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jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
A determination to not be a victim of the circumstances she’s become entangled in result in some large life decisions in Jane Steen’s The House of Closed Doors.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
At seventeen years old in a small Midwestern town in 1870, Nell Lillington defies the expected social course of her life, and her stepfather’s wishes, when she stubbornly refuses to entertain the idea of marriage and, in finding that she’s pregnant, refusing to name the father, even though he’s an unmarried man. In an effort to protect reputations, namely that of Nell’s stepfather Hiram who has political ambitions, Nell is sent to the Poor Farm where Hiram’s a governor for her confinement and until an adoption for the child can be arranged. Recognizing that this course is her best option to remain near her ailing mother Nell agrees, though she becomes entangled in trying to discover the truth about two newly discovered bodies on the farm, which she believes to be the result of murder. As she asks questions and uncovers bits of the story to form her theory about who the culprit is, she becomes resolved to keep her child, but with what she knows she worries about where she could possibly run to and be safe.
Easy to read, this story works to pack a lot within the short chapters of a tale that is familiar in the basic premises, which have been frequently explored in other variants of this story type. For all the events and revelations that take place throughout Nell’s period of social deviation there is a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief required, particularly for Nell to have fared as well as she did socially in these circumstances with limited support in her endeavors, though the text is generally well-written. While Nell’s determination to not be submissive to a husband and her desire to have a useful occupation is on par with characters seen contemporarily, she’d have been considered an anomaly for the time period and social status she’s meant to portray. Though this helps to set her character apart from a “standard” woman, there’s not much satisfying depth behind it as there’s not much contrast provided through either other women of her standing or her previous behavior; however, the basic character development of Nell and her friends, namely Tess and Martin, were entertaining to watch unfold as the story progressed.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
At seventeen years old in a small Midwestern town in 1870, Nell Lillington defies the expected social course of her life, and her stepfather’s wishes, when she stubbornly refuses to entertain the idea of marriage and, in finding that she’s pregnant, refusing to name the father, even though he’s an unmarried man. In an effort to protect reputations, namely that of Nell’s stepfather Hiram who has political ambitions, Nell is sent to the Poor Farm where Hiram’s a governor for her confinement and until an adoption for the child can be arranged. Recognizing that this course is her best option to remain near her ailing mother Nell agrees, though she becomes entangled in trying to discover the truth about two newly discovered bodies on the farm, which she believes to be the result of murder. As she asks questions and uncovers bits of the story to form her theory about who the culprit is, she becomes resolved to keep her child, but with what she knows she worries about where she could possibly run to and be safe.
Easy to read, this story works to pack a lot within the short chapters of a tale that is familiar in the basic premises, which have been frequently explored in other variants of this story type. For all the events and revelations that take place throughout Nell’s period of social deviation there is a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief required, particularly for Nell to have fared as well as she did socially in these circumstances with limited support in her endeavors, though the text is generally well-written. While Nell’s determination to not be submissive to a husband and her desire to have a useful occupation is on par with characters seen contemporarily, she’d have been considered an anomaly for the time period and social status she’s meant to portray. Though this helps to set her character apart from a “standard” woman, there’s not much satisfying depth behind it as there’s not much contrast provided through either other women of her standing or her previous behavior; however, the basic character development of Nell and her friends, namely Tess and Martin, were entertaining to watch unfold as the story progressed.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
evieofthestars's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
reginas_books's review
2.0
There wasn't anything wrong with the writing or the general story. It simply wasn't that exciting and I didn't find it very believable either. Sigh.
Side note, this title feels so misleading - just not the same vibe as the story.
Side note, this title feels so misleading - just not the same vibe as the story.
bluhorseamy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
berenikeasteria's review
4.0
Full disclosure: The author was an online friend of mine on GoodReads before this book was written. She did not ask me to read her novel – I purchased it and read it off my own initiative.
I readily admit that 1870s United States of America is not a time period I’ve ever read about before, and I might not have chosen it as reading material, simply because I’m much more interested in ancient and medieval history. But I’m glad I read The House of Closed Doors. A good author is marked by a skill to make even topics that we might find not to our tastes interesting and exciting. As far as excitement goes, The House of Closed Doors is not exactly a high-octane thriller, and more of a slow-burning mystery unraveller. The mystery unspools on a carefully measured timescale which I found to be judged just right – I was given just enough to feel satisfied but enough remained unresolved to prompt me into Just Another Chapter syndrome.
I really wouldn’t have thought I’d be interested in the story, based on the blurb – young and pregnant Nell Lillington stumbles across a mystery at the Poor Farm – but the author made me invested in Nell, and combined with the pacing of the plot I really wanted to find out where the mystery would go and what would happen to Nell. I must admit, I guessed the big secret behind the mystery strand fairly quickly after that plotline comes into play, but it’s not glaringly obvious – I just had a gut instinct about it.
What did surprise me was that the uncovering of the mystery part ended when it did. My usual expectations for the pacing of a mystery plot is that the big reveal plus confrontation forms the climax near the end, with a little left over for the aftermath and wrapping up of loose ends. In The House of Closed Doors the big reveal occurs sooner, and then there is another build up towards the confrontation. I wasn’t too sure about the post-confrontation part of the novel. I almost felt like there was too much aftermath, like in The Return of the King film adaptation when there are several points where an ending felt appropriate but it goes on to another aftermath scene.
The House of Closed Doors felt like it had quite a small cast of characters, and usually I’m a fan of larger character casts since they give a story more realistic epic scope – if done well, though if done poorly large casts can end up in a mass of indistinguishable interchangeable names. The small character cast felt right for the story that was being told here however. It isn’t a grand story of historic events enacted by history’s movers and shakers. It’s a story of key events in one individual’s life, and the small circle of people close to her. We didn’t need to know about the rest of Victory’s residents, or anything beyond the minimum necessary about the Poor Farm’s other inhabitants.
Overall, what I like most about the novel is that all of these choices regarding pacing, characters, the reveal of the mystery and the insular ambience of the story, feel like they are carefully and deliberately made, and that’s how the novel reads – fluid, tempered, and very readable. It reminds me a little of Jane Austen; a small town insular story, yes, but executed with such neat precision and thoughtful writing that it has a charm all its own.
7.5 out of 10
meh_itry's review against another edition
I honestly couldn't get into it. I've been stuck in the same spot for around a week.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
crystalstarrlight's review
4.0
"Even a lie told for a good purpose has a way of perpetuating itself, doesn't it?"
A woman living in the 1870's doesn't have a lot of options for a career, but becoming pregnant and not being married is even worse. This is the situation that Eleanor "Nell" Lillington finds herself in. When she refuses to disclose the father (not wanting to be married), her father sends her to a Poor Farm where she is to give birth to the child and eventually give the child up for adoption. But the discovery of a double murder along with the people she interacts with daily has a great effect on Nell and forces her to do some serious growing up.
NOTE: I received a free version of this from the author, who happens to be a Goodreads friend of mine.
Some of the first books I remember my mother reading to me were the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories. I adored Laura Ingalls Wilder; I probably read each book several times by myself, once I "outgrew" my mom reading to me. And I also read many of the books based on the events after Laura's own books (such as the Rose Wilder series).
While I am probably more of a science fiction/fantasy girl, I still enjoy reading a nice historical. And this book, while a bit out of my historical fiction range (I typically like ancient historicals) sounded pretty interesting. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this novel.
First off, I was greatly impressed with the writing. I've heard horror stories of self-published authors' works, how they are barely or sloppily edited, with grammar and spelling mistakes galore. Not so here.I think I found only two formatting issues, and I saw absolutely no glaring grammar and spelling mistakes. Not to mention, the story has a great flow to it. Nell has a crisp, clean voice (thank God for the use of First Person Past! I am so sick of First Person Present!) that balances between sounding old-fashioned without the challenge that modern readers may have in reading it.
The characters were vivid and realistic. I wasn't necessarily a fan of Nell in the beginning, but I really did like how she grew throughout the novel. By the end, she has definitely been changed; she is becoming an independent woman like she wanted, but is also learning how to be responsible. I was impressed with Tess' character; she is one of the "feeble-minded" (that is, she has Down's Syndrome), but she is not one of those wise, squeaky-clean, perfect little "children" that I've seen in many other media. Tess makes mistakes; at one point, she procures alcohol via shady means to get information out of someone. I also appreciated how she didn't act superior or pious or made Nell realize how good Nell had it. Tess was a character, flawed and multi-dimensioned.
In the beginning, I kinda rolled my eyes at Martin. I was thinking, "A guy that isn't interested in women? How likely would that be?" But I told myself to shut up and ride it through; in the end, Martin becomes a lot more interesting as well. (Furthermore--and this is assuming that Martin is gay--homosexuality is not something that just popped out of the ground in the 20th century--we've only been (somewhat) more open of the practice and (sometimes) less judgmental now, so that people don't have to hide their sexuality anymore.)
Other characters were pretty well-done. Mama seemed like a sweet, flawed woman. Hiram felt a bit Evil Villain at times. Mrs. Lombardi was a great mentor to Nell (loved to see more women than just our female protagonist!). I wasn't so fond of Tilly and the "loose" women, as they seemed to be a little catty. Not saying that women aren't like that, just that it felt a bit much.
The story itself was really interesting. It has been awhile since I read a book set in this time period ("Gone with the Wind" was probably the last one), so I liked the setting. Nell strikes a good balance of being time appropriate and wanting her independence. I liked seeing Nell grow up, to feel the Victory surroundings (not enough books are set in the Mid-West!), and to experience the aftermath of the Chicago Fire (definitely will be doing some more research on that!!).
If I had one complaint, though, it would be that I wish this book were longer. There were several scenes that ended up being glossed over that I would have loved to see more of. A few that I really would have loved to see: more scenes of Nell living in the Poor Farm (especially more of her first few days living there and the adjustment to the new life) and more scenes with the "inmates" (Tess, Lizzie, even Tilly). I had almost expected a slower pace, like "Gone with the Wind", and I think showing more of what Nell is living through (like the "lazy pace" of GWTW) would have been awesome.
A few minor nitpicks: I was a little surprised at how quickly the murder plot was resolved; it was well-done (I definitely hadn't guessed who the villain is--kudos to Nell for figuring it out soon after I realized it and not running around being an idiot!), but I had expected it to last more of the novel. I also felt that the book could have ended several chapters before it did (somewhat like the multiple endings for "Return of the King"), though I understand why it took as long as it did (there was a lot to wrap up, and I would prefer "dragging it out" to skipping 6 months in the future to have a page wrap up). And lastly, I know I whine about how every book has to have a romance...but in this book, I will admit, I was looking forward to seeing Nell pair off with a nice gentleman. Hopefully in the next book...?
I really had a good time reading this novel, and definitely recommend this to those who grew up on Laura Ingalls Wilder and other historical fiction. Oh, and I hope this comes out in paperback soon, because I will definitely be buying a copy for my mom (who is going to LOVE this!!).
A woman living in the 1870's doesn't have a lot of options for a career, but becoming pregnant and not being married is even worse. This is the situation that Eleanor "Nell" Lillington finds herself in. When she refuses to disclose the father (not wanting to be married), her father sends her to a Poor Farm where she is to give birth to the child and eventually give the child up for adoption. But the discovery of a double murder along with the people she interacts with daily has a great effect on Nell and forces her to do some serious growing up.
NOTE: I received a free version of this from the author, who happens to be a Goodreads friend of mine.
Some of the first books I remember my mother reading to me were the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories. I adored Laura Ingalls Wilder; I probably read each book several times by myself, once I "outgrew" my mom reading to me. And I also read many of the books based on the events after Laura's own books (such as the Rose Wilder series).
While I am probably more of a science fiction/fantasy girl, I still enjoy reading a nice historical. And this book, while a bit out of my historical fiction range (I typically like ancient historicals) sounded pretty interesting. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this novel.
First off, I was greatly impressed with the writing. I've heard horror stories of self-published authors' works, how they are barely or sloppily edited, with grammar and spelling mistakes galore. Not so here.
The characters were vivid and realistic. I wasn't necessarily a fan of Nell in the beginning, but I really did like how she grew throughout the novel. By the end, she has definitely been changed; she is becoming an independent woman like she wanted, but is also learning how to be responsible. I was impressed with Tess' character; she is one of the "feeble-minded" (that is, she has Down's Syndrome), but she is not one of those wise, squeaky-clean, perfect little "children" that I've seen in many other media. Tess makes mistakes; at one point, she procures alcohol via shady means to get information out of someone. I also appreciated how she didn't act superior or pious or made Nell realize how good Nell had it. Tess was a character, flawed and multi-dimensioned.
In the beginning, I kinda rolled my eyes at Martin. I was thinking, "A guy that isn't interested in women? How likely would that be?" But I told myself to shut up and ride it through; in the end, Martin becomes a lot more interesting as well. (Furthermore--and this is assuming that Martin is gay--homosexuality is not something that just popped out of the ground in the 20th century--we've only been (somewhat) more open of the practice and (sometimes) less judgmental now, so that people don't have to hide their sexuality anymore.)
Other characters were pretty well-done. Mama seemed like a sweet, flawed woman. Hiram felt a bit Evil Villain at times. Mrs. Lombardi was a great mentor to Nell (loved to see more women than just our female protagonist!). I wasn't so fond of Tilly and the "loose" women, as they seemed to be a little catty. Not saying that women aren't like that, just that it felt a bit much.
The story itself was really interesting. It has been awhile since I read a book set in this time period ("Gone with the Wind" was probably the last one), so I liked the setting. Nell strikes a good balance of being time appropriate and wanting her independence. I liked seeing Nell grow up, to feel the Victory surroundings (not enough books are set in the Mid-West!), and to experience the aftermath of the Chicago Fire (definitely will be doing some more research on that!!).
If I had one complaint, though, it would be that I wish this book were longer. There were several scenes that ended up being glossed over that I would have loved to see more of. A few that I really would have loved to see: more scenes of Nell living in the Poor Farm (especially more of her first few days living there and the adjustment to the new life) and more scenes with the "inmates" (Tess, Lizzie, even Tilly). I had almost expected a slower pace, like "Gone with the Wind", and I think showing more of what Nell is living through (like the "lazy pace" of GWTW) would have been awesome.
A few minor nitpicks: I was a little surprised at how quickly the murder plot was resolved; it was well-done (I definitely hadn't guessed who the villain is--kudos to Nell for figuring it out soon after I realized it and not running around being an idiot!), but I had expected it to last more of the novel. I also felt that the book could have ended several chapters before it did (somewhat like the multiple endings for "Return of the King"), though I understand why it took as long as it did (there was a lot to wrap up, and I would prefer "dragging it out" to skipping 6 months in the future to have a page wrap up). And lastly, I know I whine about how every book has to have a romance...but in this book, I will admit, I was looking forward to seeing Nell pair off with a nice gentleman. Hopefully in the next book...?
I really had a good time reading this novel, and definitely recommend this to those who grew up on Laura Ingalls Wilder and other historical fiction. Oh, and I hope this comes out in paperback soon, because I will definitely be buying a copy for my mom (who is going to LOVE this!!).
kyliee's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.5
I liked the story of Nelle and her woes, but man oh man this was a slow read.
I often felt like a was sloughing through, instead of becoming fully emerged the way I typically do with an ebook.
While this book ended in a way I’d be happy to leave it at- I’m still kind of curious about a few characters that I think will reemerge in the second book.
I’m torn on whether or not to read it.
I do recommend this book, as this old timey tale is interesting- just be prepared for a slow read.
I often felt like a was sloughing through, instead of becoming fully emerged the way I typically do with an ebook.
While this book ended in a way I’d be happy to leave it at- I’m still kind of curious about a few characters that I think will reemerge in the second book.
I’m torn on whether or not to read it.
I do recommend this book, as this old timey tale is interesting- just be prepared for a slow read.