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There are currently 24 member reviews
for The Two-Family House
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Cam G. (Murrells Inlet, SC)
Family Secret
In The Two-Family House, two wives are married to two brothers-they are as close as any family can be. One family has 4 daughters, and the other 3 sons. While each mother craves a child of the opposite sex, they live intertwined lives. One wintry, snowy night, however, their lives are transformed, creating a secret that wreaks havoc on the women's relationship. Loigman has written a warm but poignant novel.
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Francine E. (Shirley, NY)
A Snowy Secret
Brooklyn. December 1947. During a massive snowstorm, two babies are born and the opportunity for secrecy and deception is created.
The upstairs family in the two family house is parented by upbeat, friendly Abe and Helen. Downstairs, an atmosphere of gloom is palpable through the actions of Abe's brother Mort and wife Rose. The characters are very well defined. The reader can feel the joy, laughter, sorrow and tragedy as experienced by the families.
The buried secret is the driving force controlling choices made by Helen and Rose. Perhaps owning up to these choices will give each mother peace of mind.
An enjoyable read. I look forward to future books from this debut author.
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Leslie G. (Peabody, MA)
Interesting Family Dynamics
Despite the fact that the family "secret" is easy to discern early on in the novel, I found the book quite enjoyable. The many interactions amongst the family members kept the story fast-paced and readable. Some facets of Rose's depression might have been better explained. However, most of the characterizations were quite believable.
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Vanessa S. (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)
The Two-Family House
Although I did enjoy the book, I thought the writing could have been better, a little more literary for this type of book. this is a story that would have been wonderful had it been written by Richard Russo. I love the premise of the book but could tell where the story was going right from the start primarily based on the comments of Judith,Rose's daughter. Once I was into the book(about a third of the way),the pace and plot kept me wanting to read more to see what happened to the each of the family members that were highlighted. In that sense the writer did a good job of making me care for the characters.
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Barbara C. (Riverside, CA)
Way too predictable!
One could tell from the beginning, the trajectory of the story to come, Little positive could come from this premise. The main characters were drawn with a broad stroke: negative or positive. The death in the middle was gratuitous to me, Just a way to make the characters more unhappy. The pain was doubled because of the family dynamics, I admit I cried for the mothers. I truly admired Rose and the decision she made. Thar was my attitude toward the entire book. Without Natalie to create a positive ending, I would have abandoned them to their fate. I don't have to have a happy ending but I do need to feel that the resolution is not just tying loose ends.
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Mary M. (Lexington, KY)
Great idea wasted
The premise of this book was fascinating and it should have made for an engrossing family saga. It moved very quickly through the years, to quickly in my opinion. At the end of every chapter I felt like part of the story was missing. I would have enjoyed the book more if it had been twice as long and more developed. The author just skimmed the surface and I was left wanting to know more. It felt like I had read a rough draft. A great idea for a book was wasted.
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Doris K. (Angora, MN)
Two Family House
The idea of two families (husbands and brothers and own a business together) living in the same house raises "red flags" right away. The way these families interact makes for some interesting situations. However, I found most of the book to be rather depressing. The characters needed to get a better attitude about their lives.
Although the author shows how children inherit certain traits and inclinations from their parents this is somewhat overdone.
The overall theme of the book was worth reading, the last quarter of this story saved it, so if you start it, it is worth finishing.
Mostly because of the negative tone, I gave it only three stars.
