The Shell House

by Linda Newbery

Book Overview

The Shell House is a beautifully written and sensitive portrayal of love, sexuality and spirituality over two generations. Greg's casual interest in the history of a ruined mansion becomes more... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385750110
• ISBN13: 9780385750110
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: David Fickling Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.7" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 to 16 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 11

Customer Reviews

Teens haven't changed

This captivatingly-poignant, love story-mystery vibrantly depicts the struggles of Greg, Faith, and Jordan as the lives of these young adults of the twenty-first century and those of the twentieth century Edmund intertwine in the universal quest for identity. As Greg, Jordan, and Faith explore their sexual, spiritual, and moral identities in the year 2002, their lives begin to reflect the issues surrounding the mystery of an intriguing antique mansion, left as a mere shell by a fire that ravaged it during World War I, and of Edmund, the wealthy young man who once lived in the magnificent home. In spite of his wealth and apparent ease of lifestyle, Edmund encountered many of the same issues that Greg and his friends do in their middle class lives in 2002. Vivid, flowing descriptions paint a memorable, picturesque integral setting in which the believable, fully-developed characters struggle to mature. Considering the controversial topics conveyed, this novel is remarkably free from didacticism, thus lending itself conducive to the reader to, in turn, strive to be true to his own reality. The unusually subtle denouement as well as the neutral tone of the author, merely reinforces this. The characters' antagonists are their own preconceived expectations of what life should be. Symbolism and metaphors are skillful embellishments that contribute to deeper meaning and impact of the theme of self-discovery. The story is very effectively written in first person narration, primarily by Greg and intermittently by Edmund. Each young man's chapter is introduced by his own means of self expression. A mental photograph, reflecting Greg's love of photography, begins each chapter narrated by Greg, and Edmund's chapters are initiated by his poems. Although this is a British novel and the slang is problematic for American youth, this will prove to be no hindrance to its appeal. Once the young reader deciphers the unfamiliar words, the language used may even become part of its appeal.

Just get past the first 50 pages...

If you can get past the first 50 pages of this book, you will find that it starts to grow on you. I put the book away, came back after a week, plowed on--and then I finished the last 3/4 of it in a flurry, needing to know what happened next. As you read, the characters become more alive and rounded, and their interests and experiences more developed, nuanced, and believable. The novel also has an ending that keeps you kind of guessing as to what eventually Greg tells himself about his own sexual identity. It is not a foregone conclusion that he will "come out" to himself or continue to think of himself as "definitely not" gay. The author has created in Greg a teenager who is still able to be quite turned on, physically, by girls, but who hasn't yet discerned whether his attraction to Jordan is something more than just aesthetic (he's a truly beautiful swimmer for Greg to watch and photograph) and platonic (he's a low-key but deeply-thinking friend). About the novel's language: I am an American, and this book is thoroughly British, so I have no idea whether the dialogue is appropriately realistic. Do people say "yobs" and "gits"? I didn't care, because as I read, I became more convinced that I could see it happening. The novel tries to weave together some big themes besides sexual identity, including the value of religion (trust in God vs. trust in the physical world, including sex), the tragic fighting of World War I, and, underlying both of those issues, the meaning/meaninglessness of suffering. I was skeptical that all this could be pulled off, but the author succeeded. Only occasionally are there too text-book-like phrases (such as the "3 questions of theodicy" put into the mouths of "normal" teenagers--but hey, I kind of like that "too-smart-for-real-teens" kind of talk once in a while, too. Think Dawson's Creek). As I reflect on the book, some of the minor characters stand out most brightly. Greg's crude friend Gizzard is completely imaginable, as is Dean, the punk who causes him problems, and Dean's selfish mother. Their brief appearances deserve notice. Even more brightly drawn, but given too small a part, is Tanya. Tanya at first repulses Greg with her blatant sexual desire; she later proves to be a refuge for him (the most descriptive language about sex I've read in a teen novel occurs in Tanya's and Greg's encounter); finally, near the end, she appears in Greg's wet dream, her body blending (as in a dream) with the body of Jordan, the swimmer. I may go out on a limb here and state that Newbery seems able to create more believable "bad" characters than "good" ones. But it's said that it's harder to write good characters than bad. Finally, as someone who did some "bargaining with God" in my own teen years, I can say that I found believable this novel's recurrent issues of wanting to believe in God, asking God for a sign (especially when something tragic occurs), and yet still basically thinking that God probably doesn

Ripe novel for discussion

It is impossible not to compare this book to this year?s Carnegie Award winner, for it is the perfect companion novel to Aidan Chamber?s Winner Postcards from No Man?s Land (Dutton Books, 2002). Both books delve into issues of world war and burgeoning sexuality with passion, elegance and authentic characters. In The Shell House, shutterbug Greg is lured to the ruins of a mansion, where he meets a girl whose family is intent on a volunteer project to restore it. Faith becomes a pillar between his internal storm between Greg?s libido and his heart as he tries to figure out his sexual and spiritual identity. Greg?s story is contrasted with that of Edmund, a gay soldier who once lived in Graveney Hall whose is struggling with similar issues. An element of mystery is thrown in, as Greg and his friend the aptly named Faith are trying to discover the history of the hall and its inhabitants as they assist with the restoration.Abundant in metaphor and symbolism, the historical detail is excellent and characters and situations realistic but bit dramatic. Still, this would be an excellent book for discussion on many levels, and a possibility for history curriculum frameworks for mature students or progressive schools.

The Shell House

i got this book for boxing day and i wasnt seen until the next day!!, i sat down and enjoyed this book so much, it ties in romance, teenage problems and history, the teenage conflicts are so sad at some points i was in tears. id recomend this to anyone with a heart.