Alyson Richman

Released just a few weeks ago, THE MISSING PAGES is absorbing historical fiction combining first love, grief, wealth, secrets, Harvard University and the doomed Titanic. There's even a bit of the supernatural. What more could you want? And it's from one of my favorite authors, Alyson Richman, whose writing just keeps getting better and better.

Chapters in THE MISSING PAGES alternate between two stories, with two timelines, and two distinct narrators:

The first is Harry Elkins Widener show more (1885-1912), a wealthy American businessman with a passion for collecting rare books, who was one of the 1500 people lost on April 15, 1912, when the unsinkable luxury liner, RMS Titanic, hit an iceberg and sank. To memorialize her son and his love of books, Harry's mother, Eleanor Elkins Widener (1861-1937) will eventually spend $2 million to build Harvard University's Widener Library, now the centerpiece of its library system and the permanent home of Harry's collection.

The second narrator is a fictional Harvard University junior, Violet Hutchins, also a book lover. In 1992, she works a part-time job at Widener library that involves transcribing Harry Widener's letters for a researcher. Violet is also a young woman recovering from a traumatic personal loss.

Harry's story reflects all the glamour we associate with the Gilded Age. Coming from wealth and privilege, he is free to pursue his love of books without limits, including expensive trans Atlantic travel. What he doesn't expect though in this last journey is finding romance.

Violet's story shows her discovering the power of her own intelligence, curiosity, and diligence. Together, they lead her to a remarkable and long lost secret. Work that helps her heal from a recent personal tragedy.

I don't want to say more about the plot so you can fully enjoy its delicious unfolding. Alyson Richman is one of the more intelligent and gifted writers I've come across. If you haven't read her, you're in for a treat. Because in this book, she has created a compelling plot through skillful blending of historic fact and her own rich imagination.

Richman maintains equal drama and tension in both unfolding storylines. Her characters are smart, complex, and deeply human. By the end of the book, I wanted everything the author imagined to be real. THE MISSING PAGES demonstrates that it IS possible to write a novel with multiple timeframes, without being formulaic, heavy-handed or clumsy. It just takes the right writer.

I can't wait for Richman's next offering because, whatever the topic, I know it will be well executed and completely captivating. show less

Another powerful story from one of my favorite authors. Alyson Richman always delivers an emotion-filled plot that explores the variety of strong ties that bind humans to one another. How do those bonds form? And what can tear them apart?

Here is the set-up:

Maggie is a twenties-something middle school English teacher who completely loves her job. There’s nothing that turns her on more than igniting that spark of knowledge in a reluctant child. She’s also just found the home of her dreams show more and moved in with her long-standing boyfriend, as an expected prelude to marriage.

Sasha and Katya are Ukrainian immigrants whose lives revolve around their 11 year old son, Yuri, who was born with a serious heart defect. Yuri turns out to be a bright, sensitive, and curious child with a wisdom well beyond his years.

Knowing and respecting her passion for teaching, the school principal asks Maggie to take on some home tutoring responsibilities with Yuri, so he can keep up with his grade level until he is well enough to return to a transitional classroom. And while Maggie approaches the assignment with some hesitancy, the relationship she forms with Yuri soon becomes central to her life.

There are other characters, every one of which is fully three-dimensional and adds to the richness of the plot. (Richman simply doesn’t bring in superfluous characters. Even minor ones add depth to your understanding of people.) Maggie’s art teacher-friend, Susie, is a quirky, but steadfast sounding board. The new music teacher possesses an innate understanding of Yuri’s isolation. Maggie’s Italian-Irish parents are supportive and helpful, often by supplying food. And one of Maggie’s students, Finn, demonstrates what it means to be a true friend.

I won’t offer more about the plot, for fear of spoiling the reading experience. You will learn about Sasha and Katya’s backstory and how the presence of a chronically ill child can impact a loving marriage. You will see how Maggie’s growing attachment to Yuri causes her to question some of her own relationships and encourages her to push Yuri’s parents beyond their comfort zones. And I promise you will cry at least once before the book is over.

I did see what I felt were a few flaws in the book. There’s a significant jump in time near the end that seemed a bit abrupt, though it gave Richman the opportunity to tie up some loose ends. But overall, don’t miss this one. show less

Author Alyson Richman never disappoints; she's one of my favorites. THE TIME KEEPERS, a novel about the, is her latest and so full of heart and soul, I am compelled to give it five stars on Goodreads.

This is a multi-dimensional look at the Vietnam War (1955 - 1975), from the perspective of people who experienced it in vastly different ways:

• Anh and Bao (aunt and nephew) show us the hardship they experienced in Vietnam during the war.

• We witness a harrowing tale of what many of the show more 800,000 boat people experienced when they risked all to leave Vietnam at the end of the war, when North Vietnam took over the South.

• Jack, a Marine, illustrates the American soldier's experience fighting in the unpopular war and its lingering consequences on his life once he returns home.

• There's also the Golden family (Tom, Grace, Katie, and Molly) who show the best of what Americans at home did for returning vets.

• And others who illustrate the worst of what Americans at home did to returning vets.

Richman's considerable skill in weaving these well-researched stories together is what makes THE TIME KEEPERS such a rich and deeply emotional novel. The book does move back and forth in time, shifting from character to character (a technique I find to be overused and annoying). But those time and story shifts seem to work and did not detract from my involvement with the characters. Instead, I came to care so deeply for them. So much so that I cried at the end. Don't miss this one. show less

Harry Widener is a wealthy collector of rare books. He takes a trip to England to buy a rare book, promising to keep it close on the voyage home on The Titanic. Unfortunately he and his father perish. In his honor, his mother builds the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library at Harvard to memorialize her son and house his book collection. Current day, Violet is an undergrad at Harvard, recovering from her own loss. She is working as a page at Widener Library when strange things begin to show more happen. She becomes obsessed with finding out why these occurrences are happening.

This is another book I HAD to read. The heartfelt prologue gave me so many emotions that I couldn’t put it down. Dual timelines that seamlessly interacted. Characters so realistic and relatable you couldn’t help but become part of their story. Original storyline that was equal parts historical fiction, paranormal and mystery. I have always been fascinated with the Titanic and this story did not disappoint. Adding the paranormal twist was perfect for this time of year. I hated to see this book end. All the feels for this beautifully written book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Union Sq. And Co for this ARC. This is my honest opinion. show less