One of my all-time favorite novels is In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden, so I thought I’d give China Court a try.

This novel is tricky. There is a “current” story-line, about a death, a family coming together, a funeral, reading of the will, and so on, which is told linearly. But as the entire novel is told from the perspective of the home (China Court), and the home doesn’t seem to recognize time, the current plot is mixed in with generations of memories about this family (and the stories of family members from past are not told in order of occurrence), which can be disorienting to say the least.

Told this way, the story is richer and more poignant than it would otherwise have been. It’s an interesting technique and brilliantly done, but I can see where some readers would hate it.

I loved how the stories focused on the women that married into the family, but oh, how I hated the last few pages!

Did not like the premise of starting the reader off with a feeling of "a family gathering where the reader doesn't know anyone." Did not make it past page 50.

Mine was a yellow paged oldie, with taped binding and a thick rubber band holding the ILL tags and the hardcover (supplemented with repair thickness)intact and flat. I was surprised they sent this book through the transport van system as it needed gentle. But I'm glad they did.

And it wasn't long- maybe about 25 pages- that I remembered I had read it before. Many, many, many years ago. But I remembered John Henry and Ripsy very well. And I read it again, and enjoyed it again.

Lots of layers and rather a puzzle you need to work outwords- like a jigsaw type. Putting everyone in their place and time! But the house is the backdrop, the support- always there. And it is written within the sensibilities of a past worldview, as well. LOVE that aspect- as most historical fiction of the last 15 years is written within entirely revisionist judgment and outlook. Which really makes it fairly phony, IMHO.

Very clever book in its convolution of the generations, as well. Really nails the location and the mores of this family and their shared society. But makes you work for it. And in the process the personal and detail complexity becomes revealed- deeply too, at times.

My copy had yellowed pages and a torn and taped book cover. Picked it up at a book sale several years ago. Loved the story of this beautiful old English house and the multiple family members. Would have given it a solid 4 stars except for the last few pages which left a bad taste. Perhaps it was the time frame (1961) when it was published.