To Fill a Yellow House, Sussie Anie
To Fill a Yellow House, Sussie Anie
8 Rating(s)
List: $28.99 | Sale: $20.29
Club: $14.49

To Fill a Yellow House
A Novel

Author: Sussie Anie

Narrator: Jude Owusu

Unabridged: 10 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Mariner

Published: 11/01/2022

Synopsis

Lyrical, witty, moving and timely, To Fill a Yellow House is a story of community, friendship and the power of creativity and connection.When Kwasi’s family moves abruptly from one side of London to the other, Kwasi is both excited by the change—the new house is so big—and unsettled by his new school and the pressures placed upon him by his parents and many aunties. One place Kwasi finds refuge and inspiration is the Chest of Small Wonders, an eclectic and run-down charity shop on the high street.Rupert has run the Chest for decades, but since his wife’s death several years before, he has struggled to keep their dreams for the shop alive. These days, fewer people shop second-hand, the Chest has become a depository for unwanted possessions, and Rupert is indulging more and more in herbal and perhaps-not-so-legal teas.As Kwasi spends time in the Chest, an unexpected friendship develops between man and boy, a relationship that gives each a new sense of belonging. But the community and high street are changing, and when local politics threaten to engulf the Chest, both Kwasi and Rupert must decide who their allies are and where their futures lie. To Fill a Yellow House is as vibrant and surprising as the city it is set in and marks the arrival of a bright and bold new talent.

About Sussie Anie

Sussie Anie lives in London, where she was born and grew up. After graduating with a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Warwick, she completed an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, where she was a recipient of the 2018-19 Kowitz Scholarship. Her writing has been published in Lolwe, and shortlisted for the White Review Short Story Prize 2020.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Rosh ~catching up slowly~ on September 24, 2024

In a Nutshell: Had great potential but the writing style makes this book a tough one to enjoy. It is interesting and atypical. Literary fiction lovers *might* enjoy this. The GR blurb isn’t accurate. Story Synopsis: Young Kwasi has always lived with his mom and his various ‘aunties’ who keep coming a......more

Goodreads review by Zach on January 26, 2023

I was excited in the beginning of this book, but it just never really got anywhere. The pacing was really off, where so much time was spent on what felt like set up, and then the pay off was all crammed in to the last 50 pages. I also felt like the way politics were treated - in discussing Africa as......more

Goodreads review by Sharon on November 30, 2022

This book suffers from having too many side-plots that end up underdeveloped and distracting. The whole story could have been told from inside the charity shop, with Rupert and Kwasi still struggling with social pressures of what they should do vs. what they want to do, and been a much stronger nove......more

Goodreads review by Jamie on October 22, 2023

A really gorgeous story about childhood, generations and community. If sometimes a bit unclear, the strength of the main characters makes up in spades. The presentation of Kwasi's sensory overload is brilliant and captures his difficulties excellently, if sometimes he skews younger than he is. Rupert......more

Goodreads review by Mila on May 15, 2024

I loved this book. The story of a boy struggling to find his identity in a mainly hostile environment connecting with an ageing widower with a quirky charity shop was very engaging. The twists and turms are sometimes brutal but ultimately sweet and moving. A picture of modern London is depicted in a......more

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List