Righting the Hourglass

by Lisa Blumberg

As World War II rages, Olivia Ord, an educated London woman, and her young children Amelia and Stephen shelter in bucolic Devon. After V-E Day, her husband Craig returns from military duty and the family reunites in the city, where the four of them share the highest of hopes for their future together. Twenty months later, though, as a result of bad advice and miscommunication, they are in East Africa where they are inexorably drawn into the dying embers of colonial life. The consequences reverberate through the decades and across continents as Amelia, who is seemingly the most impacted, re-invents herself in America in an attempt to regain for her family what they have lost. As a next generation reaches adulthood under very different circumstances, Amelia learns a secret Olivia has kept and everything comes full circle back to Devon. This is a soaring story of love, separation, fallibility and unexpected second chances.

352 pages, Paperback

Published April 5, 2019

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems to want to be an indictment of the British Boarding School tradition, along with class and racial discrimination. However, the actual reading of it comes across as the tirades of a particularly odious, precocious child who seems angelic until she is crossed in any way or told that life can't be the way she wants all the time. Unfortunately, it is the first person narrator, Amelia Ord, who is the willful, self-superior protagonist! It is evident that she (and I'm assuming it's in the voice of the author) desires to be thought of as liberal, free-thinking, and open to diversity, but that backfires in the blatant face of her repeated actions of throwing relentless tantrums, being outspokenly rude, and separating herself voluntarily from any socialization which she does instigate. in a word, she is INSUFFERABLE! And we are subjected to 354 pages of her self-righteous diatribes! (Note: I found it ironic and amusing that Amelia makes a rather offhand reference to BARTLEBY THE SCRIVENER, whom she very much resembles with her constant refrain: "I would prefer NOT to--whatever," just as he would have said!)

So why the 3 stars, which indicate "I liked it?"
First of all, good question! But here is the answer: it was well-written, even if I think it missed its intended mark. It had almost flawless grammar and no vulgarity or explicit sex or violence. It took the reader to a lesser-known African nation: Tanganyika (now Tanzania.)
Another odd thing about this book, is that it changed gears about two-thirds of the way through, when Amelia, now called Amy, marries Mike Klein and they move to his home state of New Jersey in the U.S. After one final, public tantrum (from a woman of 26 years old!) she, at last, starts to grow up and becomes semi-likable. Which brings me to another theme of the book that I really applauded, which is how precious family is and how important raising one's own children is. I was pleasantly surprised by the turn Amelia took, after receiving so many accolades during her educational years and knowing that she would have been a huge success in any field she chose to pursue, instead she followed a rather modest career for a few years before committing to becoming a full-time mother.
Lastly, I believe this narrative would have been MUCH better and tighter if about half of the first part had been eliminated. It set a redundant pattern that was boring and predictable.

[Jennifer Molyneaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. The narrator is a girl, from the time she was very small, about 4 through her adulthood. It starts in England during WWII. She and her brother and mother leave London for the country. Her father is in the RAF. After the war, the family goes to East Africa bc her father is an engineer in the foreign service. She and her brother are sent to boarding school, which she just HATES. It's a very long book, but it kept my interest.

[Linda Isbell]

I lived in Uganda for a year and was drawn to read this book because of the Kenya connection for Amelia, the main character. I kept reading the book, long after the Kenya stories had come to an end and I couldn't quite figure out why. There was nothing earth shattering, nothing challenging to ponder (even though the Ord family was ahead of their time on many social issues), nothing about writing style or use of exceptional vocabulary. But it was simply a charming story of the various aspects, good and bad, of family relationships - written from first person which drew me into the story in a very personal way. The book is filled with family stories punctuated with personal reflection of Amelia's sometimes emotional responses to life. There is lots of goodness in the story and enough references to actual events over the decades she covers that you can plant yourself firmly in the context. An enjoyable read if you want to delve into the roller coaster of a family whose life spanned 3 continents in the countries of England, Kenya and the US.

[Judith L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not care for this book

This novel was a disappointing, boring story of a young girls never ending bitterness over being sent away to boarding school. This bitterness carried on throughout her charmed and privileged life. A successful career, a perfect marriage, wonderful children and friends. The woman could not read the children’s book “ Madeline” to her own kids cause it triggered her memories of boarding school! I could see if the boarding schools were abusive or horrible, but apparently she could never overcome being separated from her mother. I kept waiting for something tragic or a twist of fate to happen to this woman, but nothing but happiness came her way! At the end, the litany of marriages and children being born went on and on, honestly you couldn’t keep track of who was who and I really didn’t care!

[Judy Hand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good story

I so enjoyed the authors description of emotion. I was right there with her the whole time. I don't often cry while reading but , did during this story.

[Millie Hertzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Amelia and her turbulent life as a child and then the later part of her life was quite different. A good read!

[Tricia Mulanax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overall idealistic story / saga. Somewhat anticlimactic.