Reviewed by Emma Crowley
When Mac and Marie marry and find a home of their own, Mac takes a snap of themselves outside their newbuild bungalow, the garden bare and the paint on the front door still wet. It becomes a tradition, this snap, and slowly the photographs build into an album of a fifty-year partnership.
Every year they take a photo and though things change around them – the garden matures, the fashions change, they grow older – the one constant is their love. Every year, come rain, come shine, from the Seventies through the decades, every photo tells the story of their love.
Until the last photo, where the couple becomes one, and their story comes to an end…
Many thanks to Simon and Schuster via NetGalley for my copy of The House That Made Us to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
The House That Made Us is a truly gorgeous and heart-warming story by Alice Cavanagh. It’s a book where both the plot and the wonderful varied cast of characters subtly and slowly inch by inch get under your skin and by the conclusion, they have found a firm pace in your heart. So much so that you are reluctant to leave them go. Admittedly, it did take quite some time for me to get into the book but upon reflection I am wondering is that the way it was meant to come across. That just like the characters and the house and family that bind them together, you as a reader grow with the family as the years pass them by. That you become more immersed in their life as they mature and you come to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of each them who come together to form a family unit that becomes very special but at the same time is unique and an assortment of personalities which come with a range of issues. This is a story about love and life and the bumps in the road, unexpected struggles and diversions that can occur to set us off track but the one thing that remains steadfast is the deep and abiding love that the two main characters have for each other. Out of which a family is created and one which you will find difficult to leave behind once you reach the final word.
I found the chapters to be short throughout and several years could pass between a chapter or two. Usually, I would find this disconcerting and liken it to just too much jumping around the overall timeline. Here, it worked perfectly, the concise chapters gave us the information we needed to know and the sentiment, emotions and range of feelings were coming across perfectly. It never felt rushed as if the story was galloping ahead and I found the pacing to be ideal as there was a significant period of time to cover. We watch the creation, development and evolution of a family which shows how love can be a constant anxiety but also one of recovery and satisfaction. One line really summed up the book in its entirety. A life well lived is a life well loved and these characters sum up this statement to a t. Initially, I did think oh this is going nowhere and it felt like the same things would be repeated over and over as the years pass by.But having finished reading this wonderful book, I could see how clearly, cleverly and expertly the author had plotted everything out. A bigger picture was being built up and the pieces would all come together in a suitable manner.
Each chapter begins with a man visiting a woman who you soon can tell is in a home. It’s clear the woman has some form of trouble with her memory. At each visit they look at a photo album which chronicles the life of a family. Each year on an anniversary, a photo is taken and as the number of photos build up a picture is formed of the family who live at Sunnyside. I was so sure I understood why this little titbit was at the beginning of each chapter. I was actually too smug in my opinions and I say fair play and bravo for pulling the wool over my eyes as I was surprised as to the ending but it was perfect for the story that had ben told even if perhaps it was not what I and I am sure many readers would have wanted but it had to be there for the story as a whole to come full circle.
July 1970 and Mac and Marie are stepping over the threshold of their new home, Sunnyside, as newlyweds. Mac hopes this new life will get rid of the loneliness he feels. It will be a bridge from the dark chill of Mac’s past. You instantly wonder what has happened to Mac to make him feel this way and the question of his parents and what happened to them is one which persists throughout the book but not so that it takes over the entire plot. Instead, it rises to the surface at just the ideal time. His Aunt Tatty had reared him and had done her best but still he feels the absence of a deep love keenly and hopes and really he knows deep down inside that Marie is the one who fill that gap.
Marie is originally from Ireland but came to work in England and is so proud that she has an apprenticeship with Vidal Sassoon but soon that is put to one side as she falls pregnant with their son Dan and soon after the birth her life ventures off in a different direction and her emotions and stance are questioned. Marie’s family were a brilliant addition to the story. The typical Irish family who brought many moments of laughter but also there was a more serious side too. The author completely nailed Marie’s family. The Irish mannerisms and ways of thinking were just spot on and really enhanced the story. Marie’s family are chaotic and she had a wonderful childhood so different to what Mac experienced. Her sister Bernie had a brilliant storyline and it could have felt as if she was the hanger on, just a character thrown in for good measure. In fact, there were several characters that could have come across in that manner but instead they all have a valid role and firmly fill a place and you come to care for them as much as you do Mac and Marie.
There is not a lot you can say about specific details regarding the plot as a lot happens as the years roll by which as I have mentioned occur with each chapter. The author is building up one big picture of a family who are like any other. It’s only when you peer that little closer and dig that little bit deeper that you come to learn of all their ups and downs. I loved the running joke from beginning to end of Mac and Marie always trying to save enough to go off on a cruise somewhere and each time they just about reach their goal. Well, a spanner is thrown in the works. This could have become tiresome, but it didn’t at all as it allowed other subplots to develop which continued to run for several chapters. It never felt contrived at all. In fact nothing about the story did and I just grew to love the characters more and more and I found myself feeling sentimental about them and the situations they found themselves in.
As the years pass by, a daughter is born Emma, who in turn allows for an even deeper exploration of family dynamics particularly the relationship between herself and her brother Dan. You see how Mac and Marie navigate the challenges that come with rearing children even right into their adult life. Both Mac and Marie grow and mature and become vastly different people from the two that walked through the door of Sunnyside for the first time. You get the feeling that they are both on this one long journey together which they fully entered into when they got married and this journey has brought troubles and challenges but also so many moments of happiness, love and contentment. Their love story is a joy to read and will tug at the heartstrings. They have ambitions which are tested but what always shines through is the love they have for another which is tested but whether it stands the test of time that is for you to discover.
The House That Made Us is a little gem of a book that I am so glad I read. It would be such a shame to let this brilliant story pass you by as it so warm and inviting. It has a simple premise that could have been another just run of the mill book, that is nice at the time of reading but you know it will not be the most memorable. Instead, it was the total opposite with memorable characters that you come to root for all the way. This was a lovely introduction to the writing of Alice Cavanagh and I look forward to reading much more from her in the future.
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