Comments on: Review: The House at Tyneford, Natasha Solomons

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 22:30:00 +0000

In reply to Christina. I pretty much ALWAYS want to go read an Eva Ibbotson novel.

By: gaskella

gaskella — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 19:45:09 +0000

I too recognised what you said about trying to punch above its weight – I enjoyed it a lot though. I prefer the original UK title definitely.

By: Sarah Says Read

Sarah Says Read — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 12:09:47 +0000

So I read the spoiler, and yeah… that’s too weird! I think it would bother me too much to really enjoy the book as a whole.

By: Nish

Nish — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 11:16:50 +0000

So agree with Kinga’s comment. I don’t like these in-between books…be properly literary or properly trashy, that’s my thing.

And how weird that the book title is so similar to Kate Morton’s The House at Riverton. I mean, couldn’t they be a little bit more creative with the book naming?

By: Kinga

Kinga — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 07:34:30 +0000

It seems that there is a whole genre of those not terribly amazing books (from a literary point of view) which are just plain sad and depressing. I believe people calling them ‘heart-breaking’ (like it’s a good thing) and have a good cry over them and somehow go through a catharsis. Not me. I find them just emotionally manipulative. Also as someone once said: “Where would all the mediocre writers be without Holocaust?” That’s why I think I don’t read those in between books. It’s either utter trash – comfort read where EVERYTHING ends well and everybody is happy, beautiful and rich or properly ambitious literature.

By: Christina

Christina — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 02:24:16 +0000

Yes to this entire post! And now I want to go read an Eva Ibbotson novel…

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 15:09:46 +0000

In reply to NWK (@MumsyNancy). I think the sister got a visa through her husband? Like that he had gotten a job in America so that was his visa taken care of? And then the parents were lying about having gotten visas, so that the youngest daughter would leave Vienna without a fight.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 15:09:10 +0000

In reply to Claire (The Captive Reader). I know. In Eva Ibbotson's hands it would have been the dearest book ever.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 15:06:13 +0000

In reply to rhapsodyinbooks. Hahaha, did it work? Did it make you enjoy the book more? I think it must be to do with the marketing departments in different publishing houses. I mean the covers thing is just because different publishers have different design teams. But the titles, it has to be that the marketing team for the US publisher said, we hate this title, we can't sell it with this title, let's change it.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 15:05:08 +0000

In reply to Sam @ Tiny Library. I should have known it's such a trap to try and read a book because you expect it to be like another book you loved. It seems like a good idea but I always get slammed by the expectation gap.