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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Much as I loved Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, I just couldn't force myself to finish this book. Basically, it's boring as all get out!!! Considering there's a war starting, there sure isn't much going on except for garden parties and ladies' meetings. Perhaps later in the book something happens, but after reading 200 pages of words, words and more words, saying very little, I gave up.
emotional
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:
No
I found this to be slow for the first half. Not a lot happened, but a lot was written about it. The final 3rd of the book was the most poignant and interesting. Good, but won't read again.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved Major Pettigrew's Last Stand so I picked this up expecting the same sort of quaint farcical English village setting with well-drawn, loveable characters.
The Summer Before the War has the quaint English village and a good array of characters. However, given the WWI setting and the fact that most of the characters are upper class, it is both more serious and less colourful. Simonson writes with that quintessential mid-century English voice with lots of wry humour, good dialogue and brings to mind Agatha Christie without the murder.
Despite being quite a chonker, it reads easily because of the above. I also love a well-deserved happy ending with a healthy dose of tragedy that doesn't overwhelm. A nice rural holiday read!
The Summer Before the War has the quaint English village and a good array of characters. However, given the WWI setting and the fact that most of the characters are upper class, it is both more serious and less colourful. Simonson writes with that quintessential mid-century English voice with lots of wry humour, good dialogue and brings to mind Agatha Christie without the murder.
Despite being quite a chonker, it reads easily because of the above. I also love a well-deserved happy ending with a healthy dose of tragedy that doesn't overwhelm. A nice rural holiday read!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not as fabulous as Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, but quite charming. The matriarch is reminiscent of Maggie Smith's dowager countess in Downton Abbey (snarky and funny).
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Histfic. Beatrice, Agatha, Hugh, Daniel. Small English village. Before WWI. Love story sweet, not focus of story. Belgium refugees, Celeste and her father.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Death, Grief
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
It took a while for me to get into it (close to 100 pages—I almost gave up), but by the end I very much cared about the characters and their stories. I think I’d like to read what else this author has written.
Excellent story about an intelligent, single woman in an era where that was not a popular thing to be.
Three stars is too few, but it is not quite a four. I loved the writing. I loved the detailed examination of the end of the Edwardian era with its strictly stratified class system and the absolute moral certainty.
With nearly 500 pages, I wish that the first 75-80% had given us more than character development and background.
The writing was excellent. The characters were described well and revealed many of the flaws that existed beneath the Edwardian surface, many of which were swept away by World War I.
With nearly 500 pages, I wish that the first 75-80% had given us more than character development and background.
The writing was excellent. The characters were described well and revealed many of the flaws that existed beneath the Edwardian surface, many of which were swept away by World War I.