the family upstairs
AUTHOR: Lisa Jewell
WHY I PICKED IT: Pinterest suggestion
THEMES: family secrets, childhood trauma, control, identity, manipulation, love and betrayal.
QUOTES:
“All men are weak,” said Phin. “That’s the whole bloody trouble with the world. Too weak to love properly. Too weak to be wrong.” The weakness of men lay at the root of every bad thing that had ever happened.
"They weren’t bad books,” Phin countered patiently. “They were books that you didn’t enjoy. It’s not the same thing at all. The only bad books are books that are so badly written that no one will publish them. Any book that has been published is going to be a ‘good book’ for someone.
I'd subliminally determined at this point that the only way to really know what was going on in the world was to listen to women talk. Anyone who ignores the chatter of women is poorer by any measure.
FINAL THOUGHTS AND REVIEWS: The book tells different people's point of view which was at first confusing. But then I learnt alot about their character. As the perspectives unfold, the layers of control and manipulation become clearer, making the story even more unsettling. The ending was a shock and a tragic. It leaves you sitting with the discomfort rather than offering easy closure. It kinda shows how people survive with different hard circumstances.
Personally I found Henry to be a really interesting character. His thoughts, his actions were dark and twisted at a really young age. The eerie, isolated, gothic mansion setting amplifies the story's suspense and dark tone. The house almost feels like a character itself, shaping the choices and psychological decay of everyone inside it. Can't wait to read the sequel: The Family Remains!
REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐