Wednesday, October 29, 2014

2014 book 255

Zilpha Keatley Snyder's The Velvet Room
This was a Kindle deal the other day, and since I'd never read it, I figured I would (Snyder died a few weeks ago)--and it was excellent! It was written in 1965, but set in 1937, and has a fresh and timeless feel. It's about a bookish girl, part of a large family of migrant workers, who always longs for something more. When her father lands a new job at an apricot orchard, she discovers a beautiful abandoned house--and then a kindly old woman gives her a mysterious key, allowing her to discover the titular Velvet Room-- a gorgeous old library. There's also a whole thing with a long-missing girl and a possible ghost, but an astute reader will solve that mystery pretty quickly. It's mainly the story of her family, and the family that owns the estate--particularly the girl just her age. Really just lovely and satisfying. A.

No comments: