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The Summer We All Ran Away: "A fascinating tale of the meeting of lost souls..."
When nineteen year old Davey finds himself drunk, beaten and alone, he is rescued by the oddly-assorted inhabitants of an abandoned and beautiful house in the West Country. Their only condition for letting him join them is that he asks them no questions.
More than thirty years ago in that same house, burned-out rock star Jack Laker writes a ground-breaking comeback album, and abandons the girl who saved his life to embark on a doomed and passionate romance with a young actress. His attempt to escape his destructive lifestyle leads to deceit, debauchery and even murder.
As Davey and his fellow housemate Priss try to uncover the secrets of the house's inhabitants, both past and present, it becomes clear that the five strangers have all been drawn there by the events and the music of that long-ago summer.
More than thirty years ago in that same house, burned-out rock star Jack Laker writes a ground-breaking comeback album, and abandons the girl who saved his life to embark on a doomed and passionate romance with a young actress. His attempt to escape his destructive lifestyle leads to deceit, debauchery and even murder.
As Davey and his fellow housemate Priss try to uncover the secrets of the house's inhabitants, both past and present, it becomes clear that the five strangers have all been drawn there by the events and the music of that long-ago summer.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2013
49 people are currently reading
829 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra Parkin
14 books131 followersCassandra Parkin grew up in Hull, and now lives in East Yorkshire. Her short story collection, New World Fairy Tales (Salt Publishing, 2011), won the 2011 Scott Prize for Short Stories and her work has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies.
The Summer We All Ran Away (Legend Press, 2013) was Cassandra's debut novel.
Her work has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. The Beach Hut (Legend Press, 2015) is her second novel.
Visit Cassandra at cassandraparkin.wordpress.com or on Twitter @cassandrajaneuk
The Summer We All Ran Away (Legend Press, 2013) was Cassandra's debut novel.
Her work has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. The Beach Hut (Legend Press, 2015) is her second novel.
Visit Cassandra at cassandraparkin.wordpress.com or on Twitter @cassandrajaneuk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
September 10, 2018
a sad and lovely book about damaged people trying to pick up their pieces.
it takes place in "then" and "now," with thirty years separating the narratives. in the then, we have a musician suddenly and uncomfortably finding himself turned into a rock star, with all of the trappings and complications that the lifestyle contains. the story opens with him having climbed a tree to escape the debauched party taking place at his enormous house, and a near-mauling of a guest by his caged panther. in the middle of all this he meets an arresting and singular woman, and falls instantly in love with her in the most enduring way.
in the now, we are in the same house, whose 70's decor has gone through "dated and cheesy" and come right back around into retro-chic again. the rock star is long gone, and the people who are living there are essentially squatters, all of them being drawn to the house for their own reasons, nursing wounds both physical and psychological. they form a sort of family, and like any family, there is a little love and a lot of secrets.
so we go back and forth in time, learning about jealousy and love and betrayal and self-discovery and all the painful bits of being a human and how each character got the scars they carry. davey arrives drunk and beaten, stuttering his way through half-confessions and fear-based obedience. priss is a sixteen-year old runaway, bitter and mistrustful of love and beauty, playing up her working class background and hiding her vulnerability behind teenage f-bomb attitude and aggression. kate and tom are older and more haunted, and it's best to discover their secrets as you read, not in a clumsy book report. and isaac, silent and inscrutable, who will affect them all, despite never uttering a word. in the then, we will follow reluctant celebrity jack laker through a tricky love triangle, addiction, and despair, and evie and mathilda, the women who shape him.
it is really beautiful, if a little unfinished-feeling in places, but i personally liked the loose ends. it's basically about all the various ways people can become imprisoned and all the different shapes that cages can take, and priss' story will break your fucking heart. if you like the jagged-storyline types of things, and stories where broken people co-exist in past-haunted, crumbling houses, you should probably read it.
i will definitely read more by this author.
come to my blog!
it takes place in "then" and "now," with thirty years separating the narratives. in the then, we have a musician suddenly and uncomfortably finding himself turned into a rock star, with all of the trappings and complications that the lifestyle contains. the story opens with him having climbed a tree to escape the debauched party taking place at his enormous house, and a near-mauling of a guest by his caged panther. in the middle of all this he meets an arresting and singular woman, and falls instantly in love with her in the most enduring way.
in the now, we are in the same house, whose 70's decor has gone through "dated and cheesy" and come right back around into retro-chic again. the rock star is long gone, and the people who are living there are essentially squatters, all of them being drawn to the house for their own reasons, nursing wounds both physical and psychological. they form a sort of family, and like any family, there is a little love and a lot of secrets.
so we go back and forth in time, learning about jealousy and love and betrayal and self-discovery and all the painful bits of being a human and how each character got the scars they carry. davey arrives drunk and beaten, stuttering his way through half-confessions and fear-based obedience. priss is a sixteen-year old runaway, bitter and mistrustful of love and beauty, playing up her working class background and hiding her vulnerability behind teenage f-bomb attitude and aggression. kate and tom are older and more haunted, and it's best to discover their secrets as you read, not in a clumsy book report. and isaac, silent and inscrutable, who will affect them all, despite never uttering a word. in the then, we will follow reluctant celebrity jack laker through a tricky love triangle, addiction, and despair, and evie and mathilda, the women who shape him.
it is really beautiful, if a little unfinished-feeling in places, but i personally liked the loose ends. it's basically about all the various ways people can become imprisoned and all the different shapes that cages can take, and priss' story will break your fucking heart. if you like the jagged-storyline types of things, and stories where broken people co-exist in past-haunted, crumbling houses, you should probably read it.
i will definitely read more by this author.
come to my blog!
August 11, 2013
The title caught my attention, and then the story pulled me in from the front page.
Davey was running away from home, not quite knowing where he was going, just knowing that had to get away. He tried to escape into a bottle, but that only got him into more trouble, and he finally collapsed on the steps of a big house on the Cornish coast. He thought that he was in trouble again, but he wasn’t. He met the three people who lived there and they told him that he could join them, that he could live there, and that the only condition was that he ask no questions.
It seemed too good to be true, even when Davey that the sensible middle-aged Tom and Kate weren’t a couple, weren’t owners, were simply squatters who had arrived at the same place at the same time. And it seemed incredible that they found a wonderful house abandoned, as if somebody had just stepped out and then never come back.
Priss was the other resident of the house, she was just a little older than Davey, and she was one of the most interesting and complicated young women I have met in contemporary fiction. A wonderful mix of brashness and vulnerability; meanness and compassion; confidence and caution.
Tom and Kate’s insistence on not asking questions bothered Priss, and when Davey arrived she talked him into helping her explore the locked rooms and cupboards to try to find out more about them and about the history of the house.
Because, of course, there was another story, set in the same house some years earlier. Jack was a successful musician, but he was troubled and he didn’t like the attention that fame had brought. He retreated to a big house in Cornwall, he met Matilda, who was quite unlike the women who moved in his world, and he fell deeply and obsessively in love with her.
The story moves between past and present, gradually revealing the stories of the four people living in the house, and its absent owner.
All of those characters were very well drawn, and as I learned more of their stories I came to understand them better, and to care about what would happen to them. And I appreciated that their stories were distinctive: Davey’s was the most shocking, Priss’s the most intriguing, and Tom’s the most unexpected.
Individually, all of the elements worked. And Cassandra Parkin wrote and constructed her story well; she created a wonderful atmosphere, a fine senses of time and placed; she pulled me right into that house and had me asking so many questions.
But as a whole the story felt just a little contrived, and the I’m afraid that twist and the conclusion were rather predictable. Such a disappointment after characters and storylines that could have been predictable were anything but.
And that’s why I’d still say that this is a very promising debut, and Cassandra Parkin is an author I’ll be watching.
Davey was running away from home, not quite knowing where he was going, just knowing that had to get away. He tried to escape into a bottle, but that only got him into more trouble, and he finally collapsed on the steps of a big house on the Cornish coast. He thought that he was in trouble again, but he wasn’t. He met the three people who lived there and they told him that he could join them, that he could live there, and that the only condition was that he ask no questions.
It seemed too good to be true, even when Davey that the sensible middle-aged Tom and Kate weren’t a couple, weren’t owners, were simply squatters who had arrived at the same place at the same time. And it seemed incredible that they found a wonderful house abandoned, as if somebody had just stepped out and then never come back.
Priss was the other resident of the house, she was just a little older than Davey, and she was one of the most interesting and complicated young women I have met in contemporary fiction. A wonderful mix of brashness and vulnerability; meanness and compassion; confidence and caution.
Tom and Kate’s insistence on not asking questions bothered Priss, and when Davey arrived she talked him into helping her explore the locked rooms and cupboards to try to find out more about them and about the history of the house.
Because, of course, there was another story, set in the same house some years earlier. Jack was a successful musician, but he was troubled and he didn’t like the attention that fame had brought. He retreated to a big house in Cornwall, he met Matilda, who was quite unlike the women who moved in his world, and he fell deeply and obsessively in love with her.
The story moves between past and present, gradually revealing the stories of the four people living in the house, and its absent owner.
All of those characters were very well drawn, and as I learned more of their stories I came to understand them better, and to care about what would happen to them. And I appreciated that their stories were distinctive: Davey’s was the most shocking, Priss’s the most intriguing, and Tom’s the most unexpected.
Individually, all of the elements worked. And Cassandra Parkin wrote and constructed her story well; she created a wonderful atmosphere, a fine senses of time and placed; she pulled me right into that house and had me asking so many questions.
But as a whole the story felt just a little contrived, and the I’m afraid that twist and the conclusion were rather predictable. Such a disappointment after characters and storylines that could have been predictable were anything but.
And that’s why I’d still say that this is a very promising debut, and Cassandra Parkin is an author I’ll be watching.
August 29, 2013
Sometimes I am not at all sure what makes me choose a book. This one was on NetGalley and there was just something about this rather stark and darker colored cover that called to me or maybe it was the waving tree and the glimpses of bright yellow. . Read the synopsis, which sounded interesting and thought "What the heck" and am so glad I did. This is a book that will probably not get very much press and yet it is wonderfully written. The story is different and captured my interest from the very beginning. The characters and their back stories were expressive, there was an air of mystery, much anguish and soul searching as five people come running from something in their lives and looking for a way forward. There is a huge old house, with many different sections, all containing secrets that must be let out. There is a musician who wants so much more than the life he has led as a rock musician, there is hope and there is love. There is also Priss, who is my favorite character, she is so amusing and irreverent that this novel is worth reading just to listen to her. An unusual but worthy find.
August 11, 2013
Thank you kindly to Legend Press and Cassandra Parkin for the copy of this novel via netgalley.
In an abandoned house in the West Country a small eclectic group of people gather – including young Davey, escaping from life , who is welcomed into their midst with one caveat – he asks no questions. 30 Years previously, Musican Jack Laker is writing a comeback album…and in abandoning one girl for another sets into motion a wave of events that will ripple through the years until they reach Davey’s shore..
I have posted this review under Fiction – you might also consider it as a mystery novel but for me it was all about the beautiful characters and flowing almost poetic prose – sometimes its hard to put a book into a single genre. Cassandra Parkin has created some wonderfully witty and heartfelt folk here – I loved each and every one of them from the hilariously honest Priss (my favourite) down to the less than likeable but still intriguing Evie. As you follow events both in the past and the present, you will get inexorably caught up in their world…a world as harsh as it is breathtaking. The house is almost a character in itself – there is a definite atmosphere about it and you know it is hiding secrets…but what those secrets are it refuses to tell.
The story unfolds over both the time periods in a charmingly delightful manner – it is gentle yet fascinating. You care less about what they may be hiding from than you do for the people themselves and what they might do next. The Summer We All Ran Away is the closest I’ve come expressively speaking to Agatha Christie – you feel like you are reading an age old tale yet in a modern setting. Of all the wonderful books I have read lately this is the one that has made me feel true nostalgia for those early days of my reading life – when wide eyed I would emerge from a story and suddenly realise it wasnt real. But it feels real when you are in it…doesnt it?
Happy Reading Folks!
In an abandoned house in the West Country a small eclectic group of people gather – including young Davey, escaping from life , who is welcomed into their midst with one caveat – he asks no questions. 30 Years previously, Musican Jack Laker is writing a comeback album…and in abandoning one girl for another sets into motion a wave of events that will ripple through the years until they reach Davey’s shore..
I have posted this review under Fiction – you might also consider it as a mystery novel but for me it was all about the beautiful characters and flowing almost poetic prose – sometimes its hard to put a book into a single genre. Cassandra Parkin has created some wonderfully witty and heartfelt folk here – I loved each and every one of them from the hilariously honest Priss (my favourite) down to the less than likeable but still intriguing Evie. As you follow events both in the past and the present, you will get inexorably caught up in their world…a world as harsh as it is breathtaking. The house is almost a character in itself – there is a definite atmosphere about it and you know it is hiding secrets…but what those secrets are it refuses to tell.
The story unfolds over both the time periods in a charmingly delightful manner – it is gentle yet fascinating. You care less about what they may be hiding from than you do for the people themselves and what they might do next. The Summer We All Ran Away is the closest I’ve come expressively speaking to Agatha Christie – you feel like you are reading an age old tale yet in a modern setting. Of all the wonderful books I have read lately this is the one that has made me feel true nostalgia for those early days of my reading life – when wide eyed I would emerge from a story and suddenly realise it wasnt real. But it feels real when you are in it…doesnt it?
Happy Reading Folks!
September 9, 2013
You know that feeling when you're just drawn to something, when you feel like you cannot continue existing without this object? Yeah. That was me when I saw the cover of The Summer We All Ran Away. I'm shallow, and I judge books by their covers. And this one.. oh my. I went all grabby-hands on it.
The point is, however, that unlike most other times when this has happened to me, the content wrapped in this cover turned out to match it in quality. We've got a talented author on our hands here. We really do.
The story itself is simple enough, but it gets slightly complex, and eventually it will require quite a lot of focus (or, you know, actual note-taking) to keep up; it jumps between past and present, and various characters and their stories are intricately woven into each other. Each character is well-developed and somehow, they're entirely over the top in the best sense of the word. Especially Priss, who is annoying and sweet and all-round teenager-y at all times, and yet it is difficult not to adore her.
We are, naturally, given the nature of the story, told about the backgrounds of the characters, and this is where we find the only downside I can point out: Parts of that of Priss is told in some MSN-chat-slang. Had I been older, I would have despaired and given up on it. It is too bad, really, because a lot of important details that are almost required to understand in order to make sense of the parts written in regular English are hidden in these MSN-conversations, and it is really too bad if you miss out on anything because of this.
Overall, The Summer We All Ran Away is delightful, intriguing, fascinating and absolutely wonderful, and I cannot express how much I encourage everybody to read it. If not for anything else, then for the wonderful characters.
The point is, however, that unlike most other times when this has happened to me, the content wrapped in this cover turned out to match it in quality. We've got a talented author on our hands here. We really do.
The story itself is simple enough, but it gets slightly complex, and eventually it will require quite a lot of focus (or, you know, actual note-taking) to keep up; it jumps between past and present, and various characters and their stories are intricately woven into each other. Each character is well-developed and somehow, they're entirely over the top in the best sense of the word. Especially Priss, who is annoying and sweet and all-round teenager-y at all times, and yet it is difficult not to adore her.
We are, naturally, given the nature of the story, told about the backgrounds of the characters, and this is where we find the only downside I can point out: Parts of that of Priss is told in some MSN-chat-slang. Had I been older, I would have despaired and given up on it. It is too bad, really, because a lot of important details that are almost required to understand in order to make sense of the parts written in regular English are hidden in these MSN-conversations, and it is really too bad if you miss out on anything because of this.
Overall, The Summer We All Ran Away is delightful, intriguing, fascinating and absolutely wonderful, and I cannot express how much I encourage everybody to read it. If not for anything else, then for the wonderful characters.
September 17, 2019
One of my favourite novels by Cassandra Parkin. My heart went out to nineteen year old Davey who sits on the steps of Trafalgar Square with crust of blood at his hairline and drunk from drinking a bottle of vodka. He was going to Cornwall to visit his aunt, so he says. But Davey finds himself not in his aunts house but in a house full of strangers. This is the beginning of the story, and a house full of strangers and secrets. I couldn't put this book down.
October 16, 2019
What a cathartic read! This was one of those novels that made me feel whole, warm and understood <3
June 26, 2021
3.5 but only because the ending left too many questions. It was well written and a fascinating story of how so many people connected across years and generations, but the ending was so rushed. It left too much unsaid and not in that "Readers can make up their own minds" way. A decent read all the same, though.
August 1, 2013
I really liked the sound of this book, so I was thrilled when I was approved to read it. It didn’t take me long to get stuck into the story. Cassandra Parkin has a very appealing writing style.
The story is told through ‘then’ and ‘now’ which really works for me. It was a risk to take. I think you have to be very engaged in the story to keep track of what it is going on. Luckily for me, I found it incredibly easy to be completely gripped by the story. I think Cassandra has done a fantastic job throughout the story combining the past and the present.
The characters are interesting and complex. I particularly liked Davey and Priss. I liked how the reader was told the back story of the characters. I found Davey’s particularly heart-breaking and well developed. I felt like he was the most complete character. I cared for him a lot.
If I had to pick something that I didn’t like about the story, it would be the slang of the MSN conversations when learning about Priss’ back story. This is only a slight niggle, because I think the conversations were very true to the character of Priss. It worked, but for me, they made it very hard to read. I had to really concentrate on the slang to understand what they were saying.
Overall, I found The Summer We All Ran Away to be a promising, intriguing read. I’ll certainly be looking out for more from Cassandra Parkin.
For this and more reviews check out my blog here
The story is told through ‘then’ and ‘now’ which really works for me. It was a risk to take. I think you have to be very engaged in the story to keep track of what it is going on. Luckily for me, I found it incredibly easy to be completely gripped by the story. I think Cassandra has done a fantastic job throughout the story combining the past and the present.
The characters are interesting and complex. I particularly liked Davey and Priss. I liked how the reader was told the back story of the characters. I found Davey’s particularly heart-breaking and well developed. I felt like he was the most complete character. I cared for him a lot.
If I had to pick something that I didn’t like about the story, it would be the slang of the MSN conversations when learning about Priss’ back story. This is only a slight niggle, because I think the conversations were very true to the character of Priss. It worked, but for me, they made it very hard to read. I had to really concentrate on the slang to understand what they were saying.
Overall, I found The Summer We All Ran Away to be a promising, intriguing read. I’ll certainly be looking out for more from Cassandra Parkin.
For this and more reviews check out my blog here
March 14, 2023
This book has taken me on such a journey! I feel like I’ve lived all of the 7 main characters lifetimes whilst reading this - it was absolutely incredible! We follow a mysterious and mismatched group of people during the past and present in The Summer We All Ran Away. All of whom end up connected to a beautiful mansion in the West Country owned by famous but damaged musician Jack Laker. We learn about each character, their lives, decisions and circumstances which have led them to where they are now.
The character development and descriptions in this book were exquisite. Each character was relatable, loveable and believable (except a certain one who definitely wasn’t loveable). Priss and Davey had so much depth to their stories and I loved the friendship and chemistry between them in this book. Everything just flowed so well, it was such a joy to read!
The way the author linked the different characters together and entwined their stories was so beautifully and magically done. Each chapter and new revelation was so fascinating and I couldn’t wait to read on and uncover the secrets that this beautiful house held.
There are huge trigger warnings for abuse and addiction in this book but I feel like both of these topics were portrayed honestly and respectfully.
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop talking about this book, it was beautiful - 5 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to Legend Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The character development and descriptions in this book were exquisite. Each character was relatable, loveable and believable (except a certain one who definitely wasn’t loveable). Priss and Davey had so much depth to their stories and I loved the friendship and chemistry between them in this book. Everything just flowed so well, it was such a joy to read!
The way the author linked the different characters together and entwined their stories was so beautifully and magically done. Each chapter and new revelation was so fascinating and I couldn’t wait to read on and uncover the secrets that this beautiful house held.
There are huge trigger warnings for abuse and addiction in this book but I feel like both of these topics were portrayed honestly and respectfully.
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop talking about this book, it was beautiful - 5 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to Legend Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2016
I had already read Cassandra Parkin's second novel 'The Beach Hut' before I read this, her first, and I hoped I would enjoy this one as much. I wasn't disappointed. I love the way the different characters' stories each begin on separate paths and eventually intertwine, in the same way as the past and the present both seem to be alive in the house at the same time. The characters are superb: heartbreaking Priss, abused Davey, calm Kate, with a hint of potential violence below her surface. Mutely eloquent Isaac drifts between the two separate decades in which the story is set, and is the key to its telling, and Tom, who might or might not have escaped from prison, and might or might not be a murderer. Kate makes a family of them all. The house and the setting are in themselves equal characters to the human ones. The house has two faces, as has the story. I absolutely love the ending, and would love to think of the people in the house continuing to live together in their makeshift family for a while longer after the house's owner returns from his 30-year absence.
December 31, 2014
Ugh! Fucking ridiculous! It's hard to go into it without giving things away but I found the culmination of the various plot lines to be terribly clumsy and incongruous. Besides that, the whole book read like some kind of YA/Romance/Mystery debacle, but I was playing along until the wretched excuse for an ending. This book just completely rubbed me the wrong way.
May 4, 2015
First of all I’d like to thank NetGalley and Legend Press for allowing me to read a copy of this intriguing debut novel. I have to admit I was initially drawn to this book by the simple yet absolutely beautiful and very effective cover art and a synopsis which sounded anything but dull. Unfortunately I appear to be in the minority group of readers that didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I was going to. It starts brilliantly enough, when a runaway called Davey is saved from the streets by Tom and Kate who along with sixteen year old Priss are living in a beautiful old house. At first, Davey assumes the same as the reader, that is that Tom and Kate are the owners of the house but it turns out that not only are they not a couple but they are all squatting in a house abandoned in mysterious circumstances.
As the story continues, we learn a lot more about the houses’ previous inhabitants, in particular those of thirty years ago where a rock star called Jack Laker, burnt out at the height of his fame is planning an almighty come-back. His back story sees him neglecting one girl who saves his life and falling head over heels in love with another girl called Matilda (who appears to have a few secrets of her own) and looking after a black panther who he keeps caged in the garden. Yes, I know. It’s a bit strange. However, Jack cannot maintain a rock star lifestyle without there being consequences and with the arrival of the mute and mysterious artist Isaac, emotions become heightened, dangerous and overwhelming with drastic results for those involved.
The story flips between the past (Jack’s story) and the story of the inhabitants at the present time. Even the house becomes a character in its own right – oh the things it must have witnesssed! They all have their own back story, some traumatic, some practically unbelievable. Not everyone is what they seem. And of course there is a link between the two stories which adds a nice little twist to the proceedings. I had already guessed it which was a bit of a shame as I like to be surprised (or proved wrong!) but I enjoyed the way the author pulled the two strands together. In general, I did like this book and as a debut it’s incredibly promising but for some reason I didn’t really connect with any of the characters so never felt fully invested in the story. There is some great writing here though and huge potential for the future so I look forward to reading more from Cassandra Parkin.
Please see my full review on my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
As the story continues, we learn a lot more about the houses’ previous inhabitants, in particular those of thirty years ago where a rock star called Jack Laker, burnt out at the height of his fame is planning an almighty come-back. His back story sees him neglecting one girl who saves his life and falling head over heels in love with another girl called Matilda (who appears to have a few secrets of her own) and looking after a black panther who he keeps caged in the garden. Yes, I know. It’s a bit strange. However, Jack cannot maintain a rock star lifestyle without there being consequences and with the arrival of the mute and mysterious artist Isaac, emotions become heightened, dangerous and overwhelming with drastic results for those involved.
The story flips between the past (Jack’s story) and the story of the inhabitants at the present time. Even the house becomes a character in its own right – oh the things it must have witnesssed! They all have their own back story, some traumatic, some practically unbelievable. Not everyone is what they seem. And of course there is a link between the two stories which adds a nice little twist to the proceedings. I had already guessed it which was a bit of a shame as I like to be surprised (or proved wrong!) but I enjoyed the way the author pulled the two strands together. In general, I did like this book and as a debut it’s incredibly promising but for some reason I didn’t really connect with any of the characters so never felt fully invested in the story. There is some great writing here though and huge potential for the future so I look forward to reading more from Cassandra Parkin.
Please see my full review on my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
August 23, 2015
I bought this on Kindle some time ago. I think it was either free or very cheap. Choosing to read it as my flight began I had no recollection of what the book was supposed to be about.
It was an interesting storyline - though being British, calling something interesting isn't necessarily a good thing. I think the best I can say about this book is that it did keep me reading till the end, and it did pass the hours of the flight. Not especially memorable but certainly not terrible.
It was an interesting storyline - though being British, calling something interesting isn't necessarily a good thing. I think the best I can say about this book is that it did keep me reading till the end, and it did pass the hours of the flight. Not especially memorable but certainly not terrible.
December 31, 2022
POPSUGAR 2022 Reading Challenge: A book about a band or a musical group.
A mystery with two timelines, the story opens with Davey, a teenager who appears to have run away from home with no real plan other than to get away. He ends up on the doorstep of a big house in the middle of nowhere in Cornwall, which we soon learn used to belong to a famous musician. Curiously the house appears to be home to several other runaways who are squatting, in a very civilised manner, and welcome Davey with no questions asked.
Davey and Priss, another teenager, are curious about the adults (Tom and Kate), why they have taken them in and what the deal is with the huge, only half renovated, and clearly abandoned yet still running, house. As the reader, we are also curious as to where the owner of the house is now, as the chapters flip between "then" at the height of Jack Laker's career from 30 years before and "now" as this motley crew of runaway squatters find out more about the house and each other.
The mystery was fairly clever, some use of an unreliable narrator adding to the twists and turns. How the past and present timelines sometimes gently skirted around each other and at others were key parts of the plot was nicely done.
My only real complaint was the character of Priss. She was supposed to be a bit annoying, a very cocky teenager, but at times it came off like the author trying too hard to make her annoying, which annoyed me as a reader as opposed to being annoyed on behalf of the other characters. I would also have liked to learn a little bit more about the culmination of the experiences that caused her to run away from her life, I felt it ended a bit abruptly before we properly understood the motivations of the other main character from her past. Hard to say more without spoilers!
This isn't my usual kind of read and I honestly can't recall why I bought it as none of my Goodreads friends have shelved or rated it. But I enjoyed this group of broken people trying to pick up their pieces together and a clever bit of mystery mixed in.
A mystery with two timelines, the story opens with Davey, a teenager who appears to have run away from home with no real plan other than to get away. He ends up on the doorstep of a big house in the middle of nowhere in Cornwall, which we soon learn used to belong to a famous musician. Curiously the house appears to be home to several other runaways who are squatting, in a very civilised manner, and welcome Davey with no questions asked.
Davey and Priss, another teenager, are curious about the adults (Tom and Kate), why they have taken them in and what the deal is with the huge, only half renovated, and clearly abandoned yet still running, house. As the reader, we are also curious as to where the owner of the house is now, as the chapters flip between "then" at the height of Jack Laker's career from 30 years before and "now" as this motley crew of runaway squatters find out more about the house and each other.
The mystery was fairly clever, some use of an unreliable narrator adding to the twists and turns. How the past and present timelines sometimes gently skirted around each other and at others were key parts of the plot was nicely done.
My only real complaint was the character of Priss. She was supposed to be a bit annoying, a very cocky teenager, but at times it came off like the author trying too hard to make her annoying, which annoyed me as a reader as opposed to being annoyed on behalf of the other characters. I would also have liked to learn a little bit more about the culmination of the experiences that caused her to run away from her life, I felt it ended a bit abruptly before we properly understood the motivations of the other main character from her past. Hard to say more without spoilers!
This isn't my usual kind of read and I honestly can't recall why I bought it as none of my Goodreads friends have shelved or rated it. But I enjoyed this group of broken people trying to pick up their pieces together and a clever bit of mystery mixed in.
May 26, 2021
Sometimes you buy a book from a charity store, and it turns out to be a good book....and then the last page is inexplicably missing.
September 11, 2013
A fantastic debut novel by Cassandra Parkin, her first but hopefully not her last.
The story has chapters from Now and chapters from Then. In 'Now' we meet Davey, badly beaten and clearly at the end of his tether; not knowing where to turn he makes his way drunk and randomly to Cornwall; guided by a light across the water he makes his way to a house where he collapses on the doorstep to be taken in by an odd bunch of people who offer him a place to stay, no questions asked as long as he returns the no question favour.
Sixteen year old Priss is one of the residents of the house; feisty and curious she and Davey investigate the strange house, part of which is shut off. Convinced that at least one of the other residents is a murderer, Priss is determined to unravel the mystery of the older residents Kate, Tom and Isaac.
'Then' starts off with the story of Jack Laker, a musician and recovering addict but as the novel progresses 'Then' becomes everyone's story and we find out why everyone has ended up at this big house in the middle of nowhere and what has drawn them there as their secrets become known...and why there is a panther on the loose!
I found this a very easy story to become involved and interested in. The characters were intriguing without being fantastical and I found I wanted to read on to find out more about them and their stories. Whilst Tom's story was surprising, both Davey's and Priss' stories and characters were especially compelling and I had a lot of empathy with them.
The Now and Then of the telling works well and ties both past and present nicely together. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't find out what happened after the secrets were out; I felt there were loose ends that maybe could have been tied up a little better to allow for a proper new beginning for all the characters as I did feel most readers would want to know how all the stories ended and know that they could begin again.
All in all though I did enjoy it and found the writing very good and very thoughtful, you could certainly get into the mindset of Tom, Priss and Davey. I'd definitely look out for another novel by Cassandra.
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to review this book.
The story has chapters from Now and chapters from Then. In 'Now' we meet Davey, badly beaten and clearly at the end of his tether; not knowing where to turn he makes his way drunk and randomly to Cornwall; guided by a light across the water he makes his way to a house where he collapses on the doorstep to be taken in by an odd bunch of people who offer him a place to stay, no questions asked as long as he returns the no question favour.
Sixteen year old Priss is one of the residents of the house; feisty and curious she and Davey investigate the strange house, part of which is shut off. Convinced that at least one of the other residents is a murderer, Priss is determined to unravel the mystery of the older residents Kate, Tom and Isaac.
'Then' starts off with the story of Jack Laker, a musician and recovering addict but as the novel progresses 'Then' becomes everyone's story and we find out why everyone has ended up at this big house in the middle of nowhere and what has drawn them there as their secrets become known...and why there is a panther on the loose!
I found this a very easy story to become involved and interested in. The characters were intriguing without being fantastical and I found I wanted to read on to find out more about them and their stories. Whilst Tom's story was surprising, both Davey's and Priss' stories and characters were especially compelling and I had a lot of empathy with them.
The Now and Then of the telling works well and ties both past and present nicely together. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't find out what happened after the secrets were out; I felt there were loose ends that maybe could have been tied up a little better to allow for a proper new beginning for all the characters as I did feel most readers would want to know how all the stories ended and know that they could begin again.
All in all though I did enjoy it and found the writing very good and very thoughtful, you could certainly get into the mindset of Tom, Priss and Davey. I'd definitely look out for another novel by Cassandra.
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to review this book.
October 7, 2013
4.5 Stars
This is a story about Davey, who ran away from an abusive family. Tom, who ran away from a life he could not repair. Kate, who was drawn away from what she had. And Priss, who is doing a whole bunch of running and pushing. They all come together in a huge, half-constructed house in the middle of nowhere and make a curious kind of living.
This book is really beautiful. The writing just made all the characters come alive. I really liked everybody, even the ones that didn't give you much to like. I'm a sucker for books where several narratives come together, so a story where broken people slowly untangle their secrets and join their lives together, in one way or another, is a really delicious treat for me. A sad delicious treat. I savored the book. Thank you for that.
I wasn't sure about the twist where it turns out that , but Priss's reaction to it really brought it together and I was able to go along with it. Well done! The book was really ready to lose some stars for me, but Cassandra Parkin had control the whole time and pulled it off, without the foundation that I was convinced was necessary.
I really liked the pacing of the book up until the end, where it felt a little jumbled. I don't mind that several things were unresolved, I like a little mystery to be left to think about. It makes me feel extra affectionate towards a book. But the revelations came too quickly and too close together and I didn't have the time to breathe and digest them. It would have been fine in a page-turner thriller, but not in a relatively slow-paced, thoughtful book like this one. I wanted to savor it even more at the end, like the chocolate tip in an ice cream cone. I guess I shouldn't be so hungry next time I read a good book. Definitely coming back for more from this author.
-I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review-
This is a story about Davey, who ran away from an abusive family. Tom, who ran away from a life he could not repair. Kate, who was drawn away from what she had. And Priss, who is doing a whole bunch of running and pushing. They all come together in a huge, half-constructed house in the middle of nowhere and make a curious kind of living.
This book is really beautiful. The writing just made all the characters come alive. I really liked everybody, even the ones that didn't give you much to like. I'm a sucker for books where several narratives come together, so a story where broken people slowly untangle their secrets and join their lives together, in one way or another, is a really delicious treat for me. A sad delicious treat. I savored the book. Thank you for that.
I wasn't sure about the twist where it turns out that , but Priss's reaction to it really brought it together and I was able to go along with it. Well done! The book was really ready to lose some stars for me, but Cassandra Parkin had control the whole time and pulled it off, without the foundation that I was convinced was necessary.
I really liked the pacing of the book up until the end, where it felt a little jumbled. I don't mind that several things were unresolved, I like a little mystery to be left to think about. It makes me feel extra affectionate towards a book. But the revelations came too quickly and too close together and I didn't have the time to breathe and digest them. It would have been fine in a page-turner thriller, but not in a relatively slow-paced, thoughtful book like this one. I wanted to savor it even more at the end, like the chocolate tip in an ice cream cone. I guess I shouldn't be so hungry next time I read a good book. Definitely coming back for more from this author.
-I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review-
August 13, 2013
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from Net Galley, and I'm so glad that I did because I really enjoyed it.
It is written in the past and present, switching between the two in alternate chapters, and normally I don't like this, but I felt that it really worked in this book.
The story focuses around an old derelict house in which four people are living who have run away. They all have different stories to tell about why they ended up in the old house, and the house itself tells a story as well.
I thought that the characters were very likeable and I warmed to them all. There was not one character who I disliked in any way. The past linked to the present very well and there were lots that kept me reading, in order to find out who was who and what the answers were to the many questions that were going through my head throughout the book. I thought I had figured it out, but as always, there was a nice twist at the end, which left me feeling happy and contented.
It was quite an easy book to read, there was nothing complicated or boring about it. Sometimes when a story flits between past and present, things can get confusing, but I didn't find this with this book.
I will certainly be recommending this - it's a great summer read and will also brighten a dull winters evening. In fact, I think maybe reading it when there is a storm outside will give a better atmosphere as it will bring the empty house and it's ghosts to life. I certainly think that this book should be a must read for anyone!
It is written in the past and present, switching between the two in alternate chapters, and normally I don't like this, but I felt that it really worked in this book.
The story focuses around an old derelict house in which four people are living who have run away. They all have different stories to tell about why they ended up in the old house, and the house itself tells a story as well.
I thought that the characters were very likeable and I warmed to them all. There was not one character who I disliked in any way. The past linked to the present very well and there were lots that kept me reading, in order to find out who was who and what the answers were to the many questions that were going through my head throughout the book. I thought I had figured it out, but as always, there was a nice twist at the end, which left me feeling happy and contented.
It was quite an easy book to read, there was nothing complicated or boring about it. Sometimes when a story flits between past and present, things can get confusing, but I didn't find this with this book.
I will certainly be recommending this - it's a great summer read and will also brighten a dull winters evening. In fact, I think maybe reading it when there is a storm outside will give a better atmosphere as it will bring the empty house and it's ghosts to life. I certainly think that this book should be a must read for anyone!
July 18, 2013
*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley*
It was amazing throughout the story how the past and present go together so well without giving everything away. I was hooked from the beginning! Each of the characters were deeply interesting and complex. The mystery of who they all were and what exactly happened kept me guessing.
My favorite character was Davey. At first, I didn't really care for him. Learning his past as well as seeing his current actions made me start to like him. I feel like the was the most complete person and I was satisfied with his story.
The only part I didn't enjoy was the backstory of Priss. Mostly because I had an incredibly hard time reading the slang of her various IM conversations. It made me skim through those parts, and I feel like I missed something.
Overall, this book was intriguing and very easy to read. I recommend it to anyone!
It was amazing throughout the story how the past and present go together so well without giving everything away. I was hooked from the beginning! Each of the characters were deeply interesting and complex. The mystery of who they all were and what exactly happened kept me guessing.
My favorite character was Davey. At first, I didn't really care for him. Learning his past as well as seeing his current actions made me start to like him. I feel like the was the most complete person and I was satisfied with his story.
The only part I didn't enjoy was the backstory of Priss. Mostly because I had an incredibly hard time reading the slang of her various IM conversations. It made me skim through those parts, and I feel like I missed something.
Overall, this book was intriguing and very easy to read. I recommend it to anyone!
July 23, 2015
I was haunted from beginning to end - still am. The title suggests escape and I did, every time I opened a page bookmarked by whatever discarded scrap was to hand. I loved how past and present merged, how issues that test us, destroy us, save us, are the same no matter what era we belong to. Davey captivated me the most, perhaps because we begin with him, perhaps because his history of abuse resonated so much or perhaps simply because he's so beautifully written. I was also intrigued by Jack Laker and the doomed relationships surrounding him. I don't want to give much more away - there are twists, revelations, but they're not those sometimes thoughtless ones that a writer appears to have added when they run out of ideas... they're perfect, adding depth to the characters and situations. This is definitely a recommended read, not just for summer, for any season.
November 6, 2016
I really enjoyed this. Another book I never would have known about and therefore never read if not for the review of Karen
I suggest you read her review - she's much better at this than I....
A terrific story of folks who were on the way 'down', but have found a new road on the way up. From the 'before' folks living in the house to the 'now' folks who have moved in there, each has a story to tell, a hope for a better life, the ability to reach out for and to receive the kindness of others.
No murder, mayhem, nor sex, just folks trying to get along and figure out what it is about each other and the 'house' that draws them together.
We need more human stories like this. Memories of the cast of characters and what life is all about will follow you.
I suggest you read her review - she's much better at this than I....
A terrific story of folks who were on the way 'down', but have found a new road on the way up. From the 'before' folks living in the house to the 'now' folks who have moved in there, each has a story to tell, a hope for a better life, the ability to reach out for and to receive the kindness of others.
No murder, mayhem, nor sex, just folks trying to get along and figure out what it is about each other and the 'house' that draws them together.
We need more human stories like this. Memories of the cast of characters and what life is all about will follow you.
April 17, 2020
A beautiful, intricately, expressively told story of many different characters interacting in very real ways. It's a love story, with a heavy dose of fine art and songwriting in it, and a thread of mystery running through it.
It's written effortlessly and absolutely draws you in from the first page to the last.
It's written effortlessly and absolutely draws you in from the first page to the last.
December 5, 2025
This felt like those young adult books I first discovered when I was about eleven. There was a tiny section of them in my local library, just two spinning racks. This was before the genre exploded into what it is today. I felt so grown up reading those books. Most of the ones I checked out were about teens with issues - drugs, mental health, first loves, family life. Somewhat gritty, compelling, sprinkled with kissing and sex, written in the 90’s, some earlier. I felt almost as if I was doing something wrong browsing those books, reading things that were beyond my age group.
The Summer We All Ran Away would have fit nicely on those racks. The story is about several characters, opening with Davey, a nineteen-year-old boy who has run away from an abusive home, and Priss, sixteen, who has also left her home. They meet others, Kate and Tom, adults, who take them into a grand home that is falling apart, that doesn’t belong to them. Intertwined is also a story of a famous musician, Jack, and his girlfriend Mathilda, that takes place in the past, when the house was alive and not derelict. We learn about them and their sad or tragic stories.
I really enjoyed about 40% of the book. Really enjoyed some of the characters, especially Davey. Most of them felt alive, their stories were relatable and compelling, and I kept on reading because I wanted to know how they got to this house, why, and what secrets they hid from each other. At about 70% or 75%, just when things begin to get tied up and explained, I think Parkin starts to flounder or lose steam or interest in writing. She has been building and building up to something and then it all… sort of fizzles out. Character motivations and/or questions aren’t made clear. Aspects of the plot aren’t resolved well. There are plot holes and questionable choices. The ending is really lackluster, borderline cheesy. The murder mystery plot is a nothing-burger. There are things about the characters that I really wanted an answer to that we aren’t given. Their stories just abruptly end.
I think this would have been an easy 4-star book for me if it wasn’t for the last third. I enjoyed the journey up until that, and I’m disappointed that it didn’t finish at that high.
Also, one of the things that bothered me so much (though I don’t hold it against the book because I don’t think it’s super important) is when the book takes place. Maybe I missed the details that would date it, but I just couldn’t figure it out. At first I thought the past story of Jack the musician was set in 1978 and the “present” was set in the late 90s, but I was wrong because at some point Priss is using MSN Messenger which came out in the early 2000’s, and another character mentions cell phones. Based on some other math and clues I figured, okay, maybe the past portion is set in the early 90’s and the present is around the time the book was written in 2013? I don’t know. I found it frustrating to not be able to have a timeframe to ground the narrative in. I was literally doing math on the pages, trying to figure it out.
The Summer We All Ran Away would have fit nicely on those racks. The story is about several characters, opening with Davey, a nineteen-year-old boy who has run away from an abusive home, and Priss, sixteen, who has also left her home. They meet others, Kate and Tom, adults, who take them into a grand home that is falling apart, that doesn’t belong to them. Intertwined is also a story of a famous musician, Jack, and his girlfriend Mathilda, that takes place in the past, when the house was alive and not derelict. We learn about them and their sad or tragic stories.
I really enjoyed about 40% of the book. Really enjoyed some of the characters, especially Davey. Most of them felt alive, their stories were relatable and compelling, and I kept on reading because I wanted to know how they got to this house, why, and what secrets they hid from each other. At about 70% or 75%, just when things begin to get tied up and explained, I think Parkin starts to flounder or lose steam or interest in writing. She has been building and building up to something and then it all… sort of fizzles out. Character motivations and/or questions aren’t made clear. Aspects of the plot aren’t resolved well. There are plot holes and questionable choices. The ending is really lackluster, borderline cheesy. The murder mystery plot is a nothing-burger. There are things about the characters that I really wanted an answer to that we aren’t given. Their stories just abruptly end.
I think this would have been an easy 4-star book for me if it wasn’t for the last third. I enjoyed the journey up until that, and I’m disappointed that it didn’t finish at that high.
Also, one of the things that bothered me so much (though I don’t hold it against the book because I don’t think it’s super important) is when the book takes place. Maybe I missed the details that would date it, but I just couldn’t figure it out. At first I thought the past story of Jack the musician was set in 1978 and the “present” was set in the late 90s, but I was wrong because at some point Priss is using MSN Messenger which came out in the early 2000’s, and another character mentions cell phones. Based on some other math and clues I figured, okay, maybe the past portion is set in the early 90’s and the present is around the time the book was written in 2013? I don’t know. I found it frustrating to not be able to have a timeframe to ground the narrative in. I was literally doing math on the pages, trying to figure it out.
August 1, 2023
✨Book Review✨
The Summer We All Ran Away - Cassandra Parkin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When characters begin to feel like your long lost family and friends that’s when you know you’ve just read a treasure!
When Davey finds himself drunk, beaten and alone, he is rescued by a mismatched group living in an abandoned house in the middle of the country. Living together with a group of people, their past lives begin to unfold and the owner’s harrowing story is told.
The story is told on a duel timeline with a “then” and “now” approach and was beautifully done. Both storylines gripped me. The timelines are interwoven and it all comes together brilliantly in a final jaw-dropping moment. Each character is fully developed with their own dialogue style, backstory and personality. I particularly loved Priss’ harsh yet soft on the inside character! Each character had a complex storyline which made for a brilliant and diverse read.
My only niggle with this book was Priss’ backstory and the use of MSN chat-style to tell it. I quite like the idea of the social media element however the MSN song took some decoding to understand! I think it took me about 5 pages to decipher “YY” meaning “yes” and not “why”. Her backstory was such a beautiful window into her personality and could have been delivered in a better way that didn’t confuse its readers.
Overall, I devoured the pages of this book. I fell in love with the cast of characters and enjoyed the story of several lost souls coming together and creating a bond. It really did highlight the good in people and was a refreshing, yet mysterious, read!
The Summer We All Ran Away - Cassandra Parkin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When characters begin to feel like your long lost family and friends that’s when you know you’ve just read a treasure!
When Davey finds himself drunk, beaten and alone, he is rescued by a mismatched group living in an abandoned house in the middle of the country. Living together with a group of people, their past lives begin to unfold and the owner’s harrowing story is told.
The story is told on a duel timeline with a “then” and “now” approach and was beautifully done. Both storylines gripped me. The timelines are interwoven and it all comes together brilliantly in a final jaw-dropping moment. Each character is fully developed with their own dialogue style, backstory and personality. I particularly loved Priss’ harsh yet soft on the inside character! Each character had a complex storyline which made for a brilliant and diverse read.
My only niggle with this book was Priss’ backstory and the use of MSN chat-style to tell it. I quite like the idea of the social media element however the MSN song took some decoding to understand! I think it took me about 5 pages to decipher “YY” meaning “yes” and not “why”. Her backstory was such a beautiful window into her personality and could have been delivered in a better way that didn’t confuse its readers.
Overall, I devoured the pages of this book. I fell in love with the cast of characters and enjoyed the story of several lost souls coming together and creating a bond. It really did highlight the good in people and was a refreshing, yet mysterious, read!
May 23, 2022
This book is a fascinating story of the interwoven lives of several people across different timelines. The book is told in the ‘then’ and the ‘now’ with two main storylines as well as several related chapters that provide background information on the characters but are not either primary storyline.
The characters in this book are well written and I genuinely grew to care for their fates. Davey’s story and development was by far the one I was most interested in and touched by but each of the characters had stories that were in some way relatable or made you sympathise with the characters.
For me, the major downfall of this book was the ending. First of all, it felt that half of the story was crammed into the last quarter rather than being given its own time in the book, which was a shame considering I felt it was the best part. It gave some parts of the story a rushed feel and meant that it felt like details had been skipped over. Second of all, it was, for the most part, very predictable once it came to the final conclusion. I liked how well the mystery seemed to last for about the first two thirds but after that point I had correctly guessed almost everything that was revealed in the final pages which was somewhat frustrating.
Overall, I’d still recommend the book. It is good and an enjoyable read as a whole.
The characters in this book are well written and I genuinely grew to care for their fates. Davey’s story and development was by far the one I was most interested in and touched by but each of the characters had stories that were in some way relatable or made you sympathise with the characters.
For me, the major downfall of this book was the ending. First of all, it felt that half of the story was crammed into the last quarter rather than being given its own time in the book, which was a shame considering I felt it was the best part. It gave some parts of the story a rushed feel and meant that it felt like details had been skipped over. Second of all, it was, for the most part, very predictable once it came to the final conclusion. I liked how well the mystery seemed to last for about the first two thirds but after that point I had correctly guessed almost everything that was revealed in the final pages which was somewhat frustrating.
Overall, I’d still recommend the book. It is good and an enjoyable read as a whole.
March 30, 2019
This is the third book by Cassandra Parkin I've read. When I bought it, I had no idea it was her debut. (I'm a big fan of Parkin's work & ought to have been paying more attention frankly.) Once I did realise, what struck me was how assured the writing was & how it foreshadowed what an even more talented storyteller she was destined to become.
The Summer We All Ran Away is a tangled tale of passions run ragged; of familial violence, fear, deceit, tragedy & love. Several disparate lives collide in a perfectly imagine, partly deserted Gothic house harbouring a myriad secrets. The people who migrate there crash & merge in a tale unfolding in two smooth timelines. It’s an original & cleverly plotted story with a diverse cast of fascinating characters. A doomed rock star, two young women swept up in his destructive life-style & years later, crazy, fabulous teenager Priss & sweet beaten Davey. I fell in love with these two. She’s both feisty, funny & fragile & the relationship between her & Davey is the most absorbing, poignant one for me.
In spite of having a tragedy at it's core, the story has some wonderfully light moments laced with a neat humour. It’s a thoughtful, well-written book & I can’t recommend it highly enough.
The Summer We All Ran Away is a tangled tale of passions run ragged; of familial violence, fear, deceit, tragedy & love. Several disparate lives collide in a perfectly imagine, partly deserted Gothic house harbouring a myriad secrets. The people who migrate there crash & merge in a tale unfolding in two smooth timelines. It’s an original & cleverly plotted story with a diverse cast of fascinating characters. A doomed rock star, two young women swept up in his destructive life-style & years later, crazy, fabulous teenager Priss & sweet beaten Davey. I fell in love with these two. She’s both feisty, funny & fragile & the relationship between her & Davey is the most absorbing, poignant one for me.
In spite of having a tragedy at it's core, the story has some wonderfully light moments laced with a neat humour. It’s a thoughtful, well-written book & I can’t recommend it highly enough.
August 14, 2021
I found this book tucked away behind others on a book stand in a little convenience store whilst on holiday.
It's striking cover drew me in and I bought it. Noticing I recognised the authors name, a quick check revealed I had indeed read Cassandra Parkin's The Beach Hut and had throughly enjoyed it.
This was a wonderful, mysterious story- written "then" and "now". It read like puzzle pieces coming together and the end picture was wonderfully satisfying to the reader.
It tales the story of several characters and yheir connection to the place the find themselves in. It explores individual journeys and their healing.
I loved the individuality, voice and story of the characters; and enjoyed that I was kept guessing up until the end.
It's striking cover drew me in and I bought it. Noticing I recognised the authors name, a quick check revealed I had indeed read Cassandra Parkin's The Beach Hut and had throughly enjoyed it.
This was a wonderful, mysterious story- written "then" and "now". It read like puzzle pieces coming together and the end picture was wonderfully satisfying to the reader.
It tales the story of several characters and yheir connection to the place the find themselves in. It explores individual journeys and their healing.
I loved the individuality, voice and story of the characters; and enjoyed that I was kept guessing up until the end.
May 7, 2017
I loved this odd little book right up to the very last ten pages or so, when I felt it was rushed and somehow clumsy and at odds with the rest of it. The rest of it though makes me willing to forgive this. I've not heard of this author, know nothing about her, but I'd be willing to keep an eye out for further stories by her.
June 15, 2021
I'm not really one for fictions but I found myself picking up this book because I was intrigued by the characters. There are painfully haunting stories to each of the characters - Isaac, especially. It stimulates my mind into thinking about the things that we don't know about people that we don't know. It was a fairly good read.
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