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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
The coziest British story set at Christmastime. Not suspenseful or fast paced, but such lovable characters.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes of making a new life for herself. Gradually she settled into the comfortable familiarity of village life -- shopkeepers knowing her tastes, neighbors calling her by name -- still she finds herself lonely.
Oscar Blundell gave up his life as a musician in order to marry Gloria. They have a beautiful daughter, Francesca, and it is only because of their little girl that Oscar views his sacrificed career as worthwhile.
Carrie returns from Australia at the end of an ill-fated affair with a married man to find her mother and aunt sharing a home and squabbling endlessly. With Christmas approaching, Carrie agrees to look after her aunt's awkward and quiet teenage daughter, Lucy, so that her mother might enjoy a romantic fling in America.
Sam Howard is trying to pull his life back together after his wife has left him for another. He is without home and without roots, all he has is his job. Business takes him to northern Scotland, where he falls in love with the lush, craggy landscape and set his sights on a house.
It is the strange rippling effects of a tragedy that will bring these five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan.
This was recommended to me as a pre-Christmas read and it's certainly heart-warming although very predictable. Also I found it difficult to place the era, there were references to laptops and mobile phones but I honestly felt that most of the description would fit more easily into the 50s/60s. Anyway, it gave me a pleasant enough couple of days especially as it was snowing outside whilst I was reading descriptions of huge snowdrifts in the book.
Oscar Blundell gave up his life as a musician in order to marry Gloria. They have a beautiful daughter, Francesca, and it is only because of their little girl that Oscar views his sacrificed career as worthwhile.
Carrie returns from Australia at the end of an ill-fated affair with a married man to find her mother and aunt sharing a home and squabbling endlessly. With Christmas approaching, Carrie agrees to look after her aunt's awkward and quiet teenage daughter, Lucy, so that her mother might enjoy a romantic fling in America.
Sam Howard is trying to pull his life back together after his wife has left him for another. He is without home and without roots, all he has is his job. Business takes him to northern Scotland, where he falls in love with the lush, craggy landscape and set his sights on a house.
It is the strange rippling effects of a tragedy that will bring these five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan.
This was recommended to me as a pre-Christmas read and it's certainly heart-warming although very predictable. Also I found it difficult to place the era, there were references to laptops and mobile phones but I honestly felt that most of the description would fit more easily into the 50s/60s. Anyway, it gave me a pleasant enough couple of days especially as it was snowing outside whilst I was reading descriptions of huge snowdrifts in the book.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
December 17, 2023
I took my time reading this the second time through, but it still didn't last long enough. I didn't want to say goodbye! I adore the characters in this novel and the story of love, loss, friendship and found family is perfectly touching for this time of year. Pilcher's writing is heartwarming and cozy in a way no one else's is. I love it and want to inhabit the world she creates. Looking forward to revisiting this novel and these characters many times in holiday seasons to come.
January 2, 2022:
I never wanted this to end! I could've happily read another 500 pages about these endearing characters' lives. Rosamunde Pilcher's writing is so warm and wonderful, full of genuine emotion and cozy domestic details that are the literary equivalent of being wrapped up in a warm blanket and handed the most delicious mug of hot chocolate. This was the perfect book for the end of one year and the beginning of another. Five stars.
I took my time reading this the second time through, but it still didn't last long enough. I didn't want to say goodbye! I adore the characters in this novel and the story of love, loss, friendship and found family is perfectly touching for this time of year. Pilcher's writing is heartwarming and cozy in a way no one else's is. I love it and want to inhabit the world she creates. Looking forward to revisiting this novel and these characters many times in holiday seasons to come.
January 2, 2022:
I never wanted this to end! I could've happily read another 500 pages about these endearing characters' lives. Rosamunde Pilcher's writing is so warm and wonderful, full of genuine emotion and cozy domestic details that are the literary equivalent of being wrapped up in a warm blanket and handed the most delicious mug of hot chocolate. This was the perfect book for the end of one year and the beginning of another. Five stars.
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes