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Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Director's Review- The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
It's always a pleasure to read a Kate Morton book. I try to space them out to "make them last," rather than reading one right after the other, as she's a relatively new author with just 5 books to her name. That being said, her stories have never read as though they're written by a "new" author, in my opinion, and the same holds true for "The House at Riverton," which was her debut novel.
Certain elements of the plot are reminiscent of Downton Abbey: the British aristocracy at the dawn of WWI through the 1920s, the details of and differences between the lives of the wealthy and pampered peerage versus the lower-class servants who kept the estates running smoothly. Being a Downton Abbey fan, I loved this part of the story.
A "whodunit" of sorts is at the heart of the plot. For decades, the world has believed that a famous poet and friend of the Hartfords committed suicide during a party at Riverton in the midst of the Roaring 20s, but Grace, the narrator and a former servant at Riverton has been keeping the family's secrets for over 70 years. She's flooded with a rush of memories when contacted by an American producer who is planning to turn the Riverton tragedy into a film, and the story alternates between Grace's flashbacks and the present day. While the characters experience heartache and loss throughout the story, it's still a great read and one that left me guessing what had really happened at the Riverton party until the end.
"The House at Riverton" is available from Cloud Library through the State Library of Kansas.
Certain elements of the plot are reminiscent of Downton Abbey: the British aristocracy at the dawn of WWI through the 1920s, the details of and differences between the lives of the wealthy and pampered peerage versus the lower-class servants who kept the estates running smoothly. Being a Downton Abbey fan, I loved this part of the story.
A "whodunit" of sorts is at the heart of the plot. For decades, the world has believed that a famous poet and friend of the Hartfords committed suicide during a party at Riverton in the midst of the Roaring 20s, but Grace, the narrator and a former servant at Riverton has been keeping the family's secrets for over 70 years. She's flooded with a rush of memories when contacted by an American producer who is planning to turn the Riverton tragedy into a film, and the story alternates between Grace's flashbacks and the present day. While the characters experience heartache and loss throughout the story, it's still a great read and one that left me guessing what had really happened at the Riverton party until the end.
"The House at Riverton" is available from Cloud Library through the State Library of Kansas.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Monday, June 5, 2017
Director's Review- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Who doesn't love Harry Potter? Every few years, I get the itch to reread the series, and usually, I only get the first book read before I feel the need to get back to my reading list of new books. However, this time, I've made further progress with book #2. No matter how many times I read a book, I'm always surprised at what I either hadn't picked up on the first time I read it, or what I had forgotten. Though I'm probably in the minority, the character of Dobby annoys me at times, but I'd forgotten how much I love the utter absurdity of Gilderoy Lockheart, as well as the plot line of Tom Riddle's diary. The intricacy of the story lines that Rowling creates, especially when you see everything begin to fit together by the end of the series, is nothing short of impressive.
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is available at the SCCC Library.
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is available at the SCCC Library.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Director's Review- City of Thieves by David Benioff
The siege of Leningrad; I knew before starting this book that it was going to upset me, and it did. I don't know why this period in history fascinates me, but I keep coming back for more. This was a great story, but if you're looking for something with a happy ending, this isn't the book for you. However, in stories such as this, you look for and learn to appreciate the few happy and upbeat moments when you encounter them. The suffering and the heartache of the characters were expected, but I didn't expect the humor from the character of Kolya. He was the bright spot in the midst of what was ultimately, an extremely depressing story. He was realistic, yet almost optimistic in his outlook of the war and life in general.
While this book didn't quite measure up to "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah, or "All the Light We Cannot See," by Anthony Doerr, it is still well worth reading. Though heavy on content, it is a quick read, and once the action starts, it doesn't let up until the end.
City of Thieves is available through Inter-Library Loan at the SCCC Library.
While this book didn't quite measure up to "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah, or "All the Light We Cannot See," by Anthony Doerr, it is still well worth reading. Though heavy on content, it is a quick read, and once the action starts, it doesn't let up until the end.
City of Thieves is available through Inter-Library Loan at the SCCC Library.
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Library closed Monday, May 29th!
The library will be closed on Monday, May 29th, in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen at 7:00AM on Tuesday, the 30th. Have a safe weekend, everyone!
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