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Дом утраченных грез
Horror fiction set on an idyllic Greek Island.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
14 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Graham Joyce
73 books570 followersGraham Joyce (22 October 1954 – 9 September 2014) was an English writer of speculative fiction and the recipient of numerous awards for both his novels and short stories.
After receiving a B.Ed. from Bishop Lonsdale College in 1977 and a M.A. from the University of Leicester in 1980. Joyce worked as a youth officer for the National Association of Youth Clubs until 1988. He subsequently quit his position and moved to the Greek islands of Lesbos and Crete to write his first novel, Dreamside. After selling Dreamside to Pan Books in 1991, Joyce moved back to England to pursue a career as a full-time writer.
Graham Joyce resided in Leicester with his wife, Suzanne Johnsen, and their two children, Joseph and Ella. He taught Creative Writing to graduate students at Nottingham Trent University from 1996 until his death, and was made a Reader in Creative Writing.
Joyce died on 9 September 2014. He had been diagnosed with lymphoma in 2013.
After receiving a B.Ed. from Bishop Lonsdale College in 1977 and a M.A. from the University of Leicester in 1980. Joyce worked as a youth officer for the National Association of Youth Clubs until 1988. He subsequently quit his position and moved to the Greek islands of Lesbos and Crete to write his first novel, Dreamside. After selling Dreamside to Pan Books in 1991, Joyce moved back to England to pursue a career as a full-time writer.
Graham Joyce resided in Leicester with his wife, Suzanne Johnsen, and their two children, Joseph and Ella. He taught Creative Writing to graduate students at Nottingham Trent University from 1996 until his death, and was made a Reader in Creative Writing.
Joyce died on 9 September 2014. He had been diagnosed with lymphoma in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 27, 2016
I just spent the week in Greece on some small island. There was sex, drinking,fighting,swimming, shepherds and sheep. I loved every bit of it. Oh lets not forget the magic. There were saints with metal shoes, evil eyes, and visions and bad smells. I loved every bit of it. If you enjoy magical realism then this is your guy. This could be your book. I wait for when I need a pick me up and I go to me bookshelf, his are the only books that live all together and I just take one and read it. I never read what it is about. I have not been disappointed.
August 17, 2008
I couldn't find this book anywhere but online and they wanted 300 dollars. I actually got a copy through the author, he was kind enough to sign it. Love this book, Joyce has such a unique style and his books are dark and different, just like I love them.
September 28, 2020
Magical realism is my favorite genre and I’ve been trying to read more Joyce, now many of his books are easily available on Kindle! Hooray. My goal in 2020 has been to challenge the way I rate books because my inclination is to say “well, it’s mostly good but there was that one bit.. 3.75”. I just don’t think that’s helpful to me, or anyone else. It’s getting much easier and this book is an example. The beginning was really compelling, the middle got bogged down, and the end was wonderful. I felt like I spent a lot of time “fast” reading. I’ve never been to Greece but this made feel as if I was there. So it was ok, not great, but I’ll definitely try another Joyce book.
October 12, 2018
3.5 Stars
Sometimes you pick up a book or these days download it to your Kindle Paperwhite and read. House of Lost Dreams by Graham Joyce is one of those types of novels. I had heard of Graham Joyce’s work over the years but did not have an inkling to read any of his work until now.
House of Lost Dreams is the story of an English couple, Mike and Kim, moving to the Greek Island of Mavros. The couple wants to begin a new life in Greece and quickly learn their new home is infested with scorpions and doesn’t have electricity and plumbing. Also, the home has an ability to manifest anything spoken in its area from dolphins to snakes. However, the couple remains in the home and makes the best of their relocation.
Another main character, Manousos, who watches the home regularly as the couple tries to make it liveable. He ends up becoming a key figure in their lives. An additional component of the story is when Kim’s best friend, Nikkie arrives in distraught over her marriage. However, the plot reveals a connection between Mike and Nikkie that ends up threatening his marriage to Kim.
Joyce added to the plot a supernatural element from the house and a pilgrimage by Mike with Manousos in order save to his marriage that seemed out of place. However, I found the relationship between Mike and Kim interesting and thought-provoking. The author has an excellent understanding of the dynamics in a marriage and provides insightful ideas on how it can change suddenly.
House of Lost Dreams is an odd but compelling novel. I’m glad I took a chance with Graham Joyce and looking forward to reading more of his work.
Sometimes you pick up a book or these days download it to your Kindle Paperwhite and read. House of Lost Dreams by Graham Joyce is one of those types of novels. I had heard of Graham Joyce’s work over the years but did not have an inkling to read any of his work until now.
House of Lost Dreams is the story of an English couple, Mike and Kim, moving to the Greek Island of Mavros. The couple wants to begin a new life in Greece and quickly learn their new home is infested with scorpions and doesn’t have electricity and plumbing. Also, the home has an ability to manifest anything spoken in its area from dolphins to snakes. However, the couple remains in the home and makes the best of their relocation.
Another main character, Manousos, who watches the home regularly as the couple tries to make it liveable. He ends up becoming a key figure in their lives. An additional component of the story is when Kim’s best friend, Nikkie arrives in distraught over her marriage. However, the plot reveals a connection between Mike and Nikkie that ends up threatening his marriage to Kim.
Joyce added to the plot a supernatural element from the house and a pilgrimage by Mike with Manousos in order save to his marriage that seemed out of place. However, I found the relationship between Mike and Kim interesting and thought-provoking. The author has an excellent understanding of the dynamics in a marriage and provides insightful ideas on how it can change suddenly.
House of Lost Dreams is an odd but compelling novel. I’m glad I took a chance with Graham Joyce and looking forward to reading more of his work.
September 13, 2019
A book about an uneasy perpetual vacation in a haunted greek beach house - lots of pagan and religious myth and history plus a terrible death. I love his magical realism. Too bad about kindle formatting errors.
August 15, 2022
More on the 3-4 star range. Enjoyed this tale set on an island that resembles Lesvos/Lesbos. Truly captures both the local and tourist culture, and the conflicts within. A nice homage to Greek islanders too. Enjoyed it, but didn't love it as much as some of Joyce's other fabulous works. Still, well worth the read. Joyce lived on the Greek islands for a time, so he really is able to capture the cultural heritage and legacy that still exists there today.
February 7, 2023
I keep reading Grahame Joyce because he is just so readable. But so far, nothing has quite matched his "Some Kind of Fairy Tale" for me, mostly because I don't want a story in which the supernatural is definitely meant to be taken as reality. I am looking for what Henry James did in "The Turn of the Screw," a tale in which we are never sure if the ghostly lovers really did appear or whether they only existed in the governess' overheated imagination.
This novel has great description of a Greek island, a host of well drawn characters, plenty of suspense and yet in the end I think we readers are really supposed to believe that a medieval monk can reappear on earth to give somebody a beating. Can't suspend disbelief t0 that extent.
This novel has great description of a Greek island, a host of well drawn characters, plenty of suspense and yet in the end I think we readers are really supposed to believe that a medieval monk can reappear on earth to give somebody a beating. Can't suspend disbelief t0 that extent.
July 23, 2024
По-справжньому літня книга. Автор майстерно переносить нас у літо, на один з грецьких островів і це так гарно написано, що ти насправді відчуваєш на собі сонячне проміння і спеку, тінь від оливкових дерев і морський бриз. Автор талановито показує як двоє людей намагаються втекти від реального життя. Як воно в кінці кінців їх наздоганяє і загрожує їхньому майбутньому. Все це просякнуто метафорами і магічним реалізмом. Це не та книга, яку я буду перечитувати, але її не можливо забути.
May 7, 2022
Astonishing
Graham Joyce is my new obsession. Recently discovered his work and I’m hooked. This book was no disappointment. Read it every spare second I had.
Graham Joyce is my new obsession. Recently discovered his work and I’m hooked. This book was no disappointment. Read it every spare second I had.
August 3, 2023
Didn’t quite finish.
February 1, 2014
It's written by Graham Joyce need I say more :) Brilliant !
September 25, 2009
Horror
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews