The Family Upstairs

Rating Description:

1.0 - DNF/Despise

1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had

2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring

2.5 - Alright with lots of notes

3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it

3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it

4.0 - Love but with notes

4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes

5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive

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The book basically has 3 POVs going on. The 1st is Libby in the current time. The 2nd is Lucy, also in the current time. Then last there’s Henry who is recounting what the heck happened in the past. Libby’s storyline is basically the catalyst for the “investigation”. Henry’s storyline gives us the backstory. Lucy’s storyline really didn’t add to the main plot. So much so that I initially couldn’t figure out if she was Henry’s sister, Clemency, or some other random person.

The three storylines go on and on until around 2/3s of the book. Then the last 1/3 kind of speeds through the juicy part of the past and the eventual convergence of the 3 storylines.

An ongoing theme in this story is choices. Bad choices. From everyone. Including the author.

All the choices of the adults in the house were bad

1. This is self explanatory.

The choices the kids took before, during, and immediately after the “big incident” were also bad

1. They didn’t carefully plan out their one chance of escape.

2. They didn’t stick together when they ran.

3. They didn’t try to find each other afterwards.

The other adults were also making bad choices

1. Dr. Broughton, who they ran to for help, didn’t contact the authorities or got them proper help.

2. The mom, Sally Thompsen, didn’t look for Phin.

3. The Lamb’s uncle didn’t try to look for Henry or Lucy.

As for the author, personally I am not a fan of the following choices she made plot wise:

1. Readers can pretty much guess how the adults in the past died.

2. Libby’s mother was sort of a surprise, sure. But given how it was revealed so late in the game, it didn’t have as much impact as it would have. Personally, I think that if it was revealed earlier, the 3 storylines would be more inter-related.

3. I think Lucy and Henry’s storylines should have been switched. Lucy’s POV in the past seemed more interesting given how it turned out that she’s Libby’s mother. As for Henry, what happened to Henry after the adults’ death seemed more interesting because, quite frankly, he seemed to have become quite nuts.

I was told that there’s a sequel to this. But I am unsure if I want to read it.