Review ~ The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

July 18th
Random House UK, Corner Stone

Our House. Our Family. And the secrets between us.

The Bird family have an idyllic existence living in a picture perfect English village in the eccentrically named Bird House. Megan, Bethan, Rory and Rhys have the kind of childhood than only exists in fairy tales, picnics on the lawn, Easter egg hunts in the nooks and crannies of the garden and rainbow filled afternoons of love and laughter with their mother, Lorelei and father, Colin. But on one Easter afternoon a tragedy of epic proportions rips apart the family and nothing will ever be the same again.

Lisa Jewell has written an entirely believable book which untangles the minutiae of family life, and quite simply reveals the vulnerabilities and insecurities which can unconsciously fester away until the hurt becomes palpable. Beautifully characterised, everyone could be people you know, in situations you can all too easily understand, and yet shining through the hurt and awfulness is a gem of a family who tug at your heartstrings with a poignancy that will leave you captivated.



It’s an absolute gem; it’s one of those books that you simply can’t put down and have to keep reading until your eyes sting with tiredness. Quite simply a perfect read and one that will stay with me for a long time.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone.