You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Couldn't finish this book. Got turned off by the bad writing and sexist undertones - the random dichotomy presented between 'career ladies' and 'homemakers', the implication that women should cook men meals... ugh. So off-putting. Disappointing that such books have such high ratings in 2018.
This is what I wrote on my blog in this September 3rd, 2013 post:
"Sadly, the one book I'm reading for pleasure, Rosamunde Pilcher's, September, has stalled. I am over halfway through the book and the only plot I can discern is simply that there is going to be a party in September and people who haven't seen each other for a long time are going to be there. The only conflict there appears to be (and everyone who reads fiction should be aware of the five elements of fiction) is that someone who left home a long time ago and has turned down all previous invitations to come back for a visit is planning on going to the party. Isn't that thrilling? Oh, the intrigue.
The lush descriptions of setting that Pilcher obviously adores (she seems to be an interior decorator of the mind) which charmed me so at the beginning of the novel are beginning to annoy me. Every time someone walks or even peeks into a new room, there are paragraphs to wade through before any seemingly valuable information is given that might move the story along. Perhaps I should have taken a clue from the many Goodreads reviews that talked about this book as, "cozy," and "inviting." Looking back, I see that these are wonderful adjectives for any good room in a house, but they do not necessarily a good story make! Those reviews lured me in though and I took the bait without really seeing what anyone thought of the story itself, I suppose. Perhaps it was my own hankering for the turning of seasons that's gotten me into trouble here. Have any of you readers read this book? Can anyone urge me on to its conclusion? Can I look forward to anything of substance happening in this richly described setting?? I hope someone will do just that or I may be having to shelve this one. My pleasure reading time is sorely limited now and I simply must have some semblance of a plot to make the investment!"
Unfortunately, after one more chapter of the same, I decided to return this book to the library. I may check it out again if someone can convince me otherwise, but for the time being my rating remains at two stars for the reasons listed above.
"Sadly, the one book I'm reading for pleasure, Rosamunde Pilcher's, September, has stalled. I am over halfway through the book and the only plot I can discern is simply that there is going to be a party in September and people who haven't seen each other for a long time are going to be there. The only conflict there appears to be (and everyone who reads fiction should be aware of the five elements of fiction) is that someone who left home a long time ago and has turned down all previous invitations to come back for a visit is planning on going to the party. Isn't that thrilling? Oh, the intrigue.
The lush descriptions of setting that Pilcher obviously adores (she seems to be an interior decorator of the mind) which charmed me so at the beginning of the novel are beginning to annoy me. Every time someone walks or even peeks into a new room, there are paragraphs to wade through before any seemingly valuable information is given that might move the story along. Perhaps I should have taken a clue from the many Goodreads reviews that talked about this book as, "cozy," and "inviting." Looking back, I see that these are wonderful adjectives for any good room in a house, but they do not necessarily a good story make! Those reviews lured me in though and I took the bait without really seeing what anyone thought of the story itself, I suppose. Perhaps it was my own hankering for the turning of seasons that's gotten me into trouble here. Have any of you readers read this book? Can anyone urge me on to its conclusion? Can I look forward to anything of substance happening in this richly described setting?? I hope someone will do just that or I may be having to shelve this one. My pleasure reading time is sorely limited now and I simply must have some semblance of a plot to make the investment!"
Unfortunately, after one more chapter of the same, I decided to return this book to the library. I may check it out again if someone can convince me otherwise, but for the time being my rating remains at two stars for the reasons listed above.
2.5 stars, rounded down. Way too long; this could have easily been 100-150 pages shorter.
Rosamunde Pilcher's writing makes for such cozy, domestic reading, both in her warm prose full of details that are a feast for the senses, and in the subject matter, full of family and friends and their joys and sorrows. I enjoyed spending time in her world again during the days I spent reading September. The Scottish Highlands setting was especially evocative and beautifully portrayed.
For me this didn't live up to the heights of [b:Coming Home|60471|Coming Home|Rosamunde Pilcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347734548l/60471._SY75_.jpg|58832], however. The storyline itself wasn't as engaging to me, and I didn't find the characters as likable or endearing, although they definitely grew on me as the story went on. I liked it and wouldn't mind reading it again some day, but I didn't fall madly in love with it.
For me this didn't live up to the heights of [b:Coming Home|60471|Coming Home|Rosamunde Pilcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347734548l/60471._SY75_.jpg|58832], however. The storyline itself wasn't as engaging to me, and I didn't find the characters as likable or endearing, although they definitely grew on me as the story went on. I liked it and wouldn't mind reading it again some day, but I didn't fall madly in love with it.
I didn't like this as well as The Shell Seekers or Winter Solstice (both of which I loved), but I still liked it a lot.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Warm, forceful, beautiful and hopeful I found this read delicious.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
La începutul lui mai a venit în sfârşit şi primăvara în Scoţia. Iarna nu se dăduse bătută, se ţinuse cu ghearele, mult prea multă vreme, refuzând să-şi îmblânzească apriga strânsoare. În tot cursul lunii aprilie, vântul aspru suflase dinspre nord-vest, retezând primii boboci de brânduşe şi culcând la pământ corolele galbene ale primelor narcise. Zăpada îngheţase pe pantele dealurilor şi se aşternuse într-un strat gros peste vale, iar fermierii, renunţând să mai spere la iarbă proaspătă pentru vite, îşi secaseră pământurile de ultimele urme de rădăcini, în timp ce animalele rămâneau închise în adăposturile de piatră. Chiar şi gâştele sălbatice, care plecau de obicei la sfârşitul lui martie, întârziau întoarcerea în patria lor arctică. Ultimele dispăruseră la mijlocul lui aprilie, îndreptânduse spre nord, în necunoscut, într-un cor de ţipete, zburând atât de sus, încât formaţiile în formă de săgeată păreau doar fire de păianjeni duse de vânt. Iar apoi, peste noapte, capricioasa climă din Highlands s-a îmblânzit. Vântul a făcut cale-ntoarsă spre sud, aducând cu sine brize parfumate şi vreme mai blândă, de care restul ţării se bucurase de câteva săptămâni, şi mireasma pământului reavăn, a renaşterii. Ţinutul a căpătat culoarea dulce a verdelui proaspăt, cireşii albi sălbatici şi-au revenit după prigoană, s-au întremat şi şi-au întins ramurile încărcate de petale albe ca neaua. Dintr-odată, grădinile de lângă case au explodat într-un torent de culori – iasomia galbenă de iarnă, şofranul purpuriu şi albastrul-închis al zambilelor. Păsările ciripeau, iar soarele, pentru prima dată după toamna trecută, încălzea cu adevărat.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Offensive / traumatic representation of mental illness (typical of 1980s)