Dreamhouse

by Kate Grenville

This novel is concerned with the mystery and menace underpinning everyday life, focusing on Louise and Rennie whose dreamhouse, a decaying Tuscan villa is, in reality, the stuff of nightmares. However, as the long, hot summer and the story progresses, Louise's life begins to ripen with new and unconventional possibilities. Kate Grenville is the author of a collection of short stories and the novel "Lillian's story".

Genres: Fiction, Novels, 20th Century

170 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 1987

About the author

Kate Grenville is one of Australia's best-known authors. She's published eight books of fiction and four books about the writing process. Her best-known works are the international best-seller The Secret River, The Idea of Perfection, The Lieutenant and Lilian's Story (details about all Kate Grenville's books are elsewhere on this site). Her novels have won many awards both in Australia and the UK, several have been made into major feature films, and all have been translated into European and Asian languages.

Reviews

[Troy Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Next to Lilian's Story and The Secret River, this is minor Grenville - but still an enjoyable read.

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Easily one of the most pointless books I have ever read.

[Laura JC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chose this book from the shelves where I was house-sitting, because it looked short enough to read while I was there. Odd book. Not my thing. I understand Grenville is a well-regarded Australian author. Maybe I should try another of her books.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreamhouse is the third novel by Australian author, Kate Grenville. Set in Tuscany, in the village of San Giorgio and later, Milan, the story is narrated by Louise Dufrey. Louise and her husband Reynold are in Tuscany on the invitation of a colleague of Rennie’s, Daniel, so that Rennie can complete his dissertation, “Malthus and the Doctrine of Necessary Catastrophe”. They are to stay at one of his villas, but, after a bizarre encounter with Daniel’s children, Hugo and Viola, find that the villa is little more than a crumbling heap. They are warned of Domenico, a seemingly demented old man living in the barn, who will bring them their daily bread. When Daniel turns up, they are invited to stay at the villa with him and his children, and, as events unfold, Louise begins to see their hosts in a different light. Grenville conveys the atmosphere of Tuscany with consummate ease, and the mood of the characters comes across extremely well. A compelling read.

[Jack Goodstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little longer than a novella, "Dreamhouse" starts with a sense of some impending disaster and keeps that sense going throughout, as at the end one has to wonder whether the narrator will do away with the husband she doesn't love or simply leave him. Really a tour de force for its creation of mood through suggestion.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dreamhouse by Kate Grenville is an interesting tale centring on the marriage of Louise and Reynold. Reynold needs to complete a dissertation and is offered a villa in Tuscany by his colleague Daniel. That is the hub of the book but what occurs is far more complex and involved.

You witness events through the eyes of Louise which is limiting but also illuminating. Louise is a woman in turmoil, in a marriage where she is not happy. Reynold is trying to be a woman’s man but there are hints that he is lying about the marriage. The children of Daniel, Hugo and Viola are dense with layers of ambiguity as to what their motives and agendas are. Then there is Daniel who is dark and manipulative.

What I really liked is that Grenville allows you the reader to muse over what is happening. What is the relationship between Hugo and Viola, did Daniel abuse his own daughter, is Reynold wholly committed to the marriage? There are hints along the way which lead you down a pathway.

The interactions, the power plays, the motivations are intriguing.

I liked the novel, I liked that we witness a slice of the married life between Louise and Reynold and how external influences come into play.

[VintageReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this one up after reading an excerpt from one of her new books in Australian Women's Weekly.
Very different from what I was expecting - I liked the descriptive writing, Kate Grenville's style of writing is very easy to read, and I couldn't put it down. I could picture the crumbling Tuscany setting, and the trapped isolation felt by the main character. But I felt there was a lot unsaid/undeveloped between the characters, and this made the ending feel a bit unsatisfactory. The characters were all.so interesting, and I wanted the book to be longer so we could see what they were really up to.
I'll try her other books, and see if they're equally enigmatic.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fairly dull and depressing, but also short and the pace didn't drag too badly. The narrative successfully created a clear sense of atmosphere, but it was an atmosphere of woefully limited joy and hope. The book ended with a definite sense of conclusion, which was good, even though I'm not quite sure how the character concerned quite got there from their original opinions.

[Brian Macri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not a book I recommend

I read some of her Australian historical fiction and loved every word. This, and others I have read of hers, are completely different. They have weak stories and characters. There are a few more by her that I was going to read but will not bother.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an intriguing & disturbing book. There was a lot of ambiguity about the relationships between Rennie, Louise, Daniel, Hugo and Viola. The marriage between Rennie & Louise seems on the surface to be civil, but it is clear that both are unsatisfied, and Louise in particular lashes out in passive aggressive ways against Rennie. The strange dynamic between them and their hosts (Daniel & his children, Hugo & Viola) alternates between stilted & awkward and oddly sexual. There appears to be an effort on the parts of Daniel, Hugo & Viola to keep Rennie & Louise in a constant state of agitation and sexual tension, and they are largely successful.

I'm not sure I "enjoyed" the book, but I found well written, compelling, and much different from anything else I've read. I will likely read more of her work.

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I found it quite raunchy for a book written in 1986.
Perhaps a little clunky, and even quite uncomfortable to read in the way it screamed "leave him" in places. But all in all I enjoyed it.

[Lewlew · Rating 4 out of 5]

highly unsettling

[Heather Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Grenville has a gift for story telling and building tension in an unusual and compelling way. Incisive, clear and edgy writing. I loved this book.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 words came to mind the whole way through "sticky" and "grubby". Pleased about the ending. Quite a strange book.

[Neens West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember reading this in a day when I was off work sick in Sydney.

Must re-read!