Unsettled Ground
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- Create Date：2021-05-06 10:51:28
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Claire Fuller
- ISBN：0241457440
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Summary
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。 Their rented cottage is simultaneously their armour against the world and their sanctuary。 Inside its walls they make music， in its garden they grow （and sometimes kill） everything they need for sustenance。
But when Dot dies suddenly， threats to their livelihood start raining down。 At risk of losing everything， Jeanie and her brother must fight to survive in an increasingly dangerous world as their mother's secrets unfold， putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake。
This is a thrilling novel of resilience and hope， of love and survival， that explores with dazzling emotional power how the truths closest to us are often hardest to see。
_
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。 Their rented cottage is simultaneously their armour against the world and their sanctuary。 Inside its walls they make music， in its garden they grow （and sometimes kill） everything they need for sustenance。
But when Dot dies suddenly， threats to their livelihood start raining down。 At risk of losing everything， Jeanie and her brother must fight to survive in an increasingly dangerous world as their mother's secrets unfold， putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake。
This is a thrilling novel of resilience and hope， of love and survival， that explores with dazzling emotional power how the truths closest to us are often hardest to see。
_
Reviews
Claire
，
I received Unsettled Ground as part of a NetGalley giveaway。Following the sudden death of elderly Dot Seeder， her middle-aged twins Julius and Jeanie are at a loss at how to proceed。 Soon after， they are evicted from their derelict cottage and must find alternative arrangements， while coping with Julius' underemployment and Jeanie's inability to work。 As they navigate a world in which everything they've ever known has been pulled out from under them， they discover that much of what they thought I received Unsettled Ground as part of a NetGalley giveaway。Following the sudden death of elderly Dot Seeder， her middle-aged twins Julius and Jeanie are at a loss at how to proceed。 Soon after， they are evicted from their derelict cottage and must find alternative arrangements， while coping with Julius' underemployment and Jeanie's inability to work。 As they navigate a world in which everything they've ever known has been pulled out from under them， they discover that much of what they thought they knew about their lives may be a lie。I'm a bit unsure how to feel about this book。 The prose is beautiful and from an intellectual point of view， I know that the plot is moving。 However， it was really difficult to connect with any of the central characters， and as a result it was difficult for me to really get into the book。 Understanding that Jeanie and Julius were victims of circumstance， it was still difficult for me to wrap my mind around them， particularly Jeanie。 I had sympathy while also finding it very hard to like or relate to them in a way where I cared about seeing their storylines resolved。 It has a lot of important things to say about parent-child relationships， the power of secrets and lies， and how our society lets many vulnerable people slip through the cracks， but it didn't land with me personally。 。。。more
Penny
，
Interesting plot， great characterisation， well paced， well written， really sad and really good。
Cheri
，
4。5 Stars’The morning sky lightens， and snow falls on the cottage。 It falls on the thatch， concealing the moss and the mouse damage， smoothing out the undulations， filling in the hollows and slips melting where it touches the bricks of the chimney。 It settles on the plants and bare soil in the front garden and forms a perfect mound on top of the rotten gatepost， as though shaped from the inside of a teacup。’There’s a brief moment when Fuller seduces， lulls you into envisioning this lovely， bucol 4。5 Stars’The morning sky lightens， and snow falls on the cottage。 It falls on the thatch， concealing the moss and the mouse damage， smoothing out the undulations， filling in the hollows and slips melting where it touches the bricks of the chimney。 It settles on the plants and bare soil in the front garden and forms a perfect mound on top of the rotten gatepost， as though shaped from the inside of a teacup。’There’s a brief moment when Fuller seduces， lulls you into envisioning this lovely， bucolic setting。 The family inside this little cottage includes Dot， a seventy year-old woman， her adult twins， Julius and Jeanie， and Jeanie’s beloved dog Maude。 The serenity of the scene serves as a diversion， if only momentary， from the loss that will befall them soon。 Dot sees， senses it coming， both a premonition and a physical acceptance of what will transpire， reaching out to comfort， she strokes Maude’s head。 This is a melancholy story， shared with lovely， if subdued， prose that flows effortlessly。 A story in which way leads on to way， with each twist in their paths leading them further into darkness even as they seek for evidence of light， and a way back。 But to what？ The life they’d been living before is irreparably changed， and yet there is still life， and secrets which will be revealed。Pub Date: 18 May 2021Many thanks for the ARC provided by Tin House #UnsettledGround #NetGalley 。。。more
Jenny Lawson
，
Sad and disturbing， but the prose is luscious。
Mark Hancock
，
This is an agonising read， because of the subject matter， which is essentially about the exploitation and ill treatment of two vulnerable people。It is vivid and captivating - and brilliant in what it does。 It will stay with me for a long time。
Jayme
，
“That’s a woman with her head screwed on right， I thought。 A sensible woman。 A good woman。” —about Dot Seeder51 year old twins Jeanie and Julius still live with their mom， Dot in a little cottage。 They are content keeping to themselves， playing music， and gardening。 When Dot suddenly has a stroke and dies， the twins must fend for themselves and learn the harsh reality of their situation。 Most importantly， Dot has not been truthful with them， leaving huge debts to repay。 What really happened that “That’s a woman with her head screwed on right， I thought。 A sensible woman。 A good woman。” —about Dot Seeder51 year old twins Jeanie and Julius still live with their mom， Dot in a little cottage。 They are content keeping to themselves， playing music， and gardening。 When Dot suddenly has a stroke and dies， the twins must fend for themselves and learn the harsh reality of their situation。 Most importantly， Dot has not been truthful with them， leaving huge debts to repay。 What really happened that changed everything for this family？ Brace yourself for a long， sad， depressing tale of poverty， abuse and misfortune。 I have long been a fan of Claire Fuller’s writing since Our Endless Numbered Days。 While the plot of that book was equally miserable， I felt that the ending was more surprising and powerful。 Maybe I have read too many books with a similar theme as this one， but I found that it’s slow pace and lack of plot twists along the way bogged it down。 Jeanie and Jules are well-written characters， who are unfortunately a product of their upbringing。 However， all of the other characters are despicable due to their personal motivations and selfish desires。 The reader does experience an unsettled feeling as a result， which is perhaps the author’s intention。 This is a thought provoking read， that teaches what it takes to survive even the most desperate conditions。 That being said， this is the second extremely depressing book that I have read in a row， and I’m really looking forward to reading something more upbeat！3。5/5 starsThank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC of Unsettled Ground in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Katie
，
POSSIBLE SPOILERS I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway。 I was quite excited to read it， as I have loved Claire Fuller’s other works， particularly Bitter Orange。 Sadly， this one didn’t quite do it for me。 The plot is slow， the entire story is depressing （expected with Fuller but this was something else） and then it just kind of ends？ I was hoping when Jeanie started working for a single mother named Saffron that the story would turn and the 51 year old who had never been out on POSSIBLE SPOILERS I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway。 I was quite excited to read it， as I have loved Claire Fuller’s other works， particularly Bitter Orange。 Sadly， this one didn’t quite do it for me。 The plot is slow， the entire story is depressing （expected with Fuller but this was something else） and then it just kind of ends？ I was hoping when Jeanie started working for a single mother named Saffron that the story would turn and the 51 year old who had never been out on her own would begin to find herself and a life outside of the cottage， but that whole part of the story was completely dropped until the very end when Saffron just shows up again。 The story has quite a lot of potential， and Fuller is a lovely writer， but I can’t say that this book did it for me。 。。。more
Lolly K Dandeneau
，
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog。wordpress。com/“𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬， 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧， 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭。 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞， 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐞， 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫。”The incident that comes along and trips up twins Jeanie and Julius， aged 51， is the sudden， unexpected death of their mother Dot。 The family of three have lived in “rural isolation and poverty” in a cottage since the death of the twin via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog。wordpress。com/“𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬， 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧， 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭。 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞， 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐞， 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫。”The incident that comes along and trips up twins Jeanie and Julius， aged 51， is the sudden， unexpected death of their mother Dot。 The family of three have lived in “rural isolation and poverty” in a cottage since the death of the twins father when they were still children。 It has been Dot who has faced all of life’s difficulties keeping her beloved children in a safe bubble。 Dot， whose secrets are now going to force Jeanie and Julius out into the world， has kept them tied to the only home they’ve ever known， for better or worse。 Jeanie has never been healthy enough to face the challenges of life， learning too was a struggle， unlike her brother who has been the one venture into town taking on jobs here and there， she has spent her life feeling this crumbling home is their only sanctuary。 Debts have been collecting， all the things Dot sheltered and hid from her children are knocking at their door， as threatening as monsters。 Figuring out how to afford to bury their mother is the least of their woes。 Julius has never really had a relationship， and suddenly he thinks about a woman named Shelley Swift who has hired him to fix the window in her place above the fish shop。 With their mother gone， his attention isn’t focused solely on whether or not they will lose the cottage， though it is a screaming fact that troubles him along with fears for his needy sibling。 How has he let 51 years go by with nothing to show？ It disturbs Jeanie， the time he is spending away from her but she isn’t his mother…it’s his life。Suddenly， the locals don’t feel so forgiving， nor willing to let the pair go on living on their charity。 Jeanie feels like their lives， their very way of existence， is being stolen from beneath their feet。 Who is she without her daily routine， without her vegetable garden， without chickens to feed， without her mother Dot？ Why didn’t they know their mother was sick， when it seems everyone else did？ Suddenly every hour seems swollen with worries， all the things Dot protected them from has come home to roost。 Jeanie and her brother Julius deal with it in different ways， distance grows between them testing their co-dependence。 They will be humiliated and enraged by the actions of others， forced into a different life， lost in their new surroundings。 Will they falter or thrive？It seems like such a simple， quiet story， but the tale escalates with each challenge， every uncovered lie。 How did they get through 51 years of life and never really know who their mother truly was？ Why did they remain needy children far beyond an acceptable age， never forced to face reality？ It gets a bit dark too， and sometimes the weakest link in the family chain is the one who life challenges the most。 I was engaged， and admit there is a certain appeal to their self-inflicted isolation， keeping your beloved children near， but it’s a grievous wrong。 You can’t hide from life， though they had quite a go of it for 51 years。 Trouble will find you in every corner of the world。 How much do we owe our family？ What do we owe our children？ One would think， at the very least， we owe them the ability to stand on their own two feet， if not our truths。 Dot was quite a complicated lady。 A novel of strength， loyalty and betrayal。Publication Date: May 18， 2021Tin House 。。。more
Imogen
，
This book was fantastic。 It covered such an desperately sad story in such a beautiful way。 There was so much tragedy in the story and yet it was without unnecessary drama。
Diane Payne
，
Fuller's novel has interesting characters who keep moving the novel along， mainly through endless bleak times for the fifty-one year old brother and sister twins， whose mother dies abruptly in the beginning of the novel。 We don't learn the ways the mother has lied to her grown children until the end of the novel， and it's hard to understand how her grown children were so oblivious to their mother's deception， how they continued to live in this rundown shack with her their entire lives， surrounde Fuller's novel has interesting characters who keep moving the novel along， mainly through endless bleak times for the fifty-one year old brother and sister twins， whose mother dies abruptly in the beginning of the novel。 We don't learn the ways the mother has lied to her grown children until the end of the novel， and it's hard to understand how her grown children were so oblivious to their mother's deception， how they continued to live in this rundown shack with her their entire lives， surrounded by people in their small village who seemed to know these truths， while no one shared this information。 Regardless， the novel works because we just go along with everything， patiently awaiting the questions to be answered， the questions that never surfaced until their mother died， and they were not only faced with eviction， but were subjected to violence。 Even though the novel basically comes full circle at the end， we can only wonder what really happened to Julius （avoiding spoilers） and how he fares over the years， and if Jeanie transforms， and finally blossoms。 Even though the novel has few upbeat moments， it's not entirely depressing， and is a rather easy read。 。。。more
Petra
，
3。5 stars。 In Unsettled Ground we follow twins in their 50s， still living with their mother。 However， in the beginning of the book， the mother dies and the twins are left alone with a crumbling house and money problems。 It is wonderfully quiet and atmospheric and you can sense the loneliness of the twins and the rural setting。 Fuller's writing style is magnificent and I loved how we focus on the twins both dealing with their own ways but in the end of the book I hadn't managed to get emotionally 3。5 stars。 In Unsettled Ground we follow twins in their 50s， still living with their mother。 However， in the beginning of the book， the mother dies and the twins are left alone with a crumbling house and money problems。 It is wonderfully quiet and atmospheric and you can sense the loneliness of the twins and the rural setting。 Fuller's writing style is magnificent and I loved how we focus on the twins both dealing with their own ways but in the end of the book I hadn't managed to get emotionally involved with the characters and the story。 。。。more
Mark
，
I enjoyed spending the bank holiday weekend immersed in this really affecting story of rural poverty。The death of their mother at the start of the novel has far-reaching consequences for Julius and Jeanie。 Like a contemporary version of Tess or the Okies in ‘The Grapes of Wrath’， economics and progress displace them from their family home。 Jeanie’s struggles are touchingly described and we feel for her as she tries her best， but is repeatedly ground down by her lack of the skills we take forgran I enjoyed spending the bank holiday weekend immersed in this really affecting story of rural poverty。The death of their mother at the start of the novel has far-reaching consequences for Julius and Jeanie。 Like a contemporary version of Tess or the Okies in ‘The Grapes of Wrath’， economics and progress displace them from their family home。 Jeanie’s struggles are touchingly described and we feel for her as she tries her best， but is repeatedly ground down by her lack of the skills we take forgranted。 Thankfully， the novel ends on a slightly more positive note。 Recommended。 。。。more
Jenny （Reading Envy）
，
I've somehow read 5/6 of the Womens prize shortlist！ I started Unsettled Ground in March but then realized it didn't come out until May， so I put it aside for a bit。 I ended up with a copy after ALA Midwinter。This is my favorite book from Claire Fuller （and I've read them all， ever since my podcast guest on episode 041 mentioned her first novel）。 In this one a brother and sister in their 50s still live at home when their mother dies， and they are left without skills， money， or support to figure I've somehow read 5/6 of the Womens prize shortlist！ I started Unsettled Ground in March but then realized it didn't come out until May， so I put it aside for a bit。 I ended up with a copy after ALA Midwinter。This is my favorite book from Claire Fuller （and I've read them all， ever since my podcast guest on episode 041 mentioned her first novel）。 In this one a brother and sister in their 50s still live at home when their mother dies， and they are left without skills， money， or support to figure out how to live。 And then they discover their assumptions are not all accurate。。。。 。。。more
Suzanne
，
Author Claire Fuller writes a soft-focus， lyrical tale about the awakening that occurs for a 51-year old woman after her mother dies。 UNSETTLED GROUND describes the slow， timid steps the woman takes as she and her twin brother attempt to live without their mother for the first time in their lives。 Her mother’s life was far more secretive and complex than she had ever understood， and the protagonist finds herself at a loss for equilibrium。 This is a quiet book with undercurrents of loneliness， po Author Claire Fuller writes a soft-focus， lyrical tale about the awakening that occurs for a 51-year old woman after her mother dies。 UNSETTLED GROUND describes the slow， timid steps the woman takes as she and her twin brother attempt to live without their mother for the first time in their lives。 Her mother’s life was far more secretive and complex than she had ever understood， and the protagonist finds herself at a loss for equilibrium。 This is a quiet book with undercurrents of loneliness， poverty and ultimately， hope。 I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley。 。。。more
Malcolm J。Martineau
，
Easy to read but that is not to say the writing is trivial。 It absolutely isn’t！！ She makes an unusual situation and characters totally believable。
Faye Williamson
，
“It is hard to rewrite your own history。”Oh my GOD。 I’m going to say it: this is my favourite read of 2021 so far。 I wanted so badly for it to go on and on and on。 I restricted myself two a couple of chapters at a time， in attempt to draw it out and be in the world just a little longer。Jeanie and Julius’s puzzling aftermath of losing their mother was something I felt deep within me。 After losing my own mum， I was faced with all the things she had left。 Stories， letters， word-of-mouth etc。 When y “It is hard to rewrite your own history。”Oh my GOD。 I’m going to say it: this is my favourite read of 2021 so far。 I wanted so badly for it to go on and on and on。 I restricted myself two a couple of chapters at a time， in attempt to draw it out and be in the world just a little longer。Jeanie and Julius’s puzzling aftermath of losing their mother was something I felt deep within me。 After losing my own mum， I was faced with all the things she had left。 Stories， letters， word-of-mouth etc。 When you hear and read these things， you realise there was a side you never knew。 My brother and I found ourselves baffled and confused piecing together the blind spots which our infamously private mum left untold。In ‘Unsettled Ground’， Claire Fuller brings together themes of rural poverty， bereavement and middle-age adulthood - tied together with a poignant motif of gardening。 Whilst the setting would probably link it most strongly to domestic fiction， the book has an undeniable thriller component to it which is irresistible。 I really， really do not want to give any form of spoiler so I should probably refrain from writing anything else。 Nonetheless， if there is one book you want recommended， this is it。 。。。more
Vikki Patis
，
A truly gripping， intriguing novel， Unsettled Ground offers something slightly different within the genre with its unique characters and setting。 A powerful insight into rural poverty， and how terrifyingly close we are to losing everything we have。 Jeanie in particular is a fascinating character， manipulated throughout her life by her late mother， who finds her path later in life。 A breath of fresh air。 I'm entirely unsurprised that this novel is up for a prize， and it would be a very worthy win A truly gripping， intriguing novel， Unsettled Ground offers something slightly different within the genre with its unique characters and setting。 A powerful insight into rural poverty， and how terrifyingly close we are to losing everything we have。 Jeanie in particular is a fascinating character， manipulated throughout her life by her late mother， who finds her path later in life。 A breath of fresh air。 I'm entirely unsurprised that this novel is up for a prize， and it would be a very worthy winner。 。。。more
Charlott
，
3，5
Annabel Wearring-Smith
，
4。5* rounded down because I can't *quite* give it 5。 Claire Fuller has one of the most beautiful writing styles I have read in a long time。 It is both luscious and rich without being overworked or histrionic。 It is the perfect voice and tone for a gothic tale of death， decay， and rural isolation such as 'Unsettled Ground'。 Yet there is a freshness to it that refuses to be bogged down in the mire。 While I wasn't a huge fan of Julius （intentional characterisation I am sure， and an 'unlikeable' pro 4。5* rounded down because I can't *quite* give it 5。 Claire Fuller has one of the most beautiful writing styles I have read in a long time。 It is both luscious and rich without being overworked or histrionic。 It is the perfect voice and tone for a gothic tale of death， decay， and rural isolation such as 'Unsettled Ground'。 Yet there is a freshness to it that refuses to be bogged down in the mire。 While I wasn't a huge fan of Julius （intentional characterisation I am sure， and an 'unlikeable' protagonist， when well rounded， is not inherently a reason to criticize a book）， Jeanie is one of the most endearing protagonists I have encountered。 My heart went out to her in her pain- you could really feel her struggling while being powerless to help。 The pride of these two characters is well balanced- while they are reduced to an incredibly impoverished state， they are never dehumanised， they are always given agency， for this reason theirs is a powerful story。 I think the main reason I can't commit to giving it 5* is that there is a slowness to the book that， while suiting the tone of Fuller's writing， did keep me waiting for the next current to sweep the book further along。 I wasn't rushing to the end， rather enjoying the ride。 The end also left me with a sense that （although this is to a certain extent a bad-faith criticism on my part） the narrative hinged on one event which could have been easily avoided and did not amount to much except for the suffering of the protagonists。 I was also unsure how I felt about the plot with Nathan/Tom。 Nevertheless， these are small criticisms compared with the larger picture of this book which is of a beautiful and resonant quality。 I will certainly be picking up Fuller's other books- they have been on my horizon for a little while， reading her latest has definitely spurred me to seek them out。 。。。more
Chimene Bateman
，
An intriguing book， but some of the reviews I had read were so glowing that I didn’t admire it quite as much as I had hoped。 51-year-old twins live a rural， off-the-grid existence which is thrown into turmoil when their elderly mother suddenly dies。 The struggles of the heroine， Jeannie， to adapt to modern life and survive on her own are vividly recounted， as well as her profound connection to the land and cottage where she has spent her entire life。 However， the characters felt a little flat to An intriguing book， but some of the reviews I had read were so glowing that I didn’t admire it quite as much as I had hoped。 51-year-old twins live a rural， off-the-grid existence which is thrown into turmoil when their elderly mother suddenly dies。 The struggles of the heroine， Jeannie， to adapt to modern life and survive on her own are vividly recounted， as well as her profound connection to the land and cottage where she has spent her entire life。 However， the characters felt a little flat to me， and the motivations of the mother （who pulls off some fairly outrageous acts of deceit） seemed underexplained。 。。。more
Karen
，
Well， this was bleak。。 but it was good！Twins Julius and Jeanie are 51 yrs old and have never had any independence。 They live with their mother， Dot in isolation and poverty in a falling apart cottage on a landowner’s land who their father used to work for。Father had passed forty years ago， and Dot dies in the beginning of the story。They have their garden， their music 。。they play instruments and sing， but they had been totally sheltered by Dot and now on their own with limited devices and knowled Well， this was bleak。。 but it was good！Twins Julius and Jeanie are 51 yrs old and have never had any independence。 They live with their mother， Dot in isolation and poverty in a falling apart cottage on a landowner’s land who their father used to work for。Father had passed forty years ago， and Dot dies in the beginning of the story。They have their garden， their music 。。they play instruments and sing， but they had been totally sheltered by Dot and now on their own with limited devices and knowledge they fall into complete despair。Not a happy story。。。 mostly a story of secrets and survival。Thank you to Netgalley and W。 W。 Norton & Company for the ARC！ 。。。more
Sophie
，
I’m umming and ahhing between 3。5 and 4 for this one。It’s so cleverly written; claustrophobic and steeped in atmosphere， but also so sad and so uncomfortable to read in places that I was occasionally reluctant to pick it back up。This book explores explore rural poverty with middle aged protagonists， a real rarity in fiction， and a much-needed representation。 It’s bleak and intense， but an important read I think。 There was a hopeful ending， but it felt so tinged with the desperation， sadness and I’m umming and ahhing between 3。5 and 4 for this one。It’s so cleverly written; claustrophobic and steeped in atmosphere， but also so sad and so uncomfortable to read in places that I was occasionally reluctant to pick it back up。This book explores explore rural poverty with middle aged protagonists， a real rarity in fiction， and a much-needed representation。 It’s bleak and intense， but an important read I think。 There was a hopeful ending， but it felt so tinged with the desperation， sadness and loss that came before it。 。。。more
Callum McLaughlin
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It took me a little while to get fully drawn into this melancholic tale of secrets， poverty， longing， and dependency， but once it had me in its grip， I found it surprisingly moving。 We follow adult twins， Jeanie and Julius， who have lived their entire lives with their mother， Dot。 Following her abrupt death， the two must attempt to navigate their grief， while tentatively taking their first true steps towards independence at the age of 51。 This is further complicated by a series of revelations re It took me a little while to get fully drawn into this melancholic tale of secrets， poverty， longing， and dependency， but once it had me in its grip， I found it surprisingly moving。 We follow adult twins， Jeanie and Julius， who have lived their entire lives with their mother， Dot。 Following her abrupt death， the two must attempt to navigate their grief， while tentatively taking their first true steps towards independence at the age of 51。 This is further complicated by a series of revelations regarding their mother’s past and the true state of the family’s financial situation。The novel has such interesting things to say about familial connection， exploring what can happen when attempts to shield someone edge into cruelty; establishing an over-dependence in others that ultimately causes more harm than good。 This is true for Dot and her children， but also between the twins themselves， to an extent。 Indeed， there is real poignancy in the dynamic between the two; each being the other’s greatest obstacle to freedom and their greatest source of comfort。The book is also chiefly concerned with class and poverty。 It is desperately sad to watch as events increasingly spiral out of the twins’ control， as they become trapped in a cycle of bad luck and exploitation。 There’s a particularly well-handled focus on the way older generations often find it difficult to admit to their struggles and ask for help， ruled by stubborn pride and fear of judgement。 This notion is furthered by the book’s tone and setting， with Fuller capturing the time-capsule-like quality of rural villages that seem to lag behind in certain ways。 In fact， the book often feels like historical fiction （deliberately so）; the jolt of contemporary references emphasizing just how ill-equipped Jeanie and Julius are to deal with the practicalities and social norms of the modern world。That said， for all the things they lack， the two have an endearing tenacity and resourcefulness that make them easy to root for。 Without being too heavy-handed with it， Fuller shows that intelligence and skill can manifest in different ways （like their musical flair， and Jeanie’s passion for gardening）。 With academic， professional， and financial attainment always given credence， people with more creative or physical prowess often go undervalued， cruelly made to believe they are stupid。A sense of intrigue hangs over the narrative， and while there are some subtle mystery elements， these never feel like the focus。 On the contrary， most revelations can likely be puzzled out well in advance， but this felt deliberate to me; the reader able to see the truths that Jeanie in particular is blind to， both wilfully and otherwise。The conclusion itself is very bittersweet。 Furthering the book’s look at longing， connection， truth， and reliance， the tragic yet understated outcome has a clever full-circle quality that means it’s in-keeping with Fuller’s commentary on the trappings of life on the fringes。 Offering closure without feeling the need to wrap everything up too neatly， I appreciate the ending’s much-needed dose of hope。I said in a chat with some bookish friends recently that Fuller has always felt to me like an author who has an amazing book in her， even if she hasn’t quite managed to get it down on paper yet。 While this may not be said masterpiece， it is certainly a solid offering that has much to offer on both a narrative and thematic level。 。。。more
Brenda ~Traveling Sisters Book Reviews
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3。5 stars
Lissa
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4。5 stars。 Jeanie and her twin brother， Julius， are in their fifties and still living with their mother in the dilapidated cottage in which they grew up。 When their mother dies early in the book， the twins are left in a tailspin as they attempt to piece together their mother's strange decisions in her final months。 Claire Fuller has become one of my favorite authors。 Her characters are always kind of strange but completely alive on the page， and Jeannie may be one of my favorites。 Her life is su 4。5 stars。 Jeanie and her twin brother， Julius， are in their fifties and still living with their mother in the dilapidated cottage in which they grew up。 When their mother dies early in the book， the twins are left in a tailspin as they attempt to piece together their mother's strange decisions in her final months。 Claire Fuller has become one of my favorite authors。 Her characters are always kind of strange but completely alive on the page， and Jeannie may be one of my favorites。 Her life is such a constant struggle but she remains full of pride and fights for every small scrap that she gets。 This is a beautifully written novel， and one that will stick with me。 I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Rebecca Of
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I thrive reading difficult strange challenging books so wanted to share why I only gave Unsettled Ground two stars。 I found Fullers writing evocative and I have come away with a clear vision of the world inhabited by the main characters。 Although I found her descriptions of Bridget's home and Rawson's wife patronising and cliched。 I came away with a disbelief that the Mother would have let her two children believe her lover， the man she loved， killed their father。 They hated the man their Mother I thrive reading difficult strange challenging books so wanted to share why I only gave Unsettled Ground two stars。 I found Fullers writing evocative and I have come away with a clear vision of the world inhabited by the main characters。 Although I found her descriptions of Bridget's home and Rawson's wife patronising and cliched。 I came away with a disbelief that the Mother would have let her two children believe her lover， the man she loved， killed their father。 They hated the man their Mother loved。 Why did she do this ？ Everything we read is based on more than one lie which we do not discover until near the end of the book。 This perhaps would have been acceptable for me， if there was some insight shown as to the Mothers motivation but this was not to be。 By the end of the book I knew nothing more about the characters then when I started， except what happened to them。 Perhaps the Mother wanted to keep her children captive， separate from the world and from emotional growth。 A fatal flaw that seemed to be also in her daughter。 As the daughter was only happy at the end of the book when her brother was now her captive。 。。。more
Mckenzie
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Maybe 3。5 （？）
Kathy
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Oh， wow！ Jeannie is a character to LOVE。 I can’t stop thinking about her now that the novel is over。 What a read！！！ You REALLY want this one！
ʚϊɞ Shelley's ʚϊɞ Book Nook
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I enjoyed this book so much。 That's a funny thing to say about a book that gut punches you。 I felt such compassion for Jeanie and Julius， but as you read you find it makes you see that you can have hope and find kindness in people when needed and that also made it such a moving story。This tale was one that wrapped itself around my heart because of the uniqueness of the characters and the reality of the difficulties experienced by this brother and sister team。 How Jeanie ended up de I enjoyed this book so much。 That's a funny thing to say about a book that gut punches you。 I felt such compassion for Jeanie and Julius， but as you read you find it makes you see that you can have hope and find kindness in people when needed and that also made it such a moving story。This tale was one that wrapped itself around my heart because of the uniqueness of the characters and the reality of the difficulties experienced by this brother and sister team。 How Jeanie ended up dealing with these difficulties was truly inspirational。 Also， the author’s poetic writing is stunning。 I enjoyed the slow unfolding of the characters lives and I love getting to know Jeanie and Julius throughout their journey。 I couldn't put the book down; of course the subject matter is very difficult and painful to read。 The author brilliantly writes about health issues， death， homelessness。。。。everything under the sun， but the overall thread of the book is triumph。 All The Stars。Disclosure:Thank you NetGalley， Claire Fuller and Tin House for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own。#UnsettledGround #NetGalley 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Unsettled Ground
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Unsettled Ground&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Unsettled Ground&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0