Overall, what did you think of The Greek House? (No spoilers, please!)
I wasn’t a fan of this book. I felt like it started off strong as a mystery and then veered wildly in all directions. The point of view shifts from Dulcie to Thirza early on and doesn’t return to Dulcie until the very end — a structural choice that felt disorienting rather than intentional. Offhand comments by characters that were never followed up on. The mystery felt like a detour and was left unsatisfying resolved. I also struggled to connect with any of the characters.
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This book was all over the place - mystery, romance, travel guide, book about food, too much description of the color of the sky/water and the smell of the flowers. The characters were a superficial mess. The only reason that I finished it was that I wanted to find out what happened to Thirza’s brother.
I couldn’t agree more.
I loved the descriptions of Corfu: the flowers, the colors of the sea, the olive groves, the fragrance of jasmine, the food. But the character development was disappointing. I’m particularly bothered when two characters fall madly in love when it seems all they have in common is great sex. Can you really love someone if you know nothing of their interests, history, life experiences? Surely that’s infatuation, not love.
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I liked the beginning of this book and learning about Italy’s 1923 attack on the Greek island. But I was really dismayed by the way it veered off. So much of “The Greek House” struck me as far-fetched and absurd. It’s not a book I will be passing on to friends.
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I found it somewhat akin to an old-fashioned afternoon soap opera. It was a quick and easy to read, very predictable, and the writing was OK, but I certainly wouldn’t call it great literature.
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I am sorry to say I really did not care for the book. I felt like it was not well written. I would read a sentence and then would have to page back a few pages as was not sure what the author was talking about. Might have been just me! It was a book club book so I did finish it and as someone else said I hoped we would discover what happened to Billy. Everyone reads a book differently so I imagine some people liked it a lot!
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The plot read like a soap opera; however, I liked the author’s description of the settings. I’m sure some BB have been to Greece, too. Nice memories returned as I visualized and recalled the sounds and smells.
I just started reading the book. I’m enjoying it, though I’m dismayed to see all the negative comments. I intend to finish the book and hope it will be worth my time and attention.
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Hey, @Ricki_Aiello, reading is such a subjective experience. I’m about to go post in the 1000 Books side read that I actually really enjoyed the book we read for March. I’m the outlier; I seem to have liked it more than my reading peers. Like you, others’ opinions had me worried, but I’m glad I tackled it anyway. Who’s to say why a book clicks with some people and not others? It’s a mystery! Enjoy the novel, and don’t let contrary opinions impact your reading experience if you can help it. 
Ricki, I agree with Kim. I thought the story was interesting initially. The author developed plot lines that went elsewhere in my personal opinion. We all differ, and we all bring our own experiences to our reading likes. I’ve been to Greece and loved the descriptive setting and mood that author maintained. Enjoy!
Thanks. Your positive attitude and shared experience help.
Well said Laura_S. I’m glad I’m not alone in my impressions of the book. It was quite disappointing.
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I thought it was a sad story. I was very interested in the beginning but it seemed to drag a bit and throw so much into the book. I didn’t like Thirza’s relationship with Emilio. Just too much of a soap opera for me.
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I also found this book hard to read, both with the structure and believability. It would start with one event, and then it would veer off into another. I also didn’t like that Dulcie, who seemed to be the main character, really did not reappear until near the end of the book.
Also, the plot line was so contrived, I realize you need to suspend belief when reading fiction, but the plot was so far-fetched, it became ridiculous. I mean, how often do missing people just magically show up and tie all the loose ends together?
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It was an easy read, something that might be good for taking a break from heavier lifting. I didn’t not enjoy it but…
I think it was predictable.
“The characters were a superficial mess.” I could not state it any better.
I found the historical fiction at the beginning of the story interesting and also the descriptions of Corfu. But to me the story was choppy, not a smooth read.
I really enjoyed it. I haven’t read many books with a Greek setting and found that to be charming. The beginning of part 2 took me a minute to switch from Dulcie’s perspective to Thirza’s but once I was half way through I was hooked