ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melanie Wallace was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, and now lives with her husband in Myloi, an agrarian village below the Ohi mountain range in Greece, and in Paris.
Wallace's novel "The Housekeeper" was longlisted for the 2007 Orange Prize.
Wallace's novel "The Housekeeper" was longlisted for the 2007 Orange Prize.
DESCRIPTION:
An unforgettable novel about a young woman and her infant son, abandoned at a seaside motel in New England, and the secrets of the townspeople who provide them with shelter.
When June arrives on the coast of New England, baby in arms, an untrustworthy man by her side, Mabel—who rents them a cabin—senses trouble. A few days later, the girl and her child are abandoned. June is soon placed with Mabel’s friend, Iris, in town, and her life becomes entwined with a number of locals who have known one another for decades: a wealthy recluse with a tragic past; a widow in mourning; a forsaken daughter returning for the first time in years, with a stranger in tow; a lawyer, whose longings he can never reveal; and a kindly World War II veteran who serves as the town's sage. Surrounded by the personal histories and secrets of others, June finds the way forward for herself and her son amid revelations of the others' pasts, including loves—and crimes—from years ago.
In vivid, nuanced prose, Melanie Wallace—“a writer with a tender regard for the marginal, the missing and the lost”*—explores the time-tested bonds of a small community, the healing power of friendship and love, and whether the wrongs of the past can ever be made right. * Hilary Mantel
When June arrives on the coast of New England, baby in arms, an untrustworthy man by her side, Mabel—who rents them a cabin—senses trouble. A few days later, the girl and her child are abandoned. June is soon placed with Mabel’s friend, Iris, in town, and her life becomes entwined with a number of locals who have known one another for decades: a wealthy recluse with a tragic past; a widow in mourning; a forsaken daughter returning for the first time in years, with a stranger in tow; a lawyer, whose longings he can never reveal; and a kindly World War II veteran who serves as the town's sage. Surrounded by the personal histories and secrets of others, June finds the way forward for herself and her son amid revelations of the others' pasts, including loves—and crimes—from years ago.
In vivid, nuanced prose, Melanie Wallace—“a writer with a tender regard for the marginal, the missing and the lost”*—explores the time-tested bonds of a small community, the healing power of friendship and love, and whether the wrongs of the past can ever be made right. * Hilary Mantel
REVIEW:
What's better than a cosy nook, a good book and a cup of cocoa when outside the snowing is silently covering the world and changing the destiny of all of us? I am so lucky to have read this wonderful novel at the very beginning of 2017... And it is so close to its publishing date that I am enthralled for you guys to be able to read it.
It is for sure one of the best reads I have had recently, furthermore, it marks 2017 as one of the best years to come in my adult reading life! I barely can wait for the next jewel to appear magically in my hands.
Mrs Wallace has the skills of magic and the tongue of a storyteller! I am forever grateful for the joy she brought to my heart with her poetical writing. Every word, every phrase, every sentence is a block of spicy chocolate melting in your mouth... better yet: you know the effect of a good old glass of scotch after a hard day of work at the very end of the week... This is what this book is all about. It not only soothes your nerves, but also leaves your whole being lingering with nostalgia and a sense of beautiful sadness.
In short the novel tells a number of stories of heartbroken characters, each carrying burdens of their own. I love to read about damaged people, who find the strength in them to lift themselves up, because life is more-often-than-not a hard travel, and sometimes when I indulge in a novel like this one, I find it easier to continue the fight.
It was such a profound read... I closed it gently, put it on the ground, and stared at it for a couple of minutes... I am still struggling to find the words to best describe it. Unique is one of them... Poetic - another... Strong is the third that comes to mind, but D**n it I did not expect to be that much influenced by it.
So go ahead guys and give it a go, you'll not regret it!
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