Gudrun Frerichs

The second book in the Women of Our Time series, and follow up to the outstanding GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE, BEYOND THE TREE HOUSE again features Elizabeth and a number of her multiple personalities. Elizabeth has DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) and for more on how she survives with that condition it would be well worth reading the first book.

The first book was outstanding - at the time that I read it I was absolutely gobsmacked at just how good it was - informative, thoughtful, sensitive, it showed the complications of a life lived, and the resilience of this woman.

Unfortunately, BEYOND THE TREE HOUSE didn't work quite as well. Perhaps it was because the plot here felt more contrived, less "organic" for want of a better word. The "Tribe" (as Elizabeth refers to the personalities) seemed to be choppier, less convincing, less natural than the earlier novel, and despite the ramped up threat to Elizabeth and the man she loves, there was less of an emotional connection with the outcome.

It's still an interesting, actually fascinating idea, the use of a thriller environment to demonstrate the intricacies of DID, and maybe with a bit more work it will lift, because there are bones here, that don't quite hold it up to the expectations set in the first in the series (which I'd still highly recommend people read).

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/beyond-tree-house-gudrun-frerichs… (altro)

The author of GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE, Gudrun Frerichs, worked for 25 years as a psychotherapist specialising in trauma. She's now written this astounding book, a fictional and moving account of Elizabeth, a thirty-two year old woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Elizabeth has many personalities, and this story is told from the perspective of the four core identities, avoiding any graphic descriptions of the reasons how Elizabeth was traumatised to this extent, providing a moving, clear and informative outline of the difficulties she battles every day of her life.

Setting a sensitive, and thoughtful depiction of somebody's experience of DID within a form of psychological thriller plot is an inspired choice by this author, especially as there is nothing manipulative or exploitative about the way that the plot is expanded. There's no gory murders, there are no games played with Elizabeth's motivations or actions, but there is threat, and there's an incredible sense of a woman coming to terms with her life's journey and escaping the control of others.

The different personalities have, as you'd expect, their reasons for being, their tasks in life if you like, and their awareness or not of each other. There's an elegant balancing of threat and empowerment though - there are suggestions that it's because of the multiple personalities that Elizabeth is able to escape a bad situation, take some control of her own life, and it works. It's believable, empathetic without ever feeling manipulative, funny without making you question your reactions, and cleverly pitched.

A masterclass in showing, not telling, acutely observational and informative, GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE was an absolute standout read for me this year. It's number one in a planned series "Women of Our Time". Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the next one.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/girl-tree-house-gudrun-frerichs… (altro)

Girl From The Tree House by Gudrun Frerichs - Book Review

Girl From The Tree House by Gudrun Frerichs is an extra ordinary thriller. I believe the author being a psychotherapist herself wrote this story in a great detail especially in the perspective of a person who is suffering from Dissociative Identity Disaster. I can't imagine how much of a shock it is for anyone who realized how false her whole thirty years of life was.

I loved every single personality of Elizabeth. The multiple personalities inside Elizabeth call themselves 'The Tribe' and they each come to the rescue of Elizabeth on various occasions. Elizabeth's fight for her sanity and freedom is incredible.

Girl From The Tree House is the most complex story I read in the recent times but don't let the complex get you. I'm sure every single reader can relate themselved to atleast one or two of the multiple personalities of Elizabeth. A well written and extremely insightful book. Definitely one of the best psychological thriller released this year.

#GirlFromTheTreeHouse #NetGalley #GudrunFrerichs #TheClippedNightingale #BooksGoSocial #Thriller #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Librarything #BarnesandNoble #goodreads #amazon… (altro)