 14 throughout most of the book. Therefore, the prose is too simple as Serena does not understand or provide any critical thinking to what is happening in the story and just accepts everything at face value. She also narrates at a grade/middle-grade level using very simple sentence structure, which was partially attributed to her difficulty in learning a new language. In fact, she doesn’t bother asking for help learning English despite failing a lot of her classes all throughout high school, which I thought was strange as I would think most teachers would reach out, call home or addressed this in a parent-teacher conference or something.

Yet there are so many gratuitous, sexually explicit scenes with her adult boyfriend, which I found deeply disturbing because she clearly did not possess the maturity to continually engage in this relationship. I was tempted to DNF as soon as the sex stuff was mentioned and wish I did because it just kept getting worse and worse. The prose is also written at a grade/middle-grade level yet there are adult themes, so not sure who this book is for. Much of the book focuses on this obsessive and inappropriate relationship and the more interesting points of multiculturalism and immigration get sidelined.

Serena’s mother is also a textbook narcissist and displays many unfortunate instances of elitism and racism despite experiencing racism herself. This is fine characterization that I actually found relatable, but I felt there was a missed opportunity in drawing some conclusions about colonialism, imperialism, and how those locked ideals still affect immigrants in a new country. Her mother ends up being the source of most of the family’s problems by the end, and it’s a shame the book left so many open ends with the other family members. Overall, I think there are some familiar themes about immigrating to a new country, but everything is kept at surface level.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching, emotionally rich coming-of-age story. My wife and I recently visited Curaçao for our first time. We spent two weeks exploring the island with zeal, and fell in love with it -- blemishes and all. I started reading this novel on our flight home, and have been making my way through it slowly in the weeks since. So many of its references sustained memories that might otherwise have faded. I dread the future in which I will inevitably have forgotten so much of the life I've lived, and I hope that weaving literature into my memories of this Caribbean island will help keep some of my fond memories intact. The fact that Curaçao is portrayed here mostly in the context of the heroine's own fond memories makes it all the more appropriate as an after-visit read.

I responded to the story itself in part because I've read relatively few coming-of-age stories, especially from the perspective of a teenage girl, and I suspect that much of what felt fresh to me might feel less so to others more familiar with the genre. To a friend who is in the midst of their own expat challenges, or who also loves Curaçao, I would recommend it without hesitation. I also feel like the book does a good job of portraying a character who comes to grip with her own mistakes-of-youth in a way that is ultimately wise, self-aware, and on the path to maturity. I was engaged throughout, and came away feeling like it was time well spent.

[Boni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice cultural look at Curacao and the challenges of immigrants into America. Enjoyed the depiction of Los Angeles and growing up in 70's, as I'm of that age group, and also lived in those cozy, yet so-foreign neighborhoods when I moved to LA in my 20's. Though my move was just from Canada, it still resounded as I could relate to the author's preconceptions, which were well told. Excited to visit Curacao now and talk with the natives, with its Dutch and native cultures melded together... maybe seek out a palm reading while I'm there ;o)

[Rebecca Shtasel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book while I was lucky enough to be on holiday in Curacao. It was a good accompaniment, giving me the background to where I was, while also providing a compelling story. This is a visceral account of living with a difficult and narcissistic mother while also trying to grow up in a new country. I found it hard to read at times but I'm glad I did - especially for the descriptions of life on Curacao.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book to read on a weeklong vacation to Curaçao. I really enjoyed it! It had wonderful glimpses into the local culture and many of the descriptions of Willemstad and the island flora and fauna are exactly how it looks today. The story was engrossing and really shows how hard it is for people trying to make a new life in the US.

[Casey AE · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Curaçao read for Reading South America. A fictionalized memoir of the author’s childhood in both Curaçao and America in the 1970s. Selbert showed her pride and nostalgia for the life and people she left in Curaçao, and the hard journey to independence and success she faced in America.

[szreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting story! I wish it was more widely published.

It is definitely autobiographical but also fits coming of age.

Notes:
-Childlike naivety
-Spiritual
-Mother is erratic
- Uncomfortable scenes (drugs, underage sex with an adult)

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be very interesting. But I am biased because I live on Curacao. The writing is not sophisticated, but I assume that English is not Patricia Selbert's first language, probably not even her second. And the writing is not bad. The grammar and spelling is fine, it is just simplistic. But the narrator is also a young teenager. It is about Mama and two of her daughters, Hendrika and Serena. They follow their mother's whim to Miami and then across the U.S. to California. I am originally from California so for me the book was documenting the two places I have lived in my life. I was drawn into the book as the story progressed. I felt the story became stronger. My first criticism was that with Serena's flashbacks of Curacao it felt like too much of Curacaoan culture and heritage was being crammed into this girl's experience. But it seemed to flow more naturally as the story progressed. Ultimately, this is a book like so many of it's genre: a family of immigrants come to the United States with hopes of a prosperous future. They have their trials and their successes. They meet people who help and those who frustrate their progress. One thing I liked a lot was that Mama was one of the biggest sources of frustration. It showed that immigrants have internal as well as external problems that need to be solved. It is not all about a non-welcoming new culture. As for Serena, it is not so much about her becoming American as it is about her defining her own role in life based on a culmination of Curacaoan and American ideals.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with the beginning of this book. I could not relate to the character of Mama in any way and I felt so bad for Serena that she and her sister were forced here and there as Mama searched for a way to be successful. I wasn't bothered by the portrayal of the immigrant who didn't understand how things worked in the United States as much as Mama's reaction to finding out that things were not the way she thought they should be. She was so loud and harsh, insisting that she was right and everyone else was wrong. Her attitude drove away so many of the friends who could have helped make the journey easier.

The best part of the book for me was not the time in the United States at all but instead Serena's memories of Curacao. These memories, especially the ones of Oma, comforted Serena during the difficult times with her mother. They brought the island color into an otherwise drab existence. Selbert moves between the present in the United States and the memories of Curacao with ease.

One final difficulty that I had with this book was that it was way too easy to see what was coming. Events were not foreshadowed as much as they were spelled out. I think that lessened the impact of the event when it actually happened.

The overall story was interesting once I moved beyond my dislike of Mama and tried to focus on Serena. Selbert packs a lot of issues into this book so it was a heavier read than I was expecting.

[Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House Of Six Doors is a wonderful story about coming of age in an unknown country. Patricia Selbert managed to incorporate all the insecurities and fears of every teenager but also of someone new to the US and the sense of wonder that they feel.

Serena has no clue what to expect when she arrives in the US with her mother and her sister, Hendrika. All she really knows is that life is going to be different, hopefully better. Things aren't as easy as expected though and life is difficult. School, family, friends, and first love all throw curveballs Serena's way and she must learn to face the difficulties head on and learn to stand on her own two feet.

One of the most unique aspects of The House Of Six Doors is the time length it covers. It's not just months, it's years. You see Serena as a young teenager at the beginning but by the end she is a young woman. I liked seeing exactly how she changed over the years and how each event shaped who she became.

The plot was good but a bit slow at times. There was a lot going on in the book but some things just seemed to drag. I felt like I would have been okay with a bit less detail at times.

Overall, The House Of Six Doors is a great book. There is some sexual content though so I would recommend this one for older teens. Otherwise I think it's a wonderful story that I think everyone can relate to.

[Alvely · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, wonderful book! I began reading this book as my escape from my grad school readings and was not able to put it down. I can definitely relate to Serena's and her family's struggle as immigrants in this country as my family experienced that as well.

But it was her maturity and relationship with her grandmother that made me fall deeper in love with her character and her situation. Like Serena did at some point in the book, I also felt that it was unfair for my parents to take me away from everything I knew in my birth country.

This is an easy book to read and one that offers a different perspective on what it is to be an immigrant in this country.

[Maria Esther Estrada MA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es una historia autobiográfica. Una niña nacida en Curacao, una de las islas holandesas en el Caribe, emigra con su madre y su hermana a los Estados Unidos en busca de una "nueva vida". Sus inicios en ese país fueron muy difíciles para las tres: pobreza, discriminación, drogas y sexo son factores que afectan sus primeros años.

Lo que más me gustó, y por lo que compré originalmente el libro, fueron sus recuerdos de Curacao, de su abuela, de su familia extendida. Las tradiciones de las familias de origen judío, de las indígenas y de las de ascendencia holandesa.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story telling. I was captivated from beginning to end. This is a fascinating story of survival, in spite of a crazy mother, in an unknown world. I especially liked the steady and compassionate, voice of our heroine Serena, with no residual of bitterness or shame. Serena is truly a tween in every sense of the word; age, nationality, family, cultures, language and her own desires. This story was meant for film.

[Annie McElfresh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't the typical kind of book I read, but I was pulled in by the story. The plot unfolded slowly and you really got to know the characters well. The character and setting details were suburb. I felt like I was really in their world. Serena's struggle to deal with the relationships in her lofe is what kept me hooked in and kept me wanting more.



I would suggest this for older YA fans!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book to learn more about Curacao, it's history, culture and customs. It delivered. But this is more a coming of age book. Told from the view point of 13year old Serena, who desperately needs to feel love and acceptance. She and her older sister follow her mother across the US looking for the American dream. It proves illusive, until Serena finds that the love and acceptance she needed was inside her self all along.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my book review blog Rundpinne..."Selbert takes on many big issues and blends them together exceedingly well to create a very endearing and inspiring story."...The full review may be read here.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really like any of the characters, but surprisingly I liked the book anyway. The author does a good job of comparing her life in Curacao with the US, ethnic identity, and intergenerational tension.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for the Just For Fun Challenge which encourages reading one book that has been on the TBR shelf for a long time and without doing a review. I still rated this book though and I loved it.

[Francine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curacao mother and two daughters move from Curacao to LA for a better life. The story is told by the younger daughter Serena and compares the two cultures. a bit slow at the beginning, but gets better. more of a YA book