Plot Summary

Great House

Nicole Krauss
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Great House

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2010

Book Brief

Nicole Krauss

Great House

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2010
Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Multiple Locations • 20th-21st Century

Publication Year

2010

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Great House by Nicole Krauss weaves the lives of several characters around an antique desk that symbolizes loss and dislocation as it changes hands. Narrators include Nadia, a New York writer, who inherits the desk from the late Chilean poet Daniel Varsky; Dov, a judge; his father Aaron, a mentally vigorous Israeli lawyer; Arthur Bender, an Oxford don, and husband to author Lotte Berg; Isabel, who recounts her love affair with Yoav Weisz; and finally, George Weisz, who searches for his father's lost furniture. The novel explores the personal histories and emotional struggles tied to the desk. Contains references to experiences of torture and Holocaust trauma.

Melancholic

Contemplative

Mysterious

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

3.7

19,038 ratings

52%

Loved it

32%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Great House by Nicole Krauss presents a complex, evocative narrative praised for its lyrical prose and deep thematic exploration of memory and loss. While some readers appreciate the intricate character development, others find the multiple timelines and perspectives confusing. Overall, it is a poignant read, resonating more with those who enjoy literary fiction and non-linear storytelling.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Great House?

A reader who enjoys intricate, character-driven narratives and interconnected stories will appreciate Nicole Krauss’s Great House. Fans of Jonathan Safran Foer's Everything Is Illuminated or David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas will find the novel’s exploration of memory and identity particularly engaging.

3.7

19,038 ratings

52%

Loved it

32%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Multiple Locations • 20th-21st Century

Publication Year

2010

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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