Review
If ever there was a
story that confirms Bob Dylan's
notion that, "the times, they are a-changin',"
it is
The House at Riverton.
Just the life of protagonist Grace
Reeves alone stands as powerful
testament to that reality. Born at
the dawn of the 20
th
Century and destined to become a
servant to the same British noble
family that her mother served, Grace
lived through two world wars,
outlived all of the family members
she waited on, became a single mom,
and graduated from college to become
a noted archeologist. Perhaps
Morton's greatest skill as a
first-time novelist is creating an
intensely rich character that could
adapt to...
Beyond the Book
The British
Class System
As she mentions
in her notes at
the end of the
book, the whole
concept of
nobility and
servant classes
fascinates
Morton. I think
many people who
aren't familiar
with such a
strict class
system, notably
Americans and
Australians like
Morton, are
also intrigued
by the thought
that there could
have been a
whole class of...
