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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This definitely was not my favorite Kate Morton. I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters and how they were connected throughout time. I’ve always felt like Kate Morton has a way of transporting you through time with her imagery, but in this case it felt a bit jumbled.
An extra fun, well researched bit of historical fiction with a great mystery at its heart. Clever and definitely a page turner. I listened on audible and Joanne Froggat’s narration was absolutely stellar.
I have now read all of Kate Morton's novels and will continue to do so because, quite frankly, she has a way with words. She has a gift for entangling the readers into her ever shifting story lines crossing time many times over. But also the way she can make the atmosphere of each of her stories jump from the pages is really quite remarkable. So far, "The House at Riverton" and "The Distant Hours" are my favorite Morton novels, and perhaps unfairly I judge every other novel written by her to these two. Or maybe it is what makes Morton's novels a pleasure to read is also what makes them so frustrating. This one in particular was difficult for me to rate. As the author is wont to do, weaving this way and that, ebbing and flowing and twisting around until everything falls into place, eventually, I couldn't help sighing often. Sometimes I had to take a break from some of the storylines as I didn't particularly care to know how they tied into the overall story. Quite frankly, if some of these people would have just communicated, the story would have been so much shorter, and so many sad events that occurred may have been avoided altogether. As a side note: something a character named Lucy did (or rather, didn't remember to do) had me wondering how such an intelligent person could have been so utterly foolish.
2.5
2.5
Ugh. This book is about 200 pages too long. I gave up at page 360 because I just couldn't take anymore. I ended up reading a synopsis with spoilers just to bring it to a close.
Morton's descriptive narrative, whilst beautiful, wears thin. She rhapsodises for page after page about the setting without actually moving the story along.
It's rare for me to be bored at the thought of reading a book but this was a slog.
Morton's descriptive narrative, whilst beautiful, wears thin. She rhapsodises for page after page about the setting without actually moving the story along.
It's rare for me to be bored at the thought of reading a book but this was a slog.
I really do love Kate Morton books and I have been excited for this one to come out. Unfortunately, this was not my favorite of her books. I’m not a huge fan of so many storylines, it got quite confusing at times, and the ghost felt a little too much that I needed to suspend my disbelief. I also felt like the ending was really rushed, and I’m actually still a little confused about what actually happened with Fanny and who did what… Maybe I need to re-reread?
I’m a huge Kate Morton fan, and I enjoyed this book, but I’m having some issues with it as I consider it in retrospect. While the overall story of Birdie/Lily runs throughout the book and is quite engaging, I felt that there were a few too many storylines introduced in this one. Related to that, I felt that some of the storylines, particularly those of Elodie and her mother, were insufficiently tied up in the end, other than having Elodie be the initial medium through which the story is elicited and her mother’s rather tangential encounter at the house - unless I’m missing something.
I realize that all of these characters connect the house’s history on a timeline, but I found it a bit much to be skipping around quite so many storylines. I think the story would have been just as impactful with a couple less.
I realize that all of these characters connect the house’s history on a timeline, but I found it a bit much to be skipping around quite so many storylines. I think the story would have been just as impactful with a couple less.
The ending wrapped up a little too nicely and quickly but the book was actually a good compilation of several storylines, across several time periods. I would recommend reading this book in as few sit-downs as possible because the only issue I had was trying to remember other stories from earlier in the book.
I always run to get the next Kate Morton book, but this one was a disappointment. I just didn’t care about the characters or the mystery. It was too hard to keep straight in my head.
A good mystery keeps the reader in the dark about what happened. This book keeps the reader in the dark about what's happenING. The last time I felt this lost and confused was in The House of Leaves, a book I DNF'd. I've been in a reading slump for a month now and the only thing that made me finish this book was that I swore I would finish the next book I picked up. Two stars instead of one for the occasional poeticism.