THIS HOUSE IS MINE/Dorte Hansen

 DUE TO BE RELEASED

NOVEMBER 15,2016

THIS HOUSE IS MINE
by
Dorte Hansen
Translated by
Anne Stokes

"This house is mine but not mine alone,

 it also belongs to the one who comes after me." 

• Number: 9781250100856
• Release: November 15, 2016
• Author: Dörte Hansen
• Availability: Print-Book
• Genre: Suspense
• Tags: Women's Fiction
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press

All her life Vera has felt like a stranger in the old and drafty farmhouse she arrived in as a five-year-old refugee from East Prussia in 1945, and yet she can’t seem to let it go. 60 years later, her niece Anne suddenly shows up at her door with her small son– Anne has fled the trendy Hamburg neighborhood she never fit into when her relationship implodes. Vera and Anne are strangers to each other, but have much more in common than they think. As the two strong-willed and very different women share the great old house, they surprisingly find what they have never searched for: a family. Told in skillfully-crafted alternating points of view and a non-linear story
line, Hansen showcases her impressive talent for characterization and dialog in an unusual book that combines emotional depth and humor. She immerses the reader in a series of brightly lit or obscure scenes that call for close reading and offer many rewards. The author's sparse language and sometimes oblique references make for a deeply immersive reading experience, and the characters will resonate long after the last page has been turned. Readers of Anthony Doerr and M.L. Stedman will find much to love here.

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Told in alternating points of view from 1945 to the present day, This House Is Mine showcases Dorte Hansen's talent for characterization and her fearlessness in braving difficult subjects as two women heal under the shelter of an old farmhouse --a safe haven tucked away in the German countryside that has seen more than its share of pain and secrecy. Sixty years later these women, generations apart, find something they never realized they were looking for: family.

A deeply immersive reading experience, This House Is Mine will resonate with readers of Anthony Doerr and M.L. Stedman long after the last page has been turned.

THE AUTHOR

Dorte Hansen was born in 1964, learned several languages including Gaelic, Finnish and Basque, and completed a Ph.D. in linguistics. She then turned to journalism, spent several years working as an editor for NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk) and is now an author for radio and print. 

MY THOUGHTS

Living in the same old farmhouse from the age of 5, Vera is still feeling alone and like she doesn't belong after 60 years.   Then the author brings family together, a niece with her little boy.   Vera and Anne don't know each other but as they go day by day they begins to see how much they have in common.   The author gives us two strong willed women, different and alike in many ways.   They find that they both long for and want what many want, FAMILY.  The old farmhouse brings out many emotions.   The old house could tell stories, the old house has seen much pain and unhappiness but it is a safe haven for the two woman and joy can be part of this house again.  The author takes you deep into the heart of the old farmhouse and the secrets it holds.   Characters are vulnerable and need that security of family which they haven't had.   The author gives the reader much to think about while reading and even after you've finished.   Sometimes the house is the foundation where the family grows and as these two women rely on each other, the house becomes alive again.   Even though the house is yours while you're there, when you are gone, it becomes someone else's haven and secret holder.   The story is well written and the grabs hold of you as you read. The author gives the reader strong characters but also shows some of their weaknesses, which make them real.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Dorte Hansen and Night Owl Reviews in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

I would give this book 4 STARS.