But even amidst the general gloom of Rita’s years living in Torquay, there were a few things she like and appreciated, very much the same sentiment as the American musician Johnny Rivers must have felt when he penned the famous lyrics, “It’s hard to find nice things on the poor side of town.” Not impossible, as Rivers indirectly points out, but difficult. A baby is found in the woods at Foxcote Manor, in 1971. This begins a family drama and tons of secrets. The story is told in alternating timelines, from 1971 and now. The alternating timelines are well done, and never confusing. But within days a body is found in the grounds of their house and their perfect new family implodes.

Now, I must confess to something. I knew I didn't like the way this book was written. I knew I didn't like any of the characters (most especially, well, never mind, that would be a spoiler). And I could easily deduce how each plot and subplot would be resolved. The Glass House book is a riddle for you to discover the haunting mystery hidden so well by Eve Chase. The Glass House Book Author The Glass House is not really about a murder, or a creepy house, but about families - the ones we're born into, the ones we make and especially the ones we flee' New York Times So, Rita had been hired, and over the course of the next fourteen months, came to adore the two Harrington children, Teddy, who was five and Hera, (Here-rah), who was twelve when she began working in the household. And there was a third child on the way, due to arrive soon as was evidenced by Jeannie Harrington’s growing baby bump. National Historic Landmark Nomination: Philip Johnson Glass House". National Park Service. June 28, 1996. {{ cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= ( help) and Accompanying 18 photos, exterior, from 1996 and undated. (5.41MB)Part Five, titled "Thanksgiving", takes place five years after the death of Rex when the family gathers for Thanksgiving at Jeannette's country home where they toast to Rex.

Rita, Jeannie, Teddy and Hera would make the five-hour driving trip from London to the family’s country estate, a manor house located in a remote, heavily wooded location. Rita envisioned these two developments with a foreboding feeling. She hated driving, and she despises the woods. But even so, considering how much she came to care for the family, and the fact that she loves her job, causes her to grit through these temporary annoyances. The characters are very well created and many are very likeable especially Rita and Robbie who Rita meets when she lives at Foxcote in 1971. Robbie is a lovely kind man who helps Rita to heal and cast off a trauma from childhood. Rita is the lynch pin at Foxcote and throughthe book as none of the Harrington family function well without her and nor do her immediate family. The Forest provides a wonderfully atmospheric setting as it is also pivotal to the story which is shown in the clever use of descriptive language that makes it come alive. The Forest is part of the body and soul of Robbie and Sylvie and I find that fascinating. Sylvie's and Annie’s story are also really interesting and I enjoyed how their stories fit well into past events at Foxcote. Office of Intellectual Freedom (September 9, 2020). "Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books: 2010–2019". American Library Association . Retrieved June 20, 2021. A captivating mystery: beautifully written, with a rich sense of place, a cast of memorable characters, and lots of deep, dark secrets Kate MortonThat immediately lead to the third of the fortunate turns, as the girl who handed Rita the cake began to giggle in such an infectious way that Rita, despite herself, began a bit of a giggle fit herself. On the day of the job interview, three things happened, all of which worked together in favor of Rita landing the job. First, Mrs. Jeannie Harrington read her reference letter aloud as the candidate sat, as demurely as possible, on the soft across from her, the children listening intently to mother’s spoken proclamation: This was partially a work of cultural fiction, covering topics which in today's climate of racial equality, made for some cringeworthy reading moments, which were however, pertinent to the storyline, totally relevant for inclusion and did not form too large a part of the overall content. Despite my discomfort, I am still firmly of the belief that you cannot change history and neither should we. We should amend information where necessary, documenting and recording events truthfully and accurately. Going forward we should then work to change our mindset and views, so that the history books of the future will record our new advanced and informed thinking. Scott, A. O. (2001-09-15). "The Glass House (2001) FILM REVIEW; It's Supposed to Be Scary, You See, Not Humorous". The New York Times . Retrieved 2013-08-21. I also was impressed with how each perspective tied together in the end of this story. I was unsure how the dots might connect as I was reading, but as I got closer to the end, my mind was absolutely blown. Despite the hardships the characters faced, making this story have a predominately melancholy feel, I was delighted with how things turned out. This ended up being a beautiful tale of family, love, and allowed readers to experience how even the saddest of situations can have great outcomes.