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Set in 1950s London, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets centers around Penelope, the wide- eyed daughter of a legendary beauty, Talitha, who lost her husband to the war. Penelope, with her mother and brother, struggles to maintain their vast and crumbling ancestral home—while postwar London spins toward the next decade’s cultural revolution.
Penelope wants nothing more than to fall in love, and when her new best friend, Charlotte, a free spirit in the young society set, drags Penelope into London with all of its grand parties, she sets in motion great change for them all. Charlotte’s mysterious and attractive brother Harry uses Penelope to make his American ex-girlfriend jealous, with unforeseen consequences, and a dashing, wealthy American movie producer arrives with what might be the key to Penelope’s— and her family’s—future happiness.
Vibrant, witty, and filled with vivid historical detail, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets is an utterly unique debut novel about a time and place just slipping into history.
This book is a great read. Once I started reading, I could not put it down. The characters are engaging and the plot is interesting and entertaining. I've enjoyed reading it so much that I've now read it multiple times. I would highly recommend it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Eva Rice (Author) kept me guessing to the very end. It wasn't an edge of your seat type of book but it was a book I enjoyed reading and that I could relate to on different levels.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.AnglophileKT
Posted May 25, 2011
You can read what it is about in the other reviews, just let me add that it is filled with impossibly enchanting people and places that are made so real you want to stay with them forever.
It has been some time since I read something that so pulled me inside the story.
Get it if you want to get lost in a wonderful place!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.6292976
Posted April 13, 2011
i read this book a while ago and still think it was one of my favorite books of all time. great story that keeps u interested the whole time
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LAK14
Posted March 17, 2011
I happened upon this book and the only reason I decided to read it was because the inside flap called Ms. Rice a female PG Wodehouse. With quietly brilliant dialogue and characters that were genuine, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets has all the makings of a classic. The comparison to PG Wodehouse was not unrealistic although I felt it also had shades of Dodie Smith's wonderful "I Capture the Castle". Ms. Rice weaves an engaging story with subtlety and humor. My only complaint is that she has not written more.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice is a book I discovered in the bargain section at B&N.
The story is set in London, post-WWII. Eighteen year old Penelope, her brother,Indigo, and her mother live in a large estate house, which they can not afford to maintain. Penelope's father died during the war and left them nearly penniless.
While looking for a job, Penelope takes an impulsive cab ride with a stranger, the lively Charlotte Ferris, and the two soon become fast friends. Penelope follows Charlotte to society parties and even pretends to be her cousin's fiance to make a girl jealous. Penelope and Charlotte share a love of American rock-n-roll which is just starting to emerge, and fashion and fun.
This is a delightful, charming read, full of quirky characters. The story is about friendship, coming of age, a changing world, and a dash of romance. I did not want this book to end nor did I want to leave 1950's London. This is much more than a chick-lit novel and I strongly recommend this well-written, captivating book.
http://bookmagic418.blogspot.com/
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 25, 2010
"A lovely period piece written from a novel viewpoint. The main character is naive, charming, and completely believable. I felt transported to England, and I could almost smell the dampness in the air. There is a wry humor and wit, and poignant moments that catch the reader off guard. The reading may take some patience to start, but it is well worth the effort. I would love to read another piece from the author Eva Rice."
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.One of my favorite sections in BN is their "Discover Great New Writers" and I'm so glad to have found "The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets." Right from the start, the characters are interesting and you are immediately drawn to Penelope and Charlotte. As you move through the novel you meet other folks including Harry and Inigo, Elvis Presley and Johnnie Ray, and who can forget those "ghastly" Americans. A fun and enjoyable read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book is a modern classic. Like reading "catcher in the rye" from a woman's perspective. It reminds you of the social akwardness of young adulthood and the thrills of first loves. Its characters have struggles and triumphs that define finding ones unique voice and path in life.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book was delightful and it didn't disappoint in the end.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ANRich
Posted March 4, 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It reminds me of the books I read as a teenager. It is wonderfully written and utterly delightful, with interesting and infectious characters. This book helped keep me warm while my power was out in this week's snowstorm! Great read!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a very intimate book, like your best friend telling you every breathless detail of a significant moment in their life. The characters are fully developed and the story is lovely - one to be remembered.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 21, 2008
I loved this book. I thought it was beautifully written, I didn't want to put it down. I loved the characters and the storyline. I actually decided I needed a pair of Wellies after reading it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 6, 2008
I loved, loved, loved this book! The characters just came to life and jumped off the pages as I read it. Once I started this book, I hated to put it down! A great read!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 15, 2008
Magical and fun. This is a book to read outside on a sunny afternoon when you're 18. I love Eva Rice's lyrical writing style and beautiful imagery. And the book was just plain fun on top of that, without being completely cliched. Loved it!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 7, 2008
I was a little skeptical when I first started reading this book(having just abandoned an awful one halfway through) but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. I would describe this book as 'cozy'. It started off a little slow for me, but I ended up finishing the last half in an afternoon. It reads like a memoir and has some romance and history mixed in a kind of 'coming of age' story set in the glamour of 1950's England. Altogether it is a great book for a rainy afternoon.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 17, 2008
I got this from the bargain bin after reading one of the reviews for it and I have to agree with them that this is a great book that I would have overlooked and missed out on. I really enjoyed reading it and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen, this was indeed a fun read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 29, 2008
I'm glad to have found this book. Once I started I found it to be quite intersting. I enjoyed the witty content and the historical background. Well worth the read. From cover to cover I could not stop.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 19, 2008
I picked this book up from the library after reading reviews about it here and it was absolutely brilliant! I loved every bit of it. Penelope's character was very engaging and had you reading until you finished. It was fantastic.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 12, 2008
I must admit that about half way through this book, I thought I might actually quit reading it (which I rarely do... because once you've gotten half of it read why give up now). I'm glad I did finish it. The second half definitely changed my mind about the book. The characters were interesting and quite different from other books that I've read. I found the book oddly satisfying.
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Overview
Set in 1950s London, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets centers around Penelope, the wide- eyed daughter of a legendary beauty, Talitha, who lost her husband to the war. Penelope, with her mother and brother, struggles to maintain their vast and crumbling ancestral home—while postwar London spins toward the next decade’s cultural revolution.
Penelope wants nothing more than to fall in love, and when her new best friend, Charlotte, a free spirit in the young society set, drags Penelope into London with all of its grand parties, she sets in motion great change for them all. Charlotte’s mysterious and attractive brother Harry uses Penelope to make his American...