Reviews

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

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alidottie's review against another edition

1.0

About 330 pages into this book I had other books I needed to read and since I could not seem to finish this book, I put it aside. Maybe it was the timing, but this book just bored me silly. I could not care about the characters and I could not feel like the personal maid (Grace) who tells the story had a strong relationship with these shallow characters.

I finally picked it up and finished it. The big reveal at the end did not warrant the 468 pages to get to it.

chris10b's review against another edition

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4.0

I listened to the audiobook and am a little torn about how to rate this.

For most of this novel, we follow the life of Grace, who, at 98 years old, is reflecting upon her years in service at Riverton. I really enjoyed Grace’s part of the story, learning about the occupants of Riverton through her eyes, and even the mundane day-to-day aspects of her job. All the Downton Abbey vibes, ya know? About three quarters of the way into the book, however, the narrative switches to that of occupants of Riverton, and that’s where it went downhill for me. I really didn’t like Hannah and Emmaline—we’re probably not supposed to anyways—and it kind of made finishing the novel a struggle for me. The longer their part of the story continued, the more stars I mentally dropped from my rating. But then, at the end, we return to Grace’s story, just as she’s transitioning into the next life, and it left me feeling a bit more generous. 4 stars for Grace’s story. 2.5 for Hannah and Emmaline’s.

heatherp23's review

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mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

roseleaf24's review against another edition

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4.0

On the one hand, the story of a career servant in an English noble family at a time when everything was changing; on the other hand, a story of a woman caught between her social limitations and her desires for freedom, and her sister, young enough to be caught up in the new liberalities of the 1920s. Narrated by the lady's maid as she nears the end of her life, we see the complexities of all of these stories and how they interact. Add in gothic suspense and the death of a shell-shocked poet, and you've got a great tale.

devansbooklife's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 Stars
This is vividly written with a profound dedication to detail. I saw the world come to life. I imagined the characters and environments described without pause. I felt I was thrust back in time. A time that fascinates me and much ss it depresses me. The seperation of classes so divided, their trials and tribulations so different. I loved this vantage, seeing both sides in a way. This book has a hidden secret and it was more difficult to piece together than I originally thought. I had a few unanswered questions at the end but overall was satisfied. It certainly doesn't hurt that I visited the Biltmore estate while reading this. I turned Riverton into Biltmore in my mind. I appreciate Kate Morton's obvious research on this era. The characters seem to be based on real individuals which gave the story more depth..