The Weeping House

by Ellie Johnson

Leatherworker and naturalist Carey Alsch has carved out a life of apathetic solitude in the rugged mountains of 1830's Bavaria. Haunted by an unspoken tragedy and consumed by a deep loneliness, Carey spends his days in the remote wilds, studying animals, tending to his aging hound, and avoiding human contact. The mountains, with their vast silence, are his only companions--as well as his old hound, Treu.

That is, until fate, and the appearance of a pretty stranger in town, sweeps him into the company of a large, boisterous family. Over time, Carey comes to value the friendship they offer and finds himself looking up for the first time in his life.

Through the Reinalzes, Carey meets Nonny Von Stein, a striking young woman who has come to live with them, seemingly abandoning her current life of wealth in the city. Nonny, though gentle and kind, is a mystery to Carey. She seems determined to carve out a new life in Mittenwald but regularly disappears to fulfill strange summons from home. Both working towards the same goal--relinquishing long-held bonds of the past--they form a fast friendship in the alpine landscape, where Carey begins to instruct his first pupil in the ways of the wilderness and mountains.

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2025

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC reader, and am quite pleasantly surprised at how vested I became with these characters! This is a wonderfully paced slow burn love story, not only between the characters but also growth of the main character's love for himself. The illustrations tie in beautifully with the descriptions of the forest and is a lovely way to divide chapters. The author's love of the woods certainly shines, and I was delighted with the tie in of these illustrations to Nonny! I'm impressed with the deft of this debut novel making me feel genuine anger, frustration, and oh my goodness so many tears. I would recommend this book to those who like a family friendly love story with refreshing innocence/young love.

[Corina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world Ellie Johnson creates in The Weeping House is both whimsical and dark. It draws you in and every page builds a clearer picture of the beauty and mystery in the descriptions of every piece of nature that makes up the landscape. The characters feel like family and the journey of Cary and his home pull at your heart from beginning to end. I laughed and cried through this book and it will always have a special place on my shelf.

[shanonymous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow. This book had me audibly laughing, crying, and feeling all of the emotions…it’s hard for me to be so moved by a book, but The Weeping House is so beautifully written and the characters are full of so much life and love and depth!! I wish the story never ended. A must read!! (Especially for my fellow historical romance readers ;)

[Emma Raines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! One of my new favorite books. It’s one of those stories you read that just leaves you feeling content and like you just read about people you care about. Not to mention the character development is incredible! A must read!

[Christy Ganchero · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Weeping House” is absolutely delightful. It does not feel like a debut novel, which is due to Johnson’s poetic worldbuilding and a host of charming characters. The setting made this novel come alive for me - from Johnson’s hand-drawn woodland creatures to her elegant descriptions of various German flora, I felt like I was walking alongside Carey and Nonny in the magical Mittenwald woodlands, underneath the shadow of the Alps.

Carey also experiences superb character growth throughout the novel. The Reinalzes challenge Carey with gentle goodwill, leading to his self-reflection during the conflicts that arise throughout the story. Although the theme of triumphant kindness is not unique to this book, Carey’s interactions with the Reinalzes are witty and heartwarming. I also appreciated that romance was not the main catalyst for Carey’s growth - rather it was a community of people that love one another, a lesson that is still relevant in our times.

In conclusion, this novel is a beautiful love letter to historical Germany. Its memorable cast and artistic descriptions will enchant any historical fiction enthusiast. “The Weeping House” would be right at home on the shelf with Jane Austin or Charlotte Brontë, I highly recommend.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC, however I loved every moment of it and will be purchasing not only a physical copy as a personal shelf trophy but also a copy for family who would also enjoy this. It’s been a while since a book has had a chokehold on my emotions the way this book did. Ellie truly did such an incredible job with this book, not only on the content but also in how poetic the writing style is. I’d rate higher if I could. I seriously cannot recommend this enough, it is a must read.

[alice c johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well crafted novel drew me in from the very beginning and kept me up late several nights. The characters are well developed and the story pacing had me wanting to start a new chapter as soon as I finished one. Dealing with themes we all relate to, this beautiful redemptive story will stay with you long after you finish.
I highly recommend!!

[Nathan Brantley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the weeping house. It was engaging and really pulled you into the world built by Ellie Johnson. A world full of kind people, beauty, herbs, surrounded by nature, rooted in what it means to be part of a community. The character development is great and the characters themselves are so lovable and relatable, I highly recommend!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outside of my usual genres but I really enjoyed the story and Carey's development including the philosophical questions raised. The writing and detail makes the environment visceral and I felt like I was sitting there with the characters. Easy to read and well written. The animal drawings are cute too.

[Joy Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Achingly sweet, impeccable vocabulary, charmingly written- absolutely delightful. You can’t read it without feeling all the things. Don’t be fooled by the title- while you may weep, it’s a story of so much hope and fulfillment. Love it! It’s going on my forever shelf, not the one that gets purged every year.

[Michelle Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Masterfully written book. I have very few favorites and this has definitely become one. I put it up there with Where The Crawdads Sing in my line up. Ellie Johnson is going to be one of the great American authors out there in the coming years. So glad I chose to read this book.

[Benjamin A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie does a truly fantastic job painting a discipherable picture of what life looked like in a time and place so far from my modern mind. The characters are realistic and lovable. The story is fun and real and made me cry actual tears. This is a great book.

[Josh Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely fantastic! it will undoubtedly take your heart for a spin of ups and downs but by gosh it’s well worth reading. It is extremely well written and full of real life facts about nature and animals. Buckle up and read this book, I promise you won’t regret it.

[Mathew Lydy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book enthralled me from the first page which is surprising because I normally only read sci-fi/fantasy. It's extremely well written and I'm glad I took the time to read it.

[Elliot Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story! I enjoyed how the main character who feels unloved at the beginning has his life changed. While a piece of fiction I believe this book speaks many beautiful truths.

[Benjamin Ingalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully deep book with a satisfying but real ending

[Bailey Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book knocked me off my feet. It’s so well-written, and the story is moving, inspirational, and quite fun. Highly recommend! Well done, Ellie!