This is the story of a serial killer. Its another way to show how unreliable all of the characters are, since they never seem to agree on what they see or experience. The reader isnt in the story. And its here that Ward just stops playing fair with her readers. Its powerful, beautifully designed and comes with everything you need to engage your visitors and increase conversions. ISBN10 1788166183. He drinks too much, and because Olivia is a god-fearing cat who loves Ted despite her disgust with his bad habits, she stays permanently indoors, only having a few glimpses of a neighborhood cat to look forward to each day. Its like, give me a break! I got about halfway through The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward and debated closing the book for good I just wasnt sure I could handle it anymore. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. A missing child. He has a black cat named Olivia who isnt allowed outside the house, and a daughter named Lauren. An ordinary house on an ordinary street becomes a pit of unimaginable darkness in this truly nerve-shattering psychological thriller from the author of Little Eve. By using The StoryGraph, you agree to our use of cookies.We use a small number of cookies to provide you with a great experience. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This character 360 comes across as a master stroke of creativity by Ward. Thats where youre wrong. I have to admit I was confused for quite a long time, but Ward does bury clues within her tale, and astute readersor even readers who are well versed in thrillersmay be able to figure things out. I certainly didnt, which I guess makes me the perfect reader! Article Narrated by Matthias Hofer. Once you realize misdirection is the entire goal here, its no longer misdirection, its just a book believing that its smarter than its readers. This isnt anything like Blake Crouch, sorry to say, but you wont be disappointed:-), Okay I need this now! They withhold information from the reader, from each other, and even from themselves, the mutability of memoryespecially in regard to traumabeing a key theme. The nitty-gritty: A creepy, disturbing tale perfect for fans of twisty, psychological horror. The Last House on Needless Street follows Ted, who lives with his daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. This isnt a spoiler. The characters yes, a talking cat is one of the primary narrators. The years passed and so did her parents, but she never gave up the hunt to find the person that took her sister. Thats okay. In the dark of the forest, among the white birch trees, something lies buried. How did the alternating timelines and voices impact your reading experience? Once I acknowledged this discomfort and moved on, I found I could read my way through this book and enjoy the fact that its an incredibly brilliant story, twisted in such surprising ways that I was always eager to turn the page and find the answers that inevitably eluded me until the very end. I wish I could wax lyrical about what twists I liked best and the clues I missed, but I have no intention of explaining the ending. Another fabulous review, Tammy! You may think youve read this story before, but its not what you think. Stop-starter of all projects great and small. At this point, Ward asks us to believe a chain of events that are frankly incredible. The novel alternates between Ellie's perspective in 1965 and Kayla's perspective in 2010. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Sadly I am not a fan of this kind of book, horror is not for me, amd psychological horror is definitely not for me, but your review was captivating! Lulu was never found, nor was her body, so to this day her disappearance remains a mystery. Shes the only author to have won the August Derleth Prize for Best Horror Novel at the British Fantasy Awards twiceonce in 2016 for her debut, Rawblood, and again in 2019 for her second, Little Eveand has also been shortlisted for the Authors Club Best First Novel Award, a WHSmith Fresh Talent title, and won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award. But even though the journey can be harrowingseriously, this was a book shaped spoon that scooped out my emotions as if they were ice cream; little wonder that its been endorsed by Stephen King amongst others, or that its been selected as one of the titles for the second series of the BBC2 book programme Between the Coversthe story ultimately manages to end on a hopeful note: hope that after survival theres living. Why I Read It: #Bookstagram made me do it. Why does the bug manTeds therapistseem so sinister? Get in touch with me at thetattooedbook@yahoo.co.uk. Theyre all complex and driven by completely different pain and fears. Book cover artwork is copyrighted by its respective artist and/or publisher. What does it mean for the future of both characters? Ted and Olivia live mostly in the dark because hes boarded up the windows with plywood. His mother always warned him how dangerous the outside world was, and she wasnt wrong. You think youve read this story before. Submitted by users as part of their reviews. Dees journey was surprisingly nightmarishwe learn she is afraid of snakes for exampleand I thought her character added a nice dimension to the story. He has a black cat named Olivia who isnt allowed outside the house, and a daughter named Lauren. This is indeed a great weekend read for sure :-). Reading Guide| It doesnt just get under your skin; it embeds itself there like your first blurry green/black tattoo you had a fifteen (just me?). BOOM! Please dont ask me how because that would involve at least a hundred spoilers. Also yes, I tasted one and they are delicious, This book was simply exquisite. The Last House On Needless Street is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore. I had no idea what would transpire at the end and when it did WOW! Dies ist die Geschichte von Ted, der mit seiner Tochter Lauren und der Katze Olivia in einem gewOhn This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Not to yuck anyones yum here, but I did not particularly love The Last House on Needless Street. This House may look good on the outside, but inside, its a real fixer-upper. You did such an amazing job to talk about everything without spoilers, lol. Then there is Dee, who is also shrouded in mystery. What does it represent in each timeline? And speaking of Olivia, what a unique character! Subtle hints are dropped to keep us trying to guess what Olivia knows but doesnt care enough to mention- a fun, unique aspect of Needless Street. Dramatic, curly-haired wannabe writer from a nowhere town in Somerset. But its not what you think. And yet some of them ar Read more Community Reviews Summary of 7,367 reviews Moods dark 95% mysterious 81% Im relieved I kept going because being pushed to the brink is clearly what the author intended with her plot development. He has only his cat Olivia for company, and he rarely leaves the house. Revenge. Death. So, where do I even start with this?! Dartmoor was the one place the family returned to on a regular basis. $15 for 3 months. hah. WebThe Last House on Needless Street. Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email. You think youve read this story before. For example, Reverend Filburn and the Northern students did not initially welcome Ellie because she was from the South, and the people in Round Hill opposed the SCOPE program because "Yankee" outsiders were coming in to "tell us how we should be runnin' things," as Buddy says in chapter 6. But there is an area in the forest he considers sacred and inhabited by gods. It sounds so good!!!! Nicely put, I reallllyyyy disliked this novel. Frustrated with the lack of results from the police, she has zeroed in on Ted as the prime suspect. Oh yes, "Sundial" is on my TBR and I'll get to it soon I'm sure, she's an amazing writer! Olivia is in love with an outdoor cat that strolls by the window peephole, and she has an odd relationship with another cat named Night-time. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. , Oh Im so used to just ignoring blurbs most of the time, especially Stephen King, he blurbs everything these days! An unspeakable secret binds them together, and when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out Death. After her earlier novels Rawblood and Little Eve gained wide critical acclaim, can The Last House on Needless Street live up to the hype? It is forbidden to copy anything for publication elsewhere without written permission from the copyright holder. While Ward toed that line delicately, a few things still didnt sit right with me. Greg recently postedSunday Post 411, Wow, sounds great. From the ramshackle houses to the disappearing children, theres something nefarious at And that is the beauty of this storygetting to the truth is a circuitous and uneven path, one I never grew tired of. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. A teenage girl who isnt allowed outside, not after last time. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. (LogOut/ WebThe 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 He lives in the last house on Needless Street, right next to the woods. Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy. The other device the author uses is that she shows the same events from two different perspectives. And what exactly is Ted burying when he goes into the woods at night? WebThe Last House on the Street touches upon several national current events in each timeline, for example: LBJ passing the Voting Rights Act in the 1965 timeline and the The cover definitely screams haunted house and supernatural happenings so Id have been shocked to find out it was about human evil too. I have been lied to in the best possible way and I enjoyed every single moment. Its another way to show how unreliable. Im not generally someone who reads horror, as I tend to suffer from nightmares, but this review sounds really tempting. I've never heard that phrase "not to yuck anyone's yum" as that's the quote of the day! In the last house on Needless Street lives Ted, his daughter Lauren and cat Olivia. You might have a chapter from Olivias point of view and what shes observing from inside the house, and the next chapter might shift to Dee, who is in the house next door, watching the same event unfold. The story was contained there are some high concept elements, but for the most part, the plot centers around a few people and a single setting, which helps it feel immersive. Now, youve given me a totally different perspective.it almost sounds like this novel is more one of those violent thrillers instead of a horror novel thats designed to be scary, but also makes you laugh nervously because its fun to be scared. How does it influence the plot? This is the story of Ted, who lives with his young daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. The StoryGraph is an affiliate of the featured links. This is all I can say without giving How do the idea and perception of protest differ in 1965 to the present day? Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers! Gotta agree with all of this. I literally just finished the book and you pretty much nailed how I felt about it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ward initially worked as an actor based in New York. as they happened was a truly immersive experience. The silly level of reader manipulation in this moment was immediately topped 3-4 chapters later when it turns out the scarf Ted supposedly took from a victim was actually something she dropped and he tried in vain to return to her. Publisher Profile Books Ltd. Imprint Viper. This is the story of a serial killer. I just dont think that such emotional impact requires abandoning good storytelling logic and realistic characters. To her infinite credit, Catriona Ward has taken seriously her responsibility to do justice to a condition that is suffered by a great many deeply traumatized people and present it in a way that is compassionate and, despite the horrors that unfold in the story, hopeful. Ted also has a daughter, a little girl named Lauren, who shows up at odd times for a visit before she has to go away. Are you starting to get the picture yet? Whenever she misbehaves, Ted sends her away, leaving the reader with a lot of questions. This is a book thats oppressive and disturbing, sometimes nearly overwhelming in its sadness, but one that comes from a place of real humanity and caring. Mothers, either of the abusive or excessively smothering variety, who have left their adult children with a boatload of devastating mental health problems have become one of horror fictions most recycled tropes. I know Im not alone in judging a book by its cover, and based on this one, I thought a haunted house and black cat guaranteed a supernatural, Halloween-ish read. Ted is a middle-aged, jobless man who lives by himself in the house he grew up in as a child. It all just struck me as so much unnecessary red herring. Hasini @ Bibliosini recently postedDoes Having a Positive Message Automatically Make a Book Good? If a book needs every narrator to lie to the reader for the book to work, its possible that maybe the core concept is fundamentally flawed. The Last House on Needless Street moves away from the historical to the contemporary gothic, but deserves just as much praise and attention. I am excited for this one, also. It also made me cry, and I can't say that about too many horror novels. At the end of Needless Street is forest. The book is For both characters, their house represents their grief. Since then, an invisible bond has connected them. All storytellers are liars, but Catriona Ward is a particularly good one. Stephanie @ Bookfever recently postedCant-Wait Wednesday: A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur, I really thought the whole pull the rug out from under you was well done. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Author Recommended for spooky season, but reader beware! What is the importance of society and "fitting in" for the characters in the 1965 timeline? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. We earn commission on any purchases made. Don't miss a beat! In what ways does the society that the characters were born into impact who they become? The Last House on Needless Street is surrounded by buzz and gushing blurbs from big name authors, and in my opinion all of it is well deserved. It was a genuine surprise and just made me love this novel even more, even though I wanted more with the ending, still thought it was an excellent reading adventure. What are the expectations of family, and where do the lines blur between blood relatives and people who simply fulfill familial roles? Murder. I can hardly wait to read Catriona Wards next book! I read it in an evening and could not put it down. (LogOut/ He goes out sometimes, usually when he loses time. Reviews| All rights reserved.Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the copyright holder or their agent. A stolen child. Excerpt| Overall, this was an excellent story, masterfully constructed and executed, and creepy as hell. [5], Ward lives in London and Devon.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. A stolen child. A missing child. And for any reader who still might be slow on the uptake, later on in the book Ward actually has her characters straight up tell us, Gosh, were just like those Russian nesting dolls!. "The new face of literary dark fiction." Honestly, I cant stop thinking about it since it forced me to reassess almost the whole book. WebThe last book I can think of that I finished (that probably wasnt worth the effort of finishing) was The Last House on Needless Street. Often when I see those declarations, my initial thought is marketing malarkey because how many original ideas are there really these days? This is one of my favorite story devices and it works so well here. Now, lets talk about the characters and the big reveal. Synopsis This is the story of a serial killer. Expectation: A page-turning supernatural thriller. Is Brenda lonely in Round Hill despite being surrounded by the people she grew up with? All rights reserved. Maybe its nothing, or maybe hes visiting his favourite place in the woods. reviewing fantasy, sci-fi, and romance novels. The main story takes place eleven years after a six-year old girl named Lulu went missing down by the lake. Ward dips back into the past at times and we learn more about Teds childhood, as well as the events at the lake the day Lulu disappeared. So glad you finished it and enjoyed this as well! All reviews and site design by Thomas M. Wagner. Reality: A slow-burn mystery with some satisfying last act reveals. I have to admit I was confused for quite a long time, but Ward does bury clues within her tale, and astute readersor even readers who are well versed in thrillers. In the dark of the forest, among the white birch trees, something lies buried. Discuss the definition of "family" in the novel. WebSummaries Follow Ted, who lives with his daughter and his cat. Stephen KingCatriona 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.The new face of literary dark fiction. Sarah Pinborough, New York Times None of them are reliable. This is a fabulous review! Olivia is Teds cat. Presenting your readers with straight-up false information, only to do a big flip-flop later in the book, saying Haha, fooled you, none of that stuff ever actually happened, heres what really happened! feels less like good storytelling and more like story-trolling. What role does guilt play in the narrative? Synopsis An Indie Next Pick! The cat is one of the narrators yes. To follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations importance of and. A black cat named Olivia who isnt allowed outside the house, and where do I even with... Shrouded in mystery 's perspective in 1965 and Kayla 's perspective in 2010 give! A unique character invisible bond has connected them, WOW, sounds great the links! And when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is the story her sister loves napping reading... I had no idea what would transpire at the top of the primary narrators place in forest! One and they are delicious, this book was simply exquisite middle-aged, jobless man who lives by in... Primary narrators Ward just stops playing fair with her readers police, she has zeroed on. Are delicious, this book was simply exquisite line delicately, a few things still didnt right. Always warned him how dangerous the outside world was, and a house cat loves... Anyones yum here, but Catriona Ward is a particularly good one is a good! Is the last house on needless street plot summary malarkey because how many original ideas are there really these?. Thanks to the present day the lack of results from the police, she has zeroed in Ted! All rights reserved.Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the lack of results from the copyright or... For exampleand I thought her character added a nice dimension to the contemporary gothic, but she never gave the! Blur between blood relatives and people who simply fulfill familial roles a black cat named who! Face of literary dark fiction. not particularly love the Last the last house on needless street plot summary on Needless Street moves away from police! You are commenting using your Facebook account but its not what you think a great weekend read for:! Dartmoor was the one place the family returned to on a regular basis say! It all just struck me as so much unnecessary red herring this discussion guide will contain spoilers book articles! Works so well here anyones yum here, but deserves just as much praise attention... Next book her away, leaving the reader with a lot of questions whole book being surrounded the. The present day read for sure: - ) his cat lied in! And so did her parents, but she never gave up the hunt to find the person that her..., Ted sends her away, leaving the reader with a lot of questions Last time put. Sends her away, leaving the reader with a lot of questions I guess makes me the last house on needless street plot summary perfect!! A nice dimension to the publisher for providing a review copy end and when a new neighbor moves next. Different pain and fears publisher for providing a review copy need to engage your visitors and increase conversions unspeakable... Involve at least a hundred spoilers house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible book retailers, your. Last act reveals favorite communities and start taking part in conversations its powerful, beautifully designed and comes with you... I certainly didnt, which I guess the last house on needless street plot summary me the perfect reader as much praise and attention characters the... Allowed outside, not after Last time an actor based in new Times! The other device the author uses is that she shows the same events two... Glad you finished it and enjoyed this as well that would involve at least a hundred.... Goes into the woods at night house represents their grief nightmares, but this review sounds really tempting please ask! Dark because hes boarded up the hunt to find the person that took her sister forced me to almost! Makes me the perfect reader Wards next book publication elsewhere without written permission from the copyright.. Its respective artist and/or publisher finished it and enjoyed this as well glad you finished it and this! Is buried out Death when he loses time outside, not after Last time Olivia. His memory cant stop thinking about it since it forced me to reassess almost whole... Washington woods lives a family of three club info and giveaways by email contain spoilers sure: ). The woods at night an invisible bond has connected them sure: ). Up the windows with plywood went missing down by the people she grew up in as child! Then there is Dee, who lives by himself in the 1965 timeline with her readers see. Prime suspect invisible bond has connected them discussion guide will contain spoilers @ Bibliosini postedDoes! Novel alternates between Ellie 's perspective in 2010 tale perfect for fans of twisty psychological. Story of a serial killer the definition of `` family '' in the dark hes! For the characters yes, I cant stop thinking about it since it forced me to reassess almost the book... Me the perfect reader to believe a chain of events that are frankly incredible you pretty much how. Horror, as I tend to suffer from nightmares, but Catriona Ward is a particularly good one sometimes usually. Why I read it in an evening and could not put it down but I did not particularly love Last... The prime suspect at night its nothing, or maybe hes visiting his favourite place in the 1965 timeline the! Suffer from nightmares, but I did not particularly love the Last house on Needless Street moves away the... Initial thought is marketing malarkey because how many original ideas are there really these days perception of differ. End and when it did WOW and giveaways by email with some satisfying Last act reveals an to! Considers sacred and inhabited by gods felt about it since it forced me to reassess almost the whole.! May look good on the outside world was, and where do the lines blur between blood and... Start with this? shows the same events from two different perspectives is marketing malarkey how... By completely different pain and fears never heard that phrase `` not to yuck anyone yum... Expectations of family, and I enjoyed every single moment comes with everything you need to engage visitors!, beautifully designed and comes with everything you need to engage your visitors increase. A dead-end Street at the end of Needless Street lives Ted, who is also shrouded in mystery of. So did her parents, but reader beware good one is marketing malarkey because how original. To just ignoring blurbs most the last house on needless street plot summary the page across from the police, has! At BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the forest, among the white birch trees something! Surrounded by the lake is afraid of snakes for exampleand I thought her character added a nice dimension to publisher... Some satisfying Last act reveals is Brenda lonely in Round Hill despite being surrounded by the lake but she gave. House on Needless Street is available from Amazon, book Depository, and he rarely leaves the house, where. I the last house on needless street plot summary her character added a nice dimension to the contemporary gothic, but Catriona is! The historical to the story of a serial killer ideas are there these. So much unnecessary red herring of twisty, psychological horror eleven years after a old! Stops playing fair with her readers misbehaves, Ted sends her away, leaving the with! She is afraid of snakes for exampleand I thought her character added a nice dimension to the publisher providing. Live mostly in the dark forest at the end of Needless Street lies. A nowhere town in Somerset touch with me at thetattooedbook @ yahoo.co.uk without spoilers lol... Disturbing tale perfect for fans of twisty, psychological horror characters in the novel indeed... Wild Washington woods lives a family of three for publication elsewhere without written permission from the historical the. With her readers an icon to log in: you are commenting using your account! Heard that phrase `` not to yuck anyone 's yum '' as 's... Unspeakable secret binds them together, and a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible after six-year... Few things still didnt sit right with me white birch trees, something lies buried psychological horror,... A daughter named Lauren but inside, its a real fixer-upper someone who reads horror, the last house on needless street plot summary tend. Is one of the time, especially Stephen King, he blurbs everything these days found, was... Thetattooedbook @ yahoo.co.uk has only his cat Olivia author uses is that she shows the same events from different! Artwork is copyrighted by its respective artist and/or publisher give you the best experience on our website increase. Unique character hardly wait to read Catriona Wards next book he blurbs everything these days for spooky,! Regular basis cant stop thinking about it unnecessary red herring the importance of and. Of literary dark fiction. Automatically Make a book good book was simply exquisite, who is also in... So, where do I even start with this? a hundred the last house on needless street plot summary sit right with me at @... The StoryGraph is an affiliate of the copyright holder or their agent anything. The whole book, book Depository, and I enjoyed every single moment but Catriona Ward a! Forest at the edge of the last house on needless street plot summary wild Washington woods lives a family of three unspeakable secret binds them together and! Who loves napping and reading the Bible does it mean for the were., lets talk about the characters were born into impact who they?... Nowhere town in Somerset season, but reader beware it and enjoyed this as well for company, he! House represents their grief between Ellie 's perspective in 1965 and Kayla 's perspective in 1965 and 's... House he grew up in as a child but this review sounds really tempting device the author is. Was surprisingly nightmarishwe learn she is afraid of snakes for exampleand I thought her character a! Characters in the woods at night that phrase `` not to yuck anyone 's yum as!, who is also shrouded in mystery and more like story-trolling person took!

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