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Curmudgeon Avenue #1
The Terraced House Diaries
They say that walls have ears, and some even say that walls can talk. So when Curmudgeon Avenue takes a disliking to its new owners, the four storey Victorian terraced house starts narrating a diary about the intertwined lives of the various new inhabitants and extended family. If Curmudgeon Avenue has to put up with this set of nincompoops from Whitefield, Manchester then so should you.
Sisters Edna and Edith inherit the first house on Curmudgeon Avenue from their parents Mr and Mrs Payne who were killed in a freak accident involving an elephant. The two sisters could not be more different if they tried, and now they have to live together in the house they grew up in several decades ago, bringing the baggage of the past with them for our enjoyment. It seems that Edith cannot stop bumping into exes of her older sister, Edna. First there is Maurice - you won't believe what happened with him. Then, whilst Edith is heartbroken and vulnerable, she meets the notable Harold - another ex of Edna's who she really does not want to see. With Edith's son Ricky Ricketts and his on/off girlfriend Wantha (yes that really is her name) trying to protect the sisters it is only a matter of time before Curmudgeon Avenue is filled with laughter. But then things change when yet another ex of Edna's returns, Madame Genevieve Dubois (although things are not as they might seem with this French woman). This enjoyable novella will introduce you to the wacky and wonderful series of Curmudgeon Avenue - enjoy!
Sisters Edna and Edith inherit the first house on Curmudgeon Avenue from their parents Mr and Mrs Payne who were killed in a freak accident involving an elephant. The two sisters could not be more different if they tried, and now they have to live together in the house they grew up in several decades ago, bringing the baggage of the past with them for our enjoyment. It seems that Edith cannot stop bumping into exes of her older sister, Edna. First there is Maurice - you won't believe what happened with him. Then, whilst Edith is heartbroken and vulnerable, she meets the notable Harold - another ex of Edna's who she really does not want to see. With Edith's son Ricky Ricketts and his on/off girlfriend Wantha (yes that really is her name) trying to protect the sisters it is only a matter of time before Curmudgeon Avenue is filled with laughter. But then things change when yet another ex of Edna's returns, Madame Genevieve Dubois (although things are not as they might seem with this French woman). This enjoyable novella will introduce you to the wacky and wonderful series of Curmudgeon Avenue - enjoy!
- GenresHumorFictionContemporary
146 pages, ebook
First published July 19, 2018
88 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Henthorn
12 books53 followers I live happily in Bury near Manchester UK I used to be a nurse, but now I'm a disabled middle-aged housewife who writes books. I have been writing full time since 2014, I write every day, I read every day, so we more than likely have loads in common.
I currently have ten books available on Amazon. All of my books are set in the North West of England, written with British English spelling and grammar. They are narrated in the same fashion folk say 'stuff' around here!
My genres are comedy-drama and historical fiction. I enjoyed writing them, you will enjoy reading them, promise! Here is my mailing list:
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
I am partway through a Creative Writing and English Literature degree. After the publication of short stories and poetry in magazines, I decided to write as an independent author.
I currently have ten books available on Amazon. All of my books are set in the North West of England, written with British English spelling and grammar. They are narrated in the same fashion folk say 'stuff' around here!
My genres are comedy-drama and historical fiction. I enjoyed writing them, you will enjoy reading them, promise! Here is my mailing list:
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
I am partway through a Creative Writing and English Literature degree. After the publication of short stories and poetry in magazines, I decided to write as an independent author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 24, 2019
Absolutely. Freaking. Hilarious.
If you like dry British humor, this one is completely a hoot. Narrated from the point of view of an old house that changes hands from a respectable family couple to their ridiculous middle-aged daughters, each set of characters is more over the top than the last. It’s the dry acerbic wit and commentary on everyday social settings that make this really work. The author has good comedic timing and knows how to deliver a line. If you like authors like Sophie Kinsella and series like Bridget Jones, I think you’d like this one.
Edna and Edith, the two terrible sisters, move in after their parents’ demise. One has a son—Ricky Ricketts (who was easily my least favorite character and most favorite to read on page—or was that the horrible murderous Maurice?) who is a complete drip. There is an entire cast of characters. The writing is sharp and punchy and utterly delightful. First-world cat emergencies? Bwah ha ha!! It’s the great use of language and wonderful sarcastic commentary on the ordinary that makes this piece really work, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
If you like dry British humor, this one is completely a hoot. Narrated from the point of view of an old house that changes hands from a respectable family couple to their ridiculous middle-aged daughters, each set of characters is more over the top than the last. It’s the dry acerbic wit and commentary on everyday social settings that make this really work. The author has good comedic timing and knows how to deliver a line. If you like authors like Sophie Kinsella and series like Bridget Jones, I think you’d like this one.
Edna and Edith, the two terrible sisters, move in after their parents’ demise. One has a son—Ricky Ricketts (who was easily my least favorite character and most favorite to read on page—or was that the horrible murderous Maurice?) who is a complete drip. There is an entire cast of characters. The writing is sharp and punchy and utterly delightful. First-world cat emergencies? Bwah ha ha!! It’s the great use of language and wonderful sarcastic commentary on the ordinary that makes this piece really work, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
August 18, 2018
The author constructed a delightful storyline. It was well-written and rarely deviated from its single plot. The scenes maintained a steady pace with the storyline and were delightfully entertaining. Chortling from beginning to end, I remained captive of the book. It was a winner.
In Manchester, England, two sisters, Edna and Edith had moved in together to reclaim their parents home that had been crushed to death by an elephant. Yes, you read that right, and no, they weren't on Safari. I'll skip the sordid details. The sisters were into their sixth decade of life.
It was soon discovered that the roof was in need of repair. There was only one small problem; they had no money to pay for it. Edna, the elder and bossier of the two decided to take in a lodger to help defray the cost. In doing so, she had her sister place an advertisement in a local storefront:
"LODGER WANTED two later-life sisters require a house guest to share their lovely home with. Going rate, amenities included (within reason.)"
They got more than what they bargained for. Their lives turned topsy-turvy. In the end, it was just what they needed - change.
My gratitude is offered to NetGalley and Samantha Henthorn (Self-Publisher) for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
In Manchester, England, two sisters, Edna and Edith had moved in together to reclaim their parents home that had been crushed to death by an elephant. Yes, you read that right, and no, they weren't on Safari. I'll skip the sordid details. The sisters were into their sixth decade of life.
It was soon discovered that the roof was in need of repair. There was only one small problem; they had no money to pay for it. Edna, the elder and bossier of the two decided to take in a lodger to help defray the cost. In doing so, she had her sister place an advertisement in a local storefront:
"LODGER WANTED two later-life sisters require a house guest to share their lovely home with. Going rate, amenities included (within reason.)"
They got more than what they bargained for. Their lives turned topsy-turvy. In the end, it was just what they needed - change.
My gratitude is offered to NetGalley and Samantha Henthorn (Self-Publisher) for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
September 20, 2018
3 stars Thank you to NetGalley and Samantha Henthorn for a chance to read and review this digital copy. This book was independently published July 19, 2018.
The presentation of this book is reminiscent of The Green Mile by Stephen King. Totally different in genre, but both put out as a serial novel. This is the first installation in The Terraced House Diaries.
Always intrigued by the book that gives us a protagonist that is not alive - well at least not a person - or something inanimate. This protagonist is a house. Address: #1 Curmudgeon Avenue, Manchester England. In this case, the walls do talk.
I was a bit disappointed that there was not more humor in the book. It is billed as humorous - humorous, not so much, however, I did laugh a couple times. I would change that word to delightful. It is a light joyful read that takes you on a nonsense journey in a four story Victorian house, per the perceptions of that house.
In this first installment we meet the current owners of the house, sisters Edith and Edna, who inherited the house when their parents meet with a freak accident. Soon after they are contemplating taking in a lodger. That is when we meet Maurice, Harold and Georgina.
The house as narrator fills us in on some simple back story about all the characters. I believe that as further installments are published that individual people will be more fully developed. But in this book, we can begin to determine who is important to the house and who may just be passing through.
I am hoping that in future installments that we hear more from the house, itself. Henthorn has put us in the position of overhearing the dialog in the house and of seeing the happenings in the house, but not totally fulfilling the feelings of the house, in my opinion. It feels more like the fly on the wall, than the walls themselves. This may be due to the developing of the characters and their back story, but ultimately lead me to giving a lower star rating.
This is a short book, as an installment usually is, and worth the read, if only for the originality of the protagonist.
The presentation of this book is reminiscent of The Green Mile by Stephen King. Totally different in genre, but both put out as a serial novel. This is the first installation in The Terraced House Diaries.
Always intrigued by the book that gives us a protagonist that is not alive - well at least not a person - or something inanimate. This protagonist is a house. Address: #1 Curmudgeon Avenue, Manchester England. In this case, the walls do talk.
I was a bit disappointed that there was not more humor in the book. It is billed as humorous - humorous, not so much, however, I did laugh a couple times. I would change that word to delightful. It is a light joyful read that takes you on a nonsense journey in a four story Victorian house, per the perceptions of that house.
In this first installment we meet the current owners of the house, sisters Edith and Edna, who inherited the house when their parents meet with a freak accident. Soon after they are contemplating taking in a lodger. That is when we meet Maurice, Harold and Georgina.
The house as narrator fills us in on some simple back story about all the characters. I believe that as further installments are published that individual people will be more fully developed. But in this book, we can begin to determine who is important to the house and who may just be passing through.
I am hoping that in future installments that we hear more from the house, itself. Henthorn has put us in the position of overhearing the dialog in the house and of seeing the happenings in the house, but not totally fulfilling the feelings of the house, in my opinion. It feels more like the fly on the wall, than the walls themselves. This may be due to the developing of the characters and their back story, but ultimately lead me to giving a lower star rating.
This is a short book, as an installment usually is, and worth the read, if only for the originality of the protagonist.
October 14, 2019
"On the day this all started, the sky was full of August apologies for a summer undelivered." From this calm and almost elegant first sentence, the unsuspecting reader is dropped through a trapdoor into near-total lunacy. The House at Number One Curmudgeon Avenue--"the sanctuary for grumpy geriatrics"--is the narrator of this farcical novella, in which the walls really do have ears.
Within the first few pages we learn that the owners of the house are tragically squashed by the usually placid elephant Deirdre, as she is being transported to her new elephant boyfriend at Knowsley Safari Park. Overwhelmed by the body odor of the lorry driver, Deirdre breaks loose from her harness, and the vehicle crashes out of control into the hapless couple--"gone too soon in their early nineties." And then things get weird.
The couple's sixty-something-year old daughters, Edna and Edith, take up residence in the house. Since they are both penniless, they decide to rent out a room in order to pay for repairs to the leaky roof. Unfortunately, the ad for "Lodger Wanted" that they post in the neighborhood market gets changed to "Todger Wanted" (British slang for "penis"). And who should show up but the smelly lorry driver, Harold, along with a cast of other quirky characters vying for possession of the room? One such is Maurice, an ex-boyfriend of Edna's who tries to poison her with anti-freeze laced chocolates. Lucky for her, her cat has a sweet tooth. Not so lucky for the cat.
Ms. Henthorn has created a dizzy farce, impossible to read without smirking and smiling throughout. Some of the humor can be crude ("Ricky Ricketts was still hanging around Curmudgeon Avenue like a smell in a bathroom." or "...farts that sounded as though they had started in her throat.") but it's all in good-natured fun. Curmudgeon Avenue: Book One: The Terraced House Diaries is fast-paced, thoroughly engaging, and horribly British.
That said, it brings out the "Curmudgeon Grammarian" in me. I still believe conversations should be set off with double quotation marks, not the single marks the author uses throughout. I was also perturbed by her frequent use of run-on sentences, stringing independent clauses together with commas only. And can we authors band together and fight the spread of that awful British construction "was sat" for was sitting and "was stood" for was standing? Finally, although I liked the idea of the House being the narrator, I wish the author had stuck to it. Instead, the narrator becomes omniscient, knowing things the House could not possibly know, such as conversations in a distant tavern, characters thoughts and motivations, etc.
But I'm grousing. Book One of the Curmudgeon Avenue series is a fun, light, entertaining read. Enjoy!
Within the first few pages we learn that the owners of the house are tragically squashed by the usually placid elephant Deirdre, as she is being transported to her new elephant boyfriend at Knowsley Safari Park. Overwhelmed by the body odor of the lorry driver, Deirdre breaks loose from her harness, and the vehicle crashes out of control into the hapless couple--"gone too soon in their early nineties." And then things get weird.
The couple's sixty-something-year old daughters, Edna and Edith, take up residence in the house. Since they are both penniless, they decide to rent out a room in order to pay for repairs to the leaky roof. Unfortunately, the ad for "Lodger Wanted" that they post in the neighborhood market gets changed to "Todger Wanted" (British slang for "penis"). And who should show up but the smelly lorry driver, Harold, along with a cast of other quirky characters vying for possession of the room? One such is Maurice, an ex-boyfriend of Edna's who tries to poison her with anti-freeze laced chocolates. Lucky for her, her cat has a sweet tooth. Not so lucky for the cat.
Ms. Henthorn has created a dizzy farce, impossible to read without smirking and smiling throughout. Some of the humor can be crude ("Ricky Ricketts was still hanging around Curmudgeon Avenue like a smell in a bathroom." or "...farts that sounded as though they had started in her throat.") but it's all in good-natured fun. Curmudgeon Avenue: Book One: The Terraced House Diaries is fast-paced, thoroughly engaging, and horribly British.
That said, it brings out the "Curmudgeon Grammarian" in me. I still believe conversations should be set off with double quotation marks, not the single marks the author uses throughout. I was also perturbed by her frequent use of run-on sentences, stringing independent clauses together with commas only. And can we authors band together and fight the spread of that awful British construction "was sat" for was sitting and "was stood" for was standing? Finally, although I liked the idea of the House being the narrator, I wish the author had stuck to it. Instead, the narrator becomes omniscient, knowing things the House could not possibly know, such as conversations in a distant tavern, characters thoughts and motivations, etc.
But I'm grousing. Book One of the Curmudgeon Avenue series is a fun, light, entertaining read. Enjoy!
March 26, 2019
If you like British humor, there’s a chance you’ll enjoy this unusual novella – the first in a series – narrated by the house at 1 Curmudgeon Avenue. The house tells us the story, its voice filled with satire, irony and offbeat descriptions of some eccentric characters. Including two sixty-something sisters who don’t get along, who inherit the house from their ninety-something parents. Which is a story about being squashed by an elephant. The house needs a new roof, which prompts the sisters to rent a room, leading to all sorts of shenanigans with some shady characters. And plenty of nonsensical situations, like, for example, when they put up a room for rent sign at a local establishment, only to find that it’s altered from “Lodger wanted,” to “Todger wanted.” I had to look up what a todger is, and discovered it’s a “blue” joke. There is the conversation between Edith, who buys a tin of peas for dinner and is challenged by her sister, Edna. “If she was honest, peas were no good for her flatulence problem, Edith should know that! Edna could not stop farting and had a constant battle avoiding wind inducing foods.” And so the silliness goes. If it’s going to be a quirky story, I would’ve enjoyed more of the house’s personality.
December 22, 2019
"ON THE DAY THIS ALL STARTED, THE SKY WAS FULL OF AUGUST APOLOGIES FOR A SUMMER UNDELIVERED." I loved that first line! (Sounds like summer in Newfoundland at times)
If you like offbeat, quirky British humour, this might be the book for you. The characters are colourful, odd, and sometimes downright hilarious.
I enjoyed the story of the two sisters who live in the house on Curmudgeon Avenue and the folks who come in and out of their lives. That said, I would have liked to see more of the house as a character which was mentioned in the blurb, but the story seemed to lose sight of that as it progressed; otherwise I would have given it four stars.
Overall, a fun and satirical read that made me laugh aloud a few times.
.
If you like offbeat, quirky British humour, this might be the book for you. The characters are colourful, odd, and sometimes downright hilarious.
I enjoyed the story of the two sisters who live in the house on Curmudgeon Avenue and the folks who come in and out of their lives. That said, I would have liked to see more of the house as a character which was mentioned in the blurb, but the story seemed to lose sight of that as it progressed; otherwise I would have given it four stars.
Overall, a fun and satirical read that made me laugh aloud a few times.
.
June 30, 2019
Great English humor.
From the beginning, I liked the fact that the story was told by a house. How cool is that? The whole book made me smile and even laugh. I love English humor. None of the characters was meant to be really likable and that was what the story needed. Edith and Edna, the sisters that are constantly in argue. One strong and self-confident, the other bit silly and submissive are the heart of the whole story. Harold, well, a guy that no one would like but still matched perfectly in his role. Lots of things are happening in and because of the story-telling house. If you want a fun and unique read just go for it. You won't regret it!
From the beginning, I liked the fact that the story was told by a house. How cool is that? The whole book made me smile and even laugh. I love English humor. None of the characters was meant to be really likable and that was what the story needed. Edith and Edna, the sisters that are constantly in argue. One strong and self-confident, the other bit silly and submissive are the heart of the whole story. Harold, well, a guy that no one would like but still matched perfectly in his role. Lots of things are happening in and because of the story-telling house. If you want a fun and unique read just go for it. You won't regret it!
June 30, 2020
Samantha Henthorn’s “Curmudgeon Avenue #1” was uncharted territory for me. It’s not a genre that I cross paths with often, and given that background, I admit to being short on qualifications here. Please forgive my own slow mind and inexperience.
I thought the premise of a house as narrator and storyteller was clever, despite seeming somewhat absent at times. This is a tale that rambles along in no particular hurry, peppering us with a profusion of characters as two sisters conspire to raise the funds to replace the “narrator’s” leaky roof. The author teases with her imagery, often at the beginning of chapters, and I felt tempted to see what her more dramatic novels might offer. In Curmudgeon, there are many delightful and inventive expressions where she is at her humorous best:
“Still, they were a family, and belonged together like stinging nettles and dock leaves,” or
“…her costume jewelry jangling like tinnitus.” Loved these nuggets and they were plentiful throughout.
It's a book that doesn't take anything too seriously. So be prepared for plenty of smelly characters and flatulence and a wandering storyline that, for me, was a little distracting.
“Curmudgeon Avenue #1” is at heart, a playful story repleat with ample indelicate humor, nonsense, and a willingness to poke fun at whatever gets in the way. I felt it rated three and a half stars, and rounded up to four to offset my own unfamiliarity with the genre.
I thought the premise of a house as narrator and storyteller was clever, despite seeming somewhat absent at times. This is a tale that rambles along in no particular hurry, peppering us with a profusion of characters as two sisters conspire to raise the funds to replace the “narrator’s” leaky roof. The author teases with her imagery, often at the beginning of chapters, and I felt tempted to see what her more dramatic novels might offer. In Curmudgeon, there are many delightful and inventive expressions where she is at her humorous best:
“Still, they were a family, and belonged together like stinging nettles and dock leaves,” or
“…her costume jewelry jangling like tinnitus.” Loved these nuggets and they were plentiful throughout.
It's a book that doesn't take anything too seriously. So be prepared for plenty of smelly characters and flatulence and a wandering storyline that, for me, was a little distracting.
“Curmudgeon Avenue #1” is at heart, a playful story repleat with ample indelicate humor, nonsense, and a willingness to poke fun at whatever gets in the way. I felt it rated three and a half stars, and rounded up to four to offset my own unfamiliarity with the genre.
May 15, 2020
A short, comic novel, Curmudgeon Avenue is narrated by a house, who frequently interjects its opinions. The story centers on two sixty-something sisters leading dysfunctional lives. They move into the house on Curmudgeon Lane after inheriting the property from their elderly parents who were crushed by an elephant. The roof is leaking and there is not enough money to pay for repairs. The pair decide to take on a lodger. A host of eccentric characters are soon traipsing through the sister's lives, including an incompetent murderer. And these outsiders are in addition to the sisters' even more dysfunctional relatives.
If you enjoy British humor and watching eccentric and dysfunctional people in action, you'll find yourself laughing during your visit to Curmudgeon Avenue. Stop by for a visit. It's guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
If you enjoy British humor and watching eccentric and dysfunctional people in action, you'll find yourself laughing during your visit to Curmudgeon Avenue. Stop by for a visit. It's guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
June 25, 2019
Curmudgeon Avenue by Samantha Henthorn is Book One of the Terraced House Diaries. This book is a brilliant five-star Amazon read because of manipulation and highly talented use of language. Just after the final page of chapter thirty-three in a section titled “Acknowledgments and Stuff …” there is an address for the author’s blog which sums up why this novel is excellent. All by itself, the bog address makes a real statement about the book.
The narrator of Curmudgeon Avenue is the all-knowing House. There are several subplots, but I was unable to define an all-encompassing plot until I finished the novel. There is no character development in the traditional sense I know. Characters develop and change in a couple of directions. There will be an ultimate success or ultimate doom and frustration. That doesn’t happen in this novel. The House presents characters and events in their lives from the past and in the present. Implications for the future are left up to the reader. Readers can check their assumptions in follow-up novels, something I am sure to do.
Putting aside plot and character, what is left? There is pacing. This novel is a very fast-paced tale. The distinguishing feature of this novel, which makes it brilliant, is language. To help me with my reviews, I highlight clever language use as I read. With this book, I would be highlighting almost two-thirds of the work. There is no salacious sexual language and no violence. The most sensitive Snowflake will find it challenging to identify ethnic or gender stereotypes that pose micro-aggressions to their delicate structures. The novel, published in 2018, has up-to-date cultural references such as those to Game of Thrones.
There is no way to describe the brilliant language use other than through a couple of examples. I will limit my examples to two, although a bit of background is necessary. Keep in mind that all reporting is done by the House. For added fun, look at the Table of Contents. As readers progress; the chapter titles become increasingly funny.
Mr. and Mrs. Payne owned the house at Number One Curmudgeon Avenue, and if they had continued to live there, the House might have had no complaints. But no one could anticipate the actions of Harold Goatshed, a person of limited talents in personal hygiene, and the reactions of Dierdre, the elephant. Harold, despite having no license to drive or transport an elephant, accepted a contract to deliver Dierdre from a zoo to her new home. Sometime during the transport, Dierdre became sensitive and reacted to Harold’s unusual body odor. Subsequent shifts of gravity in the vehicle caused a crash into a caravan occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Payne. They died. Harold fled, Dierdre eventually made it to a wildlife park, and Edith and Edna Payne, the inheriting children, occupied the House.
The two sisters did not get along but were able to accommodate each other by living in separate parts of the house. They were amicable if they did not have to meet. Time progressed, and the two entered the decade between their 60s and 70s. Without a lot of attention to the House, certain deficiencies demanded attention. There was a leak in the roof, and it was too expensive for the two sisters to fix without more income than provided by meager pensions, income from part-time work, or public assistance. They would have to take in lodgers. At this point, the story begins.
Harold will make a reappearance along with nosy neighbors, a career unemployed son, several ex-lovers, and people with ill intent dedicated to cheating the sisters. All potential lodgers will be observed and reported by the House. The narrator does not become involved; there are no supernatural interventions. The observations are not laugh-out-loud, but they will keep a smile or smirk on the face of the reader throughout the reading experience.
There are two examples of language I chose to exemplify clever writing; one relates to the death of Henri III, a pet cat.
“Now, pet funerals are not uncommon in the Northwest of England. Usually performed if there is a child in the family, heartbroken and often inconsolable at the sudden lesson in mortality that their beloved familiar had provided. Children, on their knees saying a few words of sympathy around a little patch of dug up garden, concealing the corpse of any number of goldfish and hamsters. Henri the Third was due to have a funeral, it seemed the right thing to do, and the most childish person in the house, Edith had decided to write down a few words to say at the ceremony. 'He was a French cat, so he was most likely Catholic...' she said to Edna, who was not really listening. 'I know that's a bit of a sweeping generalisation, but well we can't ask him, and I never saw him go to church. He did seem to like fish on a Friday- so that's something to go off.' (Kindle locations 1008-1013).
The other example is of Harold trying to reestablish close relations with at least one of the two sisters.
“This is how Harold remembered what happened: To be honest, Edna was not Harold's type. He was just grateful that she said yes. He only asked her out because he could, because no one else would (go out with Harold that is). Edna had insisted on meeting up during the day, and on this day the sky was sky blue. Harold suggested a ride out to the country 'An adventure' he'd persuaded her. Harold had forgotten his lie about owning a car - and may have told Edna he drove a mini, so when Harold turned up with a tandem, Edna had turned her nose up. Harold remembered being slightly perturbed at Edna, ungrateful cow, he had stolen that tandem especially for her. Harold remembered taking her to a pub in the countryside, now what was it called? How was Harold to know they would end up gate-crashing the wake of the chairman of the local bird watching club? Harold had an arm wrestle with a man-on-crutches. Harold felt sorry for him and let him win. And the date ended with the pair passionately canoodling in the corner of the pub...” (Kindle locations 1211-1216).
I highly recommend the humor, wit, and writing of Samantha Henthorn. I am following her blog and look forward to reading more of her publications. With a sale price of USD 0.99 on Amazon, it is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
The narrator of Curmudgeon Avenue is the all-knowing House. There are several subplots, but I was unable to define an all-encompassing plot until I finished the novel. There is no character development in the traditional sense I know. Characters develop and change in a couple of directions. There will be an ultimate success or ultimate doom and frustration. That doesn’t happen in this novel. The House presents characters and events in their lives from the past and in the present. Implications for the future are left up to the reader. Readers can check their assumptions in follow-up novels, something I am sure to do.
Putting aside plot and character, what is left? There is pacing. This novel is a very fast-paced tale. The distinguishing feature of this novel, which makes it brilliant, is language. To help me with my reviews, I highlight clever language use as I read. With this book, I would be highlighting almost two-thirds of the work. There is no salacious sexual language and no violence. The most sensitive Snowflake will find it challenging to identify ethnic or gender stereotypes that pose micro-aggressions to their delicate structures. The novel, published in 2018, has up-to-date cultural references such as those to Game of Thrones.
There is no way to describe the brilliant language use other than through a couple of examples. I will limit my examples to two, although a bit of background is necessary. Keep in mind that all reporting is done by the House. For added fun, look at the Table of Contents. As readers progress; the chapter titles become increasingly funny.
Mr. and Mrs. Payne owned the house at Number One Curmudgeon Avenue, and if they had continued to live there, the House might have had no complaints. But no one could anticipate the actions of Harold Goatshed, a person of limited talents in personal hygiene, and the reactions of Dierdre, the elephant. Harold, despite having no license to drive or transport an elephant, accepted a contract to deliver Dierdre from a zoo to her new home. Sometime during the transport, Dierdre became sensitive and reacted to Harold’s unusual body odor. Subsequent shifts of gravity in the vehicle caused a crash into a caravan occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Payne. They died. Harold fled, Dierdre eventually made it to a wildlife park, and Edith and Edna Payne, the inheriting children, occupied the House.
The two sisters did not get along but were able to accommodate each other by living in separate parts of the house. They were amicable if they did not have to meet. Time progressed, and the two entered the decade between their 60s and 70s. Without a lot of attention to the House, certain deficiencies demanded attention. There was a leak in the roof, and it was too expensive for the two sisters to fix without more income than provided by meager pensions, income from part-time work, or public assistance. They would have to take in lodgers. At this point, the story begins.
Harold will make a reappearance along with nosy neighbors, a career unemployed son, several ex-lovers, and people with ill intent dedicated to cheating the sisters. All potential lodgers will be observed and reported by the House. The narrator does not become involved; there are no supernatural interventions. The observations are not laugh-out-loud, but they will keep a smile or smirk on the face of the reader throughout the reading experience.
There are two examples of language I chose to exemplify clever writing; one relates to the death of Henri III, a pet cat.
“Now, pet funerals are not uncommon in the Northwest of England. Usually performed if there is a child in the family, heartbroken and often inconsolable at the sudden lesson in mortality that their beloved familiar had provided. Children, on their knees saying a few words of sympathy around a little patch of dug up garden, concealing the corpse of any number of goldfish and hamsters. Henri the Third was due to have a funeral, it seemed the right thing to do, and the most childish person in the house, Edith had decided to write down a few words to say at the ceremony. 'He was a French cat, so he was most likely Catholic...' she said to Edna, who was not really listening. 'I know that's a bit of a sweeping generalisation, but well we can't ask him, and I never saw him go to church. He did seem to like fish on a Friday- so that's something to go off.' (Kindle locations 1008-1013).
The other example is of Harold trying to reestablish close relations with at least one of the two sisters.
“This is how Harold remembered what happened: To be honest, Edna was not Harold's type. He was just grateful that she said yes. He only asked her out because he could, because no one else would (go out with Harold that is). Edna had insisted on meeting up during the day, and on this day the sky was sky blue. Harold suggested a ride out to the country 'An adventure' he'd persuaded her. Harold had forgotten his lie about owning a car - and may have told Edna he drove a mini, so when Harold turned up with a tandem, Edna had turned her nose up. Harold remembered being slightly perturbed at Edna, ungrateful cow, he had stolen that tandem especially for her. Harold remembered taking her to a pub in the countryside, now what was it called? How was Harold to know they would end up gate-crashing the wake of the chairman of the local bird watching club? Harold had an arm wrestle with a man-on-crutches. Harold felt sorry for him and let him win. And the date ended with the pair passionately canoodling in the corner of the pub...” (Kindle locations 1211-1216).
I highly recommend the humor, wit, and writing of Samantha Henthorn. I am following her blog and look forward to reading more of her publications. With a sale price of USD 0.99 on Amazon, it is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
May 5, 2020
Quirky fun!
Curmudgeon Avenue by Samantha Henthorn is an entertaining farce. I loved the idea of the house itself as the narrator. That’s what drew me to this book. I just wish the house had been more of a presence in the story – I had hoped for more-numerous pointed opinions from it. Still, this tale of fantastically eccentric characters, improbable situations and wildly intertwined lives is full of quirky fun, including some of the chapter titles (“The Collective Noun for Fugitives.” is my favorite). A great light read, short and amusing!
Curmudgeon Avenue by Samantha Henthorn is an entertaining farce. I loved the idea of the house itself as the narrator. That’s what drew me to this book. I just wish the house had been more of a presence in the story – I had hoped for more-numerous pointed opinions from it. Still, this tale of fantastically eccentric characters, improbable situations and wildly intertwined lives is full of quirky fun, including some of the chapter titles (“The Collective Noun for Fugitives.” is my favorite). A great light read, short and amusing!
April 10, 2025
3⭐️ = Average.
Paperback.
This was certainly very unusual and being British, I certainly got the humour. It didn’t blow me away but I didn’t dislike it either.
Paperback.
This was certainly very unusual and being British, I certainly got the humour. It didn’t blow me away but I didn’t dislike it either.
May 28, 2020
Curmudgeon Avenue (Book One: The Terraced House Diaries) by Samantha Henthorn
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Number One Curmudgeon Avenue,a 4-storey Georgian house, a stone’s throw from Whitefield tram station near Manchester, has many tales to tell - walls have ears you know! But as ever one must start at the beginning. A story of an unfortunate end to Mr and Mrs Payne (not to mention a unique ending involving an elephant named Deirdre) and the complicated liaisons of the sisters,Edna Payne and her younger sister Edith. “Edith ran away from Edna and hid away in the understairs cupboard.She took out her smartphone, and un-friended Edna on Facebook, knowing this would hit Edna where it hurts.”
This is an amazingly,witty book full of in-depth descriptions that are cleverly written.Edith and Edna Payne are two sisters with an intricate relationship of dislike for one another, hilariously narrated by the poor suffering establishment that the siblings share.Curmudgeon Avenue is an account of the ins and outs of the siblings frenetic existence including neighbours and acquaintances, past and present.It will entertain and transport you to North West UK with the colourful dialect and larger than life characters such as Ricky Ricketts, Edith’s sponging son.
I appreciate how it is the house that narrates the story as first person and how the author distinguishes the character's unique way of speaking and illustrating their cultural background. “Harold really was a smug git.”
My overall thoughts on this book:readers prepare to be diverted with delight and a captivating storyline that leads through this book. Every chapter is written to amuse including several side stories “for a later date” to keep you guessing.Each added character adds colour and depth and yet we also learn about the community and details of their past.I fully recommend!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Number One Curmudgeon Avenue,a 4-storey Georgian house, a stone’s throw from Whitefield tram station near Manchester, has many tales to tell - walls have ears you know! But as ever one must start at the beginning. A story of an unfortunate end to Mr and Mrs Payne (not to mention a unique ending involving an elephant named Deirdre) and the complicated liaisons of the sisters,Edna Payne and her younger sister Edith. “Edith ran away from Edna and hid away in the understairs cupboard.She took out her smartphone, and un-friended Edna on Facebook, knowing this would hit Edna where it hurts.”
This is an amazingly,witty book full of in-depth descriptions that are cleverly written.Edith and Edna Payne are two sisters with an intricate relationship of dislike for one another, hilariously narrated by the poor suffering establishment that the siblings share.Curmudgeon Avenue is an account of the ins and outs of the siblings frenetic existence including neighbours and acquaintances, past and present.It will entertain and transport you to North West UK with the colourful dialect and larger than life characters such as Ricky Ricketts, Edith’s sponging son.
I appreciate how it is the house that narrates the story as first person and how the author distinguishes the character's unique way of speaking and illustrating their cultural background. “Harold really was a smug git.”
My overall thoughts on this book:readers prepare to be diverted with delight and a captivating storyline that leads through this book. Every chapter is written to amuse including several side stories “for a later date” to keep you guessing.Each added character adds colour and depth and yet we also learn about the community and details of their past.I fully recommend!
February 11, 2021
FIVE STAR REVIEW FROM READERS' FAVORITE
After an elephant crushed Mr. and Mrs. Payne to death, Edna and Edith moved back to their parents' house. The lives of these sixty-something-year-old sisters hadn't quite turned out as well as they had expected. As a result, relocating to Number One Curmudgeon Avenue was in the best interests of both of them. With their limited resources, they needed money to fix the roof of the house. The next logical decision was to take in a lodger, and they put an advert in the window of Mrs. Ali's shop. Little did they know that the text of the advert now said "todger" instead of "lodger." Amidst all the confusion, Edith began a romantic interlude with one of Edna's ex-boyfriends, Maurice. He wanted revenge on Edna, and dating Edith gave him access to their house. Indeed, the result was absolutely hysterical.
Curmudgeon Avenue: The Terraced House Diaries by Samantha Henthorn is a hilarious take on the preposterous lives of Edna and Edith. The author has made an excellent decision in assigning the role of the storyteller to the house in Curmudgeon Avenue. Place a bunch of nincompoops in the most absurd situations and, voila, you cannot stop laughing. The ludicrous episodes range from Maurice conspiring to slow-poison Edna to a plot to sell the house while Harold is still living in it. The rib-tickling conversations ensure that the comedy does not stop. I highly recommend Curmudgeon Avenue by Samantha Henthorn to humor-lovers. Who knew that a house could be such a marvelous storyteller? But, Curmudgeon Avenue is just that - a phenomenal narrator!
After an elephant crushed Mr. and Mrs. Payne to death, Edna and Edith moved back to their parents' house. The lives of these sixty-something-year-old sisters hadn't quite turned out as well as they had expected. As a result, relocating to Number One Curmudgeon Avenue was in the best interests of both of them. With their limited resources, they needed money to fix the roof of the house. The next logical decision was to take in a lodger, and they put an advert in the window of Mrs. Ali's shop. Little did they know that the text of the advert now said "todger" instead of "lodger." Amidst all the confusion, Edith began a romantic interlude with one of Edna's ex-boyfriends, Maurice. He wanted revenge on Edna, and dating Edith gave him access to their house. Indeed, the result was absolutely hysterical.
Curmudgeon Avenue: The Terraced House Diaries by Samantha Henthorn is a hilarious take on the preposterous lives of Edna and Edith. The author has made an excellent decision in assigning the role of the storyteller to the house in Curmudgeon Avenue. Place a bunch of nincompoops in the most absurd situations and, voila, you cannot stop laughing. The ludicrous episodes range from Maurice conspiring to slow-poison Edna to a plot to sell the house while Harold is still living in it. The rib-tickling conversations ensure that the comedy does not stop. I highly recommend Curmudgeon Avenue by Samantha Henthorn to humor-lovers. Who knew that a house could be such a marvelous storyteller? But, Curmudgeon Avenue is just that - a phenomenal narrator!
November 10, 2020
I'm a US reader, and I would describe this book as a sit-com. I'm not a fan of sit-coms, but in these dark times, I've gravitated to lighter, funnier reads as a pick-me-up.
This is the familiar story of a bunch of misfits brought together under a single roof. Unlike sit-coms such as Big Bang Theory, where the characters are mostly professionally successful nerds, in Curmudgeon Avenue, we are faced with life's losers. Dysfunctional doesn't begin to describe it. I had trouble caring about any of these folks or what happened to them.
The house was probably the most enjoyable character, but even it occasionally shaded into too snooty to like. In my mind, I could see this as a stage play, with the house that narrator at the side of stage kicking off each act or scene change. Had it not been for that image, I would have groused about how the house could know what characters said or did in the shop or the pub. But on-stage narrators have the gift of omniscience, so I was okay with it. Really, the house needed a larger part.
It's possible that I didn't appreciate some aspects of the British humor or didn't recognize tropes embedded in British culture. I'd suggest you read a sample to determine whether this is your cup of tea.
I was provided with a free copy of this manuscript in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is the familiar story of a bunch of misfits brought together under a single roof. Unlike sit-coms such as Big Bang Theory, where the characters are mostly professionally successful nerds, in Curmudgeon Avenue, we are faced with life's losers. Dysfunctional doesn't begin to describe it. I had trouble caring about any of these folks or what happened to them.
The house was probably the most enjoyable character, but even it occasionally shaded into too snooty to like. In my mind, I could see this as a stage play, with the house that narrator at the side of stage kicking off each act or scene change. Had it not been for that image, I would have groused about how the house could know what characters said or did in the shop or the pub. But on-stage narrators have the gift of omniscience, so I was okay with it. Really, the house needed a larger part.
It's possible that I didn't appreciate some aspects of the British humor or didn't recognize tropes embedded in British culture. I'd suggest you read a sample to determine whether this is your cup of tea.
I was provided with a free copy of this manuscript in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 12, 2019
In Curmudgeon Avenue the house suffers the anguish of ruin and internal clowns dragging it down. That’s the reason it decides to narrate a diary about the lives of the inhabitants.
After the 90 year old respectable owners are squashed by an elephant, sisters Edna and Edith, in her sixties, move in. The house is devastated by this as it used to be a respectable house where everyone wanted to live in. The house fell into some disrepair.
The two sisters are very different and having to live under the same roof will create a lot of conflict. They have to figure out how to pay for repairs and decide to rent a room.
I enjoyed the over the top characters. It made me smile and chuckle but I guess I had enjoyed it more if I were more familiar with British slang.
After the 90 year old respectable owners are squashed by an elephant, sisters Edna and Edith, in her sixties, move in. The house is devastated by this as it used to be a respectable house where everyone wanted to live in. The house fell into some disrepair.
The two sisters are very different and having to live under the same roof will create a lot of conflict. They have to figure out how to pay for repairs and decide to rent a room.
I enjoyed the over the top characters. It made me smile and chuckle but I guess I had enjoyed it more if I were more familiar with British slang.
March 6, 2020
I enjoyed this comedy. The opening line: “On the day this all started, the sky was full of August apologies for a summer undelivered.” I loved that the main character happened to be the house. It was not a fan of Edith or Edna, which I found funny. I will say the ending happened quite abruptly, and I wasn’t prepared for that. It was a nice cliffhanger though.
My favorite line of the book was: “If I have to contend with the bunch of nincompoops that replaced Mr and Mrs Payne, then so should you…” This summed up everything perfectly lol. I enjoyed the lighthearted tone of the book. It’s not a genre I typically read, but I’m happy I gave it a chance for #DectheShelves. The entire time I was reading, I pictured everything as a play with over-the-top characters and funny situations to force everyone to interact.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
My favorite line of the book was: “If I have to contend with the bunch of nincompoops that replaced Mr and Mrs Payne, then so should you…” This summed up everything perfectly lol. I enjoyed the lighthearted tone of the book. It’s not a genre I typically read, but I’m happy I gave it a chance for #DectheShelves. The entire time I was reading, I pictured everything as a play with over-the-top characters and funny situations to force everyone to interact.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
August 5, 2018
Your first clue that this will be a perfectly enjoyable silly rambling story about a bunch of mismatched misfits is that the story is narrated by a HOUSE (yes, a house), and the house is on Curmudgeon Avenue. Your next clue is that the foundational characters, around which much of the story pivots, get offed by a elephant in the second chapter leaving the subsequent replacement main characters to fend for themselves, sisters Edna and Edith. To this American anyway, it reads like quintessential British humor, understatement serves as strategic overstatement:
“The roof is leaking!” she said.
“I know!” replied Edna. “I haven't been able to start any of my nude self-portraits.” Edna opened another chocolate bar...”
“Edith,” Edna said, sitting forwards on her bean bag in a patronizing position.”
British vernacular runs throughout. I enjoyed the use of the word “whinge” as in whinging as in whining. One of the reality television shows they watch is a “reality eviction programme” though it likely DOES exist on one of the bazillion channels, as nothing is sacred anymore. The names of a couple of the characters, meant in every sense of the word, are called Wantha and Toonan. Edith, the younger and possibly more stupid than her older sister Edna, is knitting a con man she meets that kills her cat instead of her (...''bought his usual supplies of dinner mints and anti-freeze''), a turquoise tank top. “I did try knitting underwear but it didn't work...”
One of the more repulsive main characters is a man named Harold Goathead, an invasive plant species in the western U.S. Intentional or not, it works for me.
While at times the plot seems a little unwieldy, a tad hyperactive, still the book is delightfully silly and funny. You will chuckle throughout. I looked forward to reading it every evening, a welcome antidote and escape from the intensity that now defines a “normal day” in America.
“The roof is leaking!” she said.
“I know!” replied Edna. “I haven't been able to start any of my nude self-portraits.” Edna opened another chocolate bar...”
“Edith,” Edna said, sitting forwards on her bean bag in a patronizing position.”
British vernacular runs throughout. I enjoyed the use of the word “whinge” as in whinging as in whining. One of the reality television shows they watch is a “reality eviction programme” though it likely DOES exist on one of the bazillion channels, as nothing is sacred anymore. The names of a couple of the characters, meant in every sense of the word, are called Wantha and Toonan. Edith, the younger and possibly more stupid than her older sister Edna, is knitting a con man she meets that kills her cat instead of her (...''bought his usual supplies of dinner mints and anti-freeze''), a turquoise tank top. “I did try knitting underwear but it didn't work...”
One of the more repulsive main characters is a man named Harold Goathead, an invasive plant species in the western U.S. Intentional or not, it works for me.
While at times the plot seems a little unwieldy, a tad hyperactive, still the book is delightfully silly and funny. You will chuckle throughout. I looked forward to reading it every evening, a welcome antidote and escape from the intensity that now defines a “normal day” in America.
June 16, 2020
sent to me for honest review
This is the first installment in a series where the story is told by the house. Unusual protagonist, but lovely. I liked that the house didn't have a favorite out of the two sisters and it definitely was what intrigued me in the first place where the house was the narrator rather than an actual person. If you're looking for something light and quick, this is the way to go.
I liked the idea of two sisters who inherit their parents' house and have to try and come up with a way to pay for the roof. Thus begins the introduction of Maurice, Harold and Georgina. And Mrs. Ali and Madame Genevieve Dubois. However, besides the sisters, most of these characters remain undeveloped, but I'm assuming that changes as we go further along in this series.
Lastly, it was hard to go unnoticed for me that the grammar and punctuation were off sometimes. It has a lot of run-on sentences and missing punctuation. Besides that it had a lot of British slang which I didn't understand, like "watered down slops" and why were the sisters so upset when the advert changed to "todger"? That's not to say I don't expect not being exposed to other customs and such when reading from an author from a different country, but this made it more difficult to properly get invested in the story.
Thank you to Booktasters and Samantha Henthorn for allowing me to read and review this in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first installment in a series where the story is told by the house. Unusual protagonist, but lovely. I liked that the house didn't have a favorite out of the two sisters and it definitely was what intrigued me in the first place where the house was the narrator rather than an actual person. If you're looking for something light and quick, this is the way to go.
I liked the idea of two sisters who inherit their parents' house and have to try and come up with a way to pay for the roof. Thus begins the introduction of Maurice, Harold and Georgina. And Mrs. Ali and Madame Genevieve Dubois. However, besides the sisters, most of these characters remain undeveloped, but I'm assuming that changes as we go further along in this series.
Lastly, it was hard to go unnoticed for me that the grammar and punctuation were off sometimes. It has a lot of run-on sentences and missing punctuation. Besides that it had a lot of British slang which I didn't understand, like "watered down slops" and why were the sisters so upset when the advert changed to "todger"? That's not to say I don't expect not being exposed to other customs and such when reading from an author from a different country, but this made it more difficult to properly get invested in the story.
Thank you to Booktasters and Samantha Henthorn for allowing me to read and review this in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2020
To start with I need to comment on the uniqueness of having the house narrate the story. I thought it was bizarre at first but I quickly realised you need a sense of bizarre to go with this story. A story told by the house itself, about 2 sisters who don't get on at all, taking in lodgers because they need money to fix their roof. The characters are all equally quirky and, while there's a sense most of them are meant to be rather annoying, there are enough funny moments that keep you going. I was ready to dislike Ricky by the time we met him, but I found myself warming to him. Harold was a bit more hit-and-miss for me, I couldn't decide whether I felt sorry for him or if he just really irritated me. You know a character has layers when you're on the fence to that extent! I found Edith very sweet, though. It wasn't the most gripping read, but it was light enjoyable and a good choice for a summertime beach read.
The writing was quite different to what I'm used to, but again, this actually went with the quirkiness of the story. A few typos and punctuation problems, which is a pet peeve of mine. They didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story but I did have to pause and reread a couple of times.
The writing was quite different to what I'm used to, but again, this actually went with the quirkiness of the story. A few typos and punctuation problems, which is a pet peeve of mine. They didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story but I did have to pause and reread a couple of times.
December 22, 2020
I read this book during the strange reality of the Covid lockdown and its madcap story suited so well. I’d only got as far as chapter one when I knew I was going to like it.
The house is the narrator – its walls have ears and a brain too, it seems. Owing to an unfortunate error, the wrong sorts of lodger apply to rent a room. This is not what the house wanted.
A good use of literary devices enlivens every chapter and had me chuckling constantly at the imagery conjured up.
This is a book to read and enjoy. And remember your house may be taking notes on you!
The house is the narrator – its walls have ears and a brain too, it seems. Owing to an unfortunate error, the wrong sorts of lodger apply to rent a room. This is not what the house wanted.
A good use of literary devices enlivens every chapter and had me chuckling constantly at the imagery conjured up.
This is a book to read and enjoy. And remember your house may be taking notes on you!
September 6, 2020
A comedy drama written from the point of view of a house are rare, so this is the second one I have read and reviewed from the clever author Samantha Henthorn. Dealing in huge events and small details is a skill within a unified narrative, let alone creating and sustaining fascinating characters, and this book demonstrates that skill with humour thrown in. Contemporary life on a street up north can often be cliched, but Henthorn manages a novel which tackles that straight on as she recounts the story of Number One Curmudgeon Avenue in Book One of the Terraced House Diaries. Henthorn uses her flair for lively narrative to tell the story of Edna and Edith, unloving sisters who have come to inhabit Number One after a series of exciting events in both of their lives. Although referring to some characters who featured in previous novels, this book is very readable as a standalone volume, as it very much features stories of its own. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this lively book.
The story of how Edna and Edith move into the “proud, yet grouchy Victorian terrace” is entertaining, featuring a badly transported animal and a couple “taken too soon (in their mid - nineties)”. Not that the house is impressed. Edna is the oldest sister, bossy and inhabiting one of the attic bedrooms, while Edith is in one of the back bedrooms, while using the understairs cupboard as a safe refuge when life gets complicated (or a “chill out” space as she later describes it). The four storey house is not, to its great grief, in a good state, and a leaking roof forces the sisters to get quotes for its repair. Meanwhile the widowed Edith is on the look out for a new romance, despite the advice of her sister and the self serving objections of her objectionable son Ricky. When Edna instructs Edith to place a card advertising for a lodger in the window of Mrs Ali’s shop, the real difficulties begin. As an unusual group of people appear in and around the shop, old and painful memories surface as well as new and exciting gossip for the characters in the book. The woefully unappealing Harold Goatshed is in the background much to several people’s disgust, and the book looks at his persistence and mentions his odious determination to become a resident and more.
This is a memorable book as it deals with characters who seem to have few attributes to recommend them. The style of writing is undoubtedly lively, hinting at other tales and further stories that may well appear later or in other places. Some of the events recorded in this fiction of unhealthy life in a northern suburb boarder on subtle fantasy, while others are pretty basic. The characters are undoubtedly unusual in some ways in their motives, but often dramatically realistic in their behaviour. This is a lively and interesting book which is easy to read and certainly unusual, and is memorable for its perspective and witty look at life.
The story of how Edna and Edith move into the “proud, yet grouchy Victorian terrace” is entertaining, featuring a badly transported animal and a couple “taken too soon (in their mid - nineties)”. Not that the house is impressed. Edna is the oldest sister, bossy and inhabiting one of the attic bedrooms, while Edith is in one of the back bedrooms, while using the understairs cupboard as a safe refuge when life gets complicated (or a “chill out” space as she later describes it). The four storey house is not, to its great grief, in a good state, and a leaking roof forces the sisters to get quotes for its repair. Meanwhile the widowed Edith is on the look out for a new romance, despite the advice of her sister and the self serving objections of her objectionable son Ricky. When Edna instructs Edith to place a card advertising for a lodger in the window of Mrs Ali’s shop, the real difficulties begin. As an unusual group of people appear in and around the shop, old and painful memories surface as well as new and exciting gossip for the characters in the book. The woefully unappealing Harold Goatshed is in the background much to several people’s disgust, and the book looks at his persistence and mentions his odious determination to become a resident and more.
This is a memorable book as it deals with characters who seem to have few attributes to recommend them. The style of writing is undoubtedly lively, hinting at other tales and further stories that may well appear later or in other places. Some of the events recorded in this fiction of unhealthy life in a northern suburb boarder on subtle fantasy, while others are pretty basic. The characters are undoubtedly unusual in some ways in their motives, but often dramatically realistic in their behaviour. This is a lively and interesting book which is easy to read and certainly unusual, and is memorable for its perspective and witty look at life.
March 1, 2019
The simplistic cover drew me to this book. To me it suggests a normal, ordinary street wherein we will find everyday people going about their own business, and I wanted to know what secrets the reader would find.
From the blurb, I had expected the house to set about bumping off the obnoxious inhabitants, one-by-one, or to somehow prevent them from doing something within its walls. But it was neither of these options. Curmudgeon Avenue is a record of how the current occupants came to be there, with the occasional reference to events or back stories which obviously lays the groundwork for future instalments.
The story is told mainly from the perspective of the house itself, Number One Curmudgeon Avenue. The house has very strong feelings about its residents and its visitors, yet is powerless to do anything other than watch and commentate on events as they unfold.
At the beginning, the original owners meet with an unusual and unfortunate end. The house is left to their daughters, Edith and Edna. Circumstances now mean that they will have to live together, something they have not done since childhood. Edith and Edna are quite different in every way. Both, however, have limited means, and as the house is in need of repair, they decide to take in a lodger. An array of unsuitable candidates arrive and are sent packing before Harold Goatshead - and he is the most loathsome character too - and Georgina Foote take up residence - not one lodger but two! And of course they come with their own baggage!
I found the story frenetic, quirky and mildly humorous - my biggest smile came from the card in Mrs Ali's corner shop window advertising for a lodger. The ad was worded in such a way as to have attracted completely the wrong sort of person, before the vandal changed a single letter on it, thus altering its meaning completely!
This is the first in the series, and I feel that readers will need to have read this book before reading any of the others, as it has set the scene for future stories, telling us what we need to know about these characters.
From the blurb, I had expected the house to set about bumping off the obnoxious inhabitants, one-by-one, or to somehow prevent them from doing something within its walls. But it was neither of these options. Curmudgeon Avenue is a record of how the current occupants came to be there, with the occasional reference to events or back stories which obviously lays the groundwork for future instalments.
The story is told mainly from the perspective of the house itself, Number One Curmudgeon Avenue. The house has very strong feelings about its residents and its visitors, yet is powerless to do anything other than watch and commentate on events as they unfold.
At the beginning, the original owners meet with an unusual and unfortunate end. The house is left to their daughters, Edith and Edna. Circumstances now mean that they will have to live together, something they have not done since childhood. Edith and Edna are quite different in every way. Both, however, have limited means, and as the house is in need of repair, they decide to take in a lodger. An array of unsuitable candidates arrive and are sent packing before Harold Goatshead - and he is the most loathsome character too - and Georgina Foote take up residence - not one lodger but two! And of course they come with their own baggage!
I found the story frenetic, quirky and mildly humorous - my biggest smile came from the card in Mrs Ali's corner shop window advertising for a lodger. The ad was worded in such a way as to have attracted completely the wrong sort of person, before the vandal changed a single letter on it, thus altering its meaning completely!
This is the first in the series, and I feel that readers will need to have read this book before reading any of the others, as it has set the scene for future stories, telling us what we need to know about these characters.
April 20, 2020
This book was given to me to read in exchange of an honest review. I chose this book, maybe like most of people that decided fo read it, because I was intrigued at our narrator. I mean this is not our usual main character narrating a story, this time we have a house, the Number 1 of Curmudgeon Avenue telling us about her tennents, previously Mr and Mrs Payne, and now their daughters Edith and Edna Payne.
These are two, very different, 60 something year old sisters. Edna is and artist, she's the oldest and she has a very stuck up nose, she evidently tries to boss around everything and always tries to get her away, in addition it seems like she doesn't really care about her sister. Edith is the youngest, she has been married, but her husband passed away, she has a grown up son, Ricky Ricketts, that does nothing but ask his mother for money, she ended up losing her job due to health issues caused by many people so she went back to Curmudgeon Avenue. Edith is somewhat of a naive woman, she's so innocent and fragile. She's been dreaming for so long to meet her other half that she falls into every mans' words without a second thought and that might lead to some troubles for the sisters.
We are introduced to other side characters that tells us some more about the sisters' past, their stories are a bit developed as well, specifically with Harold an old boyfriend, or so to say, of Edna, there's also Maurice that she also dated and Genevieve that is her old, but reignited flame. All these characters and other are introduced to stir, presently, the life of the two sister, for good or bad, it has a bit of crossover because we might be talking about something that happened to the characters in the past and then how they came back into the sisters' lives. At the end of the day it's a nice reading, easily read and funny, I understand the author wrote some following books and I am curious to know what happened to the sisters and if all secrets will be revealed.
These are two, very different, 60 something year old sisters. Edna is and artist, she's the oldest and she has a very stuck up nose, she evidently tries to boss around everything and always tries to get her away, in addition it seems like she doesn't really care about her sister. Edith is the youngest, she has been married, but her husband passed away, she has a grown up son, Ricky Ricketts, that does nothing but ask his mother for money, she ended up losing her job due to health issues caused by many people so she went back to Curmudgeon Avenue. Edith is somewhat of a naive woman, she's so innocent and fragile. She's been dreaming for so long to meet her other half that she falls into every mans' words without a second thought and that might lead to some troubles for the sisters.
We are introduced to other side characters that tells us some more about the sisters' past, their stories are a bit developed as well, specifically with Harold an old boyfriend, or so to say, of Edna, there's also Maurice that she also dated and Genevieve that is her old, but reignited flame. All these characters and other are introduced to stir, presently, the life of the two sister, for good or bad, it has a bit of crossover because we might be talking about something that happened to the characters in the past and then how they came back into the sisters' lives. At the end of the day it's a nice reading, easily read and funny, I understand the author wrote some following books and I am curious to know what happened to the sisters and if all secrets will be revealed.
August 20, 2018
If you enjoyed the 'soaps' when they used to be full of fun and laughter - and had a light-hearted storyline, then this is DEFINITELY one tor you!
The house in Curmudgeon Avenue was rather grand in it's day but due to lack of funds as the years went by, it has slipped into a state of disrepair. Sisters Edna and Edith grew up there and, despite not being the closest of siblings, find themselves living there again follow the death of their parents in a freak accident.
This tale is narrated - unusually - by the house itself, which adds to the whimsy of the story. As we learn more about the relationship between the sisters, we get a peek into their childhood and learn about them as adults, we make the acquaintance of others who come into their world. Written in a fabulous style, this is immensely entertaining and very funny indeed. Even before I began reading, I was drawn to the title - Curmudgeon Avenue is such a fabulous name for what was once a 'posh' street and it lives up to it's name throughout. Even the cover is perfect! If you enjoy a beautifully written tale from an author with an eye for detail and amazingly well-created quirky characters, then this is one for you. I can hardly wait for the next instalment!
My thanks to the author for bring her new novel to my attention. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.
The house in Curmudgeon Avenue was rather grand in it's day but due to lack of funds as the years went by, it has slipped into a state of disrepair. Sisters Edna and Edith grew up there and, despite not being the closest of siblings, find themselves living there again follow the death of their parents in a freak accident.
This tale is narrated - unusually - by the house itself, which adds to the whimsy of the story. As we learn more about the relationship between the sisters, we get a peek into their childhood and learn about them as adults, we make the acquaintance of others who come into their world. Written in a fabulous style, this is immensely entertaining and very funny indeed. Even before I began reading, I was drawn to the title - Curmudgeon Avenue is such a fabulous name for what was once a 'posh' street and it lives up to it's name throughout. Even the cover is perfect! If you enjoy a beautifully written tale from an author with an eye for detail and amazingly well-created quirky characters, then this is one for you. I can hardly wait for the next instalment!
My thanks to the author for bring her new novel to my attention. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.
June 7, 2020
This book was gifted to me from the author.
This book is not your typical book. Most books are told from the view point of a person, as you will a human. Well this book is told to you by a house. That's right a house is the narrator of this story. It starts of kind of slow in my opinion and is a little dry. The House tells you the names of a few different people, but you really can't picture them due to little description of them. It also jumps around a bit so it's hard to follow exactly where the story was going. Once you get to the third chapter The House does start to give you a bit more information about two of the people it was telling you about. The story goes on to tell you about the people that are living in the house and how they came to live there. It is a good book, and very different than anything I have read before. It's just not quite my style of book. I would still recommend it to people who are looking for a book that is a bit different. I would like to see what else this author has wrote and read them as well. I. Always looking for different books to read. You will never know what book is a good book till you sit down and read it.
This book is not your typical book. Most books are told from the view point of a person, as you will a human. Well this book is told to you by a house. That's right a house is the narrator of this story. It starts of kind of slow in my opinion and is a little dry. The House tells you the names of a few different people, but you really can't picture them due to little description of them. It also jumps around a bit so it's hard to follow exactly where the story was going. Once you get to the third chapter The House does start to give you a bit more information about two of the people it was telling you about. The story goes on to tell you about the people that are living in the house and how they came to live there. It is a good book, and very different than anything I have read before. It's just not quite my style of book. I would still recommend it to people who are looking for a book that is a bit different. I would like to see what else this author has wrote and read them as well. I. Always looking for different books to read. You will never know what book is a good book till you sit down and read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2019
short, sweet, and really funny. :D I liked it. "Curmudgeon Avenue" is told from the point of view of a house, something I haven't seen before. But I liked it. It was different. The house had a very strong voice. The book was really funny, but here's my favorite part:
"Hello! Is your mum in?"
"She's dead."
"Dead?"
"Yes. Mother go squashed by an elephant."
the house is awesome, but so are the sisters. who talks about their mom's death so matter of factly. lol. that poor roofer.
Anyway. I write horror, so I'm constantly trying to come up with creative ways to kill characters. (Lol. that sounded a bit dark, didn't it?) but "squashed by an elephant" is definitely the most unique character death I've ever seen. And I've read books where characters died from zombie rats.
Literally laughed out loud at that. :) the elephant, not zombie rats.
highly recommended for fans of humor. :D this is a great choice if you're looking for an easy, funny read. :D
"Hello! Is your mum in?"
"She's dead."
"Dead?"
"Yes. Mother go squashed by an elephant."
the house is awesome, but so are the sisters. who talks about their mom's death so matter of factly. lol. that poor roofer.
Anyway. I write horror, so I'm constantly trying to come up with creative ways to kill characters. (Lol. that sounded a bit dark, didn't it?) but "squashed by an elephant" is definitely the most unique character death I've ever seen. And I've read books where characters died from zombie rats.
Literally laughed out loud at that. :) the elephant, not zombie rats.
highly recommended for fans of humor. :D this is a great choice if you're looking for an easy, funny read. :D
September 8, 2020
Having a bad week? Had a tough few days? Need to lighten the mood? This is exactly what you need to read! The British humour combined with a completely unpredictable story line make this book so memorable, and is definitely one for you if you’re looking for a light read with some hilarious characters.
I know I’ve said some books I’ve read are completely unlike anything I’ve ever read before, but this one definitely tops that list. This story has a very unusual narrator for the most part, and I had a smile on my face throughout the whole thing! Completely and utterly worth the read, and is the perfect humourous story to lift up your mood after a long week. Definitely recommend this one!
You can read the full review over on my blog: https://aquintillionwords.com/2020/09...
I know I’ve said some books I’ve read are completely unlike anything I’ve ever read before, but this one definitely tops that list. This story has a very unusual narrator for the most part, and I had a smile on my face throughout the whole thing! Completely and utterly worth the read, and is the perfect humourous story to lift up your mood after a long week. Definitely recommend this one!
You can read the full review over on my blog: https://aquintillionwords.com/2020/09...
June 9, 2020
This story has lots of twists and turns and is chock-full of humour. With all the plots and characters of a sitcom, it involves two oddball sisters and the unanticipated predicament they find themselves in when they inherit the family home on Curmudgeon Avenue. I sense the characters will develop even further in the next installments.
A really nice easy read, and a lovely touch that the story is narrated by the house itself!
A really nice easy read, and a lovely touch that the story is narrated by the house itself!
November 26, 2019
Not what I was expecting - I thought this book would be a cosy story about nice people living in a lovely old house. The house is old and falling apart and the people who live in Curmudgeon Avenue are not particularly nice, or nice to each other. Wry, dry and very funny in places, once I was a few chapters in I really enjoyed this book with it's quirky style of writing and weird characters. Will defintely read more by this author.
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