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sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
5.0
Having read the Allie Shenton series by the same author and having heard lots of great things about The Estate series, I had to give them a try and all I can say is OMG!!!
Somewhere to Hide is the first book in the series and as the series name suggests the novel is set on an estate that is rife with crime.
As with wherever you live, there are good and bad areas as well as good and bad people. Unfortunately the estate seems to have its fair share of bad.
Cath is a wonderful character, having lost her husband she opens her home up to help a whole array of victims of different crimes and abuse.
I honestly do not know what I expected when I picked up this book, but I have to say it is way better than what I could have ever imagined. The author had me hooked from the very first page. She then took me on a journey that at times had me on the edge of my seat and that was emotional in places. I really was not expecting the twists and surprises that were in store for me whilst reading this book which just made the whole journey so much more interesting.
There are quite a few characters in the story, which the main ones, along with Cath all live with her. They all have their own problems that they need to deal with and face, and the reader can not help but to have great empathy for them.
I honestly can not recommend Somewhere to Hide highly enough. The author brings home the devastating effects that certain crimes leave their victims with and it makes for an emotional and gripping read throughout. Can not wait to read the next one.
Somewhere to Hide is the first book in the series and as the series name suggests the novel is set on an estate that is rife with crime.
As with wherever you live, there are good and bad areas as well as good and bad people. Unfortunately the estate seems to have its fair share of bad.
Cath is a wonderful character, having lost her husband she opens her home up to help a whole array of victims of different crimes and abuse.
I honestly do not know what I expected when I picked up this book, but I have to say it is way better than what I could have ever imagined. The author had me hooked from the very first page. She then took me on a journey that at times had me on the edge of my seat and that was emotional in places. I really was not expecting the twists and surprises that were in store for me whilst reading this book which just made the whole journey so much more interesting.
There are quite a few characters in the story, which the main ones, along with Cath all live with her. They all have their own problems that they need to deal with and face, and the reader can not help but to have great empathy for them.
I honestly can not recommend Somewhere to Hide highly enough. The author brings home the devastating effects that certain crimes leave their victims with and it makes for an emotional and gripping read throughout. Can not wait to read the next one.
captainjemima's review against another edition
3.0
This novel is based on a housing estate near Manchester, in the UK. Cath Mason has a secret she never told anyone, and feels lost without her late husband. Now, she runs a service with a local community officer and takes distressed young women into her home. Jess has been there for a year, is seventeen, and still won't get herself a job, despite Cath's efforts to get her to attend courses. There are three new arrivals for Cath to deal with: 16-year-old Becky escapes from her rapist uncle and indifferent father, and Liz escapes from her abusive husband with her daughter Chloe, before he does any more damage. Thankfully, Cath stays strong for her guests with the help of members of the community.
This is not the type of book I usually read; I would never normally pick up a book set on a housing estate, but it was in the Kindle sale at one point, and I thought I'd try it. Well, I'm glad I did, even if it wasn't the best book I've ever read. It is actually only the first book in a series called The Estate, following the lives of different characters, but I won't be reaching for the next one.
Cath Mason is a loveable character. She is in her late thirties and is so completely selfless, that it is inspiring. She really makes a difference to young women's lives, and while she does set house rules to make things run smoothly, she is not their parent and knows that everyone deals with issues differently. She gives the girls and women she takes in the space to work through their horrors and come out the other side into a new life full of hope. She is a shoulder to cry on, a listener to vent anger at, and an understanding adult who will do all they can to help the poor souls to move on with their lives.
Some of the women's stories were devastating. There were passages that brought tears to my eyes, so I would congratulate Sherratt's ability to make the reader feel emotionally involved. In fact, it is difficult not to be. I cannot begin to imagine what it is like to be a part of such horrific situations. Sometimes Jess and Becky, being the teenagers they are, really annoyed me. They seem to think that their lives will fall into place by sleeping with boys who like them and stealing alcohol to impress friends. I found this particularly tragic, as they were trying to overcome their own trauma by adding awful experiences to their list. Even the people who were doing all the right things in order to come to terms with their ordeal, got a completely unfair deal.
However, if you're worried about the feeling of the book, it is not morbid and horrific. It is a story of revitalising hope, of people coming together to help friends and others in the community. There are some unpleasant scenes, but the overarching message is that people can live happily ever after.
I give this three stars for the excellent writing style and inspiring characterisation; but the subject matter was not always something I wanted to return to, and the sheer uselessness of some of the residents of the estate made me feel frustrated, because I know how many thousands or millions of these such people live in the UK, with no motivation to do anything with their lives.
This is not the type of book I usually read; I would never normally pick up a book set on a housing estate, but it was in the Kindle sale at one point, and I thought I'd try it. Well, I'm glad I did, even if it wasn't the best book I've ever read. It is actually only the first book in a series called The Estate, following the lives of different characters, but I won't be reaching for the next one.
Cath Mason is a loveable character. She is in her late thirties and is so completely selfless, that it is inspiring. She really makes a difference to young women's lives, and while she does set house rules to make things run smoothly, she is not their parent and knows that everyone deals with issues differently. She gives the girls and women she takes in the space to work through their horrors and come out the other side into a new life full of hope. She is a shoulder to cry on, a listener to vent anger at, and an understanding adult who will do all they can to help the poor souls to move on with their lives.
Some of the women's stories were devastating. There were passages that brought tears to my eyes, so I would congratulate Sherratt's ability to make the reader feel emotionally involved. In fact, it is difficult not to be. I cannot begin to imagine what it is like to be a part of such horrific situations. Sometimes Jess and Becky, being the teenagers they are, really annoyed me. They seem to think that their lives will fall into place by sleeping with boys who like them and stealing alcohol to impress friends. I found this particularly tragic, as they were trying to overcome their own trauma by adding awful experiences to their list. Even the people who were doing all the right things in order to come to terms with their ordeal, got a completely unfair deal.
However, if you're worried about the feeling of the book, it is not morbid and horrific. It is a story of revitalising hope, of people coming together to help friends and others in the community. There are some unpleasant scenes, but the overarching message is that people can live happily ever after.
I give this three stars for the excellent writing style and inspiring characterisation; but the subject matter was not always something I wanted to return to, and the sheer uselessness of some of the residents of the estate made me feel frustrated, because I know how many thousands or millions of these such people live in the UK, with no motivation to do anything with their lives.
uptoolatereading's review against another edition
4.0
First I have read of this author and after reading this it won't be the last. A lot of reviews focus on the grittiness, which of course there is,but that is life on The Estate. However I was impressed with the characters and how they tried their hardest to rise above their situation. Cath was my favourite character as she really was the mother hen and despite a sad past was determined that everyone that lived with her would have a happy future. Rather than just one bad situation after another there was actual intrigue and I was never quite sure which way each character's lives were going to go. The fact that an underlying storyline came to the fore front bit by bit as the book progressed made it stand out from the usual books in this genre and kept me reading. Really glad this is first part of a trilogy as I don't want to leave The Estate quite yet.
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