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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Avevo adocchiato questo libro da molto tempo ma solo ora sono riuscita a leggerlo!!!
E' un mix di tutto ciò che amo: il periodo storico e l'ambientazione nei piccoli paesini della campagna inglese.
La giovane Beatrice, dopo aver perso il padre, accetta di insegnare latino nella scuola di Rye, per essere indipendente. E' l'estate del 1914 quando arriva in paese e fa la conoscenza della famiglia di Agatha Kent, membro eminente dell'amministrazione della scuola.
Poco alla volta si entra in contatto con il resto della famiglia Kent, i nipoti Hugh e Daniel e John, il marito di Agatha. Ma non solo. Si fa la "conoscenza" dell'intero villaggio.
Mi sembrava di essere lì con loro, a passeggiare in giardino parlando di scrittori, di antiche famiglie, e di tutto un po', sorseggiando un tè.
Quando Beatrice sembra essersi ambientata e aver iniziato ad insegnare scoppia la guerra.
Tutto cambierà rapidamente, molte famiglie verranno sconvolte dalla perdita dei propri cari e nemmeno la famiglia di Agatha sarà risparmiata.
Per Beatrice comunque ci sarà il lieto fine, anche se non era previsto nei suoi piani.
I protagonisti sono ben descritti e ben delineati nel carattere.
La figura di Beatrice mette in risalto una personalità indipendente fuori dagli schemi per il periodo in cui vive, gli inizi del '900, pur mantenendo "l'etichetta", diciamo così, imposta alle ragazze.
Challenge 2018:
VISUAL CHALLENGE: Macchina fotografica
E' un mix di tutto ciò che amo: il periodo storico e l'ambientazione nei piccoli paesini della campagna inglese.
La giovane Beatrice, dopo aver perso il padre, accetta di insegnare latino nella scuola di Rye, per essere indipendente. E' l'estate del 1914 quando arriva in paese e fa la conoscenza della famiglia di Agatha Kent, membro eminente dell'amministrazione della scuola.
Poco alla volta si entra in contatto con il resto della famiglia Kent, i nipoti Hugh e Daniel e John, il marito di Agatha. Ma non solo. Si fa la "conoscenza" dell'intero villaggio.
Mi sembrava di essere lì con loro, a passeggiare in giardino parlando di scrittori, di antiche famiglie, e di tutto un po', sorseggiando un tè.
Quando Beatrice sembra essersi ambientata e aver iniziato ad insegnare scoppia la guerra.
Tutto cambierà rapidamente, molte famiglie verranno sconvolte dalla perdita dei propri cari e nemmeno la famiglia di Agatha sarà risparmiata.
Per Beatrice comunque ci sarà il lieto fine, anche se non era previsto nei suoi piani.
I protagonisti sono ben descritti e ben delineati nel carattere.
La figura di Beatrice mette in risalto una personalità indipendente fuori dagli schemi per il periodo in cui vive, gli inizi del '900, pur mantenendo "l'etichetta", diciamo così, imposta alle ragazze.
Challenge 2018:
VISUAL CHALLENGE: Macchina fotografica
Love, love, LOVED this book! One of the best voyages into prewar and WWI England, with a strong female protagonist. Not at all unlike Maisie Dobbs series, but definitely a different voice. Will be looking for more HS books.
I love books of this time period. I thought this book was good, not excellent. I didn't find the first part of the book compelling, but at I got about half way thorough, it really picked up. If you start this book, keep reading until you reach the 2nd half, I promise! I liked most of the characters and I felt like I knew them well. Enjoy!
I listened to the audiobook, and if I had been reading I probably wouldn't have finished because this novel is quite bloated. With audio, I don't mind just letting the unnecessary/boring bits wash over me, but it would have been a slog in print. The pacing is a mess. There are a lot of story threads going on, and I felt like the focus was off balance -- what was going on in the background was oftentimes more intriguing to me than the "main" plot -- that said, there were some interesting ideas here. I just wish it had been edited more.
I really liked Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, and I'll still be interested in anything else from this author, but this one was a letdown.
Spoiler
Also it annoyed me that she killed off Daniel and then ended with Beatrice and Hugh happily married. That's just one instance of Simonson taking the least interesting path, imo.I really liked Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, and I'll still be interested in anything else from this author, but this one was a letdown.
I just could not get into this book. I was listening to the audiobook and everything felt so oppressive, I had to stop. Maybe I can pick it up later.
The Great War turned the world upside down. In Helen Simonson's second book, the cruelty inherent in the rigid class, moral, and gender codes of the day is laid bare when refugees arrive in a small British village and its sons, both high- and low-born, depart for the front. It's a beautifully written book and I recommend it to all who enjoy historical fiction.
P.S. - Tissues will be necessary.
P.S. - Tissues will be necessary.
I just finished this book in the early hours of morning. My mother introduced it to me, she didn’t like it all that much. But I did.
This book was a slow read, a (in my opinion) weak-ish plot. But enjoyable none the less for me. Simonson seems to have a talent for the development of characters because each one stood out to me. Part two was my favourite because it was easy going and contained my favourite scenes.
I have to admit that I wanted to slap multiple characters in this book, most notably Lord North. I will always hate him. Part 4 of this book had me sobbing to no tomorrow. I straight up cried more than I thought I would. Here, I was under the impression this book would be light hearted, no it is not.
My critiques come from the perspective jumps as they occurred within one paragraph or paragraph then the next one is a new perspective without any proper indication. I’m reading about Agathas thoughts and all of a sudden the POV jumps to Beatrice. The main characters of this book I adore with all my heart.
Had the characterisation not been so strong I would rate this lower, the plot seemed to be about multiple different stories at once. I liked this book, it made me laugh out loud and cry rather loudly. Although, there are things I would certainly change.
This book was a slow read, a (in my opinion) weak-ish plot. But enjoyable none the less for me. Simonson seems to have a talent for the development of characters because each one stood out to me. Part two was my favourite because it was easy going and contained my favourite scenes.
I have to admit that I wanted to slap multiple characters in this book, most notably Lord North. I will always hate him. Part 4 of this book had me sobbing to no tomorrow. I straight up cried more than I thought I would. Here, I was under the impression this book would be light hearted, no it is not.
My critiques come from the perspective jumps as they occurred within one paragraph or paragraph then the next one is a new perspective without any proper indication. I’m reading about Agathas thoughts and all of a sudden the POV jumps to Beatrice. The main characters of this book I adore with all my heart.
Had the characterisation not been so strong I would rate this lower, the plot seemed to be about multiple different stories at once. I liked this book, it made me laugh out loud and cry rather loudly. Although, there are things I would certainly change.
#popsugar2017, A book with one of the four seasons in the title
It started off as slow, but delightful summer read with enjoyable characters but it finished strong with such touching and tragic moments, it actually brought me to tears a couple times, I enjoyed it far more than I expected