The Swan House: A Novel

This is my second reading of this book, both times for a book club. This book is so wonderful! So much history surrounding Atlanta, Georgia. This book starts out with a plane crash in Orly, Paris France, that I knew nothing about until I read this book. If you have a chance, I recommend watching a youtube video, The Day Atlanta Stood Still. It’s so good.

This book is a coming of age story about Mary Swan Middleton. She has wealth, prestige, and tragedy and sorrow. She has to come to terms with her mom’s past, racism, the wealthy and the poor, romance and faith. Her story is heartfelt and honest. It’s been a joy to travel this road with her and watch her grow into a mature young lady.

This is a beautifully written Christian fiction show more that will keep you turning the pages, laughing, crying, and enjoying every moment. And the wonderful thing is that there are two more books that follow up this story. The Dwelling Place and The Promised Land. I’m looking forward to reading them. show less

Since I'm a rare Atlanta native, I found this book quite interesting. The main event, the plane crash at Orly in Paris, really happened, and the book centers on that to some degree. The main character, Mary Swan, loses her mother in the crash. There really is a Swan House in Atlanta - no relation to the main character. Mary Swan learns a lot about her mother and herself. This is a Christian book with a strong message about love and acceptance on many levels, even concerning civil rights issues.

What a wonderful, tragic and yet, uplifting story. I was immersed into this book almost immediately and felt as if I were actually part of the book. Grief, faith, friendships, secrets, and civil rights are just a few of the subjects in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking for the rest of the Swan House Series!

This is what I call Christian fiction at it's best. The story was moving and the characters grabbed my interest. The gospel message was hopeful and integrated into the story. The main character, Mary Swan, had a profound conversion experience that came out of her experiences and her responses. If you are a person that enjoys Christian fiction I easily can recommend this book.

This book was so preachy, I slogged through it because it was a book club selection. Not very well written but the story was okay.

Mary Swan Middleton has always taken for granted the advantages of her family's wealth. But a tragedy that touches all of Atlanta sends her reeling in grief.
When the family maid challenges her to reach out to the less fortunate as a way to ease her own pain, Mary Swan meets Carl-and everything changes. For although Carl is her opposite in nearly every way, he has something her privileged life could not give he. And when she seeks his help to uncover a mystery, she learns far more than she could ever have imagined.

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