Book Reviews

‘The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.’ Alan Bennett

“Many a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one’s own self.” ― Franz Kafka

Monday 7 January 2013

The Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp - Eva Rice



Tara Jupp and her sister Lucy, along with six other siblings, live with their widowed vicar father in his Rectory in the Cornish countryside. We learn of Tara’s life growing up, the loss of her mother, her love of horses. She has a beautiful singing voice and this will be the asset that steers her life in a whole new direction. Her beautiful elder sister Lucy has a keen interest in preserving historic houses and their contents. Tara becomes acquainted with the owner of Trellanack, a large old house in Cornwall near her home, and the owner asks if Tara and Lucy would befriend her daughter Matilda. The friendship and events between these three girls will shape their lives.

Tara is our first-person narrator throughout; from her carefree days spent riding horses to the moment she enters a recording studio in London, we are there to experience the dramatic changes in her life with her.

Tara and Lucy experience first-hand the excitement of the early sixties in London; the world of famous models, photographers and hit music makers, the new fashions and the ‘in’ places to see and be seen.

This is an enjoyable, atmospheric and engaging read that brings another time and place vividly to life. The writing is warm and witty and the characters, especially Tara, are charming and come to life as you read; you feel part of the journey, spirited back to the sixties with Tara and Lucy as they grow up, fall in love, leave their familiar surroundings to take on the world and follow their dreams.

Published by Heron Books, an imprint of Quercus, on 17th January 2013

I originally reviewed this book for lovereading.co.uk - thanks to them and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.

Visit the Heron Books site here


5 comments:

  1. Sounds interesting, Lindsay. I think the same Eva Rice wrote The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets which I read and enjoyed a few years ago. Is she Tim Rice's daughter?

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    1. Yes that's the same author and she is indeed his daughter too! Thanks for commenting Treez.

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  2. This is a new-to-me author...sounds interesting. Thanks for reviewing!

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    1. Thanks for your comment. The author also wrote a novel called The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets but I haven't read that one, so she was new to me with this book.

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  3. Glad to see a review of this book; it hasn't been covered by anyone in my region yet (Manitoba, Canada). I received my copy this morning and ploughed through the first 50 pages during my lunch break today. So far so good! I picked up The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets when I was living in London several years ago and fell in love with it, so I was thrilled when this one came out! No print copies at my local bookstores unfortunately...what did we do before Amazon?

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