Scan barcode
A review by jacki_f
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith
3.0
We are back in sunny Botswana for the 16th instalment in the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. While the initial books in the series were quite plot driven, it has evolved to a series that is much more about the characters with a thin, almost token, plot thrown in for good measure. Like the others, this is a charming book that left me feeling all warm and fuzzy about life, but I have to say that there isn't a lot to it.
Precious Ramotswe is convinced by Mma Makutsi to take a short holiday from work. The idea is that she will have a quiet time relaxing at home, but she finds it difficult to let work go. When Mr Polopetsi comes to her asking for help with a work assignment, she cannot resist the temptation to get involved without Mma Makutsi's knowledge. If, like me, you occasionally find Mma Makutsi annoying, you will find her extremely irritating this time around, although by the end of the book you may be thinking about the risks of jumping to conclusions. There are also a couple of smaller sub-plots but each takes up only a few pages towards the end of the book, which then stops quite abruptly as if Alexander McCall Smith's editor had rung up and said "it'll be fine, just send it now please".
What is lovely about these books is that reading them almost feels like taking a holiday. You are transported to a sunny and relaxed country where there is always time to exchange pleasantries or savour a cup of tea. There are also gentle lessons about trusting people and treating them well. The title itself refers to Mma Ramotswe's relationship with Mr J.L.B. Matekoni and how being loved and admired by him is "like walking in sunshine".
Precious Ramotswe is convinced by Mma Makutsi to take a short holiday from work. The idea is that she will have a quiet time relaxing at home, but she finds it difficult to let work go. When Mr Polopetsi comes to her asking for help with a work assignment, she cannot resist the temptation to get involved without Mma Makutsi's knowledge. If, like me, you occasionally find Mma Makutsi annoying, you will find her extremely irritating this time around, although by the end of the book you may be thinking about the risks of jumping to conclusions. There are also a couple of smaller sub-plots but each takes up only a few pages towards the end of the book, which then stops quite abruptly as if Alexander McCall Smith's editor had rung up and said "it'll be fine, just send it now please".
What is lovely about these books is that reading them almost feels like taking a holiday. You are transported to a sunny and relaxed country where there is always time to exchange pleasantries or savour a cup of tea. There are also gentle lessons about trusting people and treating them well. The title itself refers to Mma Ramotswe's relationship with Mr J.L.B. Matekoni and how being loved and admired by him is "like walking in sunshine".