bookbabebecca's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
always_need_more_books's review against another edition
3.0
The House on the Lake starts with Lisa and her toddler Joe arriving in an isolated run down house next to a lake in a tiny Yorkshire village. We learn that Lisa is desperate – her husband has been very controlling of her and she has run away with Joe, knowing that he will never be able to find them.
A friend of Lisa’s has said she can use Rowan Isle House if she ever needs to, which is how she comes to be there. The house is incredibly run down, no working electric or running water. Lisa had no idea the house would be inhabitable and you really get a sense of how desperate she must be to let little boy to stay in a place like that!
We also have flashes back to 16 years earlier to the previous residents of the house, a young girl and her father who live a very isolated life. The father is an ex soldier and is determined to teach his daughter the ways of survival. To begin with she is happy with just her and her dad, but as her dad’s behaviour becomes more and more erratic she becomes scared of him and wants a more normal life.
As Lisa starts to meet some of the residents of the village, she soon learns of the secrets the house has kept hidden all these years.
This is a real page turner of a novel. I loved the way the story flitted between Lisa and the young girl in the house. There is a lot of tension and you are left wanting to find out the connection between both stories. The location of the house adds to the claustrophobic and spooky feeling so I was never sure if it was going to be a thriller or a ghost story!
A slow build up as we get to know the characters and their history, there are lots of surprises! A great thrilling read!
A friend of Lisa’s has said she can use Rowan Isle House if she ever needs to, which is how she comes to be there. The house is incredibly run down, no working electric or running water. Lisa had no idea the house would be inhabitable and you really get a sense of how desperate she must be to let little boy to stay in a place like that!
We also have flashes back to 16 years earlier to the previous residents of the house, a young girl and her father who live a very isolated life. The father is an ex soldier and is determined to teach his daughter the ways of survival. To begin with she is happy with just her and her dad, but as her dad’s behaviour becomes more and more erratic she becomes scared of him and wants a more normal life.
As Lisa starts to meet some of the residents of the village, she soon learns of the secrets the house has kept hidden all these years.
This is a real page turner of a novel. I loved the way the story flitted between Lisa and the young girl in the house. There is a lot of tension and you are left wanting to find out the connection between both stories. The location of the house adds to the claustrophobic and spooky feeling so I was never sure if it was going to be a thriller or a ghost story!
A slow build up as we get to know the characters and their history, there are lots of surprises! A great thrilling read!
agax222's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
jubaju's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
A thriller I kept wanting to put down. There were no twists for most of the book and by the time we got to the "exciting part" I had already lost interest. I didn't care about what happened and the writing was mostly bland. I found it very hard to connect to the main character and as such I wasn't shocked by the gradual reveals that came at the end.
I found the dual POV to be boring and it dragged out the story. There wouldn't have been enough of a plot if we had only followed Lisa, but I didn't care about Isobel or Grace and their story was mostly there to mislead us into the anti-climatic reveal at the end.
A thriller I kept wanting to put down. There were no twists for most of the book and by the time we got to the "exciting part" I had already lost interest. I didn't care about what happened and the writing was mostly bland. I found it very hard to connect to the main character and as such I wasn't shocked by the gradual reveals that came at the end.
I found the dual POV to be boring and it dragged out the story. There wouldn't have been enough of a plot if we had only followed Lisa, but I didn't care about Isobel or Grace and their story was mostly there to mislead us into the anti-climatic reveal at the end.
mazza57's review against another edition
1.0
I received an ARC copy of this book via net galley in return for an honest review. I feel I am in a group of one where the review of this book is concerned. I struggled to get through the book. The narrative was disconnected and hard to get into. The characters were unlikeable. The outcome was totally predictable - i think I knew who did what from about page 50. The premise is unbelievable Here we have someone hiding in an environment totally alien to her and who then does everything within that setting that will surely lead to her being noticed and discovered.
I am sorry it did nothing for me at all
I am sorry it did nothing for me at all
in_emmas_library's review against another edition
2.0
Unfortunately this just didn't grip me like a lot of other thrillers I've read! The two timelines through which the story were told weren't that interesting and the way the linked together wasn't as intricate as I'd have expected. I liked Grace's timeline and hearing about her unusual upbringing but I feel like not enough was explained to make it that impactful.
I've read another book by Nuala Ellwood that I really enjoyed so I'm definitely going to give some more of their books ago.
I've read another book by Nuala Ellwood that I really enjoyed so I'm definitely going to give some more of their books ago.
maz403's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting storyline involving Lisa, fleeing from a bad marriage with her son and Grace a young girl being brought up by her father who has been traumatised by his army past. Both live in the house nearly 20 years apart and their stories gradually intertwine for a surprise ending. An enjoyable read.
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
3.0
Author writes about the best books set in Yorkshire here:
Visit Nuala Ellwoods favourite Yorkshire reads
Melancolic and deeply troubling. This is a stark and raw read. Two women abused by the men in their lives in various different ways. There's a runaway mother whose husband has abused her and so put their son's life at risk. She flees to a cottage in the middle of nowhere for ...what she doesn't know but she hopes it's safety of some sort.
The house where she flees to is called Rowan House and it's in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales, A house meant for sanctuary and salvation but also one which has not been lived in for some time. The second story however shows another couple living near here - Two soldiers - a girl and her father hiding out in the forest like survivalists. There are clearly issues of control here, a mind which has been injured, PTSD and so much more. They mistrust the locals and hide away from the world.. The story switches from these two stories with ease.
And all the while, this house is the setting which links the two. And what a setting. It's remote, claustrophobic,lonely and unsafe. It's just enough for both women at different times - they both need the protection if not the dirt and decrepit state its in.
The main character however is that of Control. The control is the one who determines how each woman in the story has to act, feel and do what they need to do to survive. The house protects them in different ways but their struggles are at times painful to read. You just know these men are not going to give up.
There's a lot of pain and yet hope in this novel.It's a slow burning read, like a slow motion chinese burn of a read.You feel the pain and the anguish and the anticipation of both and it hurts in different degrees. The reader is inside the heads of these characters from the off. Powerful stuff.
A lot of pain wrapped up here - but a stark reminder of what absolute power and control can do and how women can fight back.
Visit Nuala Ellwoods favourite Yorkshire reads
Melancolic and deeply troubling. This is a stark and raw read. Two women abused by the men in their lives in various different ways. There's a runaway mother whose husband has abused her and so put their son's life at risk. She flees to a cottage in the middle of nowhere for ...what she doesn't know but she hopes it's safety of some sort.
The house where she flees to is called Rowan House and it's in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales, A house meant for sanctuary and salvation but also one which has not been lived in for some time. The second story however shows another couple living near here - Two soldiers - a girl and her father hiding out in the forest like survivalists. There are clearly issues of control here, a mind which has been injured, PTSD and so much more. They mistrust the locals and hide away from the world.. The story switches from these two stories with ease.
And all the while, this house is the setting which links the two. And what a setting. It's remote, claustrophobic,lonely and unsafe. It's just enough for both women at different times - they both need the protection if not the dirt and decrepit state its in.
The main character however is that of Control. The control is the one who determines how each woman in the story has to act, feel and do what they need to do to survive. The house protects them in different ways but their struggles are at times painful to read. You just know these men are not going to give up.
There's a lot of pain and yet hope in this novel.It's a slow burning read, like a slow motion chinese burn of a read.You feel the pain and the anguish and the anticipation of both and it hurts in different degrees. The reader is inside the heads of these characters from the off. Powerful stuff.
A lot of pain wrapped up here - but a stark reminder of what absolute power and control can do and how women can fight back.
hels08's review against another edition
5.0
This book did not disappoint! I read the day of the accident and loved it. I was excited to read Nualas new book.
Two stories intertwined, going between past and present. Graces past and Lisas present. Graces rough childhood, brought up in rowan Isle House, with very basic supplies by her ex soldier dad.
Lisa has escaped there in the present with her son Joe.
Gripping read, loved it. Highly recommend.
Two stories intertwined, going between past and present. Graces past and Lisas present. Graces rough childhood, brought up in rowan Isle House, with very basic supplies by her ex soldier dad.
Lisa has escaped there in the present with her son Joe.
Gripping read, loved it. Highly recommend.