The Life and Death of a House

The House on Moody Avenue is supposed to be the story of the house, but in reality it is a scattered series of tales about the people who lived in the house.

Lisette, the first mistress of the house, has a tragic history. Her mother and siblings died. Her father felt he could no longer manage the farm, so he migrated with her to New York City. There he abandoned her. Lisette experienced life on the streets, but didn't let it shake her strong faith. In a fairy tale like twist she meets and marries a wealthy man. The house was his wedding gift.

After Lisette, the house passes through a series of residents from boarders to beatniks over the ninety years of it's life. The opening story is fairly well done, but after that the stories become less and less polished and therefore less interesting. It seemed rushed as though the author felt she needed to finish the book quickly.

This book has a great idea, the life and death of a house, but misses the mark. I believe the story would have been stronger if the house were the focus rather than the residents.

The writing is archaic, reminiscent of writers like Louisa May Alcott, but without Alcott's perceptive character descriptions. I can't recommend this book. The plot is too scattered, and the characters aren't interesting.

I reviewed this book for BookLook Bloggers.