The Glass House

A bleak, rather compelling story of a dysfunctional family, told by the middle daughter, Vanessa. Vanessa has been expelled from her post Scots boarding school, and is sent home to attend the local high school and live with her mother in the countryside just outside Perth, Scotland. For a while, things seem to be reasonably good for Vanessa. She befriends local boy Alan MacAlpine, and their friendship changes into love, and they spend many idyllic hours wandering the countryside, chatting and making love. Although she is bullied at school for being 'posh', Alan protects her and Vanessa does rather well academically. However, Vanessa's mother, under her calm facade, is a violent depressive with a tendency to abuse, who is given to attacking her daughters. Vanessa's lies to protect her mother don't convince Alan, who, hurt by Vanessa's secretiveness, begins to drift away from her. And gradually Vanessa's world begins to fall apart, as she concentrates more and more on trying to keep her mother together. When Vanessa's younger sister Bryony becomes anorexic, Vanessa's calm and capable older sister Lucy decides to intervene and tell the girls' father what is going on - with dramatic consequences. Following a major life change, will Vanessa be able to rebuild her life?I enjoyed a lot about this book, particularly the descriptions of the landscape, Vanessa's love of reading and the genuinely touching relationship that Cooke created between Vanessa and Alan; it was very moving and believable. But I would only give the book three stars because I didn't feel Cooke had quite worked out how much we were meant to sympathize with Vanessa. Is she the victim of her mother's bullying, unable to help herself? Or does her unpleasantness towards her sisters, and her decision to quit school and drift around point to a self-destructive element in Vanessa herself? At times I couldn't help wanting to shake Vanessa as she carried on down her course of self-defeat; she seemed to be almost deliberately making things worse for herself. And I'd have liked to know more about why her mother became so troubled, and about the mother's past. So, while I thought there were many good things about the book, it ultimately left me slightly unsatisfied. Still, I hope Cooke carries on writing - she is definitely talented.

One of the best books I have read in a long time.Cooke has created a psychologically compelling tale of a mother's relationship with her daughters. The novel is narrated by Vanessa, whose almost detached telling of life amidst her mother's breakdown is heartbreaking. Vanessa's devotion to her mother is absolute, even as her sisters struggle and break away. But bullied Vanessa lives for the moments her mother softens, and tells her daughter that she loves her.The reader watches as Vanessa tries to form a relationship with Alan McAlpine, who knows that there is something deeply wrong in Vanessa's life, but finds himself unable to help.Told from Vanessa's point of view, the reader is aware of all that is going on in her life and mind, but the reactions of other characters show her to be a sadly misunderstood girl, well practised at hiding her emotion - which unfortunately only distances her further from those that truly care.This is an intelligent book, fully deserving of this five star rating.

I didn't like this book at all. I think it is a young person's read. The only character that had some merit was the young boy. I thought the central character was unappealing but then she had a lot to put up with as she had sa disfunctional family. It wasn't my type of book

Fairly interesting

I read this book because I wanted to find a writer who understood the Highlands. Didn't really get this and didn't have much time for the teenager who thinks one thing and does something completely different. Just not my kind of book I guess...

This read more like a semi-autobiographical teenage coming of age book rather than a novel. The setting is mostly in and around one house with very little seen of the Highlands and the Point of View is very egocentric so it is difficult to know if the protagonist is missing lots of things or even exaggerating matters. The subject matter of three teenage daughters and an abusive mother all at each other's throats (literally in some cases) is rather harrowing and even over the space of four years little of note seems to happen - and only at the very end is there any sign of character development. The protagonist seems to be her own worst enemy and seems to destroy much of things around her - I hope she grows up soon!

This tale which centers on the relationship between a daughter and her mother is compelling and very credible. I found myself unable to leave it and it has stayed with me since.A very good read.

The Glass House is a profound and emotional read. It is not for the weak, for it can send a chill right to the bones. Very good, I shall look out for this author again.