Teresa Serrano Serrano itibaren Uruoca, State of Ceará, Brezilya itibaren Uruoca, State of Ceará, Brezilya

Enthralling and beautifully written (non-fictional) story of the wealthy Jewish Ephrussi family, using their collection of Japanese ornamental toys (netsuke), handed down through the generations, as a centrepiece. (It starts in late 19th Century Paris and runs through both World Wars.) That might sound dull, but it's not. It's not for everyone, but if you have any interest in art, history or art history - or just enjoy *really* beautiful prose (the best I've read since the early Dave Eggers books) - I would wholeheartedly recommend it. Easily five stars for the best thing I've read in quite a long time.

Ohhh, fanfic... My dirty little secret.

This book was the first book I read in a long time that seemed to let the characters really push the story. Too often, even in good literature, the characters seem inexplicably pushed on by the story; The plot seems more real, more palpable, than the people. This plot, however, clearly rests on the shoulders and conscience's of the characters. Anyone interested in character development (or stories that take place, much of the time, in Philly) should consider this book an indispensible read.

Newly orphaned Maria arrives at Moonacre estate and discovers that she has a central role to play in laying several ghosts to rest. This deserves a higher rating for the writing---every moment, every sight of the natural world, every room in the mansion, every character is described in beautiful, high intensity language---but Maria's work is just too easy: she needs to make no hard choices, every course of action (and the relationships between every character, hidden or otherwise) is telegraphed, she gets all the help she needs from magical sources and is just led from one resolution to the next. I think that intensity of experience is what makes this a memorable book for many who read it in childhood...just wish the plot weren't so ritualistic.

Rebecca worked in a book store in London. She was called to her mother's bedside because she was dying. Her mother told her that her grandfather Grenville was still living. Rebecca traveled to Porthkerris to meet him. She ended up falling in love with her cousin Joss who was the restorrer of furniture for Grenville, who was also his grandfather.