Seven Houses : A Novel
18 journalers for this copy...
Skillfully blending history with rich and sensuous imagination, Seven Houses chronicles a family’s sweeping journey through the twentieth century Turkey. Reading it is like running through a corridor of silk.
Going to LyzzyBee in Birmingham. I think we're trading 5 books in all. Can't wait!
Received in the post from lotusflower77 today as part of our big book swap.
Thank you so much for such a good selection and the extras you sent too!
Note to self: pass to Tina when finished before offering on BookRing
BOOKRING!
Usual rules apply...
Make a journal entry when you receive the book
Contact the next reader for their address when you are almost done
Post a review when you've read the book - please try to send it on within a month of receipt if you can
Make a journal entry or controlled release notes when you send the book on
PARTICIPANTS
musicalpenguin Scotland (anywhere)
Brookeworm Canada (anywhere)
ajsmom Canada (anywhere)
morsecode New York, US (N America)
Lpree Nebraska, US (anywhere)
Thursday5 Ohio US (US only)
Buffra West Virginia US (anywhere)
[[[katiesmama Florida US (US only) -ASKED TO BE SKIPPED]]
Jamesmum California US (anywhere)
totoroandmei Japan (Asia/Pacific preferred)
EDDI Australia (Australia)
RockDg9 Australia (anywhere)
Butterfly-noir Portugal (Europe)
Sirah Finland (anywhere)
[[[Xanapeq UK (UK) - ASKED TO BE SKIPPED]]]
AnglersRest UK (UK)
[[[Merimag UK (UK) - COULD NOT BE CONTACTED]]]
Scotsbookie UK (UK)
Heaven-Ali UK (UK) <--- it's here
Back to me!
This one's ready to go - PM'd musicalpenguin for address
Journal Entry
5 by
LyzzyBee at on Friday, February 3, 2006
Released 18 yrs ago (2/4/2006 UTC) at
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Posting to musicalpenguin on Saturday
Sorry - this arrived a couple of weeks ago but I forgot to post its arrival. WIll get down to reading asap. Currently third on Mount TBR! Lovely bookplate "Ali on the Beach" inside.
Enjoyed this to a certain extent. I thought it was an extremely interesting story, and I'm glad I read it. I loved the little snippets of Turkish history and culture. I often found myself confusing the different characters though. Maybe this was intentional? Who knows.
Anyway, PMing Brookeworm for address.
Just arrived this morning. Is there anything better than peeking into your mailbox and seeing a book-shaped parcel nestled among the bills and junk mail. A wonderful way to start the day!
I always enjoy books about the history of a country told through the lives of a family, instead of stats and politics (history textbook stuff). The author's unique idea of using the houses themselves as narrators was very interesting, but short lived. The first house has the most destinct voice and is careful to only speculate at events that happen outside its walls. However, this vioce is diminished with the second house and pretty well abandoned by the others - including copius scenes which take place that are too far away for the houses to know about - until we get back to the first house again. It would have been much better if the author had been able to maintain her intended narratorial style all the way through, especially since the book is called "Seven Houses", which gives us that expectation.
The stories themselves are what you'd expect; stories about family, love, heartbreak, beauty, and loneliness. That isn't to say that they're clichéd or uninteresting, but they certainly do run the gammet of the usual female-oriented stories. Not surprisingly, some of it reads like the stories of Sheherazad in A Thousand and One Arabian nights, full of ghosts and secrets and jinns.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, although I'd had higher hopes for the writing style in general.
Journal Entry
11 by
Brookeworm at
A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, April 30, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (4/30/2006 UTC) at A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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Being sent on its way to ajsmom who is next in the ring.
Received today, thanks. Will get to it asap.
I enjoyed this book; I liked the idea that the narrator(s) was an inanimate object. I liked that one of the characters carried through most of the stories (although I had to consult the family tree on a couple of occasions), and that a well-known historical figure was involved with the family.
I don't have a lot to add to other reviews, really! I have PM'd morsecode for an address.
And might I just add that I love BookCrossing and the rings/rays feature - I'm sure I never would have read this book otherwise!
Journal Entry
14 by
ajsmom at
By Mail in A fellow BookCrosser, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (5/23/2006 UTC) at By Mail in A fellow BookCrosser, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases
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Sent to morsecode via air mail.
This book arrived today. I have some other high-priority TBR on my plate so I'm not going to be able to send this out as quickly as I'd like, but I will definitely have it back on the road within a month.
I just finished this book and I really enjoyed it... I felt like I was on a journey of discovery.
The history of 20th century Turkey is woven into the story of one family, four generations of women.
I love the idea of the family residences as the narrators of the different sections of the novel (although, as some of the earlier readers have pointed out, the houses are omnipotent narrators and it does seem a bit strange that they can know about things that happen outside of their immediate vicinity).
I'm counting this book toward my big reading challenge for this year: the
5 Books, 5 Countries, 5 Continents challenge.
I'll be mailing this to Lpree next time I go to the post office.
This arrived in today's mail. I have a few rings ahead of this, but will read it as soon as I can. I'm looking forward to reading this as it really sounds like an interesting story.
First of all, I'm really sorry I've kept it for over a month now.
Now, on to the book. I loved this - I'm always fascinated by stories that take place in different cultures and different times. This book featured both. The narration by the houses themselves was a really unique way of telling this story. I think my mother will really enjoy this book as well, so I intend to go out and buy a copy for her birthday.
Anyway, thanks very much for sharing this book with me! I'll get it mailed out in the next few days.
Book arrived in the mail today. (I love getting books in the mail!)
I am looking forard to reading it-the description on the back sounds interesting.
I truely enjoyed this book-it was easy to read and hard to put down. Croutier spins a wonderful tale! This family saga gives insight into the lives of women from another culture, insight into recent Turkish history, the immigrant experience, and also into the universal experience of women. I will be buying this book to give as gifts to several of my female relatives. Thanks for sharing this book Lyzzybee.
I have sent a PM to dospescados and will send the book on as soon as I get the mailing address.
After a few false starts and changes in the listings, it was mailed out to Jamesmum today.
Shoot - not only did I forget to log this when I got it, I also forgot it was a bookring. My apologies - it will be on its way very soon.
Thanks for sharing. Looks good. Got a few books ahead of this but hope to get it done soon.
Journal Entry
25 by
totoroandmei at
A Fellow Bookcrosser in By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (9/10/2007 UTC) at A Fellow Bookcrosser in By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases
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Going surface mail.
It's here! I was away overseas for 6 weeks and got back 2 weeks ago. Someone (husband!) had kindly opened the book and put it on the shelf without telling me.
I'm so sorry! I thought I had mailed this on to the next person months ago! Will send it on its way tomorrow.
The premise of this book - of having the houses tell the stories - is interesting, but not done well. It could have made the book very unique if it had been carried out properly. I did like the writing style however, it's like the reader is viewing things through a veil. And the stories of the family along with the Turkish culture are fascinating.
I wouldn't have normally signed up for this bookring, but I'm glad I did.
Journal Entry
30 by
RockDg9 at
Toowoomba, Queensland Australia on Monday, August 4, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (8/4/2008 UTC) at Toowoomba, Queensland Australia
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Posted to butterfly-noir today.
the book arrived while I was away on hollidays so I didnt je rigth away.
I've started reading it last nigth, and I think I'm going to like it very much...lets see how it unfolds
I've finished this book in 2 days. that means i'm recovering my good old reading speed!
the ideia of the houses was narrators was a promising and it is a interesting, well written book, but I can't shake the feeling it could've been better. like someone else qlready said the ideia of the houses narrating the story only really happens whit the first house, thats the only one that really was a voice and a personality. on the other chapters the houses are just an excuse.
another aspect I didnt like very much was the time jump on ambers history. there so many details that stayed untold.
in all I enjoyed reading the book and the author style, still I think the book could have another 100pages to tigth the lose ends, but I understand that the author porblably prefred to leave them hunging to combine whit the story's aura of mystery and magic.
I have sirah adress and will be sending the book her way soon.
thank you for the ring, it was a very interesting discovey
First of all, my apologies for not journaling earlier. I received the book some time ago and finished it today, but forgot to journal when receiving.
It took me time to get liking the book, but towards the end it opened up to me more and more touching. The strange connection why I wanted to read the book in the first place was the silkworms and the the total devastation of distinguished Smyrna- still in my mind since reading the Middlesex a few years back. The oriental theme is very fascinating and gets me connected with the books I wish to read.
I really loved most of the characters and felt deeply for them. I enjoyed the descriptions of times, places, costumes, characters, personalities... romantic and sensitive person as I am. During the last pages when Amber went see her Anne-Anne I couldn´t help shedding the tears.
Thanks for sharing the book with me. it was worth of reading.
I have contacted the next person for her address.
The book arrived while I was away on a business trip, I now have a few rings here, but should be moving within the month.
Sincere apologies, I have had this book ages, too long - delay caused by a host of domestics which I won't bore you with!
A lovely read, lots of details about Turkish history and culture.
I have PMed Merimag several times, with no response, so will send to Scotsbookie without delay today.
Arrived this morning, thank you AnglersRest. I'm reading another ring at the moment & this will be next.
I enjoyed this book, the story of a family through several decades in Turkey & America. I always like these kinds of books that have an unfolding family tale. I was however disappointed that the story didn't seem to told by the houses apart from a few brief sentences at the beginning of each part.
I have Heaven-Ali's address so will have this on its way asap. Thank you LyzzyBee for ringing the book.
Journal Entry
38 by
scotsbookie at
By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, January 25, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (1/26/2009 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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Enjoy!
oooh what a surprise another bookring I had forgotten all about signing up for - well it looks interesting and I will try and get to it as soon as possible.
Overall I enjoyed the story of this Turkish family, which spans several decades and incorparates a lot of Turkish history. The device of having each house in which the family lives narrate the story is an unusal one - but in fact the only house with a distinct voice is the first house, in which Esma comes to live. I loved the story of Esma - and her lover, and none of the other other stories were as strong, although there were aspects of Amber's story I enjoyed too. There were also gaps in the story - and in the timeline - which I wanted filled in - what happened to Amber between her Parents return, and her own departure? What happened to Papatya after she and Amber are briefly reunited? A good read though, and one which will stay with me I think.
Thanks for sharing Liz : ) This will be coming home soon.
Journal Entry
41 by
Heaven-Ali at
by hand, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (2/11/2009 UTC) at by hand, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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If you have found this book, thank you for taking the time to look it up on the internet. Now please tell us what you thought of the book and what your plans for it are.
Returned to me by Ali last night after over 2 years of travelling!
Thanks everyone who read and sent it on!