Title: The Library of banned books
Author: John Harding
Pages: 255
Price: € 17.60
Publisher: Garzanti (Modern Storytellers series)
Plot
New England, 1891. It is night now. In the ancient home of Blithe House was silent and dark. For Florence, a young orphan of twelve years, is finally time every day looking forward. Careful not to make noise, up the stairs and into the old library. In the large room occupied by the dust and neglect are the only friends that take real company's books. Banned books to Florence. It could not even touch it: it is forbidden to have always read. So he imposed his uncle that he raised with her brother Giles. A mysterious man, who has ordered confined to live at home with the servants. But Florence is smart and determined and has learned to read by herself. He sensed that the books it contained the road to freedom. Why in the library, among the old volumes of Sir Walter Scott, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, George Eliot and Shakespeare, there is a hidden secret in glove tied to the death of his parents. A terrible truth that, night after night, casts shadows on the increasingly disturbing lives of all. Odd episodes begin to upset the home. Before the violent and unexplained death of one of the rulers, then the arrival of the new governess of her little brother, who hates all with Florence itself. To the girl walking the halls of the house is always more dangerous.
My Review
The protagonist of the novel, Florence, is an orphan who lives with his brother, Gils, and servants in a big, old house, isolated from the world , whose only pastime is to read everything that happens in the great library in his hand accidentally discovered in a daily game with his brother.
While all the other girls of her age, pushed by their parents, were educated in Florence has happened to the misfortune of having an uncle who is completely absent, which prohibits it could learn to read and write. Despite this obstacle, you sneak into the library every night, in hiding or pretending to be sleepwalking, gradually learns to read, not only English but other languages, more of everything hidden.
This started his game continues until the age of 8 to 12, but when given a governess to his brother, the magic of reading, to hide, the search for suitable sites is broken.
For the second governess, of which nothing is known of his past, becomes a dominant figure in the lives of children and restricts the movement is constant (night), and contacts, and seems to be very hostile towards Florence, but love in a strange way and left his brother.
This course contains a mystery that turns into tragedy and will do completely change the mind of the reader on the main character, who becomes a victim far ...
I must say that this book is difficult to judge, there have been times when interested me and the moments that I found strange and a bit repetitive.
The title, so fascinating, does not reflect fully the contents of the book, I thought belonged to history for women with a touch of gothic atmospheres, which I actually found the first part, then in the second part, I found myself in front of a horror thriller that at one point it seemed pretty obvious. Also included within the narrative are the neologisms, invented by the protagonist, really absurd and fantastic in my opinion, make it all that forced.
The finish, however, I found it nothing short of amazing, because although we're used to the setting gothic-noir, one is shocked dall'epilogo completely unexpected that completely reverses the situation, I must say that made me shudder!
check 3 and a half stars to this novel as one of its ups and downs.
soon!
Lya
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