It made me think of an online friend I had a couple of years ago, who as she confessed to me at one point has DID. Outside of Ted's house, we are told of a girl who disappeared maybe a decade prior to the start of the novel, and how her sister Dee obsessively is trying to find the sister she called Lulu. In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, something lies buried. I loved Ward's Rawblood a few years ago but The Last House on Needless Street is such a disappointment, just a cheap series of narrative cheats whose only purpose is to support the oldest and most cliched 'twist' ending in horror fictionwe are seriously supposed to believe that not only does the murder suspect have multiple personalities, but that the dominant one has a name coincidentally . This is the story of a murderer. He's unemployed, drinks a lot, and suffers from a few undiagnosed mental health problems. Margaret M - Hiatus - I will respond when I can. - was it as simple as the mum ended up burying LuLu on her property whilst she was away on holiday. 'The Last House on Needless Street' (Viper Books, Tor Nightfire) was a Times Book of the Month, Observer Book of the Month, March Editor's Pick on Open Book, a Between the Covers BBC2 book club selection, a Times bestseller, and is being developed for film by Andy Serkis's production company, The Imaginarium. The therapist doesn't play a huge role in The Last House on Needless Street, but he certainly didn't help things! As soon as you crack open Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street, you know something's very wrong. However, upon finishing the book, I appreciate how the author didnt make Ted the villain of the story after all even if it seemed like it for a long time and that she showed how Teds life was improved with the right medication, professional help, and genuine friendship maybe even love. Despite my general like of the grimdark/dark fantasy subgenre, horror is a genre I rarely read in. No longer must I search my heart for a love that I cannot feel." Thats not to say I didnt get caught by surprise here or there, though. The Last House on Needless Street is out September 28th. Instead, its darkness is primarily rooted in more mental frights: Unreliable narrators, oppressively narrow points of view, and an almost unbearable tension lace through even the most basic scenes. So, just a heads up. It releases on September 28th! I was concerned when I realized this wasn't pure thriller from the get-go. Avoid the spoilers, skip the back cover copy, and place yourself directly into Catriona Ward's chilling hands. The Last House on the Street touches upon several national current events in each timeline, for example: LBJ passing the Voting Rights Act in the 1965 timeline and the presidency of Barack Obama in 2010. (LogOut/ Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House. There were times I was thinking about DNFing, but my curiosity got the better of me, and me see it through the end which I have no regrets about. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.All these things are true. Ted Bannerman lives alone with his cat Olivia in a boarded up house at the end of Needless Street. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://medium.com/wayward-magazine/im-so-mad-about-the-last-house-on-needless-street-57a2f9b16f88. That was more chilling to think about than a fictional character, and Im honestly not sure what kind of person this makes me. Im a sucker for these kinds of stories where the story unravels piece by piece! The book embraces many of the most familiar aspects of the horror genre, but it also counts on its readers to possess a shared understanding of its common tropes and signifiers, and uses those assumptions to subvert many of their preexisting expectations. TW: child abuse, portrayal of mental health. I later exchanged emails with one of her other personalities which was an emotional roller coaster in and on itself learning that the person I knew wasnt in a good shape and it might never surface again. Now take it out of your pocket. Recent threadmarks Harry Leferts Omake: Harry gives Regina a hand ijnfleetadmiral Omake: Lucius' reacts to Draco's girlfriends still_guns Omake: Ellswood P1. My dear friends, please add this brilliant book to your reading list! ISBN: 9781788166188. Everything from the gripping plot twists that no one sees coming, to the intricacy of the characters that readers are coming to love. But this is one of those books that you have to trust and take the plunge so you can ride a hell of a ride. Anyway, not long after my friend confided in me our contact quite abruptly ended. This is a great example of the skill of showing and not telling. Children have been going missing at a nearby lake for some time and a woman named Dee, whose sister disappeared there some years prior, has convinced herself that Ted had something to do with it. The Last House on Needless Street is complex and multilayered, but more like a multiverse than an onion. It was extremely obvious as well. I had figured out what was happening and what had happened about half way through the story but this didnt spoil the story, in fact it made me somewhat more invested as I raced to see how it would all manifest. Several important facts are clear from the start: Dee's sister was kidnapped as a child while on vacation and Dee is obsessed with finding her, Ted is a loner haunted by his mother's ghost and living in a dilapidated house, and Dee thinks Ted kidnapped her sister. Otherwise, feel free to skip this part and maybe grab a copy for yourself if youd like to make your own judgment! I loved the story, but the audio production made it ten times better. Thats not to say I cant appreciate a great thriller or mystery I like watching true crime shows for instance. Im fascinated by the lake. He lives secluded, has his mental health problems, and the only time he leaves the house is when he is going to the forest, to a local therapist for meds and advice, and to local pubs to drink and try to date women. Don't even open Sundial then. Time is iffy and everyone is erratic. 'I miss her terribly and after a year-and-a-half on my own felt the need to sell our house of 34 years and relocated to a retirement village near Romsey (in Hampshire),' he said. At this point, we still think that Lauren is Lulu. There is so much going on in this book that its easy to slip up and inadvertently spoil the story for others which makes it especially hard to review. Topics. Thank you so much to Tor Nightfire for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. She lives in London and Devon. Your post just bumped it to the top of my TBR list! Dee, the girls sister, has never stopped thinking about Lulu. Really good summing up of the book's flaws here: https://medium.com/wayward-magazine/im-so-mad-about-the-last-house-on-needless-street-57a2f9b16f88. I figure I might as well share it with you! Yeah, the mom buried Lulu in the neighbor's yard when the neighbor went on vacation. It gives hope that people with this disorder can find their path in life even if its not an easy one. The last twist was that Teds mother was the one who took Lulus body for more of her medical experiments. I didnt find it horrifying or terrifying, though it is thrilling to read. I kept reading because of the amazing reviews. Here is what Im afraid of. The Last House on Needless Street publishes September 28, 2021 from Tor . The best way to go into this book is completely blind to any information about it. His mother apparently used to experiment on him surgically, which caused his scars and is what her tapes were about.Teds therapist was also abusing him and making his condition worse. Couldn't handle the lukewarm purple prose and near total absence of suspense. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona WardPublished September 28th 2021 by NightfireDate read: May 9, 2021, Ted, who lives on Needless St.Dee, whose sister disappeared nearby as a child. Full of twists and turns, sorrow and humanity. Fascinated is the wrong wordIm terrified, and the event that has quite a power over me is the Lake Sammamish Murders committed by Ted Bundy.. In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. OMG. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. And that I draw the line somewhere between grimdark and horror? and our I miss my friend, but I dont really have any means to reach her and even if I would, I have no idea if the person I call a friend is still around. Baby snake bites Lulu who falls and hits head against rock. It sounds trite but this is story-telling at it's finest. The story starts to kick in beyond this, grips you and never lets up. Its inhabitants include a man who drinks a lot, an angry teenage girl who isn't allowed out, and a religious cat. AGE RANGE: Adult. I'm getting bigger all the time. The Last House on Needless Street is a book that has twists not for their own sake, but because what we think of as twists-unexpected events nonetheless grounded in established character and plot-are a natural extension of the characters and events Ward is tackling.. What Im trying to say here is I have no idea what Im trying to say. Firstly, this review is really hard to write in a spoiler free way but I am going to be extremely careful because you do need to go into it with no spoilers. Descriptions of his love of nature reveal his complex character: he takes joy in feeding birds, and the nearby forest is a source of comfort to him; at times he feels he is 'in its . A few more weeks in October would be great! Then as the story progressed, I started thinking of DID until it got confirmed that DID indeed got the drivers seat in the story. Once I figure that out, I started to get uncomfortable and grew uneasy. CATRIONA WARD was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the United States, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. And yet they are all liesYou think you know whats inside the last house on Needless Street. Just finished this after being recommended it by my SIL. 13.9 miles away from Hero Towing. In fact, Ward's most impressive feat here is that she keeps readers guessing from the first page to the last, even after revealing truths that change everything. DAS LETZTE HAUS in der Needless Street, Catriona Ward - EUR 22,99. There . One of the best books I've ever read. The Plot (from Goodreads): Three missing girls. I think horror doesnt get enough credit as well for its redemptive qualities, Ward continues. And Olivia is Ted's cat, with a mind all her own. All commissions go toward supporting this blog. The reader has to hunt them out, reflect on what theyve already read to find out where the story is going to take us. I was immediately drawn into the story, intrigued by Ted with his idiosyncrasies and strange way of living. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. I opted for the audiobook, and I have to say, Christopher Raglands narration is absolutely top-notch. As for the story itself, in The Last House on Needless Street is nothing as it seems. Any book is up for discussion as long as that discussion is respectful. #shireliving, Birthday+winterstorm+homework= snuggling up by the fire watching my favorite, eating my favorites love this peace and happiness, Still lots to do but it looks like a home now. If you get parts of the talking cat in the second chapter, youre probably going to enjoy the book. Couple of things you got wrong. Wayward Magazine features veteran entertainment journalism staff covering new releases in horror and horror-adjacent fiction (mostly books). This all seems rather straightforward, aside from maybe getting the perspective of Olivia the . Time is iffy and everyone is erratic. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after last time. They felt haphazard and cheap. To me, everything is as it seems. I felt that this book could have gone in a different direction or at least have the ending executed in a different way. The books narrative counts on its readers to feel as though they know whats happening, that theyve already guessed the twists ahead of them. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to . It was obvious the cat was an alt personality. This is so well written! The problem, for me, was that I wasnt invested in the characters and didnt really feel what I should have been feeling and that bothers me. You dont get to know everything about everyone. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. 3 of which have their POV chapters: Ted, Olivia, and Dee. It would be a bad book if I wasn't afraid of it, says author Cat Ward about The Last House on Needless Street, this season's must-read horror novel. Book spoilers to jog your memory. Nighttime is another alter, but I cant remember if he really had much point other than helping to integrate them. Ive been looking for a good opportunity to get to read this book, and the Ladies of Horror Fiction Readalong seemed like the perfect reason to jump The Last House on Needless Street on the top of my TBR. By that logic extended, the other character opposite her was an alt as well. No idea about . I read some reviews after I finished the book that spoiled the main twist, so beware! In her delirium, we find out that her memory about that day at the beach had been unreliable. Everything in The Last House on Needless Street is old, dirty, or broken. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Her writing has been featured in Paste Magazine, Collider,. This is smart! But its not what you think. MEDIA REVIEWS. Thats where youre wrong.In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. Shes honed in on Ted and is determined to find out what became of her sister. Thanks! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Just finished the bookagreed 100%. It hangs like it has been strapped there. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. Your perceptions change every instant and quite often no two people remember the same event the same way. He nails the different voices so well, that you feel compelled to go and make sure that its really only one person narrating. But that plotlines closure felt a bitforced? What cat understands English and speaks in slang? But now that I have finished reading the book, my question isdo people know what a gothic thriller is? A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. 1,051 reviews 2,628 followers. We then find out that Lauren is another alter of Teds, created when he was just a child, and that he gave all the pain of his mothers abuse to Lauren so that he didnt have to endure it. But in the grand scheme of things, I found this book a bit underwhelming. Find him on Twitter at @Gabino_Iglesias. For Ward, part of writing Needless Street necessarily involved processing heartbreaking and often quite upsetting things. Possible Spoilers Ahead. This book is wearing the disguise of horror. So, when I read about Teds story, the abuse he went through at the hands of his mom, I just couldnt help thinking what might have happened to cause DID and create the person I called a friend. Ive seen some true crime shows where parents talk about their children who turn out psychopaths and how it was to raise them, but even if they saw the signs and denied it as long as possible, every parent has at least a bit of love for their offspring. Sounds like some people just expect too much from books these days. The chapters alternate between Ted, Olivia, Lauren, and Dee, and none of them can be trusted. I can see how people enjoyed the writing. spoiler I just finished it, I completely agree there was TOO much going on, I kind of figured where it was going with Ted, it was kind of obvious when they were at the mall with Lauren. Then as the story progressed, I started thinking of DID until it got confirmed that DID indeed got the drivers seat in the story. In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. The police officer suspected Dee. As for Dee, while I didnt have any feelings for her, Im not 100% sure she deserved to die as she did. To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com. When a new neighbor moves in next door, it seems all their secrets will finally come to light. I did not think I would find such a perfect match in I Witnessed A Crime. Wow. There was really no other way the book could have gone. After reading some of the other reviews, I can tell I am in the minority here and that is ok. Viper, 12.99, pp352. Copyright 2020 by Bookends. All these things are true. Inside the triple locked door Ted keeps his cat Olivia and his daughter Lauren safe from the outside world. Book: "The Last House on Needless Street" by Catriona Ward. Its windows are boarded up so he can no longer look out onto the forest that backs his garden. But when a book has a mildly interesting plot with characters that fail to make you have strong feelings towards them, being occasionally appalled is just not enough. Snakes were her one true fear because they slithered out from under Lulus body when she found it. A stolen child. All the evidence is there in the beginning. How did that book end? And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. But then, its a bit of a grey area and it all really depends on your POV how you see her. Eleven years ago, Lulu, a six year old girl, disappeared from the nearby lake. Death. #whathaveidone #booksfordays #whoops, Herbs have been planted. Horror fiction can scare readers, make them anxious, or upset their stomachs, but the most powerful narratives in the genre manage to create an unshakable sense of unease, and that's exactly what this novel does. Its pretty heartbreaking. I laid her gently on a patch of moss at the foot of the tree. I could hardly bear to let go of her, even for a moment. Ted Bannerman lives alone with his cat Olivia in a dilapidated, boarded up house at the end of a cul-de-sac. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of those books that is difficult to describe without giving away spoilers. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. I hope its [really] about survival and hope as much as it is about suffering. AUTHOR: Catriona Ward. This was a book about DID. Horror books; Fiction; The same applies to the psyches of its characters. No one is who they appear to be, a fact that is lost on them. Or watch movies for that matter. Each one walked away with him and was never seen again. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Transgender journalist and musician from Grand Rapids, Michigan. But I just could not get into this book. Because in my opinion, this is not even close to a gothic thriller. I knock things over, I bounce off doorways. Dee dies from the snake bite. Ms Hayter told of her mother's 'senseless and needless death lying in the road without those who loved her'. TITLE: The Last House On Needless Street. Each character has their own distinctive voice, each one giving a slightly different viewpoint of the story. [Spoilers herein.] In the most basic sense, The Last House on Needless Street follows the story of Ted, a lonely man who lives in a boarded up house (on Needless Street, naturally) with his 12 year old daughter, Lauren, and his cat, Olivia. Anne Coates is a journalist and author of the Hannah Weybridge crime thriller series: Dancers in the Wind, Death's Silent Judgement, Songs of Innocence and Perdition's Child . If you watch a lot movies or read a lot of books not much comes off as a surprise. Except that I have weird quirks. I thought long and hard because at first, I wasnt sure if portraying DID in a horror setting was something I was comfortable with.