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ecdereus's review against another edition
3.0
Een spannende psychologische roman over twee kwetsbare vrouwen, moeder Laura en haar 17-jarige dochter Tilly. Na het plotselinge dodelijke ongeval van hun man en vader Gavan, die samen met zijn broer Iwan eigenaar van een in opspraak geraakt bouw- en constructiebedrijf was, is Laura behalve in een sociaal isolement ook financieel in moeilijke omstandigheden komen te verkeren en ook Tilly heeft het op haar school zwaar: haar vrienden, haar nicht en allerbeste vrienden Rhianon incluis, hebben haar laten vallen omdat bij een van de meisjes uit haar vriendenkring leukemie is geconstateerd waarvan de oorzaak wordt gezocht in haar op een voormalige vuilnisbelt gelegen huis dat werd gebouwd door het bouwbedrijf van Tilly's vader en oom.
Laura ziet zich genoodzaakt haar eigen bloemenzaakje te sluiten en kan de huur van haar woning niet langer betalen, omdat de levensverzekering weigert uit te keren zolang er twijfel is aan de oorzaak van Gavans dood en deze mogelijk als zelfdoding moet worden beschouwd.
Als ze een aanbod krijgt om samen met Tilly tijdelijk deel te kunnen uitmaken van een idealistische en ecologische woongemeenschap, heeft ze geen andere keus dan hiervan gebruik te maken. Maar niet alles is wat het lijkt; bovendien heeft Laura zo haar eigen geheimen voor Tilly en ook Tilly verzwijgt dingen voor Laura. En zij zijn niet de enigen met duistere geheimen in hun verleden en de motieven om Laura en Tilly een tijdelijk onderkomen te bieden blijken niet allemaal even zuiver...
3½ sterren
Laura ziet zich genoodzaakt haar eigen bloemenzaakje te sluiten en kan de huur van haar woning niet langer betalen, omdat de levensverzekering weigert uit te keren zolang er twijfel is aan de oorzaak van Gavans dood en deze mogelijk als zelfdoding moet worden beschouwd.
Als ze een aanbod krijgt om samen met Tilly tijdelijk deel te kunnen uitmaken van een idealistische en ecologische woongemeenschap, heeft ze geen andere keus dan hiervan gebruik te maken. Maar niet alles is wat het lijkt; bovendien heeft Laura zo haar eigen geheimen voor Tilly en ook Tilly verzwijgt dingen voor Laura. En zij zijn niet de enigen met duistere geheimen in hun verleden en de motieven om Laura en Tilly een tijdelijk onderkomen te bieden blijken niet allemaal even zuiver...
3½ sterren
adriannasophiabookss's review
2.0
This was objectively good but I just didn't connect with it at all. I found myself struggling to pick it up even though the chapters are short and most of the book really dragged for me. I am definitely going to check out more from this author though.
locket1981's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
This was a little slow in places but wasn’t a bad read I like it. A cult based book with a few little twists at the end. A family torn apart and a woman who wants to do anything to help her daughter finds an old farm turned into a commune. Worth a read.
pages_oflau's review against another edition
3.0
This book completely gripped me from the very first page until the last page. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it.
I always find it kind of hard to review thrillers because I’m a fantasy reader, but I’ll give this a go.
The Family starts out with such a gripping prologue, and before I knew it I had read 140 pages. I found the writing to be very well written, it flowed well and I liked that we had 3 different POVs, each ranging in a length of chapters – some were long chapters and some weren’t even a page long. I found the short snappy chapters added to the suspense.
From the very start you get a feeling of unease, I knew something bad was going to happen and I was just waiting for it all to explode. And boy did it! There are so many twists and turns, so many secrets and so much betrayal within these pages.
I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, but again, as a fantasy reader I’m used to connecting with characters and I think that lowered my enjoyment of this book a fair bit. Not because of the book, but just a personal preference.
I wasn’t quite sure who I should of been pointing the finger at, so much creepy stuff happened and each time I thought ‘oh is it him?’ ‘Is it her?!’ something else would happen and then I’d be constantly trying to figure it out. Needless to say, I didn’t guess who it was and I’m shocked at the reveal!
I always find it kind of hard to review thrillers because I’m a fantasy reader, but I’ll give this a go.
The Family starts out with such a gripping prologue, and before I knew it I had read 140 pages. I found the writing to be very well written, it flowed well and I liked that we had 3 different POVs, each ranging in a length of chapters – some were long chapters and some weren’t even a page long. I found the short snappy chapters added to the suspense.
From the very start you get a feeling of unease, I knew something bad was going to happen and I was just waiting for it all to explode. And boy did it! There are so many twists and turns, so many secrets and so much betrayal within these pages.
I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, but again, as a fantasy reader I’m used to connecting with characters and I think that lowered my enjoyment of this book a fair bit. Not because of the book, but just a personal preference.
I wasn’t quite sure who I should of been pointing the finger at, so much creepy stuff happened and each time I thought ‘oh is it him?’ ‘Is it her?!’ something else would happen and then I’d be constantly trying to figure it out. Needless to say, I didn’t guess who it was and I’m shocked at the reveal!
erniebee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
toofondofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I’m such a huge fan of Louise Jensen’s novels and her new one, The Family, is no exception!
The Family is about Laura and her teenage daughter Tilly. Laura’s husband has recently died leaving her grieving and in serious financial difficulties. One day a woman offers Laura help via Oak Leaf Organics and Laura and Tilly are soon drawn into a community that is very difficult to leave!
I can never resist novels about cults, there is something about them that just draws me in. I love the way Louise Jensen set this novel up so that it made total sense how Laura, a level headed woman, would get drawn in. There is a sense of unease for the reader as Laura meets charismatic leader Alex but it is so plausible how Laura doesn’t see him the way we do.
I also loved the way this was about so much more than the cult. It’s such an in-depth look at mother daughter relationships, and how a relationship can be close and yet there is still secrets. It’s natural for a teenager to want to pull away from their mum so I could see things from Tilly’s point of view, but I could also see how Laura still felt they were as close as ever.
The pacing of The Family is spot on! It starts off as a slow-burn which is perfect as it allows you to get to know Laura and Tilly before their lives become so complicated. The pace soon begins to ramp up though as they settle into their new home and the plot becomes so gripping that the book is then impossible to put down!
There are twists and turns along the way in this novel, which I loved, and there are definitely things that happen that I didn’t see coming. I thought I had this book worked out and then the rug was well and truly pulled from under me. It’s a rare thing for me not to fully work out a mystery so kudos to Louise Jensen for keeping me on my toes with The Family!
I loved this book! Louise Jensen is a writer that goes from strength to strength and The Family is her best book yet. I highly recommend it!
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
The Family is about Laura and her teenage daughter Tilly. Laura’s husband has recently died leaving her grieving and in serious financial difficulties. One day a woman offers Laura help via Oak Leaf Organics and Laura and Tilly are soon drawn into a community that is very difficult to leave!
I can never resist novels about cults, there is something about them that just draws me in. I love the way Louise Jensen set this novel up so that it made total sense how Laura, a level headed woman, would get drawn in. There is a sense of unease for the reader as Laura meets charismatic leader Alex but it is so plausible how Laura doesn’t see him the way we do.
I also loved the way this was about so much more than the cult. It’s such an in-depth look at mother daughter relationships, and how a relationship can be close and yet there is still secrets. It’s natural for a teenager to want to pull away from their mum so I could see things from Tilly’s point of view, but I could also see how Laura still felt they were as close as ever.
The pacing of The Family is spot on! It starts off as a slow-burn which is perfect as it allows you to get to know Laura and Tilly before their lives become so complicated. The pace soon begins to ramp up though as they settle into their new home and the plot becomes so gripping that the book is then impossible to put down!
There are twists and turns along the way in this novel, which I loved, and there are definitely things that happen that I didn’t see coming. I thought I had this book worked out and then the rug was well and truly pulled from under me. It’s a rare thing for me not to fully work out a mystery so kudos to Louise Jensen for keeping me on my toes with The Family!
I loved this book! Louise Jensen is a writer that goes from strength to strength and The Family is her best book yet. I highly recommend it!
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
madiengen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death