I loved Florence Adler Swims, This book is different but just as good if not better.

A fire starts in the middle of a performance with the theater full due to Christmas holidays. Pandemonium ensues as families race to find escape.

Also notable is the 'colored section' in the theater during this time of slavery. In fact, very recently Florida government wants this book banned. Slavery was despicable but it remains part of our history.

Notable characters are entwined with each other for a lifetime.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher.

I loved this historical fiction. It is rare to pick up a novel about history and not feel like I am reading a textbook but this was perfectly achieved.

Somewhere around 8 I began to be fascinated by disasters - all disasters of every type and it has stayed with me as an interest. When I discovered the book on my shelf was about a disaster. . .that happened, was not fiction, of which I was completely ignorant?! well. That level of astonishment needed a response.

Rachel Beanland has provided us with another excellent read. I loved her book about Florence Adler, but I have to say I think this one tops it. The research is robust, the story - four-pronged - is well-woven, and she has formed her reimagined narrative around real people, in real places and her contextual time and interactions were compelling. Sometimes I get tripped up with people from the 1800's saying something very 2020's and for a beat it interrupts me. . .not one beat of interruption in this read. (Actually was a listen and a read for me. . .this is becoming one of my favorite ways to experience a book from two different senses.)

And Bonus of Bonuses, her Author's Note was very satisfying to read after the time spent with her well-drawn characters. Even those with bit parts were further filled in with ". . . the rest of the story. . ." of their lives as far as it is known.

An excellent read! 5 stars!

*A sincere thank you to Rachel Beanland, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for a free ARC to read and voluntarily review.* #TheHouseIsOnFire #NetGalley

I've had this on NetGalley and for some reason just got to it. I should have read it sooner!

In Richmond, Virginia, in 1811, the only theater is packed with politicians and Southern "gentlemen" with their families as well as many enslaved and some free people of color. A bad call from the theater company causes a fire to break out and panic ensues.

The story is told by four people whose stories intersect: Sally, a young widow; Jack, a young man hired for the season by the theater company; Gilbert, an enslaved blacksmith trying to buy his freedom; and Cecily, an enslaved girl whose circumstances are dire. All four get caught up in the chaos of the fire and their lives as well as so many others are altered forever.

I gave this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. It was an excellent historical fiction. Based loosely on the true story of the fire, it was very well researched by the author. The characters were very believable and I was on the edge of my seat at the end. The themes that stood out to me were the cruelty of racism and slavery, how we treat each other in a crisis, and whether integrity and good character prevail.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonbooks @simonandschuster for an advanced copy of this book.

This was a new time period for me to read historical fiction. Set in 1811, in Richmond, Virginia at the Richmond Theater Fire.

During this time slavery was a part of life in Virginia. One slave saved many white women by catching them when they were dropped from the second balcony.

Many people died and had injuries from the fire. White men especially those on the second or third floor for the most part stormed out to get themselves to safety, and not helping the women around them.

I found it hard to read how quickly the actors blamed the fire on slaves that weren’t there threatening them versus admitting to their guilt.

I enjoyed this story as it is different than what I usually read and gave me a lot to think about.

I really enjoyed this book, I liked the multiple perspectives and it definitely had me on the edge of my seat at times!

Beanland’s book is based upon a real tragedy, a theater fire that cost the lives of 72 people, 54 of whom were women. It’s 1811 and the wealthy of Richmond, VA were attending a production when a fire broke out. Among the people in attendance were Sally Campbell, a young widow, Cecily Patterson, a slave who is allowed to attend but must sit in the balcony with the other slaves and Jack Gibson, a young man who helps backstage. There’s also Gilbert, an enslaved blacksmith, who is instrumental, after the fire breaks out.

Sally is dealing with the loss of her husband and her future prospects. Cecily is in an impossible situation as the chattel of her owner. Gilbert is a hard worker who shows his generous heart and Jack is a loner who needs his job and is torn when pressured to become part of a coverup of the fire. All of them witness the behavior of frantic people trying to escape the inferno.

When the fire subsides and the toll of the dead and injured are evaluated, the town must decide who is to blame. Lies and finger-pointing put innocent people at risk. A few heroic actions saved some, but many pushed and shoved others aside in order to save themselves.

This fictionalized account is a mix of real historical figures and those of the author’s imagination. The central characters and some of the victims are based upon actual people and the heroics of Gilbert have been documented. The attempt to pin the blame on others is also factual and adds to the tragic nature of the event. What is most gripping in reading the book, is the air of panic that ensued and the apparent desperate need to save oneself. This tragedy was horrific and was compounded by actions following the disaster.

The dire straits of the enslaved is amplified by the ease with which they can become scapegoats, with no recourse of defense. They are totally at the mercy of their owners and of the townspeople. Beanland’s characters are well-defined and the key figures all have their own strengths. It is the young Jack who exemplifies the intense struggle to do what’s right. He’s impressionable and anxious to please, giving others an opportunity to pressure him.

This is a story about an actual disaster that, at the time, garnered a lot of attention but which is not familiar to audiences today. It calls attention to the heroic and also the desperate self-preservation actions of people under duress. Set in a society that was based upon slavery, there are serious issues addressed along with the story of the conflagration.

3.5 stars.

I don't think the book quite rises enough for me to round up to 4 stars, though. I will say that it was a solid read, keeping me interested. I like the quick chapters, each focusing on one of four main characters, two of them being enslaved persons, and I appreciate and applaud the author's inclusion of multiple perspectives. In fact, all four of the MCs are or can be called marginalized characters - which I say somewhat hesitantly, as one of them is Patrick Henry's grown daughter. In any event, a quick read, it taught me about an event that I had heard about but not known anything about, the Richmond Theatre Fire of 1811, in which 70+ people perished, mostly women, and for a long time considered the biggest disaster outside of ones caused by nature in the young republic.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review of the book.

This book is based on a true story of Richmond's theater fire. It is both interesting and terrifying. And is a good example of how split second decisions in traumatic situations can affect your life.

This books is so different from Beanland's debut "Florence Adler Swims Forever" (which I loved!) but it's just as powerful.

Based on an actual 1811 theater fire in Virginia, "The House Is On Fire" follows four characters, all based on or inspired by real people, during the tragedy and in its aftermath. The author's description of being in the theater during the fire is so visceral you feel like you're there, and the way people were only out to save themselves, both during the blaze and afterward, is heartbreaking.

If you're a historical fiction fan, this book is not to be missed. It's a story of race, class, gender and morality, and how the people you least expect can often turn out to be the heroes.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the copy to review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

It is the winter of 1811 in Richmond Virginia. While the dark winter days are here, society goes to the city's theater to see a play to bring some light to their lives. During the performance, there is a fire that starts behind the set and burns down the theatre. This story follows four individuals from that night:

Sally Henry Campbell - newly widowed and relation to Patrick Henry - is seated in the 3rd floor boxes.
Cecily Patterson - in the colored gallery - happy to have a reprieve from the household she serves as things there are not going well.
Jack Gibson - a stagehand that has hopes and aspirations of becoming an actor.
Gilbert Hunt - a blacksmith slave, uncle of Cecily, that happens to be at the right place at the right time.

Based on a true story, this book shows how resilient some people can be and how views can change when tragedy has occurred.

Absolutely adored this book! I knew I had to read it after loving Florence Adler Swims Forever and was thrilled when my request was approved. Beanland's ability to create so many characters and have her readers attach to each one is quite the feat. I was extremely invested in each character's storyline and had to know how their stories would intersect and end. Each one was tragic in its own way, but was very authentic.

I also loved learning about something I knew nothing about! The House is on Fire had me googling so much about this historical event and what followed. The way Beanland pulls from history and captivates her readers is unparalleled. She is definitely an auto-buy author of mine and I will forever read her stories.

Readers who remember Florence Adler will want to take a look at Rachel Beanland’s new book of historical fiction. She tells a complex story that takes place in 1800s, Richmond, Virginia.

Many people are attending a theater performance when the unthinkable happens and a catastrophic fire breaks out. This incident will inform the lives of this book’s characters, both those who are white and those who are Black.

Two of the women in the theater are Sally and Cecily, one of whom takes in the show from the “colored gallery.” Readers follow them and also Jack and Gilbert. How will their lives entwine and what will happen to each?

What and who cause the conflagration? What narrative will be told about this and will it be the truth? Read this novel based on real events to learn more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this title. All opinions are my own.

The House is on Fire

Well written; well researched. Much of the story is true. Don't lose sight of the human lives that were lost or affected.

This is a book about the historic theater fire in Richmond, VA in 1811. I wasn't aware of this event, so this book informed me of it. Rachel Beanland brought the event to life by telling the story of those affected by the fire.
On 12/26, the theater is filled with patrons, both white and black, when Jack Gibson, a stagehand is ordered to lift a lit chandelier. The theater catches fire and the patrons race to escape.
The book highlights Sally, a recent widow, Cecily, a slave whose master's son, takes advantage of her, Jack, the stagehand, and Gilbert, a blacksmith slave. Their fate is dependent on the decisions each makes as they try to escape the fire.
I loved how Beanland wove these stories together while highlighting the fates of slaves vs. owners = and the decisions and help people gave to one another.
Great book.

Not as good as her first book. Very slow book and never felt connected to characters. Interesting historical fiction story just wasn't for me.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I decided to read The House Is on Fire for two reasons. One, as a Virginia girl, I was excited to learn more about a piece of my state's history, and two, I really enjoyed Rachel Beanland's first novel, Florence Adler Swims Forever.

It was obvious from the story and the author's note that Beanland thoroughly researched her topic. The novel is narrated from four different POVs, and while I appreciated the different perspectives, things quickly got murky for me. The first narrator is Sally Henry Campbell, the daughter of Patrick Henry. Sally is painted as one of the heroes of the novel, as she has a sort of feminist awakening after viewing the selfish actions taken by men during the fire. This would all be well and good if the author did not completely gloss over the fact that Sally owned slaves. The novel wants us to view Sally as someone who goes above and beyond to help others, and yet she never grapples once grapples with the contradictions between her altruism and her enslavement of other human beings. I understand that Sally was a real person in history, but in this case, I think the novel would have been better served by placing a fictional character into this role, rather than glorifying a woman who participated in such a heinous part of our nation's history.

Then there were the POVs from two enslaved characters, Gilbert (a real person whose heroic actions saved many from the fire) and Ceicily (a fictitious character). Gilbert and Ceicily's storylines were my favorite parts of the novel, but I struggled with the ethics of a white author writing the perspective of two Black characters. It wasn't that Gilbert and Cecily's stories weren't important, on the contrary, I think their perspectives contributed the most to the novel, but I finished the book feeling like they weren't Beanland's stories to tell.

Much of what goes on in this novel, from the descriptions of slavery to the events of the fire are very horrific. I think Beanland portrayed a realistic picture of the event and the cultural context surrounding it, but this was in no way an easy read. Overall, I found it very interesting to learn about the Richmond theater fire, but I finished the book wishing it had been written in a different way, or by a different author.

I love historical fiction, especially when it is about a topic I initially knew nothing about. Such is the case with Beanland's The House is on Fire. Prior to this book I had never heard about the Richmond Theatre Fire, at the time the deadliest disaster in U.S. history. The poorly designed and cheaply built theatre became an inferno when a set piece was mistaken raised into the backdrops, resulting in chaos as the patrons tried to escape the flames. Beanland focuses on four of the people impacted by the tragedy. By the end of the book you will be drawn into their very different worlds. A sure-fire bestseller!

I couldn’t put this book down! A gripping drama from early American history. The author does a great job of helping the reader hear the characters’ voices. I loved having the different viewpoints: men, women, whites, and slaves. This really helps to get the reader a good picture of the incident. I also liked how the author chose to use people who would have been considered lesser citizens as the main characters.