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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Delightful.
The interplay between the characters and the organic manner in which their relationships evolved.
I enjoy a book where the struggles of the characters are resolved so neatly.
The interplay between the characters and the organic manner in which their relationships evolved.
I enjoy a book where the struggles of the characters are resolved so neatly.
Read my Book Bite for the Sunday Times
~'Until you've been to Giza and seen what those ancient Egyptians built with their bare hands, you can't possibly understand.' Hilary stood back and admired the arrangement.
She and her husband had 'travelled'. Money bought stories, and in this case, guaranteed the final word on fruit buns.~
~Nancy was right: sending money wasn't the same as giving up precious time.~
~It wasn't that joy was trying to look younger anymore. Past a certain age, really, who cared?...What she feared, more than her fading youth, was becoming irrelevant. She wasn't ready for invisibility. The bright colours saved her from being overlooked.~
~'This is a hospital,' Joy replied in a low voice. 'People are allowed to act a bit strangely.'~
~'My mother waited her whole life to use this tea service. She'd always kept it for special occasion.'...
'Did your mother ever get to use it?' Joy enquired.
"Only at her funeral.'~
~'Are you sure you want to hear my shit?'...
'Are you kidding? Your shit is the reason I get up every day.'~
~'Until you've been to Giza and seen what those ancient Egyptians built with their bare hands, you can't possibly understand.' Hilary stood back and admired the arrangement.
She and her husband had 'travelled'. Money bought stories, and in this case, guaranteed the final word on fruit buns.~
~Nancy was right: sending money wasn't the same as giving up precious time.~
~It wasn't that joy was trying to look younger anymore. Past a certain age, really, who cared?...What she feared, more than her fading youth, was becoming irrelevant. She wasn't ready for invisibility. The bright colours saved her from being overlooked.~
~'This is a hospital,' Joy replied in a low voice. 'People are allowed to act a bit strangely.'~
~'My mother waited her whole life to use this tea service. She'd always kept it for special occasion.'...
'Did your mother ever get to use it?' Joy enquired.
"Only at her funeral.'~
~'Are you sure you want to hear my shit?'...
'Are you kidding? Your shit is the reason I get up every day.'~
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
It's nice to read a novel in which the main characters are sprightly oldies who live lives to the full. It's a perfect antidote sometimes to the melancholy of current times, and for that reason, this one is recommended. A sweet story of an eccentric group of workers, a lovely message about acceptance, standing up for what is right, embracing your own narrative, and about being kind. An easy to read, uplifting novel. And Joy has the best style!! She was awesome!
This was such a lovely book to slip into one and one with some great characters to get to know. With Hilary, the manageress of the Tea Shop at St Judes, doing her best to overcome what life has thrown at her. Joy, who is trying to recover parts of her old self after caring for her ill husband and Chloe, the youngest of the three, newly turned 16 and stoked by her parents to become the doctor they want her to be, volunteering at the cafe as part of the Duke of Edinburgh award. I loved the dynamic between them and the more I read, the more I loved it!
A slight irk though - I did feel a little attacked at times with the writing and how much it demonised younger generations and the way they are (it’s all tied up with the new modern food franchise ‘Platter’ which is introduced into the hospital, in direct competition with the more old fashioned, traditional hospital cafeteria. Think avocado on sourdough with a hemp seed toppings vs a bacon butty and a sausage roll).
Modernising is seen as the death of the old ways (very true) but the way the newer generations and ‘millennials’ were portrayed was kind of hurtful (as a member of the younger generation, I felt it). With their quinoa and chia seeds, whole foods obsession and health kicks. It came off as a little spiteful and derogatory.
As quoted from the book ‘new age hippie shit the millennials insisted on, with their skinny jeans, side parted hair and pathetic Harry Potter obsession’. Ouch. I’ll just take my skinny jeans wearing, Harry Potter obsessed self off then…. Fyi I love Harry Potter so don’t come at me and skinny jeans are a totally superior trouser choice …!
Despite that though, I did really enjoy the story and some of me wants to give this 3 stars (on account of the above, my wounded skinny jeans, Harry Potter loving pride) but I did find myself invested in the story and I did enjoy it. I was so rooting for them all and flew through the book in a few days. It’s one of those perfect slow movers with a simple story but an endearing one.
It was so heartwarming and one of those ‘leave you happy’ kind of endings. It would have been five stars but an insult to Harry Potter expelliarmus-sed one away but the writing style was great and it was a lovely read.
Thank you to the publisher and author for this read via NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
A slight irk though - I did feel a little attacked at times with the writing and how much it demonised younger generations and the way they are (it’s all tied up with the new modern food franchise ‘Platter’ which is introduced into the hospital, in direct competition with the more old fashioned, traditional hospital cafeteria. Think avocado on sourdough with a hemp seed toppings vs a bacon butty and a sausage roll).
Modernising is seen as the death of the old ways (very true) but the way the newer generations and ‘millennials’ were portrayed was kind of hurtful (as a member of the younger generation, I felt it). With their quinoa and chia seeds, whole foods obsession and health kicks. It came off as a little spiteful and derogatory.
As quoted from the book ‘new age hippie shit the millennials insisted on, with their skinny jeans, side parted hair and pathetic Harry Potter obsession’. Ouch. I’ll just take my skinny jeans wearing, Harry Potter obsessed self off then…. Fyi I love Harry Potter so don’t come at me and skinny jeans are a totally superior trouser choice …!
Despite that though, I did really enjoy the story and some of me wants to give this 3 stars (on account of the above, my wounded skinny jeans, Harry Potter loving pride) but I did find myself invested in the story and I did enjoy it. I was so rooting for them all and flew through the book in a few days. It’s one of those perfect slow movers with a simple story but an endearing one.
It was so heartwarming and one of those ‘leave you happy’ kind of endings. It would have been five stars but an insult to Harry Potter expelliarmus-sed one away but the writing style was great and it was a lovely read.
Thank you to the publisher and author for this read via NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
lighthearted
slow-paced
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dnf @ chapter 22. just not invested in the story line or the characters.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced