The Concord Bookshop - Established 1940

Ms. Murphy humorously and unsentimentally captures the marriage and family dynamic and though a lot happens in this spare, 220-page paperback original some of my favorite parts are those that depict their day to day life.

~Jill

If you are looking for a fast-moving, plot-driven story this won’t work for you, but if you like Byatt, liked her earlier masterpiece Possession then you will enjoy this most recent effort of hers as well.

~Jill

This is decidedly a work of fiction and, if taken as such, an amusing read for fans of literary historical fiction.

Portrait painter Stuart Jameson (modeled somewhat after Gilbert Stuart) arrives in Boston and needs an apprentice. Fanny Easton is a young woman in desperate circumstances who dreams of becoming an artist. She disguises herself as teenage boy and is chosen as Jameson's apprentice. These characters alternate narrating the story, which has elements of murder mystery as well as the aforementioned romance and comedy.

A book meant to be read curled up by the fire, perhaps with a cup of hot buttered rum?

~Jill

I particularly enjoyed this epistolary novel's form; one has to read between the lines of the letters sent between the major characters to get the whole story.

No car chases here, but it was definitely my idea of a good summer read!

~Jill

The pleasant surprise for me was the book's potential for broad appeal--it will be an interesting read for teens as well adults.

~Jill

The characterizations are brilliant, the narrative style is spare and not overly sentimental. This will become a favorite read for 8-11 year olds, and would also make a terrific read-aloud for younger children. I loved this book!

~Jill