Scan barcode
A review by bekab20
China Court by Rumer Godden
5.0
Absolutely one of my favorite reads this year. Beautifully told story of the history of this old English manor through 150 years and multiple generations of one family. The presentation of the memories are a bit jumbled and hard to follow at first, but it was like getting to know a person over time and I found myself just wanting more of the stories. The jumble soon became the story of the house and all it saw over the years. I fell in love with the house and the family that became such a part of the heart of the house, all the while hoping that Tracy and Peter make the right choice for the future of this house and their family. "... it captures a sense of the house holding all the members of the family at any one time, the echoes of their steps and their voices all layered upon one another." https://madamebibilophilerecommends.wordpress.com/2018/12/10/i-loved-mr-darcy-far-more-than-any-of-my-own-husbands-rumer-godden/
"When one of the…rose bowls or vases is rung it gives off a sound, clear, like a chime, the ring of true porcelain, so China Court gives off the ring of a house, a true home.”
"Memory is the only friend of grief."
"In real life, when one meets a large family, with all its ramifications of uncles, aunts and cousins, as well as grandfathers and grandmothers, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, their friends, servants, and pet animals, it takes some time to distinguish them; one does not expect to remember straightaway that it is Jane who is married to Bertram, Jack who was born with a club foot, Aunt Margaret who had the unfortunate love affair… China Court is a novel about five generations of a family… I believe if the reader is a little patient – and can bear not to skip – they will soon become distinct and he will have no need to look at the family tree on the frontispiece’."
"When one of the…rose bowls or vases is rung it gives off a sound, clear, like a chime, the ring of true porcelain, so China Court gives off the ring of a house, a true home.”
"Memory is the only friend of grief."
"In real life, when one meets a large family, with all its ramifications of uncles, aunts and cousins, as well as grandfathers and grandmothers, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, their friends, servants, and pet animals, it takes some time to distinguish them; one does not expect to remember straightaway that it is Jane who is married to Bertram, Jack who was born with a club foot, Aunt Margaret who had the unfortunate love affair… China Court is a novel about five generations of a family… I believe if the reader is a little patient – and can bear not to skip – they will soon become distinct and he will have no need to look at the family tree on the frontispiece’."