megancrews's review against another edition
4.0
Tessa Hadley’s new novel The Past is a beautifully written story capturing the complex relationships of families, both with each other and with their own past as the characters seemed to be tangled in patterns of behavior they don’t know how to break.
The story begins with a summer holiday. One by one, the grown siblings arrive at Kington House with children, groceries, and even an unexpected guest. Harriet has arrived first but immediately slipped off to the woods for a walk. When Alice arrives without her key she must sit on the stoop and wait. That would have been fine if she hadn’t inexplicably invited her ex-boyfriend’s son Kashim, a chronically bored looking college student. As they peer into the house like strangers, Alice grows embarrassed of her typical forgetfulness. Fran and her children show up with their car packed full of groceries and let the others in. The sisters immediately begin pouring drinks and speculating about their brother Roland’s newest wife, Pilar, whom they haven’t yet met. And, as easily as that, they all slip into the family roles they know so well: the distant one, the flighty one, the responsible one.
Kington House is the vicarage where their grandparents lived and their mother grew up. The pleasantly dilapidated house has no cell phone service, cable TV, or even a decent store but it is full of memories. Every chipped tea cup and desk drawer holds a story and a part of their family’s past. On this vacation, the siblings must decide whether they will continue to hang on to the house, which needs a great deal of repair, or let go.
This lovely isolation creates a perfect setting for us to be enveloped in this chaotic family. We become one of them, feeling empathy for them even when they frustrate us beyond belief.
There is a grace to Hadley’s writing as she slips from one character’s inner most thoughts to the next. Even without an action-packed plot, this work is hard to put down. This family, their struggles and secrets, are so well written they become like people we have known, and they will linger with readers.
The story begins with a summer holiday. One by one, the grown siblings arrive at Kington House with children, groceries, and even an unexpected guest. Harriet has arrived first but immediately slipped off to the woods for a walk. When Alice arrives without her key she must sit on the stoop and wait. That would have been fine if she hadn’t inexplicably invited her ex-boyfriend’s son Kashim, a chronically bored looking college student. As they peer into the house like strangers, Alice grows embarrassed of her typical forgetfulness. Fran and her children show up with their car packed full of groceries and let the others in. The sisters immediately begin pouring drinks and speculating about their brother Roland’s newest wife, Pilar, whom they haven’t yet met. And, as easily as that, they all slip into the family roles they know so well: the distant one, the flighty one, the responsible one.
Kington House is the vicarage where their grandparents lived and their mother grew up. The pleasantly dilapidated house has no cell phone service, cable TV, or even a decent store but it is full of memories. Every chipped tea cup and desk drawer holds a story and a part of their family’s past. On this vacation, the siblings must decide whether they will continue to hang on to the house, which needs a great deal of repair, or let go.
This lovely isolation creates a perfect setting for us to be enveloped in this chaotic family. We become one of them, feeling empathy for them even when they frustrate us beyond belief.
There is a grace to Hadley’s writing as she slips from one character’s inner most thoughts to the next. Even without an action-packed plot, this work is hard to put down. This family, their struggles and secrets, are so well written they become like people we have known, and they will linger with readers.
orch_la's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
melissakuzma's review against another edition
2.0
If you like really boring books about horrible people, this book's for you! Nice writing, but not much else.
admatthews's review against another edition
4.0
It's a middle class family having a collective midlife crisis, and one younger chap being an arrogant tosser. I could have done without the latter, but otherwise it's very nicely done and the gentleness of it conceals the sharpness with which it's drawn. And the writing, especially the gorgeousness of the rural setting, is a delight.
crystalbrutlag's review against another edition
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is the kind of book that I've been looking for recently--quiet and beautifully written. I love stories that explore different family dynamics and this one delivers on that. There's tension and love and everything else simmering under the surface. While I never felt a particular attachment to many of the characters, I liked and cared about most of them. I absolutely loved the ending! This isn't a book for everyone. If you're looking for action or drama, you won't find that here. The drama is quiet and it might feel like there isn't a lot that's happening. But if you're looking for a book that really explores different characters and has countless passages to savor, this is for you! More thoughts on my blog.
This is the kind of book that I've been looking for recently--quiet and beautifully written. I love stories that explore different family dynamics and this one delivers on that. There's tension and love and everything else simmering under the surface. While I never felt a particular attachment to many of the characters, I liked and cared about most of them. I absolutely loved the ending! This isn't a book for everyone. If you're looking for action or drama, you won't find that here. The drama is quiet and it might feel like there isn't a lot that's happening. But if you're looking for a book that really explores different characters and has countless passages to savor, this is for you! More thoughts on my blog.
theinkandthepage's review against another edition
reflective
slow-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
4.0
elliehamilton38's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
bookengulfer's review against another edition
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75