The House at Riverton is a strong debut novel by Kate Morton. Already a bestseller in the U.K., it is slated for release in the U.S. in April of 2008.
Grace Bradley, a 98 year old former servant of the Hartford family, recounts in a series of flashbacks the events surrounding the house and the family during World War I. Grace is ever the loyal servant (perhaps too loyal) to the family and especially to one of the mistresses of the house, Hannah, who is very close in age to Grace. In the flashbacks, Grace recounts how family secrets and the devastating effects of World War I led to the Hartford family’s demise.
In the author’s acknowledgments, she cites The Chatham School Affair, Remains of the Day, Gosford Park, and Upstairs Downstairs as having influenced her and her novel. I was familiar with all of those sources, so I did feel a bit like the book borrowed too much from these works to be truly spectacular. Still, I did enjoy it, and I would definitely read a second book by this author.
(2007 [2008 in the U.S.], 468 pp.)
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Sounds like a good book. I hope I’ll be able to find a copy. Thanks for reviewing it!
Wow, sounds fantastic, in spite of the “borrowing”. Excellent review.
Great review Michelle! I have read other glow reviews for this book, besides yours. I have it on my TBR and will have to get to it!
I also reviewed The House at Riverton here: http://belleofthebooks.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/the-house-at-riverton/
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