I love books about books and I’m a sucker for a story within a story—this book delivered for me on both counts. Part of the narrative takes place in London in 1939 during World War II, and the other twenty years later in a rare bookshop. The magic of this novel lies in the power of fairy tales and the unbreakable bond between sisters.
The perfect pacing of Henry’s interlaced timelines pulled me steadily through the story from the opening page until its rewarding conclusion. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a historical read that will warm your heart and restore your faith in the potential of stories to make us whole.
When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed.
In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage son, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills their days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one that…
I was overjoyed when I selected this novel as my companion for a long travel day. Hartnett completely transported me to Everton, New Hampshire. Every character jumped off the page. I laughed out loud at times and teared up at others.
What a beautiful and touching novel exploring family expectations, illness, and friendship. Oh, and did I mention it’s narrated by the inhabitants of the local cemetery? I finished this novel in a single day, and it made that day wonderful.
“This tragicomic novel is heartfelt, touching, and delightfully quirky. You’ll fall in love with the offbeat cast of characters (both living and dead) and find yourself rooting for them right through the last page.”—Good Housekeeping (Book Club pick)
A lost young woman returns to small-town New Hampshire under the strangest of circumstances in this one-of-a-kind novel of life, death, and whatever comes after from the acclaimed author of Rabbit Cake.
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Book Riot • Longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize
I’m always excited when I start a good book that turns out to be a great book. The writing in this book is so beautiful that there are passages I still recall months later.
Kiernan dives into a specific time and place in history, one month after the end of WW2 in France, and explores the challenges of redemption, forgiveness, and peace through the experience of one man. The vivid descriptions of the landscape, glass making, and the unlikely inhabitants of the chateau painted indelible images in my mind. I savored this novel slowly because I did not want to miss one delicious sentence.
From the critically acclaimed author of Universe of Two and The Baker’s Secret, a novel of hope, healing, and the redemptive power of art, set against the turmoil of post-World War II France and inspired by the life of Marc Chagall.
One month after the end of World War II, amid the jubilation in the streets of France, there are throngs of people stunned by the recovery work ahead. Every bridge, road, and rail line, every church and school and hospital, has been destroyed. Disparate factions—from Communists, to Resistance fighters, to federalists, to those who supported appeasement of the Nazis—must…
In 1941, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, hums with talk of spring flowers, fishing derbies, and the growing war in Europe. And for the residents of a quiet neighborhood boardinghouse, the winds of change are blowing.
Self-proclaimed spinster, Bessie Blackwell, is the reluctant owner of a new pair of glasses. The landlady, Mrs. Henderson, senses that the new tenant, Frank Davis, could throw Bessie's spinster status into question with his gentle eyes and ready smile. But the scar on his forehead and rumors of divorce speak of a troubled past.
Bessie's sister, Florence, knows all about troubled pasts. In a desperate attempt to undermine Bessie's budding romance, Florence exposes the sisters' darkest secret. A secret that will change their lives and the lives of those they love forever.
