To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com. . As an affiliate for Amazon, I may receive a small monetary commission for purchases made through certain links on this website. Whether he did or not, as well as the mystery of what happened to the Girl with Popsicle who vanished back then, are just two of the story threads this ambitious narrative attempts to balance as it juggles three different perspectivesone of whom is the aforementioned cat and asks readers to question what they believe to be true and why. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. As an avid reader, I often find myself reading a book description and not being able to remember whether Ive read it before. A stolen child. This is probably the best-executed book I have read so far this year. Part horror story, part mystery thriller, and part tragedy, the book subverts a lot of expectations about what a genre story should be and do, unpacking a complex emotional narrative in the midst of a menacing tale of fear, uncertainty, and constantly escalating dread. They felt haphazard and cheap. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. I thought that was really important to make sure that [those things] come out, [that[ it has the light shining through the dark branches as it were.. Often, Im not a fan of male narrators trying to do female voices, but Christopher Ragland did an incredible job of matching all the different characters. Anne Coates is a journalist and author of the Hannah Weybridge crime thriller series: Dancers in the Wind, Death's Silent Judgement, Songs of Innocence and Perdition's Child . Everything was obvious to me from the get-go. And yet some of them are lies. Well, then there's the rest: gods buried in the woods, the mystery of Lauren's sporadic presence and brooding mood, angry green boys living in the attic, and Olivia, a cat who talks, reads, believes in God, wants to have a TV show, and suffers from dissociative identity disorder. LOL. I find that it is a relief. Here is what Im afraid of. PAGES: 352pg. She lives in London and Devon. And according to Ward, that unease is absolutely something she counted on her audience feeling. Then as the story progressed, I started thinking of DID until it got confirmed that DID indeed got the drivers seat in the story. All commissions go toward supporting this blog. Also Turn of the Screw is a brilliant book . 'The buzz building around Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is real. It releases on September 28th! I thought long and hard because at first, I wasnt sure if portraying DID in a horror setting was something I was comfortable with. Shes honed in on Ted and is determined to find out what became of her sister. The last twist was that Teds mother was the one who took Lulus body for more of her medical experiments. by Catriona Ward. He's unemployed and drinks a lot. It hangs like it has been strapped there. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. Descriptions of his love of nature reveal his complex character: he takes joy in feeding birds, and the nearby forest is a source of comfort to him; at times he feels he is 'in its . But that plotlines closure felt a bitforced? Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Your thoughts are echoed in a very good review by Wayward Magazine. Im a sucker for these kinds of stories where the story unravels piece by piece! Your post just bumped it to the top of my TBR list! She pushed down her own guilt and focused that guilt on trying to find her sister and the person who eventually took her away from the scene. Accepting that things didnt quite make sense but knowing it would come together. But that plotlines closure felt a bitforced? Catriona Ward adds to these greats with The Last House on Needless Street a tale of a man and his household that will make you question your morality and your senses. Her desperation drove her to the edge of sanity, and I guess thats what she paid for in the end. As I mentioned in my review, I suspected from the first chapter that multiple personality issues will come into play in some way, including Lauren and Olivia. But the thing is, I did have an emotional reaction to the book due to some personal reasons, which was connected to the mental condition itself rather than anything happening in the book. I never heard from her again although I do think of her every once in a while. Perhaps the difference in myself and the disgruntled is that I usually figure out the twist or the plot or the aha moment in everything I watch or read, so having my suspicions confirmed in this case didnt bother me at all. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. To comply with FTC guidelines, I receive no compensation for the reviews or promotional content posted. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Ward is a talented storyteller, and she shows that here. The same applies to the psyches of its characters. Overall, The Last House on Needless Street is a thought-provoking novel, with some chilling elements, placing mental illness into the focus in a different way - which is refreshing - managing to stay with you for a long time. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of those books that is difficult to describe without giving away spoilers. Despite my general like of the grimdark/dark fantasy subgenre, horror is a genre I rarely read in. Im fascinated by the lake. A woman who may be able to crack this cold case. In fact, it wasnt even scary. TITLE: The Last House On Needless Street. Abused as a child, he has turned mostly into a recluse in his adult life, going out to get food when necessary and see his therapist so he can get his meds. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward ~ARCReview~, Fin for short Fingolfin, the High King of the Noldor and was able to wound Morgorth seven times in battle, You may be a world class procrastinator when you have a million other things that must get done but youre like nah, I am gonna organize my books that I dont have bookshelves for yet. Needless to say, more tears were shed that day while the three Orimura siblings cried their eyes out when they sat together. This story is about Ted, a recluse suspected of a childs abduction. Lacy Baugher is a digital producer by day, but a television enthusiast pretty much all the time. That was more chilling to think about than a fictional character, and Im honestly not sure what kind of person this makes me. What a waste of time. Just finished the bookagreed 100%. All these things are true. This is the best book I have read in recent years. Press J to jump to the feed. Welcome! Under the Readers Radar celebrating the quiet novel, Sunday Sum-Up #7: Reviews, Discussions and Bookstagram - Bibliosini, Derby Book Festival 27 May to 5 June 2021 From First Page to Last, Follow From First Page to Last on WordPress.com. I heard a few people describe this book as a gothic thrillerso I was in! I cant believe this is all one narrator! Its been nearly two weeks since I finished reading/listening to the audiobook version of The Last House on Needless Street, and I still couldnt figure out how I feel about it. I miss my friend, but I dont really have any means to reach her and even if I would, I have no idea if the person I call a friend is still around. I kept reading because of the amazing reviews. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.All these things are true. Were afraid of Ted, because context clues say we should be, because our own knowledge of the world has shown us its often right to be suspicious of loner men who live in shabby, boarded up houses at the end of the lane. ), but such a creative way to describe Ted from another point of view. I wasnt surprised, in hindsight, but still. #whathaveidone #booksfordays #whoops, Herbs have been planted. A twenty-year mystery. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. The Chihuahua lady and the mom seemed to be close, and the mom told her later on that she would be going out of town as a way to lead false tracks away from her if the police came snooping because of what happened at the hospital . And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. I had previously recommended Catriona Ward`d first two novels on this sub. ONLY 3 for my enjoyment level of the story. A space to share book reviews and other book related treats. I first was thinking to go with something from Stone Sour, but then I remembered The Horrible Crowes, who have creepy lyrics and a sound that fits more the atmosphere of The Last House on Needless Street. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. That was more chilling to think about than a fictional character, and Im honestly not sure what kind of person this makes me. When she turned into her street, she looked at the house that she had earned. It's the tragic and often heart-wrenching story of a man living with a profound mental illness, and how this illness forces him to navigate his life. It was such a fantastic book!. For Ward, part of writing Needless Street necessarily involved processing heartbreaking and often quite upsetting things. [Spoilers herein.] A stolen child. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. shammon5 1 yr. ago. Because, although Needless Street has no real factual content in the plot at all, there are echoes of a real-life tragedy built into its bones, the kind that could certainly encourage readers to draw specific conclusions about the things theyre watching unfold. It gives hope that people with this disorder can find their path in life even if its not an easy one. The Last House on Needless Street has a small(ish) cast of characters. All I know is that Stephen King had an endorsement quote on the cover, it was a horror book, and may or may not contain a serial killer story. The conclusion is somehow so predictable, while also being entirely chaotic in its execution. To me it is a tightly woven tale, full of tension and intrigue, with the truth just dangled tantalisingly out of reach. It is pretty obvious that something isnt right in the house right off the bat. Death. . As for Dee, while I didnt have any feelings for her, Im not 100% sure she deserved to die as she did. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. We see into the depths of their lives through their memories and find the darkest corners of their existence. For more information, please see our He broke them between two boards with a mallet. First we find out that Olivia is one of Laurens alters, created to hide from the pain that Ted was causing her. Als Hauptverdchtiger galt damals der Einzelgnger Ted - ein eigenartiger Mann, der 165961634207 Firstly, this review is really hard to write in a spoiler free way but I am going to be extremely careful because you do need to go into it with no spoilers. Ted, for example, is unfamiliar to himself: I took the mirrors down some years ago because they upset Lauren. Your email address will not be published. Those that Ted interacts with are christened with Ted names such as bug man his therapist and Chihuahua lady, one of his neighbours. And for that, it definitely deserves the praise. They all had their more or less deserved ending I say more or less because I just cant make my mind up about Dees fate. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of those books that is difficult to describe without giving away spoilers. The Last House on Needless Street is a powerful story told by a first-rate craftsperson. This is a story the reader . This is the story of a serial killer. To me, that unreliability is incredibly lifelike, but I think its unnerving to people. But youre wrong. The Last House on Needless Street is more accurately comparable to 2016's surprise hit I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Ian Reid. And Ive been thinking a lot. ZU VERKAUFEN! By that logic extended, the other character opposite her was an alt as well. There were times I was thinking about DNFing, but my curiosity got the better of me, and me see it through the end which I have no regrets about. Sure, she had a responsibility in the fate of her sister dragging her along, then leaving her alone to play by the river, then running away once she thought she was dead and the snakes were coming but Im not convinced she was a bad person up to that point or that she deserved punishment. What's worse, she adds the further cliche of repressed memories/unreliable narrator to the protagonist in order to further obfuscate the narrative. And I think I have whiplash from all the twists! The main character experiences severe childhood trauma and the story we get is the effect of that trauma. I loved Rawblood. Somehow I had this book spoiled for me and I still decided to read it and still didnt figure out the actual twist til the big reveal and enjoyed the ride. But its not what you think. But still I rise , My Rebel Highlander by Vonda Sinclair~Review~. I thought this book was so cleverly written, with the hints towards DID masquerading as hints that Lauren was Lulu. Learn how your comment data is processed. The pretension practically rolls off the page in that one. There is a truth we begin to see relatively early on . What I got was a distorted story that used mental illness as its major plot point. Technically, the book was well written and the characters were interesting but the ending was such a cop-out, relying on such an overused trope these daysas the review above notes. She pushed down her own guilt and focused that guilt on trying to find her sister and the person who eventually took her away from the scene. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. Despite the fact that thousands of people were at the lake that day, he walked up to each woman while they were with friends and introduced himself using his real name. Change). What kind of parent says they dont love their child? All of this means there is a closed, almost claustrophobic feel so the reader feels as closed up as Teds house with its boarded windows and triple lock. (LogOut/ Her debutRawbloodwon Best Horror Novel at the 2016 British Fantasy Awards, and was a WHSmith Fresh Talent title. There . Im not sure I make any sense, so lets move on. She hasn`t repressed the memories, the guilt of what happened and the fact that she kept it all to herself drives her to find who took her. Anyway, not long after my friend confided in me our contact quite abruptly ended. But its not what you think. I hadn`t read anything about this book prior, just jumped straight in. Possible Spoilers Ahead. You just dont, Ward says. So, just a heads up. I did not like the last 20-30% at all when the big "reveals" happen. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. As for Dee, while I didnt have any feelings for her, Im not 100% sure she deserved to die as she did. I loved every moment of it and Im keeping the book so I can read it again from a new perspective later on. We then find out that Lauren is another alter of Teds, created when he was just a child, and that he gave all the pain of his mothers abuse to Lauren so that he didnt have to endure it. But in the grand scheme of things, I found this book a bit underwhelming. The reader has to hunt them out, reflect on what theyve already read to find out where the story is going to take us. With Gabby D Barbosa, Jeremy Behie, Dylan Garcia, Tristan Koclanis. Sex/Life season 2 spoilers follow. I did not want any other details. Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House. Book spoilers to jog your memory. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. (And the author herself is well aware of that fact. Ted lives on Needless Street. I read the reviews after the fact, and the fact that this book is about DID is totally spoiled.