Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Washington Square Press (2009), Edition: Reprint, 473 pages
Description
Summer 1924. On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999. Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet�s suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace�s mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge � something history has forgotten but Grace never could.
User reviews
LibraryThing member FicusFan
I read this for a RL book group. I like historical fiction, though prefer mine set in the BC time period. It was a large book, and I was dreading having to read it, expecting it to take a long time. I was more than pleasantly surprised. I was blown away. It was a quick, riveting, fun read.
The book
In the present day, Grace is in her 90s and living in a nursing home. She is contacted by a woman who is doing a film about a death that happened on the estate in 1924. A poet killed himself at a garden party. The family became notorious is a minor way. The contact stirs Grace's memories of the events and the secrets she alone knows, because everyone else is dead.
The part of the story set in the past, is Grace recalling the events of her life. It is interspersed with present day issues. She is very old and declining as the book progresses. She is dealing with her relationship with her nurse, and her grown daughter, which are at times prickly. She meets and talks with a production assistant and an actress.
Her main reason for dredging up her memories is not just for the film, but for a series of audio tapes she decides to make for her grandson. He is grown and a successful author, but has vanished. He is dealing with the death of his wife, feeling guilty about it, and has abandoned his life. Grace, with her own association with the death at the estate, wants to explain how you can be involved in events, be unable to stop them, but can't let them destroy you.
I think the issue with the grandson is what saved the book for me. It is minor, but it turns the book into a living story, rather than a static recitation of the past. I always find that looking backward exclusively is a boring way to tell a story. You already know that everything works out or the narrator wouldn't be there to tell the story.
Grace's memories bring the family at the estate and her fellow servants to life. The bulk of the past story is focused on them. Grace eventually became a ladies maid to the elder daughter, Hannah, and quite emotionally attached to them all, but especially to Hannah and the younger daughter Emmeline.
Grace also tells of her life, her lost love, her mistaken marriage to another, the birth of her daughter, WW I and WW II, her receiving a Doctorate in Archeology, working on digs, and her discovery of her mother's secret. Most of Grace's personal story is told in a few lines of conversation without a lot of detail. It was sometimes frustratingly limited. The story of her lost love and her discovery of her mother's secret is woven into the story of the family and has depth.
I found everything but the Doctorate and the work on digs to be believable and a good addition to the story. She was no longer in school at 14, yet she went on for a terminal degree ? She earned her degree after the war as a Continuing Education student and divorced working mother, I doubt she would have the time or money. Then she somehow was actually working on digs around the world, with no strong connection to academia, it all seems absurd.
The story is one of family, of loyalty, perseverance and of forgiveness. It had a great emotional impact, the characters were that well drawn, and the stories that interesting. I was worried that the author might try to emulate the writing of the time and that the book would be slow and staid. It was smoothly written and flew by, I read it in almost one sitting, and just loved it. I found the various members of the family to be confusing at times in the beginning, but just let it roll off me.
I only saw 2 questionable items in terms of historical accuracy that struck me. Morton has the aristocratic household using fish knives and forks, and while they came in during this time period, they were considered middle class and not used. Then a ladies maid would have been called by her surname: Reeves, not Grace as they do in the book.
The book
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is set in Edwardian England, and in the present day. The POV, Grace, is a former servant, a maid, in a big country estate. She lived in the village near the house and goes to work there at 14. Her mother was a maid there before her. There is a secret about her mother's time at the house, and why she left, but no one will speak about it.In the present day, Grace is in her 90s and living in a nursing home. She is contacted by a woman who is doing a film about a death that happened on the estate in 1924. A poet killed himself at a garden party. The family became notorious is a minor way. The contact stirs Grace's memories of the events and the secrets she alone knows, because everyone else is dead.
The part of the story set in the past, is Grace recalling the events of her life. It is interspersed with present day issues. She is very old and declining as the book progresses. She is dealing with her relationship with her nurse, and her grown daughter, which are at times prickly. She meets and talks with a production assistant and an actress.
Her main reason for dredging up her memories is not just for the film, but for a series of audio tapes she decides to make for her grandson. He is grown and a successful author, but has vanished. He is dealing with the death of his wife, feeling guilty about it, and has abandoned his life. Grace, with her own association with the death at the estate, wants to explain how you can be involved in events, be unable to stop them, but can't let them destroy you.
I think the issue with the grandson is what saved the book for me. It is minor, but it turns the book into a living story, rather than a static recitation of the past. I always find that looking backward exclusively is a boring way to tell a story. You already know that everything works out or the narrator wouldn't be there to tell the story.
Grace's memories bring the family at the estate and her fellow servants to life. The bulk of the past story is focused on them. Grace eventually became a ladies maid to the elder daughter, Hannah, and quite emotionally attached to them all, but especially to Hannah and the younger daughter Emmeline.
Grace also tells of her life, her lost love, her mistaken marriage to another, the birth of her daughter, WW I and WW II, her receiving a Doctorate in Archeology, working on digs, and her discovery of her mother's secret. Most of Grace's personal story is told in a few lines of conversation without a lot of detail. It was sometimes frustratingly limited. The story of her lost love and her discovery of her mother's secret is woven into the story of the family and has depth.
I found everything but the Doctorate and the work on digs to be believable and a good addition to the story. She was no longer in school at 14, yet she went on for a terminal degree ? She earned her degree after the war as a Continuing Education student and divorced working mother, I doubt she would have the time or money. Then she somehow was actually working on digs around the world, with no strong connection to academia, it all seems absurd.
The story is one of family, of loyalty, perseverance and of forgiveness. It had a great emotional impact, the characters were that well drawn, and the stories that interesting. I was worried that the author might try to emulate the writing of the time and that the book would be slow and staid. It was smoothly written and flew by, I read it in almost one sitting, and just loved it. I found the various members of the family to be confusing at times in the beginning, but just let it roll off me.
I only saw 2 questionable items in terms of historical accuracy that struck me. Morton has the aristocratic household using fish knives and forks, and while they came in during this time period, they were considered middle class and not used. Then a ladies maid would have been called by her surname: Reeves, not Grace as they do in the book.
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LibraryThing member phoebesmum
Richard 'n' Judy's Book of the Year, I gather. A fairly standard 'dark deeds of the past live on into the present' saga, with a much more interesting story never fully addressed: just how did the main character (working class, middle-aged) manage to get her Doctorate? I'd have no problem with it
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happening nowadays, but in the 1950s … not so much. Also, I thought the McGuffin was stupid, and the characters generally uninteresting. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookworm12
Morton’s novels are always fun reads for me and this one didn’t disappoint. With shades of du Maurier’s Rebecca and the BBC’s Downton Abbey, the book was a wonderful mystery.
We meet Grace at the end of her life. She is living out her days at a retirement home when she finds out a movie is
Like all of Morton’s novels, this one has themes of mother/daughter relationships, long-kept secrets and the English countryside. Grace’s mother used to work at Riverton and we slowly learn bits of her history as well.
After a few years at Riverton Grace becomes a lady’s maid for the Hartford sisters, Hannah and Emmeline. Their close relationship allows Grace to give us a wide-view of the happenings in the house. As the years pass and relationships become more complicated the story reminds us that one man’s happiness is another man’s prison.
I thought the relationship between Hannah and Emmeline was one of the most fascinating elements of the story. The relationship between sisters is like no other. It tends to be fraught with both love and jealousy, creating a strange and precarious balance. Morton captured this perfectly, allowing us to understand and sympathize with both sisters throughout the novel.
BOTTOM LINE: I really enjoyed it. The Forgotten Garden is my favorite of her’s so far, but I have a theory that your first Morton is always your favorite. This one was the perfect book to give me a Downton Abbey fix until I can watch the third season.
“Reading is one of life’s great pleasures; talking about books keeps their worlds alive for longer.”
“‘No. Not a mystery. Just a nice safe history.’ Ah my darling. But there is no such thing.”
“…for home is a magnet that lures back even its most abstracted children.”
“It is an uncanny feeling, that rare occasion when one catches a glimpse of oneself in repose. An unguarded moment, stripped of artifice, when one forgets to fool even oneself.”
We meet Grace at the end of her life. She is living out her days at a retirement home when she finds out a movie is
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being made about a dramatic event that happened in her youth. As a teenager Grace worked as a house maid at a large manor, Riverton, in the English countryside. A young poet committed suicide at the home one night and the mystery surrounding the evening has always left people wanting to know more. Grace decides it might be time to finally reveal the truth of what happened. Like all of Morton’s novels, this one has themes of mother/daughter relationships, long-kept secrets and the English countryside. Grace’s mother used to work at Riverton and we slowly learn bits of her history as well.
After a few years at Riverton Grace becomes a lady’s maid for the Hartford sisters, Hannah and Emmeline. Their close relationship allows Grace to give us a wide-view of the happenings in the house. As the years pass and relationships become more complicated the story reminds us that one man’s happiness is another man’s prison.
I thought the relationship between Hannah and Emmeline was one of the most fascinating elements of the story. The relationship between sisters is like no other. It tends to be fraught with both love and jealousy, creating a strange and precarious balance. Morton captured this perfectly, allowing us to understand and sympathize with both sisters throughout the novel.
BOTTOM LINE: I really enjoyed it. The Forgotten Garden is my favorite of her’s so far, but I have a theory that your first Morton is always your favorite. This one was the perfect book to give me a Downton Abbey fix until I can watch the third season.
“Reading is one of life’s great pleasures; talking about books keeps their worlds alive for longer.”
“‘No. Not a mystery. Just a nice safe history.’ Ah my darling. But there is no such thing.”
“…for home is a magnet that lures back even its most abstracted children.”
“It is an uncanny feeling, that rare occasion when one catches a glimpse of oneself in repose. An unguarded moment, stripped of artifice, when one forgets to fool even oneself.”
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LibraryThing member markfinl
The House at Riverton is the story of Grace Bradley, who was a maid at Riverton House beginning at age 14. Grace outlives everyone whom she lived with at Riverton and now at the age of 98, she sets down to tell her story. A movie is being made about the suicide of a young poet that happened at a
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party at Riverton in 1924 and this movie acts as a catalyst to get Grace to tell her story. Grace is the only person alive who knows what really happened that night and now as she nears death, she decides to leave behind her account. Reading The House at Riverton was an odd experience for me. Often, novels I read start with great promise but then fizzle out and leave me disappointed by the time I have finished. I had the opposite experience here. Initially, I thought this was a nice enough story told in a workmanlike manner. It wasn't great, but it was inoffensive. I still don't think it's a great novel, but it got better as the story progressed. As other reviewers have noted, it's a bit derivative of Ian McEwen's Atonement, but not distractingly so. It's not in Atonment's class as a novel, The House at Riverton lacks the artistry of Atonement, but it is a pleasant and thought-provoking novel. I think anyone who enjoyed Atonement would like The House at Riverton. Show Less
LibraryThing member writestuff
Grace Bradley is 98 years old and living out her final days in a rest home, when she receives a letter from a film maker who requests her assistance in providing information about a family, a house, and the death of a poet. Grace goes back in time, mining long forgotten stories about the Hartford
I found Morton's novel to be similar to another gothic tale I loved: The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield. Both books are peopled by sisters (one named Emmeline) and an elderly woman who holds their secrets. The house itself, with its dark rooms and extensive gardens, becomes a character in its own right.
Thematically, The House at Riverton explores the effect of war on relationships, the tenuous threads of memory, and family secrets. Morton's writing is captivating and her character development and dialog are spot on. She provides plenty of suspense and foreshadowing in her prose, and even though I figured out at least one of the mysteries early on, it did not ruin the book for me. The House at Riverton is a spellbinding, moody book which is perfect for winter reading next to a crackling fire and with a cup of tea at hand. I got my copy from Barnes and Noble's First Look Program. The novel is set for release in April 2008.
Highly recommended; rated 4.5/5.
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family, especially Hannah and Emmeline and David - the children who became young adults and carried their secrets to the grave. As a servant for the Hartfords, Grace's memories are those captured in shadowy corners and whispered intimacies - creating the gothic mood of the novel. Swirling with family secrets and mysteries and set amongst the privileged of English society at the turn of the century, Kate Morton's debut novel: The House At Riverton, is an enormously readable book...one that kept me compulsively turning the pages.I found Morton's novel to be similar to another gothic tale I loved: The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield. Both books are peopled by sisters (one named Emmeline) and an elderly woman who holds their secrets. The house itself, with its dark rooms and extensive gardens, becomes a character in its own right.
Thematically, The House at Riverton explores the effect of war on relationships, the tenuous threads of memory, and family secrets. Morton's writing is captivating and her character development and dialog are spot on. She provides plenty of suspense and foreshadowing in her prose, and even though I figured out at least one of the mysteries early on, it did not ruin the book for me. The House at Riverton is a spellbinding, moody book which is perfect for winter reading next to a crackling fire and with a cup of tea at hand. I got my copy from Barnes and Noble's First Look Program. The novel is set for release in April 2008.
Highly recommended; rated 4.5/5.
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LibraryThing member Litfan
The House at Riverton is the story of Grace, who works in service for the Hartford family at their Riverton estate. Grace's story spans a century, and centers around several mysteries one of which is what happened the night a guest died at a party at Riverton. The novel provides answers through
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Grace, but in bits and pieces as the story progresses. While some of the plot twists could be seen coming, the gripping writing style of the novel keeps it from feeling at all cliched. More than a mystery story, this novel underlines the changes wrought by the two world wars and points to the consequences of war on an entire generation. This novel grabbed me at the first sentence and didn't let go until the very end. The characters were well formed and the reader felt pulled into the story, one of the marks of a very good writer. Show Less
LibraryThing member adam.currey
This was Kate Morton's first novel, and it shows. It's lovely, and worth reading, but it definitely isn't as compelling as her other works.
LibraryThing member mrstreme
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton swept me away into a tale of love, murder, war and revenge. Admittedly, I was a little hesitant to read this book, partly because of its length (470 pages), but also because I feared it would read like romantic fiction. I was wrong. The story encircles you and
Grace was only fourteen years old when she accepted a position at Riverton, the wealthy estate in her English village. There, Grace witnessed (and often participated) in remarkable events that struck three generations of the Hartford family. Grace became attached to the three children, but especially Hannah, who she eventually served as a “lady’s maid” well into adulthood.
Morton used Gothic literary tropes throughout this novel, which accelerated the story at nice intervals. In the modern day, we meet Grace as a 98-year old nursing home resident who was determined to record her story, including Riverton’s biggest secrets, for her grandson. As she recorded her tale, we experienced Grace’s flashbacks as she relived her life. There were two big mysteries for the reader: Who was Grace’s father, and what happened to Robbie Hunter, a poet who killed himself at Riverton in 1924? Morton offered the reader clues along the way. To me, there were no big surprises once everything was revealed, but I thought the twists were appropriate and advanced the plot at a nice pace. Certainly, this book was a real page-turner.
While the Gothic novel is by no means new, what I think is poignant about The House at Riverton was the theme of “shell shock” – the post-traumatic stress syndrome that affected World War I veterans. Several of the male characters who survived “The Great War” came home skittish, depressed, claustrophobic and restless. Morton’s accounts of these men (from all social classes) made the reader “see” what happened to them. I couldn’t help but think how this continues today with our Gulf War veterans. In my opinion, the military is excellent at training soldiers for war but may not offer the help they need when it’s time to return to civilian life. I can’t imagine what this transition must be like, and after reading this book, I appreciated their predicament even more.
I also enjoyed the “upstairs and downstairs” views of English society during the Edwardian era. Downstairs, the servants fret about food, what’s happening to the family upstairs, prepared for parties, looked after each other, and formed bonds built on honor and loyalty to the family they were serving. Upstairs, I sensed a lot of boredom and unrest with the younger generation while the older one desperately held on to societal traditions that were slipping away.
By far, Grace is one of the most interesting narrators I have read in a long time. She emerges from her Riverton experiences strong and determined, and turned her life into something she wanted. She’s the type of woman who always looked forward but never forgot her past. If you enjoy Gothic literary novels, such as Rebecca or The Thirteenth Tale, then I think you will like Grace and her story.
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pulls you in, leaving you satisfied and moved by this provocative story.Grace was only fourteen years old when she accepted a position at Riverton, the wealthy estate in her English village. There, Grace witnessed (and often participated) in remarkable events that struck three generations of the Hartford family. Grace became attached to the three children, but especially Hannah, who she eventually served as a “lady’s maid” well into adulthood.
Morton used Gothic literary tropes throughout this novel, which accelerated the story at nice intervals. In the modern day, we meet Grace as a 98-year old nursing home resident who was determined to record her story, including Riverton’s biggest secrets, for her grandson. As she recorded her tale, we experienced Grace’s flashbacks as she relived her life. There were two big mysteries for the reader: Who was Grace’s father, and what happened to Robbie Hunter, a poet who killed himself at Riverton in 1924? Morton offered the reader clues along the way. To me, there were no big surprises once everything was revealed, but I thought the twists were appropriate and advanced the plot at a nice pace. Certainly, this book was a real page-turner.
While the Gothic novel is by no means new, what I think is poignant about The House at Riverton was the theme of “shell shock” – the post-traumatic stress syndrome that affected World War I veterans. Several of the male characters who survived “The Great War” came home skittish, depressed, claustrophobic and restless. Morton’s accounts of these men (from all social classes) made the reader “see” what happened to them. I couldn’t help but think how this continues today with our Gulf War veterans. In my opinion, the military is excellent at training soldiers for war but may not offer the help they need when it’s time to return to civilian life. I can’t imagine what this transition must be like, and after reading this book, I appreciated their predicament even more.
I also enjoyed the “upstairs and downstairs” views of English society during the Edwardian era. Downstairs, the servants fret about food, what’s happening to the family upstairs, prepared for parties, looked after each other, and formed bonds built on honor and loyalty to the family they were serving. Upstairs, I sensed a lot of boredom and unrest with the younger generation while the older one desperately held on to societal traditions that were slipping away.
By far, Grace is one of the most interesting narrators I have read in a long time. She emerges from her Riverton experiences strong and determined, and turned her life into something she wanted. She’s the type of woman who always looked forward but never forgot her past. If you enjoy Gothic literary novels, such as Rebecca or The Thirteenth Tale, then I think you will like Grace and her story.
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LibraryThing member susiesharp
The beginning of this book reminded me of Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs, it also has family secrets, the relationships between staff & bosses, and a great country house. I just love Kate Morton’s writing it just begs to be read, so very beautiful and always a great story.
This book jumps
There are a few secrets in this book and as they are revealed you may say, Aha I thought so, but the way this author tells a story will keep you captivated and entranced. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved the characters of Grace & Hannah and the little snippets of reveals like who the filmmaker was made for a great story and a great book!
If you are a fan of shows & books like Downton Abbey & Upstairs, Downstairs or historical fiction where a story about the past is being told from the perspective of the people who lived it, I think you will enjoy this book.
4 Stars
This book jumps
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back and forth between the present and the past because a filmmaker is writing a movie about the unfortunate suicide of a poet at the House at Riverton Grace was a ladies maid at the home and is the only person still alive to tell the story. But does she tell the filmmaker the real story? And is the real story the one that was told so many years ago?There are a few secrets in this book and as they are revealed you may say, Aha I thought so, but the way this author tells a story will keep you captivated and entranced. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved the characters of Grace & Hannah and the little snippets of reveals like who the filmmaker was made for a great story and a great book!
If you are a fan of shows & books like Downton Abbey & Upstairs, Downstairs or historical fiction where a story about the past is being told from the perspective of the people who lived it, I think you will enjoy this book.
4 Stars
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LibraryThing member samantha.1020
Can I start off by saying that I loved this book? The House at Riverton introduces us to Grace, a 98 year old former servant, who used to work at the infamous House of Riverton. The house is infamous because of its' previous occupants and the mystery that surrounds the death of a famous poet who
This book was a real treat to read. Not only does the reader get to delve into Grace's memories of working at Riverton but we also get to know Grace and her life after Riverton. The book is told in two parts: Grace's current life and then also it goes back into her memories of living and working at Riverton. She tells the stories of Hannah and Emmeline who lived at Riverton and whom she was the maid for. I'm going to admit to loving all of it. Grace was a great main character and her story itself was interesting enough to read about. Add to it that she is also telling the story of Hannah and Emmeline and leading into the answers surrounding the mystery of the poet's death and I was hooked. I instantly was caught up in the story and the lives of all of the characters, plus I loved the historical aspects of this novel. We got to experience how the war affected living at Riverton as well as the family that lived there. I just let the author take me for a ride while reading this book and I enjoyed every second of it. The ending was perfect in my opinion and took me by suprise as I thought I had the mystery figured out.
All in all, this was an amazing read for me and I cannot wait to read more by this author. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will enjoy this novel as well as someone who just enjoys a good story. As for me I can't recommend this book enough!
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shot himself at the house during a dinner party. The book begins with Grace being visited by a film director who is basing her next movie on that dinner party and what might have happened. It leads Grace into reminisces of the past and the reader gets to experience Grace's memories firsthand. This book was a real treat to read. Not only does the reader get to delve into Grace's memories of working at Riverton but we also get to know Grace and her life after Riverton. The book is told in two parts: Grace's current life and then also it goes back into her memories of living and working at Riverton. She tells the stories of Hannah and Emmeline who lived at Riverton and whom she was the maid for. I'm going to admit to loving all of it. Grace was a great main character and her story itself was interesting enough to read about. Add to it that she is also telling the story of Hannah and Emmeline and leading into the answers surrounding the mystery of the poet's death and I was hooked. I instantly was caught up in the story and the lives of all of the characters, plus I loved the historical aspects of this novel. We got to experience how the war affected living at Riverton as well as the family that lived there. I just let the author take me for a ride while reading this book and I enjoyed every second of it. The ending was perfect in my opinion and took me by suprise as I thought I had the mystery figured out.
All in all, this was an amazing read for me and I cannot wait to read more by this author. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will enjoy this novel as well as someone who just enjoys a good story. As for me I can't recommend this book enough!
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LibraryThing member K138261
British family saga from 1920s to 1950's not a lot of history, only superfical mentioning of the two World wars and how they effect the family. It was easy reading but like eatting popcorn, lots of pages but over all not that filling.
LibraryThing member knithappened
This story is composed of the reflections of a 99-year old woman who has kept secrets for most of her life. And in order for her to pass peacefully into the greater beyond, she needs to share the truth that she has kept bottled up inside. Grace was a 14-year old impressionable girl when she entered
I thought that Kate Morton painted the time, place and atmosphere of both Riverton House and London perfectly...often times, I felt as though I was with Grace, and sisters Hannah and Emmeline too. The reader knows at the start that the suicide of a famous poet was not a suicide at all, and that the two sister witnesses are linked in some way by prior events to what indeed happened. But there are even more secrets that are revealed along the way to the final ending.
If you have read, "The Thirteenth Tale" and enjoyed that book, you most certainly with find "The House at Riverton" equally riveting and a pleasure to read.
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the "great house" to begin her years of servitude and loyalty. She adheres to all of the many traditions that were part and parcel of the time at the beginning of World War I in England. Although there are flashes between today's world and the early part of the 20th Century up until the mid 1920s, we know little of what transpired in the intervening years unless told to us in passing. I agree with my reading group on one point...I wish that the author explored how Grace changed her social station after World War II. I thought that Kate Morton painted the time, place and atmosphere of both Riverton House and London perfectly...often times, I felt as though I was with Grace, and sisters Hannah and Emmeline too. The reader knows at the start that the suicide of a famous poet was not a suicide at all, and that the two sister witnesses are linked in some way by prior events to what indeed happened. But there are even more secrets that are revealed along the way to the final ending.
If you have read, "The Thirteenth Tale" and enjoyed that book, you most certainly with find "The House at Riverton" equally riveting and a pleasure to read.
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LibraryThing member gypsysmom
I wanted to like this book, I really did. I didn't hate it I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would. I was introduced to Kate Morton's writing by her book The Forgotten Garden which I thought was fabulous. So when my book club decided to read this book, which is Morton's first, I was
Grace Bradley was a young girl (14) when she went to work as a maid at Riverton House. It was just before the First World War and being in service was a good career for a poor young girl. When Grace is 98 years old a filmmaker decides to set a film at Riverton in the summer of 1924. Grace starts to reminisce about her life and decides to record her story for her grandson, Marcus. We soon learn that a promising young poet was found dead during a party in 1924. The two Hartford sisters, Hannah and Emmeline, were the ones who found him and they were never the same. Grace is the only person left alive who knows what happened that night and what lead up to it.
I liked the time period of the 1920s and I thought Morton did a good job evoking it. I wasn't so convinced by the setting of the modern story. The seniors' home that Grace is living in seemed far too nice, especially the fact that Grace seemed to get a lot of individual attention. And Grace seemed to be in good health one minute and then have one foot in the grave the next.
The conclusion to the mystery about the poet's death took me by surprise but some of the other mysteries, like Grace's father, were very obvious.
I also kept feeling like this story was very similar to Atonement by Ian MacEwan and I wonder if that book influenced Morton. She acknowledges many writers and books at the end but not Atonement but the parallel is obvious to me.
Probably my feelings about this book would have been more positive if it was the first book by this author that I had read. Most of the deficits I have noted are probably due to it being a first book and I would have been more forgiving.
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pleased. But it is not as good as The Forgotten Garden and so I am disappointed.Grace Bradley was a young girl (14) when she went to work as a maid at Riverton House. It was just before the First World War and being in service was a good career for a poor young girl. When Grace is 98 years old a filmmaker decides to set a film at Riverton in the summer of 1924. Grace starts to reminisce about her life and decides to record her story for her grandson, Marcus. We soon learn that a promising young poet was found dead during a party in 1924. The two Hartford sisters, Hannah and Emmeline, were the ones who found him and they were never the same. Grace is the only person left alive who knows what happened that night and what lead up to it.
I liked the time period of the 1920s and I thought Morton did a good job evoking it. I wasn't so convinced by the setting of the modern story. The seniors' home that Grace is living in seemed far too nice, especially the fact that Grace seemed to get a lot of individual attention. And Grace seemed to be in good health one minute and then have one foot in the grave the next.
The conclusion to the mystery about the poet's death took me by surprise but some of the other mysteries, like Grace's father, were very obvious.
I also kept feeling like this story was very similar to Atonement by Ian MacEwan and I wonder if that book influenced Morton. She acknowledges many writers and books at the end but not Atonement but the parallel is obvious to me.
Probably my feelings about this book would have been more positive if it was the first book by this author that I had read. Most of the deficits I have noted are probably due to it being a first book and I would have been more forgiving.
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LibraryThing member CasualFriday
I found this book on a "if you like Downton Abbey, you'll like this" list, and I do, but I didn't, much. The setting was right, as was the upstairs-downstairs story line, but the tone was too somber and and the plot was just not that interesting.
The book is narrated by Grace Bradley, a servant for
The book is narrated by Grace Bradley, a servant for
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the Hartford family of Riverton Manor. She is reminiscing in her old age about family secrets and heartbreaks that the reader can see coming a mile away and that have been done to death, anyway. Morton seems to be deliberately evoking a number of different novels, from Rebecca to The Remains of the Day, and that's fine, but she doesn't create anything fresh with her material. I like it less in retrospect than I did while reading it, because it was mildly diverting, but for all the ominous foreshadowing, it was ultimately a bland read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bduke
I now totally love Kate Morton! This book was just as amazing and haunting as The Forgotten Garden. Actually, I liked it even better. It reminded me of a mix between Downton Abbey and the new Upstairs, Downstairs. Everything is told from the maid's memory, but we hear the story of both the "family"
"Impossible as it now seems, that day in the library was the first music I had ever heard. Real music, I mean. I had vague recollections of Mother singing to me when I was very little, before her back got sore and the songs dried up, and Mr. Connelly from across the street had used to take out his flute and play maudlin Irish tunes when he had drunk too much at the public house of a Friday night. But it had never been like this."
Wow, there are people in the world who don't have access to music. Something I have taken for granted and loved my whole life. How would it be to remember the moment you first heard "real" music (which in this case was someone playing Chopin's waltz in C sharp minor on the piano)? I had several moments like that while reading this book. I can't wait to read The Distant Hours, and then wait impatiently for her next book to come out.
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and the servants. Kate Morton's books always make me think and open my mind up to different things. I loved the characters in this book and the story was very moving. Once again she goes from one time period to another, but it flowed seamlessly. I'm definitely going to have to add this book to my own library so I don't have to keep waiting on holds to get it from the public library. Here's one paragraph that made me think:"Impossible as it now seems, that day in the library was the first music I had ever heard. Real music, I mean. I had vague recollections of Mother singing to me when I was very little, before her back got sore and the songs dried up, and Mr. Connelly from across the street had used to take out his flute and play maudlin Irish tunes when he had drunk too much at the public house of a Friday night. But it had never been like this."
Wow, there are people in the world who don't have access to music. Something I have taken for granted and loved my whole life. How would it be to remember the moment you first heard "real" music (which in this case was someone playing Chopin's waltz in C sharp minor on the piano)? I had several moments like that while reading this book. I can't wait to read The Distant Hours, and then wait impatiently for her next book to come out.
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LibraryThing member julienne_preacher
It's strange to read all these praising reviews when I had to force myself to get as far as halfway of this novel. I guess there is an actual story somewhere in the book, but the writing and the structure and especially the narrator of choice hold it back. Grace is too weak and bleak a character to
I was expecting an enchanting, compelling read. What I got was a struggle to get through - which I lost.
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be a protagonist. She doesn't seem to have a story or even thoughts of her own, she just listens to other people have conversations.I was expecting an enchanting, compelling read. What I got was a struggle to get through - which I lost.
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LibraryThing member nycbookgirl
In a nut shell, I liked it. It reminded me of Atonement and The Blind Assassin. So if you liked either of those books, well, it's similar themed. That said, Ian McEwan pulled off a great story in a whole lot less number of pages. At almost five hundred pages, it was a tad bit long.
Here's the
Present day: A movie is being made about the legendary Riverton House and the one fateful night in 1924 when a young poet shot himself, witnessed only by the two young wealthy daughters of the manor, Emmeline and Hannah. Why did he do it? Was it over the sparkly celebutante Emmeline or over the beautiful but married elder sister?
Only one person alive knows the truth. Now an elderly lady, Grace was just a girl when she started working at the Riverton House. She was the same age as Hannah and grew up fascinated by the glamorous Riverton children. Grace finally reveals the truth behind a horrible incident that happened at the Riverton House.
It is a beautiful story. The way the story unfolds and flashes back and forth in time. I really felt swept back in time to when young men were going off to fight in the Great War and the loss everyone felt afterwards when a whole generation of young men were gone. And the roaring twenties that Emmeline thrived in. And Hannah. I liked Hannah. She reminded me of my sister, so strong-willed and beautiful.
At times I felt like Grace was just a tad bit obsessed with the Riverton House. But then again I think that was the point. And while the book was a bit too long, it did totally immerse me in the story and time-period. After a certain point, I knew what happened that night...and then there was still a twist!
Here's the
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plot...and I can't give too much away because there's a mystery, well, I don't want to spoil that for you.Present day: A movie is being made about the legendary Riverton House and the one fateful night in 1924 when a young poet shot himself, witnessed only by the two young wealthy daughters of the manor, Emmeline and Hannah. Why did he do it? Was it over the sparkly celebutante Emmeline or over the beautiful but married elder sister?
Only one person alive knows the truth. Now an elderly lady, Grace was just a girl when she started working at the Riverton House. She was the same age as Hannah and grew up fascinated by the glamorous Riverton children. Grace finally reveals the truth behind a horrible incident that happened at the Riverton House.
It is a beautiful story. The way the story unfolds and flashes back and forth in time. I really felt swept back in time to when young men were going off to fight in the Great War and the loss everyone felt afterwards when a whole generation of young men were gone. And the roaring twenties that Emmeline thrived in. And Hannah. I liked Hannah. She reminded me of my sister, so strong-willed and beautiful.
At times I felt like Grace was just a tad bit obsessed with the Riverton House. But then again I think that was the point. And while the book was a bit too long, it did totally immerse me in the story and time-period. After a certain point, I knew what happened that night...and then there was still a twist!
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LibraryThing member LiterateHousewife
The House of Riverton tells the story of Grace, a 90-year-old woman who is jolted back to the memories of her past service to the household of Lord Ashbury when she receives a letter from a woman making a film about the tragedy that happened there in her youth. Grace may be elderly, but she is a
Although this novel has widespread appeal, it will be most especially enjoyed by those who enjoy reading about Edwardian England and about the lives of those who served British aristocracy. As much as I loved The Remains of the Day, there was little warmth within it. The people at Riverton, both upstairs and downstairs, live as their status dictated, but they are very human and complex. What makes this novel so special and delightful is its heart.
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sharp and insightful woman. Her story is entertaining and somewhat sad. The fate of the Ashbury family dramatically impacts her life in so many ways; but, her personal sacrifices, like her service itself, were left seemingly unnoticed until it was too late. Still, Grace regrets nothing except that which hurt her daughter. Woven within the story of her youth is the story of her own family. Part of what makes this novel so poignant is that she retells the story of her life at Riverton and the truth of what happened the night of the poet’s suicide as a love letter to her grandson.Although this novel has widespread appeal, it will be most especially enjoyed by those who enjoy reading about Edwardian England and about the lives of those who served British aristocracy. As much as I loved The Remains of the Day, there was little warmth within it. The people at Riverton, both upstairs and downstairs, live as their status dictated, but they are very human and complex. What makes this novel so special and delightful is its heart.
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LibraryThing member samsheep
Was hoping this would be a good read, but disappointed. Just didn't find it remotely interesting - formulaic plot, clicheed characters etc. Beginning sounded like Rebecca, film sub-plot like Titanic. I kept reading which is why it got 2 * but not much to recommend it.
LibraryThing member neverlistless
The main parts of this story flashes back and forth between present day (or the late 90s) and the 1920s. It is mostly told by Grace, a young girl who worked at Riverton as a housemaid. Grace shares with us the events that lead up to the death of a young poet at a party on the shores of the lake at
Riverton is like many of the wealthy English homes in the 20s - it is beautiful, it is full of beautiful people, it almost seems to have a life of it's own, and it is full of secrets. These secrets are whispered about in town by the commoners and are rarely mentioned within the house's own walls.
The mysteries of this novel unfold beautifully, as does Grace's story, which shows us the importance of living our lives fully and surrounding ourselves with those that we love. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about the effects of war on Europe and who enjoys tragic mysteries.
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Riverton. Grace's story touches on wealth and privilege, the lives of soldiers after they've been to war, feminism and the role of women, and how love touches our lives.Riverton is like many of the wealthy English homes in the 20s - it is beautiful, it is full of beautiful people, it almost seems to have a life of it's own, and it is full of secrets. These secrets are whispered about in town by the commoners and are rarely mentioned within the house's own walls.
The mysteries of this novel unfold beautifully, as does Grace's story, which shows us the importance of living our lives fully and surrounding ourselves with those that we love. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about the effects of war on Europe and who enjoys tragic mysteries.
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LibraryThing member cameling
a nice gentle book about the memories of a 98 year old of the secret she had kept since a tragedy at the house in which she had started working as a housemaid and then progressed to lady's maid. There is a nice blend of her history as well as that of the family she worked for, particularly Hannah,
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to whom she was eventually a personal lady's maid. It flowed along nicely and had way of uncovering yet another surprising secret around unexpected corners. Not a taxing book, but good for a nice rainy afternoon, or a long train ride Show Less
LibraryThing member Reveries
Ninety-nine year old Grace is in a nursing home when she is visited by a young director who is making a film about a reported suicide that occurred in the summer of 1924 at a party at Riverton House. The visit sparks Grace's memories of that time. For years, Grace has kept a secret about what
The story is told from Grace's perspective. At fourteen, Grace begins working as a servant for the Hartford family at Riverton House. She feels a kinship with the family's children; seventeen-year-old David, fourteen-year-old Hannah, and nine-year-old Emmeline. We follow the family as the children grow up and are forced to deal first with World War I and then the societal restrictions of 1920s Britain.
As in Morton's second novel, The Forgotten Garden, The House at Riverton focuses on family secrets and alliances, and how those secrets impact the choices and circumstances of both those who have knowledge of the secret and those who don't. The novel is also a fascinating exploration of the early twenty-first century British society and the relationship between the upper and working class.
The book was engrossing. Although I found myself eager to learn the mystery at the heart of the book, the relationships between all of the characters intrigued me and I enjoyed the way in which Morton took time to explore them. There were a couple of male characters that I never completely understood and that I think could have been better drawn. Despite that flaw, I found the book riveting in its exploration of how secrets, those both known and unknown, inform an individual's sense of self.
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really happened the night of the party and the events that led up to the death.The story is told from Grace's perspective. At fourteen, Grace begins working as a servant for the Hartford family at Riverton House. She feels a kinship with the family's children; seventeen-year-old David, fourteen-year-old Hannah, and nine-year-old Emmeline. We follow the family as the children grow up and are forced to deal first with World War I and then the societal restrictions of 1920s Britain.
As in Morton's second novel, The Forgotten Garden, The House at Riverton focuses on family secrets and alliances, and how those secrets impact the choices and circumstances of both those who have knowledge of the secret and those who don't. The novel is also a fascinating exploration of the early twenty-first century British society and the relationship between the upper and working class.
The book was engrossing. Although I found myself eager to learn the mystery at the heart of the book, the relationships between all of the characters intrigued me and I enjoyed the way in which Morton took time to explore them. There were a couple of male characters that I never completely understood and that I think could have been better drawn. Despite that flaw, I found the book riveting in its exploration of how secrets, those both known and unknown, inform an individual's sense of self.
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LibraryThing member bachaney
"The House at Riverton" opens in the years before the First World War, with Grace, our narrator, beginning her career of service as a housemaid at Riverton, a great English country estate. Grace is immediately drawn to the children of Riverton--David aged 16, the eldest, Hannah, a boisterous girl
Kate Morton is an excellent storyteller, and she does a fantastic job slowly unfolding the secrets of "The House at Riverton." I thought I had figured out the "twist" in this book, but was surprised in the end to find out I had gotten it wrong. Her description of life during and after WWI in England feels authentic, and she does a great job capturing the emotions of the different characters. I do wish she had given us a little bit more about Grace--throughout the novel Grace hints at all of the wonderful things she has done in her life, and I would have liked to read more about them, instead of the novel focusing exclusively on Grace's interactions with the doomed Hartford sisters.
I came to this novel after reading Morton's more recent "The Forgotten Garden". If you enjoyed that book, I think you won't be disappointed by this one.
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of 14, and Emmeline a shy 10 year old. Grace feels an immediate connection with the children, and longs to be included in their secrets. Over the next several years she becomes closer to them, first as they visit the house, then after the death of their grandfather and uncle in the Great War, which leads them to take up permanent residence in the house. Hannah marries soon after turning 18, and decides to take Grace with her as a ladies maid. After marrying, Hannah's life slowly unravels, and she takes Grace with her into her decline. Grace escapes, but only with the knowledge of a terrible family secret. Kate Morton is an excellent storyteller, and she does a fantastic job slowly unfolding the secrets of "The House at Riverton." I thought I had figured out the "twist" in this book, but was surprised in the end to find out I had gotten it wrong. Her description of life during and after WWI in England feels authentic, and she does a great job capturing the emotions of the different characters. I do wish she had given us a little bit more about Grace--throughout the novel Grace hints at all of the wonderful things she has done in her life, and I would have liked to read more about them, instead of the novel focusing exclusively on Grace's interactions with the doomed Hartford sisters.
I came to this novel after reading Morton's more recent "The Forgotten Garden". If you enjoyed that book, I think you won't be disappointed by this one.
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LibraryThing member readingrat
This book tells the tragic story of a grand English family through the eyes and ears of one of their servants, Grace. The book opens when Grace, age 98, is contacted by a woman who is in the process of making a movie that will depict the history of the House at Riverton. Grace is asked to be a
This story of the House at Riverton begins in 1914 when a 14 year-old Grace hires on as a servant girl in the house. She soon meets the Hartford children, who are all about the same age as Grace, and she is immediately smitten with them. All the children grow older as the country enters into WWI, which takes an immeasurable toll on the family. As the Hartford girls go on to make their debut into society they wrestle with the new post-war attitudes and expectations of what it means to be a modern woman verses what has traditionally been a woman’s role in society. The entire Hartford family history leads up to a very mysterious, very public tragedy that gradually comes into focus as the story fleshes out.
In the book, Grace’s memories of the Hartford family are interspersed with glimpses of Grace’s life since her time in service to the Hartford family and her present day life as an elderly lady in a nursing facility. The reader is drawn back and forth between the present and the past, constantly discovering little pieces of the puzzle, sometimes in the past and sometimes in the present; a convention that keeps the story fresh and alive throughout the book. Ms. Morton has done a wonderful job not only of representing the early 20th century in both events and social attitudes, but also in creating a truly believable cast of characters with which to populate her creation.
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consultant on the movie based on her experiences with the family and the house. While visiting the studio sets for the film, long hidden memories are awakened in Grace, who later decides she must record those memories for the benefit of her grandson, Marcus.This story of the House at Riverton begins in 1914 when a 14 year-old Grace hires on as a servant girl in the house. She soon meets the Hartford children, who are all about the same age as Grace, and she is immediately smitten with them. All the children grow older as the country enters into WWI, which takes an immeasurable toll on the family. As the Hartford girls go on to make their debut into society they wrestle with the new post-war attitudes and expectations of what it means to be a modern woman verses what has traditionally been a woman’s role in society. The entire Hartford family history leads up to a very mysterious, very public tragedy that gradually comes into focus as the story fleshes out.
In the book, Grace’s memories of the Hartford family are interspersed with glimpses of Grace’s life since her time in service to the Hartford family and her present day life as an elderly lady in a nursing facility. The reader is drawn back and forth between the present and the past, constantly discovering little pieces of the puzzle, sometimes in the past and sometimes in the present; a convention that keeps the story fresh and alive throughout the book. Ms. Morton has done a wonderful job not only of representing the early 20th century in both events and social attitudes, but also in creating a truly believable cast of characters with which to populate her creation.
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LibraryThing member marient
Grace Bradley went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl,, before the First World War. Ror year her life was inextricably tied up with the Hrtford Familyk most praticularly the two daughters, Hannah and Emmaline.
In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at
In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at
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the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline and onlu they, and Grace-know the truth. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
British Book Award (Shortlist — Popular Fiction — 2008)
Australian Book Industry Awards (Shortlist — General Fiction — 2007)
Sainsbury's Popular Fiction Award (Nominee — Best Novel — 2008)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2006
Physical description
8.25 inches
ISBN
1416550518 / 9781416550518
UPC
884176105666
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