Quote of the Week

Quote of the Week - "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" Dr Seuss




Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Review of The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

The House at Riverton
By Kate Morton
The House at Riverton

Grace Bradley was just a girl when she began working as a servant at Riverton House. For years, her life was inextricably tied up with the glamorous and eccentric Hartford family’s daughters, Hannah and Emmeline. Then, at a glittering society party in the summer of 1924, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline, and only they – and Grace – knew the dark truth.
Many years later, when Grace is living out her last days in a nursing home, she receives a visit from a young director who is making a film about the events of that summer. The director takes Grace back to Riverton House and reawakens her memories of the last days of Edwardian aristocratic privilege, of the vibrant twenties and of a stunning secret that Grace kept all her life.


This is Kate Morton’s debut novel and it is fascinating! I loved her book The Forgotten Garden that I had to go out and read this too. I am sure I will also be picking up The Distant Hours very soon. If I find an author I like I love to read everything they have out. Some think that takes out the variety but since I read by mood I can’t help it. The author creates such an intriguing mood with all of these books even though unrelated stories that you can’t help but go out and get more.

This story is told from Grace’s perspective and she basically narrates the story as she copies them to tape for her grandson, Marcus.  He has had his own personal tragedy and hasn’t been by to see her in over a year.  She has a secret and needs to let someone know and she trusts Marcus. So she starts her story from when she was 14 and started working at the Riverton House in 1924. She is now 99 years old and will not last much longer. When the director of this new film comes to visit Grace it starts to bring back so many memories of those days with Hannah and Emmeline and the secret they all shared.  Only Grace is alive now and is ready to relieve herself of the guilt she has felt for all these years.

A fabulous 5 star book! This was a page turner full of suspense, mystery and passion.


1 comment:

Kellie said...

I was thinking about reading this one. Since it's now also a Melissa-rated 5 star book, I'll have to :)