Death Comes to Pemberley

I enjoyed Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James which is a "sequel" to Pride and Prejudice.  This book is a "stand alone" but it might be a good idea to read (re-read) Jane Austen's novel so you are then familiar with the characters portrayed in this more recent book.  The Darcys have been married several years and have children.  One rainy evening Wickham and his wife Lydia (Elizabeth Darcy's sister) are on their way to the Darcy's home, Pemberley.  On the way an incident occurs and Wickham's friend Captain Denny, who has been travelling with them is murdered.  Suspicion falls on Wickham and Darcy must take control to ensure justice prevails. There are some secrets which are finally revealed when the situation is concluded.  The author has successfully "channeled" Jane Austen to write in a similar style with a credible story that can follow on from Pride and Prejudice. 4/5

March 2014 Book Club

We had a good time at our Book Club meeting on Monday evening.  There were a few absentees with one member being overseas, another with work commitments and another didn't return in time from a good weekend interstate. Our hostess' home is close to the Story Bridge which was lit up in blue that evening - a very pretty site.  We enjoyed a good chat and discussed the books we'd read during the previous month.  Thank you to our hostess who provided a beautiful venue, delicious supper and terrific books to read in the coming month.

The Jewel of St Petersburg

I read The Jewel of St Petersburg by Kate Furnivall which is set in the years before the Russian revolution and the start of that revolution.  Valentina Ivanova is from an aristocratic family and her father is a government minister in charge of finances.  Valentina is promised to a wealthy young army officer but she falls in love with a Danish engineer.  She also defies her family by training to be a nurse, an inappropriate occupation for someone of her class.  In fact any employment would be frowned on.  The background of the revolution is interesting but that does not save this book.  It is nauseating reading, particularly the love scenes.  There should be a warning for the reader "Warning - Love Scene coming up".  Only that I am a compulsive finisher did I plough through this book.  I should have given up after the first 100 pages.  Life is too short to read an awful book. 2/5

The Blind Man's Garden

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this very fine book The Blind Man's Garden by Nadeem Aslam.  The story is set in Pakistan and Afghanistan shortly after the Americans invaded Afghanistan because of 9/11.  Jeo and Mikal travel to Afghanistan with the intention of helping civilians wounded in the war with the Americans.  However, things do not turn out as planned.  Mikal is captured by warlords and eventually sold to the Americans as a "terrorist".  The story follows his "adventures" as he returns to his village and sees again his love, Naheed.  Mikal's foster father Rohan had established a school in the village and that has been taken over by other parties.  Rohan is a proud man with great integrity who has to overcome some terrible difficulties.  This story is written by a Pakistani man now living in England.  He has written his story from the Pakistani perspective and this demonstrates the enormous gulf of understanding between "the West" and these Islamic countries.  How can this ever be reconciled?  This is a beautifully written story which is also suspenseful as the events are played out.  Highly recommended reading. 5/5

The Girl Under the Olive Tree

I very much enjoyed The Girl Under the Olive Tree by Leah Fleming.  The story is set mainly in Crete during the Second World War and in 2001.  Penelope George is persuaded to travel with her niece to Crete for commemorations to mark the 60th anniversary of the War.  The story is then told in flashback as Penny "relives" her memories of her time during the War when she was a Red Cross nurse helping wounded soldiers on all sides.  She befriended Yolande, a Jewish woman, also working with the Red Cross.  Penny's work becomes more dangerous as she helps the partisans in the hills fighting against the Germans.  Parts of the story are based on actual events, which are quite horrific.  At the 2001 commemoration there are also German veterans mourning the loss of their comrades.  One has a particular interest in Penny.  This a good story of remembering and commemoration. 41/2/5

The Colour of Tea

I enjoyed The Colour of Tea by Hannah Tunnicliffe which is set in Macau.  A couple, Grace and Pete Miller, are desperate to have a baby but it isn't happening.  Pete has a good job building casinos and Grace is at home wallowing in despair and depression.  She has a love of cooking and she finds a vacant shop and decides to turn it in to a tea house.  This decision gives her the drive to help overcome her depression and get on with making her tea house a success.  She learns how to make French macarons, a delicious and dainty accompaniment to a cuppa and she hires staff who become more like family.  There are problems along the way while her tea house becomes very popular.  A delightful read. 4/5

The Kashmir Shawl

I really liked The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas which is mainly set in Kashmir during World War II and also in the present.  Mair Ellis and her two siblings are cleaning out their family home ready for sale following their father's death and Mair discovers a Kashmir shawl, with a photograph and an envelope with a lock of hair.  Mair is single and she is captivated by the shawl which probably belonged to her missionary grandmother, Nerys Watkins, and she goes to Kashmir intent on finding the story behind the shawl.  In the WWII time period the reader meets Nerys Watkins and learns about her life in Kashmir.  There is a lot of history in this place with competing religions and races.  We learn about the making of these beautiful shawls before mass production caused those skills to decline.  The story is well-researched showing the reader the beauty and ruggedness of this region. It is a story of passion and love which Mair begins to uncover when she travels to Kashmir. 4/5