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The Shell Seekers
Artist's daughter Penelope Keeling can look back on a full and varied life: a Bohemian childhood in London and Cornwall, an unhappy wartime marriage, and the one man she truly loved. She has brought up three children - and learned to accept them as they are. Yet she is far too energetic and independent to settle sweetly into pensioned-off old-age. And when she discovers that her most treasured possession, her father's painting,The Shell Seekers,is now worth a small fortune, it is Penelope who must make the decisions that will determine whether her family can continue to survive as a family, or be split apart.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published December 15, 1987
About the author
Rosamunde Pilcher
232books2,668followersRosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son,Robin Pilcher,is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonymJane Fraser.She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novelComing Homewon the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication ofWinter Solstice.Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonymJane Fraser.She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novelComing Homewon the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication ofWinter Solstice.Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,753 reviews
June 11, 2007
There's something about this book that always makes me resolve to move to Cornwall, bake lots of bread and have an enormous flower garden, and spend the rest of my days painting huge swathes of light on the beaches. That aside, this is one book that I regularly read every six months and love each time. I don't know how to describe it. Just go read it.
February 14, 2017
"The most ordinary of prospects caused her to stop and stare. The last of the leaves dropped from the trees, and the bare branches made lace against pale skies. Sun after rain turned cobbled streets blue as fish scales, dazzling to the eye. Autumn winds, whipping the bay to a scud of white-caps, brought with them, not cold, but a surging sense of vitality…"
Penelope Keeling knows how to live life to the fullest and I absolutely adore her! She grasps those things that matter most in life – the comfort of a home, the security of a loving mother, the laughter of friends and family, the feel of soil and the beauty of the outdoors, the enticing smells of home-cooked meals, and the allure of a splendid painting. When I come across a character in one of my books that touches me and makes me want to re-examine my own life, then I know I have found a gem.
Of course, we’re all familiar with the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of that offense in the past and no less so with this book. I have seen Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels in bookstores and libraries and have admittedly walked right on by due to their overly feminine and botanic covers. I didn’t think they were "my sort of book". However, I decided to give this one a try when I discovered some trusted Goodreads friends were reading this. Well, thank goodness I did – such a true delight! At the outset, we learn that Penelope is a sixty-four-year old widow that has had a surprise glimpse at her own mortality. We are introduced to her three adult children – Nancy, Olivia and Noel - as well as others that have touched her life at some point or another – her treasured mother and father, an ill-suited husband, a loyal friend, a devoted lover, a grieving young woman and a secretive yet trustworthy gardener. Each character is drawn with such depth and clarity that I felt I really knew each and every one of them. The title of this novel,The Shell Seekers,derives from a painting given to Penelope by her father, the prominent artist Lawrence Stern. When the now deceased Lawrence Stern’s works of art become much sought-after, the value of this and other pieces increases significantly. Each of Penelope’s children have their own thoughts about what should be done with this and other works in their mother’s possession. What they desire reveals to us much about each of them, their innermost substance. As with real people, what we see is not all pretty. Pilcher has the gift of depicting riveting family dynamics."Family rows are like car accidents. Every family thinks, ‘It couldn’t happen to us,’ but it can happen to everybody. The only way to avoid them is to drive with the greatest care and have much consideration for others."
Penelope makes a journey to Cornwall, both in spirit and literally, where she sweeps us along to revel in the landscape and her own cherished memories. I loved every minute of this visit and will miss my time spent with Penelope. Heart-warming, memorable, and a bit of a tear-jerker,The Shell Seekersis a treasure I won’t soon forget. I am quite pleased that several more Rosamunde Pilcher novels now grace my bookshelf with their blossoming covers and their promise of comfort and pure reading satisfaction.
Penelope Keeling knows how to live life to the fullest and I absolutely adore her! She grasps those things that matter most in life – the comfort of a home, the security of a loving mother, the laughter of friends and family, the feel of soil and the beauty of the outdoors, the enticing smells of home-cooked meals, and the allure of a splendid painting. When I come across a character in one of my books that touches me and makes me want to re-examine my own life, then I know I have found a gem.
Of course, we’re all familiar with the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of that offense in the past and no less so with this book. I have seen Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels in bookstores and libraries and have admittedly walked right on by due to their overly feminine and botanic covers. I didn’t think they were "my sort of book". However, I decided to give this one a try when I discovered some trusted Goodreads friends were reading this. Well, thank goodness I did – such a true delight! At the outset, we learn that Penelope is a sixty-four-year old widow that has had a surprise glimpse at her own mortality. We are introduced to her three adult children – Nancy, Olivia and Noel - as well as others that have touched her life at some point or another – her treasured mother and father, an ill-suited husband, a loyal friend, a devoted lover, a grieving young woman and a secretive yet trustworthy gardener. Each character is drawn with such depth and clarity that I felt I really knew each and every one of them. The title of this novel,The Shell Seekers,derives from a painting given to Penelope by her father, the prominent artist Lawrence Stern. When the now deceased Lawrence Stern’s works of art become much sought-after, the value of this and other pieces increases significantly. Each of Penelope’s children have their own thoughts about what should be done with this and other works in their mother’s possession. What they desire reveals to us much about each of them, their innermost substance. As with real people, what we see is not all pretty. Pilcher has the gift of depicting riveting family dynamics."Family rows are like car accidents. Every family thinks, ‘It couldn’t happen to us,’ but it can happen to everybody. The only way to avoid them is to drive with the greatest care and have much consideration for others."
Penelope makes a journey to Cornwall, both in spirit and literally, where she sweeps us along to revel in the landscape and her own cherished memories. I loved every minute of this visit and will miss my time spent with Penelope. Heart-warming, memorable, and a bit of a tear-jerker,The Shell Seekersis a treasure I won’t soon forget. I am quite pleased that several more Rosamunde Pilcher novels now grace my bookshelf with their blossoming covers and their promise of comfort and pure reading satisfaction.
February 22, 2022
I seldom find myself blubbering over a book anymore. I used to do it when I was younger, but my insides seem to have toughened as I have aged. My sentimental side is harder to access, and even when a book evokes strong feelings I do not really cry. Well, Pilcher put the lie to that today. I cried like I was 15 again, felt foolish doing it, and felt clean and empty afterward.
OK, maybe I was just needing a good cry. It happens. But, there was something very touching in the way Pilcher presented this story; a truthfulness that made it special. It was a re-read, but goodness knows almost thirty years between reads made it brand new in many ways.
I thought of my own mother when I read these lines:"Yes, she was lovely. But more than that, she was warm and funny and loving. Hot-tempered one moment, and laughing the next. And she could make a home anywhere. She carried a sort of security about with her. I can't think of a single person who didn't love her. I still think about her every day of my life. Sometimes she seems very dead. And other times, I can't believe that she isn't somewhere in the house and that a door won't open and she'll be there."
For me, she nailed what it is to lose someone you truly love.
And this passage that might be best understood by someone my own age, and yet I know I must have understood it even when I was so young, reading this for the first time:
"A ring was the accepted sign of infinity, eternity. If her own life was that carefully described pencil line, she knew all at once that the two ends were drawing close together. I have come full circle, she told herself, and wondered what had happened to all the years. It was a question which, from time to time, caused her some anxiety and left her fretting with a dreadful sense of waste. But now, it seemed, the question had become irrelevant, and so the answer, whatever it was, was no longer of any importance."
Rosamunde Pilcher must have loved deeply, lost someone very close, known greedy and intemperate people, turned the earth in her own garden, shared meals with irreplaceable friends, and embraced a few kindred spirits in her day. She knows all those things too well to have made them up out of air. And, to some extent, that is what we all know of life. The details, the little things that make it bearable, the larger things that make it seems impossible to live through, these are the hallmarks of humanity. In the end, perhaps I cry not for the characters in a book but for myself.
OK, maybe I was just needing a good cry. It happens. But, there was something very touching in the way Pilcher presented this story; a truthfulness that made it special. It was a re-read, but goodness knows almost thirty years between reads made it brand new in many ways.
I thought of my own mother when I read these lines:"Yes, she was lovely. But more than that, she was warm and funny and loving. Hot-tempered one moment, and laughing the next. And she could make a home anywhere. She carried a sort of security about with her. I can't think of a single person who didn't love her. I still think about her every day of my life. Sometimes she seems very dead. And other times, I can't believe that she isn't somewhere in the house and that a door won't open and she'll be there."
For me, she nailed what it is to lose someone you truly love.
And this passage that might be best understood by someone my own age, and yet I know I must have understood it even when I was so young, reading this for the first time:
"A ring was the accepted sign of infinity, eternity. If her own life was that carefully described pencil line, she knew all at once that the two ends were drawing close together. I have come full circle, she told herself, and wondered what had happened to all the years. It was a question which, from time to time, caused her some anxiety and left her fretting with a dreadful sense of waste. But now, it seemed, the question had become irrelevant, and so the answer, whatever it was, was no longer of any importance."
Rosamunde Pilcher must have loved deeply, lost someone very close, known greedy and intemperate people, turned the earth in her own garden, shared meals with irreplaceable friends, and embraced a few kindred spirits in her day. She knows all those things too well to have made them up out of air. And, to some extent, that is what we all know of life. The details, the little things that make it bearable, the larger things that make it seems impossible to live through, these are the hallmarks of humanity. In the end, perhaps I cry not for the characters in a book but for myself.
September 28, 2022
“She believed, of course... because without something to believe in, life would be intolerable.”
The Shell Seekers ~~ Rosamunde Pilcher
I definitely was not excited to readTHE SHELL SEEKERS.My mother had chosen it for her book club; telling us, it was one of her favorite books of all time. I foolishly viewed this as awoman's book,no, an old woman's book.
How wrong I was. I absolutely lovedTHE SHELL SEEKERS.My only regret is that I hadn't visited the worlds created byRosamunde Pilchersooner.
I was sucked into this world from the start. I loved Penelope from the opening paragraph, and loved how her story progressed. I also loved that this story was told in nonlinear fashion, and each chapter focused on a character who moved through Penelope's life. And yet, this is Penelope Keeling’s story from start to finish ~~ even when she is not present.
Penelope is a stylish, elegant woman even in her well-worn, often shabby clothes. Her generosity, hard work, joie de vivre, understanding, and caring for others never seems to falter. Penelope shines like a golden thread in the tapestry of her life and the lives of others. She loves unconditionally, rises above mistakes ~~ both hers and those of others; she makes do with what life has given her.
Penelope's philosophy is that money buys, not just material things, but it also buys freedom, independence, dignity, learning, and time. As she ages, she comes to believe that the greatest gift a parent can give the children is to maintain one’s independence, be self-reliant, and not witless ~~ a lesson she learned from her father.
As we journey with Penelope we view her life through both the best of times, and the difficult times. Through it all, we witness what a strong, caring woman, wonderful woman she is.
We experience Penelope's life in Cornwall, growing up her artist father and her French mother Sophie, We come to know the village and her people; we meet Doris and her two sons, evacuees of WWII. Later, we visit London and Spain through Penelope's eyes. We see Penelope as she experiencing living in her daughter Olivia's world and meet her friends Cosmo and Antonia. We become absorbed in the never-ending conflicts of her other two children, Nancy and Noel. In her old age we experience the wonderful gift Antonia and her young friend Danus bring to her.
Penelope's story reveals so much of human nature, of who we are.The Shell Seekershas charms all its own, and you definitely should experience these charms.
The Shell Seekers ~~ Rosamunde Pilcher
I definitely was not excited to readTHE SHELL SEEKERS.My mother had chosen it for her book club; telling us, it was one of her favorite books of all time. I foolishly viewed this as awoman's book,no, an old woman's book.
How wrong I was. I absolutely lovedTHE SHELL SEEKERS.My only regret is that I hadn't visited the worlds created byRosamunde Pilchersooner.
I was sucked into this world from the start. I loved Penelope from the opening paragraph, and loved how her story progressed. I also loved that this story was told in nonlinear fashion, and each chapter focused on a character who moved through Penelope's life. And yet, this is Penelope Keeling’s story from start to finish ~~ even when she is not present.
Penelope is a stylish, elegant woman even in her well-worn, often shabby clothes. Her generosity, hard work, joie de vivre, understanding, and caring for others never seems to falter. Penelope shines like a golden thread in the tapestry of her life and the lives of others. She loves unconditionally, rises above mistakes ~~ both hers and those of others; she makes do with what life has given her.
Penelope's philosophy is that money buys, not just material things, but it also buys freedom, independence, dignity, learning, and time. As she ages, she comes to believe that the greatest gift a parent can give the children is to maintain one’s independence, be self-reliant, and not witless ~~ a lesson she learned from her father.
As we journey with Penelope we view her life through both the best of times, and the difficult times. Through it all, we witness what a strong, caring woman, wonderful woman she is.
We experience Penelope's life in Cornwall, growing up her artist father and her French mother Sophie, We come to know the village and her people; we meet Doris and her two sons, evacuees of WWII. Later, we visit London and Spain through Penelope's eyes. We see Penelope as she experiencing living in her daughter Olivia's world and meet her friends Cosmo and Antonia. We become absorbed in the never-ending conflicts of her other two children, Nancy and Noel. In her old age we experience the wonderful gift Antonia and her young friend Danus bring to her.
Penelope's story reveals so much of human nature, of who we are.The Shell Seekershas charms all its own, and you definitely should experience these charms.
August 7, 2009
From its supermarket cover (have you seen it? It felt embarrassing to have such a romantically embossed book in my hands) to its one-dimensional characters, the entire book reminded me of a heavyweight beach read.
So....what should get a "nice summer read" review instead trips me up for weeks, unable to write anything about this book and a dozen others because I'm forced to question my reasoning. Why do I feel so bad about being critical of this book? Mostly, I think it's because many friends and readers I know love this book. But, I also think my stupor of thought is a result of a former self once being able to love this book. My tastes have changed.
It's frustrating, because I think the themes Pilcher wrote about are serious enough to do well. Inheritance, greed, sentimentality, playing favorites with children, staying in a loveless marriage, putting a relationship that never fully developed on a pedestal because it escaped the inevitable boredom, irritation, and complacency that all relationships eventually go through. These are things you don't usually find underneath a flowery cover.
Overall, The Shell Seekers didn't feel wholly honest to me. The situations did have a semblance of reality. I imagine most of us would have some serious introspection if we discovered a piece of art we owned was suddenly very valuable, especially any art we owned that was created by a beloved relative. However, the characters, written as people who you should like (Penelope, Olivia, Richard), or who you should not like (Nancy, Neil, horrible grandmother and husband whose names I can't remember) didn't have motives - or at least any that I understood. It appears to me that Pilcher confused having the coveted flawed character with having bad characters. Just because a character makes bad choices shouldn't make them bad. I wanted to know why Nancy and Neil cared more about money than their grandfather's painting. Was Neil a gambler and in debt and needed cash? Did Nancy think her marriage would fall apart if she didn't continue to be the lavish bride that her grandmother turned her into?
Why in the world would Penelope stay in her never-should-have-happened-marriage when the author has done her best to describe her as a free-spirit, raised by an athiest father and French mother who both could have cared less if she married the father of her baby or took a lover while her husband (who she hoped would either die or leave her for someone else) was at war, who placed a nontraditional value to things (wasn't that the point of the the symbolic painting? Most people would care to know how much it was worth. But not Penelope, who would rather garden and feed people large meals)? Why were Neil and Nancy so shallow and greedy? Because they were genetically like their father and grandmother (who were also inexplicably bad)? Why did Olivia get such a free pass from her mother? Why did we have to invest so much time with her in Greece with her old and linen-clad lover (who I kept imaging as Kris Kristofferson. Odd)? Was I supposed to really care about her gardener's epilepsy?
So many more questions that have no satisfying answers because, once again, I don't think this is meant as a serious book. In which case, I'm being snobby and critical. Or it was meant as a serious book and I'm being picky and callous. Or snobby and critical. Take your pick.
Oh my...this is such a bad book review. For the confused, I'll tidy things up. I enjoyed the book. I'm disappointed it wasn't more.
And that worries me.
Because that means I'm a book snob
Oh....curse you, Shell Seekers! Why did I ever open your abysmal cover with flowers and shiny typeface?
Why? Because there's a well known saying about books and their covers. And I fell for it.
So....what should get a "nice summer read" review instead trips me up for weeks, unable to write anything about this book and a dozen others because I'm forced to question my reasoning. Why do I feel so bad about being critical of this book? Mostly, I think it's because many friends and readers I know love this book. But, I also think my stupor of thought is a result of a former self once being able to love this book. My tastes have changed.
It's frustrating, because I think the themes Pilcher wrote about are serious enough to do well. Inheritance, greed, sentimentality, playing favorites with children, staying in a loveless marriage, putting a relationship that never fully developed on a pedestal because it escaped the inevitable boredom, irritation, and complacency that all relationships eventually go through. These are things you don't usually find underneath a flowery cover.
Overall, The Shell Seekers didn't feel wholly honest to me. The situations did have a semblance of reality. I imagine most of us would have some serious introspection if we discovered a piece of art we owned was suddenly very valuable, especially any art we owned that was created by a beloved relative. However, the characters, written as people who you should like (Penelope, Olivia, Richard), or who you should not like (Nancy, Neil, horrible grandmother and husband whose names I can't remember) didn't have motives - or at least any that I understood. It appears to me that Pilcher confused having the coveted flawed character with having bad characters. Just because a character makes bad choices shouldn't make them bad. I wanted to know why Nancy and Neil cared more about money than their grandfather's painting. Was Neil a gambler and in debt and needed cash? Did Nancy think her marriage would fall apart if she didn't continue to be the lavish bride that her grandmother turned her into?
Why in the world would Penelope stay in her never-should-have-happened-marriage when the author has done her best to describe her as a free-spirit, raised by an athiest father and French mother who both could have cared less if she married the father of her baby or took a lover while her husband (who she hoped would either die or leave her for someone else) was at war, who placed a nontraditional value to things (wasn't that the point of the the symbolic painting? Most people would care to know how much it was worth. But not Penelope, who would rather garden and feed people large meals)? Why were Neil and Nancy so shallow and greedy? Because they were genetically like their father and grandmother (who were also inexplicably bad)? Why did Olivia get such a free pass from her mother? Why did we have to invest so much time with her in Greece with her old and linen-clad lover (who I kept imaging as Kris Kristofferson. Odd)? Was I supposed to really care about her gardener's epilepsy?
So many more questions that have no satisfying answers because, once again, I don't think this is meant as a serious book. In which case, I'm being snobby and critical. Or it was meant as a serious book and I'm being picky and callous. Or snobby and critical. Take your pick.
Oh my...this is such a bad book review. For the confused, I'll tidy things up. I enjoyed the book. I'm disappointed it wasn't more.
And that worries me.
Because that means I'm a book snob
Oh....curse you, Shell Seekers! Why did I ever open your abysmal cover with flowers and shiny typeface?
Why? Because there's a well known saying about books and their covers. And I fell for it.
July 1, 2017
3.5 Stars
A beautifully written character driven novel about family and life, love and loss, greed and hope, a book that has the charm and eloquence of books from a bygone era, just a good old fashioned family saga, a story with real characters and places that are interesting and vivid.
I had never read a book by this author before and as a couple of Goodread friends have really enjoyed her novels and the fact I saw it on the BBC list ofTop 100 booksI just had to try one and I was in not disappointed by the story or the writing style as the characters and images in the novel are so well drawn with little details that bring a wonderful sense of time and place to the story which makes this novel so readable and enjoyable.
This is the type of novel that while it didn't move me or have me on the edge of my seat, I loved picking it up and spending time with the characters and just enjoyed the good feeling it gave me. It would make a terrific holiday read or a book for cosy winter nights by the fire, It the sort of book I will remember reading 10 years from now and still be able to recall the characters.
I did find the book a tad long but I am not a fan of long books anyhow but I am certainly looking forward to reading more by this author soon.
I bought a paperback edition of this novel and delighted to place this one on my bookshelf for future re-reading.
A beautifully written character driven novel about family and life, love and loss, greed and hope, a book that has the charm and eloquence of books from a bygone era, just a good old fashioned family saga, a story with real characters and places that are interesting and vivid.
I had never read a book by this author before and as a couple of Goodread friends have really enjoyed her novels and the fact I saw it on the BBC list ofTop 100 booksI just had to try one and I was in not disappointed by the story or the writing style as the characters and images in the novel are so well drawn with little details that bring a wonderful sense of time and place to the story which makes this novel so readable and enjoyable.
This is the type of novel that while it didn't move me or have me on the edge of my seat, I loved picking it up and spending time with the characters and just enjoyed the good feeling it gave me. It would make a terrific holiday read or a book for cosy winter nights by the fire, It the sort of book I will remember reading 10 years from now and still be able to recall the characters.
I did find the book a tad long but I am not a fan of long books anyhow but I am certainly looking forward to reading more by this author soon.
I bought a paperback edition of this novel and delighted to place this one on my bookshelf for future re-reading.
September 28, 2008
Rosamund Pilcher is consistently marketed via book jackets covered with flowers. I'm not sure why. On the surface, Pilcher's stories are nostalgic and evocative of magical other places where good things always happen to good people; but her novels and characters are consistently rich, complicated, and subtle. I've not read another author who could draw the infuriating imperfections and dysfunctions of family so accurately, or so compassionately. It's easy to admire, then almost despise, and then love her characters for being so very human.
The Shell Seekers, like so many of Pilcher's stories, is set in England, told from the vantage of a menagerie of characters whose lives are bound together by various ties of kinship and obligation. At first, one is content to get to know the cast as their various stories unfold, but little by little the pieces - and the people - come together, and by the end one realizes how incredibly tight this novel is.
It's the sort of novel that restores faith in life, and in fiction.
The Shell Seekers, like so many of Pilcher's stories, is set in England, told from the vantage of a menagerie of characters whose lives are bound together by various ties of kinship and obligation. At first, one is content to get to know the cast as their various stories unfold, but little by little the pieces - and the people - come together, and by the end one realizes how incredibly tight this novel is.
It's the sort of novel that restores faith in life, and in fiction.
June 20, 2009
I thought this book would be better for all its NYT Book Review (and other) praise, but it wasn't. Ostensibly a sprawling family saga centring around matriarch Penelope, it's basically the same 2 or 3 characters with different names playing out over three generations.
If you're a "good" character, then you're independent, stubborn, glossy haired, tall, beautiful. You love France, holiday in Spain, dream of Cornwall, and believe in children out of wedlock and monied bohemian lifestyles (but not too monied, nor do you care too much about cashola, but it doesn't matter because it will come pouring down in the hundreds of thousands anyway). You know and namedrop all the same (white) (western) painters and authors. You joined the war effort due to the "cultured refugee faced" (I kid you not) Jews who rent rooms in your massive inherited London mansion. You are or love gardeners or artists or offspring of artists. You have a 50% chance of dying in the great war.
If you're a "bad" character, you endlessly harp on class and money and other selfish concerns. You have no interest in intimacy or art or any higher calling than social climbing and your awful ugly children and awful ugly spouse or your anorexic supermodel lover of the mo. You are either ugly and empty or beautiful and empty. You hate gardeners.
Everyone, regardless of integrity or intention, wants a scotch and soda.
So why did I plow through 500+ pages of this? And even tear up at moments? Because the idea of lives fully lived is a powerful one and Ms. Pilcher tells a well paced story, even if it is written in a hackneyed trashy romance style. Certainly it wasn't hard to blow through, and it was sort of fun watching all the foils of the story unfold in mediocrity. I left my copy in Newark Airport on top of the recycling bin for someone else to take it up or pitch it in.
If you're a "good" character, then you're independent, stubborn, glossy haired, tall, beautiful. You love France, holiday in Spain, dream of Cornwall, and believe in children out of wedlock and monied bohemian lifestyles (but not too monied, nor do you care too much about cashola, but it doesn't matter because it will come pouring down in the hundreds of thousands anyway). You know and namedrop all the same (white) (western) painters and authors. You joined the war effort due to the "cultured refugee faced" (I kid you not) Jews who rent rooms in your massive inherited London mansion. You are or love gardeners or artists or offspring of artists. You have a 50% chance of dying in the great war.
If you're a "bad" character, you endlessly harp on class and money and other selfish concerns. You have no interest in intimacy or art or any higher calling than social climbing and your awful ugly children and awful ugly spouse or your anorexic supermodel lover of the mo. You are either ugly and empty or beautiful and empty. You hate gardeners.
Everyone, regardless of integrity or intention, wants a scotch and soda.
So why did I plow through 500+ pages of this? And even tear up at moments? Because the idea of lives fully lived is a powerful one and Ms. Pilcher tells a well paced story, even if it is written in a hackneyed trashy romance style. Certainly it wasn't hard to blow through, and it was sort of fun watching all the foils of the story unfold in mediocrity. I left my copy in Newark Airport on top of the recycling bin for someone else to take it up or pitch it in.
March 1, 2012
This is one of my favorite books of all time, but I'd be hard-pressed to explain why. The criticisms of this book are true enough--semi-cliched characters and all--but I just love them. I love Penelope and this book makes me want to garden and cook soup and let everyone be themselves even if they're stuffy and stodgy or not at all in fashion. I love that her personal life is real, as in far from perfect--her societally correct husband was miserable and her true love wasn't allowed. I love that Antonia happens into Penelope's life and becomes inextricably linked and a better 'granddaughter' than her biological grandkids. One of my favorite lines is towards the end where it is said "Penelope may not believe in God, but I am quite sure that God believes in her..." This is a curl up in a chair with a mug of tea, blanket and wallow in the familiarity of it all kind of book.
I have read other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, and none of them had this same effect on me. There's just something about this story....
I have read other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, and none of them had this same effect on me. There's just something about this story....
March 7, 2017
From the blurb:
"Set in London and Cornwall from World War II to present(1983),The Shell Seekerstells the story of the Keeling family, and of the passions and heartbreak that have held them together for three generations. The family centers around Penelope, and it is her love, courage, and sense of values that determine the course of all their lives. Deftly shifting back and forth in time, each chapter centers on one of the principal players in the family's history. The unifying thread is an oil painting entitled "The Shell Seekers," done by Penelope's father. It is this painting that symbolizes to Penelope the ties between the generations. But it is the fate of this painting that just may tear the family apart.
I don't really want to write a review for this book, since it touched me so deeply, and I found such a connection with Penelope, that I would rather have talked about the bond of friendship we have formed! I almost felt like sitting down and write her a letter. It feltthatpersonal.
In that spirit I can only conclude that it was a tremendous moment when I started reading this book by Rosamunde Pilcher. It was like opening the door to a very familiar home. Meave Binchy had this effect on me.
The Shell Seekersby Rosamunde Pilcher was my introduction to this author, and it was a unforgettably good experience.
We always talk about a light read to indicate the tone of a book. In this case it will have to be described as a medium read, since the horrors of war form part of the saga, but not as brutal and devastating as the violent counterparts by other authors. The book shows another side of WWII than the one we would normally encounter in historical fiction. A cup full of colorful petals is heaped onto an otherwise mono-colored part of history.
Recommended to family saga-readers.
"Set in London and Cornwall from World War II to present(1983),The Shell Seekerstells the story of the Keeling family, and of the passions and heartbreak that have held them together for three generations. The family centers around Penelope, and it is her love, courage, and sense of values that determine the course of all their lives. Deftly shifting back and forth in time, each chapter centers on one of the principal players in the family's history. The unifying thread is an oil painting entitled "The Shell Seekers," done by Penelope's father. It is this painting that symbolizes to Penelope the ties between the generations. But it is the fate of this painting that just may tear the family apart.
"Family rows are like car accidents. Every family thinks, ‘It couldn’t happen to us', but it can happen to everybody. The only way to avoid them is to drive with the greatest care and have much consideration for others."MY THOUGHTS
I don't really want to write a review for this book, since it touched me so deeply, and I found such a connection with Penelope, that I would rather have talked about the bond of friendship we have formed! I almost felt like sitting down and write her a letter. It feltthatpersonal.
In that spirit I can only conclude that it was a tremendous moment when I started reading this book by Rosamunde Pilcher. It was like opening the door to a very familiar home. Meave Binchy had this effect on me.
The Shell Seekersby Rosamunde Pilcher was my introduction to this author, and it was a unforgettably good experience.
Perhaps you never completely grew up until your mother diedFamily saga; a story of a courageous woman; a compassionate tale of hardship and wonder; the making of a family; the bonds of blood and destiny. It's all there and written in tasteful and beautiful prose.
We always talk about a light read to indicate the tone of a book. In this case it will have to be described as a medium read, since the horrors of war form part of the saga, but not as brutal and devastating as the violent counterparts by other authors. The book shows another side of WWII than the one we would normally encounter in historical fiction. A cup full of colorful petals is heaped onto an otherwise mono-colored part of history.
Recommended to family saga-readers.
February 26, 2019
An older woman looks back on her life, thinks about her family, and tries to decide what to do with a valuable painting that she's inherited from her father, an artist.
I read this back in the day and honestly don't remember any of the details, but I do remember enjoying this read.
I read this back in the day and honestly don't remember any of the details, but I do remember enjoying this read.
November 8, 2023
Penelope Keeling is sixty four, she’s just had a heart attack and it makes her reflect on her life. She’s the daughter of the famous Victorian era artist Lawrence Stern, her mother Sophie was French and they lived a free spirited life in London and Cornwall. Hers was a happy childhood, filled with love and her parents had so many wonderful and interesting friends. I guess she was a little naïve, she fell for and married the first man she dated Ambrose Keeling and it was a big mistake. She had three children, Nancy, Olivia and Noel and her children are all very different in temperament.
Penelope has always been independent, she lives in a cottage in Gloucestershire, with a beautiful garden and now her children are worried it’s too much for her. Penelope is a wonderful cook, she loves to entertain and finds young people refreshing. Two of her children discover their grandfather’s painting are going up in value, is their mother sensible enough to look after them and how much are they worth? Penelope isn’t silly, she’s one step ahead of her kids, if anyone decides what becomes of her father’s paintings and sketches it will be her.
The Shell Seekers is a classic book, a long one and each page has been written to be slowly savored by the reader. A masterpiece by Rosamunde Pilcher, rich in characters and places, it’s about life, Penelope lives hers to the fullest, and she’s delightful. A timeless novel to read and five stars from me.
Penelope has always been independent, she lives in a cottage in Gloucestershire, with a beautiful garden and now her children are worried it’s too much for her. Penelope is a wonderful cook, she loves to entertain and finds young people refreshing. Two of her children discover their grandfather’s painting are going up in value, is their mother sensible enough to look after them and how much are they worth? Penelope isn’t silly, she’s one step ahead of her kids, if anyone decides what becomes of her father’s paintings and sketches it will be her.
The Shell Seekers is a classic book, a long one and each page has been written to be slowly savored by the reader. A masterpiece by Rosamunde Pilcher, rich in characters and places, it’s about life, Penelope lives hers to the fullest, and she’s delightful. A timeless novel to read and five stars from me.
May 20, 2010
You really can't judge a book by its cover.
People have recommended Rosamunde Pilcher's books to me for years, and I refused to read them because all the covers looked like they had been marinated in mothballs. But after spying "The Shell Seekers" on the BBC's "The Big Read: Top 100 Books," I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. Annoyingly, several people had put it on reserve at the library before me, so by the time I received it, I wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as I had been when I had originally ordered it. To add insult to injury, my copy had a cover that resembled a fussy spinster's guest room wallpaper. I literally had to fight the urge to hide the book under my jacket, lest one of my hipster friends caught sight of me leaving the building with it.
But then I opened the front cover and started to read. And was captivated by the first sentence. And the second. By the time I had reached the last page, I was head over heels in love with this book. If you're smart enough to overlook a stupid looking cover for the sake of a great read, pick up this book. You won't be sorry.
People have recommended Rosamunde Pilcher's books to me for years, and I refused to read them because all the covers looked like they had been marinated in mothballs. But after spying "The Shell Seekers" on the BBC's "The Big Read: Top 100 Books," I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. Annoyingly, several people had put it on reserve at the library before me, so by the time I received it, I wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as I had been when I had originally ordered it. To add insult to injury, my copy had a cover that resembled a fussy spinster's guest room wallpaper. I literally had to fight the urge to hide the book under my jacket, lest one of my hipster friends caught sight of me leaving the building with it.
But then I opened the front cover and started to read. And was captivated by the first sentence. And the second. By the time I had reached the last page, I was head over heels in love with this book. If you're smart enough to overlook a stupid looking cover for the sake of a great read, pick up this book. You won't be sorry.
October 17, 2022
I read The Shell Seekers with Karina, my good friend on Goodreads. This is a book about family, but not about the importance of a loving, congenial group of people, but what happens when that is not the case. Penelope Keeling is a warm, delightful person with a deft hand at making a house a home. She is in her sixties when the story begins. Penelope loves nature and food and all the good things of life. This gift of joy had been handed down to her by her artist father and French mother. Unfortunately, her children do not possess the lust for life that she has and she blames this on the cold, grasping man she married without truly knowing his nature.
Her three children are all difficult in their own way. I read in one review that it gives a parent permission to dislike their own children. Nancy and Noel are the eldest and are particularly icky, only interested in their mother's money. Both are unpleasant to be around in their own particular way. Noel wants to steal something from his mother (who inherited valuable paintings from her father) but doesn't have enough ambition to be a competent thief. Olivia, the youngest, is only interested in her career. Of the three, Olivia is the least objectionable, although I really couldn't stand her myself. She is the type of boss who seems to gleefully chastise an employee at the beginning of the book.
The story weaves through the past and present and we discover that Penelope has secrets: and although she loves her children, it will be complete strangers who she foresees will inherit the joy that her parents gave her.
Her three children are all difficult in their own way. I read in one review that it gives a parent permission to dislike their own children. Nancy and Noel are the eldest and are particularly icky, only interested in their mother's money. Both are unpleasant to be around in their own particular way. Noel wants to steal something from his mother (who inherited valuable paintings from her father) but doesn't have enough ambition to be a competent thief. Olivia, the youngest, is only interested in her career. Of the three, Olivia is the least objectionable, although I really couldn't stand her myself. She is the type of boss who seems to gleefully chastise an employee at the beginning of the book.
The story weaves through the past and present and we discover that Penelope has secrets: and although she loves her children, it will be complete strangers who she foresees will inherit the joy that her parents gave her.
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June 30, 2023
Read as part ofThe Infinite Variety Reading Challenge,based on the BBC's Big Read Poll of 2003.
I'm not a huge fan of genreless fiction, not in the least when it has a strong romance-vibe, but I foundThe Shell Seekersto be a pleasant read. It was not at all taxing and can be described as escapist literature, and requires not an awful lot of mental agility to get through, but that was part of its charm.
The best thing about the book was how splendidly well it was written. I wasn't hugely captivated by the plot, in fact, I thought it was rather weak and there were about 200 superfluous pages, with some extremely tedious moments during the mid-way section that meant I had to put it down for a few days and return to after a short break; having said that, it was a lovely journey to go on and I found myself transported to the wonderful places that the characters inhabited.
Speaking of which, I though Penelope was such a wonderful, breath-of-fresh-air character. It's a rare thing in books these days to have a wonderful, strong, independent older woman as a main character in any kind of medium (be it books, film or TV) and I enjoyed her immensely. The other characters were a little bit too background for me, though I enjoyed them as they were, and found they all fit in with each other well.
It is not a book to change lives, it is simply something to read and enjoy. I did enjoy it, despite my misgivings, though it won't be read again, nor perhaps will it be much thought of ever. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading something that was so well-written and just lovely to get around to.
I'm not a huge fan of genreless fiction, not in the least when it has a strong romance-vibe, but I foundThe Shell Seekersto be a pleasant read. It was not at all taxing and can be described as escapist literature, and requires not an awful lot of mental agility to get through, but that was part of its charm.
The best thing about the book was how splendidly well it was written. I wasn't hugely captivated by the plot, in fact, I thought it was rather weak and there were about 200 superfluous pages, with some extremely tedious moments during the mid-way section that meant I had to put it down for a few days and return to after a short break; having said that, it was a lovely journey to go on and I found myself transported to the wonderful places that the characters inhabited.
Speaking of which, I though Penelope was such a wonderful, breath-of-fresh-air character. It's a rare thing in books these days to have a wonderful, strong, independent older woman as a main character in any kind of medium (be it books, film or TV) and I enjoyed her immensely. The other characters were a little bit too background for me, though I enjoyed them as they were, and found they all fit in with each other well.
It is not a book to change lives, it is simply something to read and enjoy. I did enjoy it, despite my misgivings, though it won't be read again, nor perhaps will it be much thought of ever. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading something that was so well-written and just lovely to get around to.
December 30, 2020
I read this book for the first time in 1991. I had this great urge to reread it for two reasons: 1) I remember it being a beautiful engrossing story of a woman, Penelope Keeling, and her life, loves and family. 2) Without any travel this past year, I yearned to go back to Cornwall, so this book took me there in spirit at least.
I think I may have loved it even more on my second read. The perfect book to while away time over the holidays. I loved getting to reconnect with Penelope again. She was a woman who valued what was important in life- which was her family and friends, her garden, her gatherings around a supper table.
The Shell Seekers, the title, refers to a painting her father had done. It has been a part of her life forever, but now the time has come to decide what to do with it.
Rosamunde Pilcher knows how to create people. Every person was so well drawn out. I felt that I knew them all. You can feel her love for Cornwall throughout the book (understandably so!). I have been to St Ives twice and Land’s End- I could feel the wind and the surf, I was walking along with Penelope and enjoying those stunning views. If you haven’t been there, this book will make you want to go for sure.
“And in this life, nothing good is ever lost. It stays part of a person, becomes part of their character. So part of you goes everywhere with me. And part of me is yours forever.”
Perfect book to loose yourself in!
I think I may have loved it even more on my second read. The perfect book to while away time over the holidays. I loved getting to reconnect with Penelope again. She was a woman who valued what was important in life- which was her family and friends, her garden, her gatherings around a supper table.
The Shell Seekers, the title, refers to a painting her father had done. It has been a part of her life forever, but now the time has come to decide what to do with it.
Rosamunde Pilcher knows how to create people. Every person was so well drawn out. I felt that I knew them all. You can feel her love for Cornwall throughout the book (understandably so!). I have been to St Ives twice and Land’s End- I could feel the wind and the surf, I was walking along with Penelope and enjoying those stunning views. If you haven’t been there, this book will make you want to go for sure.
“And in this life, nothing good is ever lost. It stays part of a person, becomes part of their character. So part of you goes everywhere with me. And part of me is yours forever.”
Perfect book to loose yourself in!
August 25, 2022
This sprawling multi generational novel reminds me of the kind of book I used to read decades ago. It is an old fashioned “women’s” novel with a wonderful, offbeat main character. A great vacation treat - over 600 pages but I zipped through it.
July 12, 2019
I did not review books at this stage. In fact, this book lead me to Goodreads for the first time ever. I remember Googling this book from the car on the way home from summer holidays, and ultimately I discovered this wonderful site that way. This is the first read from this author, I remember enjoying it immensely and then borrowed a bunch from my mum. After signing up here, of course!
February 9, 2019
I remember reading this book in one sitting in the nineties, and what a sitting it was! My husband had business meetings in Basingstoke and I had joined him. It was May, nice weather, so I chose a bench in the park and started reading. Of course I walked around the centre and had lunch but for the rest of the time I just sat on that bench reading and had finished the book by the end of that day. I have read other books by her, but I've never enjoyed them as much. Now Ms. Pilcher has died on the 6th of February and I have the feeling that I should read The shell seekers again as a tribute and to see if I'm still as carried away by it as I was then.
April 9, 2021
This author brings me so much comfort!
September 10, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Such an amazing and extremely well written story!
Such an amazing and extremely well written story!
February 15, 2017
I read this years ago when I lived in Seattle. I still remember it. A plot that one remembers for 20 years speaks a lot for a novel.
December 24, 2015
Yes, I have to add agreement. She wrote with such compassion without a hint of the maudlin. Her books were like rich soothing chocolate - perfect for blooming a centered core of caring/ peaceful contemplation. And they never enabled trouble or dysfunction, but seemed to disarm it at the source.
The flowers on the bookcovers I understand. Graphics of her gardens. Her characters often centered themselves in gardening and her plant depth (knowledge of form and placements) was phenomenal.
The flowers on the bookcovers I understand. Graphics of her gardens. Her characters often centered themselves in gardening and her plant depth (knowledge of form and placements) was phenomenal.
August 29, 2019
Looking for interesting romantic readings in the last few days I wandered around a bit here and there but eventually decided to go for something safe and secure in this genre, namely Rosamunde Pilcher. Of course in the case of the romance of her books I don't think it has much to do with the mass-produced romances that dominate nowadays, it's something different. The element of love is dominant but not in the form of the great passion that drives the protagonists and pushes them into irrational decisions, it is something calmer, more mature, more conscious, something real that therefore does not always have a happy ending. There is a sentimentalism expressed through delicate and poetic descriptions, but there is a restraint by the author that prevents slipping into ridicule.
With that in mind - and confirming it afterward - I began reading a book that revolves mainly over two periods, before and during World War II and into the mid-1980s. Two completely different eras and two situations that have aparently nothing common, the only thing in common is that in both eras - even in the materialistic 80s - some people were living their lives with a real romanticism, looking for love and friendship, appreciating nature and the small pleasures, truly loving art, putting fame and wealth in second place. Another common was that they had against them frivolous people who did not appreciate anything, did not really love and make as a purpose in their lives anything meaningless, making themselves and their own people unhappy. The protagonist of our story, Penelope, is one of those romantic people, the daughter of a famous painter, who wants to live her last years by staying true to her ideas, cultivating her garden, enjoying all the joys that she can, remembering her past, admiring the few paintings left by her father. Around her, there are people with similar perceptions who stoically face difficulties and admire the beauty they see around them, with each other being dominated by love and respect and offering the reader some very tender and sensitive moments. Two of her three children, however, are not like this, having inherited this behavior from their father, and by all means, trying to serve their selfish ends, upset Sweet Penelope and frustrate her. But like all romantic people, however, our heroine does not long for herself and makes her selfless plans, which often go against what is considered reasonable, and through them the author leads us on a bittersweet journey to the most beautiful and noble emotions, in the tragic but also beautiful moments of the past, in the pictures of Cornwall, a journey together with some wonderful characters.
In a nutshell, in this book I found what I was looking for in order to satisfy my romantic end-of-summer mood, a romantic story - or a series of such - written in the wonderful way of Rosamunde Pilcher who knows how to enchant the reader, to fill him with beautiful images and show him how to deal with life with courage and optimism, whatever difficulties he may encounter on his way.
Αναζητώντας τις τελευταίες ημέρες ενδιαφέροντα ρομαντικά αναγνώσματα περιπλανήθηκα λίγο από εδώ και από εκεί αλλά τελικά αποφάσισα να πάω σε κάτι σίγουρο και ασφαλές σε αυτό το είδος, δηλαδή στην Rosamunde Pilcher. Βέβαια στην περίπτωση της ο ρομαντισμός των βιβλίων της δεν νομίζω ότι έχει πολύ μεγάλη σχέση με τα ρομάντζα μαζικής παραγωγής του κυριαρχούν, είναι κάτι διαφορετικό. Είναι κυρίαρχο το στοιχείο του έρωτα αλλά όχι με τη μορφή του μεγάλου πάθους που παρασέρνει τους πρωταγωνιστές και τους σπρώχνει σε παράλογες αποφάσεις, είναι κάτι πιο ήρεμο, πιο ώριμο, πιο συνειδητοποιημένο, κάτι αληθινό και για αυτό δεν έχει πάντα ευτυχή κατάληξη. Υπάρχει ένας συναισθηματισμός που εκδηλώνεται μέσα από ευαίσθητες και ποιητικές περιγραφές, υπάρχει, όμως, μία αυτοσυγκράτηση από τη συγγραφέα που εμποδίζει το γλίστρημα προς τη γελοιότητα.
Με αυτά υπόψη - και επιβεβαιώνοντας τα στη συνέχεια - ξεκίνησα την ανάγνωση ενός βιβλίου που εξελίσσεται κυρίως σε δύο χρονικές περιόδους, πριν και κατά τη διάρκεια του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου και στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του '80. Δύο εποχές εντελώς διαφορετικές και δύο καταστάσεις που δεν έχουν καμία σχέση η μία με την άλλη, το μόνο κοινό είναι ότι και στις δύο εποχές - ακόμα και στην υλιστική δεκαετία του '80 - κάποιοι άνθρωποι ζούσαν τη ζωή τους με έναν πραγματικό ρομαντισμό, αναζητώντας την αγάπη και την φιλία, εκτιμώντας τη φύση και τις μικρές απολαύσεις, αγαπώντας πραγματικά τέχνη, βάζοντας σε δεύτερη μοίρα την φήμη και τα πλούτη. Κοινό ήταν φυσικά ότι απέναντί τους είχαν ματαιόδοξους ανθρώπους που δεν εκτιμούσαν τίποτα, δεν αγαπούσαν πραγματικά και έβαζαν σκοπό στη ζωή τους οτιδήποτε ανούσιο, κάνοντας δυστυχισμένους τους ίδιου�� και τους δικούς τους ανθρώπους.
Η πρωταγωνίστρια της ιστορίας μας, η Πηνελόπη, είναι ένας από αυτούς τους ρομαντικούς ανθρώπους, κόρη ενός διάσημου ζωγράφου, που θέλει να ζήσει τα τελευταία της χρόνια μένοντας πιστή στις ιδέες της, καλλιεργώντας τον κήπο της, απολαμβάνοντας όσες χαρές υπάρχουν για αυτήν, αναπολώντας το παρελθόν, θαυμάζοντας τους ελάχιστους πίνακες που της άφησε ο πατέρας της. Γύρω της υπάρχουν άνθρωποι με παρόμοιες αντιλήψεις που αντιμετωπίζουν στωικά τις δυσκολίες και θαυμάζουν την ομορφιά όταν την βλέπουν γύρω τους, με τη μεταξύ τους επαφή να κυριαρχείται από αγάπη και σεβασμό και να προσφέρει στον αναγνώστη μερικές πολύ τρυφερές και ευαίσθητες στιγμές. Τα δύο από τα τρία της παιδιά, όμως, δεν είναι καθόλου έτσι, έχοντας κληρονομήσει αυτή τη συμπεριφορά από τον πατέρα τους, και με κάθε τρόπο, προσπαθώντας να εξυπηρετήσουν τους εγωιστικούς τους σκοπούς, αναστατώνουν την γλυκιά Πηνελόπη και τη γεμίζουν απογοήτευση. Όπως όλοι οι ρομαντικοί άνθρωποι, όμως, η ηρωίδα μας δεν πτοείται για πολύ και καταστρώνει τα ανιδιοτελή σχέδια της, που πολλές φορές πηγαίνουν κόντρα σε αυτό που θεωρείται λογικό, και μέσα από αυτά η συγγραφέας μας οδηγεί σε ένα γλυκόπικρο ταξίδι στα πιο όμορφα και ευγενή συναισθήματα, στις τραγικές αλλά και στις όμορφες στιγμές του παρελθόντος, στις εικόνες της Κορνουάλης, ένα ταξίδι παρέα με μερικούς υπέροχους χαρακτήρες.
Με λίγα λόγια σε αυτό το βιβλίο βρήκα αυτό που ζητούσα για να ικανοποιήσω τη ρομαντική διάθεση που μου προκαλεί το τέλος του καλοκαιριού, μία ρομαντική ιστορία - ή μία σειρά από τέτοιες -, γραμμένη με τον υπέροχο τρόπο της Rosamunde Pilcher, η οποία ξέρει να μαγεύει τον αναγνώστη, να τον γεμίζει με όμορφες εικόνες και να του δείχνει πως να αντιμετωπίζει τη ζωή με θάρρος και αισιοδοξία, όσες δυσκολίες και να συναντάει στο δρόμο του.
With that in mind - and confirming it afterward - I began reading a book that revolves mainly over two periods, before and during World War II and into the mid-1980s. Two completely different eras and two situations that have aparently nothing common, the only thing in common is that in both eras - even in the materialistic 80s - some people were living their lives with a real romanticism, looking for love and friendship, appreciating nature and the small pleasures, truly loving art, putting fame and wealth in second place. Another common was that they had against them frivolous people who did not appreciate anything, did not really love and make as a purpose in their lives anything meaningless, making themselves and their own people unhappy. The protagonist of our story, Penelope, is one of those romantic people, the daughter of a famous painter, who wants to live her last years by staying true to her ideas, cultivating her garden, enjoying all the joys that she can, remembering her past, admiring the few paintings left by her father. Around her, there are people with similar perceptions who stoically face difficulties and admire the beauty they see around them, with each other being dominated by love and respect and offering the reader some very tender and sensitive moments. Two of her three children, however, are not like this, having inherited this behavior from their father, and by all means, trying to serve their selfish ends, upset Sweet Penelope and frustrate her. But like all romantic people, however, our heroine does not long for herself and makes her selfless plans, which often go against what is considered reasonable, and through them the author leads us on a bittersweet journey to the most beautiful and noble emotions, in the tragic but also beautiful moments of the past, in the pictures of Cornwall, a journey together with some wonderful characters.
In a nutshell, in this book I found what I was looking for in order to satisfy my romantic end-of-summer mood, a romantic story - or a series of such - written in the wonderful way of Rosamunde Pilcher who knows how to enchant the reader, to fill him with beautiful images and show him how to deal with life with courage and optimism, whatever difficulties he may encounter on his way.
Αναζητώντας τις τελευταίες ημέρες ενδιαφέροντα ρομαντικά αναγνώσματα περιπλανήθηκα λίγο από εδώ και από εκεί αλλά τελικά αποφάσισα να πάω σε κάτι σίγουρο και ασφαλές σε αυτό το είδος, δηλαδή στην Rosamunde Pilcher. Βέβαια στην περίπτωση της ο ρομαντισμός των βιβλίων της δεν νομίζω ότι έχει πολύ μεγάλη σχέση με τα ρομάντζα μαζικής παραγωγής του κυριαρχούν, είναι κάτι διαφορετικό. Είναι κυρίαρχο το στοιχείο του έρωτα αλλά όχι με τη μορφή του μεγάλου πάθους που παρασέρνει τους πρωταγωνιστές και τους σπρώχνει σε παράλογες αποφάσεις, είναι κάτι πιο ήρεμο, πιο ώριμο, πιο συνειδητοποιημένο, κάτι αληθινό και για αυτό δεν έχει πάντα ευτυχή κατάληξη. Υπάρχει ένας συναισθηματισμός που εκδηλώνεται μέσα από ευαίσθητες και ποιητικές περιγραφές, υπάρχει, όμως, μία αυτοσυγκράτηση από τη συγγραφέα που εμποδίζει το γλίστρημα προς τη γελοιότητα.
Με αυτά υπόψη - και επιβεβαιώνοντας τα στη συνέχεια - ξεκίνησα την ανάγνωση ενός βιβλίου που εξελίσσεται κυρίως σε δύο χρονικές περιόδους, πριν και κατά τη διάρκεια του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου και στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του '80. Δύο εποχές εντελώς διαφορετικές και δύο καταστάσεις που δεν έχουν καμία σχέση η μία με την άλλη, το μόνο κοινό είναι ότι και στις δύο εποχές - ακόμα και στην υλιστική δεκαετία του '80 - κάποιοι άνθρωποι ζούσαν τη ζωή τους με έναν πραγματικό ρομαντισμό, αναζητώντας την αγάπη και την φιλία, εκτιμώντας τη φύση και τις μικρές απολαύσεις, αγαπώντας πραγματικά τέχνη, βάζοντας σε δεύτερη μοίρα την φήμη και τα πλούτη. Κοινό ήταν φυσικά ότι απέναντί τους είχαν ματαιόδοξους ανθρώπους που δεν εκτιμούσαν τίποτα, δεν αγαπούσαν πραγματικά και έβαζαν σκοπό στη ζωή τους οτιδήποτε ανούσιο, κάνοντας δυστυχισμένους τους ίδιου�� και τους δικούς τους ανθρώπους.
Η πρωταγωνίστρια της ιστορίας μας, η Πηνελόπη, είναι ένας από αυτούς τους ρομαντικούς ανθρώπους, κόρη ενός διάσημου ζωγράφου, που θέλει να ζήσει τα τελευταία της χρόνια μένοντας πιστή στις ιδέες της, καλλιεργώντας τον κήπο της, απολαμβάνοντας όσες χαρές υπάρχουν για αυτήν, αναπολώντας το παρελθόν, θαυμάζοντας τους ελάχιστους πίνακες που της άφησε ο πατέρας της. Γύρω της υπάρχουν άνθρωποι με παρόμοιες αντιλήψεις που αντιμετωπίζουν στωικά τις δυσκολίες και θαυμάζουν την ομορφιά όταν την βλέπουν γύρω τους, με τη μεταξύ τους επαφή να κυριαρχείται από αγάπη και σεβασμό και να προσφέρει στον αναγνώστη μερικές πολύ τρυφερές και ευαίσθητες στιγμές. Τα δύο από τα τρία της παιδιά, όμως, δεν είναι καθόλου έτσι, έχοντας κληρονομήσει αυτή τη συμπεριφορά από τον πατέρα τους, και με κάθε τρόπο, προσπαθώντας να εξυπηρετήσουν τους εγωιστικούς τους σκοπούς, αναστατώνουν την γλυκιά Πηνελόπη και τη γεμίζουν απογοήτευση. Όπως όλοι οι ρομαντικοί άνθρωποι, όμως, η ηρωίδα μας δεν πτοείται για πολύ και καταστρώνει τα ανιδιοτελή σχέδια της, που πολλές φορές πηγαίνουν κόντρα σε αυτό που θεωρείται λογικό, και μέσα από αυτά η συγγραφέας μας οδηγεί σε ένα γλυκόπικρο ταξίδι στα πιο όμορφα και ευγενή συναισθήματα, στις τραγικές αλλά και στις όμορφες στιγμές του παρελθόντος, στις εικόνες της Κορνουάλης, ένα ταξίδι παρέα με μερικούς υπέροχους χαρακτήρες.
Με λίγα λόγια σε αυτό το βιβλίο βρήκα αυτό που ζητούσα για να ικανοποιήσω τη ρομαντική διάθεση που μου προκαλεί το τέλος του καλοκαιριού, μία ρομαντική ιστορία - ή μία σειρά από τέτοιες -, γραμμένη με τον υπέροχο τρόπο της Rosamunde Pilcher, η οποία ξέρει να μαγεύει τον αναγνώστη, να τον γεμίζει με όμορφες εικόνες και να του δείχνει πως να αντιμετωπίζει τη ζωή με θάρρος και αισιοδοξία, όσες δυσκολίες και να συναντάει στο δρόμο του.
May 1, 2013
Τρυφερό, πολυπρόσωπο, ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο και όμως τόσο δυνατό, η Πίλτσερ παρασύρει τον αναγνώστη σε μια υπέροχη ιστορία.
Απο τις πιο χαρισματικές συγγραφείς με ιδιαίτερη ευαισθησία!Συναρπαστικό με εξαιρετικό αφηγηματικό λόγο ταξιδεύει τον αναγνωστή σε πανέμορφα αγγλικά τοπία και κυρίως στην Κορνουάλη, με μοναδικό αφηγηματικό λόγο.
Μοναδικό αρνητικο σημείο του οι μακροσκελείς περιγραφές.
Απο τις πιο χαρισματικές συγγραφείς με ιδιαίτερη ευαισθησία!Συναρπαστικό με εξαιρετικό αφηγηματικό λόγο ταξιδεύει τον αναγνωστή σε πανέμορφα αγγλικά τοπία και κυρίως στην Κορνουάλη, με μοναδικό αφηγηματικό λόγο.
Μοναδικό αρνητικο σημείο του οι μακροσκελείς περιγραφές.
December 13, 2022
(review in English below)
Com uma escrita agradável e sem grandes pretensões, com boas descrições de ambiente, a autora conseguiu manter-me sempre presa a esta história, passada em Inglaterra em duas épocas separadas por 40 anos - durante a II Guerra Mundial e na década de oitenta.
Esta é basicamente a história de Penelope, embora cada capítulo tenha o nome de um personagem diferente, com distintos papéis e importância na sua vida. Apesar de a maior parte destes serem bastante estereotipados - o casal liberal, composto pelo pai pintor e a mãe francesa, o marido jogador e infiel, e outros que não vou referir para não "spoilar" - gostei bastante desta leitura e provavelmente lerei outras obras da autora quando se deparar a oportunidade.
Recomendo, portanto, mas não nesta edição. Por vezes parece que o texto foi composto com recurso a um programa de reconhecimento de caracteres, a partir da tradução cedida pela Difel, sem revisão posterior; por outro lado, na ânsia de poupar espaço, a letra é demasiado pequena e condensada, faltam parágrafos, tornando os diálogos confusos, e faltam espaços (linhas em branco) entre cenas diferentes, o que também nos baralha momentaneamente. É o que dá comprar edições de baixo custo...
A tradução é razoável, embora beneficiasse dum maior uso dos pronomes, para se perceber melhor quem está a dizer - ou a fazer - o quê.
The writing is pleasant and unpretentious, with nice ambience descriptions, keeping me stuck to this story, which takes place in England at two distinct times, 40 years apart - WWII and the 80's.
This is basically the story of Penelope, although each chapter is named after a different character, with distinct roles and relevance in her life. Most of these are stereotypes: the liberal couple - the father, a painter, and the French mother; the husband - a gambler and a cheater; and others who will be left unmentioned, to avoid any spoilers. However, I rather liked to read this and I'll probably read other books by this author if the opportunity presents itself.
Recommended, of course, but not this edition. Sometimes it appeared as the text had originated from an OCR process, without being revised afterwards. For the purpose of saving space, the print is too small and condensed, paragraphs are not properly separated (making dialogues confusing) and blank lines between different scenes are missing, leading to momentary confusion. That's what you get when you buy cheap mass market editions...
The translation is OK, although there should be more pronouns (often omitted in Portuguese) so there are no doubts on who's saying - or doing - what.
Com uma escrita agradável e sem grandes pretensões, com boas descrições de ambiente, a autora conseguiu manter-me sempre presa a esta história, passada em Inglaterra em duas épocas separadas por 40 anos - durante a II Guerra Mundial e na década de oitenta.
Esta é basicamente a história de Penelope, embora cada capítulo tenha o nome de um personagem diferente, com distintos papéis e importância na sua vida. Apesar de a maior parte destes serem bastante estereotipados - o casal liberal, composto pelo pai pintor e a mãe francesa, o marido jogador e infiel, e outros que não vou referir para não "spoilar" - gostei bastante desta leitura e provavelmente lerei outras obras da autora quando se deparar a oportunidade.
Recomendo, portanto, mas não nesta edição. Por vezes parece que o texto foi composto com recurso a um programa de reconhecimento de caracteres, a partir da tradução cedida pela Difel, sem revisão posterior; por outro lado, na ânsia de poupar espaço, a letra é demasiado pequena e condensada, faltam parágrafos, tornando os diálogos confusos, e faltam espaços (linhas em branco) entre cenas diferentes, o que também nos baralha momentaneamente. É o que dá comprar edições de baixo custo...
A tradução é razoável, embora beneficiasse dum maior uso dos pronomes, para se perceber melhor quem está a dizer - ou a fazer - o quê.
The writing is pleasant and unpretentious, with nice ambience descriptions, keeping me stuck to this story, which takes place in England at two distinct times, 40 years apart - WWII and the 80's.
This is basically the story of Penelope, although each chapter is named after a different character, with distinct roles and relevance in her life. Most of these are stereotypes: the liberal couple - the father, a painter, and the French mother; the husband - a gambler and a cheater; and others who will be left unmentioned, to avoid any spoilers. However, I rather liked to read this and I'll probably read other books by this author if the opportunity presents itself.
Recommended, of course, but not this edition. Sometimes it appeared as the text had originated from an OCR process, without being revised afterwards. For the purpose of saving space, the print is too small and condensed, paragraphs are not properly separated (making dialogues confusing) and blank lines between different scenes are missing, leading to momentary confusion. That's what you get when you buy cheap mass market editions...
The translation is OK, although there should be more pronouns (often omitted in Portuguese) so there are no doubts on who's saying - or doing - what.
December 9, 2020
I adored Penelope and loved her company while reading this book. Terrific characters, description of the settings, cottage houses, gardens and Cornwall. As a gardener myself, I loved every aspect of the way she wrote about working in her garden and the joy it gave her. I imagine that Pilcher must be a gardener herself.
2019: upon rereading this book, it is also obvious to me that Rosamunde Pilcher knew very well what was and wasn't important in life. She knows about good friends, generosity, about giving and receiving love, and the pain of great loss. I wish Penelope existed in real life. I would like to have known her.
Rarely do books make me cry but this one did. More than once.
2019: upon rereading this book, it is also obvious to me that Rosamunde Pilcher knew very well what was and wasn't important in life. She knows about good friends, generosity, about giving and receiving love, and the pain of great loss. I wish Penelope existed in real life. I would like to have known her.
Rarely do books make me cry but this one did. More than once.
January 3, 2024
This was my second time to pick this book up to read. It was chosen in my f2f book club for December. Romance is not my normal genre. However this one held my interest. Great character development and beautiful prose. I almost felt like I was in Cornwall and I definitely want to visit.
July 17, 2014
Adorei este livro. Gosto sempre destas grandes histórias que atravessam gerações. Neste caso começou no entardecer da vida da protagonista: Penélope. A partir daqui é o regresso ao passado e às suas origens, feito num relato emocionante que a autora tornou magnifico.
Penélope teve uma infância feliz em Inglaterra, na companhia dos pais - mãe francesa e pai inglês; pintor - e poderia ter tido uma vida comum como qualquer outra mulher, não tivesse a vida reservado para ela algumas surpresas. Atravessou o flagelo da 2ª guerra mundial, que lhe apresentou o amor fora de horas, para de seguida, lho roubar da pior maneira possível. Sobreviveu e carregou no seu interior, aquela paixão até ao fim dos seus dias. Amou, sofreu, desiludiu-se mas nunca perdeu a garra, a ternura e a generosidade. O marido não foi o grande amor, os filhos não foram perfeitos, mas aprendeu a colher a felicidade nos raros momentos preciosos. Uma grande história, que é também uma lição de vida. Sim, porque a vida raramente é perfeita, e cabe a cada um de nós encontrar e desfrutar dos seus pequenos momentos.
Os Apanhadores de Conchas é, na realidade, o nome de um quadro pintado pelo pai, que vai criar algum suspense ao longo da história, mas reserva uma agradável surpresa para o final.
Penélope teve uma infância feliz em Inglaterra, na companhia dos pais - mãe francesa e pai inglês; pintor - e poderia ter tido uma vida comum como qualquer outra mulher, não tivesse a vida reservado para ela algumas surpresas. Atravessou o flagelo da 2ª guerra mundial, que lhe apresentou o amor fora de horas, para de seguida, lho roubar da pior maneira possível. Sobreviveu e carregou no seu interior, aquela paixão até ao fim dos seus dias. Amou, sofreu, desiludiu-se mas nunca perdeu a garra, a ternura e a generosidade. O marido não foi o grande amor, os filhos não foram perfeitos, mas aprendeu a colher a felicidade nos raros momentos preciosos. Uma grande história, que é também uma lição de vida. Sim, porque a vida raramente é perfeita, e cabe a cada um de nós encontrar e desfrutar dos seus pequenos momentos.
Os Apanhadores de Conchas é, na realidade, o nome de um quadro pintado pelo pai, que vai criar algum suspense ao longo da história, mas reserva uma agradável surpresa para o final.
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