The Gate House by Nelson DeMille Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Gate House
Book Review: DeMille Excels
Summary: 5 Stars
This novel by DeMille, the sequel to the outstanding Gold Coast, is not a thriller, a mystery or even a morality play. It is, however, a superbly crafted character study and, ultimately, a very real story about human relationships. DeMille is one of the best contemporary American authors and this book demonstrates his skill. If you love excellent writing, you will treasure this book.
DeMille has written some truly memorable books. Word of Honor, Gold Coast and Up Country are three of the best novels I have read. The Gate House ranks on the same level. DeMille is that rare writer who can create a detailed world in the reader's imagination without describing virtually anything in detail. His characters are so complete, his dialogue so engaging, that it is impossible to read this book without feeling as though you are actually there, watching this slice of life unfold.
The criticisms that some reviewers have identified -- the book is too long; no action or plot twists occur for hundreds of pages -- are not reasons to find fault with the book. DeMille is the quintessential craftsman when it comes to writing about the relationships in which flawed human beings engage. Although there is a lot of ego in DeMille's protagonist, John Sutter, so too are there flaws and foibles. I don't want to say that the plot is irrelevant, but this is not a book that is plot driven. It is character and relationship driven, and no one does either better than DeMille.
This is not a perfect book. There is none of the nuance in the relationship between Anthony Bellarosa and John Sutter that there was between Frank Bellarosa and Sutter. The resolution of the antagonism between Sutter and his in-laws was far too convenient. These are minor points, however. This is a book about John and Susan Sutter. DeMille writes of their relationship with such style and panache that a few minor flaws are gladly overlooked.
Book Review: DeMille Fan Disappointed in Overly Long Book with Little Spark
Summary: 3 Stars
I've read most of N. DeMille's books over the years, and esp. loved the The Gold Coast. While it's sequel (?), The Gate House, has a fairly strong start (up to p.140 or so) and end (the final 30 pages), the overly long vast middle section (500 pages or so) could have profitably been edited down to 200 pages or so to create a vastly more satisfying book.Book Review: DeMille Knows Fiction Writing
Summary: 5 Stars
THE GATE HOUSE
Nelson DeMille
Grand Central Publishing
Hachette Book Group
ISBN: 978-0-446-53342-3
$27.99
674 pages
Reviewer: Annie Slessman
Nelson DeMille has written fifteen works of fiction and The Gate House, his latest work could prove to be one of his best. DeMille knows how to weave a tight story of intrigue, humor and characterizations that are so believable they seem familiar to its readers.
John Sutter, the main character of The Gate House lives the life of the Gold Coast crowd while married to his aristocratic wife, Susan Stanhope. When Susan kills Frank Bellarosa, their neighbor and Susan's lover, the marriage ends. John divorces Susan and takes a three-year sojourn on his sailboat before moving to London.
He returns to New York when a Stanhope family servant, Ethel Allard, is placed under hospice care. As Allard's attorney, Sutter must put Allard's affairs in order and support her daughter, Elizabeth, as they await Ethel's pending death.
Staying at the former gatehouse of the Stanhope mansion, Sutter finds himself only yards from his former wife. Ultimately, they meet again and this is the point where the story really takes off.
Anthony Bellarosa, son of the deceased, Frank Bellarosa, has a vendetta he must enact and attempts to solicit Sutter in his plans. The relationship that develops between Sutter and the younger Bellarosa takes on a new dimension when Sutter refuses to go along with Bellarosa's plans and a reader is taken on a roller coaster ride of suspense.
When this work arrived at my door, its size seemed somewhat intimidating. However, let me assure readers, you will savor each page and want more when you finish the last page. DeMille gives his readers true value for their money. If you liked The Gold Coast, you'll love The Gate House.
Nelson DeMille attended Hofstra University, served in the Army. He earned the Air Medal, Bronze Star and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He has authored #1 New York Times bestsellers Night Fall and Plum Island and New York Times bestsellers Wild Fire, The Lion's Game, The Gold Coast and The General's Daughter.
Book Review: DeMille at his best!
Summary: 5 Stars
A frantic page-turner from the opening gate. Written as only DeMille can write. Where else can you read the answer to the age-old question, why do married women like wonton!Book Review: DeMille can do better than this.....
Summary: 2 Stars
Yes, I've read DeMille's books including "The Gold Coast" which I thoroughly enjoyed years ago. Now, he has "The Gate House" which is the sequel and after reading 674 pages I can honestly say it was at least 300 pages too long. I found myself bored with the constant subplots (including the Iranian owner of the mansion who has no real point in the book, but still takes up too many pages in the book) and I was bored with the plot that took a long time to develop.
John Sutter has returned from a 10 year trip around the world to return to wrap up loose ends and even get back together with his ex-wife? I found the relationship between them shallow at best and hard to believe at worst. The constant one liners or thoughts that JOhn Sutter has gets old to me while I was reading and found the villain (Anthony Bellarosa) a stereotype of mob leaders.
The book was too long. Too predictable and I found the plot to take far too long to real go anywhere. Skip this and just read "The Gold Coast" and enjoy DeMille's other novels.