Today, we're delighted to share this Q&A our . by Catriona Ward. Once I figure that out, I started to get uncomfortable and grew uneasy. As the review details, the "multiple personality"/"it was all in their head" reveal is a tired trope by now and a cop-out substitute for good story telling and plot development. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I'm not used to how much space I take up in the world. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. Topics. Copyright 2020 by Bookends. 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. The therapist doesn't play a huge role in The Last House on Needless Street, but he certainly didn't help things! But when a book has a mildly interesting plot with characters that fail to make you have strong feelings towards them, being occasionally appalled is just not enough. 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. Sounds like some people just expect too much from books these days. 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. Ted, for example, is unfamiliar to himself: I took the mirrors down some years ago because they upset Lauren. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. But that plotlines closure felt a bitforced? The reader plays detective the whole time trying to piece together what is reliable and what is not, Ward says. All these things are true. Death. , I hope you enjoy it if you read it. This is finally out! Im fascinated by the lake. Unsurprisingly, Dee's family disintegrated, and her father is now dead. Dee dies from the snake bite. He doesnt have friends and he cant quite get free of his mothers influence over him even though shes been long gone. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. When a woman named Dee moves into the abandoned house next door while on a quest to find her sister, who was kidnapped years ago, Ted's life begins to spiral into chaos. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to . But its not what you think. ONLY 3 for my enjoyment level of the story. I did not think I would find such a perfect match in I Witnessed A Crime. There is a truth we begin to see relatively early on, but when you're standing on shaky ground and the narrative keeps throwing curveballs your way, believing you know what's happening is almost impossible. Like, holy shit, talk about psychopaths At first when they were in the forest and his mother revealed her fathers history and told Ted she never loved him I thought her coldness for her son was, if not natural, kinda understandable. An Own Voices review of The Last House on Needless Street can be found on the channel The Chaotic Little Book Corner htt. Its an echo [in this story] because its such a landmark in my landscape of fear.. I cant believe this is all one narrator! This article does not joke about Needless Street however: the twist is literally given away for anyone with the least perception or thought process on the first page or two. I have a little request for those of you whove already read this. Do not miss this book.. The clues were definitely therethe bike riding, shopping for the leggings, hints about how Lauren couldnt go outside. Now take it out of your pocket. Dee is driven by her obsession and seems to be somewhat in control, but then that image crumbles; she's afraid of going to sleep because the "red birds will come flying into her head." This is the story of a murderer. The book embraces many of the most familiar aspects of the horror genre, but it also counts on its readers to possess a shared understanding of its common tropes and signifiers, and uses those assumptions to subvert many of their preexisting expectations. THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET blew me away. I kept reading because of the amazing reviews. 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. The description is vague on purpose, and the best thing to do is just dive in without any information. The Last House on Needless Street is a very dark, atmospheric and disturbing tale about a boarded-up house at the end of Needless Street whose inhabitants include a man who drinks quite a bit, an angry teenage girl who is a recluse, and a cat that seems to have a religious side. I dont think I still have for that matter, although for all I know, The Last House on Needless Street gives justice to people dealing with this on a daily basis. Once I figure that out, I started to get uncomfortable and grew uneasy. Her writing has been featured in Paste Magazine, Collider,. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. Margaret M - Hiatus - I will respond when I can. I knew Ted was innocent, but I didnt guess the DID storyline. Her fear of snakes is not based on a false memory, the snakes slithered out from beneath Lulu when Dee tried to move her. In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, something lies buried. It was obvious the cat was an alt personality. Shes honed in on Ted and is determined to find out what became of her sister. The Last of Us 2 Leaked Plot Confirmed by Naughty Dog, Dune: Part Two Should Expand the Role of Zendayas Chani, Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Review, Shazam! 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. You think you've read this story before. Just in time for October's spooky reading season. Seeking redemption and revenge is one thing, but inflicting self-judgment on innocent people is a whole another one. Lauren appears in her own narrated chapters later in the book. The story is narrated by Ted, Oliva, Dee and Lauren with some characters in third person and some in first person, a technical that allows a rounded tale, told from limited but different viewpoints. But Ill talk about this a bit more in depth in the spoilers section after the review itself. The Last House on Needless Street is published on 18 March (Profile, 12.99). I think its unnerving to the reader because fiction is supposed to be more organized than that. Now it is confirmed. Full of twists and turns, sorrow and humanity. Really good summing up of the book's flaws here: https://medium.com/wayward-magazine/im-so-mad-about-the-last-house-on-needless-street-57a2f9b16f88. But that plotlines closure felt a bitforced? Catriona Ward was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the US, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. I find that it is a relief. Im not sure where it sits, Ward admits with a laugh during a lengthy conversation with Den of Geek. Children have been going missing at a nearby lake for some time and a woman named Dee, whose sister disappeared there some years prior, has convinced herself that Ted had something to do with it. 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. Its safe to say that she has achieved that goal. The Last House on Needless Street is another critical darling that employs what is arguably the most tired trope in horror, all while telling a pseudo-empathetic story that portrays a demonized community as. ISBN: 9781788166188. He's unemployed and drinks a lot. Publishing Info: Tor Nightfire, September 2021. First person narrators for me are a much more realistic way of presenting the world than an omniscient, Godlike creator. Couldn't handle the lukewarm purple prose and near total absence of suspense. Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley. OMG. You made it to the end, which is further than I did. Dee saw her dead body, but the police/adults never found it. 'The buzz building around Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is real. I think thats something that horror and the darker side of fiction do very naturally anyway. It is only outside the last house on Needless Street that Ted finds occasional respite. I thought this book was so cleverly written, with the hints towards DID masquerading as hints that Lauren was Lulu. Im a sucker for these kinds of stories where the story unravels piece by piece! Please, just read it. In a place that echoes with lost boys, 11 years ago, the haunted Dee lost her little 6 year old sister, Lulu, the Popsicle Girl, disappearing, never to be seen again. Which is disappointing, because I had high expectations going in based on the recommendations of people whose taste I trust in. Just finished this after being recommended it by my SIL. I read the reviews after the fact, and the fact that this book is about DID is totally spoiled. His mother apparently used to experiment on him surgically, which caused his scars and is what her tapes were about.Teds therapist was also abusing him and making his condition worse. What kind of overpowering greed leads someone to need to do it twice in one day?. While Im talking about spoilers, one of the most chilling things about this book was how the mother treated Ted. My Godreally? I don`t even want to try and review it, because I won`t do it justice. That was more chilling to think about than a fictional character, and Im honestly not sure what kind of person this makes me. Overall, not a win for me. Your post just bumped it to the top of my TBR list! If you watch a lot movies or read a lot of books not much comes off as a surprise. Thank you, Catriona Ward, NetGalley, and Viper books for the opportunity to read this book. Her words stung me. While Im talking about spoilers, one of the most chilling things about this book was how the mother treated Ted. Revenge. This book is wearing the disguise of horror. There are layers upon layers that are coming together nicely by the end. Ted lives alone in his childhood home with his cat, Olivia. Having read the award winning Catriona Ward's incredible debut, Rawblood, it is not surprising that her latest novel, an atmospheric gothic horror, the darkest of fairytales, is one of the books of 2021. And [theres] actually a huge quality of empathy [involved] because what youre saying to the reader is, Here are my vulnerabilities. I hope its [really] about survival and hope as much as it is about suffering. Horror fiction can scare readers, make them anxious, or upset their stomachs, but the most powerful narratives in the genre manage to create an unshakable sense of unease, and that's exactly what this novel does. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars. *** THE THRILLING RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK *** *** THE BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK *** 'I haven't read anything this exciting since Gone Girl ' - STEPHEN KING 'One of the most extraordinary thrillers of the year' - Thank you so much to Tor Nightfire for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 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. I hated it. 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. Edition: Main. He nails the different voices so well, that you feel compelled to go and make sure that its really only one person narrating. Eleven years ago, Lulu, a six year old girl, disappeared from the nearby lake. Please do not copy or reproduce without explicit permission. 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. But I'll talk about this a bit more in depth in the spoilers section after the review itself. Delivery charges may apply. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. The atmosphere in this novel is depressing and the strangeness can lead to confusion "'The first time I tried to run,' she says, 'he took my feet. Otherwise, feel free to skip this part and maybe grab a copy for yourself if youd like to make your own judgment! I figure I might as well share it with you! I usually try to keep my reviews as spoiler-free as I can, but Im going to have an exception here. That was my first encounter with this particular mental disorder so I had no understanding of what it really meant. Transgender journalist and musician from Grand Rapids, Michigan. When a new neighbor moves in next door, it seems all their secrets will finally come to light. Fuck this book and every author who blurbed it. There are some deliberate reverberations that I set up with Ted in the beginning, Ward explains.Hes called Ted, and he lives in Washington state, near a lake where there had been a disappearance. And while Im in the minority who didnt fall in love with Wards prose, story, or characters, I can see why others did. Regardless if you liked the book or not. I've read it and was blown away. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. (LogOut/ Wow. It gives hope that people with this disorder can find their path in life even if its not an easy one. ZU VERKAUFEN! This is something that has made its way into my psychology and my imagination, Ward says. If you usually ignore the afterword in books, make this one your exception (though not until after youve finished the book as there is a spoiler in there). The Last House on Needless Street is out September 28th. And Ive been thinking a lot. "The Wizard of Oz" (Victor Fleming, 1939) As iconic musicals go, "The Wizard of Oz" nearly takes the cake. But I kept going because I was confused and felt that I might still be right. Both novels are critical darlings & both are horror-adjacent . Ward uses unreliable narrators extremely well. It made me think of an online friend I had a couple of years ago, who as she confessed to me at one point has DID. 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. That was my first encounter with this particular mental disorder so I had no understanding of what it really meant. Rarely do I struggle to find words about a book that I loved, but I find myself in that position right now. And I think I have whiplash from all the twists! Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street arrived in 2021 riding a wave of pre-release hype the likes of which I don't think I've seen since Justin Cronin released The Passage ten years ago. "Good," she said. Her desperation drove her to the edge of sanity, and I guess thats what she paid for in the end. Ted remembers details from his childhood, for example. Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse. I didnt find it horrifying or terrifying, though it is thrilling to read. 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 loved Olivia! The Last House on Needless Street Audible Audiobook - Unabridged Catriona Ward (Author), Christopher Ragland (Narrator), Viper (Publisher) & 0 more 4.0 out of 5 stars 3,338 ratings That might sound confusing, but it's all part of the dark, strange world Ward created for this unsettling story, and it all makes sense. *, The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (Author), Christopher Ragland (Narrator). 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. Tanya H. said "I don't know why they've got so many bad reviews but our experience was great! 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. (And the author herself is well aware of that fact. 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. 084121), Northcliffe House, 2 Derry . I opted for the audiobook, and I have to say, Christopher Raglands narration is absolutely top-notch. Weight: 340 g. Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 34 mm. Their palpable burning desire for one another has carried fans through two seasons packed with . It is impossible to write a meaningful analysis of The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (Viper, 2021) without . 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 . But that was one twist I didnt quite see coming the mother being the psychopath, I mean. A young girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. But of course, nothing as it seems and as the truths come to the surface, we are forced to face our prejudices and first impressions. I never heard from her again although I do think of her every once in a while. Follow Queen's Book Asylum on WordPress.com. In July of 1974, Bundy abducted and murdered two different womenJanice Ott and Denise Naslundover the course of an afternoon at Lake Sammamish State Park. This is so well written! Press J to jump to the feed. Just brilliant. Ted has blocked out the outside world as much as possible, except for his . Also Turn of the Screw is a brilliant book .