I finished reading “Great House” just yesterday, having found the novel so compelling and beautifully written that I read it within three days. I have always been a fan of Nicole Krauss, and if possible I think this novel is an even greater achievement than her previous books.
In this book, the author skilfully weaves together the stories of several characters who at first seem only vaguely linked by chance encounters with one another. However, it soon become clear that these characters actually have a lot in common, sharing similar histories of loss, isolation and regret. Each character is perfectly crafted
and deeply sympathetic. The novel is written in the first person, from the points of view of several different narrators, and the author endows each character with a unique and memorable voice. In particular, I feel that, as a woman, Krauss has an incredible talent for writing from the perspectives of characters of the opposite gender. The men in this novel are as fully rounded and believable as the female characters. As an aspiring writer, I personally find this skill extremely difficult to master at times, and because of this I find her ability to write from different points of view quite admirable.
The many different settings of this novel are, in my opinion, also beautifully described. The book is set primarily in the homes of its various characters, and the author’s description of these places gives the reader wonderful insights into the minds of these characters. Sections of the novel also take place in disparate settings that range over a wide geographical area, and aspects of many different cultures play important parts in the story. This makes the novel particularly fascinating.
I also feel that Krauss has an incredible talent for symbolism and metaphor. The entire novel is crafted around one ...
