The House of Velvet and Glass

By: Katherine Howe

Narrated by: Heather Corrigan

Katherine Howe, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, returns with an entrancing historical novel set in Boston in 1915, where a young woman stands on the cusp of a new century, torn between loss and love, driven to seek answers in the depths of a crystal ball.

Still reeling from the deaths of her mother and sister on the Titanic, Sibyl Allston is living a life of quiet desperation with her taciturn father and scandal-plagued brother in an elegant town house in Boston's Back Bay. Trapped in a world over which she has no control, Sybil flees for solace to the parlor of a table-turning medium.

But when her brother is suddenly kicked out of Harvard under mysterious circumstances and falls under the sway of a strange young woman, Sibyl turns for help to psychology professor Benton Jones, despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past. As Benton and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, their long-simmering spark flares to life, and they realize that there may be something even more magical between them than a medium's scrying glass.

From the opium dens of Boston's Chinatown to the opulent salons of high society, from the back alleys of colonial Shanghai to the decks of the Titanic, The House of Velvet and Glass weaves together meticulous period detail, intoxicating romance, and a final shocking twist in a breathtaking novel that will thrill readers.

Bonus features in the eBook: Katherine Howe's essay on scrying; Boston Daily Globe article on the Titanic from April 15, 1912; and a Reading Group Guide and Q&A with the author, Katherine Howe.

Interesting

Any additional comments?

This was my first audible, and I enjoyed it very much. It is fiction, but was well researched for historical accuracy.

Interesting Twist

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The twist in this book makes the story worth reading. Really sad...but still a satisfying ending.

Any additional comments?

The author's first book was better, but this one is still good.

great story

great story and very engaging. The only disappointing part is that even though this is part of a series, it had nothing to do with her first novel. But I did love this book.

It's okay.

I think if you like historical novels, you might like this.

For me this was a bit of a slog. The writing style is fine. The reader was fine. I had a hard time getting interested in the plot; heck, I had a hard time *finding* the plot. Actually, when the reader said, "Epilogue," I was a bit surprised; I felt like the long, long exposition was just wrapping up and now we were finally headed for some conflict development. So, I guess I'm saying I found it dull. But that is a highly personal opinion, and probably not shared by most people who read this. Do not let my need for proverbial car chases and explosions dissuade you from giving this a try.

The book has some good insights into the human experience. It did spark thought, which is very much to the author's credit. I suspect part of my lack of enthusiasm was that I already knew what happened on the date mentioned at the start of the first chapter, so the "surprise" ending fell a bit flat, and the rest of the book repeated that pattern. I think because I am somewhat acquainted with a few important historical dates already, the effect of the suspense in the text was a bit like listening to your nephew tell you a knock knock joke you've known for 30 years; you saw that punchline coming from word one.

It's not a romance. It's not really a paranormal book. It wasn't a mystery. I do not think it rises to the level of great literature; that is to say I don't think teachers with force feed this to teenagers. I think I would put this one on the "Historical Fiction" shelf. If that's your bag, give it a go.

meh

Narration was awkward with added commas and robot-like speaking at times. was disappointed that the story line didn't really tire in with the first book in the series