Monday, May 21, 2012

Houses as Characters in Novels



One of my favorite categories of novels to read is the type where a house (or manor/castle/cottage/plantation/estate) plays an integral part of the story....the house is so alive and has a personality all its own, it's as if it is a living, breathing character. Show me a book that features an ancient estate on a cliff by the sea, a crumbling cottage deep in the woods, or a grand old manor haunted by the shadows of its past inhabitants, and it's a keeper for me!

 I've begun brainstorming as many examples of places in novels that I have either read or placed in my TBR pile and I'd love it if you'd help me expand my list. I have included links if you'd like to read more about the books. If you have any great books which feature an estate, cottage, plantation, manor, house, castle,  etc... that are not listed here, please let me know so I can add them to my library to explore! The key is that the house/place/estate must feature significantly in the plot. Enjoy!

A


B

Barton Hall (A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware)

Belheddon Hall (House of Echoes by Barbara Erskine)

Bleak House (Bleak House by Charles Dickens)

Blackhurst Manor (The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton)

C


Cashelmara (Cashelmara by Susan Howatch)

Castle Leoch (The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon)

Chateau Valmy (Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart)

D


Dragonwyck (Dragonwyck by Anya Seton)

Drogheda (The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough)

Drumveyn (Drumveyn by Alexandra Raife)

E


Eden Castle (This Other Eden by Marilyn Harris)

F

Frasier's Ridge (The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon)

G


Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery)

Greywethers (Mariana by Susanna Kearsley)

H


Hassanganj (Zemindar by Valerie Fitzgerald)

I

Island of the Swans (Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware)

J

Jamaica Inn (Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier)

K


Kilmarth (The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier)

L

Lallybroch (The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon)

M

Manderley (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier)

Mansfield Park (Mansfield Park by Jane Austen)

Milderhurst Castle (The Distant Hours by Kate Morton)

Misselthwaithe Manor (The Secret Garden by Frances Hodges Burnett)

Mount Mellyn (Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt)

N

Northanger Abbey (Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen)

O

P

Pemberley (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

Penmarric (Penmarric by Susan Howatch)

Q

R


River Run (The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon)


Rose Cottage (Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart)

S


Selwick Hall (The Pink Carnation Series by Lauren Willig)

T


Tamworth (Through a Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen)

Tara (Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell)

Thornfield Hall (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte)

Thornyhold (Thornyhold by Mary Stewart)

Thrushcross Grange (Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte)

Thunder Heights (Thunder Heights by Phyllis Whitney)

Twelve Oaks (Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell)

U

V

W


Wildfell Hall (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte)

Wuthering Heights (Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte)

X

Y

Z

5 comments:

Anjuli said...

yes I so agree- a house - edifice- is a very integral part of the novel- loved how you were able to come up with so many you remembered- I tried to think of some extra ones, but looks like you have them all covered.

Mystica said...

Nice list - making me think.

Staci said...

I love it when a house plays a central role In a book!

Anne said...

What a great list! I love reading about old houses and castles in books. I have read and enjoyed a lot of the books on your list, I am going to have to think if there are any I would add to the list!

Yvette said...

Brideshead in BRIDESHEAD REVISITED by Evelyn Waugh.

It's the only one I can think of off the top of my head.

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On a Highland Shore
A Light on the Veranda
Entwined
The Queen's Vow: A Novel Of Isabella Of Castile
The Edwardians
Maisie Dobbs
Howards End
Lady's Maid
Instruments Of Darkness
When Maidens Mourn
Where Shadows Dance
What Remains of Heaven
Where Serpents Sleep
Why Mermaids Sing
When Gods Die
Shadowfever
Before Ever After
The Sugar Queen
Garden Spells
After the Night


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