The House at Tyneford by Natasha SolomonsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
It is 1938. Elise lives in Vienna with her parents and sister. They are Jewish and although not practicing ones, are at risk for what is possibly to come at the hands of the madman Hitler. She gains a position in England as a maid and finds herself at Tyneford.
This story is as much about the ordered estate of Tyneford, which has existed for centuries as well as it is of Elise and the life she finds there as she learns to live an entirely new way.
There are many descriptive passages about the landscape, the sea and the gardens and livestock.
As time passes and the war comes to England, Kit, the only son of the current master of Tyneford, enlists. Through the years, Elise seeks to hear word of her parents who were supposed to travel to New York, but did not leave in time before the war.
Without giving the story away, suffice it to say that the war brings great changes, both in relationships and the life at Tyneford.
I did not find out until after finishing the book, that it is based on true events in the life of the author who had relatives who closely mimic the main characters, which makes it all the more fascinating.
I adore reading not only of this time period with it's vivid history, but also the views of the endearing countryside of England.
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This sounds like a wonderful book! The storyline sounds just a bit "Downton Abbey"-ish. By the way, there is a little teaser of a scene on the PBS website for the show's coming season -- between Maggie Smith and Shirley McClain!
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