This novel has a fascinating structure with parts of the story in the past and parts in the present. Sylvie has known for most of her life that both she and her sister have been adopted, but now her mother has had an accident and is in a coma, and her daughter is pregnant, and there are things that Sylvie just doesn't know.

I think the reader knows more than Sylvie does, but even so there are t's to crossed and i's to be dotted, and so this book is really a many stranded mystery. As the book progresses things begin to fall into place, with some real surprises. Nevertheless I thought there was a bit of a struggle to tie everything off at the end. ( )

A beautifully crafted story of 2 families and the secrets they buried until happenstance reveals all, and the connection between a body found in woods in August 1971 and Sylvie’s mother Rita.

There are three narrators, their stories entwining throughout the book. Depicting the events of August 1971 are twenty year old Rita, orphaned when she was five and now nanny for the Harrington’s, who adores her charges Hera and Teddy, and twelve year old Hera, daughter of Walter and Jeannie Harrington. Then there is forty-six year old Sylvie, recently separated from her husband Steve with an eighteen year old daughter Annie.

I found this a compelling read and I liked the interwoven stories and thought they were very well handled by the author. The repressed Harrington’s and their inability to communicate emotionally was well depicted so the reader feels their predicament, and the damage and hurt they are inflicting on each other and their children. I particularly liked the character of Big Rita, she shows her charges unconditional love, that their mother, caught in her own misery, cannot. Walter tries, but their relationship is not open so it is full of misunderstandings and deep hurt.

Sylvie realises that her marriage is over and so moves out of the marital home. Their daughter Annie reacts by going to stay with Sylvie’s mother in Devon, where the secret of Sylvie's history starts to unfold.

I did feel the ending was perhaps too nice, too tidy, but that doesn’t detract anything from the story and sometimes that does happen in life. ( )

The Glass House is a gloriously circular novel, even though it doesn't feel like it for much of the story. There's so much that slides into place in a gentle but nonetheless startling and unexpected way.

This is the story of Rita, Hera and Sylvie, and the Forest of Dean, a character in its own right. Deep in the forest lies Foxcote Manor where the Harrington family spend one summer. Rita is nanny to Hera and her brother, Teddy, when a foundling baby is found in the woods and this discovery sets off a chain of events that may just echo down the years. Where Sylvie fits in would give too much away too soon but I was in awe of how the author pushed me down certain paths in the story with such subtlety.

Eve Chase's writing is beautiful. It's so lyrical, so poetic and elegant, pared back so there's never a stray word that doesn't belong, yet so descriptive and all-encompassing. I thought she captured the remoteness of the house in the woods, the hazy summer and the strange locals so well. There's also a strong sense of place, of the woods being both benign and ominous at the same time.

I feel like Chase is an author whose other books I will really enjoy. I love stories of family dynamics, secrets and lies, surprising links between characters, all of whom are cast perfectly in their roles. The Glass House has all of this in spades, zig-zagging between the early 1970s and the current day. It's not a fast-paced book, more one that is quietly addictive, and it drew me right in to the world of the Harringtons, just as Rita was. With gorgeous prose, interesting characters and the setting that came alive and jumped off the page, it's really a lovely read. ( )

Foxcote Manor is slightly neglected and rundown, but its tranquil forest setting seems perfect for the Harrington family as they regroup following tragedy in 1971. Family secrets, choices, mistakes and consequences don't go away though. This tale uncovers the hidden secrets of the Harrington family and how the entire game plays out over time.

I normally don't really like stories that jump back and forth in time, but for this tale, it's necessary. Dead bodies in the forest. Babies left just outside gates. Every action, every choice, every lie or omission has a price....

It takes a talented storyteller to pull off a multi-layered, emotional story like this. And Eve Chase does a superb job of it! I was glued to the page from start to finish, even through all the time jumps. I recommend readers try to avoid reviews and discussions that reveal too much of the plot. To get the full effect, it's really necessary to go in with only bare bones facts. This story develops slowly and is definitely character driven. Eve Chase chooses each word and description carefully, revealing the emotions, motivations and soul of each of her characters.

A well told story with very deep characters -- enjoyable read! This is the first book by Eve Chase that I've read. I will definitely be reading more!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Penguin/Putnam. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )

This is an enjoyable mystery told in alternating chapters by characters from the past and the present. The way their stories weave together makes for a satisfying resolution. ( )