Each month we choose a newly released book that we feel is perfect for a book club. Then we roadtest it.

Here are our thoughts on whether Lisa Gorton’s The Life of Houses is a good pick for for book clubs.

Does the book make for good conversation?

As well as the mother-daughter parallels and contrasts, I think there’s a definite conversation to be had about the sense of place in the novel, specifically houses and the way the places of our memory impact our lives. Anna’s childhood home is almost anthropomorphised in its depiction, that lived-in feeling contrasted with the hotel rooms, restaurants and art galleries of her ‘real life’ that feel cold and stark in comparison. – Alan Vaarwerk

I initially found this book quite relentless – it was almost claustrophobic to be given so much detail about how the character was analysing their every thought. But as I continued to read, I realised that this was exactly how the house (that lies at the centre of this novel) was making its inhabitants and visitors feel, and I began to see the cleverness and skill of Gorton’s writing. A conversation about how different readers responded to Gorton’s style would be interesting. – Kara Nicholson

I agree with Kara. Gorton brings so much of the restraint and clarity of her poetry to her prose and the style of the unique, expressive writing would definitely make an interesting talking point, particularly with readers of poetry. The Life of Houses actually began as a prose poem and gradually grew into a novel over the six years that Gorton worked on it. The novel is far more than a straightforward story as it offers a stunning perspective on how we construct space and shape our identities through the environments that we inhabit. – Stella Charls

Are there multiple characters or narrative threads to inspire debate?

As well as the mother-daughter relationships (between both Anna and Kit, and Anna and Audrey) I’m interested in the relationship between Anna and Peter because of how uneasy both characters seem with each other. Despite being lovers, there’s a palpable distance between them in their interactions with each other. – Alan Vaarwerk

The novel shifts perspective between mother and daughter so how each represent a particular situation could certainly inspire debate. It would also be interesting to discuss the way memory is created and sustained across different generations. – Kara Nicholson

Gorton makes use of the close focus to explore the complex perspectives of her characters – their desires, their memories and their inhibitions. In an interview she is quoted as ‘wanting to work with a prose style that was very mixed up: memory and perception always jumping in and out of what you’d call action in a plot’ and indeed, the action in The Life of Houses is largely internal. This makes the book perfect fodder for conversations about character and subjectivity. As Kara and Alan have mentioned, the story focuses in turn on a mother and daughter in alternate chapters (Anna and Kit), so the perspective of women and children is central (refreshing in stories about place and landscape, often framed through a male viewpoint). – Stella Charls

What are the themes a book club might choose to discuss?

This is definitely a book to read slowly and ruminate on. Gorton’s prose is lyrical and melancholy, with beautiful descriptions and atmosphere – it’s not hard to tell that this is a novel written by a poet. Some themes are: mother-daughter relationships; the places we live in and the way they shape us; the intersections and different effects of poetry vs. novels. – Alan Vaarwerk

Memory; family; importance of place. – Kara Nicholson

The key themes here are style, place and perspective. The relationship between Kit and Anna sparks debate about how inescapably tied we are to our mothers and to our children. These ties intrinsically influence our sense of self but the urge to free yourself from them often leads to tension – a quintessential element to any coming-of-age story. In The Life of Houses the relationship between this tension and the role that the physical structures we inhabit play in our lives makes for unusual, affecting reading and lively discussion. – Stella Charls

Could the book be considered offensive by any readers? Or, is there anything book clubs should know before selecting this book?

The third act may be a bit upsetting for people who’ve gone through similar circumstances, but not in a way that could be offensive. – Alan Vaarwerk

No, I don’t think so. – Kara Nicholson

The book is denser than it first appears so may not appeal to anyone craving a fast-paced action-packed drama, but The Life of Houses poses interesting questions and makes for rewarding reading. – Stella Charls

We’re delighted that Lisa Gorton will be dropping by our Carlton shop tomorrow at 12pm to sign some books. Come say hullo!

The book we’re roadtesting for book clubs in May is The Tsarnaev Brothers: The Road to a Modern Tragedy by Masha Gessen.