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wovenstrap's review
5.0
Doesn't really hang together but it's still of a very high quality.
It says something about the passage of time that in this 1961 novel a character could distinguish himself as clever in London, England, by opening a coffee shop.
It says something about the passage of time that in this 1961 novel a character could distinguish himself as clever in London, England, by opening a coffee shop.
balancinghistorybooks's review
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? Yes
2.0
deearr's review
5.0
Truth be told, this is not the sort of book I usually pick up to read. Adventure, sci-fi, mysteries, history -- all have a greater pull on my time. Reading a story about the "human condition" is not my normal preferred mode of entertainment.
As I read the first few pages of the book, however, I found reasons to continue. Author Elizabeth Berridge's excellent prose is too good to ignore. She creates pictures and constantly entices the reader to keep turning pages, beginning with the opening sentence: "What amazed and affronted Penelope Hinton most about her husband's death was that the fortune-teller had been right." Only an extremely talented writer can pack so much in in eighteen words.
Many books concentrate on the details of the main character, relegating the rest of the cast to supporting rolesand hardly paying attention to their inner workings and motivations. Ms. Berridge manages to offer a birds-eye view of the action while allowing readers the opportunity to travel into the souls of multiple characters. Loneliness is a major aspect of their lives, each for a different reason, each dealing with it in their own manner. Lessons must be learned before her characters are allowed to move on.
While not completely spelling out the ending, one has a pretty good idea of where the characters will be tomorrow. What will happen the day after is up to them. Highly recommended for folks who like this style of book, and it is always entertaining to read excellent prose. Five stars.
As I read the first few pages of the book, however, I found reasons to continue. Author Elizabeth Berridge's excellent prose is too good to ignore. She creates pictures and constantly entices the reader to keep turning pages, beginning with the opening sentence: "What amazed and affronted Penelope Hinton most about her husband's death was that the fortune-teller had been right." Only an extremely talented writer can pack so much in in eighteen words.
Many books concentrate on the details of the main character, relegating the rest of the cast to supporting rolesand hardly paying attention to their inner workings and motivations. Ms. Berridge manages to offer a birds-eye view of the action while allowing readers the opportunity to travel into the souls of multiple characters. Loneliness is a major aspect of their lives, each for a different reason, each dealing with it in their own manner. Lessons must be learned before her characters are allowed to move on.
While not completely spelling out the ending, one has a pretty good idea of where the characters will be tomorrow. What will happen the day after is up to them. Highly recommended for folks who like this style of book, and it is always entertaining to read excellent prose. Five stars.
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