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Most Helpful Favorable Review
16 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
Exciting and Fascinating!
THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON is a historical novel and revolves around a suicide. In 1924 a young poet apparently killed himself on the Riverton property. Ninety eight year old Grace tells the story and alternates between past and present. There's a lot of secrecy and suspense...Read More
THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON is a historical novel and revolves around a suicide. In 1924 a young poet apparently killed himself on the Riverton property. Ninety eight year old Grace tells the story and alternates between past and present. There's a lot of secrecy and suspense and keeps the reader guessing until the very end. A movie producer becomes fascinated with the story of the troubled poet. In her research she learns that a Riverton maid is still alive in a nursing home, (Grace). A mystery and a love story, plenty of twists and turns, readers unravel the mystery. Exciting!Show Less
posted by sweetpeaSP on June 24, 2010
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5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Really disappointed
The House at Riverton was the first book I'd read by this author. This was not the book for me. I found it very boring and slow, and depressing. It was like reading a soap opera. Lots of characters, to the point that it was a little confusing for me. Some of them seemed...Read More
The House at Riverton was the first book I'd read by this author. This was not the book for me. I found it very boring and slow, and depressing. It was like reading a soap opera. Lots of characters, to the point that it was a little confusing for me. Some of them seemed unnecessary. As much as there was going on in this book, nothing really happened. And I was looking forward to reading The Forgotten Garden, but after this experience with this book and author....maybe not.Show Less
posted by 4549926 on November 23, 2010
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sweetpeaSP
Posted June 24, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Exciting and Fascinating!
THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON is a historical novel and revolves around a suicide. In 1924 a young poet apparently killed himself on the Riverton property. Ninety eight year old Grace tells the story and alternates between past and present. There's a lot of secrecy and suspense and keeps the reader guessing until the very end. A movie producer becomes fascinated with the story of the troubled poet. In her research she learns that a Riverton maid is still alive in a nursing home, (Grace). A mystery and a love story, plenty of twists and turns, readers unravel the mystery. Exciting!
16 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Mesmerizing & emotional
For me, this was on of the best novels I have read in some time. In order to truly like this book, you must enjoy a good story. Good stories aren't always filled with suspense and drama. The ending is a wonderful one but sometimes to enjoy the end you must know the beginning. The majority of the book is allowing you to get to know the characters, their relationships, and this is what makes the ending so emotional & satisfying. This is a spectacular debut from a new author who is able to allow us to see the past through the memories of an older woman. We see life through the eyes of a service girl dedicated to the lady she works for. A girl who kept a secret her entire life and finally shares it with the reader. It's been a long time since I felt such emotion after finishing a book.
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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If you love historical fiction....
I love historical novels and this one did not disappoint. I love how that book is narrarated. The characters are interesting and suprise you right up until the end. I love how the characters are connected. I only wish Grace could have told us a bit more about the later years of her life (not that they mattered). Overall a great read.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted November 23, 2010
Really disappointed
The House at Riverton was the first book I'd read by this author. This was not the book for me. I found it very boring and slow, and depressing. It was like reading a soap opera. Lots of characters, to the point that it was a little confusing for me. Some of them seemed unnecessary. As much as there was going on in this book, nothing really happened. And I was looking forward to reading The Forgotten Garden, but after this experience with this book and author....maybe not.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Bentley16
Posted December 28, 2009
Great Read
This is my first book by Kate Morton. I must say, I do love this period and this type of book. It was a little slow to get going but well worth it. Once this story got moving, I could not put it down. I love mysteries as well and thought I had this one figured out as there is a "who done it" theme to this book. Well, I did to a point have it figured out, but there was a twist at the end the surprised me. Actually, there were a few twists at the end that were welcome surprises. I can't wait to read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. Since I don't like when people review a book and give away the entire plot, all I will say is I highly recommend this book. Enjoyed the writing style as well.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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db-reader
Posted May 6, 2010
Interesting and Intriguing...
I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the drama catpured in this book. It makes me want to be that interesting as an old woman minus the regrets and reiterates that we all have secrets.
Another enjoyable book of Kate Morton is The Secret Garden... which I read first and found to be better than The House at Riverton.4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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HEDI09
Posted September 20, 2009
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Intellectally stimulating!
Just up my alley, although I'm usually not that into historical novels, I loved this. Done in retrospect is fascinating and secrets revealed cleverly kept me intrigued. Another book I'd like to recommend that I'm absolutely in love with is EXPLOSION IN PARIS, by LINDA MASEMORE PIRRUNG! It has all the profound insights into the human condition with, conlicts, tragedies, endurance, but also pure joy, and fullfillment that can't be measured! Check out the reviews! They hooked ME big time!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Charr9
Posted September 12, 2009
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Kate Morton-My New Favorite Author
I started with Forgotten Garden which was her second book, and loved it, so I ordered House At Riverton and am 3/4 of the way through, and love it, too. They are both tales of the rich and privleged of the past, but also very much of the have-nots, also. They both have deep mysteriss, and do not telegraph where they are going. They mix a little of the present in too so you have that contrast, like what was done in the movie"Titanic". Her stories are rich in atmosphere and descrption of another time. It takes a few pages to get into the tale, but is very rewarding. I will buy anything from Kate Morton from now on.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Great first book and great technique.
Really enjoyed this book for it's character development and blending of old with the new. Gives a wonderful portrayal of an era of change and the class system of servitude in Victorian times and how the war changed that. Not a fast moving novel but the writers descriptive forces are amazing. I liked this author so much I bought the new one The Forgotten Garden, it's even better.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Perseverance is required, but worth it in the end...
I must admit I nearly gave up reading this novel after about the first 100 pages. It just seemed to long-winded. I think it definitely could have been shorter, too many words and too many characters, some were just not needed!! Having said that though, if you persevere it does get better. It took me a long time to read, I found I could only read it one chunk at a time, but I thought the ending was perfect, maybe the best ending to a book I have read in a long time. Kate Morton is undoubtedly a very talented writer and a lot of effort has gone into writing this book. It's worth reading just to get to the 'secret' at the end. If you like romantic fiction, with a bit of history thrown in then this one is for you
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted May 29, 2010
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Wow.
This book was... intense. I enjoy Morton's writing style very much, and this book was excellent. The ending left me amazed, and a little sad. I do believe her other novel The Forgotten Garden is better, this story was great. I loved Grace, and her strength, Hannah and her secrets, and Robbie and his love. I recomend this book to anyone!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted September 9, 2009
good read, good detail...looking forward to reading other book(s) by this author
this was a good read, with enough text dedicated to surroundings and fashion to help put reader in the time period, and an engaging character that is followed from the the early 1900's to "old age" presant.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted December 28, 2011
Love love love this book!
Amazing from start to end. I was captured by the characters and wanted to be there with them! Lots of twists and turns.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted August 22, 2010
Wonderful!
The storyline goes back and forth from the present and past, which I found intriguing. I couldn't wait to find out what she was dictating to her grandson, unravelling the secrets of the Hartford family, and also the twist relating to her life! I loved the characters, and felt sad when I finished the book. I can't wait to read her new novel, The Forgotten Garden!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted May 6, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Good Novel for A Quiet Afternoon
I love this author - her first book was fantastic and, because of that, I bought this one to see if i could recapture the feeling I got from the first one. Even though it wasn't as reviting, I thought this was a very good story - I could get into the characters and the ending was a bit of a surprise!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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hollylewis
Posted March 4, 2010
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Loved this book!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has a good story and well drawn characters. What I enjoyed most, however, was the fascinating peek into the lives of servants in an early 20th century English mansion, especially the way they viewed their employers and their jobs. It was such a different way of life than today, and their attitudes were so different than what we would have today were we in their positions. I highly recommend this book!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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clemmy
Posted February 21, 2010
I Also Recommend:
An Amazing Show of Writing Talent
I love Grace and her story. Kate Morton did an amazing job with the flashbacks. I've never read such a jumpy book that was so seemless and easy to follow (as far as what time you're in). By the time you got to the end, you knew everything before the event and everything after; you knew everything except what happened at this specific time and place when Robbie died. It took me a long time to read the last few chapters because I was so stressed knowing how everything ended and how everything began except for the one moment that defined just about everything - and Grace's need to tell her story. While I don't agree with Grace about everything, I love her and respect her, feelings only a very good author can bring about under the circumstances of the story.
The book I suggest has a similar format.1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Love this book
I love stories about old English estates. This story is fantastic. There is something for everyone. Very well written and highly addictive.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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bkrdr63
Posted February 15, 2010
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a captivating read
This book reminded me of classic literature. While reading this book, I felt throughly immersed in the story. I found myself thinking about the story during the times when I wasn't reading the book. The pacing of the book was also similar to that of many classics. It doesn't open with a bang at a breakneck pace but rather slowly draws one into the world of Victorian society. I can't wait to read The Forgotten Garden by the same author.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Didun
Posted January 11, 2010
Annoying and Disappointing
I had already read "The Forgotten Garden" by this author and enjoyed it and was looking forward to this book. However, I found that the first 3/4 of the book was kind of boring with little tidbits thrown in here and there to whet the appetite for the mysteries to come which were not really addressed until the last 1/4 of the book. The pacing could have been so much better and the tantalizing portions of Grace's story could have been fleshed out more to keep the reader absorbed. Certain events were alluded to, such as the death of Frederick's wife and the supposed affair of Grace's mother, and the identity of Ursula's grandmother thrown in near the very end, but were never expanded upon, and I found that to be annoying and disappointing. On a positive note, it was interesting to read about the relationships between the upstairs and downstairs household during this time of history.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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