Product Description

When mattie Gokey is given a bundle of letters to burn she fully intends to execute the wishes of the giver, Grace Brown. When Grace Brown is found drowned the next day in Big Moose Lake, Mattie finds that it is not as easy to burn those letters as she had thought. And, as she reads, a riveting story emerges - not only Grace Brown's story but also Mattie's hopes and ambitions for the future and her relationships with her friends and family. Published to widespread acclaim this wonderful novel, part murder mystery and part coming-of-age story, is an astounding and accomplished piece of literature. The reviews say it all

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25148 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
'The wonderfully confident debut by Jennifer Donnelly.' Lindsay Fraser, Sunday Herald 'A GATHERING LIGHT is a remarkable debut, a book that sweeps across the genre boundaries of murder, mystery, romance, and historical fiction - resulting in an original novel that is both gripping and touching.' Scott Turow 'If ever a book deserved to cross over, this is it this is a wonderfully rich, involving and beautifully written book.' Adele Geras, Guardian 'Part history, part compelling murder mystery, Jennifer Donnelly's A GATHERING LIGHT brings the past to powerful and vivid life.' Celia Rees

From the Publisher
'A Gathering Light is a remarkable debut, a book that sweeps across the genre boundaries of murder, mystery, romance, and historical fiction - resulting in an original novel that is both gripping and touching.' SCOTT TUROW

About the Author
Jennifer Donnelly lives in Brooklyn, New York. This is her first novel and marks the beginning of an incredibly assured and confident literary voice.

Customer Reviews

WONDERFUL!!
Upon reading the first few pages of this book, I thought it might be another one of those borderline books which doesn't really leave much of an impression. I was very wrong!
It is a story of a young girl who loves books and has a dream of one day being a writer. However Mattie Gokey must set these dreams aside to look after her sisters and her overworked father since her mother had died. Set in 1906, Matties story is fictional but is tied together beautifully with the story of a real girl who was murdered in the same year as the story is set.
The book flows in such a wonderful way and although the chapters alternate between seasons, it is not at all confusing and this actually adds to the emotional strength of the story.
A very heartfelt story, it is really easy to relate to the battle between Mattie's family, and the promise she made to her mother to look after them, and Matties's dreams, of finding her own feet in the world through her writing.
As Mattie reads Grace Browns letters,(the name of the murdered girl), their worlds seem to merge, they are so different yet strong connections between the two may change Mattie's life forever. This is a definite recommendation, a truly lovely story.

Perfection
It's the middle of the morning and I've just finished reading this book, having had a hundred other things to do. I honestly can't see how it could have been any better. Mattie is a wonderful heroine, so clever and honest and likeable, and the plot is so deftly woven around the murder mystery and lots of other mysteries too. You just have to keep reading to find out what happens. Will Mattie find the courage and selfishness to leave home, or will she marry handsome Royal Loomis instead? What will happen to her sisters and her father? What will become of her friend Weaver and his mother, her inspiring teacher, Miss Wilcox, and all the other beautifully drawn characters in this engrossing story? If I've made it sound trite, it's definitely not. Almost unbearably sad one minute and funny the next -
'Miss Wilcox once said that books are dangerous things, too. Maybe in the right hands. A book could only be dangerous in Clara Simms's hands if she hit someone over the head with it.'

The kind of book you're sad to finish, even as you race to the end.

Excellent!
When I first started reading A Gathering Light, I did not know what to expect. I had a feeling I would dislike it. Contrary to my opinions, I enjoyed it.

Set in 1906 New York State, the book chapters alternate between July and April. The plot revolves around the main character Mathilda Gokey, known as Mattie. She is striving to go on to a college education and become a writer, while coping with responsibilities on the family farm, and a relationship with the boy next door. But things take a turn for the worse, when both her boyfriend and teacher turn out to be someone they are not.
The book then ends with a chilling, real life account of the murder that the book is based on.

A great read, which kept me hooked. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would recommend to all. Excellent, fab, stupendous!