Book Review of
Dear Mr. Knightly
Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.
But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.
As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.
Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.
Lynn's Review
I don’t read a lot of fiction or novels. I read some, but I usually prefer non-fiction. However, I loved this book. I read it in two days. It was a fun and easy book to read. It is a modern day version of Jane Austen. So if you enjoy Jane Austen I think you will enjoy this one.
Without giving away too much, I will say that the book is about a modern day girl who has had a rough life. She receives a grant to go to college. As part of the grant she has to write letters to the donor detailing how life and school are going. You learn about her life, her hardships, and how she overcomes them through the letters that she writes.
When I started the book I was not sure I was going to enjoy it, but by the end of the second chapter I was hooked and could not put it down.