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transportedlfl 's review for:
The London House
by Katherine Reay
When Matt, Caroline's former friend from college, unexpectedly contacts her, she hears her great aunt collaborated with the Nazis during World War II. He plans to publish a story in The Atlantic, and she requests a few days to talk to her family and learn more.
The historical narrative jumps back and forth through time in a series of letters and diaries between Caroline's grandmother Margo and her twin sister for whom Caroline is named. We learn the past at the same time as Caroline and through the same archival material. Thus, the book becomes a more realistic study of history than a beautifully chronological tale with everything neatly tied up.
This learning from history is even more emphasized through Caroline 's interactions with the writer who contacted her. Matt's goal is to write a story about history that we can learn from and apply to the present. Between the mix of the past and the present, the plot and the storytelling within it, this book raises questions about how we should use history now to improve our response to present challenges. The perspective was an utterly unique approach to historical fiction. At the same time, it was also a family drama and a tale of perceptions and reality, truth and lies, and love lost. I was so fascinated throughout and couldn't put it down.
Thank you to Harper Muse and UpLit Reads for this book. These opinions are my own.
TW: cancer, loss of a loved one
4.5 stars rounded up
The historical narrative jumps back and forth through time in a series of letters and diaries between Caroline's grandmother Margo and her twin sister for whom Caroline is named. We learn the past at the same time as Caroline and through the same archival material. Thus, the book becomes a more realistic study of history than a beautifully chronological tale with everything neatly tied up.
This learning from history is even more emphasized through Caroline 's interactions with the writer who contacted her. Matt's goal is to write a story about history that we can learn from and apply to the present. Between the mix of the past and the present, the plot and the storytelling within it, this book raises questions about how we should use history now to improve our response to present challenges. The perspective was an utterly unique approach to historical fiction. At the same time, it was also a family drama and a tale of perceptions and reality, truth and lies, and love lost. I was so fascinated throughout and couldn't put it down.
Thank you to Harper Muse and UpLit Reads for this book. These opinions are my own.
TW: cancer, loss of a loved one
4.5 stars rounded up