I know people are saying they could not put this book down... but I'll be honest, this was a tough read, and I did put it down for a bit... but I knew it would be important to finish! It was well written and I'm glad I picked it back up. The House is on Fire is a fictional story based on a real historical tragedy that occured in 1811. A theater fire claims the lives of dozens of people from all walks of life. The story of what happens during and after the fire is told through four people, Sally, Cecily, Jack, and Gilbert as they make decisions that impact their lives and the lives of those around them. Slavery and racial injustice are major plot points illuminating the unacceptably low moral standards of the time.

An incredible fictionalized story of a real fire that happened in Richmond in 1811. It is well researched and the story absolutely devastating, with intertwined stories of four people: Sally, Cecily, Jack, and Gilbert. Each of them does something that impacts their lives and lives of others.
I wasn't expecting to love this story as much as I did.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an early access to this book. Loved it!

This was an interesting story of once again alerting me to a fact I was not aware of, the burning of the Placide & Green Company Theater, in Charleston It occurred in 1811 and the season of social soirees was in full swing. The theater company was putting a a play when it was noticed that the candle lit chandelier was still showing during a scene in a dark forest. Instructed to raise the chandelier and when it happens using a faulty pulley system, the theater goes up in flames. People are trapped inside, falling over one another to get to the outside.

In the end over one hundred people perished and then the finger pointing started.

The four main characters, Sally Campbell, recently widowed, Jack Gibson, a company worker hoping to attain a permanent job with the theater company, Cecily Patterson, a slave, looking for a few hours reprieve from a brutish son of her master, and Gilbert Hunt, black blacksmith, who runs into the fray hoping to be of service.

All of these people come together in a horrific tragedy to show what human nature is capable of.

This book is based on true happenings although much is fiction in the story, its effect is profound and interesting.

So, why only three stars. have to say it was the writing style. It, to me, seemed unemotional, as if the author was just reporting to the readers the details of a horrific tragedy.

I was not a great fan of Beanland's Florence Adler book so perhaps it is her way of writing that is the sticking point.

However, this incident was indeed a tragedy and required its telling.

Thank you fro Rachel Beanland, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for a copy of this story which published in April of this year.

Rachel Beanland wrote Florence Adler Swims Forever, an arresting debut that caught my attention along with that of a great many other readers. Her sophomore novel, The House is on Fire, is a good read, though not as compelling as her first. My thanks go to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now.

The house in question is a theatre; the setting is Richmond, Virginia. The story is modeled after the massive fire of the Richmond Theater in December, 1811, which at the time was the greatest human calamity to have befallen the U.S. Scores of people were killed, and the disaster created headlines around the country, and even internationally. Beanland tells us in her author’s note that she chose to center the book around four real people that were affected by the fire; some she was able to learn a good deal about, whereas for others, she had to invent almost everything. The characters are Gilbert and Cecily, both of whom were slaves; Sally, a young Caucasian widow; and Jack, a Caucasian stagehand in charge of pyrotechnics during the performances, despite his being just fourteen years old.

Beanland nails the setting like a pro, recreating the technology, character, and landscape of the period, and doing so subtly, without relying on shortcuts or cheesy devices such as popular music and political figures. It’s a good thing, because setting is important to this story.

The characters are not as well developed. The one I feel I know best, by the end of the book, is Cecily, a young slave woman desperate to escape the predatory son of the man that owns her. However, Cecily’s story is the one that Beanland invented. I have mixed feelings about Cecily’s motivation. On the one hand, it’s a well-documented fact that young slave women were raped by masters and other whites as a matter of course, a horrifying fact that must never be forgotten. On the other hand, fear of a sexual predator is an easy device to employ, and I keep thinking about what actor-director Jodie Foster says about its overuse: if you don’t know what motivates a woman, writers and directors everywhere immediately reach for rape. I am thankful that Beanland doesn’t provide any prurient details or graphic descriptions. But apart from love of family and fear of sexual violence, I still know nothing of Cecily at the end of the story.

The other characters are still less defined. Gilbert’s last master permitted him to hire himself out as a blacksmith once his other chores were done, and he has been planning, once he has enough set aside, to purchase freedom for himself and his wife. We also see that he is a hero, helping to pull or catch a great many people that are stuck in the burning building. All of this is demonstrated at the outset, and not much changes for him.
Young Jack is consumed with fear and guilt due to his part in the fire. He had dreamed of becoming an actor, and now that seems unlikely. He wants to tell the truth, but others insist that he not. Again, that’s all known to us from the start, and Jack isn’t much different when it’s over.

Sally is the least defined, to the extent that I keep having to recheck to see who she is.

But then, not every book is character based. This one is more about plot and setting, and those that prefer a story with a lot of activity will likely be pleased.

Beanland is a fine writer, and I do look forward to seeing what she writes next.

I love historical fiction that educates me about events I hadn't heard of before. This fast-paced novel takes the reader through the events of the Richmond, Virginia theater fire through the eyes of four characters with very different views. This book was sad, tragic, and eye-opening, but I still couldn't put it down.

This was more like 4-1/2 stars for me and just not 5 stars because I felt like the beginning was a little slow. This was my first Rachel Beanland book and I really enjoyed it. I love historical fiction books based on real life events and learning about the Richmond Theatre fire in the 1800’s was really interesting. The story is told beautifully through the alternating perspectives of four people who survived the fire - privileged white widow Sally Henry Campbell, young black slave Cecily Patterson, black slave and blacksmith Gilbert Hunt, and 14 year-old white stagehand Jack Gibson. With the Richmond Theatre filled with over 600 people, tragic events lead to a devastating fire. Sally, Cecily, Gilbert, and Jack make life-changing decisions for themselves and others that connect them forever. I definitely recommend this book, just push through the slow beginning because it’s excellent after that. Thanks to #netgalley #simon&schuster and #rachelbeanland for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Man, this book was sad!!! Based on a real fire that occurred in 1811, this story follows the lives of four people in the aftermath of a devastating fire in the theatre with a sold out house. The fire spread so quickly that hundreds of people died or were gravely injured and while hundreds more fled for their lives. What was really interesting about this book was the dynamic between women and men and slaves and their owners. Gilbert and Cecily are relatives and slaves. Sally is a widow and was at the theater with her late husbands brother and his wife, and Jack is a teenage stagehand. We see this story from their perspectives.

I don’t want to give too much away in terms of the plot and what these people go through, but it was notable that such a large percentage of people that died were women. As the fire caught, many men acted like cowards, pushing and jumping over people (women and children) to save themselves. It was also really heroic of Gilbert to save so many people, and I loved how the town rallied around him, even while his asshole owner punished him for it. My only real gripe with this book is that it didn’t have any sort of resolution for all the storylines. It kind of just ended, which left me feeling like I was hanging.

Quick and Dirty⁣
-historical fiction ⁣
-4 POVs ⁣
-quick chapters⁣
-morality tale⁣
⁣
Thoughts ⁣
What a twisted tale of humanity! Set in early 19th century Virginia, this book gives a fictional account of a horrible tragedy. Many lives were lost in the great theatre fire in Richmond, and those who survived were burdened with insurmountable grief and trauma. While all four of the main characters were compelling, I found myself drawn most to Sally. Her heroics and principled nature spoke to me. I also enjoyed the social commentary on slavery, social Justice, and women’s rights. The stories of all the characters were moving in their own way, but I wanted more action if I’m being honest. The short chapters helped with the pacing, but after the initial the lack of twists or turns left me wanting more. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it’s unlikely to be something I remember in time or read again.

This was everything I want in historical fiction---the characters were engaging, the story feminist, propulsive, and well-researched, and it prompted me to look things up about the actual event after I was finished to learn more about it. This chronicles the 1811 Richmond Theatre fire, which was the worst urban disaster in US history at the time, causing 72 deaths. Having spent a good chunk of my early school years in Virginia, I was surprised not to have heard this story before, especially with some of the prominent historical figures that were involved.

The story follows four characters through the night of fire and its aftermath: Sally, a widowed socialite and Patrick Henry's daughter (who I am, in fact, distantly related to, fun fact), a fictionalized version of a real person who was present at the fire and helped to treat the injured afterward. Gilbert, also a fictionalized version of a real person, a slave who worked as a blacksmith and was not in the fire, but rushed to the aid of those trapped in the building and earned a reputation as a hero. Jack, a fictionalized version of the unnamed stagehand who started the fire backstage and struggled with the morality of the theater company's attempts at covering it up. And finally, Cecily, a fictional slave who escaped the fire but took the opportunity to fake her own death in a bid for freedom.

Learning how the characters' relationships and stories intertwined gave the story a bit of a mystery element, which was fun, and the POVs felt very balanced---I had my favorites but there were none that I was irritated by or annoyed to get to like with some books (looking at you, Bran Stark). There are definitely some heavy topics covered in this, most of which you can infer from the synopsis, but I'd be cautious specifically if you have any triggers involving SA or pregnancy trauma. However, the author does a good job of balancing the reality of how bleak the time period was for anyone not born a white man with an element of hope for the characters’ futures, for the most part. Everyone does not get a happy ending, and there are definitely some more modern and liberal sensibilities in the main characters' POVs with how they perceived the injustices against women and Black people, but nothing that took me out of the time period or felt outlandish. The writing itself was very accessible and easy to read without sacrificing beautiful language or a historical tone; I highlighted a bunch of quotes that felt poignant without being heavy-handed. I'll definitely be reading more from Rachel Beanland in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review of “The House is on Fire”.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The House is on Fire" and all opinions expressed are my own. Interesting story, I had no idea about this fire. I like to read historical fiction, you always learn something new. Overall good.

I loved this story! I’ve lived in Richmond the past 11 years and found this story fascinating. While it’s historical fiction, I found it fast paced from the very start and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Highly recommend.

1811, a theater in Richmond Virginia goes up in flames. Historical fiction masterfully told. A story about a terrible tragedy, an expose of those who sought to help and save as well as a population whose fear, bigotry and cowardice were accepted as the norm. A harsh focus on the disparities between the the sexes, the rich and poor, the races, and the worst abuses of slavery and racism allowed to foment. Rachel Beanland has written in the most beautiful prose the most horrific story. It happened, her research is impeccable and astounding, her depictions are breathtaking in their scope and breadth.

This is a story not be missed by a very talented writer. Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a copy.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I've seen a lot of praise for this book and I agree it's good but not a five star for me. That's because not every character pulled me in. Cecily's and Sally's stories are the ones that I enjoyed reading the most about. Jack and Gilbert weren't boring, they just didn't interested me as much. I usually find the womens perspective in historical fiction more intriguing.

Also, I love when a story is based on real life, like this one.

I had never heard of this fire before so I was interested in learning more. The book was pretty slow to start but I was hooked by the end. Overall, 3 stars just because the beginning wasn't super grabbing. I'm glad I stuck through until the end. I feel like I have more knowledge on this historical event and would recommend.

Rachel Beanland does a fantastic job in this beautifully written historical fiction about a theater fire that took place in Richmond, Virginia in 1811 and killed more than 70 people. The book follows four characters who are each a witness to the fire and its aftermath. Inspired by true people, Beanland tells a gripping story of how this event captured the attention of the entire east coast, greatly impacted the city of Richmond, and forever changed lives. Each character offers a different viewpoint of the night and vividly captures this disaster and life in 1811.

Beanland's research and attention to details are impeccable. The short chapters make this book impossible to put down and the story flows so well and so quickly. I highly recommend this book and this author. I look forward to reading more by her.

4.5 stars

If there is one thing that is going to get me interested in historical fiction, it's a book that covers a little-known event and how its impact intertwines the lives of several people.

The House Is on Fire, an exploration of the 1811 Richmond Theatre Fire, is a propulsive and immensely gripping read which tracks the impact of the tragedy on the lives of four people over four days. Beanland does an excellent job of conveying the chaos of the fire itself and the frenetic energy of a city trying to find answers in its wake. There is a tendency in novels like this to have one character whose perspective is just not as interesting, but that is not an issue in this book whatsoever. The balance struck between the various perspectives is nearly pitch-perfect and I was immensely invested in seeing where the twists and turns in each character's narrative was going. My only complaint is that the ending for all but one arc felt so abrupt to the point where I thought that there were pages missing from the novel. One chapter each for the other arcs would have just really brought everything together in my opinion.

All in all, I'm so happy that I picked this book up and I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

The House Is On Fire is based on the true story of Richmond’s theater fire. Set in Richmond, Virginia in 1811, a packed theater goes up in flames in the middle of a performance, a female widow, an orphaned stagehand, an enslaved female, and an enslaved blacksmith. The story is told from four different perspectives. We follow these characters during the fire as well as the events that occur in the aftermath of the tragedy.

I was drawn to this book because I went to college in Richmond, Virginia and lived there for four years but had never heard of this theater fire! The story brings with the reader knowing how the fire began and then we see the attempt to cover up the truth by the guilty party. We are given a realistic view into what life was like in Richmond, VA during the early 1800’s. This is a compelling story about slavery, race, class, gender, loyalty, and bravery. The author does a wonderful job of painting a realistic picture throughout the entire book. I’ve learned to never skip the authors note, especially with a historical fiction so make sure you read it at the end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

I got sucked into this book from the very first page. It tells the story of four people that experienced the Richmond theater fire in 1811. Each of them sees the world in a new light in the days following the fire. They all come to realize that life as they knew it was darker than they thought and it is up to them to change their futures. By telling this story not only from multiple sides, but from both slave and free perspectives, it gives a more complete look at lives during that time, and what an event like this could mean for everyone in the area.

One of my favorite books of 2023, the story of the Richmond theater fire of 1811 was told in this extraordinary book. The stories of Sally, Jack, Gilbert and Cecily gives the reader the perspective from different points of view and experiences, of Sally, a wealthy widow who helps save many from the fire;Gilbert, a slave who becomes a hero after catching over a dozen white women jumping from a higher floor; Jack, a young boy with the theater company who knows the true cause of the fire; and Cecily, a female slave hoping to escape after word of her death is announced. I could not put down this book, and felt like I was in that theater experiencing the terror, as well as the aftermath. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Having read many glowing reviews, I thought this book would be incredible. As a result, when it was not, I found myself disappointed. The book is good. It has a great plot with sympathetic characters. It follows four people—two slaves, a man and a young woman, a white woman, and a young white boy—in the wake of the real fire that happened in Richmond Virginia in 1811 and killed almost 100 people. Although the events are real and the characters are based on real people, there’s no way to know how accurate the story actually is because there just isn’t sufficient documentation, especially in regard to slaves.

I was impressed by the author’s aibility to take a real event, research the various personalities involved, and create a fictionalized account of what happened via the viewpoints of a variety of different characters. We have Gilbert, a slave who is saving money to purchase his freedom and that of his wife. Cecily has been abused for years by the son of her owner and realizes the fire is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to escape slavery. Sally is a 31 year old widow whose eyes are suddenly opened to the unfairness of being a female. And Jack is a young boy, orphaned and working as a theater stagehand. He loves the theater and wants to be an actor, but after the tragedy, he becomes disillusioned with the actors he has so admired.

By retelling this tragedy through the eyes of four very different characters, the reader gains an understanding of the different POVs that would have existed in the early 1800s in the USA. As is always the case for me, I find myself thanking God I was born later than the setting of this book. Unfortunately, present-day circumstances are not exactly idyllic, so I wonder how many might look back at us one day and wonder how we survived. On the other hand, the way things seem to be deteriorating, perhaps this is a golden age we won’t recognize until it’s gone. But I digress.

I enjoyed the book, and for those interested in historical events, I think this is worth reading. It provides a window into a major event that occurred during the early years of the United States of America, as we were still finding our footing and determining who we would be. I found it fascinating.