The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Having read The Forgotten Garden earlier this month and given that I loved it, I thought it a good idea to check out Kate Morton's first novel. The House at Riverton tells the story of Grace Reeves, who worked in the Riverton household as a young domestic during World War I, is in 1999 living out her last days in a nursing home. Out of the blue, a young woman directing a film about a tragedy that occurred on the house's grounds contacts her, asking for her input on the project, which conjures up strong and long-repressed memories of Grace's time as a servant at Riverton. Feeling that she ought to finally tell someone what happened the night of the tragedy, Grace begins recording a series of audio tapes that she sends to her missing grandson, hoping the tale will bring him back to his family.

In the acknowledgments and notes at the end of the novel, Morton mentions that one of her aims in writing the book was to incorporate some of the elements of the Gothic novel: the past haunting the present, as Grace's memories begin to do, making it difficult for her to distinguish what is happening and what has happened; the idea that deep family secrets must always end up uncovered; and the narrative device of flashback. Morton makes excellent use of these tropes while still maintaining a mainly linear chronology, and the story is compelling, especially as we learn that despite Grace's early belief in the order of things (namely that she is a servant and the Riverton family are above her station), she goes on to become an archaeologist and live her own life, independent of a servile identity that she had previously cultivated so carefully.

I definitely enjoyed The House at Riverton; however, it lacks somewhat the polish that The Forgotten Garden can claim, and generally has a less compelling narrative in that the main action revolves around a life of servitude. Nevertheless, the level of service and devotion demonstrated by Grace and the other servants is inspiring in its selflessness.

All in all, if you enjoy Kate Morton's style, this is a good read, and if you find historical fiction from unusual perspectives fascinating, this will also be an excellent choice.