The Missing Pages” by Alyson Richman is a perfect title for a novel about love, loss, and those who adore books. Bibliophiles are smitten by the scent of paper and ink; they love to sit in the peaceful silence of libraries and peruse vast selections of books; they love to meet other bibliophiles and talk books. And sometimes, as in this beautifully narrated story, they fall in love. There is much loss in these pages, but there is also much love.
The story unfolds in a dual time line which works exquisitely well in Alyson Richman’s capable hands. Harry Widener, a Harvard graduate made famous by the library created in his honor by his loving mother after he died on the Titanic, relates his story. We learn about his love of books and his passion for collecting them. We learn about his privileged life as the scion of a very wealthy family. And we learn about his private life, which even his family was unaware of. As a first person narrator, Harry’s voice is word perfect, conveying his emotions, his history, and the wisdom he has amassed over the many years.
We also learn about Violet Hutchins, who in 1992 often feels out of place as a sophomore at Harvard, among the many students who come from extremely wealthy families. Her own family is of modest means, and they don’t have summer homes, yachts, or country club memberships. Her boyfriend Hugo drowned while they were out on a beautiful summer day, and Violet is still very much reeling from the loss. Because while Hugo was “just” her boyfriend, she was deeply in love with him and she misses him from the depths of her soul.
When Violet begins to work in the Harry Widener Memorial Library, she almost immediately senses something off. She smells tobacco, which certainly isn’t allowed in the library. Books drop off shelves. A piece of a frame drops at her feet. And she feels a strange connection to Harry Widener, whose portrait is featured in the magnificent recreation of his personal library, complete with his desk and chair. There have been rumors about his ghost wandering Harvard, and strange happenings.
Violet is put in charge of ordering the fresh flowers that are placed on Harry’s desk weekly. She describes how the elaborate arrangements make the space come alive, as if waiting for Harry to come sit at his desk to enjoy their fragrance. She becomes obsessed with Harry’s story, especially when a professor asks her to help transcribing Harry’s letters. Violet realizes that something is missing from all the knowledge about Harry.
Love. Was Harry ever in love?
The narrative is engrossing. We quickly come to care for both Harry and Violet. Violet is suffering from her recent loss, and Harry’s library was built because of his loss of life on the Titanic, both men drowning, both men dying too soon. Richman does a magnificent job creating the mystery of why Harry chose Violet to be the recipient of his communication efforts and why he felt the need to protect her from those who would be unkind to her.
The ending is lovely, but because of Richman’s careful plotting and narration, not a surprise. This is a ghost story, a love story, a story about those who love books, and a story about grief. Ultimately, though, it’s a story about people and connections, and how often books can make connections. This wonderfully evocative novel is about how books can transform us and take us to different times and different places, and make us feel emotions which might otherwise escape us.
This review was first posted on Bookreporter.com in a slightly edited version.