On a secluded bluff overlooking the ocean sits a Victorian house, lavender with gingerbread trim, a home that contains a century’s worth of secrets. By the time Jane Flanagan discovers the house as a teenager, it has long been abandoned. The place is an irresistible mystery to Jane. There are still clothes in the closets, marbles rolling across the floors, and dishes in the cupboards, even though no one has set foot there in decades. The house becomes a hideaway for Jane, a place to escape her volatile mother.
Twenty years later, now a Harvard archivist, she returns home to Maine following a terrible mistake that threatens both her career and her marriage. Jane is horrified to find the Victorian is now barely recognizable. The new owner, Genevieve, a summer person from Beacon Hill, has gutted it, transforming the house into a glossy white monstrosity straight out of a shelter magazine. Strangely, Genevieve is convinced that the house is haunted—perhaps the product of something troubling Genevieve herself has done. She hires Jane to research the history of the place and the women who lived there. The story Jane uncovers—of lovers lost at sea, romantic longing, shattering loss, artistic awakening, historical artifacts stolen and sold, and the long shadow of colonialism—is even older than Maine itself.
Enthralling, richly imagined, filled with psychic mediums and charlatans, spirits and past lives, mothers, marriage, and the legacy of alcoholism, this is a deeply moving novel about the land we inhabit, the women who came before us, and the ways in which none of us will ever truly leave this earth.
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This book was unexpected and unique. Though I'm always interested, I never know what to expect from authors I haven't read. I read a lot of historical and literary fiction; I can't get enough of it. I enjoyed the story but wasn't expecting so much history from this book. Most of this book's historical elements were enjoyable to me. But in some sections, there was so much information that I felt like I was reading a history textbook. There were a few aspects that could have been shortened. I liked that this book was different from fictional and historical fiction. While reading this book, I gained knowledge. Because of how its story develops and how much material it contains, The Cliffs is not a novel that can be read quickly. I typically paused after reading a few chapters to take in the information. Although The Cliffs is a work of fiction, the way it was organized sometimes gave the impression that it was also educational.
Jane, the book's primary character, takes some time to warm up to her. I was not sure about her until the middle of the novel. I wondered if her coming back, if there was more to the story than what she was sharing. Of course, I was curious about her employment, what had happened, if there was anything she had done, or if there was more to the story. The part of that storyline dragged on a bit too long. I should figure out what had happened, considering her history. I enjoyed the bond between her and her best friend, Allison; it reminded me a lot of myself and my best friend. Although the story was told from the perspectives of several female characters, I preferred Jane's perspective the most and thought the shift between them was a little unclear. The story was more engaging because it was told from a variety of viewpoints.
I picked up this book because it was part of Reese’s Book Club , and I had enjoyed most of her books, and I couldn’t help but be curious about the story. I enjoyed the story, but I felt it should not have been so long, and some parts did not hold my attention as well as others. If you enjoy history and want to learn more, I recommend this book.
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