A Half Forgotten Song

A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb.

Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks;(May 28, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0062234463

 

From the Back Cover

A spellbinding tale about the power of love, the danger of obsession, and the unfaithful nature of memory, A Half Forgotten Song is by turns haunting, joyous, and heartbreaking

1937. In a windswept village on the Dorset coast, fourteen-year-old Mitzy Hatcher has endured a wild and lonely upbringing. But the arrival of renowned artist Charles Aubrey, along with his exotic mistress and their two daughters, changes everything. Over the course of three summers, Mitzy develops a deep and abiding bond with the Aubrey household, gradually becoming Charles's muse. Slowly, she begins to perceive a future she had never thought possible—and a powerful love is kindled in her. A love that will grow as she does: from innocence to obsession; from childish infatuation to something far more dangerous.

Years later, a young man in an art gallery happens upon a hastily drawn portrait and is intrigued by its curious intensity. The questions he asks lead him to the seaside village—and to the truth about those fevered summers of long ago.

Another enjoyable read!  I'm on a roll!

Once again it takes place in England. (sigh)  When a young man, newly divorced, goes searching for information on an Artist that he was trying to write a book about, his life changes... a lot!

Most of the book is told a memories of an old lady who once knew the artist Charles Aubrey.   Her youth.  Her adoration. and her obsession with him.   All makes you wonder what's true and what's fantasy?!  You guess about half of the answers but that other half is doled out in small increments.  It keeps you coming back to see if you are right or wrong.    Sometimes you are right... for a while.  Then the story changes and maybe you aren't right!

Along with all her memories, there are some "new" Aubrey drawings that come up for sale of a man named Dennis.  Who is Dennis? No one seems to know.  I will say that eventually you find out, but I don't want to say too much or you'll know the who story.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit.  I believe this is the second book I've read by Katherine Webb.  The first being The Legacy, which I also enjoyed. And if I remember right, it also concerned old memories.  I like that format as you feel you are really learning  a lot about the character.