Unsettled Ground
- Downloads：8380
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-08-18 11:21:40
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Claire Fuller
- ISBN：1713632136
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Chelsea
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Couldn’t finish the last 100 pages。 Way too bleak and depressing for me right now。 DNF
segosha
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A fine， sad rural fable
Katherine Stoltz
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I found this book incredible， as in not believable。 Some of the twists and turns and the ending just sounded contrived to me。 I like fantasy as much as the next person， and suspension of belief is， to some degree， necessary to enjoy any work of fiction。 But when a novel is set in the real world， to me at any rate， I need to be able to believe in the possibility of the premise， and i just didn't feel that with this novel。 I found this book incredible， as in not believable。 Some of the twists and turns and the ending just sounded contrived to me。 I like fantasy as much as the next person， and suspension of belief is， to some degree， necessary to enjoy any work of fiction。 But when a novel is set in the real world， to me at any rate， I need to be able to believe in the possibility of the premise， and i just didn't feel that with this novel。 。。。more
Anomilie
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A lovely book to read with enough suspense and drama to stay interested without too many words spent on describing the plot， a nice twist in the end woven together by descriptive prose that invokes the senses。
Sharona
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Brilliant！ I loved the clear and creative descriptions and language。
Cathy Neave
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Good but unrelentingly grim！
Chelsea
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🎧4。5⭐️ This novel showcased a desperate dynamic and incredible strength of character。 It was beautifully written and the natural world sung， against a haunting folk soundtrack。 The revelations kept me close and while at times it was incredibly bleak， I found hope。
Hayley
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Let me start by saying that this is not a happy story！ I went in not really knowing what the story was about。 The title “Unsettled Ground” could perhaps describe the way the book made me feel as well - somewhat unsettled。 I read this within a day so I was invested in the story from the beginning。 The characters were well developed， particularly the two main characters， the twins Jeannie and Julius。 It was a thought provoking read at “the what ifs” if circumstances had been different。 Sad but poi Let me start by saying that this is not a happy story！ I went in not really knowing what the story was about。 The title “Unsettled Ground” could perhaps describe the way the book made me feel as well - somewhat unsettled。 I read this within a day so I was invested in the story from the beginning。 The characters were well developed， particularly the two main characters， the twins Jeannie and Julius。 It was a thought provoking read at “the what ifs” if circumstances had been different。 Sad but poignant and shining a light on society and social struggles。 I didn’t like all the characters but the story felt raw and gave me much to think about。 。。。more
Karen Mace
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I listened to the audio version of this book。This author has such a wonderful way with the characters she creates！ This isn't a joyful book to lift the spirits， but it's a story of the impact of family secrets on characters who have been shielded from the world for so long that when their world is shattered they don't really know how to process what is happening。Twins Jeanie and Julius are in their 50's and still live at home with their mother。 She's protected them from the 'real world' so when I listened to the audio version of this book。This author has such a wonderful way with the characters she creates！ This isn't a joyful book to lift the spirits， but it's a story of the impact of family secrets on characters who have been shielded from the world for so long that when their world is shattered they don't really know how to process what is happening。Twins Jeanie and Julius are in their 50's and still live at home with their mother。 She's protected them from the 'real world' so when she passes， the reality hits them hard。 Their mother never accepted help from others， so they are determined to do things their own way despite a lack of money and lack of real awareness of how the world operates。We hear more of the story from the viewpoint of Jeanie， who seems to have a fairly optimistic approach to what life throws her way and hates the fuss of people in the village offering their help。 She has her gardening to help her escape and that is her distraction from the unfolding events of being evicted from their home。You couldn't help but feel for the twins - they'd always been looked on as odd by the locals， but to them they were living a 'normal' family life， helping their mother， pulling together and just getting on with things - never making a fuss。 The more they begin to see the world for what it's really like， and the more the secrets about the past begin to reveal themselves the more shocking the story becomes！ The slow pace really allows you to get under the skin of these characters and adds to the impact of the revelations as they are discovered。 The realisations of being lied to， the consequences that those lies have made。。。。 just devastating！ A beautifully written book。 。。。more
Lulu Parkman
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The tension started from page one and never let go！ The descriptions of Dot having a stroke were genius and the character development was some of the best I’ve ever read。 And now I wait for another brilliant book by Claire Fuller。
SR
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Although exceedingly sad ，it was very well written。 Family secrets are not always good especially when it impacts your children。 The questions that go unanswered can cause tremendous grief for the children left behind。
hendersweet
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That was so odd。 But so endearing。 I liked it quite a bit but if I tried to explain it to anyone， I’m not sure it would be easy to convince someone to pick it up。
Edel
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So it's not that I was judging this one by it's cover（it's gorgeous） but the blurb didn't appeal; 51 year old twins， rural isolation， poverty。。。。 I just wasn't excited by it， but like Jeanie and Julius I was continually surprised by it and now would definitely recommend。 Their mother Dot dies in the opening scenes， and as the life they know unravels they must come to terms with both the practicalities （how will they pay for the funeral？ Can they keep their house？） and emotional challenges as t So it's not that I was judging this one by it's cover（it's gorgeous） but the blurb didn't appeal; 51 year old twins， rural isolation， poverty。。。。 I just wasn't excited by it， but like Jeanie and Julius I was continually surprised by it and now would definitely recommend。 Their mother Dot dies in the opening scenes， and as the life they know unravels they must come to terms with both the practicalities （how will they pay for the funeral？ Can they keep their house？） and emotional challenges as they decipher a web of secrets and lies upon which their lives are built。 Preconceptions aside this was a compelling family saga which despite the simplicity of the language was able to conjure up powerful imagery。 Fuller writes about 'life on the fringes' with great conviction。 The twins are fully human and we can empathise with their full range of emotions （sorrow， anger， shame）， with an indepth look at all the ways they are vulnerable but also their resilience。 With her other characters she demonstrates all the ways society can react to those in such circumstances; manipulation， avoidance and thankfully some kindness。 A slow-burner which gather paces as it goes， I've been convinced and looking forward to reading some of her earlier work。 。。。more
Lynda
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Very， very good book！
Conner
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This slow， character-driven story is a sensitive portrait of poverty and the way unexpected tragedies can force people into homelessness。 Despite some gorgeous prose， it lacks momentum。
Mrs。 Danvers
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Cozy。
Elicia Allen
，
sad， suspense， secrets！
Corey
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Brilliantly written and filled with great characters。 The dire situations throughout the novel are felt with vivid mastery。 Highly recommend，
Mary Ahlgren
，
I don't know quite what to think about this book。 Most of the characters were so well drawn， but a couple of major players did vile things without satisfying explanations or even hints。 How the descent into homelessness happens， though， is certainly an important subject for all of us， readers and writers， to ponder。。。。。 I don't know quite what to think about this book。 Most of the characters were so well drawn， but a couple of major players did vile things without satisfying explanations or even hints。 How the descent into homelessness happens， though， is certainly an important subject for all of us， readers and writers， to ponder。。。。。 。。。more
Cmw
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Was a painful read， in more ways than one。 Fuller’s characters are real and mostly tragic。 The painstaking slow， meandering story and plot made the book easy to put down and it took me forever to finish。 Too many questions left at the end。 The strength of community support and human kindness came through with Saffron， Bridget and Rawson， which helped to offset some of the overwhelming sadness this book leaves you with。
Sherry
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Bleah。
Vicki Camfield
，
4。5？
Ulvi
，
So。。。 I found it hard to start it after I read a not so favorable review of the book。。。 but after deciding to go into it without expectations the book just sucked me in。 I really enjoyed the author’s writing （haven’t read Claire Fuller previously）。 Must say that it is hard to read about this type of poverty and it is incredible how little people around you would notice。 “The different lives they might have lived are too enormous to comprehend。”
Kathy
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If it’s hard for me to sum up how I felt after reading Unsettled Ground， I guess maybe I didn’t really like it all that much。 The story sounded so interesting- 51 year old fraternal twins， still living with their mother， whose lives are turned upside down after her unexpected death。 The plot left lots of room for the exploration of co-dependence and other strange family dynamics。 However， it just failed to engage me。 I feel like perhaps I could pick this up sometime in the future and appreciate If it’s hard for me to sum up how I felt after reading Unsettled Ground， I guess maybe I didn’t really like it all that much。 The story sounded so interesting- 51 year old fraternal twins， still living with their mother， whose lives are turned upside down after her unexpected death。 The plot left lots of room for the exploration of co-dependence and other strange family dynamics。 However， it just failed to engage me。 I feel like perhaps I could pick this up sometime in the future and appreciate it more， but I know I never will。 Too many books on my list to read。 。。。more
Janine
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The characters in this book are so broken and hard to like that reading it was painful at times。 And there was a major cliche in the plot。 But it was so beautifully written I gave it 4 stars。 Not a word was out of place。
Callie
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This is a masterpiece。 The characters were incredibly drawn， and while the plot was not exactly a barn burner unto itself， I found the story and the characters truly addicting。 My heart is a little broken after finishing， but honestly I'm also tempted to start over from the beginning。 So amazing。 This is a masterpiece。 The characters were incredibly drawn， and while the plot was not exactly a barn burner unto itself， I found the story and the characters truly addicting。 My heart is a little broken after finishing， but honestly I'm also tempted to start over from the beginning。 So amazing。 。。。more
Lynda
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Although the circumstances the characters live with are depressing， and the poverty is bone-deep， this is an unusual story， and very well-written。
Katie Mcgovern
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Is there anything better than a book about the intricacies and nuances of a person （or people） living on the fringes of society？ This book was tender， charming and moving and I would recommend to all。
Beth
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A really great book following two 50 year old twins as they navigate the world after their mother’s sudden death。 Characters so well drawn， their lives unforgettable。
Diane
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