The House at Riverton: A Novel

This is the author's first novel? I will be reading more because she is a genius. It reads like a classic, only the writing is much better. She guides the reader between present and past tense seamlessly without using chapter breaks, which is difficult. I've struggled with that in seven of my own novels.Her use of unique metaphors and voice are compelling and evocative. Take your time and savor this one.

I'd give this a 3.5 if allowable. Only after finishing did I learn this was her first book, so now it makes sense that it had some flaws.Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it seemed like it tried to do too much and didn't pull all the threads together. For example, there's a lot of class issues (I especially liked how Grace's thoughts about the family's beautiful clothing, linens, etc. are colored by "I'll have to wash/mend that later") that are just kind of dropped. The "big secret" between Grace and her mom is very obvious (but why their relationship is so strained is never explained). A family trait toward hemophilia seems like it will be a critical plot point, but just fades away.I thought Grace was the most fully formed character but the rest seemed kind of like types. As others have noted, I thought of Downton Abbey quite often; Emmeline reminded me of Cousin Rose. And I never really got a sense of Hannah, although I loved the fact that what she thought would be her escape turned into her prison.The treatment of returning veterans was quite sensitive, I liked how shell shock was worked in to the plot.As other reviewers stated, there were a lot of more rational ways the ending could have played out. It didn't seem true to the characters.Overall, this book pulled elements from so many sources (Henry James, Mitford sisters, Downton Abbey, Boardwalk Empire come to mind) that I think my enjoyment was colored by my fondness for those works.Overall, I'd say this is a promising start for any writer, and her later books show how she improved.

This novel was Kate Morton's first novel, and one can tell she had not perfected her craft. However, she has a beautiful style of writing that I find wonderfully engaging. The areas that I find distracting, especially in this novel, are her tendency to heavy-handed foreshadowing and the names she picks for her characters. (Jemima, Ursula and Gytha - really?!?!)The story's central character is Grace, who we are introduced to when she is in her late 90s and in a nursing home. She is approached by young woman producing a documentary about about mysterious murder that occurred at an old English manor house called "Riverton." Grace had worked at Riverton as maid in her teens and was there during this mysterious murder, and agrees to meet with the young woman in the hopes of providing accurate details of the period. Yet, Grace knows a secret about that event, and remains to be seen whether she will reveal it.One can tell easily the author was most likely heavily influenced by many novels and/or movies in writing this. It has been stated that Kate Morton is intrigued with Gothic novels, and that is reflected here. But it is also easy to see shades of "Rebecca," "Titanic," and "Upstairs/Downstairs." Some might say the author "stole" these ideas. I'm not so sure. The tales told in these 3 stories are not all that original, and they are stories that are timeless. That the author was influenced is easy to see, and because I enjoyed 2 of the 3 (I've never seen "Upstairs/Downstairs"), I can appreciate the effort.I do enjoy Kate Morton's writing. I believe she has a way with words and descriptions of places and people. I felt as though I was in the era and in a large English manor house, experiencing the sharp difference between staff and family. Grace is more than a little difficult to define - she is not easily read - and that was frustrating as I read the novel. However, the more I read, the more clear it became as to what and how her personality was defined by her experiences. While I believe most of us want to truly like and relate to the protagonists in the stories we read, sometimes those individuals come with faults. A good author will never make their protagonist a perfect person. Grace was like that to me - she could be endearing and pleasant, but she had a bit of sharpness to her.I enjoyed this novel very much. The reason I gave it 4 stars was because the author had not figured out the art of foreshadowing and that bothered me. It's okay to give a reader subtle hints to have them attempt to figure something out. It's quite another to figuratively hit them over the head with a sledge hammer to make your point. I also really dislike some of the names she chooses for her characters. I dislike them so much, I find them distracting. It's okay to use a common name such as Ann, Mary,Elizabeth. Character names don't always have to the weird and way out.

I quite enjoyed reading this book. The pace of the book was rather slow and sluggish at the beginning and also the middle section which I found quite boring to read at times, but then the pace quickens when the plot starts unfolding itself and I found myself getting immersed into the storyline and eager to find out how it all ends.SPOILER ALERT:I'm confused as to why Hannah chose to write to Grace in short-hand in the letter she left her on the bed as she knew that Grace doesn't know how to read short-hand. What was the intention? It made me think that Hannah wasn't 100% committed to the plan of eloping with Robbie because she had earlier expressed her hesitations when Robbie asked her to run away with him and start a new life. Back in those days, it would have been a scandal. It was unthinkable for her get a divorce - it was frowned upon by the society back then. This made me think that Hannah actually wanted Grace to discover her plan - she wanted to be stopped. She knew Grace too well, knew that she would open and read her letter to Emmeline, which prompted Grace to fetch for help and stop Hannah and Robbie's getaway plan.A good story. I'm interested in reading other books by this author. The story would have been better, in my opinion, if it also focused on how Grace and Alfred got together in the end - it would have been an interesting and more romantic storyline.Tragedy is the main theme in this story. I felt sorry for Grace when she decided to give up on the love of her life in order to stay with Hannah - she chose loyalty above going for her own happiness. Was it worth it in the end? Hannah never knew the things Grace gave up on for her. It seemed she blamed Grace for ruining her plan.

Riverton Manor – I wish this house was real. I feel I’ve seen it, lived in it and felt all the emotions of the sisters too. It was so many stories in one – the upstairs downstairs relations, the life of two sisters wanting to make their own way in the world and the confines of their gilded cage. What happened that night? I was really keen to find out and the whole mystery is set up at the beginning so the reveals of Grace come slowly and surely. I really warmed to her – like the lady in the Titanic film you could sense these memories pained her. The house was stunning and I felt fully immersed in the time and period. More of a character driven novel than anything else – one where secrets and servants were the two things that ran the house. I loved spending time in Riverton and Kate Morton is definitely an author I’m going to enjoy reading more of.

If you love Downton Abbey you will love this book. I loved the way it was written with the old lady who had been a servant at the house remembering her past (just like the titanic film) as she is at the end of her life. So often when I sat with my own gran she would drift off into a kind of dream and go pale, I can only think this author has experienced the same with an elderly relative. She captures perfectly how the old drift from present to past, and how past incidents are remembered so clearly whilst they experience the loss on here and now.Unlike the other reviews I did not find it a slow start. I like all the background to get you in the scene and none of it was superfluous to the story. Masterfully written often with a poetic turn of phrase the author hints at past scandle and allows you to work the story as you go along. It will magically transport you back to a time when servants cared more for their masters and mistresses than their own lives and happiness. The devotion and loyalty these people felt to their employers is hard to comprehend in this day and age. When the elite could cover up scandle so well, angling events to suit their need and often changing how we view history by these actions. The social boundaries were so well defined and this book emphasises that with great clarity. You really feel the optimism of the twenties with the young things of the day scandalising the older generation. You will also feel the entrapment many of this generation felt who after the great war wanted freedom, but were caught by their class boundaries to know their place and be patronised by everyone around them. The seemingly glittering life of luxury Hannah has is marred by her own sense of adventure and intelligence which is firmly put down by all who surround her, leaving her to seek an escape that can only lead to tragedy.This is the second book I have read by this author and I am going to read all her others as I am sure I will enjoy them. I read this on my kindle and can imagine it must be a huge book in paper form so dont think of it as a quick sunday afternoon read - it is a beautifully written epic that will take many hours of reading. From the moment you start you will forget all the other things you have to do because you will not want to put it down.

I am a big Kate Morton fan and have loved her later books, ie Secret Keeper, The Forgotten Garden and a Half Forgotten Song, so it was with some relish I picked this up to devour it as much as the others.I have just finished it and have to say I was a little disappointed and frustrated. Disappointed as I felt it was very wordy with a lot of unnecessary dialogue and events i wasn't really interested in, and at times it fell a little flat for me: frustrated at all the loose ends and all the unanswered questions. Typically, I would have liked to have known more about Grace's life after 1925, also Ursula and Jemima and her family. (I am being deliberately vague as its a convoluted plot and I don't want to spoil it for anyone).Perhaps if I had read this book first I would not be feeling as I do.I did enjoy it for the most part so I would recommend it as I wouldn't want to deter anyone from reading Kate's beautiful books.

This is my first book by this author. She was recommended by some friends in the States. This book was cheap at the time so I bought it to try it. It was a terrific tale. Very Downton Abbey styled or Upstairs Downstairs but really very good indeed. It goes back and forth from the 1900's to 1999 as one lady relates everything that went on surrounding a scandal of the era that occurred at the house.One line really touched me......."Hope died in the gas chambers of Poland"........horribly true and so very sad. Another passage featuring the old butler near the book's end also had me sobbing. When a book touches you like this it has to merit 5 stars.There were a few formatting errors that seem to crop up a lot in e-books where the odd hyphen will suddenly be thrown in where it's not needed. Most annoying.All in all a lovely, lovely book and I'll be looking for more books by her now.