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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I had high hopes for this novel - I sincerely tried. Story, while somewhat intriguing at the beginning, just seemed to drag on and on and on. . .
A young archivist discovers a long-forgotten satchel with sketches and the photo of a woman from the 19th century. The ensuing journey spans a century of stories and includes a school for girls, a murderous weekend, a family escaping the Blitz during WWII, and the archivist's own mother, who died suddenly years before.
As long as Morton's novel is (very long), you can't help but be drawn into the complex layers and time-jumping storytelling. I appreciated that the modern discovery was put on the back burner early and the focus was on the past and the intricate connections between the characters. An engrossing, enjoyable read.
As long as Morton's novel is (very long), you can't help but be drawn into the complex layers and time-jumping storytelling. I appreciated that the modern discovery was put on the back burner early and the focus was on the past and the intricate connections between the characters. An engrossing, enjoyable read.
A bit of a slow start, but then it gets much more interesting. The change in time lines can be a little confusing. I suppose it's fashionable now to have a ghostly narrator.
I'm honestly very torn on my review of this one. It was interesting and a neat idea but good golly was there too many time lines jumping back and forth, and it was just a lot. I wish the author stuck to one story line because while interesting it wasn't interesting enough to me to learn all these random tid bits of family. I also struggled with the change in perspective. Idk, I'm torn on if I truly enjoyed my time reading it lol.
I did read this as an audiobook so perhaps that has an impact and it would have been different had I read it. I tried to but simply couldn't get into the novel so I switched to the audiobook.
I did read this as an audiobook so perhaps that has an impact and it would have been different had I read it. I tried to but simply couldn't get into the novel so I switched to the audiobook.
I know this isn't everyone's favorite Kate Morton novel, but I really enjoyed it and would even consider going up to 5 stars on this. (I'm a hard grader.)
It does get off to a slow start, and it does require some attentive reading and or note-taking to keep all the characters in mind and understand their relationships to one another. It's not difficult reading, you just have to pay attention and remember who's who and who's when!
The largest piece of the plot is, of course, pretty implausible, but it's Kate Morton so you kind of know that going in, right?
But - I loved, loved, loved the jigsaw puzzle aspect of this novel; the way attentive reading is rewarded as the pieces fall into place.
I loved the multiple narrators and timelines. This is a novel about a house, as far as I'm concerned, which is another thing I love. It's also a book featuring art and artists, love, passion, loss, grief, a ghost, murder, mystery, lies, thievery, the Thames River, and - I have to say - a remarkable absence of clocks and clockmaker, though they're there, just not prominently! It's a wonderful tapestry across time, generations, and relationships.
For me this book fit the definition of a "good read"!
It does get off to a slow start, and it does require some attentive reading and or note-taking to keep all the characters in mind and understand their relationships to one another. It's not difficult reading, you just have to pay attention and remember who's who and who's when!
The largest piece of the plot is, of course, pretty implausible, but it's Kate Morton so you kind of know that going in, right?
But - I loved, loved, loved the jigsaw puzzle aspect of this novel; the way attentive reading is rewarded as the pieces fall into place.
I loved the multiple narrators and timelines. This is a novel about a house, as far as I'm concerned, which is another thing I love. It's also a book featuring art and artists, love, passion, loss, grief, a ghost, murder, mystery, lies, thievery, the Thames River, and - I have to say - a remarkable absence of clocks and clockmaker, though they're there, just not prominently! It's a wonderful tapestry across time, generations, and relationships.
For me this book fit the definition of a "good read"!
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
I would give this 3.5 stars if halves were allowed. Typical Kate Morton but somehow this one felt a little too convoluted and forced to me. There were some less than believable explanations for all the coincidences and some parts that felt unfinished. Not my favorite of hers, but enjoyable enough.
The writing was beautiful and the stories were engaging, but I ended the book feeling unsatisfied. It is a lengthy novel with many characters, which I don't mind, but despite the length, the book misses many key moments of the characters' lives and ends with a few unfinished storylines. Why follow a character through discovering she does not want to marry someone, but then leave it at that? Why let us into the mind of a little girl for a few chapters, have her experience a traumatic event (or two), and then barely speak of her afterwards? Also, and this is indeed one of the themes of the story, but almost every single character grappled with loss. There are few moments of joy or happiness in this novel, and it has left me with a feeling that I am missing something.
Thoroughly enjoyed! A meandering story that pulls you along. Lush imagery and loved the small insights into the world of an artist in the 1800’s.
There were almost too many characters, and it took a little too long to get to the final big reveal, but I was never bored and was along for the ride. Some romance, some suspense, some historical fiction - overall an enjoyable read!
There were almost too many characters, and it took a little too long to get to the final big reveal, but I was never bored and was along for the ride. Some romance, some suspense, some historical fiction - overall an enjoyable read!
