Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Sisters Montclair


Title:  The Sisters Montclair
Author:  Cathy Holton
Publication Information:  Branwell Books. 2012. 357 pages.

Book Source:  I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program free of cost in exchange for an honest review. The book arrived as a softcover uncorrected proof.

Favorite Quote:  "Perhaps that was how immortality was gained after all; by sharing our stories, by living on in each other's hearts and imaginations."

The Sisters Montclair is the story of the unlikely friendship between ninety-four year old Alice Montclair and her twenty-one year old caregiver Stella Nightingale.

On the surface, the two couldn't be more different. Alice Montclair is a wealthy dame of society and the matriarch of the family. She suffers periods of forgetfulness, dreams of the past, and has run off many caregivers. Stella is a runaway who is barely scraping by. She is attempting to turn her life around and takes this job somewhat unwillingly.

As their days together progress, both their stories emerge. The book goes back and forth in time, slowly revealing Alice's story. Stella's story comes more grudgingly in her interactions with Alice and with others. As the stories emerge, they both learn that they are more similar than they would think. Both have had huge turning points in their lives, and both are seeking closure and forgiveness for events in the past.

The book is beautifully written, and the story is not one I was expecting. The description on the back of the book implies more of a tale of mystery. The mystery is there, but the story is really more of emotions, relationships, and friendships. The book has an ending; it is a complete story. Yet, I was sad when the book ended because I was not ready to let go of the characters. The book made me care!

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