Reviews

The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury by Marc Levy

littletaiko's review

4.0

Alice has her fortune told on a lark when out with some friends. What she hears though sets off a change of events that takes her from London to Turkey. It was fun and overall lighthearted with some darker moments thrown in. The descriptions of life in Turkey in the 1950's made me which I could have experienced visiting there. While the main story line was predictable I couldn't help but enjoy Alice, her friends, Daldry, and Cam.

mamagames's review

4.0

This was a book that C had picked up either very cheaply or free for our Kindle library, thinking I would like it. After I finished my last library book, I was a bit at loose ends for what to read next, so I browsed our Kindle looking for something that caught my eye. I'm so glad I did, because I really enjoyed my read of this one - particularly the author's attention to sensory detail, including so much detail about scents and odors since the main character is a "nose" who creates perfumes. The plot was interesting with a fortune teller and grumpy neighbor and a trip to Turkey (with its own vivid descriptions).

sorina_sfreja's review

2.0

Promising beginning, wonderful descriptions of scents and perfumes and... that's about it. The characters were bad and didn't feel real. Actually, the Champions League football match was more interesting than this book. I could guess the ending from the first two chapters. Predictible, dry, uninteresting...

susloswing61's review

4.0

It was strange, a journey and taken by Alice

A little slow but a lovely story about a horrible time in Turkish history. I liked the main characters and the settings. Does a person with a "nose" really do what Alice does? Very interesting.

joonswifey's review

3.0

this was alright. i think the main thing i got out of it was a desire to leave my life and live a simple existence on some island and be left alone forever, type mamma mia. i enjoyed feeling like i had travelled to another world, but i found the story was a little dull and quite predictable.

l14nn3's review

3.0

I liked the ending, but I wasn't wowed by any of the rest, really. I had a false start where I spent about an hour on it, put it down, and then picked it back up again in a few months, but I'm just not feeling it. I love the perfuming elements though!

elaineruss's review

2.0

Entertaining enough read let down by a really poor ending.

ddurst20's review against another edition

2.0

Although the sciences and smells were well described , the middle was something i rushed thru, and the end was just ok. Also the book I read was “The Strange Journey of Alice Pendlebury... it seems it is the same book.

gooders's review

3.0

I can’t say that this is a book I’d recommend, or read again.

Alice lives in a flat in England. She creates perfumes, has good friends and an annoying neighbour.

On a trip to Brighton, she’s told by a fortune teller that her life isn’t as she knows it, and she should go to Turkey. So, along with her annoying neighbour, she does, and of course, finds more than she expected.

There are some lovely descriptions of Turkey, and a good idea for a storyline. However, I have major issues with the stalker vibes that come at the end of the book…but as it’s set in the early 1950s, maybe I’m overthinking it

eliotopian's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0