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Women of Our Time #1
Girl From The Tree House
It all unraveled at the funeral...
Horace Reid's death opened the door to our freedom. His widow, Elizabeth, exists only on paper. She disappeared thirty years ago. It's us, the Tribe, who live in her body now. But nobody knows that. Us are Elise, the reluctant host, Lilly the closer, Ama, the proverbial mother, Sky, our wise guide, Amadeus, the warrior, and Luke, the man around the house. There are others, but we make sure they stay hidden and away from harm.
After Horace's funeral, they tried to lock us in a mental hospital. Our sister-in-law had it all carefully planned. Thanks to quick thinking—yes, being a multiple has its advantages—we escaped to New Zealand's South Island. Tucked away in the West Coast wilderness we... well, the plan was to continue our healing. We didn't expect that monsters from our past still had us on their radar. When the police accuse us of murder we have to run again. Where to go, which way to turn? Our neighbor Scott appears helpful, but can we trust him? Can we trust ourselves? Can we trust anyone?
THE GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is the first of a series of psychological thrillers set in current day New Zealand. It describes how Elizabeth, a thirty-two-year-old woman with multiple personalities (Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID), fights for her sanity and freedom. Four core personalities tell the story from the inside out, giving a touching insight into the workings of the dissociated mind. There are no graphic descriptions of abuse.
Gudrun Frerichs is a retired psychotherapist and trauma specialist in the field of (sexual) abuse recovery. She successfully worked with many clients who had a DID diagnosis. Recovery from trauma and dissociation has been the focus of her Master's dissertation (2000) and Ph.D. thesis (2008) and is also the topic of her blog Multiple Voices. THE GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is a spectacular departure from her romance series THE GOLDEN GIRLS.
Horace Reid's death opened the door to our freedom. His widow, Elizabeth, exists only on paper. She disappeared thirty years ago. It's us, the Tribe, who live in her body now. But nobody knows that. Us are Elise, the reluctant host, Lilly the closer, Ama, the proverbial mother, Sky, our wise guide, Amadeus, the warrior, and Luke, the man around the house. There are others, but we make sure they stay hidden and away from harm.
After Horace's funeral, they tried to lock us in a mental hospital. Our sister-in-law had it all carefully planned. Thanks to quick thinking—yes, being a multiple has its advantages—we escaped to New Zealand's South Island. Tucked away in the West Coast wilderness we... well, the plan was to continue our healing. We didn't expect that monsters from our past still had us on their radar. When the police accuse us of murder we have to run again. Where to go, which way to turn? Our neighbor Scott appears helpful, but can we trust him? Can we trust ourselves? Can we trust anyone?
THE GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is the first of a series of psychological thrillers set in current day New Zealand. It describes how Elizabeth, a thirty-two-year-old woman with multiple personalities (Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID), fights for her sanity and freedom. Four core personalities tell the story from the inside out, giving a touching insight into the workings of the dissociated mind. There are no graphic descriptions of abuse.
Gudrun Frerichs is a retired psychotherapist and trauma specialist in the field of (sexual) abuse recovery. She successfully worked with many clients who had a DID diagnosis. Recovery from trauma and dissociation has been the focus of her Master's dissertation (2000) and Ph.D. thesis (2008) and is also the topic of her blog Multiple Voices. THE GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is a spectacular departure from her romance series THE GOLDEN GIRLS.
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2019
87 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Gudrun Frerichs
21 books67 followersAbout Gudrun
Gudrun was born on a small fishing island close to Hamburg, Germany. She immigrated thirty years ago to New Zealand with her wonderful husband and three adventurous children. She worked for 25 years in the mental health field as a trauma specialist.
Over the years, she learned that life is a bumpy ride full of highs and lows. It’s having friends and loved ones to celebrate with that makes the highs special, and knowing one isn’t the only one who struggles makes the lows tolerable.
Since retiring in 2015, she lives in Wellington, the coolest little capital in the world, with her husband, a cheeky dog, and never far from her gorgeous grandchildren.
She brings all those bumpy-ride-experiences to her books. She writes sweet romances and psychological thrillers combining romance with beautiful dreams, hopes, and unexpected twists.
Visit me at www.gudrunfrerichs.com
Gudrun was born on a small fishing island close to Hamburg, Germany. She immigrated thirty years ago to New Zealand with her wonderful husband and three adventurous children. She worked for 25 years in the mental health field as a trauma specialist.
Over the years, she learned that life is a bumpy ride full of highs and lows. It’s having friends and loved ones to celebrate with that makes the highs special, and knowing one isn’t the only one who struggles makes the lows tolerable.
Since retiring in 2015, she lives in Wellington, the coolest little capital in the world, with her husband, a cheeky dog, and never far from her gorgeous grandchildren.
She brings all those bumpy-ride-experiences to her books. She writes sweet romances and psychological thrillers combining romance with beautiful dreams, hopes, and unexpected twists.
Visit me at www.gudrunfrerichs.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
June 25, 2019
What an interesting read about person with mental disorder. In Elise case its Dissociative Identity Disorder. She has so many personalities living in her head. Book talks about very difficult problem, that abused people usually developed some mental problems and system instead to help them, threats them like a crazy lunatic. I think the abuser should be locked and filled with tones of medications not other way around. Institutions let down victims of abuse on daily basis. Author did really good job of creating this difficult mind of a struggling person.
August 27, 2019
What a book! First of all, if you plan to read this make sure you have nothing on your agenda that day - because it will not get done. The premise was spectacular: 1 woman with multiple personalities, the story is narrated by each of the main (dominant) personalities. Fast paced, thrilling ride.
The novel will leave the reader with a whole new perspective of what it’s like to live in the mind of many and how one is affected by same.
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review. Magnificently written
The novel will leave the reader with a whole new perspective of what it’s like to live in the mind of many and how one is affected by same.
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review. Magnificently written
June 14, 2019
This is a portion of my original review on my blog Trails of Tales (https://trailsoftales620253622.wordpr... )
Girl from the Tree House‘ is an attempt, an excellent attempt to encase the reader into the inner world of a woman living with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Her struggles to accept her ‘disorder‘ as a part of herself and then healing herself through acknowledgment is potrayed just the way it is. No guise. Absolute rawness.
We therapists tend to use the word ’empathy’ a lot. It really is at the crux of what we do. But the meaning of this potent and powerful word is often misunderstood.
What the author Gudrun Frerichs did when she created Elise and crafted her journey is an elegant example of empathy. Being a former psychotherapist and trauma specialist, Gudrun Frerichs could have easily introduced a therapist’s observations into Ellise’s or the Tribe’s voice. In fact, it must have required continuos conscious efforts to not let a psychologist’s thinking sneak in. No. It was completely, unapologetically, marvellously Elise and every individual part of hers.
It was overwhelming how precise the author has been in building the voices of every part of Elizabeth and giving them their individuality. Their unique personalities and motivations subtly nod towards the reasons for their conceptions without putting undue focus on it. This would have required acute observation and careful sensitivity. I cannot help but be in awe of the capabilities that seep through Gudrun Frerichs’ writing.
Girl from the Tree House‘ is an attempt, an excellent attempt to encase the reader into the inner world of a woman living with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Her struggles to accept her ‘disorder‘ as a part of herself and then healing herself through acknowledgment is potrayed just the way it is. No guise. Absolute rawness.
We therapists tend to use the word ’empathy’ a lot. It really is at the crux of what we do. But the meaning of this potent and powerful word is often misunderstood.
What the author Gudrun Frerichs did when she created Elise and crafted her journey is an elegant example of empathy. Being a former psychotherapist and trauma specialist, Gudrun Frerichs could have easily introduced a therapist’s observations into Ellise’s or the Tribe’s voice. In fact, it must have required continuos conscious efforts to not let a psychologist’s thinking sneak in. No. It was completely, unapologetically, marvellously Elise and every individual part of hers.
It was overwhelming how precise the author has been in building the voices of every part of Elizabeth and giving them their individuality. Their unique personalities and motivations subtly nod towards the reasons for their conceptions without putting undue focus on it. This would have required acute observation and careful sensitivity. I cannot help but be in awe of the capabilities that seep through Gudrun Frerichs’ writing.
August 23, 2019
Very interesting take on personality disorders read the book in literally a day it was so good.
June 16, 2019
I would like to thank NetGalley and the author for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a different reading for me, I like psychological thriller and this is quite so. The book category is Mystery & Thrillers and Women's Fiction on NetGalley website, but I have to say that the "thriller" part, isn't about a crime as I thought when I read the synopsis. There isn't even a "real crime" and with that I mean that the murder isn't the "protagonist" or the main thing that needs to be solved. There is a murder but the protagonist's tale is the main subject of the book.
The book is told by different points of view, but those points of view belong to the same person. This woman, because of the trauma endured when she was a child, has developed a dissociative identity disorder so the book is told by these multiple personalities that live inside her.
The main personality is Elise, who is the "first born" personality after the trauma that young Elizabeth endured (we don't know anything about this trauma, we can guess at first but then little by little what really happened becomes clear and to know the complete story we need to read the complete book, which I like). Elise doesn't think about herself as a "multiple" (as they call her) but she knows she has blackouts.
Then there is Lilly with whom the tale begins. She is at her husband Horace's funeral, an over seventy man, and Lily begins her tale about the "tribe", as they call all the ensemble of the personalities,
There is Sky, who with Luke plan the escape. The tribe knows that Elizabeth has a aunt, Amanda, who died 30 years prior who left her her house in the South of the island so Sky and Luke want to take the tribe there, to escape the husband's sister, Helen, who wants to lock them in a mental facility.
Then there's Ama who is the cleaner of the group. While she's cleaning she finds an old photo album. Why the woman in the photo looks like her? The picture is 30 years old! Those small facts, such as Ama who looks like her aunt Amanda, explain how the personalities were born.
And then Amadeus, Casper and even children. Because the personalities aren't the same age. They're from 5 years old to 52 (if I recall correctly).
Where do I start to comment this book? It's a wonderful journey, very different from the usual, I liked meeting all those personalities so much and read about different behaviour of Elizabeth and that those personalities have a voice. They are all so different! I liked the author's style so much and the fact that the chapters are told by different people is so particular. I liked how she describes all the different personalities in relation with external forces especially with Scott (friend and aunt Amanda's neighbour, possible Elise's romantic interest or better Lilly's).
I liked the comparison that one of the personalities does with a broken vase that is glued together. It is still a vase (still a person) but there are cracks and those cracks are the different personalities. I believe that this is the sentence that best describe this situation.
Another personality says that each one of them can speak a foreign language. I wonder whether this is how Elizabeth is shown in the real world, I mean, when, for example Casper is present can Elizabeth speak Finnish? (because Casper knows that language). If this is true Elizabeth must be a wonderful person. I mean the real person knows a lot of languages.
The book is set in New Zealand, written by a German author but who lives in that far away place. I have a question: Do people in New Zealand use the imperial system (feet and pounds...)? or it's something that the author uses so Americans will understand it better? And then there are "slang" terms that I thought they were only Americans such as "AWOL", but I see that she uses them here (maybe they are used in NZ, too). I need to research New Zealand. Right now I know that there are Alps there, too, and that if we excavate, pass by the centre of the earth and come out the other hemisphere, we're in New Zealand (from Italy of course). Well that's what they told me in elementary school.
I need to say that when things started to get bad, I almost lost hope to give 5 stars to this book, but luckily everything was solved quite soon and how I hoped. The theme of the book isn't easy, it isn't for everyone, but violence scenes aren't described. It's said about them but they aren't shown.
I think I will read the next book because I want to know how the tribe's story ends (I hope the next book is a sequel of this one) and whether all the personalities will coexist in Elise, or they will be "put to sleep".
I have a question about the book. During the tale, Elise says she married Horace in 2001. And in the next sentence she says that the marriage lasted 24 years. We're in 2015 in the book, so it should be 14 years. I don't know if it is Elise that remembers wrong or if it's an author's slip. Or maybe 24 are the years that Elise knew Horace (she was 10 when her parents died). But I'm sure that in the first chapter she says 24 years of marriage. And even Elise's age is an enigma. In the book, she says she's 42, but the synopsis says 32. I have an ARC so maybe they corrected everything.
This is a different reading for me, I like psychological thriller and this is quite so. The book category is Mystery & Thrillers and Women's Fiction on NetGalley website, but I have to say that the "thriller" part, isn't about a crime as I thought when I read the synopsis. There isn't even a "real crime" and with that I mean that the murder isn't the "protagonist" or the main thing that needs to be solved. There is a murder but the protagonist's tale is the main subject of the book.
The book is told by different points of view, but those points of view belong to the same person. This woman, because of the trauma endured when she was a child, has developed a dissociative identity disorder so the book is told by these multiple personalities that live inside her.
The main personality is Elise, who is the "first born" personality after the trauma that young Elizabeth endured (we don't know anything about this trauma, we can guess at first but then little by little what really happened becomes clear and to know the complete story we need to read the complete book, which I like). Elise doesn't think about herself as a "multiple" (as they call her) but she knows she has blackouts.
Then there is Lilly with whom the tale begins. She is at her husband Horace's funeral, an over seventy man, and Lily begins her tale about the "tribe", as they call all the ensemble of the personalities,
There is Sky, who with Luke plan the escape. The tribe knows that Elizabeth has a aunt, Amanda, who died 30 years prior who left her her house in the South of the island so Sky and Luke want to take the tribe there, to escape the husband's sister, Helen, who wants to lock them in a mental facility.
Then there's Ama who is the cleaner of the group. While she's cleaning she finds an old photo album. Why the woman in the photo looks like her? The picture is 30 years old! Those small facts, such as Ama who looks like her aunt Amanda, explain how the personalities were born.
And then Amadeus, Casper and even children. Because the personalities aren't the same age. They're from 5 years old to 52 (if I recall correctly).
Where do I start to comment this book? It's a wonderful journey, very different from the usual, I liked meeting all those personalities so much and read about different behaviour of Elizabeth and that those personalities have a voice. They are all so different! I liked the author's style so much and the fact that the chapters are told by different people is so particular. I liked how she describes all the different personalities in relation with external forces especially with Scott (friend and aunt Amanda's neighbour, possible Elise's romantic interest or better Lilly's).
I liked the comparison that one of the personalities does with a broken vase that is glued together. It is still a vase (still a person) but there are cracks and those cracks are the different personalities. I believe that this is the sentence that best describe this situation.
Another personality says that each one of them can speak a foreign language. I wonder whether this is how Elizabeth is shown in the real world, I mean, when, for example Casper is present can Elizabeth speak Finnish? (because Casper knows that language). If this is true Elizabeth must be a wonderful person. I mean the real person knows a lot of languages.
The book is set in New Zealand, written by a German author but who lives in that far away place. I have a question: Do people in New Zealand use the imperial system (feet and pounds...)? or it's something that the author uses so Americans will understand it better? And then there are "slang" terms that I thought they were only Americans such as "AWOL", but I see that she uses them here (maybe they are used in NZ, too). I need to research New Zealand. Right now I know that there are Alps there, too, and that if we excavate, pass by the centre of the earth and come out the other hemisphere, we're in New Zealand (from Italy of course). Well that's what they told me in elementary school.
I need to say that when things started to get bad, I almost lost hope to give 5 stars to this book, but luckily everything was solved quite soon and how I hoped. The theme of the book isn't easy, it isn't for everyone, but violence scenes aren't described. It's said about them but they aren't shown.
I think I will read the next book because I want to know how the tribe's story ends (I hope the next book is a sequel of this one) and whether all the personalities will coexist in Elise, or they will be "put to sleep".
I have a question about the book. During the tale, Elise says she married Horace in 2001. And in the next sentence she says that the marriage lasted 24 years. We're in 2015 in the book, so it should be 14 years. I don't know if it is Elise that remembers wrong or if it's an author's slip. Or maybe 24 are the years that Elise knew Horace (she was 10 when her parents died). But I'm sure that in the first chapter she says 24 years of marriage. And even Elise's age is an enigma. In the book, she says she's 42, but the synopsis says 32. I have an ARC so maybe they corrected everything.
June 23, 2019
What an amazing story! The perfect combination of fascinating subject matter, interesting and relatable characters and of course captivating plot. I devoured my ARC copy, unable to put it down and am waiting with baited breath for the next book. Will the treehouse tribe integrate more and more? What will happen to the budding romance? Will the ‘bad people’ try again? Clearly written by someone who understands DID it is a fascinating and de-mystifying look into the inner workings of people that are faced with this struggle every day. Add to that the fact this is clearly written by a great story teller makes it impossible to put down and leaves the reader eagerly awaiting what’s next!
July 26, 2019
I received a copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only, in return I would give an honest review.
Step into the mind of many, Elizabeth has a tribe to protect her from the hurt and lies but in the end they will all need to acknowledge and accept one another to unravel why they exist.. This is a wonderfully explored story of a women with multiple personalities, each one a coping mechanism. Gudrun Frerichs takes us along a superbly written story and gives us a small insight into the disorder. Gudrun Frerichs
Step into the mind of many, Elizabeth has a tribe to protect her from the hurt and lies but in the end they will all need to acknowledge and accept one another to unravel why they exist.. This is a wonderfully explored story of a women with multiple personalities, each one a coping mechanism. Gudrun Frerichs takes us along a superbly written story and gives us a small insight into the disorder. Gudrun Frerichs
June 2, 2019
This is a fascinating book about a woman, Elise, who has multiple personalities (DID). The story begins at the funeral of Horace, Elise’s husband, who was also her childhood guardian after both of her parents died. The chapters are cleverly written from different points of view from members of the Tribe following their escape and journey. Elise is the ‘default’ person. I couldn’t put this book down! I was intrigued by the Tribe and I cannot wait for the next book! Thank you to Ms. Frerichs and the publisher for a wonderful new series! Highly recommended.
June 7, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley foran ARC of this ebook. I absolutely could not put this book down. I was amazed at how the author put the mind of someone with DID together. So clever! She did a great job and this is now one of my favorite books. Such a great read can't recommend enough.
September 24, 2019
I’ve always been super fascinated in multiple personalities. This book allowed me to explore that fascination and enjoy a thrilling story at the same time. Would recommend this to anyone who’s curiosity is peaked by disorders and exploring more in depth into them.
March 4, 2021
I appreciate the author's trigger warnings and the prologue that details who she is, what she does, how she hopes to portray Dissociative Identity Disorder, and the way she does this (explicitly stating no graphic scenes of abuse). I knew this would be questionable for me once I got into it, but I had no idea exactly what I was getting when I downloaded it. As of page 83, which is the barest first flashback, I've decided to set this aside and maybe try again later. My stars are based on what I read. She really does take the utmost care in portraying the multiples, minimally describing traumatic events while still evoking strong imagery, and in moving the story forward sequentially. The tribe is unexpectedly heartwarming and I love the organization of their treehouse. I hope I can return to this book to finish it properly.
June 4, 2019
4.5 out of 5
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Multiple personalities, or DID, is totally in my wheelhouse being a psych nurse. I love how the author described what it would be like to have that many people inside your head. I also like how the author pointed out that people with mental health diagnosis carry a stigma and are often not believed.
I thought the story line itself was great it just was slowed down to account for all the chit chat going on inside the main characters head.
I am interested to see where the series goes from here.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Multiple personalities, or DID, is totally in my wheelhouse being a psych nurse. I love how the author described what it would be like to have that many people inside your head. I also like how the author pointed out that people with mental health diagnosis carry a stigma and are often not believed.
I thought the story line itself was great it just was slowed down to account for all the chit chat going on inside the main characters head.
I am interested to see where the series goes from here.
September 22, 2019
Amazingly original story! I fell in love with all parts of Elizabeth and was with them all the way!
September 16, 2019
Wow. What a powerful story. When I realised why there was a tribe, I didn't want to read further because of the painful memories. But sharing the memories is what kept Elise/Lilly and the tribe alive. Escape and detox from pills meant a clear mind to work on freedom. Pain and self doubt overcome with trust and bravery. A masterpiece. Thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2021
Multiple personality disorder is the typical setting for crime movies/books where the killer suffers from this disease and commits atrocious crimes triggered or helped by the mood swings and personality changes induced by different personas taking control of the body. This has been utilised so much that it has almost become a cliche for good and bad crime literature and cinema.
This book by a professional expert in this area is a nice departure from this cliche. It is narrated by the different personas occupying the mind of a woman who has undergone unbelievable abuse first in her family, then in the mental institution and finally through a therapist who has married her in he young age. Each "narrator" tells the story from his/her perspective and they form a tribe to try to get away from the abusive clique who will go to great lengths to make sure they can continue their legal activities.
It is an easy going narrative but the grim events emerging from the past sometimes shake the reader and the belief in the ultimate goodness of the human species. There is a sequel, which I did not yet have a chance to read.
This book by a professional expert in this area is a nice departure from this cliche. It is narrated by the different personas occupying the mind of a woman who has undergone unbelievable abuse first in her family, then in the mental institution and finally through a therapist who has married her in he young age. Each "narrator" tells the story from his/her perspective and they form a tribe to try to get away from the abusive clique who will go to great lengths to make sure they can continue their legal activities.
It is an easy going narrative but the grim events emerging from the past sometimes shake the reader and the belief in the ultimate goodness of the human species. There is a sequel, which I did not yet have a chance to read.
March 12, 2021
We've come a long way since Sybil.
I found this tale to be riveting and we'll written. I look forward to reading the second book in this series.
I found this tale to be riveting and we'll written. I look forward to reading the second book in this series.
April 29, 2019
I received an ARC of this book and was invited to consider adding a review. I’m tickled pink that I didn’t have to wait for publication date even though I would’ve paid for the privilege.
Some ARCs can be ho-hum. Not this one. The opinions in my review are absolutely all mine. I’ll fess up - Gudrun is a professional colleague of mine. Knowing her did not influence my desire to write this review. That’s because my response comes from my heart, my experience and a measure of admiration for Gudrun’s ability to craft a story based on her extensive knowledge, expertise and practice in working alongside many other Tribes. That in itself takes heart and the ability to “hold” the many whilst staying whole and centred.
This work of art is spoken (written) in the language of this experience. If you’re looking for a good read that provides a vicarious window into a “tribal world”, without feeling voyeuristic, then go for it – you won’t be disappointed. Nuh uh.
If you’re looking a good story with an interesting twist to it without overdoing it – you won’t be wasting your time or money either.
If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of some people’s life experiences, how it shapes their future and ability to cope, if your heart is open - life may become an unavoidable interruption to a binge read.
It’s certainly not a story that gets tiring or even boring in parts because Gudrun has kept enough attention on the pulse, the pace and flow without ever overdoing it.
Throughout the book there are so many delicious metaphors and similies, and the descriptions flow so gently yet with such clarity, I’m almost there myself, watching on. Here’s one.
“I doubt she sees the beauty of the tussocks swaying in the breeze on this bald mountaintop. Our journey led us through emerald green rainforests, and along turquoise blue braided riverbeds. We even came past a cascading waterfall, but the stunning landscape and the breathtaking soundtrack of birdsong was no match for our anxious desire to find a safe hiding place.”
There are so many more that make it worth the read.
At the end of the story, (when you start feeling sad cos you know it’s going to end) I was reminded of a few lines of a poem by T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding, that went:
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
Read the book and you’ll understand that.
Some ARCs can be ho-hum. Not this one. The opinions in my review are absolutely all mine. I’ll fess up - Gudrun is a professional colleague of mine. Knowing her did not influence my desire to write this review. That’s because my response comes from my heart, my experience and a measure of admiration for Gudrun’s ability to craft a story based on her extensive knowledge, expertise and practice in working alongside many other Tribes. That in itself takes heart and the ability to “hold” the many whilst staying whole and centred.
This work of art is spoken (written) in the language of this experience. If you’re looking for a good read that provides a vicarious window into a “tribal world”, without feeling voyeuristic, then go for it – you won’t be disappointed. Nuh uh.
If you’re looking a good story with an interesting twist to it without overdoing it – you won’t be wasting your time or money either.
If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of some people’s life experiences, how it shapes their future and ability to cope, if your heart is open - life may become an unavoidable interruption to a binge read.
It’s certainly not a story that gets tiring or even boring in parts because Gudrun has kept enough attention on the pulse, the pace and flow without ever overdoing it.
Throughout the book there are so many delicious metaphors and similies, and the descriptions flow so gently yet with such clarity, I’m almost there myself, watching on. Here’s one.
“I doubt she sees the beauty of the tussocks swaying in the breeze on this bald mountaintop. Our journey led us through emerald green rainforests, and along turquoise blue braided riverbeds. We even came past a cascading waterfall, but the stunning landscape and the breathtaking soundtrack of birdsong was no match for our anxious desire to find a safe hiding place.”
There are so many more that make it worth the read.
At the end of the story, (when you start feeling sad cos you know it’s going to end) I was reminded of a few lines of a poem by T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding, that went:
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
Read the book and you’ll understand that.
August 22, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of Girl From the Tree House from the author via Voracious Reads Only.
This book grabbed my attention from the first sentence. The main character is a young New Zealand woman who has a Dissociative Identity Disorder. The story is written using some of the personalities which gives insight into how it would be to live with this disorder. While it takes on a serious topic, this book had me laughing, feeling sad, angry and scared within a few pages.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read Psychological Thrillers. You will not be disappointed. I am so happy to have found a new author to read. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series.
This book grabbed my attention from the first sentence. The main character is a young New Zealand woman who has a Dissociative Identity Disorder. The story is written using some of the personalities which gives insight into how it would be to live with this disorder. While it takes on a serious topic, this book had me laughing, feeling sad, angry and scared within a few pages.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read Psychological Thrillers. You will not be disappointed. I am so happy to have found a new author to read. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series.
July 13, 2019
Description
It all unraveled at the funeral... Horace Reid's death opened the door to our freedom. His widow, Elizabeth, exists only on paper. She disappeared thirty years ago. It's us, the Tribe, who live in her body now. But nobody knows that. Us are Elise, the reluctant host, Lilly the closer, Ama, the proverbial mother, Sky, our wise guide, Amadeus, the warrior, and Luke, the man around the house. There are others, but we make sure they stay hidden and away from harm.
After Horace's funeral, they tried to lock us in a mental hospital. Our sister-in-law had it all carefully planned. Thanks to quick thinking—yes, being a multiple has its advantages—we escaped to New Zealand's South Island. Tucked away in the West Coast wilderness we... well, the plan was to continue our healing. We didn't expect that monsters from our past still had us on their radar. When the police accuse us of murder we have to run again. Where to go, which way to turn? Our neighbor Scott appears helpful, but can we trust him? Can we trust ourselves? Can we trust anyone?
The GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is the first of a series of psychological thrillers set in current day New Zealand. It describes how Elizabeth, a thirty-two-year-old woman with multiple personalities (Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID), fights for her sanity and freedom. Four core personalities tell the story from the inside out, giving a touching insight into the workings of the dissociated mind. There are no graphic descriptions of abuse.
My Review:
The Girl From The Tree House is a thought provoking account of Elizabeth and her struggle with multiple personality disorder. It is very well written. It goes into details leaving you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next. Because of the subject matter this is not a book that is one you should be afraid to read. It is extremely well thought out and describes the Tribe in such a way that is easy to understand and follow. Well Done!!
This book was provided for free in exchange for my honest opinion, and I can tell you, that you will not be disappointed. It is a book you need to definitely read.
I give this book a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It all unraveled at the funeral... Horace Reid's death opened the door to our freedom. His widow, Elizabeth, exists only on paper. She disappeared thirty years ago. It's us, the Tribe, who live in her body now. But nobody knows that. Us are Elise, the reluctant host, Lilly the closer, Ama, the proverbial mother, Sky, our wise guide, Amadeus, the warrior, and Luke, the man around the house. There are others, but we make sure they stay hidden and away from harm.
After Horace's funeral, they tried to lock us in a mental hospital. Our sister-in-law had it all carefully planned. Thanks to quick thinking—yes, being a multiple has its advantages—we escaped to New Zealand's South Island. Tucked away in the West Coast wilderness we... well, the plan was to continue our healing. We didn't expect that monsters from our past still had us on their radar. When the police accuse us of murder we have to run again. Where to go, which way to turn? Our neighbor Scott appears helpful, but can we trust him? Can we trust ourselves? Can we trust anyone?
The GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is the first of a series of psychological thrillers set in current day New Zealand. It describes how Elizabeth, a thirty-two-year-old woman with multiple personalities (Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID), fights for her sanity and freedom. Four core personalities tell the story from the inside out, giving a touching insight into the workings of the dissociated mind. There are no graphic descriptions of abuse.
My Review:
The Girl From The Tree House is a thought provoking account of Elizabeth and her struggle with multiple personality disorder. It is very well written. It goes into details leaving you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next. Because of the subject matter this is not a book that is one you should be afraid to read. It is extremely well thought out and describes the Tribe in such a way that is easy to understand and follow. Well Done!!
This book was provided for free in exchange for my honest opinion, and I can tell you, that you will not be disappointed. It is a book you need to definitely read.
I give this book a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 3, 2019
When this book came to my attention I had to read it. Each chapter starts with the name of the personality currently controlling the body, which is important to understand what is going on. Most of the personalities are aware of each other and communicate. They live together in an imaginary tree house and each one plays an important role in the Tribe, as they call themselves. Only Elise is unaware of the rest and lives a nightmare, because every time another personality takes over the body, she has no memory of what happened and ends up in places she doesn't remember going. I can't even begin to imagine what that must be like.
As if this wasn't fascinating enough, Elise and the Tribe are on the run. They desperately want to get away from the family who always kept them drugged and locked up. Bordering on a miracle, they make it to an old house that used to belong to their aunt. Memories pop up and cause havoc within the Tribe, while things on the outside take nasty turns as well. But there are a few precious people to trust and the whole mystery gets resolved in the end, but not without considerable drama.
This book had me captured and especially towards the end on the edge of my seat. The different personalities are really different, not just hues of, let's say, a woman in her mid-thirties. No, there are children, boys, girls, young men and women and older adults as well, each of them carrying a part of a completely fragmented memory and serving a different function to make life manageable. Such a disorder doesn't simply happen, it is usually the result of massive abuse or trauma. This topic was dealt with very delicately by the author, who named the deed, but didn't describe it, for which I am immensely grateful.
Frerichs has created a one-of-a-kind thriller with her vast experience as a therapist. This book is a big step towards understanding what we so inadequately name mental illness and also gives some advice on how to treat people suffering from it. Or should I say, the observant reader will take note of the emotions described in the story, when the Tribe is called crazy, and try to avoid such reactions.
I highly recommend reading this book!
As if this wasn't fascinating enough, Elise and the Tribe are on the run. They desperately want to get away from the family who always kept them drugged and locked up. Bordering on a miracle, they make it to an old house that used to belong to their aunt. Memories pop up and cause havoc within the Tribe, while things on the outside take nasty turns as well. But there are a few precious people to trust and the whole mystery gets resolved in the end, but not without considerable drama.
This book had me captured and especially towards the end on the edge of my seat. The different personalities are really different, not just hues of, let's say, a woman in her mid-thirties. No, there are children, boys, girls, young men and women and older adults as well, each of them carrying a part of a completely fragmented memory and serving a different function to make life manageable. Such a disorder doesn't simply happen, it is usually the result of massive abuse or trauma. This topic was dealt with very delicately by the author, who named the deed, but didn't describe it, for which I am immensely grateful.
Frerichs has created a one-of-a-kind thriller with her vast experience as a therapist. This book is a big step towards understanding what we so inadequately name mental illness and also gives some advice on how to treat people suffering from it. Or should I say, the observant reader will take note of the emotions described in the story, when the Tribe is called crazy, and try to avoid such reactions.
I highly recommend reading this book!
July 20, 2019
Elizabeth shakes hand after hand at the funeral. People pass by in a blur. A funeral is a mind numbing experience at the best of times, and this is not the best of times because Elizabeth is the grieving widow.
The same night she overhears a plot hatched by her sister-in-law to have her institutionalised. Elizabeth has a long history of mental illness and being locked away and sedated forever, fills her with vey real horror.
But what can she do?
Run.
While the sinister sister sleeps, Elizabeth packs her bags and escapes, driving 800 miles to the South Island of New Zealand.
She hides there in a cabin that used to belong to her aunt. There in the thick forest, close to the sea, Elizabeth tries to heal her broken soul. The only thing she's confused about is what her soul is broken over...
Love for her husband, it is certainly not. Neither are there tears for his sister. But the answers are here, somewhere...
Then one day she receives a message from Lilly. It's the first time she's ever received a message from Lilly but it's very important and a huge breakthrough, because Lilly lives in a tree house in her mind...
That is how the journey begins for the tree people and their front woman Elise aka Elizabeth.
GUDRUN, you nailed it.
Multiples - good luck getting through this book, it will be difficult to read and if this was social media or the internet it would come with a trigger warning every couple of pages although there are no explicit descriptions of rape, sodomy or molestion.
Singletons with Dissociative Amnesia - good luck getting through this book. Best keep the paracetamol handy, no alters to help you but your head will pound from start to finish.
All said and done, I found it an excellent book with a lot of life wisdom for everybody scattered through its pages. Along with that, there's a whole lot of adventure and a romantic ending to boot.
The same night she overhears a plot hatched by her sister-in-law to have her institutionalised. Elizabeth has a long history of mental illness and being locked away and sedated forever, fills her with vey real horror.
But what can she do?
Run.
While the sinister sister sleeps, Elizabeth packs her bags and escapes, driving 800 miles to the South Island of New Zealand.
She hides there in a cabin that used to belong to her aunt. There in the thick forest, close to the sea, Elizabeth tries to heal her broken soul. The only thing she's confused about is what her soul is broken over...
Love for her husband, it is certainly not. Neither are there tears for his sister. But the answers are here, somewhere...
Then one day she receives a message from Lilly. It's the first time she's ever received a message from Lilly but it's very important and a huge breakthrough, because Lilly lives in a tree house in her mind...
That is how the journey begins for the tree people and their front woman Elise aka Elizabeth.
GUDRUN, you nailed it.
Multiples - good luck getting through this book, it will be difficult to read and if this was social media or the internet it would come with a trigger warning every couple of pages although there are no explicit descriptions of rape, sodomy or molestion.
Singletons with Dissociative Amnesia - good luck getting through this book. Best keep the paracetamol handy, no alters to help you but your head will pound from start to finish.
All said and done, I found it an excellent book with a lot of life wisdom for everybody scattered through its pages. Along with that, there's a whole lot of adventure and a romantic ending to boot.
August 31, 2020
The author of GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE, Gudrun Frerichs, worked for 25 years as a psychotherapist specialising in trauma. She's now written this astounding book, a fictional and moving account of Elizabeth, a thirty-two year old woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Elizabeth has many personalities, and this story is told from the perspective of the four core identities, avoiding any graphic descriptions of the reasons how Elizabeth was traumatised to this extent, providing a moving, clear and informative outline of the difficulties she battles every day of her life.
Setting a sensitive, and thoughtful depiction of somebody's experience of DID within a form of psychological thriller plot is an inspired choice by this author, especially as there is nothing manipulative or exploitative about the way that the plot is expanded. There's no gory murders, there are no games played with Elizabeth's motivations or actions, but there is threat, and there's an incredible sense of a woman coming to terms with her life's journey and escaping the control of others.
The different personalities have, as you'd expect, their reasons for being, their tasks in life if you like, and their awareness or not of each other. There's an elegant balancing of threat and empowerment though - there are suggestions that it's because of the multiple personalities that Elizabeth is able to escape a bad situation, take some control of her own life, and it works. It's believable, empathetic without ever feeling manipulative, funny without making you question your reactions, and cleverly pitched.
A masterclass in showing, not telling, acutely observational and informative, GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE was an absolute standout read for me this year. It's number one in a planned series "Women of Our Time". Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the next one.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Setting a sensitive, and thoughtful depiction of somebody's experience of DID within a form of psychological thriller plot is an inspired choice by this author, especially as there is nothing manipulative or exploitative about the way that the plot is expanded. There's no gory murders, there are no games played with Elizabeth's motivations or actions, but there is threat, and there's an incredible sense of a woman coming to terms with her life's journey and escaping the control of others.
The different personalities have, as you'd expect, their reasons for being, their tasks in life if you like, and their awareness or not of each other. There's an elegant balancing of threat and empowerment though - there are suggestions that it's because of the multiple personalities that Elizabeth is able to escape a bad situation, take some control of her own life, and it works. It's believable, empathetic without ever feeling manipulative, funny without making you question your reactions, and cleverly pitched.
A masterclass in showing, not telling, acutely observational and informative, GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE was an absolute standout read for me this year. It's number one in a planned series "Women of Our Time". Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the next one.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
August 18, 2019
Not really my type of book, but saying that I did enjoy this one
January 2, 2021
Elise begins to unravel just after her husband’s funeral. They were married for so long that she doesn’t seem to know who she is without him. When she overhears her sister in law talking to someone about sending her to a psychiatric hospital she blacks out only to find herself in a completely different place hundreds of miles from the place she called home. Unable to remember how she got there and when, she finds instructions telling her where to go next. What she doesn’t realise is that she is just one of many people who live in the body of Elizabeth, a thirty two year old woman who has DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder).
As a small child Elizabeth endured horrendous mental, physical and sexual abuse and her identities were born as a result. Most of the identities are aware of each other though such as Ama, Lilly, Luke and Maddie and some aren’t as Elise begins to discover. Just as she’s beginning to come to terms with her ‘tribe’, she feels a net closing in around her and any hope of freedom starts to disappear. She needs help but who can she trust when she even trust herself?
This was a really interesting story and I’m so glad that I read it. The writer has done a great job of writing about this little understood disorder and I feel better educated for having read this story.
Huge thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
As a small child Elizabeth endured horrendous mental, physical and sexual abuse and her identities were born as a result. Most of the identities are aware of each other though such as Ama, Lilly, Luke and Maddie and some aren’t as Elise begins to discover. Just as she’s beginning to come to terms with her ‘tribe’, she feels a net closing in around her and any hope of freedom starts to disappear. She needs help but who can she trust when she even trust herself?
This was a really interesting story and I’m so glad that I read it. The writer has done a great job of writing about this little understood disorder and I feel better educated for having read this story.
Huge thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 4, 2019
“I feel sorry for Elise. She doesn't know that when the shit hits the fan, most of us go to ground. That means we disappear. Not that we want to, it just happens. Is it a habit or an inbuilt mechanism? I don't know. I wish she would stop with the mea culpa rubbish. She may have the ability to see into a person's character, but it's just as much our fault as hers. We were desperate to trust someone.”
This was such an amazing look into DID. I like the way the character and her alters are portrayed. It’s unlike any multiple personalities story that I’ve read in the past. Makes it seem like this is what it would be like living with the disorder, not like movies portray.
Merged review:
“I feel sorry for Elise. She doesn't know that when the shit hits the fan, most of us go to ground. That means we disappear. Not that we want to, it just happens. Is it a habit or an inbuilt mechanism? I don't know. I wish she would stop with the mea culpa rubbish. She may have the ability to see into a person's character, but it's just as much our fault as hers. We were desperate to trust someone.”
This was such an amazing look into DID. I like the way the character and her alters are portrayed. It’s unlike any multiple personalities story that I’ve read in the past. Makes it seem like this is what it would be like living with the disorder, not like movies portray.
This was such an amazing look into DID. I like the way the character and her alters are portrayed. It’s unlike any multiple personalities story that I’ve read in the past. Makes it seem like this is what it would be like living with the disorder, not like movies portray.
Merged review:
“I feel sorry for Elise. She doesn't know that when the shit hits the fan, most of us go to ground. That means we disappear. Not that we want to, it just happens. Is it a habit or an inbuilt mechanism? I don't know. I wish she would stop with the mea culpa rubbish. She may have the ability to see into a person's character, but it's just as much our fault as hers. We were desperate to trust someone.”
This was such an amazing look into DID. I like the way the character and her alters are portrayed. It’s unlike any multiple personalities story that I’ve read in the past. Makes it seem like this is what it would be like living with the disorder, not like movies portray.
June 6, 2019
I believe this is the first book I have read that deals with multiple personalities and I didn't really know what to expect. I guess for me there has always been some distrust with the idea of multiple personalities because...if you don't know who you're talking to, how can you know where you stand? I can't say that I'm not still a little uneasy with the idea, but this book did help me understand a lot about how Dissociative Identity Disorder really works. It makes more sense to me now. It was really interesting to see how different personalities served different purposes and interacted.
For the most part the story flowed well and I found it very easy to hope that the Tribe succeeded. The fear of hospitalization came through loud and clear. There were one or two times that I checked to see which personality was telling the story, but most of the time they were distinct enough that I didn't have any trouble knowing who was speaking. The only part of the book that didn't really work for me was the little bit of paranormal in the story. I'm not sure if it's meant to play a bigger role in the series, but it really didn't seem to serve much purpose here.
This book is the first in a series but I think it works very well as a standalone. The little bit of romance was sweet and felt right for the story.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book received through NetGalley.
For the most part the story flowed well and I found it very easy to hope that the Tribe succeeded. The fear of hospitalization came through loud and clear. There were one or two times that I checked to see which personality was telling the story, but most of the time they were distinct enough that I didn't have any trouble knowing who was speaking. The only part of the book that didn't really work for me was the little bit of paranormal in the story. I'm not sure if it's meant to play a bigger role in the series, but it really didn't seem to serve much purpose here.
This book is the first in a series but I think it works very well as a standalone. The little bit of romance was sweet and felt right for the story.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book received through NetGalley.
December 26, 2019
Girl From The Tree House by Gudrun Frerichs - Book Review
Girl From The Tree House by Gudrun Frerichs is an extra ordinary thriller. I believe the author being a psychotherapist herself wrote this story in a great detail especially in the perspective of a person who is suffering from Dissociative Identity Disaster. I can't imagine how much of a shock it is for anyone who realized how false her whole thirty years of life was.
I loved every single personality of Elizabeth. The multiple personalities inside Elizabeth call themselves 'The Tribe' and they each come to the rescue of Elizabeth on various occasions. Elizabeth's fight for her sanity and freedom is incredible.
Girl From The Tree House is the most complex story I read in the recent times but don't let the complex get you. I'm sure every single reader can relate themselvs to at least one or two of the multiple personalities of Elizabeth. A well written and extremely insightful book. Definitely one of the best psychological thriller released this year.
#GirlFromTheTreeHouse #NetGalley #GudrunFrerichs #TheClippedNightingale #BooksGoSocial #Thriller #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Librarything #BarnesandNoble #goodreads #amazon
Girl From The Tree House by Gudrun Frerichs is an extra ordinary thriller. I believe the author being a psychotherapist herself wrote this story in a great detail especially in the perspective of a person who is suffering from Dissociative Identity Disaster. I can't imagine how much of a shock it is for anyone who realized how false her whole thirty years of life was.
I loved every single personality of Elizabeth. The multiple personalities inside Elizabeth call themselves 'The Tribe' and they each come to the rescue of Elizabeth on various occasions. Elizabeth's fight for her sanity and freedom is incredible.
Girl From The Tree House is the most complex story I read in the recent times but don't let the complex get you. I'm sure every single reader can relate themselvs to at least one or two of the multiple personalities of Elizabeth. A well written and extremely insightful book. Definitely one of the best psychological thriller released this year.
#GirlFromTheTreeHouse #NetGalley #GudrunFrerichs #TheClippedNightingale #BooksGoSocial #Thriller #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Librarything #BarnesandNoble #goodreads #amazon
August 13, 2019
A very interesting foray into the multiple personalities and perspectives of an abused child, now adult, who has to contend with the machinations of those who would have her put away to “bury” the abuse and, of course, abscond with a fortune. Though the twists and turns of the plot movement were certainly more than enough to keep me reading, the added shifts in perception, well identified at the beginning of each chapter, and change in who manipulates each reaction, were a major plus. The frustration of the main character is clearly replicated in the reader, giving them a small sense of her palpable bewilderment and limitations. It is difficult to comprehend such a huge loss of agency and control, but Frerichs does a wonderful job of drawing the reader not only into the storyline, but also into the depths of the syndrome. Fluid and tense, the writing is well done, a very stimulating read! Thank you Voracious Readers Only! Didn’t know what to expect from this one, but I enjoyed every eye, and mind, opener!
August 21, 2019
I couldn't put it down! What a ride😳😱😫
👍👍🗻🌿
I was blown away by this suspenseful, fast-paced tale of a tortured mind that needed its multi-personalities to cope with the abuse and horrors suffered since early childhood. There's such urgency to the action as Elizabeth/Elise and her many personae escape to a remote cottage on New Zealand's wild South Island West Coast. So much 😕confusion, 😫 pain and 😱 fear. With her former sister-in-law intent on shipping her off to a mental ward, Elise gets caught up in an ever-expanding conspiracy to keep her quiet.
The quick change from one personality to another was confusing at times, but no more confusing than for an individual experiencing this form of mental illness. I found the story enlightening, fascinating, and engrossing; I finished it in one day because I just could not put it down! This is an author with such insight and a terrific ability to share it with her readers. Well done!😊
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an advance complimentary copy; this is my voluntary and honest review.
👍👍🗻🌿
I was blown away by this suspenseful, fast-paced tale of a tortured mind that needed its multi-personalities to cope with the abuse and horrors suffered since early childhood. There's such urgency to the action as Elizabeth/Elise and her many personae escape to a remote cottage on New Zealand's wild South Island West Coast. So much 😕confusion, 😫 pain and 😱 fear. With her former sister-in-law intent on shipping her off to a mental ward, Elise gets caught up in an ever-expanding conspiracy to keep her quiet.
The quick change from one personality to another was confusing at times, but no more confusing than for an individual experiencing this form of mental illness. I found the story enlightening, fascinating, and engrossing; I finished it in one day because I just could not put it down! This is an author with such insight and a terrific ability to share it with her readers. Well done!😊
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an advance complimentary copy; this is my voluntary and honest review.
July 15, 2019
Girl From the Tree House by Gudrun Frerichs was one of my favorite summer reads thus far. This book had me from the first page. Elizabeth and her multiple personalities, all of whom had their own personalities, despite sharing the same body. I wish the book came with a map/description for all of her personalities so you could keep track of them. However, Gudrun does an amazing job of describing whom (is this the play to use whom) is in control of the "body".
There were twists and turns along with some action in this book.
I feel like if I explain any more I'll give the book away. I must say that despite having multiple personalities, Elizabeth is a pretty bad ass character. If you are looking for a good summer/beach read you should pick this book up, you will not regret it.
Thank you to Gudrun Frerichs, BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for the advanced copy for my Kindle. I apologize that my moving has delayed this review a couple of weeks :-(
There were twists and turns along with some action in this book.
I feel like if I explain any more I'll give the book away. I must say that despite having multiple personalities, Elizabeth is a pretty bad ass character. If you are looking for a good summer/beach read you should pick this book up, you will not regret it.
Thank you to Gudrun Frerichs, BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for the advanced copy for my Kindle. I apologize that my moving has delayed this review a couple of weeks :-(
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