The Distant Hours

Novel by Kate Morton

Ok, weird story... in two ways. First, how I came to read this book is different. And second, the story itself is weird. 

I bought this book for my grandma's birthday gift, never having heard of author or title. It just looked like something my grandma would enjoy--a pastoral European story with nostalgia and a hint of mystery. I almost didn't get it, because the paperback version is pretty fat, and heavy books hurt Grandma's hands as she reads. But in total honesty, I wanted to read it too, and Grandma always shares.  Throwing caution and carpal tunnel syndrome to the wind, I bought it and gave it to her. A surprisingly short time later, she put the book in my hands and said, "Read this and tell me what you think." Uh oh. I asked her if she liked it and she said something like, "Yes. No. Just read it." So after I finished The Zookeeper's Wife and before I started rereading the YA books for my class book project, I picked up The Distant Hours. 

 And I have to say, I feel the same. Do I like it? Yes. No. Just read it. The book is billed as historical fiction, but it's really not. The main narrator is a 30-something single from London in the 1990's, but she's investigating (for personal and professional reasons) a mysteriously published book and a mysterious disappearance at a castle in England during World War II. (Side note: my mom was just commenting how many WWII books she's read lately, and I didn't even realize this was another one until I typed that just now. Crazy.) What's weird about this book to me is not that the narration spins around violently in time (not just present/past, but past/past/past/1990's). It's also not that weird that there are many strands of mystery going on at the same time: what happened to the young man? why is the mom so secretive? who is the mystery lover? why did he write the book?  why all the secrets? No, what's weird about the book is that I wouldn't consider it that great, nor do I particularly like any of the characters, but still I looked forward to reading it every moment of the day until I could pick it up at night. On two occasions I even read during my lunch break, a time I usually work on school stuff so I can pick up my kids earlier. On Friday I accidentally left it at work and went back to get it after my kids were in bed even though it creeps me out to go to the school after hours. I am a reader, but I haven't read a book this voraciously in a while. 

So maybe that's what my grandma meant. Yes, she liked it. No, it's not the best book ever. Just read it. 

Next up: I will NOT be blogging about the YA fiction because it's three books I've already read and just need a brushing up so I can teach them in class. So maybe it will be The River Wife (another "wife" book) or Fall of Giants (another war book, this time WWI). I'm a sucker for a trend.