Reviews

Probably 3.5 stars. I liked the character development for Penelope, but the ending left me feeling a little unsatisfied. Wished there had been more growth for some of the other characters.

finestgreen's review against another edition

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1.0

Like being told a boring anecdote about people you don"t know or care about

fxp's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I remember seeing this novel on almost every used book sale when I was a kid, so I was always curious what it's about.

I did enjoy it. I found the writing appealing, and it was nice to read the life story of the protagonist Penelope from beginning to end. I wouldn't call it a memoir because it's written from a 3rd person perspective, but maybe a family saga. Penelope's life has highs and lows, and there are relatable elements and characters. It's also a story about family vs. found family.

There are some plot turns, but they are more slight shifts, nothing totally unexpected. All embedded in a quaint mid England setting.

For me, it was a good book to enjoy that did many things right, but was missing some "zing" to make it truly outstanding.

hw0623's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

lisabage's review against another edition

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Boring. Unlikable characters.

jstaton's review against another edition

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5.0

This was a good beach read in the early 1990's and it was a good beach read in June 2019.

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