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The Glass House
"Beatrice Colin's The Glass House is a gorgeously transporting novel filled with turn-of-the-century detail and lush blooms, about two women from vastly different worlds
Scotland, 1912. Antonia McCulloch’s life hasn’t gone the way she planned. She and her husband, Malcolm, have drifted apart; her burgeoning art career came to nothing; and when she looks in the mirror, she sees disappointment. But at least she will always have Balmarra, her family’s grand Scottish estate, and its exquisite glass house, filled with exotic plants that can take her far away.
When her estranged brother’s wife, Cicely Pick, arrives unannounced, with her young daughter and enough trunks to last the summer, Antonia is instantly suspicious. What besides an inheritance dispute could have brought her glamorous sister-in-law all the way from India? Still, Cicely introduces excitement and intrigue into Antonia’s life, and, as they get to know one another, Antonia realizes that Cicely has her own burdens to bear. Slowly, a fragile friendship grows between them. But when the secrets each are keeping become too explosive to conceal, the truth threatens their uneasy balance and the course of their entire lives."
Scotland, 1912. Antonia McCulloch’s life hasn’t gone the way she planned. She and her husband, Malcolm, have drifted apart; her burgeoning art career came to nothing; and when she looks in the mirror, she sees disappointment. But at least she will always have Balmarra, her family’s grand Scottish estate, and its exquisite glass house, filled with exotic plants that can take her far away.
When her estranged brother’s wife, Cicely Pick, arrives unannounced, with her young daughter and enough trunks to last the summer, Antonia is instantly suspicious. What besides an inheritance dispute could have brought her glamorous sister-in-law all the way from India? Still, Cicely introduces excitement and intrigue into Antonia’s life, and, as they get to know one another, Antonia realizes that Cicely has her own burdens to bear. Slowly, a fragile friendship grows between them. But when the secrets each are keeping become too explosive to conceal, the truth threatens their uneasy balance and the course of their entire lives."
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2020
63 people are currently reading
2826 people want to read
About the author
Beatrice Colin
13 books242 followersI'm a novelist/radio dramatist. I've written seven novels (two for children) and numerous plays for BBC Radio 4.
My last novel, To Capture What We Cannot Keep was published in late 2016/early 2017.
I am inspired by new places and old books, snatches of conversation and boards on Pinterest (seed catalogues from the 19th century!) I am a list-maker, a grower, on a good year, of fruit and vegetables, a walker of old paths and a mother of teenagers.
Writing novels helps me to discover something new - about the world, about history, about myself.
My website is www.beatricecolin.co.uk
Become a fan on facebook- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beatric...
My last novel, To Capture What We Cannot Keep was published in late 2016/early 2017.
I am inspired by new places and old books, snatches of conversation and boards on Pinterest (seed catalogues from the 19th century!) I am a list-maker, a grower, on a good year, of fruit and vegetables, a walker of old paths and a mother of teenagers.
Writing novels helps me to discover something new - about the world, about history, about myself.
My website is www.beatricecolin.co.uk
Become a fan on facebook- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beatric...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
July 28, 2020
Scotland, 1912. Arriving from India, Cecily and her daughter meet Antonia for the first time. Cecily is married to her brother, a man who travels widely often looking for unknown plant and tree specimens. The seeds from the snow tree would be the ultimate prize. Not a cheap endevour, however, and he has sent his wife to claim, now that his father is dead, their family seat of Balmarra. Antonia and her husband, who have lived there since their marriage, do not know the real reason they have arrived.
I haven't read many books set in Scotland and some of the descriptions are gorgeous.
"The light was soft, diffuse, as if the sun itself had been wrapped in a white mourning veil. While fields of wheat whispered consolation to themselves, the hedgerows were filled with the bright shout of buttercups and champion, bluebells and cow parsley. Even in the shade the air was warm. It would be a good year for honey."
It was nice to get out if my own head and immerse myself in someone else's life. There are secrets here, friendship and women who grow and change throughout the story. A glass house used for plant specimens and during the course of the book, an unforgettable party. I liked both these young women, coming from different backgrounds but still eventually finding a common ground.
It is also about race and the way it is viewed. Cecily from India, with a Hindustan ancestor, is much darker than the lighter skinned Scotts. She is viewed as other and this will play heavily at story's end, which resolves quite surprisingly, though I thought it fitting.
This is the authors last book as she has passed due to Ovarian cancer.
ARC from Edelweiss
I haven't read many books set in Scotland and some of the descriptions are gorgeous.
"The light was soft, diffuse, as if the sun itself had been wrapped in a white mourning veil. While fields of wheat whispered consolation to themselves, the hedgerows were filled with the bright shout of buttercups and champion, bluebells and cow parsley. Even in the shade the air was warm. It would be a good year for honey."
It was nice to get out if my own head and immerse myself in someone else's life. There are secrets here, friendship and women who grow and change throughout the story. A glass house used for plant specimens and during the course of the book, an unforgettable party. I liked both these young women, coming from different backgrounds but still eventually finding a common ground.
It is also about race and the way it is viewed. Cecily from India, with a Hindustan ancestor, is much darker than the lighter skinned Scotts. She is viewed as other and this will play heavily at story's end, which resolves quite surprisingly, though I thought it fitting.
This is the authors last book as she has passed due to Ovarian cancer.
ARC from Edelweiss
March 3, 2022
This story, set in 1912, captured me from the first paragraph with its beautiful, evocative language. It is not a book to be rushed through as it meanders around, exploring the characters and the secrets that colour their lives. Antonia is married to Malcolm. They have no children and live at Balmarra in Scotland . To their doorstep from India comes Cicely , of Hindustani descent, and her daugter Kitty. Cicely is the wife of Antonia’s brother George, who as finances allow , is always off on some expedition looking for rare plants, in particular the snow tree. He has sent Cicely to Scotland with an ulterior motive, concerning Balmarra. What does Cicely want? Why has she come? and how long is she planning to stay this sister-in-law law that Antonia has never met? Being of Indian descent her brown skin makes her pa curiosity and so out of place among the Scottish people.
Though not always likeable I loved getting to know these characters. The title the glass house refers to a glass house on the Balmarra Estate, but I suspect it has a deeper meaning as well. The story uncovers secrets and held my interest with a few twists included. It did not end quite the way I expected, which was good.
If you are looking for a fast paced page turner this is definitely not the book for you. It revolves around a leisurely exploration of character. Not for everyone but I loved it. It suited my mood. The first book I have read by this author I would be interested to read more of her work. An intriguing read.
Though not always likeable I loved getting to know these characters. The title the glass house refers to a glass house on the Balmarra Estate, but I suspect it has a deeper meaning as well. The story uncovers secrets and held my interest with a few twists included. It did not end quite the way I expected, which was good.
If you are looking for a fast paced page turner this is definitely not the book for you. It revolves around a leisurely exploration of character. Not for everyone but I loved it. It suited my mood. The first book I have read by this author I would be interested to read more of her work. An intriguing read.
December 31, 2020
In 1912, after the death of Edward Pick, his daughter in law Cicely and her 8 year old daughter Kitty suddenly turn up at Edward’s estate in Scotland. Her secret intention is to claim Balmarra on behalf of her husband George. This would involve dislodging George’s sister Antonia and her husband Malcolm from their home. Edward and George shared a fascination with rare plants. Edward’s collection is still thriving in the glass house. George is hunting for plants in India.
This was basically women’s fiction, which doesn’t generally appeal to me, but I finished it anyway and didn’t hate it. Each woman keeps secrets, each has an unsatisfying marriage and each indulges in a flirtation. There is some ado made about that fact that Cicely and Kitty are “beige” (the horror!) Antonia is too trusting to suspect that Cicely is after the estate and tries to help Cicely get money to support George’s obsession. I would have just told him to get a job. No one in the book is awful, they don’t do hateful things to each other and nothing terrible happens. I listened to the audiobook and maybe I was lulled by the gentleness of the narrator’s voice. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
This was basically women’s fiction, which doesn’t generally appeal to me, but I finished it anyway and didn’t hate it. Each woman keeps secrets, each has an unsatisfying marriage and each indulges in a flirtation. There is some ado made about that fact that Cicely and Kitty are “beige” (the horror!) Antonia is too trusting to suspect that Cicely is after the estate and tries to help Cicely get money to support George’s obsession. I would have just told him to get a job. No one in the book is awful, they don’t do hateful things to each other and nothing terrible happens. I listened to the audiobook and maybe I was lulled by the gentleness of the narrator’s voice. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
November 6, 2020
"Seeing the world is the greatest thing a man can do"
Oh My! This is one of those stories which took me on a completely unique, totally immersive and enthralling individual journey, at a slow and luxurious pace. I escaped my everyday life and became completely invested in both the characters and storyline, to the point where I didn't want to have turn that final page and for my travels to be over.
Just pre First World War, The Glass House transported me north of the UK border, to the Dunoon area of Scotland, where the vividly descriptive, richly atmospheric writing about the region and countryside, was lavish, replete with detail, completely evocative of the era and drew me straight into the period, with a real sense of time and place.
This was partially a work of cultural fiction, covering topics which in today's climate of racial equality, made for some cringeworthy reading moments, which were however, pertinent to the storyline, totally relevant for inclusion and did not form too large a part of the overall content. Despite my discomfort, I am still firmly of the belief that you cannot change history and neither should we. We should amend information where necessary, documenting and recording events truthfully and accurately. Going forward we should then work to change our mindset and views, so that the history books of the future will record our new advanced and informed thinking.
But first! Step back in time to the days of inherited estate, wealth and title, when a woman's job was the household management of staff and finances, together with caring for the family. Whilst the men, either conducted their daily business, or set about pursuing their follies and hobbies, without discussion or argument from the females of the family. Vividly remembered and brought to life through some excellent social commentary, the recently deceased, Edward Pike personifies a patriarch of this rigid societal and etiquette driven structure. A family fortune won and lost in the sugar refining business, the secret disgrace and indiscretion of an ancestral family member hidden for all time, a passion for collecting specimen plants and seeds from far-flung corners of the world at huge expense both personally and financially. This is the domineering, selfish and vain man who Antonia and George knew as their father, although it isn't until much later that they discover just how racist and duplicitous he really was.
And that is just the tip of the iceberg, but it sets the scene accurately and without any real spoilers, to a story which challenges the societal mores of the time, reveals long buried potentially explosive secrets, nurtures forbidden friendships, uncovers illicit affairs, discovers latent talents, proves that the truth and forgiveness can set you free, and ultimately shows that loyalty and true love can happen at the most unexpected of times and change lives forever!
Because of, rather than in spite of, the air of mystery and secrecy which surrounds the individual members of this disjointed and dysfunctional family, and their immediate contacts and representatives, the characters were needless to say, very emotionally complex and almost remote, from the very first turn of the page. Whilst being extremely well defined and developed for the reader as individuals, they were all rather insular and self sufficient, not prone to interacting with either each other or outsiders, almost to the point where they had become excluded from the society of which they were part. Despite being intelligent and resourceful individuals, I rather felt that they had been stifled, not only by the spectre of Edward Pike, but almost by the house itself. There was so much British 'stiff upper lip', that even the presence of a young child around the place couldn't shake off the lethargy of the family dynamics.
However, it seemed that when Edward's ghost was no longer hanging over them, there was a transformation of enormous proportions and new life was suddenly breathed into bodies which had been suspended in time and place. There were multi-stranded, totally diverse and very unexpected outcomes for the individual members of the family, and many of their future plans and dreams were left to me to imagine and surmise. Were there happy ever afters? - I suspect there might well have been and really do hope there were, as this was a family who needed to learn how to live, love, laugh and fulfil their true potential.
The Glass House has a multi-layered, textured storyline, with plenty of natural peaks and troughs in its pace, which I felt had the potential to go much further than it did and didn't quite reach the pinnacle of my expectations, but perhaps that was just my yearning for the book to go on for much longer. Parts of the story were intense, although unless you had got under the skin of the characters, this might not have been immediately obvious from their words and actions. Scratch beneath the surface though and there was a real depth and range of emotion and feeling, seamlessly delivered and masterfully managed, by an author consummate in the art of storytelling and completely at ease with the authority she commanded, which is why this one still more than earned its 4 stars from me.
Oh My! This is one of those stories which took me on a completely unique, totally immersive and enthralling individual journey, at a slow and luxurious pace. I escaped my everyday life and became completely invested in both the characters and storyline, to the point where I didn't want to have turn that final page and for my travels to be over.
Just pre First World War, The Glass House transported me north of the UK border, to the Dunoon area of Scotland, where the vividly descriptive, richly atmospheric writing about the region and countryside, was lavish, replete with detail, completely evocative of the era and drew me straight into the period, with a real sense of time and place.
This was partially a work of cultural fiction, covering topics which in today's climate of racial equality, made for some cringeworthy reading moments, which were however, pertinent to the storyline, totally relevant for inclusion and did not form too large a part of the overall content. Despite my discomfort, I am still firmly of the belief that you cannot change history and neither should we. We should amend information where necessary, documenting and recording events truthfully and accurately. Going forward we should then work to change our mindset and views, so that the history books of the future will record our new advanced and informed thinking.
But first! Step back in time to the days of inherited estate, wealth and title, when a woman's job was the household management of staff and finances, together with caring for the family. Whilst the men, either conducted their daily business, or set about pursuing their follies and hobbies, without discussion or argument from the females of the family. Vividly remembered and brought to life through some excellent social commentary, the recently deceased, Edward Pike personifies a patriarch of this rigid societal and etiquette driven structure. A family fortune won and lost in the sugar refining business, the secret disgrace and indiscretion of an ancestral family member hidden for all time, a passion for collecting specimen plants and seeds from far-flung corners of the world at huge expense both personally and financially. This is the domineering, selfish and vain man who Antonia and George knew as their father, although it isn't until much later that they discover just how racist and duplicitous he really was.
And that is just the tip of the iceberg, but it sets the scene accurately and without any real spoilers, to a story which challenges the societal mores of the time, reveals long buried potentially explosive secrets, nurtures forbidden friendships, uncovers illicit affairs, discovers latent talents, proves that the truth and forgiveness can set you free, and ultimately shows that loyalty and true love can happen at the most unexpected of times and change lives forever!
Because of, rather than in spite of, the air of mystery and secrecy which surrounds the individual members of this disjointed and dysfunctional family, and their immediate contacts and representatives, the characters were needless to say, very emotionally complex and almost remote, from the very first turn of the page. Whilst being extremely well defined and developed for the reader as individuals, they were all rather insular and self sufficient, not prone to interacting with either each other or outsiders, almost to the point where they had become excluded from the society of which they were part. Despite being intelligent and resourceful individuals, I rather felt that they had been stifled, not only by the spectre of Edward Pike, but almost by the house itself. There was so much British 'stiff upper lip', that even the presence of a young child around the place couldn't shake off the lethargy of the family dynamics.
However, it seemed that when Edward's ghost was no longer hanging over them, there was a transformation of enormous proportions and new life was suddenly breathed into bodies which had been suspended in time and place. There were multi-stranded, totally diverse and very unexpected outcomes for the individual members of the family, and many of their future plans and dreams were left to me to imagine and surmise. Were there happy ever afters? - I suspect there might well have been and really do hope there were, as this was a family who needed to learn how to live, love, laugh and fulfil their true potential.
The Glass House has a multi-layered, textured storyline, with plenty of natural peaks and troughs in its pace, which I felt had the potential to go much further than it did and didn't quite reach the pinnacle of my expectations, but perhaps that was just my yearning for the book to go on for much longer. Parts of the story were intense, although unless you had got under the skin of the characters, this might not have been immediately obvious from their words and actions. Scratch beneath the surface though and there was a real depth and range of emotion and feeling, seamlessly delivered and masterfully managed, by an author consummate in the art of storytelling and completely at ease with the authority she commanded, which is why this one still more than earned its 4 stars from me.
June 8, 2022
"In retrospect the previous six months had been the hardest but most exhilarating of Antonia's life--Cicely and Kitty's arrival, George's disappearance, Henry, and the loss of Balmarra. But now she had been left with nothing, nothing but Malcolm. When she had floated the idea of the trip and he had thought she was joking, she was sure that her marriage would be the next part of her life to crumble." (PG. 396)
The beginning was boring. The second half is where the characters and story came alive. I was interested in the Scottish scenery and the setting of 1912 but it was more of a story about family and secrets and what could have been if these choices weren't made. It becomes more complicated when the patriarch of the family leaves his will a mess on purpose, still dominating control on his family.
The story itself was one that could have been nice if the characters weren't so dull. It was like having weird small talk with someone at a party that only answers yes or no to your questions but never engages back.
The beginning was boring. The second half is where the characters and story came alive. I was interested in the Scottish scenery and the setting of 1912 but it was more of a story about family and secrets and what could have been if these choices weren't made. It becomes more complicated when the patriarch of the family leaves his will a mess on purpose, still dominating control on his family.
The story itself was one that could have been nice if the characters weren't so dull. It was like having weird small talk with someone at a party that only answers yes or no to your questions but never engages back.
March 9, 2021
Set in Scotland in 1912, this is an intertwining story of Cicely and Antonia. Cicely is married to Antonia's estranged brother, George. Antonia and her husband Malcolm live at Balmarra, the estate of Antonia and George's father Edward Pick, who has recently passed away. There is no apparent will and the assumption is that Antonia and Malcolm will stay there and continue on with the upkeep. The "glass house" refers to the greenhouse type structure that houses the exotic plants and trees that Edward collected.
Cicely and her daughter Kitty arrive unannounced. The reader will probably soon guess why she is there and also some of the twists in the saga of who this house ultimately is left to by Edward.
Both Cicely and Antonia are both victims of patriarchal societies and of the class nuances despite being from different countries (Cicely is of mixed race from India).
I was often left with the feeling that I was in the cross wind with these 2 who really had more in common than just George. I just couldn't get to know the characters as I would have liked to. And despite the reader knowing Cicely's motive for coming to Balmarra, and Antonia's hidden dreams for her life, the connection was just not there.
The scenery, as described, was beautiful. I enjoyed the botanical references and wish there had been more.
Cicely and her daughter Kitty arrive unannounced. The reader will probably soon guess why she is there and also some of the twists in the saga of who this house ultimately is left to by Edward.
Both Cicely and Antonia are both victims of patriarchal societies and of the class nuances despite being from different countries (Cicely is of mixed race from India).
I was often left with the feeling that I was in the cross wind with these 2 who really had more in common than just George. I just couldn't get to know the characters as I would have liked to. And despite the reader knowing Cicely's motive for coming to Balmarra, and Antonia's hidden dreams for her life, the connection was just not there.
The scenery, as described, was beautiful. I enjoyed the botanical references and wish there had been more.
November 6, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pub. Date: September 15, 2020
In the twentieth century, a woman in India marries a Scottish man. They live together in India with their biracial daughter. He is a plant biologist who travels on expeditions around the world in search of discovering rare flowering plants. His wife and child make an unannounced trip to Scotland to visit her husband’s estranged sister who lives on the family’s grand estate. The estate has a glasshouse filled with exotic plants. Yes, you are guessing correctly. There are reasons why they showed up unexpectedly with their suitcases. This was not a social call. I found this book to be way more of a women’s fiction than historical fiction, lots about marriages and not much about history. The only thing I learned is that some wealthy families have always looked down on those that are different. The one percent rule of black blood has been around before America created that unholy rule. The novel was not for me. However, if you like twists you will find them in this story.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review
Find all my book reviews at:
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Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pub. Date: September 15, 2020
In the twentieth century, a woman in India marries a Scottish man. They live together in India with their biracial daughter. He is a plant biologist who travels on expeditions around the world in search of discovering rare flowering plants. His wife and child make an unannounced trip to Scotland to visit her husband’s estranged sister who lives on the family’s grand estate. The estate has a glasshouse filled with exotic plants. Yes, you are guessing correctly. There are reasons why they showed up unexpectedly with their suitcases. This was not a social call. I found this book to be way more of a women’s fiction than historical fiction, lots about marriages and not much about history. The only thing I learned is that some wealthy families have always looked down on those that are different. The one percent rule of black blood has been around before America created that unholy rule. The novel was not for me. However, if you like twists you will find them in this story.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list…
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review…
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr…
https://www.instagram.com/martie6947/
https://www.pinterest.com/martienreco…\
https://www.amazon.com/
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
April 18, 2024
BOOK REPORT
I do love me a crumbling Scottish estate, so I fell right into that flyleaf copy trap once again.
Sigh, sigh, sigh.
This book wasn't completely boring, but it sure did give it a run for the money. The writing of Beatrice Colin (may she rest in health and literary peace) evoked for me a duller than dishwater and distant--very, very distant--cousin of Downtown Abbey.
I kept thinking something was about to happen. (Or, "fixing to happen," as we say in my native tongue.) Something. ANYTHING.
For pages. And pages. And pages.
Two. Hundred. And. Twenty. Pages.
Out of 272.
Now, I must confess to something. I knew I didn't like the way this book was written. I knew I didn't like any of the characters (most especially, well, never mind, that would be a spoiler). And I could easily deduce how each plot and subplot would be resolved.
So why did I keep reading?
Because so much of the novel is set in Dunoon, Scotland. Which is where a monument to the nearly complete mass slaughter of my paternal clan was erected, and that I visited in 2009, specifically to get to see the signs for Port Lamont, and traipse the grounds of the ancestral castle, and stay in the Clan Lamont Room at The Argyll Hotel. (But not to be barked at by a waitress that I needed to finish my porridge before having my bacon and toast points and the like. Although yes, of course that did happen. And let me assure you I was quite the woman grown when visiting, not a child or adolescent.)
I thought for sure that we would get at least one shout-out, but no. Not a one. Hell, even those murderous Campbells didn't come into play.
Please don't think I'm giving this book 2 stars because of such lack, however. No, it was simply a snoozefest, and I wish I'd spent my time otherwise.
Only meself to blame, ach?
I do love me a crumbling Scottish estate, so I fell right into that flyleaf copy trap once again.
Sigh, sigh, sigh.
This book wasn't completely boring, but it sure did give it a run for the money. The writing of Beatrice Colin (may she rest in health and literary peace) evoked for me a duller than dishwater and distant--very, very distant--cousin of Downtown Abbey.
I kept thinking something was about to happen. (Or, "fixing to happen," as we say in my native tongue.) Something. ANYTHING.
For pages. And pages. And pages.
Two. Hundred. And. Twenty. Pages.
Out of 272.
Now, I must confess to something. I knew I didn't like the way this book was written. I knew I didn't like any of the characters (most especially, well, never mind, that would be a spoiler). And I could easily deduce how each plot and subplot would be resolved.
So why did I keep reading?
Because so much of the novel is set in Dunoon, Scotland. Which is where a monument to the nearly complete mass slaughter of my paternal clan was erected, and that I visited in 2009, specifically to get to see the signs for Port Lamont, and traipse the grounds of the ancestral castle, and stay in the Clan Lamont Room at The Argyll Hotel. (But not to be barked at by a waitress that I needed to finish my porridge before having my bacon and toast points and the like. Although yes, of course that did happen. And let me assure you I was quite the woman grown when visiting, not a child or adolescent.)
I thought for sure that we would get at least one shout-out, but no. Not a one. Hell, even those murderous Campbells didn't come into play.
Please don't think I'm giving this book 2 stars because of such lack, however. No, it was simply a snoozefest, and I wish I'd spent my time otherwise.
Only meself to blame, ach?
August 9, 2020
Set in 1912 in beautiful Scotland, The Glass House is a poignant look into the importance of unexpected, meaningful relationships.
Author Beatrice Colin lays out a lovely tapestry of descriptive prose; I was instantly transported into the cold, damp, yet quaintly beautiful land of Scotland right along with our two main characters, Cicely and Antonia.
A look into the story:
Cicely has just arrived in Scotland on the doorstep of her husband’s family estate, Bamarra. Her intent: to help her husband lay claim to his rightful inheritance. The issue: her husband has sent her to do his own dirty work while he remains on a botanical expedition in India.
She meets her husband’s sister, Antonia, who now runs the estate—and it quickly becomes clear that obtaining the rightful ownership of Bamarra will not be as easy as Cicely had hoped. For Antonia is kind and welcoming, and it seems the task of up-keeping Bamarra on her own has begun to take its toll. How can Cicely claim what is rightfully her husband’s when it means ousting his sister out of the picture?
My thoughts:
I do wish that the overall story and rhythm of events had been more developed. I ended the book with a feeling that not enough had really happened to warrant its ending events. I had a yearning for something just a bit more—be that either in character development or more conflict, I’m not sure.
That being said, this was still an enjoyable read! Anything set in early 20th century Scotland will always have my heart.
**A big thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for sending me this ARC!**
Author Beatrice Colin lays out a lovely tapestry of descriptive prose; I was instantly transported into the cold, damp, yet quaintly beautiful land of Scotland right along with our two main characters, Cicely and Antonia.
A look into the story:
Cicely has just arrived in Scotland on the doorstep of her husband’s family estate, Bamarra. Her intent: to help her husband lay claim to his rightful inheritance. The issue: her husband has sent her to do his own dirty work while he remains on a botanical expedition in India.
She meets her husband’s sister, Antonia, who now runs the estate—and it quickly becomes clear that obtaining the rightful ownership of Bamarra will not be as easy as Cicely had hoped. For Antonia is kind and welcoming, and it seems the task of up-keeping Bamarra on her own has begun to take its toll. How can Cicely claim what is rightfully her husband’s when it means ousting his sister out of the picture?
My thoughts:
I do wish that the overall story and rhythm of events had been more developed. I ended the book with a feeling that not enough had really happened to warrant its ending events. I had a yearning for something just a bit more—be that either in character development or more conflict, I’m not sure.
That being said, this was still an enjoyable read! Anything set in early 20th century Scotland will always have my heart.
**A big thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for sending me this ARC!**
September 28, 2020
Scotland 1912 and two very different women. One is retiring, willing to accept decisions of others on her behalf and though inwardly quite ruffled does nothing about it. The other has had responsibility thrust on her by a reckless or rather feckless husband. She does not shirk from a task however unpleasant it is for the protection of her young daughter mainly and goes forward quite boldly, even in very difficult circumstances.
Cicely Pick arrives at Balmarra a run down manor house from India expecting much more. She arrives unannounced and to Antonia the resident and daughter of the house this alone is very suspicious. She knows it is only due to an inheritance issue that brings Cicely here. Despite her initial misgivings Cicely brings a touch of color to Antonia's life and a small spark of rebellion is lit where Antonia feels that she must now make her mark in their small world.
The factor of race in Cicely's case with a touch of Indian ancestry plays no small part in the story but it is the descriptiveness of Scotland that entrances one. Together with the story of both sisters in law and their husbands playing another part in the story, this was a very good read.
Cicely Pick arrives at Balmarra a run down manor house from India expecting much more. She arrives unannounced and to Antonia the resident and daughter of the house this alone is very suspicious. She knows it is only due to an inheritance issue that brings Cicely here. Despite her initial misgivings Cicely brings a touch of color to Antonia's life and a small spark of rebellion is lit where Antonia feels that she must now make her mark in their small world.
The factor of race in Cicely's case with a touch of Indian ancestry plays no small part in the story but it is the descriptiveness of Scotland that entrances one. Together with the story of both sisters in law and their husbands playing another part in the story, this was a very good read.
December 21, 2020
Very atmospheric . In 1912 a woman marries a Scottish man and they live in India with their daughter .
He is a plant biologist who travels extensively .always on the lookout for the original,the unusual the yet undiscovered.
His wife and child make a stop at his family's grand estate filled with exotic and grand plants. The book was about friendships,secrets a gone stale marriage and working to make it right again when we thought all hope was lost.
Reading about the plants was very interesting.
Published September 15th 2020 by Flatiron Books
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
He is a plant biologist who travels extensively .always on the lookout for the original,the unusual the yet undiscovered.
His wife and child make a stop at his family's grand estate filled with exotic and grand plants. The book was about friendships,secrets a gone stale marriage and working to make it right again when we thought all hope was lost.
Reading about the plants was very interesting.
Published September 15th 2020 by Flatiron Books
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
September 8, 2022
Perfect for a rainy weekend on the sofa. This book sweeps you back to the beginning of the last century to a big, old house in Scotland, where two sisters in law lives are brought together. Caught up in a whirlwind of change that will set both their lives on new paths.
September 9, 2020
This book felt like an out-of-tune violin - it had the structure but never hit the right note. It's a cheesy metaphor, but it's accurate. Colin has a strong basis for a historical fiction novel: reuniting family members, a familial dispute over inheritance, and a strong sense of time and place. However, her characters, relationships, and plot points never really reached full volume. Cicely Pick and her daughter Kitty arrive in Argyll, Scotland to the familial home of Cicely's husband George. The two met in India, where Cicely's family has been for the past three generations and where George is attempting to make a living as an amateur botanist. The two are hard pressed for cash and with the recent passing of George's father, the terms of the will and the fate of the familial estate are about to be revealed. Cicely is sent to Scotland to sort out her husband's inheritance while simultaneously befriending Antonia, George's dutiful sister who has lived in the estate her whole life and expects it to be left to her.
I think Colin's two main weaknesses are her attempted examination of race in India and Scotland in 1911 and the confrontation of men and relationships. Colin, a white woman (or at least very white presenting based on Google searches and online bios), chose to make Cicely mixed race (Cicely's grandmother was Hindustani). This plays a major role in Cicely's assimilation into the rural Scotland and eventually causes a riff within the family and the reading of the will. Despite Colin's attempt, Cicely's experience as a mixed race woman in 1912 Scotland does not ring true at all. Colin also barely touches on the colorism that Cicely and her family would have experienced living in India (there was maybe one line about the caste system) which was a huge oversight. In Scotland, there is some observation of people staring and pointedly asking about Cicely's darker skin tone but with a definite air of "see, white people aren't that racist" and "it wasn't that bad in 1912". When Cicely's heritage became a (spoiler) big issue with the will reading, it was generally scoffed at the deceased father could be "that way" (never really naming what he was - a racist). And then, with the discovery of a familial portrait that revealed a Black ancestor in the Pick family, the reader was left with the sentiment that most white families probably have POC in their background so we are really all the same anyways. As a mixed race woman, this entire approach felt disrespectful. There could have been a lot more research and care in the creation of Cicely and her family history and the experience of a mixed race person in 1911 (or, just don't do it at all if you cannot write to the experience).
My second biggest annoyance was the relationships. There were a few romantic relationships that were being set up throughout the novel but I felt like every single one was forced and none of them were authentic whatsoever. The only semblance of legitimate partnership was between Antonia and Cicely and even that was weak at best (saying that they formed a friendship was a stretch - it was more like a tolerance). However, that was the only relationship I thought worth pursuing. All the romantic plot points were also derailed, in my mind at least, by how terrible and selfish all these men were. We get it, men in 1912 suck, and yet, we are still supposed to root for them and be happy with where these flings and relationships are going? Ugh, give me a break. If this was the goal, the men needed to be more well rounded and the relationships approached with more care.
The Glass House by Beatrice Colin was a miss for me, on many levels, but did have an interesting baseline and did attempt to do something different, despite it's failings.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.
I think Colin's two main weaknesses are her attempted examination of race in India and Scotland in 1911 and the confrontation of men and relationships. Colin, a white woman (or at least very white presenting based on Google searches and online bios), chose to make Cicely mixed race (Cicely's grandmother was Hindustani). This plays a major role in Cicely's assimilation into the rural Scotland and eventually causes a riff within the family and the reading of the will. Despite Colin's attempt, Cicely's experience as a mixed race woman in 1912 Scotland does not ring true at all. Colin also barely touches on the colorism that Cicely and her family would have experienced living in India (there was maybe one line about the caste system) which was a huge oversight. In Scotland, there is some observation of people staring and pointedly asking about Cicely's darker skin tone but with a definite air of "see, white people aren't that racist" and "it wasn't that bad in 1912". When Cicely's heritage became a (spoiler) big issue with the will reading, it was generally scoffed at the deceased father could be "that way" (never really naming what he was - a racist). And then, with the discovery of a familial portrait that revealed a Black ancestor in the Pick family, the reader was left with the sentiment that most white families probably have POC in their background so we are really all the same anyways. As a mixed race woman, this entire approach felt disrespectful. There could have been a lot more research and care in the creation of Cicely and her family history and the experience of a mixed race person in 1911 (or, just don't do it at all if you cannot write to the experience).
My second biggest annoyance was the relationships. There were a few romantic relationships that were being set up throughout the novel but I felt like every single one was forced and none of them were authentic whatsoever. The only semblance of legitimate partnership was between Antonia and Cicely and even that was weak at best (saying that they formed a friendship was a stretch - it was more like a tolerance). However, that was the only relationship I thought worth pursuing. All the romantic plot points were also derailed, in my mind at least, by how terrible and selfish all these men were. We get it, men in 1912 suck, and yet, we are still supposed to root for them and be happy with where these flings and relationships are going? Ugh, give me a break. If this was the goal, the men needed to be more well rounded and the relationships approached with more care.
The Glass House by Beatrice Colin was a miss for me, on many levels, but did have an interesting baseline and did attempt to do something different, despite it's failings.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 29, 2020
Loved it. Excellent.
August 14, 2020
This was a book about friendship, secrets, relationships and exotic plants. The setting was Scotland and India. I loved the exotic plants information in the book. I appreciated the struggles and the moral of the destructive power of secrets kept and not shared.
I struggled really connecting with the story and the characters. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.
I struggled really connecting with the story and the characters. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.
August 15, 2020
The Glass House by Beatrice Colin is an excellent historical fiction that draws the reader in with its wonderful descriptions and literary illustrations that can only be described as a botanist’s dream.
I really enjoyed the slower pace of this book with its incredibly rich details of so many wonderful local species of plants as well as the tropical and rare varieties. The author was able to paint a picture so that the reader actually felt as if they were there walking along the paths, feeling the leaves, flowers, and stems brushing up against their sides, and smelling the wonderful perfumes of nature. As a Biology major, I truly reveled in these inclusions throughout.
But, do not think that this is all that this book has to offer. We also get to experience historical fiction within the early 1900s within Scotland and also India. We get a front row seat in regards to family dynamics, relationships, secrets, and the complexities surrounding these characters.
This book was very unique in that not only did it include botany, familial relations, but also complex and fascinating female characters and a dash of romance as well. I enjoyed getting to know Cecily, Antonia, and the surrounding family. They were interesting to say the least. Friendships, loyalty, secrets, forgiveness, and acceptance are all included into this book.
An enjoyable read.
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
I really enjoyed the slower pace of this book with its incredibly rich details of so many wonderful local species of plants as well as the tropical and rare varieties. The author was able to paint a picture so that the reader actually felt as if they were there walking along the paths, feeling the leaves, flowers, and stems brushing up against their sides, and smelling the wonderful perfumes of nature. As a Biology major, I truly reveled in these inclusions throughout.
But, do not think that this is all that this book has to offer. We also get to experience historical fiction within the early 1900s within Scotland and also India. We get a front row seat in regards to family dynamics, relationships, secrets, and the complexities surrounding these characters.
This book was very unique in that not only did it include botany, familial relations, but also complex and fascinating female characters and a dash of romance as well. I enjoyed getting to know Cecily, Antonia, and the surrounding family. They were interesting to say the least. Friendships, loyalty, secrets, forgiveness, and acceptance are all included into this book.
An enjoyable read.
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
September 11, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and FlatIron Books for this advanced readers copy of the The Glass House by Beatrice Colin.
What a delightful read! This is the story of Cicely and Antonia, two sisters-in-law who don't know each at all when the story starts but become entwined in each others lives over the course of the book. These two ladies are from completely different cultures and countries, with nothing in common except for Cicely's husband George, who happens to be Antonia's brother. The dual cultures of India and Scotland clash in various ways, some small and some lifechanging.
I really enjoyed this book, although it started a little slow for me. It took the first half of the book for me to become fully engrossed but then I was hooked. The female characters are fully fleshed out, while the male characters are there mostly as mirrors reflecting all of the ways in which Cicely and Antonia dislike themselves and each other. This book left a smile on my face at the end. I"m actually hoping it gets made into a movie, as the imagery in the book would translate beautifully.
For fiction lovers, this one's for you!
What a delightful read! This is the story of Cicely and Antonia, two sisters-in-law who don't know each at all when the story starts but become entwined in each others lives over the course of the book. These two ladies are from completely different cultures and countries, with nothing in common except for Cicely's husband George, who happens to be Antonia's brother. The dual cultures of India and Scotland clash in various ways, some small and some lifechanging.
I really enjoyed this book, although it started a little slow for me. It took the first half of the book for me to become fully engrossed but then I was hooked. The female characters are fully fleshed out, while the male characters are there mostly as mirrors reflecting all of the ways in which Cicely and Antonia dislike themselves and each other. This book left a smile on my face at the end. I"m actually hoping it gets made into a movie, as the imagery in the book would translate beautifully.
For fiction lovers, this one's for you!
March 28, 2021
This enjoyable historical fiction is set on a dilapidated estate, featuring a huge conservatory, in Scotland in the years just before the First World War. It features two sisters-in-law who have never met until Cicely arrives unannounced from India, clearly planning a lengthy stay. Antonia welcomes her to Balmorra as a change from the unbroken drudgery of her life: her husband seems to be drifting away and her hoped-for painting career was strangled in its infancy by her tyrannical father. That father has recently died, and Antonia wonders about the timing of Cicely’s arrival. Has she come to claim the inheritance on behalf of her husband, Antonia’s younger brother George? George has spent his adult life on expedition in Asia, hunting out rare exotic plants to feed the lucrative craze for them in the UK. Each of the sisters-in-law is restless and unhappy, harbouring secrets at cross-purposes. The dramatic climax is life-altering: each of the women will move forward on a path quite unforeseen.
July 30, 2021
This was a good poolside read. An interesting story of two women trapped by the constraints of 1910 Glasgow (and beyond). The details were terrific and the period came to life, but the story itself fell a little flat, especially in the last third which tidied up in ways that stretched my suspension of disbelief.
November 8, 2020
Life twists and turns, George had written, and washes you up in places you never expected.”
When two women come together, either they make it or break it.
Coming from India is an Anglo-Indian woman, Cicely, who in a whim of thoughts or perhaps back to corner for some financial reasons, set her daring sail to Scotland, foreign land to herself and her daughter, Kitty. Cicely was on a vital commission to confirm her husband's inheritance of Balmarra, the family estate. Thus, the story begins with Cicely’s unannounced visit to George’s family.
The long haul journey was indeed a challenging ride with bulks pieces of baggage, Botanics seeds, and a meager of funds to last for a while. Antonia, the sister of Cicely’s husband, was startled for their appearance. Cicely and Kitty were nonetheless received with well-deserved suspicion.
Set in the time of the 1900s, women had a very stereotypical role in society. Antonia's life was not as she foresees for herself. Women are mostly homebound and should stay domestic to consider virtuous in a sense. Antonia’s passion for arts was considered a useless pursue that is of absurd waste. Cicely, on the other hand, had spent her life being the center of attention but not precisely in a good way. Racism tracked its history back then. Cicely with a Hindustan ancestor and mix of Britsh kin, her skin color is much darker to Scottish. As the story progresses, friendship and a kindred spirit began to form between the two women who seemed to share the same misfortune of an unhappy marriage that drifted apart. Both had not been given a chance to choose for the future and lives they desire for themselves.
Beatrice Collins has a unique touch with maneuvering the storyline and characters within. There were complex emotions that felt cringing at times, women characters that call for admiration and a tinge of soul-searching true love. The backdrop on the Scottish landscape, the majestic mountains, and nature mentioning India were breathtaking. Impulsive thoughts blinded me for a moment with an urge to see those places with my own eyes. The incredible descriptions of the exotic plants and rare species with its names have been like a peaceful stroll in the garden, imagining, visioning, and feeling nature brushes against my fingers.
As much as I have liked the book, I wish for the events and characters to be more developed. The ending left a feeling of longing that there could be more? The book has its slow but steady pace, which tells its story. It took me reading almost half of the book to get into the characters and warm up to the plot. Near the end, the tale hastens and strain, leaving diminutive suspense as the real intention unfolds. Conflicts leading to confusion of what’s true arise despite both women had bonded and held on to each other over time.
I have pretty much enjoyed the book and the journey it took beyond the coast of Scotland and the mountains of India. Applaud to Collin’s delicate use of language, and rarely I have read a book with such a description of places, nature, and past so adroit, mesmerizing, and eloquent that it almost kept me from returning to the present.
Huge thanks for Flatiron and Netgalley for this gifted copy!
When two women come together, either they make it or break it.
Coming from India is an Anglo-Indian woman, Cicely, who in a whim of thoughts or perhaps back to corner for some financial reasons, set her daring sail to Scotland, foreign land to herself and her daughter, Kitty. Cicely was on a vital commission to confirm her husband's inheritance of Balmarra, the family estate. Thus, the story begins with Cicely’s unannounced visit to George’s family.
The long haul journey was indeed a challenging ride with bulks pieces of baggage, Botanics seeds, and a meager of funds to last for a while. Antonia, the sister of Cicely’s husband, was startled for their appearance. Cicely and Kitty were nonetheless received with well-deserved suspicion.
Set in the time of the 1900s, women had a very stereotypical role in society. Antonia's life was not as she foresees for herself. Women are mostly homebound and should stay domestic to consider virtuous in a sense. Antonia’s passion for arts was considered a useless pursue that is of absurd waste. Cicely, on the other hand, had spent her life being the center of attention but not precisely in a good way. Racism tracked its history back then. Cicely with a Hindustan ancestor and mix of Britsh kin, her skin color is much darker to Scottish. As the story progresses, friendship and a kindred spirit began to form between the two women who seemed to share the same misfortune of an unhappy marriage that drifted apart. Both had not been given a chance to choose for the future and lives they desire for themselves.
Beatrice Collins has a unique touch with maneuvering the storyline and characters within. There were complex emotions that felt cringing at times, women characters that call for admiration and a tinge of soul-searching true love. The backdrop on the Scottish landscape, the majestic mountains, and nature mentioning India were breathtaking. Impulsive thoughts blinded me for a moment with an urge to see those places with my own eyes. The incredible descriptions of the exotic plants and rare species with its names have been like a peaceful stroll in the garden, imagining, visioning, and feeling nature brushes against my fingers.
As much as I have liked the book, I wish for the events and characters to be more developed. The ending left a feeling of longing that there could be more? The book has its slow but steady pace, which tells its story. It took me reading almost half of the book to get into the characters and warm up to the plot. Near the end, the tale hastens and strain, leaving diminutive suspense as the real intention unfolds. Conflicts leading to confusion of what’s true arise despite both women had bonded and held on to each other over time.
I have pretty much enjoyed the book and the journey it took beyond the coast of Scotland and the mountains of India. Applaud to Collin’s delicate use of language, and rarely I have read a book with such a description of places, nature, and past so adroit, mesmerizing, and eloquent that it almost kept me from returning to the present.
Huge thanks for Flatiron and Netgalley for this gifted copy!
July 7, 2020
Edward Pick, a vain and exacting man who built his fortune on sugar and his reputation on horticultural discovery and collection, has died, yet his recklessness for others carries on. His numerous wills launch an escalating chain of events that unearth long kept secrets, missing persons, guilt, adultery and barely-closeted racism. At the heart of the turmoil are two women: Cicely Pick, his daughter-in-law from India with a heritage to scandalize the Edwardian-era Scot; and Antonia McCulloch, Edward’s daughter in whom he carefully tended “such a lack of confidence that she had never left him” or Balmarra, their Scottish estate, in her life. Opposites in many ways, the two women find themselves thrown together in a storm caused by the narcissistic men who govern / paralyze / betray them. These women are irrevocably changed by meeting one another, but can they escape the messes these men have made?
Beatrice Colin’s (RIP) writing is richly evocative of the era. Her characters and environment feel quite real, as do the situations in which Cicely and Antonia find themselves. She examines women’s agency and their relationships with one another, with men, and with a very rigid society that is built upon colonialism and etiquette. I had a great time reading this book, it’s a page turner for sure, and I recommend it to any fans of Downton Abbey or grand old estates in general. I requested a copy of this book from Edelweiss before I started focusing on authors of color, but found the themes of sexism, racism, and colonization totally relevant. My *one* complaint is the very last scene in the book which, while uplifting, also left me wondering if a whole new story of white profit / colonization was about to be set in motion. Curious to see what other readers think!
Beatrice Colin’s (RIP) writing is richly evocative of the era. Her characters and environment feel quite real, as do the situations in which Cicely and Antonia find themselves. She examines women’s agency and their relationships with one another, with men, and with a very rigid society that is built upon colonialism and etiquette. I had a great time reading this book, it’s a page turner for sure, and I recommend it to any fans of Downton Abbey or grand old estates in general. I requested a copy of this book from Edelweiss before I started focusing on authors of color, but found the themes of sexism, racism, and colonization totally relevant. My *one* complaint is the very last scene in the book which, while uplifting, also left me wondering if a whole new story of white profit / colonization was about to be set in motion. Curious to see what other readers think!
September 14, 2020
This is essentially the story of two women, Antonia and Cicely. Antonia takes care of her father at his grand Scottish estate until his death. Cicely is from India and married to Antonia’s brother George. When Cicely and her daughter show up on Antonia’s doorstep, Antonia is instantly suspicious they are there to dispute the inheritance. As these two sisters-in-law get to know each other. they realize they have more in common than they thought.
My favorite part of the book was the Setting of 1912 Scotland and the descriptions of travel, the clothes, and the beautiful plants. The author paints a vivid picture of the scene, starting with the landscape and what Cicely sees when they arrive from India to Scotland.
Unfortunately, I never fully understood the characters. I didn’t understand their motives for doing certain things and for their endings in the story. The pacing of the story was also difficult for me and I almost quit halfway through because events were stagnating. Then, it was a rush to the finish, so I am not sure what actually happened to some of the characters.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite part of the book was the Setting of 1912 Scotland and the descriptions of travel, the clothes, and the beautiful plants. The author paints a vivid picture of the scene, starting with the landscape and what Cicely sees when they arrive from India to Scotland.
Unfortunately, I never fully understood the characters. I didn’t understand their motives for doing certain things and for their endings in the story. The pacing of the story was also difficult for me and I almost quit halfway through because events were stagnating. Then, it was a rush to the finish, so I am not sure what actually happened to some of the characters.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2020
A woman arrives at at Scottish estate to claim her husband’s inheritance while her he is collecting plants in India and hoping for new discoveries. The house has a glass house containing rare plants. Her sister in law expects to inherit the estate so a conflict ensues between the two women. They both are struggling in their marriages and with the lack of opportunities in the early 1900’s. The story went off the rails when the daughter turns off the heat for the glass house and then starts a fire in the main house. Why didn’t she sell the rare plants ? Why did the main house go up in flames after one cigarette? After fighting with her husband the entire book, the couple decide to go on a great adventure hunting plants?! Just to crazy of an ending for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2022
Not my usual kind of read, but I liked the cover (what that says about my shallow reading habits doesn't bear scrutiny, but hey, it's a pandemic) and the writing is more than decent. This is at the upper end of chick-lit, not exactly historical fiction, and started off being a bit predictable, but became an engaging character study with a bit of an unexpected ending. I really did enjoy this as it was written carefully and with quite a bit of respect for the reader; so I looked up the author and was devastated to find that she'd died in 2019. I've also looked up more of Beatrice Colin's books but can find only two which are easily accessible.
August 29, 2020
*I received “The Glass House” as part of a Flatiron Books giveaway and this is my honest review*
"The Glass House" is beautifully written. The description of places and characters is so vivid that makes feel the reader transported in Scotland, witnessing the events unfolding. The story takes some time to take off and, personally, I am not fully satisfied by the final twist, but I still consider this book an enjoyable reading. I recommend this book if you want to “travel” to Balmarra for a few hours to meet the Pick’s family and learn about their stories.
"The Glass House" is beautifully written. The description of places and characters is so vivid that makes feel the reader transported in Scotland, witnessing the events unfolding. The story takes some time to take off and, personally, I am not fully satisfied by the final twist, but I still consider this book an enjoyable reading. I recommend this book if you want to “travel” to Balmarra for a few hours to meet the Pick’s family and learn about their stories.
September 14, 2020
This is essentially the story of two women, Antonia and Cicely. Antonia takes care of her father at his grand Scottish estate until his death. Cicely is from India and married to Antonia’s brother George. When Cicely and her daughter show up on Antonia’s doorstep, Antonia is instantly suspicious they are there to dispute the inheritance. As these two sisters-in-law get to know each other. they realize they have more in common than they thought
My favorite part of the book was the Setting of 1912 Scotland and the descriptions of travel, the clothes, and the beautiful plants. The author paints a vivid picture of the scene, starting with the landscape and what Cicely sees when they arrive from India to Scotland.
Unfortunately, I never fully understood the characters. I didn’t understand their motives for doing certain things and for their endings in the story. The pacing of the story was also difficult for me and I almost quit halfway through because events were stagnating. Then, it was a rush to the finish, so I am not sure what actually happened to some of the characters.
My favorite part of the book was the Setting of 1912 Scotland and the descriptions of travel, the clothes, and the beautiful plants. The author paints a vivid picture of the scene, starting with the landscape and what Cicely sees when they arrive from India to Scotland.
Unfortunately, I never fully understood the characters. I didn’t understand their motives for doing certain things and for their endings in the story. The pacing of the story was also difficult for me and I almost quit halfway through because events were stagnating. Then, it was a rush to the finish, so I am not sure what actually happened to some of the characters.
August 17, 2020
It took me far too long to finish this book, but that's entirely due to the fact that I picked it up too soon after finishing a 1,200 page behemoth. I wasn't quite ready to get back to physically reading versus listening to audiobooks.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, though not as much as To Capture What We Cannot Keep. I really wanted everything to work out for both Cicely and Antonia. The biggest issues for both of them were that Edward and George Pick were absolute trash, and Cicely and Antonia didn't trust each other enough to have a real conversation about their situations. They both tried to do what they thought was best for everyone and ended up at negating each other's efforts most of the time.
By the end, I kind of wanted Cicely, Antonia, and Kitty to just say 'fuck it' to Scotland and men and just move to Darjeeling together and run their own tea plantation.
Thank you, Flatiron, for the chance to read this!
Overall, I did enjoy this book, though not as much as To Capture What We Cannot Keep. I really wanted everything to work out for both Cicely and Antonia. The biggest issues for both of them were that Edward and George Pick were absolute trash, and Cicely and Antonia didn't trust each other enough to have a real conversation about their situations. They both tried to do what they thought was best for everyone and ended up at negating each other's efforts most of the time.
By the end, I kind of wanted Cicely, Antonia, and Kitty to just say 'fuck it' to Scotland and men and just move to Darjeeling together and run their own tea plantation.
Thank you, Flatiron, for the chance to read this!
August 1, 2024
I just knew it'd end with a fire.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 6, 2021Man, when I saw the premise of this book, I thought it was for me: orchids, Scotland, plant hunting, women in the early 20th century.
The book at the level of the sentence and the paragraph is well written. And the characters are nicely drawn. But the pretty foolish inaccuracies when it comes to orchids and other plants, as well as total lack of detail about glass houses and their contents, and early 20th century plant hunting, wrecked the thing for me before it had really begun. (Orchids weren't grown from seed until very recently [and then only next to the mother plant for her fungal relationships OR in sterilized agar in a lab]--and propagators gave up on growing from seed by the mid-19th century. That's why collecting orchids in the wild was so profitable for so long! Doing the slightest bit of research, or talking with anyone in the thousands of orchid and plant societies in the Western world, would have cleared that right up.) The gaffes the women characters get themselves into are quite grating/too far out by the end as well.
I was also bothered by the poor editing of the novel. There are misspelled names throughout, a character in one place is suddenly in a very different place in the next paragraph, details and themes in the beginning of the novel are very different (or added/changed) by the end. (I wonder if some of the editorial issues--ie jumping from paragraph to paragraph--is because I read it on Kindle? Does Kindle cut out any double spacing between paragraphs that an author might use to signal a time jump?)
Overall, this book has a fabulous concept, but it felt like it was rushed into production at every level, and was the poorer and very frustrating because of it. I feel terrible writing a negative review in Covid times--and I so wanted to love this book--but it just didn't have the kind of care put into it that it deserved. I can understand that in our collective moment, but I'm still saddened by it.
The book at the level of the sentence and the paragraph is well written. And the characters are nicely drawn. But the pretty foolish inaccuracies when it comes to orchids and other plants, as well as total lack of detail about glass houses and their contents, and early 20th century plant hunting, wrecked the thing for me before it had really begun. (Orchids weren't grown from seed until very recently [and then only next to the mother plant for her fungal relationships OR in sterilized agar in a lab]--and propagators gave up on growing from seed by the mid-19th century. That's why collecting orchids in the wild was so profitable for so long! Doing the slightest bit of research, or talking with anyone in the thousands of orchid and plant societies in the Western world, would have cleared that right up.) The gaffes the women characters get themselves into are quite grating/too far out by the end as well.
I was also bothered by the poor editing of the novel. There are misspelled names throughout, a character in one place is suddenly in a very different place in the next paragraph, details and themes in the beginning of the novel are very different (or added/changed) by the end. (I wonder if some of the editorial issues--ie jumping from paragraph to paragraph--is because I read it on Kindle? Does Kindle cut out any double spacing between paragraphs that an author might use to signal a time jump?)
Overall, this book has a fabulous concept, but it felt like it was rushed into production at every level, and was the poorer and very frustrating because of it. I feel terrible writing a negative review in Covid times--and I so wanted to love this book--but it just didn't have the kind of care put into it that it deserved. I can understand that in our collective moment, but I'm still saddened by it.
August 28, 2024
Rating should be 3.5 stars but not quite there to be 4.
I was quite frustrated as I wanted the author to move the pace of the book a bit quicker. I also wanted more out of the character, Antonia, that finally came in the end. Maybe that was what the author intended to do, I'm not sure, but I'm glad I finished the last 100+ pages of the book in one reading.
If you enjoy the turn of the century 1900s, history, and a woman's perspective then this would be something I'd encourage you to pickup. Great for a rainy weekend or a weekend at the beach.
I was quite frustrated as I wanted the author to move the pace of the book a bit quicker. I also wanted more out of the character, Antonia, that finally came in the end. Maybe that was what the author intended to do, I'm not sure, but I'm glad I finished the last 100+ pages of the book in one reading.
If you enjoy the turn of the century 1900s, history, and a woman's perspective then this would be something I'd encourage you to pickup. Great for a rainy weekend or a weekend at the beach.
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