But they won’t be able to find it unless they need it. That’s how this magical house works. For more than 200 years the house has beckoned women who need its comfort, encouragement and insight to work out problems in their lives. And, yes, the house is a living entity that “laughs,” “applauds” and “hugs” in unique and sometimes funny ways.
Over the years thousands of women – including Florence Nightingale, Vivien Leigh, Daphne DeMaurier and Elizabeth Taylor – have spent time at the house and still talk to the current residents through their pictures that hang on the walls. One of my favorite living person/not-living-person encounters includes Beatrix Potter who, apparently, can’t keep a secret.
Peggy Abbott is the current landlady, a job that has been in her family for generations. When the quirky, cream-loving octogenarian gets a note from the house on her 82nd birthday telling her this will be her last birthday so she needs to find a replacement for herself, she frets at first. But eventually she concentrates on her gentleman friend Harry, with whom she still has good sex on their Sunday dates, and wonders if she has thrown her life away by running the house instead of running away with him.
The three women staying at the house are college student Alba, struggling actress Greer and waitress/singer Carmen. They all have secrets gnawing at them, and keeping them from moving forward with their lives.
Alba, with the help of Stella, the ghost who tells her she’s been waiting for her, grows the most during the story. Not only does she have secrets, secrets are being kept from her as well. When her family comes together for a sad event, and some of those secrets are revealed, Alba goes on a quest to find out who she is – both literally and figuratively. Not an easy quest for a girl who would rather be surrounded by books than people.
Greer and Carmen both have issues that are holding them back and keeping them from reaching their potential but, through the help of the house, they are able to overcome to those issues.
Some of the imagery Van Praag uses is breathtakin. The most shining example is her description of a laugh as being a mixture of sunshine and champagne.
I read a review in which the reviewer seemed disappointed that all the characters got what they wanted or needed at the end of the story. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with everyone getting a happy ending. The house is on Hope Street, after all.
I received this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
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