The Shell House - Linda Newbery

[Nollaig]

 

I highly doubt anybody here has read this book, and its a Young Adult book which I haven't read in a while, so it may not make for the best reading, but I loved it and just rediscovered it, so I wanted to mention it.

 

Its a book about a house. The house is the physical connection between two boys in two very different lifetimes, one at war decades ago, and one present day (2002.) One's family lived in it, the other is photographing the burnt-out ruins of it 50 years later.

 

Both are discovering feelings for members of the same sex - one boy is required by his family to provide an heir, to match up to certain set standards, to be a tough soldier, and the other, despite the world becoming more acceptant of homosexuality, struggles with the idea when he meets a devoutly religious catholic girl.

 

The book explores the ideas of sexuality, obligations, religion, and the reconciliation of the idea of true love with them all across the years.

 

Anyone who enjoys reading young adult fiction - this is moderately heavy stuff by teen standards, its a worthwhile read and I have a feeling I'd love it as much today as I did 5 years ago.

Edited January 1, 2009 by Nollaig

[lexiepiper]

That sounds really interesting

[Nollaig]

I wants a copy =[

[lexiepiper]

Is there none on amazon?

[Nollaig]

I iz broke =[

[lexiepiper]

Ahh yes, I know that only too well

[Nollaig]

I'm rediscovering second hand bookshops when I get back to cork I think.

[lexiepiper]

Do you know of ReadItSwapIt? I'm not sure if you part with books when you're done, but if you have books that you didn't really like, or wont read again, then it might be worth swapping them out for something else you'd like

[Nollaig]

Yeah I've heard about it, but I doubt I'd be willing to swap anything anybody would want - I'd only swap books that were a load of rubbish

[Iagegu]

I remember my daughter reading this. I will have to see if she still has a copy.

[Loopyloo100]

Yeah I've heard about it, but I doubt I'd be willing to swap anything anybody would want - I'd only swap books that were a load of rubbish

 

But your rubbish could well be someone else's gem! I used Read it Swap it loads last year and found it surprising what people would swap, but I expect we both felt we were getting the best out of the deal.

[Iagegu]

I just found with Read it Swap it that whilst I wanted to swap a book I didn't always want anything the person had on offer. I'm trying BookMooch at the moment to see how that goes.

[Nollaig]

Do these sites work with the Republic though?