Reading with Style discussion

20.2 The House

Read a book where a dwelling-place (house, castle, cottage, villa, church, prison etc.) is a "character" in the sense that the story revolves around the dwelling, it's history or former inhabitants. For example, the dwelling itself has a history or importance that helps shape the story.

Please use this thread for questions or suggestions for task 20.2.

Would The Cardboard House by Martín Adán work?

or A House at the Edge of Tears by Vénus Khoury-Ghata which seems to be classified as both a novel and autobiography and poetry...odd.

Ed wrote: "Would The Cardboard House by Martín Adán work?"

Reading a few reviews, this sounds more as if it takes place in a resort area near Lima, and that the narrative (what there is) refers to this area and not to a specific hotel/house.

Will any of these work?

Asylum
This House is Haunted
Amber House

titles please - I don't do covers

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Will any of these work?

Asylum
This House is Haunted
Amber House"

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Will any of these work?

Asylum
This House is Haunted
Amber House""

Those look just like what we were thinking when we wrote the task. And thanks for the links, Jayme.

Cool, and they combo with 20.3 :) I had to hunt through my tbr list and compare it to the list.

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Cool, and they combo with 20.3 :) I had to hunt through my tbr list and compare it to the list."

Yes, when I looked at the covers, I thought they might. ;-)

The "Asylum" cover looks really creepy.

I think these work:
The Castle of Wolfenbach: A German Story
The House of the Seven Gables?

What about The Shining Girls:
"In Depression-era Chicago, Harper Curtis finds a key to a house that opens on to other times. But it comes at a cost. He has to kill the shining girls:..."

I am sure we mods must have looked at this, but in case we had all forgotten (I had!) there is even a list for ideas. As usual, not all books may work, you all know the drill!

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Can someone who has read Jamaica Inn comment on whether it would fit this task? It appears it might, and I have not yet read it - although it is on my TBR.

How about The Lake House? It is on the list...but is the story about the house or the mystery of the stolen baby?

Can I check these, please? Sorry there are so many - not sure of the boundaries of this task!

The New House
Flowers in the Attic
On The Black Hill
The Castle of Otranto - more about it here (with spoilers): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cas...
The Carlyles At Home - author lived in the house, the Carlyles were previous residents, more about it here: http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/the-...
The Room of Lost Things
Sugar Hall
Broadmoor Revealed: Victorian Crime and the Lunatic Asylum
Radcliffe

Tien wrote: "I think these work:
The Castle of Wolfenbach: A German Story
The House of the Seven Gables?

What about The Shining Girls:
"In Depression-era Chicago, Harp..."

All 3!

Bea wrote: "Can someone who has read Jamaica Inn comment on whether it would fit this task? It appears it might, and I have not yet read it - although it is on my TBR.

How about [book:The Lake Ho..."

Have not read either of these, but I will say they both work for this task. In fact, Du Maurier helped us with this theme in general.

Rosemary wrote: "Can I check these, please? Sorry there are so many - not sure of the boundaries of this task!

The New House
Flowers in the Attic
On The Black Hill
[book:T..."

Yes to all. Wonderful list, Rosemary! Several are those we used for inspiration, and some others gave me chills just reading the description! (On the Black Hill sounds more of desolation than house, so borderline, but I think it works.)

I recently read On the Black Hill...and the house is definitely a character.

Ed wrote: "I recently read On the Black Hill...and the house is definitely a character."

Thanks, Ed. I have it on my Kindle ...

I thought of Stephen King's book "Rose Red"

Would Slade House work?

Coralie wrote: "Would Slade House work?"

It appears to work for this task, so yes.

Would The Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice work for this task?

Marina wrote: "Would The Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice work for this task?"

Perfectly!

Thanks, Elizabeth!

I assume houseboats would work...but when I put in Pursuit of the Houseboat by John Kendrick Bangs I get a version without a page count...and the other editions are all over the place. Can you advise if this would work?

Ed wrote: "I assume houseboats would work...but when I put in Pursuit of the Houseboat by John Kendrick Bangs I get a version without a page count...and the other editions are al..."

Yes, you can use that. I cannot find a page count for that edition (and I looked at the GR acceptable sites). We avoid using Kindle editions unless there is no paper edition. So ... the next paper edition has over 200 pages. But, please do me a favor and remind me that I already looked for a page count for the MPE, and we should use the 1926 Harper and Brothers edition and 204 for page count.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "I assume houseboats would work...but when I put in Pursuit of the Houseboat by John Kendrick Bangs I get a version without a page count...and the other edit..."

Great...thanks!

Marina wrote: "Would The Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice work for this task?"

That's one I was thinking of too but disappointed Wilkie Collins now t on Gothic Writers list

Rebekah wrote: "Marina wrote: "Would The Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice work for this task?"

That's one I was thinking of too but disappointed Wilkie Collins now t on Gothic Writers list"

I don't think we have to read books by authors on that list except for task 20.1... Did I get it wrong maybe?

Marina wrote: "I don't think we have to read books by authors on that list except for task 20.1... Did I get it wrong maybe? ."

No, you have read that right, but I think Rebekah is thinking of combos. We all love to get the combos! :)

Amanda wrote: "Marina wrote: "I don't think we have to read books by authors on that list except for task 20.1... Did I get it wrong maybe? ."

No, you have read that right, but I think Rebekah is thinking of com..."

Oh, of course, sorry! :) I'm glad I read it right, though ;)

Marina wrote: "Oh, of course, sorry! :) I'm glad I read it right, though ;) "

Yes, you read it right. ;-) And yes, we love the combos - all of the styles.

would a boarding school be OK for a "dwelling-place" ?

Cat wrote: "would a boarding school be OK for a "dwelling-place" ?"

Yes, as long as the school is a "character".

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Cat wrote: "would a boarding school be OK for a "dwelling-place" ?"

Yes, as long as the school is a "character"."

of course! I just didn't want to pencil in for further investigation if it was completely out-of-scope :)

How do we feel about Hogwarts?

Rachelccameron wrote: "How do we feel about Hogwarts?"

Maybe one of the other mods can chime in. I have never read Harry Potter.

Rachelccameron wrote: "How do we feel about Hogwarts?"

I think in the earlier books, Hogwarts would fit the bill for this task. As the series continued, I feel we got away from Hogwarts as character and it became more of a location. If I remember correctly, books 1-4 should work, but 5 and later got away from the idea of this task.

I would agree Kate. I have read the whole series.

Kate S wrote: "Rachelccameron wrote: "How do we feel about Hogwarts?"

I think in the earlier books, Hogwarts would fit the bill for this task. As the series continued, I feel we got away from Hogwarts as charact..."

Works for me! Thanks :)

How about Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley ?

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crome_Y... informs us:

"Crome Yellow is in the tradition of the English country house novel, as practised by Thomas Love Peacock, in which a diverse group of characters descend upon an estate to leech off the host. They spend most of their time eating, drinking, and holding forth on their personal intellectual conceits. There is little plot development."

Ed wrote: "How about Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley ?

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crome_Y... informs us:

"Crome Yellow is in the tradition of the English country hous..."

While the name of the book is the name of the house, it isn't clear that the house is actually a character, but just the setting. I would be leery of this one, but other members have read it and may be able to share an insight that would tell us one way or the other.

As far as I remember, Crome Yellow is more about the people than the place. But I don't remember it very well.

This one says book not novel again. So would a nonfiction history of the White House or Winterthur possibly count? Depending on the individual title, of course. Also, how about Bill Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life

Beth wrote: "This one says book not novel again. So would a nonfiction history of the White House or Winterthur possibly count? Depending on the individual title, of course. Also, how about Bill Bryson's [book:..."

Non-fiction is acceptable for this task, particularly about those you suggest. The Bryson title isn't about a specific house with a history, but the nature of houses in general, and so wouldn't work.

I would like to recommend The House by the Lake: A Story of Germany, which I listened to a few seasons ago. I think it would fit this task.

Another idea, how about The Hunchback of Notre-Dame?

Although I was already planning to read this magnificent looking thing - Building Stories. The goodreads entry doesnt do it justice because you cant see all the pieces that go into this creatively formatted graphic novel (so no bonuses). I'm not sure how much part the apartment building itself plays.

Beth wrote: "Another idea, how about The Hunchback of Notre-Dame?"

This works.