Good. ( )

My history with this book has been, well, oh, maybe tenuous. I bought the book shortly after it came out and had been remaindered. The coming of age aspect was appealing, as were the references to Jane Austen and Ford Maddox Ford in the "blurbs." And then, the author had grown up in the Asheville area, a place to which I had just moved. But it sat on my shelf. I may have cracked it open and given it a start once, but maybe not. Eventually, in one of my book pre-BX purges I gave it away. Then a little over a year ago I saw the copy at our church's used book store; the money goes to support various women's charities. I regreted never giving the book a chance the first time around so I bought it.

And now I have read it. All I can say is it is okay. It certainly did not "wow" me. I would recommend to to some friends, ones who will like this particular sort of book, the coming of age/mentor book. It lacks the irony or the wit of Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and is a bit of a limp thing with an overwrought suspense element. The big betrayal turns out to be pretty bland. The most sympathetic characters are not as well developed as they might be.

I liked the book, but I did not love it. Would recommend it, but without that urgency with which I have recommended other books. In short, a good, entertaining and intelligently wrought book that just didn't set a fire to my imagination. I can see how others would love it though. Godwin is a fine writer; I think this story just wasn't the story for me. Too many shades of all ready done to death stories from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to Hellman's The Children's Hour. I look forward to reading her other books.


In short, just another book, well written, but only moderately engaging. The main feeling was I had been down that street already and had a better time before. ( )

My history with this book has been, well, oh, maybe tenuous. I bought the book shortly after it came out and had been remaindered. The coming of age aspect was appealing, as were the references to Jane Austen and Ford Maddox Ford in the "blurbs." And then, the author had grown up in the Asheville area, a place to which I had just moved. But it sat on my shelf. I may have cracked it open and given it a start once, but maybe not. Eventually, in one of my book pre-BX purges I gave it away. Then a little over a year ago I saw the copy at our church's used book store; the money goes to support various women's charities. I regreted never giving the book a chance the first time around so I bought it.

And now I have read it. All I can say is it is okay. It certainly did not "wow" me. I would recommend to to some friends, ones who will like this particular sort of book, the coming of age/mentor book. It lacks the irony or the wit of Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and is a bit of a limp thing with an overwrought suspense element. The big betrayal turns out to be pretty bland. The most sympathetic characters are not as well developed as they might be.

I liked the book, but I did not love it. Would recommend it, but without that urgency with which I have recommended other books. In short, a good, entertaining and intelligently wrought book that just didn't set a fire to my imagination. I can see how others would love it though. Godwin is a fine writer; I think this story just wasn't the story for me. Too many shades of all ready done to death stories from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to Hellman's The Children's Hour. I look forward to reading her other books.


In short, just another book, well written, but only moderately engaging. The main feeling was I had been down that street already and had a better time before. ( )

My history with this book has been, well, oh, maybe tenuous. I bought the book shortly after it came out and had been remaindered. The coming of age aspect was appealing, as were the references to Jane Austen and Ford Maddox Ford in the "blurbs." And then, the author had grown up in the Asheville area, a place to which I had just moved. But it sat on my shelf. I may have cracked it open and given it a start once, but maybe not. Eventually, in one of my book pre-BX purges I gave it away. Then a little over a year ago I saw the copy at our church's used book store; the money goes to support various women's charities. I regreted never giving the book a chance the first time around so I bought it.

And now I have read it. All I can say is it is okay. It certainly did not "wow" me. I would recommend to to some friends, ones who will like this particular sort of book, the coming of age/mentor book. It lacks the irony or the wit of Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and is a bit of a limp thing with an overwrought suspense element. The big betrayal turns out to be pretty bland. The most sympathetic characters are not as well developed as they might be.

I liked the book, but I did not love it. Would recommend it, but without that urgency with which I have recommended other books. In short, a good, entertaining and intelligently wrought book that just didn't set a fire to my imagination. I can see how others would love it though. Godwin is a fine writer; I think this story just wasn't the story for me. Too many shades of all ready done to death stories from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to Hellman's The Children's Hour. I look forward to reading her other books.


In short, just another book, well written, but only moderately engaging. The main feeling was I had been down that street already and had a better time before. ( )

drove 100 miles to discover
Pg 154 - "memory does not reside in places. Places have their own continuing lives. Memory lives in the brain of the rememberer."

Justin Stokes would never forget the summer she turned fourteen, nor the woman who transformed her bleak adolescent life into a wondrous place of brilliant color. In the little pondside hut also known as the “finishing school,” eccentric, free-spirited Ursula DeVane opened up a world full of magical possibilities for Justin, teaching her valuable lessons of love and loyalty, and encouraging her to change, to learn, to grow. But the lessons of the finishing school have their dark side as well, as Justin learns how deep friendship can be shattered by shocking, unforgivable betrayal.