Dream House: A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Valerie Laken (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A classic money pit scenario offers insights into the fragility of home, family and neighborhood in Pushcart Prize–winner Laken's thoughtful debut. Kate and her husband, Stuart, have been living a student lifestyle—complete with all-night parties and a rundown apartment—since leaving college seven years before. When Kates parents help them buy their own home, they dont know that the handyman special was the site of a murder nearly 20 years earlier. Nor do they expect that the fixer-upper will be the wedge that drives them further apart. When Stuart walks away from their gutted home in the middle of Kates ambitious remodeling, Kate forms new relationships with two men who have ties to the murder and the house. At times, the metaphoric potential in Kate and Stuart's cursed home overshadows the storytelling. For the most part, however, Laken avoids foundering in obvious symbolism, instead offering compelling reflections on broad issues such as neighborhood gentrification and the American dream as well as the personal struggles involved with marriage, family and the creation of a home. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

On many levels, critics praised Dream House, a domestic drama inspired by Laken's own experience buying and renovating a home in which a murder had occurred. No ordinary ghost story, it offers insight into the troubled human psyche and a deep inquiry into the meaning of home through multiple storylines. Lessons about materialism, self, sacrifices, class, race, and values also emerge. Reviewers agreed that the prologue is a short masterpiece and that the novel as a whole is an excellent portrait of "the stereotypes that distinguish posh Ann Arbor, backwoods Dexter, and Ypsilanti" (Detroit Metro Times). The only complaint came from Entertainment Weekly, which found fault with the main characters. Otherwise, Laken is a writer to watch.
Copyright 2009 Bookmarks Publishing LLC

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 312 KB
• Print Length: 354 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0060840935
• Publisher: HarperCollins e-books; 1 edition (February 3, 2009)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001QIGZOK
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,704 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Character study, February 16, 2009

By 

G. Miller (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dream House: A Novel (Hardcover)

I was at the store to get other books and just picked this up on a whim. To be honest, I purchased this book only because it is based in Ann Arbor - which is where I live. However, I found that it is the type of book that has kept me up because I keep wanting to see what happens next. It is also the type of book that causes one to pause and reflect on which aspects in the characters are a part of the reader as well.
As far as style, I really like the way the author weaves together story lines of several different people using both flashbacks and current writing. Over the arc of the story the various details build into a tightly woven piece. That component reminds me of a John Irvine or Pat Conroy book. However, the writing is faster paced.
I think this book will appeal to a wide range of people. Ironically, my biggest complaint is that I think she may have gone a little overboard with bringing up Ann Arbor details. It helps for a local, but I think repeated references to certain streets or "the diag" might a get a little distracting if I were not local. Then again, maybe I only notice it because I am local. In any case, I look forward to reading future books from the author.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great story, June 16, 2009

By 

C. Striker (ohio) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dream House: A Novel (Hardcover)

I thoroughly enjoyed this plot and the characters she developed. Being that this is her first novel, I look forward to more books by Valerie Laken because I believe she'll take more chances next time. She is a great writer and has the potential to turn out some fantastic stories. The description of "ghost story" on the book will throw people off if they're looking for a book about actual ghosts or hauntings; it's more of a metaphorical description. I couldn't put it down.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much more than a ghost story, April 30, 2009

By 

Amanda Layman - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dream House: A Novel (Hardcover)

If you're looking for a cheap, mindless thriller, look elsewhere...Dream House is a literary work that explores the dynamics of marriage, family life, and the walls we put up between one another. The most intriguing thing about this book is Laken's ability to balance the traumas of a handful of characters while maintaining a gripping plotline. I was grateful that she neither forfeited plot for character nor vice versa. Overall, a really great read and compelling story.