Reviews

The House by Tom Watson, Imogen Robertson

faysieh's review against another edition

3.0

I am not sure I would label this book utterly gripping. It is in parts, but for me, perhaps because I am not usually a reader of political fiction, in parts it was also tedious!
As for must-read, I think it is if you are a fan of the genre. If you are not, I think it is a perfectly acceptable introduction that might possibly urge you into reading more fiction in this vein.
Will I ? Probably not, but I remain pleased that I did read The House, as it is always good to read something you wouldn't normally choose, simply to broaden your experiences and knowledge. This book did do that for me, opening my eyes to the constant skulduggery, deception and conspiracies that seem to plague Westminster, whether in fiction or real life!
What is very good is that this book is undoubtedly very well written and an accurate portrayal of how the political system works. The characters are not particularly likeable but again I have to admit to slowly changing my view of Owen and, somewhat later, Phil. These two men started out in their political careers on the same side but do end up in opposing political parties.
There is intrigue; who after all is the man that appears in the public gallery during question time and throws Phil off his speech at the very beginning of the novel, and why is there an investigation now, years later, into the bullying allegations supposedly rife in the Labour Party which ended in tragedy for rising star Jay?
It is shocking how far politicians will go to cover up the truth, blame others and sacrifice colleagues as well as 'friends', but in the end this book does possess a human element leaving the reader with hope that sometimes, if you are very lucky, conscience will tap hard enough to make even the most two-faced politicians find some morals and a beating heart!

elegantmechanic's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

 For a "thriller", this is severely lacking in thrills. I don't know how much of the writing is down to Watson as a first-timer or whether he was more a glorified technical consultant but this is pretty mediocre stuff. The stakes are very low, really, the politics takes a backseat for the most part and the identity of the real villain is painfully obvious for most of the story making the attempt at a shocking reveal utterly underwhelming. The blurb calls this "the must-read political thriller of the twenty-first century" and that is a comical overstatement. Not thrilling and absolutely not a must-read. Can't even recommend it really. Just about scrapes 2 stars for being inoffensive. 

shelbycat's review

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

jwab's review

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma

Minor: Drug use

nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading's review

3.0

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I decided to read The House as I expected a story filled with political intrigue. Well, I got more politics than intrigue. Heavily laden with British politics, with the intrigue slowly developing as the story progressed, unreliable characters and an unsatisfactory ending, The House proved to be a less than exciting read.

The story has some good attributes. It provided a clear picture of the dirty side of politics. Blackmail, bullying and backstabbing all in the name of trying to make a name for oneself in the political arena. In this story the reader saw friendships being destroyed and it was a stark reminder that we cannot trust everyone who professes to be our friend. Most are looking out for themselves and would go to any lengths to achieve recognition, including destroying you, and then try to find justification for their actions.

The story told in two timelines 2008 and 2022 follows the lives of four roommates, Phillip, Owen, Georgina and Jay. All have political aspirations; however, tragedy struck and will forever change the lives of these four friends. Fast forward to 2022, with everyone still wearing masks, all the friends have achieved their dream, except for one whose life had been destroyed resulting from events which occurred in 2008. An investigation into the events of 2008 revealed a web of corruption, deceit, cover-ups, blackmail and a host of other nefarious activities.The principal characters and most of the secondary characters proved to be an undesirable lot. Two of the principal characters redeemed themselves in the end, which provided me with hope that people can change even a disingenuous politician.

The story ended on a disappointing note. After ploughing through all the political quagmire to get to the truth and to have such an ambiguous ending did not go down well with me.

This book did not deliver as I expected, but other readers may be of a different view from me. So, if you are big on politics and like seeing how things in that world develop amid the global pandemic, then you can get yourself a copy of The House.

This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading