The House We Grew Up In - Sarah's Peonies A Book Review

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A Book Review on a novel by Lisa Jewell

Summary

The House We Grew Up In, by Lisa Jewell, tells the story of the Bird family. They live in a honey-colored house in a picture-perfect Cotswolds village, with rambling, unkempt gardens stretching beyond. Pragmatic

Practical Meg, dreamy Beth, and tow-headed twins Rory and Rhys all attend the village school and eat home-cooked meals together every night. Their father is a sweet gangly man named Colin, who still looks like a teenager with floppy hair and owlish, round-framed glasses. Their mother is a beautiful hippy named Lorelei, who exists entirely in the moment. And she makes every moment sparkle in her children’s lives.

Then one Easter weekend, tragedy comes to call. The event is so devastating that, almost imperceptibly, it begins to tear the family apart. Years pass as the children become adults, find new relationships, and develop their own separate lives. Soon it seems as though they’ve never been a family at all. But then something happens that calls them back to the house they grew up in — and to what really happened that Easter weekend so many years ago.

Told in gorgeous, insightful prose that delves deeply into the hearts and minds of its characters, The House We Grew Up In is the captivating story of one family’s desire to restore long-forgotten peace and to unearth the many secrets hidden within the nooks and crannies of home.

My Thoughts of This Book

What an awesome and excellent novel. I truly LOVED this book and I couldn’t put it away.
This story is about the Bird family. Lorelei is married to Colin and they have four children, Megan, Bethan, and twins, Rory and Rhys

This story covers many topics such as love, secrets, and mental illness between relationships, and family. And hoarding. Although, I have watched the hoarding shows on TV but never read a book about it. It was very interesting how it affects family members differently.

Other Reviews

Lori’s review:

I have to confess…I almost put this novel down. When I began sensing that it was going to be dealing with hoarding. I am a major type A personality and the idea of mountains of crap everywhere just makes me feel panicky. So imagine my surprise when by chapter three I could NOT put it down! I loved this novel on so many levels… the characters, the format and just the overall rawness of the story. The subject of hoarding is a very difficult disease for people to understand, but LJ did it in a realistic yet sensitive way. This novel deserves every one of its 5-star ratings and I will recommend everyone to read it.

Suzanne’s review:

I had the indulgent experience of reading this Jewell of a book in one day. A rainy Saturday with no commitments. Well, none I wanted to face, put it that way!

This story really delved into every level of one family’s relationships. Layer upon layer upon layer. A family to love and root for, too, but on the other hand, also to grab by the shoulders and shake violently some sense into!

I’d been eyeing this book for a couple of years at my library, always looking on the shelf and always being in the wrong branch at the wrong time. This is how I picked up The Third Wife, which I loved as well.

I’ve been reading lately a couple of memoirs regarding alcohol addiction, and this book covered the myriad of problems associated with hoarding. I see that both forms of addiction spring fourth many many issues. This book is very worthwhile, intriguing and edge of your seat reading. Glad I spent the day reading some fabulous writing by such a talented author!

*****

I’ve read by Lisa Jewell only twice. However, this certainly won’t be my last. I thoroughly suggest this book. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Here’s a link to Amazon if you like to purchase this book!