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A review by _onemorechapter_
The Excitements by CJ Wray
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
๐ญ This pleasurable novel was nothing like I thought it would be, I expected to read a crime novel in the style of Miss Marple with a pair of elderly investigators.
Whilst The Excitements does feature elderly ladies, and there is crime, it is so much more than that. It's a delightfully charming tale of two elderly sisters who are forever in search of their next "excitement" aka adventure, enjoy a good cocktail and witty banter. The ladies are well-preserved, ninety-plus-year-old WWII veterans chock-full of life and dark secrets with a knack for finding trouble . . . or does it find them? The sisters depend on their gay nephew Archie to plan their excitements and get them where they need to be on time. They presented Archie with an exciting contrast to a staid British upper-class upbringing. Their repertoire included self-defence, a bit of larceny, and escapades whenever possible. Archie adores his great aunts and runs interference when they fall from grace, which is often.
The odd trio travels the world where the sisters are in demand to make appearances at festivals and fundraisers, often giving speeches and receiving recognition and awards for their service.
Their devoted nephew Archie has scheduled a trip to Paris where the sisters are receiving another medal for their service in the Royal Navy and the nursing corps and Paris holds memories that both sisters would have preferred to forget. Unfortunately, it also holds an old enemy, and the sisters intend to finally finish what began a long time ago and this may be their last shot at doing so.
I am a sucker for stories about plucky senior citizens. Wray has penned a witty tale featuring two eccentric characters, unlike any others you've ever met. The humor was so well placed, and the charm radiated off the page. This is a story you sit and read in a single sitting. I found the writing clever, and the characters were so thoughtfully developed. I absolutely loved Aunty Penny and I was left wishing I had these two cantankerous old women in my life.
Aunty Penny has a secret side hustle that funds her philanthropy. Wray (pseudonym for Chrissie Manby) provides the back stories of these two enterprising sisters. Archie is in the dark about what his doting Aunties' machinations were during the war, but the reader learns, as their past lives are told in shifting timelines. For the most part, THE EXCITEMENTS is narrated by Pennie and Archie with the timeline constantly shifting between past and present.
The dialogue is entertaining with several tales shared by the sisters about their past adventures. The constant shifting of time may be problematic for some readers as it isn't always in chronological order, often swinging forward and back but for me, events unfolded like a movie across my mind as the adventures - both past and present. I could visualize Penny and Josephine so clearly.
The story relayed in the present time is often humorous with the banter between Archie and his aunts a delight to read. While the story flows at a nice pace and the tone is overall light, there's a dark undercurrent of suspense ebbing throughout as readers wait for the other shoe to drop to discover what really happened to the sisters in Paris all those years ago that led to the score they're dead set on settling.
I enjoyed the way the author slowly unveiled the layers of each sister via flashbacks throughout the book. Each of them turned out to be so much more than I had imagined when the book opened in the present time. These two women did not lead quiet, uneventful lives. There's a terrific supporting cast - both past and present - who helped drive the story as well as providing insight into events that shaped Penny and Josephine. There wasn't a dull character in the book, which I most appreciated.
There's also a fair amount of fascinating historical information about British women who served during WWII, and the sometimes secret missions on which they were sent.
All too often older characters are portrayed as curmudgeonly or only capable of doling out advice, so these ass-kicking, Morse code-using nonagenarians were absolutely a hoot.
The climactic action scene was also very satisfying, all in all a fun little romp.
๐.๐ Humor, suspense, poignant moments, danger, family secrets, and two whip-smart elderly ladies who may be in their sunset years but are still smarter - and more savvy - than the average bear, bring this story to life. I'd love to see it on screen.
๐.๐.๐ If I ever reach the age of 96 or older, I hope I am as energetic as Josephine and Penny Williamson and enjoying every second of my life.
๐ธ๐ด๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: โญโญโญโญ
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: 4.14 (668)
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐: Mystery, Espionage, Humor and Historical Fiction
๐ธ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: YES, YES, YES!!
If you enjoy witty dialogue with intrepid spunky senior characters, this is for you.
Highly recommend it for a substantive story that seems like itโs a fluffy read!
I thought there might be a fair amount of humor - and there is - but there is also much, much more. CJ Wray wrote a book I had difficulty putting down, with mystery, danger, poignant moments, life-altering secrets, and flawed, layered characters who kept me coming back for more.
๐ธ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐:
โOne must be toujours gai, Archie, toujours gai.โ
โToujours gaiโ was Mehitabelโs motto and now it was theirs. It meant remembering there was no room in life for gloom or self-pity. Every opportunity for fun must be seized with both paws."
โAn interview with Andrew Graham-Dixon perhaps?โ
โBut heโs an art historian.โ
โSo tell him weโre both works of art,โ was Pennyโs answer."
"Never say sorry for someone elseโs mistake.โ
"Everyone needs to know how to handle themselves. You canโt make a hero without breaking lamps, Miranda dear.โ
"You see, youโre a clever boy and cleverness always wins out over brawn in the end.โ
"Love comes in all shapes and sizes. He was one of the best people I ever knew. As are you. My funny, brave, crazy little sister. But blimey . . . What a way to live."
Whilst The Excitements does feature elderly ladies, and there is crime, it is so much more than that. It's a delightfully charming tale of two elderly sisters who are forever in search of their next "excitement" aka adventure, enjoy a good cocktail and witty banter. The ladies are well-preserved, ninety-plus-year-old WWII veterans chock-full of life and dark secrets with a knack for finding trouble . . . or does it find them? The sisters depend on their gay nephew Archie to plan their excitements and get them where they need to be on time. They presented Archie with an exciting contrast to a staid British upper-class upbringing. Their repertoire included self-defence, a bit of larceny, and escapades whenever possible. Archie adores his great aunts and runs interference when they fall from grace, which is often.
The odd trio travels the world where the sisters are in demand to make appearances at festivals and fundraisers, often giving speeches and receiving recognition and awards for their service.
Their devoted nephew Archie has scheduled a trip to Paris where the sisters are receiving another medal for their service in the Royal Navy and the nursing corps and Paris holds memories that both sisters would have preferred to forget. Unfortunately, it also holds an old enemy, and the sisters intend to finally finish what began a long time ago and this may be their last shot at doing so.
I am a sucker for stories about plucky senior citizens. Wray has penned a witty tale featuring two eccentric characters, unlike any others you've ever met. The humor was so well placed, and the charm radiated off the page. This is a story you sit and read in a single sitting. I found the writing clever, and the characters were so thoughtfully developed. I absolutely loved Aunty Penny and I was left wishing I had these two cantankerous old women in my life.
Aunty Penny has a secret side hustle that funds her philanthropy. Wray (pseudonym for Chrissie Manby) provides the back stories of these two enterprising sisters. Archie is in the dark about what his doting Aunties' machinations were during the war, but the reader learns, as their past lives are told in shifting timelines. For the most part, THE EXCITEMENTS is narrated by Pennie and Archie with the timeline constantly shifting between past and present.
The dialogue is entertaining with several tales shared by the sisters about their past adventures. The constant shifting of time may be problematic for some readers as it isn't always in chronological order, often swinging forward and back but for me, events unfolded like a movie across my mind as the adventures - both past and present. I could visualize Penny and Josephine so clearly.
The story relayed in the present time is often humorous with the banter between Archie and his aunts a delight to read. While the story flows at a nice pace and the tone is overall light, there's a dark undercurrent of suspense ebbing throughout as readers wait for the other shoe to drop to discover what really happened to the sisters in Paris all those years ago that led to the score they're dead set on settling.
I enjoyed the way the author slowly unveiled the layers of each sister via flashbacks throughout the book. Each of them turned out to be so much more than I had imagined when the book opened in the present time. These two women did not lead quiet, uneventful lives. There's a terrific supporting cast - both past and present - who helped drive the story as well as providing insight into events that shaped Penny and Josephine. There wasn't a dull character in the book, which I most appreciated.
There's also a fair amount of fascinating historical information about British women who served during WWII, and the sometimes secret missions on which they were sent.
All too often older characters are portrayed as curmudgeonly or only capable of doling out advice, so these ass-kicking, Morse code-using nonagenarians were absolutely a hoot.
The climactic action scene was also very satisfying, all in all a fun little romp.
๐.๐ Humor, suspense, poignant moments, danger, family secrets, and two whip-smart elderly ladies who may be in their sunset years but are still smarter - and more savvy - than the average bear, bring this story to life. I'd love to see it on screen.
๐.๐.๐ If I ever reach the age of 96 or older, I hope I am as energetic as Josephine and Penny Williamson and enjoying every second of my life.
๐ธ๐ด๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: โญโญโญโญ
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: 4.14 (668)
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐: Mystery, Espionage, Humor and Historical Fiction
๐ธ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: YES, YES, YES!!
If you enjoy witty dialogue with intrepid spunky senior characters, this is for you.
Highly recommend it for a substantive story that seems like itโs a fluffy read!
I thought there might be a fair amount of humor - and there is - but there is also much, much more. CJ Wray wrote a book I had difficulty putting down, with mystery, danger, poignant moments, life-altering secrets, and flawed, layered characters who kept me coming back for more.
๐ธ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐:
โOne must be toujours gai, Archie, toujours gai.โ
โToujours gaiโ was Mehitabelโs motto and now it was theirs. It meant remembering there was no room in life for gloom or self-pity. Every opportunity for fun must be seized with both paws."
โAn interview with Andrew Graham-Dixon perhaps?โ
โBut heโs an art historian.โ
โSo tell him weโre both works of art,โ was Pennyโs answer."
"Never say sorry for someone elseโs mistake.โ
"Everyone needs to know how to handle themselves. You canโt make a hero without breaking lamps, Miranda dear.โ
"You see, youโre a clever boy and cleverness always wins out over brawn in the end.โ
"Love comes in all shapes and sizes. He was one of the best people I ever knew. As are you. My funny, brave, crazy little sister. But blimey . . . What a way to live."