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There are currently 20 member reviews
for That Summer
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Betty B. (Irving, TX)
Good Read for Summer
I really liked the themes of That Summer - the inheritance an old English mansion full of antiques and family secrets, and the Pre-Raphaelite art movement. (A quick search on Wikipedia helps to understand the movement and to visualize the paintings of this group of artists.) The main characters are likeable and the story interesting. I think it's a good choice for a summer vacation.
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Priscilla M. (Houston, TX)
Intriguing premise
I started reading That Summer and promptly got hooked, finishing it in just a couple of days. The story is told through the eyes of two different women, both living in the same house but in two different time periods. Julia inherits the house in England in 2009 from her deceased mother's aunt, and since she is between jobs, she decides to spend the summer checking it out. Imogene, the other character, moves into the house in 1849 when she marries a widower, following a short courtship and the death of her father.
Both of these women are likable, believable people, not your usual impossibly perfect and beautiful heroines. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them as they go went through the necessary and sometimes painful process of coming into their own. The book engages the reader all the way to an ending that perhaps could have profited by a little more explanation. If you like a mix of mystery, romance, and history, with a soupcon of art thrown in for good measure, then you will enjoy this book.
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Chris W. (Temple City, CA)
a life changing summer
I really enjoyed this book, and probably could have read it in one sitting. I enjoyed the alternating stories so many years apart. However, it seemed to end abruptly and was a little unsatisfying after spending so much time with these characters. I wanted to know more about the generations after Imogen. I wanted to know more about what happened in that house through the years since it played such an important role in the book. A book club might enjoy discussing the different lifestyles, status of women, and morals of the two periods.
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Carol C. (Troy, NY)
That Summer
A good read that ended a bit abruptly.... I enjoyed the format, with parallel stories 160 years apart, and the story lines were interesting, if somewhat predictable. I wish that the author had explored the lead characters in each time line a bit more, and fleshed out the ending. It seemed rushed, with little explanation and a lingering mystery. The latter is likely intentional, but a bit unsatisfying. Still, I enjoyed the book, which held my interest throughout.
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Angela J. (Highlands Ranch, CO)
That Summer by Lauren Willig
First off, the premise is intriguing. Who wouldn't want to inherit an old mansion in England filled with hidden treasures? I really enjoyed having two women in different time periods narrating the story; although I felt the present day was better written and had more background about the characters. I never understood the husband's actions and his coldness since his background was never discussed. The ending was what you expected, (and I would have been disappointed if it hadn't happened exactly as it did. It was an easy and enjoyable read. This would be perfect on a summer vacation to read.
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Jane H. (Indianola, IA)
That Summer by Lauren Willig
Lauren Willig's book follows a " book within a book" format. One story takes place in 1849 with the pre-Raphaelite artists, and the other in 2009 with a young girl searching for her past. Both stories have their roots in Herne Hill, a mysterious old house in London.
I found it hard to get into the book, and was glad when I finally finished it.
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