Posted by Andrea Durway
9 Books Where Home Feels Like a Character
At our core, as realtors we love two things: homes and a good story. And with several book clubs between us + a former librarian on our team, it’s no surprise that we’re drawn to novels where those two things intersect.
Some stories unfold inside a house. Others are the house. In these nine books, the home isn’t just a setting — it pulses with memory, emotion, and meaning. These houses feel like living characters, shaping the people inside and echoing long after the final page.
➡️Enter our drawing for a $50 Bookstore Gift Card. See Instagram for details.
Homes With a Heartbeat
1. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
An opulent estate purchased after WWII becomes a point of obsession for two siblings exiled from their childhood home. The house becomes a symbol of longing, privilege, and emotional exile.
2. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Set partly in Franzen’s native St. Louis, this novel follows the disintegration of the Lambert family. Their aging Midwestern home becomes the focal point for unraveling identities and one last attempt to gather — and hold on.
3. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
A brownstone in Brooklyn weaves through generations of a Black family, capturing their triumphs, tragedies, and transformations. The house holds legacy and lineage — even when the people inside are in flux.
4. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Told through lyrical vignettes, this coming-of-age story centers a young Latina girl yearning for a better life. The family’s small, run-down house is both a burden and a launching point for dreams.
5. Home by Marilynne Robinson
Returning to their childhood home in Gilead, two adult children confront their past and try to make peace with themselves and each other. The house holds layers of history, grief, and quiet grace.
6. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
In this semi-autobiographical novel, the summer home of a Black family becomes the stage for a teenage boy’s coming-of-age, navigating race, privilege, and self-discovery.
7. The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
A rustic summer retreat in Cape Cod bears the weight of family secrets, past trauma, and a present-day choice with life-altering consequences. The house is both sanctuary and witness.
8. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Darlington Hall, a grand English estate, becomes a metaphor for lost purpose and emotional repression. As an aging butler reflects on his life, the house represents everything said — and unsaid.
9. The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
A crumbling inheritance and a New York brownstone stir up decades of sibling rivalry. Here, the house isn’t just where the drama happens — it is the drama.
Summary
Sometimes the most unforgettable characters aren’t people at all. The homes in these novels carry the weight of history, emotion, and change — reminding us how deeply place can shape a life. We’d love to hear your thoughts on these books, if you’ve read any of them.
Resources: St. Louis Independent Bookstores
- Left Bank Books (Central West End) – Oldest and largest independently-owned full-line bookstore in St. Louis. Offers a full-line of new and used books, gifts, cards, magazines, toys and services.
- Novel Neighbor (Webster Groves) – Charming independent bookstore filled with gift items from local artists and cozy reading spot for the kiddos.
- Dunaway Books (Tower Grove) – One of the best used bookstore in the city, with almost 80,000 volumes to get lost in.
- Leviathan Bookstore (Tower Grove) New, independently operated hub for independent readers in St. Louis.
- Subterranean (University City) – Since 2000, this independent book store has offered a diverse fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Plenty of other genres too.
- The Book House (Maplewood) – Independent community bookstore since 1986. Selling new, old, rare, and unusual books.
- Read a Book STL (Dutchtown) – Bookstore specializing in a diverse selection of secondhand books, working to keep literature accessible and affordable.
- Webster Groves Bookshop (Webster Groves) – Quaint shop located in Old Webster.
