Book Review: The Lantern

This is one of the best books I"ve read all year!

I know I say this about alot of books, but I LOVE books.....I love reading!  It is one of my very favorite things to do!  

This novel and author are new to me.  In fact, it is the author's first novel to be published in the USA.  She lives in England, and spends alot of time in Provence in a little hamlet which is the setting for this book.

Here's what a few authors had to say about this novel:

"....beautifully written, modern gothic novel, set in Provence, full of scents, colors, and mystery.  Reminiscent of Daphne de Maurier's classic Rebecca.  will hook you in from the start and weave its dark, lush magic around you."  Tatiana De Rosnay, author of Sarah's Key (another fave!!) and A Secret Kept (another fave!)

".....absorbing tale of intense passion and growing dread.  Her (the author's) Provence is sumptuous and forbidding and utterly real.  Prepare to be riveted."  Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife

Here's the basic summary:

Genre:  modern gothic novel

Setting:  south of France/Provence

Time:  the present and the 1930s/1940s

This is a novel of love, secrets and murder.

Eve falls in love with Dom...who is secretive and charming.  They meet in Switzerland but their whirlwind romance leads them to Les Genevriers which is an abandoned house in the lavender fields of Southern France.  (Provence)

Each day is filled with discoveries:  hidden chambers, secret vaults, and a gorgeous wrought-iron lantern.  Dom and Eve surround themselves with the beauty of Provence, their music, books, and the heady summer scents of the French countryside in summer.

And then autumn arrives.  Days are cooler and so is Dom.  He has emotional scars of a failed marriage and refuses to discuss his ex-wife Rachel.  His silence begins to arouse suspicion and uncertainty in Eve's mind.  Eve becomes obsessed with finding answers to this puzzle.

The house is also changing.  The bright, warm rooms of Les Genevriers have turned cold and dark.  Eve senses a presence moving around the garden....is it a ghost from the past or her own mind playing tricks on her because of her current troubles with Dom??  Can she trust Dom or is her life in danger??

What Eve doesn't know is that the house has been haunted before.  Benedicte Lincel, the former owner, thrived as a young girl.  She knew the bitter taste of heartbreak and tragedy.  There are long-buried secrets and evil deeds......and these will hold shocking and unexpected consequences for Eve.

My opinion:  This was an excellent book!  Each chapter is a different person speaking, in first person, about what is going on.  One chapter is Eve and the next chapter is Benedicte.  I won't go into too much detail of the actual plot as I don't want to ruin it for you.  The book reminds me of the old classic, Rebecca, and the style of writing reminds me of the newer book, The Thirteenth Tale, which I highly recommend as well!

On a scale of 1- 10 with 10 being the highest, I rate this as a 10!

In my opinion it is most appropriate for ages 17 and older.

AND....I've discovered a new blog (new to me anyways!).  It's called This Simple Home (i am really into simplifying my own home lately....purging the rooms of unwanted/unneeded "stuff" and going much more "simple" in my decorating approach.  It's really great to not be encumbered by so much stuff to clean, etc.!)  anyways...over at The Simple Home, she is holding a giveaway of a Karen Kingsbury book called Unlocked that is about Autism.  Since I am a special ed teacher (although currently just working as an aide), I thought I'd join the giveaway.  Go on over, click here and check out this blog!!