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| photocourtesy: livingpalm@blogspot.com |
This is my first Rosamunde Pilcher book and I am glad I got to read it. I had watched some of the films based on the books and they had a nice feel to it.
Pilcher's stories are quite straightforward. However, what sets them apart is her characters and her descriptions of the place, the setting that dominates the story.
Gist:
The plot is set among the gentry where the focal point is a dance party that brings people of different ages yet connected to each other, one way or another. The dance party is set in September and as a run up to that big event, there tiny domestic situations in the lives of the characters that takes the story forward and builds the pace to it.
What works:
- The details of the characters are good. The reader gets to know them quite well, although the style is a lot different to contemporary writing.
- The story winds its way from the streets of london, up the scottish highlands, setting the scene for confrontation, confidences and explanation. It runs very well.
- The insight and the objective gaze as projected by the Violet the central character is sharp and perceptive. Pilcher scores on her insight and the way she presents the tiny details in the character's persona.
- Although, it is old fashioned, the characters keep you entertained and there is also a twist in the end, which makes it worth your while.
- The story starts off slowly and builds up gradually. It takes a while before the action starts and that can be a bit trying for the restless reader.
- There is something quite old fashioned about the story, maybe because there are no grey shades and you get a feeling that though the characters are steering away from societal norms, they do end up towing the line and all is resolved easily. A bit too convienient for my taste.
A good old fashioned read. If you are looking for something for a change that is not complex yet highly readable, then September may fit the bill.
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