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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well that was just lovely and atmospheric. This book was like watching a movie, full of life and description that you can't help but paint the picture in your head of it all. If you like things like The Great Gatsby and Downton Abbey, this is a book for you.
An immersive reading experience.
I loved all the characters in this, they all felt really fleshed out and I could just imagine them all.
An immersive reading experience.
I loved all the characters in this, they all felt really fleshed out and I could just imagine them all.
This was an easy vacation read. I wish there had been more character development. But enjoyable overall!
I absolutely loved this - didn't want to put it down once I started reading. Tonally it's similar to I Capture The Castle, but I can't quite figure out how, because it's softer than that, kinder than that.
Lou is nearly eighteen in the late 1920s, in a small fishing village in Cornwall. Her elder sister is about to get married, and Lou's ready for the rest of her life to begin when the Cardews and their bright young thing friends come down from London to open up Cardew House for the summer. Lou stumbles into their world, and it changes her world - but this is more than a country girl having her eyes opened to the possibilities of the big wide world. The Cardews learn as much from Lou and her family as she does from them, and the conclusion was unexpectedly and completely satisfying.
I want to read it again.
Lou is nearly eighteen in the late 1920s, in a small fishing village in Cornwall. Her elder sister is about to get married, and Lou's ready for the rest of her life to begin when the Cardews and their bright young thing friends come down from London to open up Cardew House for the summer. Lou stumbles into their world, and it changes her world - but this is more than a country girl having her eyes opened to the possibilities of the big wide world. The Cardews learn as much from Lou and her family as she does from them, and the conclusion was unexpectedly and completely satisfying.
I want to read it again.
This was a little more YA-feeling than I was expecting - it was definitely a coming-of-age story, and I think I didn't catch how young the main character was. But the main story was interesting and the writing atmospheric.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
the plot was utterly predictable and non unique, but the writing in this book was so gorgeous and romantic and poetic that it was an absolute pleasure to read!
the plot was utterly predictable and non unique, but the writing in this book was so gorgeous and romantic and poetic that it was an absolute pleasure to read!
Beautiful. Everything I hoped it would be, based on the comparisons. I wish I could read it for the first time all over again.
I’ve wanted to read a Laura Wood book for so long – partly because BooksNest on YouTube shouts about her work so much and loves her books! When my friend Jo suggested picking this one up as a buddy read, I was so happy to finally read something by her. This one is a kind of retelling/inspired by The Great Gatsby, but there is definitely no need to read it before picking this one up as it works well as a standalone novel.
However, I must say I am glad that I read The Great Gatsby for the first time earlier this year as it did add an extra dynamic to the story for me. I had so much fun reading this one and trying to see where the inspiration had come in for settings, scenes and characters. I was excited to find that this one is set between Cornwall and London instead of New York!
The characters were one of my favourite aspects of this book – I loved Lou as a main character and this is definitely a coming-of-age novel about her last summer before deciding what to do with the rest of her life. As this book is set in the late 1920s, there is a lot of interesting discussions about the pressures of marriage and growing up in that era. My only slight complaint with this book is that it took me a while to get used to the younger narration and the time period – at some points it just didn’t quite click together for me.
I loved the plot and the slight mystery element that was woven throughout – although at times I did wish for a little more emphasis on the mystery itself. As the book went on, I found myself becoming more and more wrapped up within the pages and wanted to read on until the end. I must say I absolutely loved the ending of this one too, it was so beautifully done and made me emotional!
I can’t wait to read more from this author and some of her other retellings – she’s releasing a Pride and Prejudice retelling in 2022 and I’m definitely going to be picking that one up!
★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
However, I must say I am glad that I read The Great Gatsby for the first time earlier this year as it did add an extra dynamic to the story for me. I had so much fun reading this one and trying to see where the inspiration had come in for settings, scenes and characters. I was excited to find that this one is set between Cornwall and London instead of New York!
The characters were one of my favourite aspects of this book – I loved Lou as a main character and this is definitely a coming-of-age novel about her last summer before deciding what to do with the rest of her life. As this book is set in the late 1920s, there is a lot of interesting discussions about the pressures of marriage and growing up in that era. My only slight complaint with this book is that it took me a while to get used to the younger narration and the time period – at some points it just didn’t quite click together for me.
I loved the plot and the slight mystery element that was woven throughout – although at times I did wish for a little more emphasis on the mystery itself. As the book went on, I found myself becoming more and more wrapped up within the pages and wanted to read on until the end. I must say I absolutely loved the ending of this one too, it was so beautifully done and made me emotional!
I can’t wait to read more from this author and some of her other retellings – she’s releasing a Pride and Prejudice retelling in 2022 and I’m definitely going to be picking that one up!
★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽