China Court

China Court is a novel by Rumer Godden. In my opinion, she was a second-rate novelist who wrote one first-rate book. China Court is not about China, and it's not about a law court. It's about a house on the Cornish coast of England that is not haunted except by voices.


Since we sisters started the book club in--was it 2003? Gad! Every month when it has come my time to host the meeting, I have longed to select China Court for the discussion. But I always pick something else. I remember the first time I read it, in 1968 or thereabouts, and how I was confused by all the people and voices. You have to read it over a few times to remember who everyone is, to get so involved in it that you cry over almost every page--not because it's so sad, but because it's so beautiful.

China Court is like one of those medieval hand-illuminated, painted, gilded manuscripts or page borders: The more you look at it, the more beauty you discover. The book isn't medieval; it's about an English family, a couple of 20th-century wars, and a funeral. But most of all, it's about books, which may be the reason I like it so well.

A few days ago, I ordered some cheap copies from Amazon.com, thinking I would definitely select it for this-coming April, and make sure everyone has a copy well ahead of time. But it's hard enough to get all the book club members to read one book a month. I'm sure most of us wouldn't consider reading a single little book more than once, especially when, to quote Jane Austen, "it's only a novel."

But I feel sort of sorry for any home-loving reader who will never read it. And a bit envious of those who haven't read it yet but might someday.