Lindyloumac - aNobii

Books (660)

All books Added (Newest) Title (A to Z) Title (Z to A) Rating (Highest) Rating (Lowest) Finished (Newest) Finished (Oldest) Published (Newest) Published (Oldest) Added (Newest) Added (Oldest)

- Hothouse Flower (5)
- By Lucinda Riley
- Finished on Jan 28, 2013
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Hothouse Flower

It is worth noting that Hothouse Flower was republished in 2012 with the title of The Orchid House just so that any confusion with readers thinking it might be a different story, when this is not the case are cleared up straight away. Although the central theme of a family saga set in a country hou ... (continue)

It is worth noting that Hothouse Flower was republished in 2012 with the title of The Orchid House just so that any confusion with readers thinking it might be a different story, when this is not the case are cleared up straight away. Although the central theme of a family saga set in a country house spanning from the 1930's to the present day is far from an original one, this one is different. It has such a multi layered story to tell us with so many stirring and compelling love stories, secrets and surprises to share I stayed awake far too late at night reading this as I was engrossed. Extremely well written the story flows beautifully, period and locations are credibly described and the characters feel realistic. The situations that they face are ones that we are all able to empathise with from generation to generation. Certainly one of the best family sagas of the genre that I have read recently.
At the centre of the story is the female protagonist Julia Wharton who growing up had spent many happy hours in the heated greenhouses of the Wharton Park estate where her grandfather tended the orchids. It seems only natural therefore for her to return to the area when she needs to recover from a devastating personal tragedy. It is whilst coming to terms with her grief that she discovers quite by chance a family secret that will cause even more heartache. The story of the family history is related to Julia by her grandmother and stretches back to the nineteen forties when Harry Crawford the heir to the estate marries his bride Olivia before the second world war separates them. The results of this enforced separation will be felt for generations to come as this poignant and atmospheric story takes us from war torn Europe to the present day alternating between Norfolk and Thailand. With plenty of passion and twists and turns along the way I highly recommend this to all fans of the genre.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/ho…

Is this helpful?

— Apr 27, 2013 | Add your feedback
- Ten Minutes to Fall in Love (3)
- By Julia Llewellyn
- Finished in Jan 2013
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Ten Minutes to Fall in Love

This was an easy read and although it is the first one I have read by this author I did not enjoy it enough to be adding her back catalogue to my wishlist. Sorry it was just not satisfying enough for me, although the idea that love can be found in just a few minutes if you meet your soul mate was an ... (continue)

This was an easy read and although it is the first one I have read by this author I did not enjoy it enough to be adding her back catalogue to my wishlist. Sorry it was just not satisfying enough for me, although the idea that love can be found in just a few minutes if you meet your soul mate was an interesting theme, the content did not really live up to the title for me. Maybe I just interpreted the blurb incorrectly, but I was expecting something more romantic than the trials and tribulations of the protagonists family life.
Zu Forbes is back in London with her father and brothers after spending time travelling to try and sort out the emotional baggage she has carried around for years. In fact since her alcoholic mother first made her teen years a misery she has been a very mixed up young lady unable to make commitments in her life. She needs to sort her life out and come to terms with her past if she is ever to find happiness for herself, her father and brothers. These are issues she needs to deal with if she is ever going to be able to travel again without feeling guilty about how lonely her father is. Her problems may be partially solved when she unexpectedly finds herself working for a dating agency, with an opportunity to sort out her Dad's love life. This would of course leave her free to run away from her own demons with a clear conscience. However it is no surprise that nothing goes according to plan and there are some witty and comic scenes involving trips to the Ukraine, drug abuse and dominatrices!
There is enough going on in this novel to make it worth picking up and reading if it is a light easy read with some humour that you are looking for.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/te…

Is this helpful?

— Apr 12, 2013 | Add your feedback
- A Serving of Scandal (1)
- By Prue Leith
- Finished on Jan 20, 2013
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
A Serving of Scandal

I have always found Prue Leith an interesting personality and have followed her career as a professional chef and food writer in the press so of course it will be no surprise that when she started writing fiction, I wanted to read them. I have now read four of her five novels including this one, sta ... (continue)

I have always found Prue Leith an interesting personality and have followed her career as a professional chef and food writer in the press so of course it will be no surprise that when she started writing fiction, I wanted to read them. I have now read four of her five novels including this one, starting with Leaving Patrick in 1999, Sisters in 2002, and The Gardener in 2008. Her novels are not great literature but they are enjoyable and realistic, as she draws on her own life experiences as a business woman and a cook. Her writing will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction. Although sometimes a little predictable she provides exactly what one should expect if you pick up a book in this genre, an engaging and well written story. The theme of food, politics and celebrity gossip seen through the eyes of the two main characters and how innocent people can be drawn into a scandal held my interest.
The female protagonist Kate McKinnon is your average single mother of a five year old son, attempting to balance bringing him up alone and keep up the success of her private catering company. When Kate is hired by the Foreign Office to cook at private functions for them she comes into contact with Oliver Stapler, Secretary of State. She finds herself befriended by him and does not see the dangers that this might lead to, as she knows he is unobtainable to her, or is he? Unfortunately there are people that would like to see Kate fail, so alerting the press to an affair, true or not, is a good way of destroying her business. As well as Kate's narrative of events we are also told Oliver's side of the story, through his own voice. I must say I was surprised at how naive he was portrayed as, considering his political position in the government, one would have expected him to be more worldly.
In conclusion an interesting scenario that left me not really knowing what was going to happen to the friendship between Kate and Oliver. Maybe Prue Leith is planning a sequel?
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Apr 20, 2013 | Add your feedback
- Song of the Flutist (1)
- Epic of the Ancient Etruscans
- By Rosalind Burgundy
- Finished in Nov 2012
  
  Finished (re-read) in Nov 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Song of the Flutist

I was particularly interested in reading this novel as I live in the area known as Etruria where the novel is set, at the peak of Etruscan society over two thousand years ago. Lucky enough to have visited some of the amazing tombs, dwellings and bridges left behind by them, I enjoyed this fascinatin ... (continue)

I was particularly interested in reading this novel as I live in the area known as Etruria where the novel is set, at the peak of Etruscan society over two thousand years ago. Lucky enough to have visited some of the amazing tombs, dwellings and bridges left behind by them, I enjoyed this fascinating tale that brings the Etruscans to life as you read. Set in Tarchna (Tarquinia), Cisra (Cerveteri), Veia (Veio), Roma, Pupluna (Populonia), Velathri (Volterra), Murlo, Curtun (Cortona), and across the Mediterranean to Athenai (Athens), and into Aegypt (Egypt), the authors writing, research and knowledge makes it easy to visualise these ancient cities of that era. It is quite amazing just how these extraordinary people were leading the lifestyle they did, while outside their own society, deception, brutality, murder and plague was rife.
Although since reading I have discovered that this is the third in the trilogy it was fine as a stand alone read, although this might explain why it took me quite awhile to come to grips with all that was going on and the style of writing. It is an epic family saga that spans three centuries and three generations of the lives of the noble and ambitious Porenna-Laris families and how two powerful but rival cities threaten to split the family. With at least eighteen important characters and many more minor ones I guess it was not surprising that at first I had to keep referring to the authors family tree and list explaining the hierarchy of Etruscan society.
The family lead an advanced lifestyle compared the rest of the world in those times, with men and women seen as equals, they live richly and dress well. Wealth, wisdom and artistic beauty flourish with families having lavishly appointed tombs built to ensure their comfort in the afterlife. The mysterious flutist who represents time, life and death is ever present in the novel as he guides the Etruscans on their journeys to the afterlife. Throughout their lives the Etruscans are also aware of The Great Prediction heralding the fate of their society.
By reading this novel you will learn something of the rich lives of an incredible but forgotten civilization.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Jan 4, 2013 | Add your feedback
- When in Rome (1)
- By Nicky Pellegrino
- Finished in Jan 2013
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
When in Rome

Nicky Pellegrino is an author I only discovered in the latter months of last year and this is already the third book of hers I have read. Surely a good recommendation in itself, she writes novels that I always enjoy drifting off to another world with. So far always set in my beloved Italy but each n ... (continue)

Nicky Pellegrino is an author I only discovered in the latter months of last year and this is already the third book of hers I have read. Surely a good recommendation in itself, she writes novels that I always enjoy drifting off to another world with. So far always set in my beloved Italy but each novel has portrayed a different Italian world. This time she transports us back to the romantic era of 1950's Rome with a story woven around a real life singer from the period Mario Lanza, with a story that she has obviously researched well. If you know a little something about the life of this famous American- Italian tenor you probably already know it was a sad one.
The female protagonist of the novel is Serafina, the eldest of three sisters that has grown up in a tiny apartment building in the centre of Rome. Their mother is a single parent and the four of them have learnt to get by on very little. When they can the three girls sing for money in the local piazzas so that they can buy cinema tickets to watch the matinee idols of the fifties on the big screen. Serafina has big dreams and one day with a great deal of luck, her path crosses that of her greatest idol Mario Lanza. She actually finds herself working as a personal assistant to his wife and this opens up a whole new outlook on the world for her. Will she be happy living in the world of her dreams or will she miss the world she is familiar with?
Although the novel is told from Serafina's perspective throughout it really is the story of Mario Lanza and his family. Wealthy and apparently wanting for nothing, but not all was as it seemed. It is interesting to compare the life of his families happy and sad times with those of Serafina's family who despite having nothing were still happy.
A novel for those italophiles that cannot resist another story set in Italy, fans of the author's writing, or indeed anyone interested in the life of Mario Lanza.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Mar 5, 2013 | Add your feedback

- The Divorced Lady's Companion to Living in Italy (1)
- By Catherine McNamara
- Finished in Nov 2012
  
  Finished (re-read) in Nov 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
The Divorced Lady's Companion to Living in Italy

The front cover of this novel states that is based on the author’s vast experience and wild imagination. She is not kidding; I hope I have taken this novel in the right spirit as I found it hilarious! It is certainly rather different from the Italy I know and love but then I am not Marilyn Wade who ... (continue)

The front cover of this novel states that is based on the author’s vast experience and wild imagination. She is not kidding; I hope I have taken this novel in the right spirit as I found it hilarious! It is certainly rather different from the Italy I know and love but then I am not Marilyn Wade who was looking for a new start after divorce! Marilyn just seems to attract the most incredible characters, finding herself in some strange situations!
After her divorce she decides that she needs to escape from the life she finds dull and boring in England, Italy is her choice following in the footsteps of an old contact she admired. So much happens in the novel that there is no chance of you finding it dull, it is well written and Catherine McNamara makes some clever reflections on human nature.
Arriving in Milano, Marilyn finds it all much harder than she expected: but with the help of an insensitive Australian woman, some interesting male contacts and copious amounts of Italian coffee she starts to find her feet! Or does she you will have to read to find out the consequences of her adventures.
If you are looking for a fast paced, funny read, which leaves nothing to the imagination then this might appeal. Although it is set in Italy I do not necessarily think that this is going to appeal to all Italophiles but it will appeal to those looking for a light hearted read.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Dec 20, 2012 | Add your feedback
- Sweet Tooth (110)
- By Ian McEwan
- Finished on Dec 21, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Sweet Tooth

What a great read Ian McEwan's latest novel is, spies and love set in a time of political turmoil in the early seventies. A period I was able to empathise well with as I was working myself during the three day week. From the first page you know the outcome of the story, but there is still a secret t ... (continue)

What a great read Ian McEwan's latest novel is, spies and love set in a time of political turmoil in the early seventies. A period I was able to empathise well with as I was working myself during the three day week. From the first page you know the outcome of the story, but there is still a secret to be discovered, McEwan is uses his characters brilliantly in this novel to tell us just how MI5 prompted the cultural cold war.
'Sweet Tooth' is narrated by the female heroine of the novel Serena Frome, the daughter of an Anglican bishop, who during her final year at Cambridge studying for a maths degree, has an affair with an older man. Not such an unusual occurrence but she later discovers that thanks to her lover she was being groomed for a career in the intelligence services, her intelligence and beauty making her the perfect spy! The world is divided by 'The Cold War' and the government of the time wants to give financial but secret aid to promising young writers that will boost the anti - communist propaganda.
Serena as an avid reader is seen as the perfect choice to be sent on a secret mission, code named 'Sweet Tooth' to infiltrate herself into the literary circle of a promising young writer, Tom Haley. Her task is to gauge his suitability for such financial aid. Serena discovers that at first she loves Tom's writing and of course approves him, however she had not reckoned on falling in love with him. What will she do, whom can she trust and will she be able to keep her secret life from the man she has fallen for?
Once again another brilliant novel from Ian McEwan, a clever and ingenious story with plenty of intrigue, that will satisfy his fans and maybe attract new ones. Do give it a try.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/sw…

Is this helpful?

— Feb 21, 2013 | Add your feedback
- Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure (11)
- Chocolat 3
- By Joanne Harris
- Finished on Dec 16, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure

I was thrilled when I found ' Peaches for Monsieur le Cure' sitting on the bookshelf at the local library in the town where I am based at present. 'Chocolat' is an all time favourite novel of mine and although I was not writing reviews when I read that you will find one for the second book in the se ... (continue)

I was thrilled when I found ' Peaches for Monsieur le Cure' sitting on the bookshelf at the local library in the town where I am based at present. 'Chocolat' is an all time favourite novel of mine and although I was not writing reviews when I read that you will find one for the second book in the series. 'The Lollipop Shoes' which carried on perfectly from where Joanne Harris left us in 'Chocolat'. The characters had become familiar during the reading of the two novels leaving me feeling rather attached to them and longing for a sequel. This much anticipated sequel has not disappointed it has been a pure delight to read, Joanne Harris's writing is as evocative as always with that hint of magic.
It is four years since the 'The Lollipop Shoes' ended with Vianne and Roux living on a houseboat in Paris. Vianne's daughter Anouk is fifteen and almost a young woman whilst Rosette is eight, a mysterious little girl. They seem settled and happy then on a changing summer wind, a letter arrives from a dead friend calling them back to the village of Lansquenet, where eight years previously she had opened her chocolaterie. They return there and find in many ways it is unchanged, the church, the cobbled streets and the old tanneries along the river are all just the same, but there have also been changes! On the far side of the river Tannes there is a minaret, the perfume of spices, mint tea and incense hangs in the air and veiled women in black walk the streets of the Les Marauds district. A rural French village that has not changed for over fifty years has suddenly found itself in turmoil as two very different cultures try to live together in disharmony. The story takes place during August the time of Ramadan in the Islamic faith. Vianne is surprised to find that her old adversary Father Reynaud is in disgrace, despite having appeared to have mellowed a little over the years he still has very strong beliefs which he stubbornly adheres to. Vianne and Francis Reynaud discover that they are not so different after all, as we had maybe thought in 'Chocolat'. Vianne now being a happier woman seems ready and able on meeting him again to work with him to discover just what is at the heart of the problems in Lansquenet.
Could it be that Vianne is the only one who can save him? Well I do not believe in spoilers so to find out you will have to read the book. However the ending still leaves me wanting more so I do hope Joanne Harris will return to these wonderful characters that she has created again one day.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/pe…

Is this helpful?

— Feb 10, 2013 | Add your feedback
- The Day Diana Died (5)
- By Christopher Andersen
- Finished in Mar 2005
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
The Day Diana Died

Yet another one on the death of Diana!

Is this helpful?

— Dec 12, 2012 | Add your feedback
- The Italian Wedding (5)
- By Nicky Pellegrino
- Finished on Dec 12, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
The Italian Wedding

This is the second title by this author that I have read and I doubt it will be the last as I believe they are all set in Italy. Although I am already living the Italian dream it was a pleasure to lose myself in the setting for this delightful novel for a few hours of undemanding reading. A relaxing ... (continue)

This is the second title by this author that I have read and I doubt it will be the last as I believe they are all set in Italy. Although I am already living the Italian dream it was a pleasure to lose myself in the setting for this delightful novel for a few hours of undemanding reading. A relaxing read written by an author whose passion for Italy is obvious from the delightful way she writes, even including some authentic recipes in the storyline.
With a simple plot about love, feuding families and plenty of recipes for delicious Italian food, I was quickly immersed. The Martinelli family live and work in the area of Little Italy in London, running the family business of a restaurant. Father, Beppe resides over the kitchen at home and at work, the latter with his younger daughter Addolorata. The older daughter Pieta is a designer of bridal gowns so it is only natural that she should be designing and making the wedding gown for her sister's forthcoming nuptials. She is helped by their English mother Catherine who has always seemed to the girls to be quietly in the background of family life. It is when she is helping Pieta with the time consuming intricate beading for the dress that the two women start to chat about the past and for the first time Catherine opens up to her daughter about how she and Beppe met and fell in love. The story also eventually explains why there is a long standing feud with another local Italian family. With realistically portrayed characters the unfolding story is a charming read. Romantic fiction with an Italian theme which will appeal to many fans of this genre.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Jan 29, 2013 | Add your feedback

- Where the Heart Is (1)
- By Jeanette Hornby
- Finished on Dec 9, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Where the Heart Is

A gentle pleasant read but nothing to excite me, passed on to me by an Australian friend it sounded interesting mainly because of the Italian link. The layout of the book was a little strange with an unusual page layout and over use of quotation marks which I found distracting.
Set in the nineteen ... (continue)

A gentle pleasant read but nothing to excite me, passed on to me by an Australian friend it sounded interesting mainly because of the Italian link. The layout of the book was a little strange with an unusual page layout and over use of quotation marks which I found distracting.
Set in the nineteen eighties which I think of as fairly modern times I found the way our heroine was treated by her parents difficult to understand, but then maybe that is because I know next to nothing about life in Australia. Maybe it was really hard still in those days for families from Italy and other countries, there is certainly an international cast of characters which helps create an idea of life in Australia then for them as foreigners.
The novel tells the story of an eighteen year old Australian - Italian girl who has just spent a year studying in Perth and returns home to I guess the outback, the way she describes her home town of Waroona, after breaking up with her boyfriend. There is not really much of a storyline as the book concentrates on relationships, mainly those of our heroine Daniela Sante with the people that surround her, in particular with her parents new house guest Antonio. Having struggled all her young life to accept her Italian heritage this newcomer in her life represents all that she has come to hate.
There is really nothing more I can say about this, without spoiling it for those that might want to read it. If you enjoy a relationship driven novel and are interested in learning more about the life of Australian - Italian families in the eighties then you may well like this more than I did.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Dec 25, 2012 | Add your feedback
- Summer of Love (11)
- By Katie Fforde
- Finished on Dec 4, 2012
  
  Finished (re-read) on Dec 4, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Summer of Love

Feel good romance with a happy ever after ending, just the sort of read I expect and enjoy from Katie Fforde whose novels I have been reading since 1995! Her characters are always believable and set in places we can imagine in real life, stories that are easy to read but with enough drama to keep yo ... (continue)

Feel good romance with a happy ever after ending, just the sort of read I expect and enjoy from Katie Fforde whose novels I have been reading since 1995! Her characters are always believable and set in places we can imagine in real life, stories that are easy to read but with enough drama to keep you interested.
'Summer of Love' revolves around Sian Bishop and her life changing decision to move from the city to create a better life for her and her young son, Rory. She immerses herself in country life, enjoying her garden, making friends with the locals, her furniture restoration business and settling her son into new routines. Of course love is the last thing she is looking for as she already has a dependable male friend in Richard, the person in fact who wanted her to make the move. In fact it is obvious that he is interested in far more than friendship but Sian is just not interested in him in that way. Sian however is thrown into confusion when the charming son of her new found friend and neighbour Fiona Berresford, Angus returns home after a long absence. Does this unexpected meeting change her life as she tries to convince herself that this exciting young man is an inappropriate person for her to consider getting involved with and anyway she is not looking for love! Or is she?
In recommending this I would have to say you need to be a fan of Katie Fforde or contemporary romantic fiction if you have not yet read any of her novels. She is perfect reading for when you are in the mood for a touch of romance, families and village life presented in a readable novel with the inevitable happy ending that one can relax with. The world of Katie Fforde is always a pleasant one to escape to for a few hours, where life always seems relatively unstressed, lovely escapism.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Jan 22, 2013 | Add your feedback
- Veiled Freedom (1)
- By Jeanette Windle
- Finished in Nov 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Veiled Freedom

A Christian novel set in present-day Afghanistan which will give you plenty to think about, in particular the plight of women. I felt that this novel was a well researched believable portrayal of life in Afghanistan and how religion both Christian and Muslim plays a big part in the problems facing ... (continue)

A Christian novel set in present-day Afghanistan which will give you plenty to think about, in particular the plight of women. I felt that this novel was a well researched believable portrayal of life in Afghanistan and how religion both Christian and Muslim plays a big part in the problems facing aid organisations working there. The story deals with the critical issues that the people of Afghanistan are dealing with on a day to day basis, that we really cannot afford to ignore, but are probably not fully aware of. Also it may not be an accurate picture, after all this is fiction, but I fear it is horribly close to the truth although not a particularly exciting novel it will transport you to Kabul whilst you are reading. For me it was certainly the characters and the place rather than any plot that held my interest.
The novel tells the story of three main protagonists, Amy Mallory a young American and devout Christian who has just arrived in Kabul to work for an aid organisation helping women and children. Amy is desperate to be able to share her faith but knows she would be putting the life's of others in danger if she is over zealous in pushing her beliefs in her story telling. A difficult path she trod, especially as one of the conditions of her position was that she should not share her faith with the locals and which did in fact have unexpected repercussions, not to be given away here.
The other two protagonists are male firstly we meet Steve Wilson, an ex special forces soldier now chief of security for the Afghanistan Minister of the Interior who just happens to be Amy's landlord. Originally part of the force that liberated Afghanistan from the Taliban, he has become very cynical about the continued violence and lack of freedom. He finds Amy very naive and seems to be always having to rescue her from dangerous situations.
The final protagonist is Jamil a young man recently returned to his homeland from exile in Pakistan, well educated Amy employs him as a translator to help in her aid work. He has a harrowing past and as a devout Muslim, finds it very difficult to accept the kindness that Amy seems to show to everyone. He questions how her faith can motivate her to do so, dangerous and complicated.
Basically the interaction between the characters and the dramas that link them is the story and to say more about them would spoil it for those of you that may want to read this. Be warned there is a strong religious influence which may put some readers off, but I can recommend this to anyone who likes to learn more about the world we live in whilst they are reading.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/ve…

Is this helpful?

— Dec 23, 2012 | Add your feedback
- Sun at Midnight (6)
- By Rosie Thomas
- Finished on Oct 30, 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Sun at Midnight

Rosie Thomas is not only an author but a keen traveller and mountaineer which has provided her with excellent and well researched material for her novels. To research the Antarctic background for Sun at Midnight Rosie spent a month living with the scientists on a Bulgarian research station on Living ... (continue)

Rosie Thomas is not only an author but a keen traveller and mountaineer which has provided her with excellent and well researched material for her novels. To research the Antarctic background for Sun at Midnight Rosie spent a month living with the scientists on a Bulgarian research station on Livingstone Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula.
I am a long time fan of her writing although I still have to catch up with her most recent novels. With Sun at Midnight I was immediately engrossed in this adventure and love story that is set in Antarctica and gave me a rare glimpse of an amazing world. The author's personal research pays off as it shows in her writing as I really felt transported to the location from page one. In fact to quote from her website ' she believes that her travelling and writing are interdependent, and that one informs and enables the other.'
Having raved over the atmospheric setting of the novel I had better give you a brief outline of the story without spoilers of course. The theme is a familiar one for Rosie Thomas that of love and loss but it works as it is the stronger background settings that for me personally make her novels so readable.
The female protagonist is Alice Peel a geologist and daughter of a famous scientist who had worked in Antartica. It is due to her mothers failing health that Alice is herself given the opportunity to take part in a research programme herself. In sharp contrast to her normal life in Oxford she finds herself on-board a ship in a desolate landscape about to enter the realm of the unknown and unpredictable. Nothing has prepared Alice for the stark beauty of this place or for the realities of living in close confinement with a small group of people, just one other woman besides herself. It is with James Rooker, a man on the run his entire life and another member of the expedition, that she finds she has a spark with, like she has never felt with anyone before. The characters are all realistic with well portrayed personalities. As the claustrophobic tension builds amongst the people living and working together in this isolated research station, it is the present moment and survival that matters most. Their behaviour and reactions to the environment and situations they find themselves in may be a little implausible, it is their personal reactions that are more believable. Alice discovers something about herself in Antarctica that may change her life for ever if she survives the experience. Whilst saying that the human reactions were more believable, it does not mean you will necessarily agree with them, but I think you will understand them.
I recommend Rosie Thomas to women that are looking for more than romance in their reading. She is a writer whose style of writing is now appealing to a new generation of young women as well as those of us that have been reading her novels since the early eighties.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Jan 17, 2013 | Add your feedback
- Things I Want My Daughters to Know (34)
- By Elizabeth Noble
- Finished in Sep 2012
  
  Review
- Add...
  - My Shelf
  - Wish List
Things I Want My Daughters to Know

Despite having read three of Elizabeth Noble's earlier novels and having had two titles sitting on my bookshelves for a few years this is the first time I have read one, since I started reviewing. I have always considered her novels to be ones I will enjoy without having to think to hard. Why it has ... (continue)

Despite having read three of Elizabeth Noble's earlier novels and having had two titles sitting on my bookshelves for a few years this is the first time I have read one, since I started reviewing. I have always considered her novels to be ones I will enjoy without having to think to hard. Why it has taken me so long to pick another one up I have no idea. It is six years since I last read one, anyway now I have rediscovered her I hope it will not be long before I get hold of the rest of her back catalogue as this was a good read. The subject is far from comfortable but Noble tackles it sympathetically.
I plodded through this which was disappointing as potentially it was a great idea and as I have said already tackled sympathetically. Barbara has a terminal illness and has so much that she wants to share with her four daughters, knowing she is leaving them when individually they still have so much growing up to do. That part of the story worked well for me but I felt let down somehow by the rest which was seen from the points of view of her daughters.
Barbara is very much aware that her time is running out fast and that she will not be able to share the ups and downs of her daughters life's and give them the first hand support they require. She decides therefore I felt in an extremely brave move to write her four daughters individual letters. Each daughter deals with the death and the shocks they receive when reading their letters in a different way, but all with a mixture of anger and sadness before acceptance. Lisa the oldest in her mid-thirties is frightened of commitment, then there is Jennifer married but unhappily hiding this from the rest of the family. Amanda still in her twenties is the free spirited adventurer, seemingly unable to settle anywhere for long and Hannah mid teens living at home and devastated to watch her mother dying.
Trying to help them come to terms with the early loss of their mother is Mark, stepfather to the eldest three girls, Barbara's second husband and father to Hannah. He recalls how his wife would have reacted as he tries to guide them all including himself through the home truths that the letters reveal.
I did not love this, but neither did I hate it, I was just disappointed. It will definitely not be another six years before I read another of this author's novels, if you are a fan of contemporary fiction that is also thought provoking then this might be for you.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...

Is this helpful?

— Dec 15, 2012 | Add your feedback