The Shell House is a beautifully written and sensitive portrayal of love, sexuality and spirituality over two generations. Greg's casual interest in the history of a ruined mansion becomes more personal as he slowly discovers the tragic events that overwhelmed its last inhabitants. Set against a background of the modern day and the First World War, Greg's contemporary beliefs become intertwined with those of Edmund, a foot soldier whose confusion about his sexuality and identity mirrors Greg's own feelings of insecurity. This is a complex and thought-provoking book, written with elegance and subtlety. It will change the way you think.
This is a complex and thought-provoking book, written with elegance and subtlety. It will change the way you think.
A major problem, for me, lies in the relationship between Edmund and Alex. This is one of those books where we know they're in love because we're told so, not because it's evident from their behavior. It's obvious that they like each other and are attracted to each other, but their relationship should have been given more time to develop so the reader could feel the complete emotional impact. Alex in particular deserves much more time than he's given; his "alternate ending" to Edmund's poem hints at a lighter aspect of their relationship that could have balanced some of the angst.
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