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Jul 26, 2025
Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂
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review of another edition
Shelves:
through-the-generations,
paranormal
3.5★
This was too experimental a book to read through the wonderful Open Library service. I don't know if Americans can still download their books on to their kindles but I can't. (to clarify, I never could) & on Open Library the book jacket flap was photographed blocking part of the family tree! I know Ms Godden was hoping most people wouldn't need to refer to the family tree, but I would have found it helpful & I was very confused at the start.
Once the book got going I found Tracy's story very ...more
This was too experimental a book to read through the wonderful Open Library service. I don't know if Americans can still download their books on to their kindles but I can't. (to clarify, I never could) & on Open Library the book jacket flap was photographed blocking part of the family tree! I know Ms Godden was hoping most people wouldn't need to refer to the family tree, but I would have found it helpful & I was very confused at the start.
Once the book got going I found Tracy's story very ...more
This was such a mixed bag; in places heart-rending - so sad, and the descriptions of the house and garden so vivid and completely real, I could reconstruct them in my mind. I can think of the white rhododendrons seen from one of the drawing room windows, and as the sun sets - the house faces west, the flowers turn a shimmering shade of pink. There is a special wicket gate at the bottom of the slope that separates the field from the woods and the stream, above the field is the kitchen garden and
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I enjoyed this right up until the final pages so took a star off, it felt jarring, unnecessary and didn't fit with the feel of the novel overall. The story of a house, China Court and the many generations who had resided there.
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I liked how the story was revealed, perhaps a bit chaotic, but on the other hand, it pictured the "family house" splendidly. Normally, I would have complained about this kind of narration, but this time it did the trick.
I didn't learn much about the members of Quin's family, but enough to enjoy the tangle of life.
I admit, some descriptions (of the house or garden) were too long for my taste, but I could always skip them.
What I don't understand is the ending (the last scene) and the whole idea of ...more
I didn't learn much about the members of Quin's family, but enough to enjoy the tangle of life.
I admit, some descriptions (of the house or garden) were too long for my taste, but I could always skip them.
What I don't understand is the ending (the last scene) and the whole idea of ...more
I enjoyed this book until the unexpected ending which totally spoilt it for me. I enjoyed the unusual way in which it was written, but am now wary about trying any more of this author's works after the way it finished. Perhaps I should re-read it and see if I feel differently, but I very much doubt it. I actually felt cheated after an otherwise pleasant read.
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Jan 30, 2018
Qamar M'Hiri
marked it as to-read
Feb 19, 2018
Hillary
marked it as to-read
Jul 12, 2018
Bobbie
marked it as to-read
Apr 02, 2019
Moonkiszt
marked it as to-read
Feb 25, 2021
Kirsten
marked it as to-read
Feb 05, 2022
Domini
marked it as to-read
