William W. (walkington) reviewed on 12/23/2011

Helpful Score: 1

Beautifully evocative story of an English country house and the family living in it. The prose is so atmospheric that sometimes you get lost in it and forget the actual storyline. If you like books with page after page of detailed description (I do!) you will love this book. Story of the older brother's epilepsy is told with an interesting twist: as details of the brother's malady unfold, historical information about the study of electricity and its effects on muscle and nerve tissue are woven into the story. It is an unusual way of presenting the background information about the scientific study that has gone into the mysteries of epilepsy. In some ways this is a book where not a lot happens. If you are looking for a story full of action and adventure, look elsewhere. In some ways rather reminded me of Brideshead Revisited or Howard's End in the way the house becomes a character in the story. I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys what I would call a genuine literary masterpiece.

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