The House We Grew Up In: A Novel

Lisa Jewell

Aug 2014 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

From the New York Times bestselling author of None of This Is True and Then She Was Gone comes an unforgettable saga that follows the Bird family and how one tragedy ripples throughout their lives for years.

Meet the picture-perfect Bird family: pragmatic Meg, dreamy Beth, and towheaded twins Rory and Rhys, one an adventurous troublemaker, the other his slighter, more sensitive counterpart. Their father is a sweet, gangly man, but it’s their beautiful, free-spirited mother Lorelei who spins at the center. In those early years, Lorelei tries to freeze time by filling their simple brick house with precious mementos. Easter egg foils are her favorite. Craft supplies, too. She hangs all of the children’s art, to her husband’s chagrin.

Then one Easter weekend, a tragedy so devastating occurs that, almost imperceptibly, it begins to tear the family apart. Years pass and the children have become adults, while Lorelei has become the county’s worst hoarder. She has alienated her husband and children and has been living as a recluse. But then something happens that beckons the Bird family back to the house they grew up in—to finally understand the events of that long-ago Easter weekend and to unearth the many secrets hidden within the nooks and crannies of home.

Ratings and reviews

It was not a horrible read but it jumped around a lot in both timeline and which character was telling part of the story. It was interesting because it showed how different family members react to the same situation and same upbringing but there was almost too much going on it times to keep track.

The story it’s self was okay I suppose. But wow. Almost ALL of the characters are..Well, awful people. I don’t want to put spoilers but man. How much drama can you cram into one book about one family? Seems like the author looked up family issues and threw them into this book. The eldest daughter Meg is such a mean spirited, Judgey person that I can’t even feel for her when she’s “betrayed” I actually dislike her character that much.

I struggled to finish this book. I feel like the author tried too hard to include every "dysfunctional" quality she could squeeze into one book and it comes off as desperate.

About the author

Lisa Jewell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of nineteen novels, including The Family Upstairs and Then She Was Gone, as well as Invisible Girl and Watching You. Her novels have sold over 10 million copies internationally, and her work has also been translated into twenty-nine languages. Connect with her on Twitter @LisaJewellUK, on Instagram @LisaJewellUK, and on Facebook @LisaJewellOfficial.