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The House of Velvet and Glass [Paperback]

Katherine Howe
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Book Description

13 Sep 2012

Katherine Howe, New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane returns with her dazzling new historical novel, The House of Velvet and Glass, set against the backdrop of the sinking of the Titanic.

1915, and the ghosts of the dead haunt a wealthy Boston family...

Sibyl Allston is devastated by the recent deaths of her mother and sister aboard the Titanic. Hoping to heal her wounded heart, she seeks solace in the parlour of a medium who promises to contact her lost loved ones.

But Sibyl finds herself drawn into a strange new world where she can never be sure that what she sees or hears is real. In fear and desperation she turns to psychology professor Benton Jones - despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past...

From the opium dens of Boston's Chinatown to the upscale salons of high society , Sibyl and Benton are drawn into a world of occult magic, of truth and lies, and into a race to understand Sibyl's own apparent talent for scrying before it is too late.

Katherine Howe's The House of Velvet and Glass is a harrowing story of darkness and danger vanquished by the redemptive power of love.

Praise for Katherine Howe:

'Spellbinding... A terrific story' Daily Express

'A transfixing tale of black magic, hauntings and real-life tricks that will keep you up all night' Glamour

'A brilliant take on the 17th Century Salem witch trials' Mirror

Katherine Howe's family has lived in the area around Salem Massachusetts for generations dating back to the 1620s. She is a descendant of two accused Salem witches - Elizabeth Proctor and Elizabeth Howe. Katherine is a PhD candidate at Boston University. She lived in Massachusetts and New York with her husband. The House of Velvet and Glass is her second novel to be published by Penguin.


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Product details

  • Paperback: 560 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin (13 Sep 2012)
  • Language: Unknown
  • ISBN-10: 0141038179
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141038179
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 3.3 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 118,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

About the Author

Katherine Howe is the author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. Her family has lived in the area around Salem, Massachusetts for generations dating back to the 1620s. Katherine lives in Massachusetts and upstate New York with her husband.

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Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A captivating story xxx 9 April 2013
By Megan ReadingInTheSunshine TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Sibyl Allston is devastated and haunted by the tragic deaths of her mother and sister aboard the Titanic. Sybil seeks comfort in a medium, hoping that these methods will connect her with her lost loved ones. But as her obsession leads her to dark places of opium dens and magic and she is no longer sure what to believe, she turns to the man who broke her heart, psychology professor Benton Jones for help. Sibyl and Benton are then drawn into a world they are unsure of as they try to understand Sibyl's visions.

It took me a while to get into this, and I will say right now that this story does require a bit of concentration to fully understand what is happening. However, this is a very fascinating read.

Katherine Howe cleverly manages to draw the reader into the past, with descriptions that are very vivid, so much so that I felt as though I had been transported back in time. The characters are very well written, and are very believable as they fit in perfectly with the historical aspect of the story, yet at the same time readers will be able to relate to Sibyl in her loss and grief. Not only are the characters relateable, but their secrets, backgrounds and personalities are riveting and kept me reading as I wanted to know more about them.

Katherine has managed to weave in many subjects to make a layered plot line that will appeal to many. What I particularly liked was the exploration of psychic abilities, written in with historical background and a compelling plot line which kept me guessing throughout.

The House Of Velvet And Glass may have dark elements to it, but it is an enthralling and captivating story covering loss, love, grief, and psychic abilities. There is plenty for everyone in this carefully but brilliantly written book.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars ATMOSPHERIC AND CAPTIVATING 8 Jun 2012
By Eleni TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
In the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, Sibyl Allston is trying to cope with the tragedy that struck her family when her mother and younger sister perished on the fatal sinking. For three years Sibyl attends regular séances with other members of Boston's aristocracy, who also lost relatives when Titanic sank, and hopes to soothe her pain and guilt by contacting her mother and sister for forgiveness and understanding. As her desperation and determination to make sense of what happened lead her to a dark world of visions, magic and opium dens, she turns for help to the man who once broke her heart, Harvard psychology professor Benton Jones. In 1915 Boston, Sibyl and Benton try to understand her visions, save her younger brother from a self-destructive future and put an end to the curse that torments her family ever since her father was a young man. Throughout the story, brief interludes take us back to the past, aboard the Titanic, for the last moments of Helen and Eulah Allston and in 1868 Shanghai, where the story of young Captain Lannie Allston begins.

I was really looking forward to this novel, after reading the exceptional The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe, and although it is not as brilliant, I wasn't exactly disappointed. Once again, Howe created very well developed, real and likable characters, drawn with great insight and care, taking into consideration their social environment, but at the same time, making them accessible enough for a contemporary reader to identify with. Similarly, the atmosphere of this novel is great; from the dining room of the Titanic and the international settlement of Shanghai, to Boston's opium dens, upscale tearooms and the halls of Harvard's libraries, everything is presented with vivid descriptions and great historical detail. The plot revolves around a very interesting and original idea, and is filled with interesting revelations and narrative twists, but somehow it remains incomplete, with too many loose ends and underdeveloped storylines. It almost feels like a fascinating puzzle, with beautiful pieces, which when put together, fail to create a complete picture. Also, personally, I felt that the ending was a little too pessimistic and dark. However, despite its shortcomings, the book is beautifully written, captivating and I just couldn't put it down.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! 10 Feb 2013
By Claire
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Loved the Deliverance Dane book and it took a while but the second is here, read and enjoyed. Author is a little like Barbara Erskine and she makes the characters come alive. Hopefully there won't be such a gap between this book and the next one.
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