Claire Fuller

"Twins Jeanie and Julius have always been different from other people. At 51 years old, they still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation and poverty. Inside the walls of their old cottage they make music, and in the garden they grow (and sometimes kill) everything they need for sustenance. But when Dot dies suddenly, threats to their livelihood start raining down. Jeanie and Julius would do anything to preserve their small sanctuary against the perils of the outside world, even as their mother's secrets begin to unravel, putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake."--Publisher.

Unsettled Ground

Shelby Doherty

Molly Bridge

Elle Geoghegan 

Really couldn't get into this one. An interesting story at its core, but felt like it dragged on. Towards the end got a bit more interesting, but that too fell short in my opinion

Kaitlyn Wendler

At 51 years old, twins Jeanie and Julius still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation. The rented cottage they have shared their entire lives is their only protection against the modernizing world around them. Inside its walls, they make music, and in its garden, they grow (and sometimes kill) everything they need to survive. To an outsider, it looks like poverty; to them, it is home. But when Dot dies unexpectedly, the seemingly idyllic world they've created begins to fall apart. The cottage they love, and the security it offered, is taken back by their landlord, exposing the twins to harsh truths and even harsher realities. Seeing a new future, Julius becomes torn between the loyalty he feels toward Jeanie, who has a weak heart and a sheltered vision of the world, and his increasing desire for independence. Meanwhile, as Brexit threatens to irreversibly change the country, the local community begins to stir trouble for them both. In this harrowing novel, award-winning author Claire Fuller masterfully builds a tale of sacrifice and hope, of homelessness and hardship, of love and survival, in which two marginalized and remarkable people dig to uncover long-held family secrets, and in their own way, repair, recover, and begin again.

Celeste Richardson

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, Tin House, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this. I was in the mood for a quiet story, but this was just too quiet. The writing was nice, but not incredible enough to carry a story lacking in both plot and characterization. I just wanted to shake everyone, sit them all down in a circle, and not let anyone move until they had hashed out all of their considerable issues. 

While I had issues with the novel, I will say that I found the premise unique. There aren’t that many adult sibling stories out there, and this one revolves around 51-year-old fraternal twins who have always lived with their mother. The tale opens on the death of that mother, leaving Julius and Jeanie, the aforementioned twins, alone for the first time in their lives and at a loss as to how to handle a funeral or the outstanding debts their didn’t even know about. 

Julius and Jeanie are both potentially fascinating characters who, in my opinion, never lived up to that potential. While there was some growth in the end, we don’t actually witness it, and I didn’t find it believable considering the trajectory these characters were on before said growth. I found myself constantly reminded of the movie Nell, and I’m not sure that’s a compliment. 

One thing I loved was that the biggest bond between these siblings was their music. That’s something my brother and I share, as well, and it’s a really special bond to have. I honestly wish it would have played a bigger role in the narrative.

While I can see why others love and will love this novel, it just didn’t work for me. If there had been a little more plot, or a little more character development, I think I could’ve at least liked it very much. But the combination of those lacks and the abrupt ending left me dissatisfied.

From bestselling author Claire Fuller comes a portrait of life on the fringes of society, a heart-stopping novel of betrayal and resilience, love and survival. What if the life you have always known is taken from you in an instant? What would you do to get it back? Twins Jeanie and Julius have always been different from other people. At fifty-one years old, they still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation and poverty. But when Dot dies suddenly, threats start raining down. Jeanie and Julius would do anything to preserve their small sanctuary against the perils of the outside world, even as their mother's secrets begin to unravel, putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake.

Fraser Simons

When their mother dies, aged 51(?) year old twins, Julius and Jeanie must face an absolutly punishing reckoning. They are marginalized from society, a part of a community that others them. They themselves are unwilling, probably unable, really, to participate in it, should they wish to regardless because their mother has exercise a unilateral, crueler than they know hold over their lives. They are impoverished, Jeanie cannot read and write, and therefor is precluded from most jobs. Julius is the only earner and it’s all cash-money doing unreliable odd jobs, which he has proved unreliable at performing. 

Their mother dying, then, presents problems: how to pay for her burial. How to bury her at all? Their mother seems to have borrowed money now owing, yet their utilities are off. Their very notions of how they are living—and therefor life itself, one could argue—are challenged constantly. And it’s rendered so well I was constant anxious myself. Especially now, after COVID, with so many jobs and home lives in turmoil, it hits close to home. Perhaps too close, for some. 

This all creates stakes fairly masterfully. They are, for some, very low bars. But they’re a never ending horizon for these twins unable to negotiate society, relying too heavily upon their mum and a never ending continuity. And on top of that: Secrets. Of which there are many and ranged and unearthed just as mother is going in the ground. Sometimes before she has. 

This is moving, affective, and sly. The characters are distinct in voice, as is the authorial voice itself. There isn’t that much fiction about people this age; certainly not about people of this age who have accrued little-to-no-agency in life, in this manner. I think it works well as a piece to ruminate on trauma and the kind of tyranny only parents can wield. The casual cruelty people can inflict on one another when othering is possible is much more than a defect. And there is a spiral that people in poverty know all too well. Some events begin a cascade. This one, in particular, though wrapped in verisimilitude, packs quite the punch. From start to finish it can be a bit of a descent. But it is worth it, in my opinion.

3.5 Stars

Likes:
- I feel that the characters are portrayed in a really humane way. They are not characterized as being lazy, stupid, incompetent, etc. even though this may be a common or easy assumption to make of people living similar lives. The author does a good job of showing just how deep their problems and poverty are and that there is no way to pull yourself up by your bootstraps to improve your condition.
- Such a very sad story. One tragedy after another happens to this family that is already living in dire circumstances. The characters are incredibly resilient though and make do with what they have and never seek out others' pity.
- I found this book especially interesting in regard to the mother-child relationships and all the unsolved mysteries that start to be uncovered after Dot's death. This sort of reminds me of my own Mom's experience. All the secrets and lies that start to be uncovered but you can never really know firsthand what is the truth or why the truth was ever hidden from you. I think that this also ties nicely into not getting a response/getting to speak to the criminal who hurt Julius. These are all very upsetting things and it is easy to ruminate and overanalyze why they happened but at a certain point, you may just need to come to peace with the fact that you can only know so much.
- I think that this book made me think a lot and reflect on things a lot more than other books I have read recently.
- I personally enjoyed how hard it was to pinpoint when this book takes place. For example I had no idea it took place in the present day until they mentioned one of the characters having an Alexa device in their home.
- I enjoyed that at the end Jeanie learns to open up a bit more and accept support from her community and friends. I think that this is a very good way to wrap up the story and to make a happy ending even if her life is still very challenging. Her life becomes so much more enriched when she begins to reach out to and accept help from others.
- Thank God for the NHS! I could not imagine where this story would have gone if the country they lived in did not provide healthcare to their citizens. Definitely makes you think about the American healthcare system even more. It is also interesting to me that Jeanie, someone who is so against government aid or support, has no qualms about receiving help via the NHS. Healthcare is a human right!

Dislikes:
- I'm not sure exactly what it is or what would have made this book better for me, but something just seemed to be missing. It was a very sad and overwhelming story but I never felt particularly emotional. Maybe it is because the characters are mostly distanced from their own emotions? (it seems the primary emotion they felt throughout the book was anger or frustration based?)
- The Dot / Rawson affair was not a shock to me and when Mrs. Rawson advised Jeanie of the outstanding debt I figured it was going to be due to the jealousy surrounding their relationship.

LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE 2021 'So sharply, so utterly brilliant that I found myself holding my breath while reading it, dazzled by Fuller's mastery and precision' LAUREN GROFF, author of Fates and Furies __________________________________________________________________________ What if the life you have always known is taken from you in an instant? What would you do to get it back? Twins Jeanie and Julius have always been different from other people. At 51 years old, they still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation and poverty. Inside the walls of their old cottage they make music, and in the garden they grow (and sometimes kill) everything they need for sustenance. But when Dot dies suddenly, threats to their livelihood start raining down. Jeanie and Julius would do anything to preserve their small sanctuary against the perils of the outside world, even as their mother's secrets begin to unravel, putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake. Unsettled Ground is a heart-stopping novel of betrayal and resilience, love and survival. It is a portrait of life on the fringes of society that explores with dazzling emotional power how we can build our lives on broken foundations, and spin light from darkness. ____________________________________________________________________ 'Her strongest yet... a powerful, beautiful novel that shows us our land as it really is: a place of shelter and cruelty, innocence and experience' THE TIMES 'A gorgeously written celebration of the natural world as well as a moving portrait of a family struggling against time' LUCY TAN 'An atmospheric thriller that's both heartbreaking and heartwarming' RED

Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021

Jemima Scott

Harriet Moar-Smith

This is written wonderfully. I only read this because it's on the Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist otherwise I'd have never picked it up as I try not to start books I think are going to be horrifically depressing. I'm so gald I did, although we can add it to the pile of books to make me cry on public transport.
I'm not sure how to feel about the end though. It almost feels like a halfway house of a glimmer of hope but a bit too late. Also, if Fuller had killed off the dog it would have gotten 2 stars.

Ruby Huber

This was beautiful, and not like anything I’ve read before, but not in an earth shattering way. Simply a story about two people that I’ve never read before. I think many people would consider this a boring book but I found that to be the best part.

I powered through this because I bought it, but I really just didn't like it. 

The characters are all unlikable and I found it hard to imagine them at all. The protagonists are in their 50s but you couldn't tell without them stating it; they basically behaved like teenagers. Their decision making skills are terrible to a fault and you wonder how they ever survived at all.

You have these easily deductible "secrets" held over your head for essentially the entire book. They're constantly hinted or referred to, like dripping molasses. When they're finally revealed it just doesn't even effect anything. I don't think there was an actionable plot here at all, it was basically just following the mundane, depressing lives of these two 50 year old children who think they're better than the people with fully functioning lives.

The writing isn't bad, but I think the story lacked any actual punch.

Jan Talkington

I like Ms Fuller's writing style. She tells a quiet story that has depth. This was my read during Hurricane Ida and it kept me engaged. A good one.

Francine Corry

Jessie Winchester

Ainsley Jeffery

Kate Hall

MacKenzie Hamon

Amanda Ferguson

Pipsy Roque

Fran Lewis

Anna Troughton 

Rikke Lohse

Nicole Vanderbilt

Iris Emily

Finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction “So sharply, so utterly brilliant that I found myself holding my breath while reading, dazzled by Fuller’s mastery and precision.” —Lauren Groff From the award-winning author of Our Endless Numbered Days, Swimming Lessons, and Bitter Orange comes a brilliant novel about an unusual family held together by a string of lies, a small town with too many questions, and a sudden death that threatens to undo them all. At fifty-one years old, twins Jeanie and Julius still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation in the English countryside. The cottage they have shared their entire lives is their only protection against the modernizing world around them. Inside its walls, they make music, and in its garden, they grow everything they need to survive. To an outsider, it looks like poverty; to them, it is home. But when Dot dies unexpectedly, the world they’ve so carefully created begins to fall apart. The cottage they love, and the security it offered, is taken back by their landlord, exposing the twins to harsh truths and even harsher realities. Seeing a new future, Julius becomes torn between the loyalty he feels towards his sister and his desire for independence, while Jeanie struggles to find work and a home for them both. And just when it seems there might be a way forward, a series of startling secrets from their mother’s past come to the surface, forcing the twins to question who they are, and everything they know of their family’s history. In Unsettled Ground, award-winning author Claire Fuller masterfully builds a tale of sacrifice and hope, of homelessness and hardship, of love and survival, in which two marginalized and remarkable people uncover long-held family secrets and, in their own way, repair, recover, and begin again.

Unsettled Ground

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