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The Little House
Giving up her job as a reporter for a mediocre radio station, Ruth Cleary becomes pregnant and moves to Bath, only to become lonely and depressed and find that her mother-in-law is beginning to control and manipulate her life. 15,000 first printing.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1996
142 people are currently reading
4856 people want to read
About the author
Philippa Gregory
134 books36.7k followersDR PHILIPPA GREGORY studied history at the University of Sussex and was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Neilsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE for services to literature and to her charity Gardens for the Gambia. and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 438 reviews
October 2, 2024
Review 2024- Reread within 24 hours. Absolutely inhaled it. I'm not sure if it's possible but I feel like I hate Patrick even more. And the ending gives me so much joy it's unreal. Chapter 10 will always be my favourite due to the fact that Ruth starts her journey to becoming a bad bitch.
Review 2022 - Still going strong, still love this book as much as the first time that I read it. Still hating Patrick, still rooting for Ruth. All my emotions of stress and anxiety flood back, and I just cannot help put myself through this turmoil.
Review 2020- This is my fourth time reading this, and I just get so absorbed into this story. I literally inhaled it this time. It is such a good read. This time round I have realised what a complete arsehole Patrick is. He is just so pathetic and a complete brat. Go Ruth!
Review 2018- This has such a fantastic twist at the end that you don't see coming. One of my favourite books I have ever read.
Review 2022 - Still going strong, still love this book as much as the first time that I read it. Still hating Patrick, still rooting for Ruth. All my emotions of stress and anxiety flood back, and I just cannot help put myself through this turmoil.
Review 2020- This is my fourth time reading this, and I just get so absorbed into this story. I literally inhaled it this time. It is such a good read. This time round I have realised what a complete arsehole Patrick is. He is just so pathetic and a complete brat. Go Ruth!
Review 2018- This has such a fantastic twist at the end that you don't see coming. One of my favourite books I have ever read.
December 22, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary
Ruth is a young woman who lost her parents when she was a kid. She marries Patrick, who comes from a rich family, and thinks she’s finally found the family she’s always wanted. But pretty soon, she starts to feel really isolated and lonely around his tight-knit family. Patrick seems totally oblivious to how she feels and is too busy with his job to notice. Then, impulsively, he purchases a cottage near his parents' luxurious home, and despite Ruth's hesitation, she agrees to the move.
After the move, Ruth ends up losing her job and gets pregnant. After having her baby, she struggles with postnatal depression, and Patrick's pushy mom, Elizabeth, starts taking over Ruth's life. Things get pretty messy, and Ruth is convinced to check into a "rest home," where they keep her heavily medicated. But in a big twist, she manages to take back control of her life.
I want to clarify that this is neither historical fiction nor a mystery thriller. It's a contemporary story that has moments of tension, which can definitely be described as thrilling at times. Philippa Gregory is one of my favorite authors, particularly for her books about royalty and history. This is the first time I am reading a contemporary story written by her.
I wish the edition I own had a better cover. For some reason, all the covers for this book do not accurately reflect the story. They seem more suited for a historical book, which is not what this book is about. Even on Goodreads, it is mistakenly categorized as historical and a mystery thriller. Approaching this book with expectations based on one of these genres will likely lead to disappointment.
The novel gradually builds tension, and as a reader, I was eager to see where the story was heading. The narrative features four well-developed characters, which is something I expected from the author.
The book addresses several sensitive topics, so exercise caution if you decide to read it. Themes such as mental health, isolation, manipulation, and postnatal depression are prominently featured. I didn't anticipate the ending, and I'm uncertain about my feelings regarding it.
After finishing the book, I find myself conflicted about my thoughts on the characters. Was Ruth truly manipulated, or was she just imagining it all? The story explores the gray areas between reality and imagination, as well as between right and wrong. This is to be expected in a Gregory novel, and it didn’t disappoint me. I really enjoyed it.
Genre: Contemporary
Ruth is a young woman who lost her parents when she was a kid. She marries Patrick, who comes from a rich family, and thinks she’s finally found the family she’s always wanted. But pretty soon, she starts to feel really isolated and lonely around his tight-knit family. Patrick seems totally oblivious to how she feels and is too busy with his job to notice. Then, impulsively, he purchases a cottage near his parents' luxurious home, and despite Ruth's hesitation, she agrees to the move.
After the move, Ruth ends up losing her job and gets pregnant. After having her baby, she struggles with postnatal depression, and Patrick's pushy mom, Elizabeth, starts taking over Ruth's life. Things get pretty messy, and Ruth is convinced to check into a "rest home," where they keep her heavily medicated. But in a big twist, she manages to take back control of her life.
I want to clarify that this is neither historical fiction nor a mystery thriller. It's a contemporary story that has moments of tension, which can definitely be described as thrilling at times. Philippa Gregory is one of my favorite authors, particularly for her books about royalty and history. This is the first time I am reading a contemporary story written by her.
I wish the edition I own had a better cover. For some reason, all the covers for this book do not accurately reflect the story. They seem more suited for a historical book, which is not what this book is about. Even on Goodreads, it is mistakenly categorized as historical and a mystery thriller. Approaching this book with expectations based on one of these genres will likely lead to disappointment.
The novel gradually builds tension, and as a reader, I was eager to see where the story was heading. The narrative features four well-developed characters, which is something I expected from the author.
The book addresses several sensitive topics, so exercise caution if you decide to read it. Themes such as mental health, isolation, manipulation, and postnatal depression are prominently featured. I didn't anticipate the ending, and I'm uncertain about my feelings regarding it.
After finishing the book, I find myself conflicted about my thoughts on the characters. Was Ruth truly manipulated, or was she just imagining it all? The story explores the gray areas between reality and imagination, as well as between right and wrong. This is to be expected in a Gregory novel, and it didn’t disappoint me. I really enjoyed it.
April 20, 2013
The blurb on this book called it a 'complex thriller' and 'spine tingling'.
For 99% of the book I could not get my head around this terms. I would have relabelled it 'psychological drama' and 'infuriating' for Ruth's treatment at the hands of her husband and his parents first annoyed me, then angered me, then finally shocked me.
Strongly reminiscent of "The Yellow Wallpaper" (indeed the terms 'yellow' and 'wallpaper' feature several times in the novel) The Little House is a novel dealing with the lead up, devastation and aftermath of Post Natal Depression. Surrounded by controlling forces (ie Ruth's husband Patrick and his parents Frederick and Elizabeth)Ruth is manipulated, belittled and finally downright bullied into conforming with a set of rules not of her own making.
What's more, the rules constantly change and evolve so that any power Ruth holds is stripped from her, piece by piece. Despite the success of her therapy and the help of the (proper) medical authorities, she is made to feel a failure for every little accident and melodrama that normal mothers make and move on from. Every decision she makes is questioned, every opinion she has is written off. She is a shell of herself but somehow manages to find the strength of purpose to rebuild and start to take it back.
By the time it was all over and the 'complex spine tingling thriller' part came out, I'd pretty much missed it. I was just about ready to explode with hatred against these awful people and their warfare against the disheartened protagonist and didn't see the 'double twist ending' as anything more than justice being served.
The novel works simply because Philippa Gregory is an accomplished writer. She knows how to set a scene, add her characters, throw in the plot element and then see how they all work against each other. I was with Ruth every step of the way and felt her frustration with the family that claimed to love her and yet worked so stridently against her.
For 99% of the book I could not get my head around this terms. I would have relabelled it 'psychological drama' and 'infuriating' for Ruth's treatment at the hands of her husband and his parents first annoyed me, then angered me, then finally shocked me.
Strongly reminiscent of "The Yellow Wallpaper" (indeed the terms 'yellow' and 'wallpaper' feature several times in the novel) The Little House is a novel dealing with the lead up, devastation and aftermath of Post Natal Depression. Surrounded by controlling forces (ie Ruth's husband Patrick and his parents Frederick and Elizabeth)Ruth is manipulated, belittled and finally downright bullied into conforming with a set of rules not of her own making.
What's more, the rules constantly change and evolve so that any power Ruth holds is stripped from her, piece by piece. Despite the success of her therapy and the help of the (proper) medical authorities, she is made to feel a failure for every little accident and melodrama that normal mothers make and move on from. Every decision she makes is questioned, every opinion she has is written off. She is a shell of herself but somehow manages to find the strength of purpose to rebuild and start to take it back.
By the time it was all over and the 'complex spine tingling thriller' part came out, I'd pretty much missed it. I was just about ready to explode with hatred against these awful people and their warfare against the disheartened protagonist and didn't see the 'double twist ending' as anything more than justice being served.
The novel works simply because Philippa Gregory is an accomplished writer. She knows how to set a scene, add her characters, throw in the plot element and then see how they all work against each other. I was with Ruth every step of the way and felt her frustration with the family that claimed to love her and yet worked so stridently against her.
August 10, 2008
Though the jacket says that this book is "tragicomic," implying that there are funny parts, it is actually pretty devastating to read. Ruth, the main character, deals with so much sadness, from tragedies in her past to the manipulating mental abuse she suffers at the hands of her husband and in-laws. Her husband is a selfish, stupid, arrogant, spoiled sorry excuse for a human, and her in-laws are only slightly better. Though the ending is kind of funny and triumphant in a creepy way, I think that it's terribly sad to think of a real person going through these kinds of experiences and having no way out. Realistically, most people would (hopefully) not deal with their problems the way Ruth did but, as the reader, you feel a compassion for her and you understand that she truly had no other way out without losing her child. I think Gregory did an amazing job of creating complex characters whose faults you can clearly see, but whose side you may be able to understand as well (except for Ruth's husband; I saw nothing redeeming about him at all and I imagine that's how Gregory intended it). Ultimately, I came away from this book with an unsettled, sad feeling and an overwhelming compassion for the strains and trials endured by new mothers.
April 6, 2012
I love Philippa Gregory's historical novels and particularly enjoy psychological thrillers so when someone lent me this I was looking forward to it. Now I feel that I have wasted precious moments that I could have spent on a good book. I gave up half way through and only skim read to the end, but even so! I think the problem was that I have young children and have experienced post-natal depression and i did not feel that the reaction of the professionals here was realistic. It felt about 20 years out of date. Now not every aspect of a book needs to be realistic but her relationship with her husband seemed very old fashioned too. And why did she only have one friend? Surely someone with no family would have cultivated lots of friends? I stayed with it to the end to see whether the "whiplash double-twist of the denouement" quoted in the blurb on the back would be worth it - it wasn't ! A well-used plot device à la Roald Dahl it seemed to me! It wasn't well-written and felt like an idea for a short story stretched into a novel to cash in on her success elsewhere.
Ok - I now see that despite my book saying 'first published 2010' it was in fact published in 1998. So it is nearly 15 years out of date.
Ok - I now see that despite my book saying 'first published 2010' it was in fact published in 1998. So it is nearly 15 years out of date.
August 15, 2012
Utterly dreadful.
Allegedly a "psychological thriller," it seemed to lack both psychology and thrills. A vulnerable woman allows herself to be manipulated by both her husband and his parents (mainly her mother-in-law), and moved into a house nearby whilst she is pregnant. After a traumatic birth, she becomes depressed and the in-laws assume responsibility for childcare. They are unwilling to relinquish control, and manipulate her husband into siding with them against his wife.
The whole story is told in a very matter-of-fact and uninvolving manner, with dramatic incidents recounted with no more excitement than a shopping list. The pace is slow (until the last ten pages and the "shocking denouement" which occurs with greater haste than the rest of the story) and characterisation is by numbers. There are a number of flaws in the plot (especially the husband's behaviour and the wife's placidity) and the repetitive phrasing in some areas grates. If I never see the words "the little house" in print again, it will be too soon: it seems to occur on every other page in this book.
Allegedly a "psychological thriller," it seemed to lack both psychology and thrills. A vulnerable woman allows herself to be manipulated by both her husband and his parents (mainly her mother-in-law), and moved into a house nearby whilst she is pregnant. After a traumatic birth, she becomes depressed and the in-laws assume responsibility for childcare. They are unwilling to relinquish control, and manipulate her husband into siding with them against his wife.
The whole story is told in a very matter-of-fact and uninvolving manner, with dramatic incidents recounted with no more excitement than a shopping list. The pace is slow (until the last ten pages and the "shocking denouement" which occurs with greater haste than the rest of the story) and characterisation is by numbers. There are a number of flaws in the plot (especially the husband's behaviour and the wife's placidity) and the repetitive phrasing in some areas grates. If I never see the words "the little house" in print again, it will be too soon: it seems to occur on every other page in this book.
January 22, 2021
Quite a sad & disturbing book. Touching on post natal depression and the pressures from family members to be who they mould you and want you to be.
Ruth was orphaned as a child after her American parents were killed in a car crash when she was 7. She meets Patrick in her early 20s they are both journalists who love their jobs. They are soon married and set into married life and along comes their son Thomas.
However Patricks parents in their big farm house like things “just so” their way or no way , and Ruth has to battle with her mind and also her in laws.
A contemporary thriller , easy read, steady build up but nothing stood out for me particularly.
Ruth was orphaned as a child after her American parents were killed in a car crash when she was 7. She meets Patrick in her early 20s they are both journalists who love their jobs. They are soon married and set into married life and along comes their son Thomas.
However Patricks parents in their big farm house like things “just so” their way or no way , and Ruth has to battle with her mind and also her in laws.
A contemporary thriller , easy read, steady build up but nothing stood out for me particularly.
January 22, 2023
Ruth Cleary lives with her husband Patrick. Every Sunday they visit his parents Elizabeth and Frederick in their farmhouse. Ruth and Patrick have been living in a flat since their marriage almost five years earlier. Ruth is a journalist on radio while Patrick is a documentary maker. But Patrick's parents want him and Ruth to move to the little house across the road from them. And Patrick wants to have a baby but Ruth doesn't want a baby. But she soon gets fired from her radio job, and then she and Patrick have sex a few times without contraception. Ruth soon finds out that she is pregnant, which is a unwelcome suprise to her as she never wanted a baby. But Patrick and Elizabeth and Frederick are delighted, and Elizabeth starts getting the little house ready for the baby's arrival. The little house is still not ready when Ruth gives birth to her and Patrick's son Thomas, and she, Patrick and their son have to still live in the farmhouse with Elizabeth and Frederick. The little house is soon ready for them to move to and they move in. But Ruth struggles to cope with the fact that she is a new mother, while Elizabeth loves being a grandmother and takes every opportunity to look after Thomas. Ruth, who is suffering from postnatal depression is soon put into a mental institution by her in-laws and husband as they see as unable to look after her baby and as a possible danger to him. She later gets released from there and she returns to the farmhouse with Patrick to live in him, his parents and Thomas. Ruth realises that she has a deep love for Thomas and that she wants to be his mother, and to care for him. But Elizabeth seems to see Thomas as her own son and she tries to spend more time with him than Ruth gets to. Ruth and Patrick eventually move back to the little house but the situation with Elizabeth continues. And Ruth is constantly supervised by her in-laws as she is still not trusted by them to be able to look after her own son. Ruth eventually becomes resentful of Elizabeth and the fact that she is trying to raise Ruth's own son and she kills her (I'm still shocked by this). She and Patrick move into the farmhouse with Thomas and Frederick. I really enjoyed this book, even though it was different from anything else I have read by Philippa Gregory. It definitely creeped me out at times but I highly recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2024
I love Gregory's historical fiction, but this book is godawful. The protagonist is a weak-willed ninny, her husband and his mother are cartoonish in their villainy, and the author seems to think that there was no real understanding of postpartum depression before the year 2015. The ending is beyond ridiculous, and seriously, I can't even.
January 4, 2009
THis book drove me nuts!! The female character was so weak and couldn't see what was happening. Twist at end was not believable.
January 31, 2014
Wow, where to start with this one?
An amazing psychological thriller with so many twists and turns its hard to keep up.
Ruth is married to Patrick a success at basically everything, good job, good home, good wife, everything in his life is perfect until that is, for Ruth things take a turn for the worse, after being made redundant at the local radio station where she works, finding out the "in laws" want to sell the couples' flat they gave them on their marriage AND finding out she is also pregnant leaves her stunned and as if her world is collapsing around her ears.
They plan to move into the "Little house" Patrick's father is buying virtually on the family home estate after the previous owner dies.
But things don't work out that way when Patrick's mother, the scheming Elizabeth now feels that as Patrick is back in the fold she can control not only his but Ruth's life too.
A power struggle ensues that descends to unspeakable atrocities where Ruth has to fight the family for everything she has in the world.
A controlling tyrant of a mother in law, a father in law that will back Elizabeth in anything she decides to do and a husband that is still at heart their little boy and the apple of their eye are the arrayed forces Ruth has to battle in the war to win back Patrick, her sanity, her son and even her life.
Can she win with so much opposition and turn the tables on the Lady Macbeth incarnation that is Elizabeth?
Absolutely amazing, this gripped me from the first page and I finished it in around 24 hours, what more endorsement can I give?
Definitely worth reading and I am sure will be passed around my family too.
An amazing psychological thriller with so many twists and turns its hard to keep up.
Ruth is married to Patrick a success at basically everything, good job, good home, good wife, everything in his life is perfect until that is, for Ruth things take a turn for the worse, after being made redundant at the local radio station where she works, finding out the "in laws" want to sell the couples' flat they gave them on their marriage AND finding out she is also pregnant leaves her stunned and as if her world is collapsing around her ears.
They plan to move into the "Little house" Patrick's father is buying virtually on the family home estate after the previous owner dies.
But things don't work out that way when Patrick's mother, the scheming Elizabeth now feels that as Patrick is back in the fold she can control not only his but Ruth's life too.
A power struggle ensues that descends to unspeakable atrocities where Ruth has to fight the family for everything she has in the world.
A controlling tyrant of a mother in law, a father in law that will back Elizabeth in anything she decides to do and a husband that is still at heart their little boy and the apple of their eye are the arrayed forces Ruth has to battle in the war to win back Patrick, her sanity, her son and even her life.
Can she win with so much opposition and turn the tables on the Lady Macbeth incarnation that is Elizabeth?
Absolutely amazing, this gripped me from the first page and I finished it in around 24 hours, what more endorsement can I give?
Definitely worth reading and I am sure will be passed around my family too.
June 28, 2013
Really enjoyed this book.
I felt so badly for Ruth, she struggles so badly with post natal depression, and 'luckily' for her, her in-laws can afford to get her the best 'help'.
Her husband (Patrick) is a complete dick, a spoiled brat still tied to mother's apron strings. Whatever mother wants, must be right, because that is the way it is always done (and of course mother makes everything so much easier for him).
The father-in-law (Frederick) is a well written character with strong moral fibre, and he wants what is best, but is too easily swayed by the mother-in-law. In other circumstances, I would actually have quite liked him.
The mother-in-law (Elizabeth) is poison wrapped in candy. Every daughter-in-law's worst fear all tied up in sweetness. She 'helps' Ruth with the baby, 'helps' her with the house, and changes things to how she wants them ... how they 'should' be.
The end of the book seems to happen quite suddenly. The reader is swept up in the tide of Patrick's family judging Ruth for the smallest mistake, with her fighting to keep her baby and her husband, and the final pages leave you breathless with shock at what happens when one woman is pushed just that little bit too far.
I felt so badly for Ruth, she struggles so badly with post natal depression, and 'luckily' for her, her in-laws can afford to get her the best 'help'.
Her husband (Patrick) is a complete dick, a spoiled brat still tied to mother's apron strings. Whatever mother wants, must be right, because that is the way it is always done (and of course mother makes everything so much easier for him).
The father-in-law (Frederick) is a well written character with strong moral fibre, and he wants what is best, but is too easily swayed by the mother-in-law. In other circumstances, I would actually have quite liked him.
The mother-in-law (Elizabeth) is poison wrapped in candy. Every daughter-in-law's worst fear all tied up in sweetness. She 'helps' Ruth with the baby, 'helps' her with the house, and changes things to how she wants them ... how they 'should' be.
The end of the book seems to happen quite suddenly. The reader is swept up in the tide of Patrick's family judging Ruth for the smallest mistake, with her fighting to keep her baby and her husband, and the final pages leave you breathless with shock at what happens when one woman is pushed just that little bit too far.
April 17, 2024
One of the worst Philippa Gregory books I’ve read! I wanted to lock Ruth up in a looney bin and then slap her with a wet fish! She was infuriating, as bad as her husband Patrick!!
If I have to read another story with parents that have been killed in a car crash…. Come on PG you can do better than this!!
If I have to read another story with parents that have been killed in a car crash…. Come on PG you can do better than this!!
February 22, 2017
Wicked. This was very, very wicked.
Karma.
Justice rides a slow horse, but it always comes to town.
LOVED the ending!! LOVED! LOVED!! LOVED!!!
Karma.
Justice rides a slow horse, but it always comes to town.
LOVED the ending!! LOVED! LOVED!! LOVED!!!
March 17, 2024
Good, clever story. Reminiscent of the novels made popular in the 60s and 70s by women's studies classes, such as "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "The Women's Room" that are along the same lines. A female protagonist with good intentions, trusting and submissive, finds herself manipulated by antagonists who possess authority and twist the "norms" to control her. Initially anxious to please, she comes to realize she has little power and is trapped within middle-class conventions. With no income, no connections, and a child, she is husband dependent. The movies "Gaslight" and "Rebecca" have similar plots. I find "The Little House" more thought-provoking than the other stories because, to me, in the final analysis, it isn't confirmed who the "bad guy" actually is. I can see this either way, probably due to Gregory's skillful writing.
Ruth appears to be a nice but incompetent, emotional young woman who doesn't stick up for herself effectively. This is told from her point of view persuading us to dislike her mother-in-law, Elizabeth, throughout the story. I was on Ruth's side until the final chapters, but upon reflection, I reconsidered whether Elizabeth is more innocent than assumed. Perhaps Ruth is the one mostly to blame since she demonstrates poor planning and an on-going lack of knowledge of domestic functions that she does little about; therefore, it seems reasonable she accept some responsibility for her problems.
Ruth's shortcomings are evident before and after having the baby. Although she clearly did not want children, she foolishly did not employ any birth control. Once pregnant, she researches nothing about birthing and baby care to prepare for the realities. She simply whines about it. She depends on others to help her out, but when they do, she responds with resentment and stubbornness, blaming everyone but herself. Postpartum depression is problematic, but even after good treatment and extensive rest, she still seems "off." By contrast, Elizabeth manages the vast array of housewife and parenting duties very efficiently, supplying all the solutions in every situation. She comes across as an overly interfering, unlikeable mother-in-law, but could we instead see her as unfailingly generous with her time and assistance helping to deal with the problems she sees affecting her grandson? Or, is she truly an evil manipulator using her skills to take full advantage of her daughter-in-law's insecurities, to the point of driving Ruth insane, to achieve her ends? We also fault Ruth's husband and father-in-law, but is that justified? Husband Patrick is a bit dim, certainly egotistical, and not at home helping out enough, but he does not appear overtly abusive and displays multiple times he can be accommodating even when he doesn't want to be. He repeatedly asks Ruth what her problem is, but she lies, denying for months there's anything seriously wrong. Only when she's completely on the edge does she explain her frustrations. Her father-in-law is a tad clueless but mostly shows tolerance and generosity. Quit whining and take advantage of them, Ruth!
If we automatically sympathize with Ruth, is it because of a feminist ideology bias? Would Elizabeth ever receive fair judgment today, let alone be admired for her high level of domestic expertise, no small feat? In recent decades, women and girls have been strongly influenced to view full-time homemakers almost with contempt and to criticize good homemaking skills, even proudly claiming to not possess them. Our automatic reaction to Ruth's heinous crime is that she's justified because by then, readers have also become fed up with her continual frustrations and fears. But taking a step back, premeditated murder is pretty hard to justify.
A male heir in the mix explains the family's vested interest and interference that supports the notion that the goal of Patrick's family is to take over completely on the child. If I side with Ruth's alleged predicament, I compare it to Princess Diana's situation. Despite Di's apparent good intentions, talents, and being mother of royalty when "they" decided she was unsuitable she was ultimately ousted, even though it appeared her husband and the "establishment" evidently caused much of the problems. The antagonists' dialog in the book resembles common political spin where unethical actions are explained away with one sided reasoning, denial, flipped accusations, and deception designed to convince others to accept and even support the wrongs. This strategy is used to achieve desired outcomes, usually power, and Gregory hits the nail on the head as to how the game is played. Is this orchestrated, or is Ruth in denial?
Ruth gets away with a surprisingly efficient planned murder and follows it with the intention to take on Elizabeth's role. Does this reveal she has a darker side and has even aspired to possess the control Elizabeth had? That would not be a popular reaction today to these circumstances; however, the ending doesn't make complete sense if Ruth is blameless.
Did the author actually intend that we consider Ruth as a completely innocent, manipulated victim without question, or is she meant to be considered as emotionally unbalanced? Gregory's stories are always from female perspectives dealing with life's difficulties as victims of circumstance; therefore, I assume we are supposed to sympathize with Ruth. However, this story and its characters' dynamics contain mixed messages that leave readers inconclusive with more questions than answers.
The descriptions of coping with a new baby are realistic-yikes!
It's a good book club discussion book.
Ruth appears to be a nice but incompetent, emotional young woman who doesn't stick up for herself effectively. This is told from her point of view persuading us to dislike her mother-in-law, Elizabeth, throughout the story. I was on Ruth's side until the final chapters, but upon reflection, I reconsidered whether Elizabeth is more innocent than assumed. Perhaps Ruth is the one mostly to blame since she demonstrates poor planning and an on-going lack of knowledge of domestic functions that she does little about; therefore, it seems reasonable she accept some responsibility for her problems.
Ruth's shortcomings are evident before and after having the baby. Although she clearly did not want children, she foolishly did not employ any birth control. Once pregnant, she researches nothing about birthing and baby care to prepare for the realities. She simply whines about it. She depends on others to help her out, but when they do, she responds with resentment and stubbornness, blaming everyone but herself. Postpartum depression is problematic, but even after good treatment and extensive rest, she still seems "off." By contrast, Elizabeth manages the vast array of housewife and parenting duties very efficiently, supplying all the solutions in every situation. She comes across as an overly interfering, unlikeable mother-in-law, but could we instead see her as unfailingly generous with her time and assistance helping to deal with the problems she sees affecting her grandson? Or, is she truly an evil manipulator using her skills to take full advantage of her daughter-in-law's insecurities, to the point of driving Ruth insane, to achieve her ends? We also fault Ruth's husband and father-in-law, but is that justified? Husband Patrick is a bit dim, certainly egotistical, and not at home helping out enough, but he does not appear overtly abusive and displays multiple times he can be accommodating even when he doesn't want to be. He repeatedly asks Ruth what her problem is, but she lies, denying for months there's anything seriously wrong. Only when she's completely on the edge does she explain her frustrations. Her father-in-law is a tad clueless but mostly shows tolerance and generosity. Quit whining and take advantage of them, Ruth!
If we automatically sympathize with Ruth, is it because of a feminist ideology bias? Would Elizabeth ever receive fair judgment today, let alone be admired for her high level of domestic expertise, no small feat? In recent decades, women and girls have been strongly influenced to view full-time homemakers almost with contempt and to criticize good homemaking skills, even proudly claiming to not possess them. Our automatic reaction to Ruth's heinous crime is that she's justified because by then, readers have also become fed up with her continual frustrations and fears. But taking a step back, premeditated murder is pretty hard to justify.
A male heir in the mix explains the family's vested interest and interference that supports the notion that the goal of Patrick's family is to take over completely on the child. If I side with Ruth's alleged predicament, I compare it to Princess Diana's situation. Despite Di's apparent good intentions, talents, and being mother of royalty when "they" decided she was unsuitable she was ultimately ousted, even though it appeared her husband and the "establishment" evidently caused much of the problems. The antagonists' dialog in the book resembles common political spin where unethical actions are explained away with one sided reasoning, denial, flipped accusations, and deception designed to convince others to accept and even support the wrongs. This strategy is used to achieve desired outcomes, usually power, and Gregory hits the nail on the head as to how the game is played. Is this orchestrated, or is Ruth in denial?
Ruth gets away with a surprisingly efficient planned murder and follows it with the intention to take on Elizabeth's role. Does this reveal she has a darker side and has even aspired to possess the control Elizabeth had? That would not be a popular reaction today to these circumstances; however, the ending doesn't make complete sense if Ruth is blameless.
Did the author actually intend that we consider Ruth as a completely innocent, manipulated victim without question, or is she meant to be considered as emotionally unbalanced? Gregory's stories are always from female perspectives dealing with life's difficulties as victims of circumstance; therefore, I assume we are supposed to sympathize with Ruth. However, this story and its characters' dynamics contain mixed messages that leave readers inconclusive with more questions than answers.
The descriptions of coping with a new baby are realistic-yikes!
It's a good book club discussion book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2013
A good clear four stars for this one. It was gripping and intriguing, and well written, but not the best thing I have ever read. I read it in two and a half days, and that's saying something when I work full time.
'The Little House' follows Ruth, a young journalist who lives with her husband Patrick in a flat bought by his wealthy parents. They are happy until Ruth is made redundant. Patrick doesn't think it is a problem - on the contrary, he tells her - his parents were thinking of selling the flat anyway and buying instead a cottage near their family home in the countryside. Ruth is less than pleased about the idea, and it's even worse when her mother-in-law drops into conversation that now they can settle down and have a child. Unfortunately, Ruth doesn't agree with that either. After some sexy scheming, Patrick gets his way and Ruth is "up the spout" as one of her friends puts it. The cottage isn't ready in time, Patrick hasn't been to antenatal classes with her, or read the book she asked him to read, and she has to have an emergency caesarean. Ruth retreats to the 'family' home with her newborn feeling put-out already. She doesn't even have her own family to turn to because she was orphaned at a young age and has nobody close. And so begins the downward spiral of control and manipulation.
I was gripped by this book from the beginning. I think it must be the way it was written - to the point and focused on Ruth's thoughts and feelings. Philippa Gregory is immensely talented that she can write contemporary fiction as well as historical. Through Ruth's journey, the reader is shouting "tell them to get lost!", "live your own life!", but the situation overwhelms Ruth and she is made to feel incapable. Even when she is back in control, her mother- and father-in-law won't take their eyes off her in case she hurts her baby.
I was angry at her husband Patrick for, oh, the whole book. He was insensitive, selfish, vain, dismissive, and completely self-absorbed. He couldn't possibly come home early to help look after the baby - what would that look like to the work colleagues who respect him? He's always in the press, don't you know. Ugh. He made my skin crawl. I felt sorry for Ruth. Sure, the parents-in-law were awful, but even her husband didn't take her side when they say Ruth is neglecting the baby. He doesn't try to sympathise with her unless she's making confident, angry advances at him in an attempt to regain some control.
In the end, Ruth does manage to regain complete control of her life, and the life of her husband, and is the master (if you like) of the home. Unfortunately, to get to that freeing conclusion, Ruth had to do something terrible, but it didn't even seem like she was that remorseful. She just knew she had to do SOMETHING to get her life, and her son back.
There was also a drama on TV of the same title, an adaptation of this book, which I enjoyed very much as well, even though the writers changed some of the story a little to make it look more dramatic.
'The Little House' follows Ruth, a young journalist who lives with her husband Patrick in a flat bought by his wealthy parents. They are happy until Ruth is made redundant. Patrick doesn't think it is a problem - on the contrary, he tells her - his parents were thinking of selling the flat anyway and buying instead a cottage near their family home in the countryside. Ruth is less than pleased about the idea, and it's even worse when her mother-in-law drops into conversation that now they can settle down and have a child. Unfortunately, Ruth doesn't agree with that either. After some sexy scheming, Patrick gets his way and Ruth is "up the spout" as one of her friends puts it. The cottage isn't ready in time, Patrick hasn't been to antenatal classes with her, or read the book she asked him to read, and she has to have an emergency caesarean. Ruth retreats to the 'family' home with her newborn feeling put-out already. She doesn't even have her own family to turn to because she was orphaned at a young age and has nobody close. And so begins the downward spiral of control and manipulation.
I was gripped by this book from the beginning. I think it must be the way it was written - to the point and focused on Ruth's thoughts and feelings. Philippa Gregory is immensely talented that she can write contemporary fiction as well as historical. Through Ruth's journey, the reader is shouting "tell them to get lost!", "live your own life!", but the situation overwhelms Ruth and she is made to feel incapable. Even when she is back in control, her mother- and father-in-law won't take their eyes off her in case she hurts her baby.
I was angry at her husband Patrick for, oh, the whole book. He was insensitive, selfish, vain, dismissive, and completely self-absorbed. He couldn't possibly come home early to help look after the baby - what would that look like to the work colleagues who respect him? He's always in the press, don't you know. Ugh. He made my skin crawl. I felt sorry for Ruth. Sure, the parents-in-law were awful, but even her husband didn't take her side when they say Ruth is neglecting the baby. He doesn't try to sympathise with her unless she's making confident, angry advances at him in an attempt to regain some control.
In the end, Ruth does manage to regain complete control of her life, and the life of her husband, and is the master (if you like) of the home. Unfortunately, to get to that freeing conclusion, Ruth had to do something terrible, but it didn't even seem like she was that remorseful. She just knew she had to do SOMETHING to get her life, and her son back.
There was also a drama on TV of the same title, an adaptation of this book, which I enjoyed very much as well, even though the writers changed some of the story a little to make it look more dramatic.
March 19, 2017
I've never read any of Philippa Gregory's books, despite having having about 7 on my shelves; so I thought it was time to give her a go! I thought she only wrote historical books about the dark and racy secrets of the Plantagient and Tudor aristocracy; but it seems not! A quick and easy read, The Little House is book about impenetrable familial ties and the twisted nature of controlling relationships. The setting, characterisation and plot were exquisite; so much so I pretty much read the book in a day! I think I'll definitely give one of Gregory's historical efforts a go next time! Not a complex read and still rather dark; but certainly a bit of light relief from the psychotic Japanese housewives!!!!!
April 21, 2020
Such a change from previous Gregory novels, this page turning thriller was a great read. Set in modern times, it has excellent characterisation, though I am not sure about the ending. It was satisfying but not really plausible.
February 17, 2017
I've read this book before , only could remember parts so I reread the book .
I enjoyed the book more the second time round . Great book .
I enjoyed the book more the second time round . Great book .
September 23, 2017
Definite not a thriller but as usual Philippa writing draws you into the characters Brings memories of people that I knew that where like her mother in law. Yikes
May 26, 2019
Excellent book. Beware of in-laws interfering in your life!
April 1, 2024
Contemporary paranoia/mental illness/family horror story.
I never knew Gregory had written outside of the historical genre. Having loved the White Queen titles, I was interested to see her writing style set in the modern day.
And wow, firstly - a two hour care journey disappeared and I genuinely didn't know how I'd arrived at my destination and was actually disoriented and wanted to finish the book.
I absolutely detested Ruth's husband from the first. A more selfish man-baby I don't think I've ever read, a mummy's boy in a sharp suit, pretty face and nothing under the surface. Awful man. Brilliant! Ruth (how could she even fall for him?) is a young woman with no family, taken in by Patrick's well-to-do family and mothered, but even at the very start of this saga is feeling pressured and pushed by them all. Married a few years, she's wanting to further her career in Bristol before considering parenthood, but Patrick's parents have their eyes on the cottage next to their own country abode for the young couple. And with redundancies looming at Ruth's journalistic/radio workplace, wouldn't now be the perfect time to get pregnant as well?
I don't often shout at an audiobook, but I found myself doing this regularly while listening to the smooth narration, to mother-in-law Elizabeth's persistent 'reasonableness' and father-in-law Fredric's bluff English aphorisms. Their voices were beautifully presented, very realistic and highly hateable.
Ruth is eminently empathetic, her lack of strength at the start understandable, the progression from happy city dweller to a pregnant and then new mum bombarded with disapproval and judgement, her own mental health path very movingly portrayed.
I think my blood pressure didn't actually drop until the book finished.
While I loved the plot, the characters, the direction, there were two things that jarred for me. The first was the shifting voice, which moved from Ruth to Elizabeth/other members of the clan but then taking an omniscient narrator turn to give us perspective that I felt readers would intuitively pick up and didn't need spelling out. This happened regularly and I felt were unnecessary and indicative of authorial worry that the point wasn't being made strongly enough.
I also found the ending unsatisfying - over too soon, with Ruth becoming something I didn't want her to be, but also with characters I wanted to 'learn a lesson' shall we say not giving readers the satisfaction of being put in that position. After all Ruth had gone through, I needed and wanted more. There were more questions about Ruth's actions that arose.
A wonderful portrayal of the heady heights and dizzying lows of motherhood, marriage, being part of an extended family - very much to an extreme. This is NOT light reading matter, it will upset and haunt.
Strong characters and a good slow build up, intense and a very hard book to pause and look up from.
I never knew Gregory had written outside of the historical genre. Having loved the White Queen titles, I was interested to see her writing style set in the modern day.
And wow, firstly - a two hour care journey disappeared and I genuinely didn't know how I'd arrived at my destination and was actually disoriented and wanted to finish the book.
I absolutely detested Ruth's husband from the first. A more selfish man-baby I don't think I've ever read, a mummy's boy in a sharp suit, pretty face and nothing under the surface. Awful man. Brilliant! Ruth (how could she even fall for him?) is a young woman with no family, taken in by Patrick's well-to-do family and mothered, but even at the very start of this saga is feeling pressured and pushed by them all. Married a few years, she's wanting to further her career in Bristol before considering parenthood, but Patrick's parents have their eyes on the cottage next to their own country abode for the young couple. And with redundancies looming at Ruth's journalistic/radio workplace, wouldn't now be the perfect time to get pregnant as well?
I don't often shout at an audiobook, but I found myself doing this regularly while listening to the smooth narration, to mother-in-law Elizabeth's persistent 'reasonableness' and father-in-law Fredric's bluff English aphorisms. Their voices were beautifully presented, very realistic and highly hateable.
Ruth is eminently empathetic, her lack of strength at the start understandable, the progression from happy city dweller to a pregnant and then new mum bombarded with disapproval and judgement, her own mental health path very movingly portrayed.
I think my blood pressure didn't actually drop until the book finished.
While I loved the plot, the characters, the direction, there were two things that jarred for me. The first was the shifting voice, which moved from Ruth to Elizabeth/other members of the clan but then taking an omniscient narrator turn to give us perspective that I felt readers would intuitively pick up and didn't need spelling out. This happened regularly and I felt were unnecessary and indicative of authorial worry that the point wasn't being made strongly enough.
I also found the ending unsatisfying - over too soon, with Ruth becoming something I didn't want her to be, but also with characters I wanted to 'learn a lesson' shall we say not giving readers the satisfaction of being put in that position. After all Ruth had gone through, I needed and wanted more. There were more questions about Ruth's actions that arose.
A wonderful portrayal of the heady heights and dizzying lows of motherhood, marriage, being part of an extended family - very much to an extreme. This is NOT light reading matter, it will upset and haunt.
Strong characters and a good slow build up, intense and a very hard book to pause and look up from.
June 24, 2025
This is one of the best novels I've ever read, and I've read it many times. I keep coming back to it every few years, and each time I read it I have a slightly different reaction to it. The basic premise is a young woman, orphaned as a young child and consequently vulnerable and a bit needy, meets a handsome, successful TV journalist whose wealthy parents are the epitome of gentle good manners and English breeding. Ruth and Patrick marry and her new in-laws, Frederick and Elizabeth, welcome her into the family with great love and endless support, even buying the newly weds a flat in Bristol. When the little cottage at the end of the drive of their manor house comes up for sale, they want the young couple to move into it, which entails Ruth giving up the job she loves as a news producer for local radio. She doesn't want to give up her job. She doesn't want to move to Bath next door to Frederick and Elizabeth, and she most definitely doesn't want to have a baby. However, all of these things happen and Ruth finds herself home full time with a screaming baby she has absolutely no feelings for, stuck in the country with no friends and only Patrick's parents to rely on. Thank God she has Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the kind of woman who would discover she'd cut off her leg with a chainsaw and only announce stoutly 'absolute stuff and nonsense'. Elizabeth runs her big house with professional calm, meals always homemade, immaculate taste in the furniture, a wonderful grandmother to her new grandson, Thomas, whom Ruth is utterly unable or unwilling to care for.
Ruth is very lucky to have Elizabeth just next door.
Or is she?
I love this book so much. It's such a subtle exploration of motherhood both 'new' with a baby, and 'old' with a grown son who now has a wife. When I first read this, I totally emphasised with Ruth, on her side all the way. Reading it this time, I've come to the startling realisation that Elizabeth and I were made for each other. She's the perfect mother-in-law for the perfect daughter-in-law.
You'll have to read the book to discover just how wrong that thinking might be.
Ruth is very lucky to have Elizabeth just next door.
Or is she?
I love this book so much. It's such a subtle exploration of motherhood both 'new' with a baby, and 'old' with a grown son who now has a wife. When I first read this, I totally emphasised with Ruth, on her side all the way. Reading it this time, I've come to the startling realisation that Elizabeth and I were made for each other. She's the perfect mother-in-law for the perfect daughter-in-law.
You'll have to read the book to discover just how wrong that thinking might be.
April 7, 2016
The reason for reading this book was simple. Philippa Gregory was the author of the month and nearly all her books are historical fiction. I really didn't fancy any of them. At all. So, I actively sought a book she'd written that was more contemporary. I found The Little House and decided within the first couple of sentences of the blurb that it would do me. It read a bit like a family drama; I figured it'd be right up my alley so I borrowed it from the library.
From the outset I didn't like the book. I really despised the characters. Ruth, the main character seemed somewhat spineless and her husband Patrick was hideous. He was patronising toward her, inconsiderate of her feelings and simply came across as a spoilt brat of a man. And please don't get me started on his family. Elizabeth, his mother, was deceitful, manipulative, insincere (she always came across as supportive and caring but she wasn't - at all). By the half way point of the story I had written an update that I really hated the Cleary family. I was hoping Ruth would run off and leave Patrick. It was around this time that I noticed on the cover the words 'brilliant psychological chiller'. Hmmm. I hadn't bargained on that. I really don't like scary books and normally wouldn't go for anything described that way. But, it was a challenge and so I figured I'd stick it out and hope I could hurry up and finish the blasted book.
Sometime around the 140 page mark Ruth was sent away (by the Cleary family ) to a mental health institution. As it turned out, it was the best thing for her. She had undiagnosed Post Natal Depression and whilst she missed her son Thomas dreadfully she worked through some old issues, as well as more recent ones. She learnt some coping strategies, and she came of out there with a new attitude and a desire to make her life a success.
Although she began to be more assertive after this time she was not in the driving seat by any stretch of the imagination. She was under the misapprehension that she would be able to get on even footing in her relationship with Patrick. My opinion was she was dreaming. There was no way in my mind he was going to let that happen. He was far too narcissistic to agree to any change of that nature. And Elizabeth was still up to her tricks, undermining Ruth in every way possible. Trying to bring her undone at every opportunity. When Ruth started to stand up for herself I was silently cheering her on, willing her to make it work out.
The ending of the book was somewhat of a twist which I didn't think was delivered as well or as convincingly as it might have been. It seemed rushed and fairly improbable, although I can't say I could blame Ruth for wanting to do what she did. The fact she managed to get away with it apparently so easily just seemed a bit convenient. So to sum it up, I guess I'm able to say I've read a Philippa Gregory novel now. It wasn't a book I enjoyed and yet I grudingly admit it must have been well written as I felt very strongly about the characters, just in a negative way. I prefer to like the characters and want the best for them. In this case I did not.
From the outset I didn't like the book. I really despised the characters. Ruth, the main character seemed somewhat spineless and her husband Patrick was hideous. He was patronising toward her, inconsiderate of her feelings and simply came across as a spoilt brat of a man. And please don't get me started on his family. Elizabeth, his mother, was deceitful, manipulative, insincere (she always came across as supportive and caring but she wasn't - at all). By the half way point of the story I had written an update that I really hated the Cleary family. I was hoping Ruth would run off and leave Patrick. It was around this time that I noticed on the cover the words 'brilliant psychological chiller'. Hmmm. I hadn't bargained on that. I really don't like scary books and normally wouldn't go for anything described that way. But, it was a challenge and so I figured I'd stick it out and hope I could hurry up and finish the blasted book.
Sometime around the 140 page mark Ruth was sent away (by the Cleary family ) to a mental health institution. As it turned out, it was the best thing for her. She had undiagnosed Post Natal Depression and whilst she missed her son Thomas dreadfully she worked through some old issues, as well as more recent ones. She learnt some coping strategies, and she came of out there with a new attitude and a desire to make her life a success.
Although she began to be more assertive after this time she was not in the driving seat by any stretch of the imagination. She was under the misapprehension that she would be able to get on even footing in her relationship with Patrick. My opinion was she was dreaming. There was no way in my mind he was going to let that happen. He was far too narcissistic to agree to any change of that nature. And Elizabeth was still up to her tricks, undermining Ruth in every way possible. Trying to bring her undone at every opportunity. When Ruth started to stand up for herself I was silently cheering her on, willing her to make it work out.
The ending of the book was somewhat of a twist which I didn't think was delivered as well or as convincingly as it might have been. It seemed rushed and fairly improbable, although I can't say I could blame Ruth for wanting to do what she did. The fact she managed to get away with it apparently so easily just seemed a bit convenient. So to sum it up, I guess I'm able to say I've read a Philippa Gregory novel now. It wasn't a book I enjoyed and yet I grudingly admit it must have been well written as I felt very strongly about the characters, just in a negative way. I prefer to like the characters and want the best for them. In this case I did not.
January 13, 2011
I’m a big fan of Philippa Gregory’s Tudor historical fiction series and despite having had a couple of her more contemporary novels ensconced on my shelves for several years, it took a recent BBC tv adaptation of The Little House to spur me onto making this leap into the unknown.
Ruth and Patrick Cleary have been married for four years and enjoy a cosy, child-free existence at their Bristol flat. Every Sunday they religiously visit Patrick’s parents at their idyllic rural home outside Bath, a familial duty which Ruth finds rather irksome and stressful – Ruth was raised in Boston, USA and was orphaned at seven so she feels less bound by family obligations. A conflict of interests is swiftly established as the Clearys, comprised of Patrick, his formidable mother, Elizabeth and ex-military father, have very definite plans as to how Ruth’s future plans will pan out – a move to the “little house” beside their home, a baby and the relinquishing of Ruth’s promising career in the media.
What unfolds is a chilling, psychological thriller where Ruth is pushed to the limits of her sanity but does she fall or does Elizabeth “push” her? The tension is palpable and Philippa Gregory is masterful at maintaining this atmosphere of unease throughout the narrative. All the characters are realistic and flawed especially the mother-in-law, Elizabeth who nevers strays into stereotype although you certainly wouldn’t want to cross her!
A gripping, complex thriller which has echoes of Ruth Rendell at her best, I think this would make an excellent book group read especially for anyone who has hooked up with a golden boy or girl and had the audacity to break with established family traditions – “Now, where are we going for Christmas dinner this year, darling?”……….
Ruth and Patrick Cleary have been married for four years and enjoy a cosy, child-free existence at their Bristol flat. Every Sunday they religiously visit Patrick’s parents at their idyllic rural home outside Bath, a familial duty which Ruth finds rather irksome and stressful – Ruth was raised in Boston, USA and was orphaned at seven so she feels less bound by family obligations. A conflict of interests is swiftly established as the Clearys, comprised of Patrick, his formidable mother, Elizabeth and ex-military father, have very definite plans as to how Ruth’s future plans will pan out – a move to the “little house” beside their home, a baby and the relinquishing of Ruth’s promising career in the media.
What unfolds is a chilling, psychological thriller where Ruth is pushed to the limits of her sanity but does she fall or does Elizabeth “push” her? The tension is palpable and Philippa Gregory is masterful at maintaining this atmosphere of unease throughout the narrative. All the characters are realistic and flawed especially the mother-in-law, Elizabeth who nevers strays into stereotype although you certainly wouldn’t want to cross her!
A gripping, complex thriller which has echoes of Ruth Rendell at her best, I think this would make an excellent book group read especially for anyone who has hooked up with a golden boy or girl and had the audacity to break with established family traditions – “Now, where are we going for Christmas dinner this year, darling?”……….
May 29, 2022
“He would never be her little boy, just as he had never been her baby.”
The Little House by Phillipa Gregory is a dark thriller based around the family relationships and expectations that come from marrying the only son of a well off family. Ruth loves her husband Patrick and both have great jobs and a home bought for them by Patrick’s parents. Opportunity has then move closer to his parents making things difficult for Ruth except she is always shut down by Patrick and his family to follow them with their plans. This is only the beginning of a story filled with betrayal, isolation and manipulation at it’s worst.
The characters in this story have something of their own going on but the family dynamic shows how each person is easily manipulated if they have the power behind them. It’s dark and messed up in ways one wouldn’t expect. I was engrossed in this book and ended up finishing it in two sittings. Although I read this some days ago it’s still stuck with me, I keep thinking about how much I hate Patrick!
This is an addictive and quick psychological thriller which I’m glad I read when I did. It was my first book by Phillipa Gregory and I’m curious about her other books now.
The Little House by Phillipa Gregory is a dark thriller based around the family relationships and expectations that come from marrying the only son of a well off family. Ruth loves her husband Patrick and both have great jobs and a home bought for them by Patrick’s parents. Opportunity has then move closer to his parents making things difficult for Ruth except she is always shut down by Patrick and his family to follow them with their plans. This is only the beginning of a story filled with betrayal, isolation and manipulation at it’s worst.
The characters in this story have something of their own going on but the family dynamic shows how each person is easily manipulated if they have the power behind them. It’s dark and messed up in ways one wouldn’t expect. I was engrossed in this book and ended up finishing it in two sittings. Although I read this some days ago it’s still stuck with me, I keep thinking about how much I hate Patrick!
This is an addictive and quick psychological thriller which I’m glad I read when I did. It was my first book by Phillipa Gregory and I’m curious about her other books now.
April 19, 2017
The entire time I read this novel, the thought that this is a what would exist if the medias "Everybody Loves Raymond" gave birth to "Rosemary's Baby" on an English countryside. The book takes place in England but I've seen so many stereotypical English slang, I was about to increase my use of the word "charming". The characters are well rounded each with unique flaws but their charming qualities. The book is tragic in the sense things seem to go from bad to worse for this poor woman that it's no wonder some of the events in this novel lead up to an amazing, if not dark, ending.(often thought Everybody Loves Raymond would end this way, had their been more realism to the show.)
Excellent read,beautiful flow, Charming Story.
Excellent read,beautiful flow, Charming Story.
July 22, 2011
I picked this out at the library, looking for something to read until the books I ordered came in, and it sounded vaguely interesting. When I started it, I thought it was going to be one of those precious little stories where a new wife has trouble fitting in with her husband's family, but as I read on, I realized it was something more, that it was turning sinister. The ending was a surprise and better than I expected, but if I'd written this story, I'd have handled the ending better, stretched it out more. Still, it was a hard-to-put-down book. I'm starting to wonder if I'm better off randomly picking books out at the library than waiting weeks for books I ordered to come in.
Read
February 5, 2023I often flick through a book to get a feel for it from a point that isn't the first chapter. Unfortunatly with this book the next thing I knew I'd read too thirds of the book, sat in an uncomfortable position on the bedroom floor leant against the bookshelf, and I was too scared to go back and read the rest. I think this is the best written of the Philippa Gregory books I've read, but also the most uncomfortable.
Read it, but afterwards give yourself time to come to terms with it.
Read it, but afterwards give yourself time to come to terms with it.
February 1, 2017
Favourite thriller
I first read this book 20 years ago and it really resonated with me at the time. It is a dark, psychological thriller, with a very likeable main character and her extremely manipulative, overbearing in-laws. It deals with mental health, addiction, grief and ultimately murder. This book is unputdownable! Still a favourite book after all these years, wonderfully written.
I first read this book 20 years ago and it really resonated with me at the time. It is a dark, psychological thriller, with a very likeable main character and her extremely manipulative, overbearing in-laws. It deals with mental health, addiction, grief and ultimately murder. This book is unputdownable! Still a favourite book after all these years, wonderfully written.
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