AGE RANGE: Adult. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Ted remembers details from his childhood, for example. Suffice to say, horror is not a genre Im overly familiar with which can be one of the reasons I failed to love this book. Eleven years ago, Lulu, a six year old girl, disappeared from the nearby lake. Anne Coates is a journalist and author of the Hannah Weybridge crime thriller series: Dancers in the Wind, Death's Silent Judgement, Songs of Innocence and Perdition's Child . To be fair, it was probably always going to be difficult to know precisely how to classify a story that heavily features a very religious talking gay cat, and thats before you get to the potential kidnappings and possible serial murder of it all. I guessed the twist very early on so kind of disappointed in that respect. Ted Bannerman lives alone with his cat Olivia in a boarded up house at the end of Needless Street. The best way to go into this book is completely blind to any information about it. Sure, she had a responsibility in the fate of her sister dragging her along, then leaving her alone to play by the river, then running away once she thought she was dead and the snakes were coming but Im not convinced she was a bad person up to that point or that she deserved punishment. . Not very successfully. I miss my friend, but I dont really have any means to reach her and even if I would, I have no idea if the person I call a friend is still around. Your post just bumped it to the top of my TBR list! So, when I read about Teds story, the abuse he went through at the hands of his mom, I just couldnt help thinking what might have happened to cause DID and create the person I called a friend. Ted lives alone in his childhood home with his cat, Olivia. I'm very late to the party but I completely agree (except I never read anything else by the author). Technically, the book was well written and the characters were interesting but the ending was such a cop-out, relying on such an overused trope these daysas the review above notes. Books received from a third party sponsor have no impact on the honesty of my reviews. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. Ive seen some true crime shows where parents talk about their children who turn out psychopaths and how it was to raise them, but even if they saw the signs and denied it as long as possible, every parent has at least a bit of love for their offspring. But its not what you think. This is so well written! Dee was looking for Lulus body but had lied so convincingly over the years that she herself believed Lulu was still alive. The books narrative counts on its readers to feel as though they know whats happening, that theyve already guessed the twists ahead of them. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of those books that is difficult to describe without giving away spoilers. She hasn`t repressed the memories, the guilt of what happened and the fact that she kept it all to herself drives her to find who took her. "You are an honest child. To solve this, I started jotting down synopses to jog my memory. Im just really not into it, I guess. So we could provide even more entertainment for you! As an affiliate for Amazon, I may receive a small monetary commission for purchases made through certain links on this website. She wasn't out of the car before an exhilarated voice said two words she had learned that Chifuyu would think were her most beloved words . I usually try to keep my reviews as spoiler-free as I can, but Im going to have an exception here. There are all these oppositions in place. All rights reserved. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. Possible Spoilers Ahead. Despite my general like of the grimdark/dark fantasy subgenre, horror is a genre I rarely read in. (Company No. Thanks for the great review! The Last House on the Street touches upon several national current events in each timeline, for example: LBJ passing the Voting Rights Act in the 1965 timeline and the presidency of Barack Obama in 2010. I really liked Little Eve. She alters her memory of the snakes in order to cope with the guilt. And Ive been thinking a lot. Often, Im not a fan of male narrators trying to do female voices, but Christopher Ragland did an incredible job of matching all the different characters. (And the author herself is well aware of that fact. Because, although Needless Street has no real factual content in the plot at all, there are echoes of a real-life tragedy built into its bones, the kind that could certainly encourage readers to draw specific conclusions about the things theyre watching unfold. It would be a bad book if I wasn't afraid of it, says author Cat Ward about The Last House on Needless Street, this season's must-read horror novel. Privacy Policy. It blew . It made me think of an online friend I had a couple of years ago, who as she confessed to me at one point has DID. Get help and learn more about the design. I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars. The reader has to hunt them out, reflect on what theyve already read to find out where the story is going to take us. I don`t even want to try and review it, because I won`t do it justice. I loved Ward's Rawblood a few years ago but The Last House on Needless Street is such a disappointment, just a cheap series of narrative cheats whose only purpose is to support the oldest and most cliched 'twist' ending in horror fictionwe are seriously supposed to believe that not only does the murder suspect have multiple personalities, but that the dominant one has a name coincidentally . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. *, The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (Author), Christopher Ragland (Narrator). by Catriona Ward. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I feel like I need to re-read this book in order to catch all the clues I missed! It would be a bad book if I wasnt afraid of it, she says, explaining that theres actually an important emotional element involved in telling and reading stories about our fears, of both the real and the fictional variety. It feels like a complete short story unto itself, and rightly so because it is integral to all that follows. I wasnt surprised, in hindsight, but still. Weight: 340 g. Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 34 mm. He's unemployed and drinks a lot. Olivia, the cat, has her own chapters and it is a little startling at first to view the world from the vantage point of a cat. Snakes were her one true fear because they slithered out from under Lulus body when she found it. Under the Readers Radar celebrating the quiet novel, Sunday Sum-Up #7: Reviews, Discussions and Bookstagram - Bibliosini, Derby Book Festival 27 May to 5 June 2021 From First Page to Last, Follow From First Page to Last on WordPress.com. Baby snake bites Lulu who falls and hits head against rock. Topics. Honestly I don't get angry about figuring out what's going on in a story because to me that means the writing is good and has enough clues that someone who's paying attention could reasonably figure it out. Thank you, Catriona Ward, NetGalley, and Viper books for the opportunity to read this book. This book is in love with itself. We HAVE to talk about this book!!! He's unemployed, drinks a lot, and suffers from a few undiagnosed mental health problems. The New York TimesCatriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House.In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three.A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time.A man who . So therefore, I wont go into specifics on the book, just my thoughts on it overall. I hadn`t read anything about this book prior, just jumped straight in. I miss my friend, but I dont really have any means to reach her and even if I would, I have no idea if the person I call a friend is still around. Viper, 12.99, pp352. . Deftly written, intricate, absorbing, The Last House on Needless Street draws the reader into its web. There is something odd going on in the boarded-up house at the end of Needless Street. Depending on how you view him, he can come across as creepy, sinister or benign. The determined and watchful Dee takes up residence next to Ted's dilapidated home, intent on locating Lulu, convinced of Ted's involvement. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Change). A post shared by Caroline (@howdidthatbookend). The problem, for me, was that I wasnt invested in the characters and didnt really feel what I should have been feeling and that bothers me. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. They all had their more or less deserved ending I say more or less because I just cant make my mind up about Dees fate. Horror fiction can scare readers, make them anxious, or upset their stomachs, but the most powerful narratives in the genre manage to create an unshakable sense of unease, and that's exactly what this novel does. Pretty clear, right? There are layers upon layers that are coming together nicely by the end. It was different and kept me interested and may I even say, Im slightly SHOOK. It made me think of an online friend I had a couple of years ago, who as she confessed to me at one point has DID. Ted`s mother was reponsible for the child disapearances over the years, so no, it wasn`t coincidental. This book is wearing the disguise of horror. It was extremely obvious as well. He nails the different voices so well, that you feel compelled to go and make sure that its really only one person narrating. I knew what was happening in this story. All of this means there is a closed, almost claustrophobic feel so the reader feels as closed up as Teds house with its boarded windows and triple lock. We know you all have many questions for Catriona Ward, author of The Last House On Needless Street. Ted lives in the last house on Needless Street. Way back in April (it's almost October!) But I'll talk about this a bit more in depth in the spoilers section after the review itself. Transgender journalist and musician from Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is smart! Part horror story, part mystery thriller, and part tragedy, the book subverts a lot of expectations about what a genre story should be and do, unpacking a complex emotional narrative in the midst of a menacing tale of fear, uncertainty, and constantly escalating dread. Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. While Im talking about spoilers, one of the most chilling things about this book was how the mother treated Ted. It releases on September 28th! The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is available in hardback and audible, published by Viper; the paperback will be released on 30th September, 2021. I heard a few people describe this book as a gothic thrillerso I was in! Sounds like some people just expect too much from books these days. All I know is that Stephen King had an endorsement quote on the cover, it was a horror book, and may or may not contain a serial killer story. Im not sure where it sits, Ward admits with a laugh during a lengthy conversation with Den of Geek. Any book is up for discussion as long as that discussion is respectful. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. There . Please do not copy or reproduce without explicit permission. I thought long and hard because at first, I wasnt sure if portraying DID in a horror setting was something I was comfortable with. Horror books; Fiction; Dee and her ending was kind of a let down. Their palpable burning desire for one another has carried fans through two seasons packed with . The therapist doesn't play a huge role in The Last House on Needless Street, but he certainly didn't help things! For Ward, part of writing Needless Street necessarily involved processing heartbreaking and often quite upsetting things. Lulu had followed Dee while she hit on Trevor, and while Dee and Trevor were fooling around, Lulu slipped on some rocks and hit her head and died. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Despite the fact that thousands of people were at the lake that day, he walked up to each woman while they were with friends and introduced himself using his real name. Anyway, not long after my friend confided in me our contact quite abruptly ended. 7. Or watch movies for that matter. The writing is complex and not linear so it does keep you on your toes in that sense. Well, then there's the rest: gods buried in the woods, the mystery of Lauren's sporadic presence and brooding mood, angry green boys living in the attic, and Olivia, a cat who talks, reads, believes in God, wants to have a TV show, and suffers from dissociative identity disorder. But youre wrong. Except that I have weird quirks. Shes honed in on Ted and is determined to find out what became of her sister. The Last House on Needless Street Audible Audiobook - Unabridged Catriona Ward (Author), Christopher Ragland (Narrator), Viper (Publisher) & 0 more 4.0 out of 5 stars 3,338 ratings A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. I felt that this book could have gone in a different direction or at least have the ending executed in a different way. Overall, not a win for me. Just finished the bookagreed 100%. You think youve read this story before. Bee houses, bat houses, and bird feeders are set up. THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is psychological horror of the highest order, disguised as a Russian doll of a novel, with layer within layer holding new characters and secrets. Several important facts are clear from the start: Dee's sister was kidnapped as a child while on vacation and Dee is obsessed with finding her, Ted is a loner haunted by his mother's ghost and living in a dilapidated house, and Dee thinks Ted kidnapped her sister. His mother apparently used to experiment on him surgically, which caused his scars and is what her tapes were about.Teds therapist was also abusing him and making his condition worse. I gave a single nod. And Olivia is Ted's cat, with a mind all her own. You think you know whats inside the last house on Needless Street. Now it is confirmed. That's where you're wrong. LOL. Time is iffy and everyone is erratic. I just loved the ride. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Im really surprised at the hate for this book in this thread! There isnt a page where the story lags. Cookie Notice I hope its [really] about survival and hope as much as it is about suffering. The Plot (from Goodreads): Three missing girls. 1,051 reviews 2,628 followers. I first was thinking to go with something from Stone Sour, but then I remembered The Horrible Crowes, who have creepy lyrics and a sound that fits more the atmosphere of The Last House on Needless Street. In a place that echoes with lost boys, 11 years ago, the haunted Dee lost her little 6 year old sister, Lulu, the Popsicle Girl, disappearing, never to be seen again. - was it as simple as the mum ended up burying LuLu on her property whilst she was away on holiday. His mother knew what he was at an early age after finding him killing an animal, and her words in that moment never left him: "For a long time, I have feared that this was in you. Just brilliant. My belly is a rubber sack. Seeking redemption and revenge is one thing, but inflicting self-judgment on innocent people is a whole another one. The last twist was that Teds mother was the one who took Lulus body for more of her medical experiments. Dee dies from the snake bite. I knew Ted was innocent, but I didnt guess the DID storyline. Put it on the ground right there.". Ted stayed inside in his own mind whenever his mother was in a bad mood. Thriller/psychological twisty turner, I couldn't put it down and read it in two days straight. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. It was obvious the cat was an alt personality. If you dont, you may not., Especially since The Last House on Needless Street isnt the sort of horror story (or even quasi-horror story) that relies on gore or jump scares to terrify its readers. The perspectives switch between Ted, the sister of the abducted child, and that of Teds cat. A young girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. Today, we're delighted to share this Q&A our . love my little shire life. That was a decision, Ward says. I dont think I still have for that matter, although for all I know, The Last House on Needless Street gives justice to people dealing with this on a daily basis. That was my first encounter with this particular mental disorder so I had no understanding of what it really meant. This is the story of a serial killer. Could you all raise your hand if the first thought after finishing this book was something like: Conflicted by this one. Whether he did or not, as well as the mystery of what happened to the Girl with Popsicle who vanished back then, are just two of the story threads this ambitious narrative attempts to balance as it juggles three different perspectivesone of whom is the aforementioned cat and asks readers to question what they believe to be true and why. The Last House on Needless Street is out September 28th. Absolutely hated it and it was fucking confusing to follow. Descriptions of his love of nature reveal his complex character: he takes joy in feeding birds, and the nearby forest is a source of comfort to him; at times he feels he is 'in its . I had previously recommended Catriona Ward`d first two novels on this sub. Ted has blocked out the outside world as much as possible, except for his . Just finished this after being recommended it by my SIL. But Ill talk about this a bit more in depth in the spoilers section after the review itself. That was my first encounter with this particular mental disorder so I had no understanding of what it really meant. Looking back from the end of the book, Im amazed at how well-executed this story was. The creepy dilapidation of the outside world mirrors their mental state. Really disappointing ending and one most could see from a mile away. Dee saw her dead body, but the police/adults never found it. The Last of Us 2 Leaked Plot Confirmed by Naughty Dog, Dune: Part Two Should Expand the Role of Zendayas Chani, Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Review, Shazam! As soon as you crack open Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street, you know something's very wrong. Those that Ted interacts with are christened with Ted names such as bug man his therapist and Chihuahua lady, one of his neighbours. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. But when a book has a mildly interesting plot with characters that fail to make you have strong feelings towards them, being occasionally appalled is just not enough. Everything from the gripping plot twists that no one sees coming, to the intricacy of the characters that readers are coming to love. This is the story of a serial killer. Revenge. What was her role in everything?! I laid her gently on a patch of moss at the foot of the tree. He broke them between two boards with a mallet.
the last house on needless street spoilers