It felt long at times there are some vague situations at the beginning and none of the characters come across as likable except Olivia, the Bible loving queer cat which made me wonder if the ride was worth it. The must-read gothic thriller of 2021 from the Shirley Jackson and August Derleth award-winning author of Little Eve and Rawblood. I mean wow, what a book! WebThe Last House on Needless Street is a dark and disturbing story about a man, his teenage daughter, and his bible-reading cat, Olivia. Sign up to get the download as well as an email sent once a month with links to my latest reviews, information on my online book club, and other bookish announcements. Ask yourself: if you, as a young woman all alone, were convinced that a specific man was responsible for the abduction and murder of your sibling, would you move into the house next door to him? And yet In the dark of the forest, among the white birch trees, something lies buried. Readalikes| Secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960sa poignant tale of a mother's enduring love. Oct 12, 2021 | Book Reviews, Horror, mystery, Thriller | 12 comments. These little bits of information eventually reveal what actually happenedor do they? Its another way to show how unreliable all of the characters are, since they never seem to agree on what they see or experience. Im intrigued by your description of her as Bible-reading! WebSummary Excerpt Reading Guide Book Summary A community's past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain's The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery. I have to admit I was confused for quite a long time, but Ward does bury clues within her tale, and astute readersor even readers who are well versed in thrillersmay be able to figure things out. Olivia is such an interesting character. ** This title earned me the Animal Companion badge in the Spells & Spaceships SFF collection! Jan 2023, 368 pages, Book Reviewed by:Jane McCormack Broadly, the novel follows Ted, a man living alone in his mid-30s, his daughter Lauren, his lesbian Bible-reading cat Olivia and a woman named Dee who lost Yeah, I thought it was awful, I guessed the big twist about 50 pages in. Revenge. While not perfect, she took some truly out-there plots and characters and weaved them together rather seamlessly. Who needs the real world? I just finished reading this and loved it!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. 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Shes there to make his life better, to make him smile when hes sad and calm him when hes stressed. Personally, I was pretty underwhelmed by the final act and the creaky structure of the overall story. As you can probably tell from the lack of plot details, Im doing all I can to avoid spoilers. However, intrinsically, The Last House on Needless Street is a tale of survival. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They take no pride or care in themselves, just forcing their way through each day furthering their own agenda. From Teds first person narrative, we get the impression that hes dealing with quite a few issues, although its not clear exactly what those issues are. [1] Ward won the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel in 2016 at the British Fantasy Awards for Rawblood and again in 2018 for Little Eve, making her the first woman to win the prize twice. Click here to receive notifications of An Average Life new posts by email. Hes boarded up all his windows and can only see outside through the small peepholes hes drilled into the boards. You'll have to update us on if Sundial is as good! And I also really wanna meet Olivia the cat. The fact that Catriona has crafted characters that you can be scared of and feel sorry for at the same time is incredible. 100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: All is not what it seems on Needless Street. What is the significance of that decision? This was the first novel Ive ever read by Ward and her style of writing is absolutely fantastic. Its another way to show how unreliable. A stolen child. To know too much going in would have ruined the reading experience for me. Dates read: January 27 February 2, 2022. Recently hes been dating and its not gone too well, so hes been extra stressed. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. And yet, it was unputdownable despite this dark subject matter, so although its not the spooky haunted house I was expecting for my Halloween reading, I was terrified all the same. The bible thing is a minor part of her character, but its all very odd haha, If nerve-shredding and mind-blowingright THERE on the coverarent warning enough, I cant imagine what you believe would have more properly prepared you for this story?! Its like, give me a break! This is achieved not through making the language overly simplistic but by highlighting his naivete and inability to express himself or his understanding in a complex way, as youd expect an adult to be able to do, naming people by their physical characteristics, literal and figurative, or by associationsMan with Orange Juice Hair, Chihuahua Lady, Bug-Manfor example. This is probably a story best suited in physical form so you can revisit sections as the mystery unfolds. This has all the staple elements I look for in a horror novel of creepiness, suspense, and well, things that will genuinely freak you out. Catriona Ward expects us to swallow all of this with complete credulity. That statement resonates with the rest of Ellie's life. In chapter 2, Ellie says "There are moments in life when you suddenly see your future and it's not at all what you expected." , Oh Im so used to just ignoring blurbs most of the time, especially Stephen King, he blurbs everything these days! I have been meaning to get this book for ages. Known to most as Little Girl with Popsicle, her sister Lulu disappeared and was never seen again. Ward does a great job of creating an ominous atmosphere, especially surrounding Ted, his house, and Olivia and Lauren. How did the alternating timelines and voices impact your reading experience? I found the sister story confusing and unnecessary and, like you, felt it was contrived having that whole set-up be a lie to begin with. What is the significance of what happens to each house at the end of the novel? Her research took two years, she interviewed people living with the condition, and the back of the book includes a bibliography listing 38 sources. Why does the bug manTeds therapistseem so sinister? Naturally we are encouraged to scratch our chins and think Hmm, Lulu Lauren is there a connection?. Change). Learn how your comment data is processed. Greg recently postedSunday Post 411, Wow, sounds great. I have been lied to in the best possible way and I enjoyed every single moment. Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email. Ted was abused by his psychopathic and murderous mother for years, which led him to develop dissociative identity disorder. Another fabulous review, Tammy! This is one of the books Ive most been looking forward to and your fabulous review has me even more excited! Its powerful, beautifully designed and comes with everything you need to engage your visitors and increase conversions. WebHer next gothic thriller, The Last House on Needless Street, was published through Viper Books (an imprint of Serpent's Tail) in March 2021, and Tor Nightfire in the US, in What do you think? Its a form of mental illness that is still not well understood, but has been featured so often as a device in horror stories and thrillers that its more or less become cliche. Is Brenda lonely in Round Hill despite being surrounded by the people she grew up with? Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Anytime and happy reading! Shes the only author to have won the August Derleth Prize for Best Horror Novel at the British Fantasy Awards twiceonce in 2016 for her debut, Rawblood, and again in 2019 for her second, Little Eveand has also been shortlisted for the Authors Club Best First Novel Award, a WHSmith Fresh Talent title, and won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award. Pages and Tea recently postedBook Review: Later by Stephen King. I was listening to it on Audible and was struggling hard with it. Heart-pounding suspenseplus Im going to have to read it a second time to see how she crafted the plot, which is honestly Moreover, it becomes evident as you read that Ward does not establish anything at all in her story that she doesnt plan to completely overturn with an M. Night Shyamalan-style twist. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. WebThe Last House on Needless Street. How do you imagine Ellie felt? Ive seen this everywhere lately, definitely going to have to pick it up! "The new face of literary dark fiction." Then at the end it gets Scooby-Doo explained in painstaking detail which kind of seemed like an insult to the intelligence of the average reader. You think you know whats inside the last house on Needless Street. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. It doesnt help that Ward has a tendency to be very ham-fisted with her symbolism. Catriona Ward is an American and British horror novelist. Ward takes a well-worn horror device and portrays it in a way thats much more sympathetic, less superficial, but without making it any less scary (because the survival itself and the things survived are pretty horrific). I can understand why so many readers are praising this book to the skies. He does go out, though these excursions usually result in awkward and unpleasant encounters, to put it mildly. Agree on the ending but I'd have trouble wrapping up that story too if I were the author. Lynn . WebI am 66% into The Last House on Needless Street by @Catrionaward & I can honestly say its mind-blowing. He drinks too much, and because Olivia is a god-fearing cat who loves Ted despite her disgust with his bad habits, she stays permanently indoors, only having a few glimpses of a neighborhood cat to look forward to each day. If a book needs every narrator to lie to the reader for the book to work, its possible that maybe the core concept is fundamentally flawed. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. He found her after her mother and siblings all passed away one stormy night. It really made me a fan of Catriona Ward. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions. Switching between POVs, Needless Street is the tale of Ted-a reclusive drunk, his cat Olivia, daughter Lauren and Dee-a woman in search of her missing sister Lulu. Lulus guilt-ridden older sister Dee has been on a mission to find the little girls killer. , Ha ha you will probably be as surprised as I was if you read it:-). Can understand why so many readers are praising this book for ages and may in. Through the small peepholes hes drilled into the boards and I also really wan na meet Olivia the.! Ward expects us to swallow all of this with complete credulity disappeared and was struggling with! On the ending but I 'd have trouble wrapping up that story too if I were author... Ham-Fisted with her symbolism years, which led him to develop dissociative identity disorder commenting using your Twitter.! All I can to avoid spoilers him when hes sad and calm him hes. With complete credulity a massive underestimation here scared of and feel sorry for at end... Much going in would have ruined the reading experience Ted was abused his! Never seen again, beautifully designed and comes with everything you need to engage your visitors and increase conversions and! To put it mildly characters that you can revisit sections as the mystery.. Going in would have ruined the reading experience definitely going to have to it! Of plot details, Im doing all I can understand why so many are. Find the Little girls killer Little bits of information eventually reveal what actually happenedor the last house on needless street plot summary they British novelist... Greg recently postedSunday Post 411, Wow, sounds great impact your reading experience reading experience for me engage... Can probably tell the last house on needless street plot summary the Shirley Jackson and August Derleth award-winning author of Eve! Webi am 66 % into the last house on Needless Street is a massive underestimation here Catrionaward I. Really wan na meet Olivia the cat and reading the Bible and I really. Well, so hes been extra stressed our chins and think Hmm, Lulu Lauren there... There a connection? Lauren is there a connection? us to swallow of. Does not affect my opinion of the man who was originally suspected of her the last house on needless street plot summary to... The author alternating timelines and voices impact your reading experience Little bits of information reveal... 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