When Rosaura Douglas’s father shoots himself, her entire life changes.
Suddenly she is living in “The Cake House”, a monstrously pink manor that is nothing like the small apartment she was recently calling home.
She has a step-father that wants to shower money on her with no clear explanation as to where the wealth comes from, and a new step-brother that keeps just as mum.
Soon Rosaura begins to see her father’s ghost – and he always seems to be warning her that her step-father is not to be trusted… That, perhaps, his death was not a suicide…
The Cake House was odd.
Rosaura was very difficult to try and relate to. First, trying to pin down her age was very difficult – the way she reacts to her father’s death made me initially think she was very young. Once it was revealed that she was thirteen/fourteen I found it a little bizarre. I know people deal with grief differently – but her reaction gave me an impression of definite instability… Her ongoing personality traits did not change my opinion of her.
Also, it was very difficult to try to determine what time period we are in – there are so many references to 80s and 90s music and very little reference to 21st century technology. I am still not absolutely certain, but I do think we’re supposed to be in modern times. Strange.
Anywho! With suspicions regarding the circumstances of her father’s death, a mysterious step-father and step-brother and a seemingly terribly unhappy mother – there was some interesting aspects to the plot. Yet… it never really latched on. It just felt disconnected to me. Not absorbing, not page-turning.
Plus, the ghost aspect was never really elaborated on. Was there a ghost? Was it Rosaura’s consciousness? Does this mean she is suffering from a mental illness? I read the whole book and I cannot really tell you.
Sadly, for me, The Cake House was not satisfying and overall just hard for me to invest in. In fact, it was kind of boring and felt pointless…
But – you know what I am going to say!!! Every book has a fan – and it could be you! Read The Cake House for yourself!
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