Kell
22nd April 2008, 21:22
Anyone who would like to get hold of a copy of this book and join in the circle - there are quite a few copies available at Green Metropolis (http://www.greenmetropolis.com/book.asp?id=903032&author=Morton+Kate&title=House%20at%20Riverton)
Added by Michelle - Also available at Amazon.. see link on site front page (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/index.php)! ;)
The Reading Circle choice for May is The House at Riverton by Kate Morton:
A story of love,mystery,and a secret history revealed.
Summer 1924: On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long-consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten but Grace never could. A thrilling mystery and a compelling love story, "The House at Riverton" will appeal to readers of Ian McEwan's "Atonement", L.P. Hartley's "The Go-Between", and lovers of the film "Gosford Park".
Some questions to consider:
1- Who was your favourite character and why?
2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest?
3- Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more?
4- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with?
5- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience?
(You do not have to answer all, or indeed, any, of these questions, they are meant only as points for you to perhaps mull over as you read, and provoke more discussion. Please feel free to ask and answer any questions that come up as you read.)
Some additional questions taken from Kate Morton's website (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/www.katemorton.com):
(DO NOT READ THESE QUESTIONS TILL YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK, AS THERE MAY BE SPOILERS INVOLVED)
1. Tragedy has been described as “the conflict between desire and possibility”. In that light, considering the fates of the novel’s main characters, how might The House at Riverton be seen as a tragic novel? How are the characters’ tragic outcomes caused by the incompatibility of what they want and who they are?
2. On page 417, Ursula comments that David is “not really a major character. He died a little too early to affect things”, an assessment Grace describes as “debateable”. What does Grace mean? Did David’s death affect the outcomes of the other characters? If so, in what way/s?
3. How important to the novel’s outcome is Grace’s longing for a sister?
4. When Grace finds out about her true parentage she chooses not to tell Hannah. Why? Is it the right decision? Would things have ended differently had she done otherwise?
5. Kate Morton has said that the novel’s setting is as important to her as its characters, that Riverton Manor is as much a character of the book as its inhabitants. Do you agree? Does Riverton mirror the fates of the Hartford family and the aristocracy in general? If so, in what way/s?
6. The first world war was a catalyst for enormous social and cultural change. Not a character in The House at Riverton is left untouched by this event. Whose life is most altered? Why?
7. Frederick Hartford and Simion Luxton can be seen as representative of the old and new faces of early twentieth-century business. In what ways do the two men differ on issues of business practice? Is Frederick’s philosophy responsible for his business’s downfall? If so, in what way/s? Are these disparate methods of conducting business still evident today? If so, what are some examples?
8. Is there a heroine in The House at Riverton? If so, who is it? Why?
9. Grace and Robbie are both illegitimate children of upper-class parents, however their lives and opportunities are vastly different. Why?
10. Duty is very important to the youthful Grace. Did Grace’s sense of duty contribute to the novel’s conclusion? If so, how? Would things have turned out better for the characters if Grace had made different decisions?
11. One of the main themes of The House at Riverton is the haunting of the present by the past. In what ways does the novel suggest that the past can never be escaped? Do you agree that our pasts are inescapable?
12. In the chapter titled ‘Resurrection’, Grace questions the veracity of recorded history. She quotes Lytton Strachey’s tenet that “ignorance [is] the first requisite of the historian”. Do you agree? Can records of history be believed? What about Ursula’s biographical film, thoroughly researched and an accurate according to recognised historical record, yet at variance with Grace’s first-hand knowledge of events at Riverton? In what other ways does The House at Riverton explore this notion of the difficulty of ever really knowing what happened in the past?
13. In the world of The House at Riverton characters’ fates are determined to a large part by their gender. In what way/s is this so? Are men and women today bound in similar ways by their gender?
14. How are issues of social class explored in The House at Riverton?
15. Grace has resisted ever telling anyone about the events at Riverton. Why? What makes her change her mind? Is Grace a reliable narrator? Given her motive for recording her memories, can we trust her?
16. The twentieth century was a period of great and accelerated social change. In particular, the historical years that make up the bulk of Grace’s memories comprised a time of enormous transition. In what ways does Grace’s life exemplify these social changes?
17. Despite their differences, how might Grace and Hannah be seen as ‘doubles’? How does Grace’s relationship with Alfred mirror Hannah’s relationship with Robbie?
18. Another theme in The House at Riverton is that of inheritance. The way we are bound to our families through various items that are passed between the generations. Along with material inheritances, we are also subject to physical, social and psychological legacies. These inheritances are important in making us who we are and are not easily escaped. In what way is this notion explored in The House at Riverton? How do these various types of inheritance influence the lives of Hannah, Frederick, Teddy, Robbie, Grace, Jemima, Simion?
19. The House at Riverton is a frame narrative, a story from the past wrapped within a story in the present. How does this format assist in the expression of the novel’s themes? (The unreliability of history, the haunting of the present by the past, the inescapability of inheritance.)
Added by Michelle - Also available at Amazon.. see link on site front page (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/index.php)! ;)
The Reading Circle choice for May is The House at Riverton by Kate Morton:
A story of love,mystery,and a secret history revealed.
Summer 1924: On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long-consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten but Grace never could. A thrilling mystery and a compelling love story, "The House at Riverton" will appeal to readers of Ian McEwan's "Atonement", L.P. Hartley's "The Go-Between", and lovers of the film "Gosford Park".
Some questions to consider:
1- Who was your favourite character and why?
2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest?
3- Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more?
4- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with?
5- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience?
(You do not have to answer all, or indeed, any, of these questions, they are meant only as points for you to perhaps mull over as you read, and provoke more discussion. Please feel free to ask and answer any questions that come up as you read.)
Some additional questions taken from Kate Morton's website (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/www.katemorton.com):
(DO NOT READ THESE QUESTIONS TILL YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK, AS THERE MAY BE SPOILERS INVOLVED)
1. Tragedy has been described as “the conflict between desire and possibility”. In that light, considering the fates of the novel’s main characters, how might The House at Riverton be seen as a tragic novel? How are the characters’ tragic outcomes caused by the incompatibility of what they want and who they are?
2. On page 417, Ursula comments that David is “not really a major character. He died a little too early to affect things”, an assessment Grace describes as “debateable”. What does Grace mean? Did David’s death affect the outcomes of the other characters? If so, in what way/s?
3. How important to the novel’s outcome is Grace’s longing for a sister?
4. When Grace finds out about her true parentage she chooses not to tell Hannah. Why? Is it the right decision? Would things have ended differently had she done otherwise?
5. Kate Morton has said that the novel’s setting is as important to her as its characters, that Riverton Manor is as much a character of the book as its inhabitants. Do you agree? Does Riverton mirror the fates of the Hartford family and the aristocracy in general? If so, in what way/s?
6. The first world war was a catalyst for enormous social and cultural change. Not a character in The House at Riverton is left untouched by this event. Whose life is most altered? Why?
7. Frederick Hartford and Simion Luxton can be seen as representative of the old and new faces of early twentieth-century business. In what ways do the two men differ on issues of business practice? Is Frederick’s philosophy responsible for his business’s downfall? If so, in what way/s? Are these disparate methods of conducting business still evident today? If so, what are some examples?
8. Is there a heroine in The House at Riverton? If so, who is it? Why?
9. Grace and Robbie are both illegitimate children of upper-class parents, however their lives and opportunities are vastly different. Why?
10. Duty is very important to the youthful Grace. Did Grace’s sense of duty contribute to the novel’s conclusion? If so, how? Would things have turned out better for the characters if Grace had made different decisions?
11. One of the main themes of The House at Riverton is the haunting of the present by the past. In what ways does the novel suggest that the past can never be escaped? Do you agree that our pasts are inescapable?
12. In the chapter titled ‘Resurrection’, Grace questions the veracity of recorded history. She quotes Lytton Strachey’s tenet that “ignorance [is] the first requisite of the historian”. Do you agree? Can records of history be believed? What about Ursula’s biographical film, thoroughly researched and an accurate according to recognised historical record, yet at variance with Grace’s first-hand knowledge of events at Riverton? In what other ways does The House at Riverton explore this notion of the difficulty of ever really knowing what happened in the past?
13. In the world of The House at Riverton characters’ fates are determined to a large part by their gender. In what way/s is this so? Are men and women today bound in similar ways by their gender?
14. How are issues of social class explored in The House at Riverton?
15. Grace has resisted ever telling anyone about the events at Riverton. Why? What makes her change her mind? Is Grace a reliable narrator? Given her motive for recording her memories, can we trust her?
16. The twentieth century was a period of great and accelerated social change. In particular, the historical years that make up the bulk of Grace’s memories comprised a time of enormous transition. In what ways does Grace’s life exemplify these social changes?
17. Despite their differences, how might Grace and Hannah be seen as ‘doubles’? How does Grace’s relationship with Alfred mirror Hannah’s relationship with Robbie?
18. Another theme in The House at Riverton is that of inheritance. The way we are bound to our families through various items that are passed between the generations. Along with material inheritances, we are also subject to physical, social and psychological legacies. These inheritances are important in making us who we are and are not easily escaped. In what way is this notion explored in The House at Riverton? How do these various types of inheritance influence the lives of Hannah, Frederick, Teddy, Robbie, Grace, Jemima, Simion?
19. The House at Riverton is a frame narrative, a story from the past wrapped within a story in the present. How does this format assist in the expression of the novel’s themes? (The unreliability of history, the haunting of the present by the past, the inescapability of inheritance.)