GREAT HOUSE A NOVEL By Nicole Krauss

This book has sat on my bookshelf for several years; on the shelf I reserve for immediate reading. I don't know why it took me so long to pick it up and begin as I was mesmerized by this tale of a great looming desk that seemed hovered over everyone who sat at it, and the relationships of the people who owned, borrowed, or searched for this desk. The book is in two parts with four chapters in each part. The four chapters in part I are revisited in part II, and none of the chapters are told in order. As I read I admit I was confused to how the story played out in sequence, but when I got to part II it started to become more clear, albeit, still murky.  Upon finishing this wonderful book I went to the table of contents and made notes trying to link the sequence of the stories of these lives. The chapters in both parts have the same titles which helped me as I reread parts of the like named chapters to help with my sequencing of the story.  Some of you may be incredulous that I would even try to put the entire story in sequence. Normally when reading a book written in this style I am not concerned with analyzing and sequencing the story as I accept the book as I originally interpreted it. But with GREAT HOUSE I needed to make that connection, I needed the right sequence, and once I found it one of the mysteries of the book came to light. I am happy.