The Discovery of ‘The Family Upstairs’
Book Review
- Author: Lisa Jewell
- Pages: 340 (Hardcover)
- Published: 2019, Atria Books
- Themes: Family, Cults, Persuasion, Herbal-ism, Abuse
I read this book in two nights. Finally finishing at 4:30am, I did not sleep because I had to get ready for a doctor’s appointment in an hour’s time. This was my first experience with author, Lisa Jewell, chosen as the book of the month from another blogger I admire, and I believe I’ve fallen in love with this author!
The Family Upstairs is told from the point of view of three people, a woman named Libby, who inherits a riverfront estate and by doing so is one step closer to discovering her true ancestry. And two others, one of which recounts his unusual past and the other is longing for a more pleasant future.
One of the best things about this read was the author’s writing style. I’ve always enjoyed reading books that are told from the point of view of multiple characters. It gives the reader more context as to what is going on in the story and it showcases the author’s talent. While Jewell is a veteran writer, I imagine that each project comes with it’s own set of difficulties.
“All books are good,’ he said…Any book that has been published is going to be a ‘good book’ for someone.'”
‘The Family Upstairs’ by Lisa Jewell
This psychological thriller will have you second-guessing yourself at each turn of the page. You will find yourself feeling one way for the characters then (possibly) changing your mind altogether, once you’ve discovered their truths. It’s just eerie enough to keep you up at night, but it has its moments of warmth as well.
I enjoy books about history, and while this would not be considered ‘Historical Fiction’, the retelling of this particular family’s history had me completely engulfed.
While reading ‘The Family Upstairs’ one of the themes that kept coming up was the use of a specific herb (I won’t say which one) and I knew I just had to make a set of wax melts to go along with this book. I researched the herb and it’s many uses, what it might smell like and I created my own fragrance blend! You can purchase my ‘Bella’ Wax Melts here. You’ll be welcomed with notes of jasmine, lemon, and musk and immediately transported to this world of mystery.
With the help of some fellow book bloggers, I’ve been discovering a few other sources to purchase books. While large distributors like Amazon can be more convenient, and less expensive, I am a proud supporter of small businesses. Bookshop is an online book retailer that’s all about supporting local, independent bookstores! You can purchase ‘The Family Upstairs’ from bookshop.org here.
Have you read ‘The Family Upstairs’? Or have you recently enjoyed a book about a peculiar family? Let me know in the comment section below!
