The House Between Tides A Novel
By Sarah Maine Read by Justine Eyre Unabridged 12h 7m Courtesy of Audiobook Jukebox The House Between Tides is a mystery and a love story. The love story is not just between two people, it is also between the author and Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. The story also straddles two timelines. The one story follows artist Theo Blake who takes his new wife, Beatrice to his family home in Scotland, in the early 1900’s. The second story line follows Hetty Devereaux who inherited the house in 2010. The author’s love for Scotland’s Outer Hebrides comes through very clearly in every chapter of the book. She describes landscapes, the sea, animals, birds, weather, and the people who make a life in the daunting environment. The descriptions were alluring enough that I did searches on the Outer Hebrides and some of the wildlife that was mentioned. I think it is the mark of a good author who inspires readers to continue to educate themselves about her subject. Theo is a famous artist who marries Beatrice who is much younger than he is. After six months in Edinburgh, he takes her to his family’s ancestral home on the Outer Hebrides. Theo initially worries that the isolation and rural setting will make Beatrice unhappy. Quite the opposite happens. Beatrice loves the natural setting and the people of the area. The Theo and Beatrice love story is more of a triangle that involves an employee of the estate, Cameron. Cameron loves Beatrice. Beatrice is married to Theo and was in love with him but fell in love with Cameron. Theo married Beatrice but has a strange intensity in his relationship with Cameron which only Theo knows the reasons why. Hot mess Edwardian style. The two storylines weave around each other as the book progresses. There will be one or two chapters of Beatrice and then switch to Hetty, then back to Beatrice again. It is well done. The plot points happening in Beatrice’s timeline eventually fill in the blanks in Hetty’s plot. When Hetty inherited the house, her current boyfriend stepped in, decided she would renovate it to a B&B or sell it for a resort and hired property managers for her. Hetty had not even seen the property yet and her boyfriend had already decided its fate. That fact that Hetty just rolled over on this because it was easier did not bode well for our relationship. I am not an admirer of doormats and that is how Hetty comes across to me. The plan falls apart when Hetty visits the property and finds out that human remains have been discovered in the ruin of the house. Justine Eyre is a fantastic narrator. This is not the first time I have listened to one of her works but it has reinforced how superb she truly is. Her male voices are distinct from her female without sounding odd. The accents of the locals are distinct from Beatrice or Theo’s educated voices. The language of the Edwardian timeline flows just as easily as the modern one. Ms. Eyre’s voice, whether in a character or her own narrating no dialogue parts, is a joy to listen to. She speaks clearly and has a wonderful voice. I would recommend her as a narrator for any work. All in all The House Between Tides was an enjoyable listen. Easily half the credit goes to Justine Eyre. In the hands of a lesser talent I am not sure I would have stuck with the story. In itself, it was not compelling. Ms. Eyre’s narration is what drove me to keep listening. Authors should never forget the value of a narrator. They make or break your book, even a good book. The talent of a good or great narrator can elevate a book to a new excited level for the listener.
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