Isabelle Threlfall has always called Riverdell House, in the historic rural town of Ludlow, her home. But home has its complications. There's her aunt Elsa angling for commitment, cousin Hester to avoid, and the failure of her long-term relationship to face. Working away seems the best solution, but when Elsa's eldest son dies, her estranged grandchildren, Moth and Nat, arrive at Riverdell and Isabelle is called home to help.
Kit de Lavelle is hard on her heels. He's waited fifteen years for Isabelle to ditch her childhood sweetheart and adore him instead, but he's about to discover that closing the doors to his own past is harder than expected.
As Moth and Isabelle form a close bond trading family secrets and avoiding their own, Elsa finds the courage in her memories to face the truth she has hidden from them all. But as the future is decided will Moth and Isabelle still be able to call Riverdell their home?
THE DOORS OF RIVERDELL by Marianne Rosen [Book One of the Riverdell Saga]
Published: Nov 2020
Genre: Adult Fiction, Family Saga
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I cannot express how extremely grateful I am to have been invited to be part of the launch team for this impressive debut novel, The Doors of Riverdell by Marianne Rosen.
I received a copy of Marianne's book in October, allowing me to admire its beautiful lilac cover for a few weeks before its official publication date on November 25th - that's right people, this book is now available to buy, and more importantly, to read!
In addition to the book, as part of the launch team, I received some bookish treats, including the Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen inspired candle by Wordsmith Candles, and a tote bag from Addyman Books. Both have been thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated!
Now hold onto your hats, because this book is one of the most intense family sagas I've ever read. It pushes the boundaries of family relations to the very brink and sometimes tips them over the edge.
I repeatedly come back to comparing this novel to Austen! Not only owing to the grand setting of Riverdell House, but also to the gripping and articulate writing style. The flowing descriptions of the setting and the characters swept me away in a river of words.
This book was really interestingly constructed, jumping between the past, the present and the near future and being narrated from the perspectives of four characters, Elsa speaks of the past, Isabelle and Kit from the present, and Moth from the not too distant future. It took me a few chapters to adjust and to recognise who's narrative I was reading, but once I began to recognise the voices and storylines of the characters it was smooth sailing from then onwards.
More than anything I enjoyed Elsa's sections of the book where the writing jumped back to the past, beginning in 1956 with four friends in boarding school. I'm captivated by the four girls, Elsa, Kate, Rose and Beth. There are so many things left unsaid about their story, and they more than anything are urging me to return for the second instalment of this book and read on! April 2021 can't come soon enough! Bring on Book Two: The Halls of Riverdell.
The characters are so well developed. They're very real and human in that they're imperfect and uncertain, and don't always approach or handle a situation in the ideal way. My opinions of each character changed a great deal as the story progressed, more than I was expecting. For example, Isabelle was a character I was finding very relatable and felt a great deal of sympathy for at the beginning of the book, but towards the end, she felt completely different to me. Less rooted and more drifting as she struggles to find her place amongst the family after working away for so long.
Bearing in mind that these characters have to arc and develop across four books, I'm curious to see where they will all end up.
Interestingly, everyone on the launch team liked and related to different characters, showing their diversity and appeal to a wide audience of readers.
Kate remains my favourite character at this point- you'll understand why if you choose to read for yourself! She's incredibly strong and opinionated. I was also drawn in by some of the feminist opinions she bears and shares about abortion. Opinions that I personally agreed with, but are contradicted by other family members and is a cause of tension. I have an inkling that there's more to come about this topic and I'm interested to see how Kate's opinions have formed and what's led her there.
"It all comes back to vessels, and what we're meant to carry. What we're meant to do."
There are some steamy scenes that slot seamlessly into the story. Some may argue that they're unnecessary, but I understand they've been written to contribute more to the character's intentions and desires, and in a way to lay them bare. Especially Kit who I believe is involved in every sexual scene in the book.
"You ever feel like you're not meant to be here?" Moth asked.
More than once, the relationships between the family members tiptoe towards the taboo.
Once particular relationship springs to mind between Isabelle and Moth. Moth is very young, and a line is being danced around with them, but I feel Moth and Isabelle have a case of mistaken attraction. They're mistaking a mutual feeling of not belonging, for feelings for each other. In a family so large, and so set in their ways and routines, clinging to the only person who makes you feel as though you fit in made a lot of sense to me from the perspective of a reader.
This book has such strong themes of home family, and identity. I honestly enjoyed it so much, perhaps more so for reading it as part of the launch team and being able to discuss it with other book lovers in such depth.
As with all the books I review, I cannot recommend it enough to you all.
Apologies if you've already read the abbreviated version of this review on my Instagram page, but I really wanted to share a little bit more with you all. Thank you for reading. Let me know your thoughts if you read The Doors of Riverdell.
Again, The Doors of Riverdell is now available to buy and read, so make sure you check out @mariannerosen.writer on Facebook and Instagram for more information and updates on her next book!
Zuzu 🖊
Find me @zuzuspages across social media!
Great review, so exciting too that you were able to be part of the launch team x
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