Customer Reviews

The Swan House (The Swan House Series #1)

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Elizabeth Musser captures the spirit of Atlanta in the 1960s in an incredible manner, from the traditional language of the Varsity (one of our best-known fast food resturants) to the Georgia Tech vs. University of Georgia football game. The characters were believable, with believable faults and talents. Everybody in the book was startlingly real. The plot was well developed, and it kept me guessing until the last few pages. I was caught up into the story very quickly. Musser's writing style is exceptional. The story flows well and is an easy read. Musser talks about buildings and places in Atlanta and the surrounding areas that still exist, making the story even more real. The main character is a 16-year-old girl, who is dealing with the loss of a parent, racism against her friends, and a kind lady named Miss Alice who has something special in her heart. I think this book is absolutely wonderful and should be read by anyone who has even heard about Atlanta. I wish Amazon.com gave me the option for more stars! "The Swan House" deserves many more than 5!

For native Atlantans,The Swan House brings back many memories both tragic and nostalgic.But this excellent historical fiction novel will capture the imagination of readers from all over the globe!It is a story that starts with a tragic plane crash in Paris in 1962,how a 16 year girl deals with loosing a parent and her coming of age and becoming aware of the great differences between rich and poor and black and white in this era of segregation in the South.A powerful story!

This was a great read! I grew up in Atlanta during the '60's in the same area of Atlanta as the character in the book, as well as the area the author lived.(I attended the "other" private school just down the road she mentions in the story!)Elizabeth writes from a point of view one could only do having been there or knowing someone who had. I kept feeling I was experiencing "deja vu" with every page I turned.When I read about Mary Swan going to the High Museum and seeing the J.J.Haverty Collection it was too much! I too went as a young girl and viewed the same collection with my mother, who was also an artist--"Mr. J.J." was my great grandfather!If anyone wants to know what Atlanta was like back then, this is a great and very enjoyable resource of historical fiction. An interesting side note - The author writes that she is married to a protestant minister and has two sons named Andrew and Christopher. Same here!"Deja vu" again!

The Swan House was about a young girl, Mary Swan, who lost her mother in the tragic Orly plane crash. This book shows how Mary Swan struggles with her loss, when her family maid suggests volunteering at a church, serving meals to the poor and homeless. During that time, she meets two people who change her life: a black boy named Carl and a kind woman named Abigail, who leads her to Christ. In the meantime, she is asked to solve a mystery for her school, where she learns more about her mother and about herself than what she has bargained for.

I loved the character development in this book. The author did a great job describing the characters and what made them the way they are: how Mary Swan's mother suffered from depression due to issues from her past, Carl's family background, and how Abigail came to serve at the church in the inner city.

This books was clearly well researched. I traveled to Atlanta once for work, and it was so interesting hearing about the various sites in that city. I loved the history of Coca-Cola. It was also clear that race relations in the 60's in the south were well-researched and well-depicted, as well as the plane crash. I also thought that the author did a great job with presenting mental illness, that depression is not something really terrible, but something that there is no shame getting help for.

The author also described several lessons very well. She described that black and white people can and should be friends with one another, and that the truth shall set you free. I loved the Raven/Swan symbolism (ie. the black and white races, life and death, etc). I really loved how Mary Swan's mother described church--as a place where one should be able to be him/herself and not have to paint a happy face all the time.

I did feel that some of the dialogue was a little lengthy. There was some confusion over Mary Swan's gifts--was she a poet or an artist? The book leads you to think initially that she was a writer, then midway, shows that she paints. Also, it would have been interesting to see what happened to the characters. Obviously, Mary Swan does have a daughter, but did she marry Robbie? What happened to Carl, Miss Abigail, and her brother? How far did Trixie and her dad get in their new relationship?

All in all, this was a great book and well worth your money.

The Swan House is set in the 1960's and shows many of the attitudes and prejudices of the time. It is a heart warming story with a strong Christian line. I would catorgize it as a historical novel since I learned so much about various places in Atlanta GA, history of the names of those places such as "Buckhead". I felt the story really dragged in several places and it really did not pick up the pace until last 70 pages.
Still, I am glad I read the book.

Swan House is a novel that I defintely did not want to end. Elizabeth Musser creates respect, passion, and compassion for both Atlanta's history and Mary Swan's story. The characters are genuine and believable. And after I saw the documentary film about the 1962 Orly Airport crash--THE DAY ATLANTA STOOD STILL, I had even more admiration and yes, some envy for Musser's creative weaving. She writes the kind of story I would like to tell.

The Swan House has a title and a cover that drew me in. I imagined this story to be about an old, possibly deserted mansion with secrets to hide. This book has plenty of secrets but none were about the house. In fact the house really didn't have much to do with the story. I felt the title was out of place.

The Swan House is a Christian fiction novel. If I had known that I might never have bought it. Not that I'm not a Christian, I am but it's not the kind of fiction I typically care to read. And I'm not adverse to the message of the love of Jesus. I love Jesus and have a deep and rewarding relationship with God. The message doesn't appeal to me when delivered as fiction. I have plenty of religious and spiritual books on my list that I want to read to learn and grow on my own personal path.

Mary Swan is a charming and talented 16 year old in the 1960's. She loses her mother in a plane crash and finds herself as she searches to uncover her mother's secrets. This novel is steeped in the racial discord of the era. The author paints a picture of poverty, hate and the power of love.

The Swan House is well written. It was too long however. At least 100 pages could have been edited out. I did finish it. I'm not a quitter. I might have skimmed a little bit toward the end. I listened to the message and felt a little bit closer to God. I rate this book a 3 out of 5.

Linda C. Wright
Author
One Clown Short

This book would have been great if it had been about 100 pages shorter. So many places just dragged. Good story, good charcters, loved learning about Atlanta...so all in all not a bad read. BUT if you are not a fan of Christian books this is not for you.

I live in Atlanta and have been to the Swan House,I remember the airplane tragedy, and I can draw a mental map of the Buckhead area. Although this knowledge may have enhanced my enjoyment of this book, anyone from any city will get into the conflicts shown here. I laughed out loud and cried until I had to step outside for a few minutes. I wish everyone would read it! I'm sending my sister a copy for Christmas.

I love Southern literature, ranging from William Faulkner to Ferrol Sams to Pat Conroy. I most enjoy reading about Atlanta in the 60's and 70's, and Elizabeth Musser does a wonderful job of writing a fictional story with realistic facts about Atlanta during this time. I immediately wanted to buy this book, just by its title. It was a wonderful story, and I was riveted from the beginning.