jagrimm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eleiser's review against another edition
I truly enjoyed this book. I had most of it figured out mid way through, but not all of it!
vmars314's review against another edition
2.0
Just not for me. It would have been a DNF, except I was reading it for my book club.
madlymusing's review against another edition
4.0
To begin with, it's no surprise that I enjoyed this book: I'm a big fan of old houses, dual timelines, and complicated secrets. The House Between Tides delivered on all of these fronts.
I really liked the pacing of this novel. It was a slow burn that pulled you in; probably as slow as it could be without making you bored. My only criticism is the balance of chapters between 1910 and 2010 could have been a bit more even, because at times I felt cheated by both parts of the story.
I loved the characters. Beatrice was a highlight - an Edwardian lady, sympathetic to modern thought (anarchism, unionism, suffrage), but caught in a disappointing marriage that stifles her. Theo was the archetypal mad artist, but as an art historian, I really enjoyed the psychoanalytic detail of raw talent vs mental state vs fashion. James Cameron was a brooding delight with secrets of his own. Even Giles: I liked that he was really a bit of an idiot, and not a bad person. They all had nuance.
I can see from other reviews that Hetty is often seen as being passive and blah, but I disagree. I think she was wonderfully realised: a relatively young woman who has gone through a tremendous amount of grief in a short period, and is a bit numb to the world. This allowed her to be taken advantage of by Giles's good, if utterly selfish, intentions. She'd gotten used to the paralysis of grief but I liked how the author took us on her journey of realising who to listen to, what to do, and most of all, what she wanted. She had a nomadic childhood and was wanting for connection, but didn't know how to recognise it when she found it. I loved her journey.
Overall, it is a quietly dramatic book, and I appreciated how, as the reader, we could see how the threads of different lives across time were intertwining. The Hebridean setting is outstanding and I'm surprised I'm not a little salt-stained after losing myself in their world.
I really liked the pacing of this novel. It was a slow burn that pulled you in; probably as slow as it could be without making you bored. My only criticism is the balance of chapters between 1910 and 2010 could have been a bit more even, because at times I felt cheated by both parts of the story.
I loved the characters. Beatrice was a highlight - an Edwardian lady, sympathetic to modern thought (anarchism, unionism, suffrage), but caught in a disappointing marriage that stifles her. Theo was the archetypal mad artist, but as an art historian, I really enjoyed the psychoanalytic detail of raw talent vs mental state vs fashion. James Cameron was a brooding delight with secrets of his own. Even Giles: I liked that he was really a bit of an idiot, and not a bad person. They all had nuance.
I can see from other reviews that Hetty is often seen as being passive and blah, but I disagree. I think she was wonderfully realised: a relatively young woman who has gone through a tremendous amount of grief in a short period, and is a bit numb to the world. This allowed her to be taken advantage of by Giles's good, if utterly selfish, intentions. She'd gotten used to the paralysis of grief but I liked how the author took us on her journey of realising who to listen to, what to do, and most of all, what she wanted. She had a nomadic childhood and was wanting for connection, but didn't know how to recognise it when she found it. I loved her journey.
Overall, it is a quietly dramatic book, and I appreciated how, as the reader, we could see how the threads of different lives across time were intertwining. The Hebridean setting is outstanding and I'm surprised I'm not a little salt-stained after losing myself in their world.
molexreads's review against another edition
4.0
I will admit it was hard for me to get into the story, and hard to focus at times with the storyline going back and forth, but it did make the story go faster. I did see somethings coming to before they actually happened but towards the end definately didn't see the ending. that being said I think the ending like last 5 chapters were my favorite part of the book!
yers's review against another edition
3.0
Where do I start? My heart ached for all the things left unsaid. If you are interested in reading this book go to the last 100 pages (do not worry, you will not miss anything). The Author spends half of the book describing a dull, unengaging, monotonous landscape while giving small hints into the characters' stories. The problem lies here as the characters are left underdeveloped and almost unlikeable. Beatrice was mediocre without a true motive to appear to be unconventional; Cameron was a walking contradiction between sour and uninspiring; and Theo Blake was grey and unappealing. And Let's not even start with the Modern characters of Hetty, James and Giles. Clearly, the Author wanted to conveyed a love triangle in both timelines but we are only left with silences and awkward moments. In my opinion, this book is not worth re-reading or keeping on your shelves.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
The House Between Tides is a riveting mystery with a dual timeline.Events in the present are directly linked to those in the past and Sarah Maine seamlessly weaves the two story arcs into a very intriguing novel that is quite gripping.
In the present, Hetty Deveraux is finally ready to make a decision about what to do with the ancestral home she inherited from her grandmother. Her boyfriend, Giles, is pushing her to renovate the dilapidated mansion and open a posh hotel, and while the idea has merit, she is still mulling over her options. Upon her arrival, she is stunned to discover the home is literally falling down and possibly beyond repair. Even more shocking, human bones have recently been discovered and it is quickly determined that foul play is the cause of death. Hetty's curiosity is immediately piqued and she begins looking into her family's history in order identify the remains and hopefully unmask the killer.
Hetty has endured several losses in a short span and she has been content to hand over the reins to Giles as she tries to come to terms with her grief. Unbeknownst to Hetty, he has set things in motion to move forward with turning her ancestral home into a lavish hotel. Dismayed by this discovery, she is enchanted by the desolate yet beautiful island and she is enthralled by the family mansion.Hoping the reports that it would literally cost millions to renovate the house are wrong, Hetty is becoming more and more certain she wants to preserve her inheritance instead of turning it into a hotel. Unfortunately, she cannot seem to stand up to Giles and the overly pushy developers whom he hired for the project. While Hetty is a likable and sympathetic protagonist, she is frustratingly passive and unable to stand up for herself for almost the entire novel.
In 1910, Hetty's distant relative and renowned artist Theo Blake relocates to his home on Muirlan Island along with his bride Beatrice. With very few modern comforts, Beatrice is soon entranced with the stark beauty of the island but she is soon dismayed her husband's increasingly fractious relationship with Cameron Forbes, the son of his factor. Beatrice is also frustrated as Theo begins to spend more and more time holed up in his study and less and less time with her. With his mood darkening with each passing day, their fragile marriage begins to crumble and Theo eventually turns into a recluse with the reputation of being a little mad.
Of the two story arcs, Beatrice and Theo's is the most compelling. Beatrice's marriage to the twenty years older artist is typical of the time period, but she is definitely not a shrinking violet who passively lets life happen around her. She comes into her own after their arrival on Muirlan Island and while at first she defers to Theo, she quickly begins to form her own opinions about her husband's treatment of the locals and his unpalatable hobby of killing rare birds for his collection. Beatrice is quite observant as she witnesses Theo's puzzling reaction to Cameron and she draws her own conclusion about the reasons for the growing discord between them. Her attempts to keep the peace are soon marred by her growing dissatisfaction with her marriage, Theo's stubborn refusal to take better care of his tenants and the increasingly volatile arguments between Theo and Cameron.
The House Between Tides is a wonderfully atmospheric novel that is fast-paced and impossible to put down. The characters are richly drawn with realistic strengths and weaknesses. The mystery surrounding the newly discovered bones is fascinating and as the story progresses, the victim list is essentially narrowed down to two people. Sarah Maine does a wonderful job keeping readers guessing right up until the big reveal who was murdered and why. Although the final resolution of the various story arcs is a little convoluted, readers will be satisfied with the novel's conclusion. All in all, an absolutely wonderful debut that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.
In the present, Hetty Deveraux is finally ready to make a decision about what to do with the ancestral home she inherited from her grandmother. Her boyfriend, Giles, is pushing her to renovate the dilapidated mansion and open a posh hotel, and while the idea has merit, she is still mulling over her options. Upon her arrival, she is stunned to discover the home is literally falling down and possibly beyond repair. Even more shocking, human bones have recently been discovered and it is quickly determined that foul play is the cause of death. Hetty's curiosity is immediately piqued and she begins looking into her family's history in order identify the remains and hopefully unmask the killer.
Hetty has endured several losses in a short span and she has been content to hand over the reins to Giles as she tries to come to terms with her grief. Unbeknownst to Hetty, he has set things in motion to move forward with turning her ancestral home into a lavish hotel. Dismayed by this discovery, she is enchanted by the desolate yet beautiful island and she is enthralled by the family mansion.Hoping the reports that it would literally cost millions to renovate the house are wrong, Hetty is becoming more and more certain she wants to preserve her inheritance instead of turning it into a hotel. Unfortunately, she cannot seem to stand up to Giles and the overly pushy developers whom he hired for the project. While Hetty is a likable and sympathetic protagonist, she is frustratingly passive and unable to stand up for herself for almost the entire novel.
In 1910, Hetty's distant relative and renowned artist Theo Blake relocates to his home on Muirlan Island along with his bride Beatrice. With very few modern comforts, Beatrice is soon entranced with the stark beauty of the island but she is soon dismayed her husband's increasingly fractious relationship with Cameron Forbes, the son of his factor. Beatrice is also frustrated as Theo begins to spend more and more time holed up in his study and less and less time with her. With his mood darkening with each passing day, their fragile marriage begins to crumble and Theo eventually turns into a recluse with the reputation of being a little mad.
Of the two story arcs, Beatrice and Theo's is the most compelling. Beatrice's marriage to the twenty years older artist is typical of the time period, but she is definitely not a shrinking violet who passively lets life happen around her. She comes into her own after their arrival on Muirlan Island and while at first she defers to Theo, she quickly begins to form her own opinions about her husband's treatment of the locals and his unpalatable hobby of killing rare birds for his collection. Beatrice is quite observant as she witnesses Theo's puzzling reaction to Cameron and she draws her own conclusion about the reasons for the growing discord between them. Her attempts to keep the peace are soon marred by her growing dissatisfaction with her marriage, Theo's stubborn refusal to take better care of his tenants and the increasingly volatile arguments between Theo and Cameron.
The House Between Tides is a wonderfully atmospheric novel that is fast-paced and impossible to put down. The characters are richly drawn with realistic strengths and weaknesses. The mystery surrounding the newly discovered bones is fascinating and as the story progresses, the victim list is essentially narrowed down to two people. Sarah Maine does a wonderful job keeping readers guessing right up until the big reveal who was murdered and why. Although the final resolution of the various story arcs is a little convoluted, readers will be satisfied with the novel's conclusion. All in all, an absolutely wonderful debut that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.
azu_rikka's review against another edition
2.0
This one was rather difficult to finish.
I think the story was too predictable for me and the characters from the two eras resembled each other too much.
I expected more atmospheric feelings, as the story unfolds on a Scottish Island.
The story is solid, well written, I would rate it a 2.5
I think the story was too predictable for me and the characters from the two eras resembled each other too much.
I expected more atmospheric feelings, as the story unfolds on a Scottish Island.
The story is solid, well written, I would rate it a 2.5
leonieparamor's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
beedavey89's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0