The House at Riverton is a strong debut novel by Kate Morton. Already a bestseller in the U.K., it is slated for release in the U.S. in April of 2008.
Grace Bradley, a 98 year old former servant of the Hartford family, recounts in a series of flashbacks the events surrounding the house and the family during World War I. Grace is ever the loyal servant (perhaps too loyal) to the family and especially to one of the mistresses of the house, Hannah, who is very close in age to Grace. In the flashbacks, Grace recounts how family secrets and the devastating effects of World War I led to the Hartford family’s demise.
In the author’s acknowledgments, she cites The Chatham School Affair, Remains of the Day, Gosford Park, and Upstairs Downstairs as having influenced her and her novel. I was familiar with all of those sources, so I did feel a bit like the book borrowed too much from these works to be truly spectacular. Still, I did enjoy it, and I would definitely read a second book by this author.
(2007 [2008 in the U.S.], 468 pp.)
Rating: 
26 Comments
January 19, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Sounds like a good book. I hope I’ll be able to find a copy. Thanks for reviewing it!
January 19, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Wow, sounds fantastic, in spite of the “borrowing”. Excellent review.
January 20, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Great review Michelle! I have read other glow reviews for this book, besides yours. I have it on my TBR and will have to get to it!
January 25, 2008 at 3:46 pm
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March 27, 2008 at 1:15 am
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April 27, 2008 at 9:07 pm
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April 27, 2008 at 9:07 pm
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April 28, 2008 at 3:48 pm
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March 29, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I also reviewed The House at Riverton here: http://belleofthebooks.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/the-house-at-riverton/
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