Book Review - The Inside-Out House by Joanna Ezekiel

Book Review

The Inside-Out House 

by Joanna Ezekiel

Book Description

It’s 1994. When fourteen-year-old Sam Green moves from the seaside to a suburb with her dad, she becomes obsessed with a mysterious house in the local park.

But why doesn’t her dad want her to visit the park? And why does the friendly assistant in the local library seem so familiar? With the help of Jimi, the intriguing boy who lives upstairs, Sam learns more about the history of the park, until everything she knows starts to feel as if it’s being turned inside-out…

“An evocative story about family ghosts and secrets, and the truths we keep locked inside ourselves. Fantastic imagery and utterly believable characters combine into a page turning debut.” 

 Shanta Everington 

 “A poignant coming-of-age novel, moving and beautifully told.” Helen Cadbury “This is a novel that is something different, beginning with two young people’s shared fascination with an ‘inside-out house’ art work. This read will appeal to deep-thinking teenagers who don’t want to be stereotyped and put into boxes.” Anne Krisman

Available to buy from...
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk

Our Book Review

At 14, Sam's life is turned upside down when her dad takes a new promotion, Head Departmental Teacher, and they both have to move from their seaside home, leaving her friends behind. 

Sam as any teenager would finds it hard to leave her best friend, although more than happy to leave certain others behind.  She is low in confidence and is used to playing second fiddle to the other girls from her previous school,  When they move to the flat near a park, Honey their upstairs neighbor, a teacher friend of her dad's, is looking after her nephew Jimi for the time being and they become good friends. The only stipulation her dad insists on is they must not go anywhere near the park, buy why, it's only a park?  Why does she feel her dad and others are holding back on telling her what's really going on?

As we all know teenagers never listen and they find themselves in the park and discover the house, an art project that is hated by locals who petition for it to be removed.  Memories of the past emerge from the earth of the house, what horrors and other memories will it possess?  Sam and Jimi along with their video camera ignore her dad's wishes even more and continue to try and reveal the secret events of the past.

A wonderful debut story from a UK author who I've only just discovered lives fairly close to myself. Teenagers will enjoy this intriguing story, intertwined with Sam becoming aware of her true self and the best friend she thought she had left behind.

Our Rating

About the author

Joanna Ezekiel was born in England and grew up on the outskirts of London. She has taught in primary schools and worked as a children's librarian in London. She now works as a creative writing tutor for the Open University and lives in Yorkshire.

Find the author on the following sites

Blog   Facebook    Twitter   Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

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