Housewrights

by Art Corriveau

Book Overview

Set in a small Vermont town in the early decades of the twentieth century, Housewrights tells the story of Lily Willard, the town librarian, and her relationship with Oren and Ian Pritchard, housewrights who roam New England building houses for others though they themselves are homeless. Lily first meets the twins when they are children, and the boys arrive with their father to build Lily's family a new farmhouse. Ten years later, Oren returns for Lily. He asks her to marry him. She agrees, if he will settle down-for the first time in his life. Always lurking, though, is the question of Ian, off fighting the Great War. But when he returns, shell-shocked and wounded, Lily welcomes him into their home. Eyebrows are raised only silently at this unusual household, until one evening at the Grange Hall dance the three take a heady, impetuous waltz together-with practically the entire town watching. Rich in detail and emotion, this unforgettable novel marks the debut of a singular storyteller who writes with extraordinary beauty, depth, and clarity.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142002097
• ISBN13: 9780142002094
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Loved this book!!

This book was the best thing I had read in a long time. It is a story about love and romance, taking place in the early 20th century in Vermont. It is the story of a woman and her relationship with twins, first as children and playmates, and then later as her husband and her brother-in-law. The emotions run high in this book as the main character Lily determines how she feels for Oren and Ian, and whether she has made the right choice in marrying Oren. This author captures the essence of Lily's mind in determining how to deal with town scandals, birth, death, and life.Looking forward to more works from this author!!

Don't Miss This One

I couldn't put this book down. It was so mesmerizing and unusual, yet thoroughly believable. I found myself transported into the small town world of Lily Willard and fell in love with Oren and Ian Pritchard right along with her. I didn't want it to end. Art Corriveau is an enchanting and talented writer, and I can't wait for his next book.

Well Worth My Time

I hate wasting my valuable time reading a so-so book with a terrible ending. Most books I read fall under either this category or are just plain stupid right from the beginning.I am happy to say Housewrights does NOT fall under either of these two categories! It is a great read. Housewrights is actually a remarkably short book that tells a very detailed, complete story. The twins' relationship is fascinating, and I absolutely loved Lily. One sign of a good book is when you actually care about the characters. I actually cried during the last few pages of this one!Super writing, lovable characters, a plot that is interesting, background characters who are developed. Need I say more? You'll be happy you read this one, just as I was! I can't wait for Art's next book.

Engaging storytelling! I want more.

This is one of the two best books I've read recently (the other is Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones). It sucks you right in and offers a wonderful sense of mystery (the relationship between the twins is quite mysterious), along with a great story. This book easily could have been a disaster in lesser hands. Romance, twins, historical setting...it's all elements for melodrama in someone else's book. But in this one, it all weaves together brilliantly. Perhaps the highest praise for a first novel, Mr. Corriveau knows when NOT saying anything is far more interesting than telling you too much. He's got the balance just right.BTW - I just recommended this to my friend for her bookclub. This one is perfect for reading and discussing.

I loved this book!

I won't give you a plot synopsis since you can read it above, and any more information runs the risk of spoiling your enjoyment. What I do want to say is that this book has all the things I look for: fully developed, appealing characters, a story line that carries you along, and maybe most importantly, a very satisfying ending. Oh wait, one more thing--really beautiful prose. Not fancy-shmancy intimidating prose, just simple and elegant. You won't find any grammatical mistakes anywhere, which I am finding increasingly rare these days. And don't think you need to be a historical fiction buff to enjoy this book; the challenges and situations faced by the characters are timeless. When I was through reading Housewrights all I wanted was to start it over again, and I can't think of a higher recommendation than that.