The apartment

a novel

No cover

S. L. Grey: The apartment (2016)

272 pages

English language

Published Feb. 13, 2016

ISBN:
978-1-101-97294-6
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OCLC Number:
935191855

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4 stars (3 reviews)

"Mark and Steph have a relatively happy family with their young daughter in sunny Cape Town until one day when armed men in balaclavas break in to their home. Left traumatized but physically unharmed, Mark and Steph are unable to return to normal and live in constant fear. When a friend suggests a restorative vacation abroad via a popular house swapping website, it sounds like the perfect plan. They find a genial, artistic couple with a charming apartment in Paris who would love to come to Cape Town. Mark and Steph can't resist the idyllic, light-strewn pictures, and the promise of a romantic getaway. But once they arrive in Paris, they quickly realize that nothing is as advertised. When their perfect holiday takes a violent turn, the cracks in their marriage grow ever wider and dark secrets from Mark's past begin to emerge." -- Amazon.com.

1 edition

Review of 'The apartment' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This story was a little slow to get going, and at first I thought I was going to be disappointed in it. I don't know when I've been so wrong.
When the book begins. the home invasion has already occurred and Mark and Steph are living in the aftermath. They have somewhat grown apart in the marriage, partially due to the break in, and partially because Mark had already faced some traumatic events before the break in ever occurred. The story is told in alternating points of view, switching back and forth between Mark and Steph. They no longer feel comfortable in their own home and do not seem all that comfortable with each other, at least not enough to confide in.
A friend suggests a getaway, but money is tight since Mark is the sole provider and Steph is a stay at home mom to their small daughter.
When …

avatar for Hyzie

rated it

3 stars
avatar for DizzyTlacuache

rated it

3 stars

Subjects

  • Family secrets
  • Home exchanging
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Vacation homes
  • Marital conflict
  • Fiction

Places

  • Paris (France)