China Court: The Hours of a Country House

by Rumer Godden

Book Overview

For more than half a century, Rumer Godden has been known as one of the finest and subtlest writers of our day (Saturday Review). Now one of her most endearing classics is being reissued for a new generation of readers. China Court is the story of the hours and days of a country house in Wales and five generations of the family who inhabited it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688117228
• ISBN13: 9780688117221
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 358 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A quiet delight

Rumer Godden spins a complex and delicate tale of family, and time, and love. Past, present, and future weave around each other in layers of story centering on an old family home and the generations who live and hate and love there. I first read this story many years ago, and I still find many of Ms Godden's strong characters and unique turns of phrase vivid in my mind. I would recommend this book without hesitation - a re-readable joy.

Echoes of the Past and Future

This is one of my favorite books of all time, definitely in my personal Top 10, one I recommend to everyone who's a serious reader of fiction. To those uninitiated into Godden's unique writing style, it might seem stilted, aging badly, a typical mid-century "women's novel," but there is something wonderful in store for those who take the plunge. For a non-science-fiction novel, this book deals with time in an almost-magical-realism manner. Yes, in some ways it's just one more of those multi-generational-family novels, but the 100-plus years covered all seem to take place simultaneously, the past informing the present, the future humming softly in the shadows. On one page, in one paragraph, even, you might hear dialogue from any one of the vast cast of characters, living at any point of the house's existence. Something else I like very much about this book---the way we get to know this fictional family slowly, intimately, secrets and warts and all, echoing the way you might get become familiar with any new set of friends...As a bonus, there are lovely, intricate, twining, twisting plot-lines about rare books, beautiful gardens, destiny, love, and the wild Cornish countryside. I can't recommend it highly enough, even though I know perfectly well that there are philistines out there who will dislike it...and I think it's criminal that it's gone out of print again. Hunt it down! Buy it! Read it! You won't be sorry.

Rumer Godden's pen is dipped in a magical ink!

I fell into this book as into water and didn't come up until the last word. I cannot say enough about Rumer Godden's gift for words. I keep hoping I will find something I haven't read by her. I would encourage anyone to read every word she has ever written. It is like being in the middle of riches! Read the children's books!! The child in us loves all of her books. Enjoy!

my favorite book ever

I read China Court first as a teen. It has always meant so much to me that it became my favorite.The strong thread of family and the sense of family traditions continuing in the house has been its biggest appeal. I have seen myself as Ripsie the outsider but probably sympathize with Eliza much more as I grow older. She had such frustrations over her limited life as a Victorian woman. I still read it now and then just for the beauty of the language.

Loved this book as a teenager.

When I was about 15, I fell in love with this book, and really enjoyed reading about the family and the clay pit and the making of china. I was fascinated with the "Book of Hours", but didn't understand about matins, and lauds, etc. Would like to read this book again. Other books by Rumer Godden have also been enjoyed. Libby