Grace and Mary - Melvyn Bragg

I really liked this novel, set in Cumbria, which tells of John, who is in his seventies, and his mother Mary, in her nineties, and of her mother Grace. The chapters take us back and forth between days in Grace's life and those of John visiting Mary in her nursing home by the sea in Cumbria. It deals with relationships, our pasts, and our memory; Mary is at times losing hers, and John hopes to restore it if he can a little with recollections and imaginings of the past.

Written in wonderful prose, this was a delight to read, very moving and engaging indeed, beautifully drawn characters and a very well told story of three generations, incorporating historical detail and social history and with a rich and atmospheric sense of place. 

It's told so well within this length - about 250 pages - and reminds me that some novels can accomplish this perfectly well, whereas some that are so much longer these days don't achieve half as much. I haven't done it justice here but this is a very good book.

Thanks to Amazon Vine for the review copy.

The Moon Field - Judith Allnatt

The novel opens with an intriguing prologue in which a tin box and its contents are described; immediately the reader is keen to discover the provenance of these objects. It is 1914, and eighteen-year-old George Farrell is a postman who has befriended, and secretly fallen for, Violet Walter, a young woman whose grand home he delivers to on his rounds in the villages around the fells in the Northern Lake District. One day, he delivers a letter to Violet, preparing to declare his true emotions to her, however, when she reveals the contents of the letter - she is in love with another man - he knows he cannot. Desperately disappointed, he flees, makes some new friends, drowns his sorrows, and against his peace-loving family’s wishes, and indeed his own prior pacifist beliefs, he enlists to fight in the war. Those he leaves behind, his family and his colleagues at the post office, including the owner’s daughter, George’s dear best friend Kitty, await anxiously for news.

The Moon Field is a moving story of the innocence, joy and pain of young love and of a changing society in a world altered forever, told through understated yet powerful prose. Judith Allnatt writes beautifully, with honesty and compassion, about 1914-15, the bravery of George in going to fight, the tragedy and futility he sees, his loved ones at home always fearing the worst but hoping for the best.

I loved the strong evocation of time and place, the feeling of an ordinary, decent young man’s innocence being lost forever so that he no longer recognises in himself the man he was before, and the idea of whether it is possible to rediscover joy in life after witnessing such senseless loss and experiencing desperate sadness. 

The Moon Field is a very good read, and a timely and fitting novel with 2014 seeing the centenary of the start of World War One – it reminds us of what must have been the terrible reality of those times; ordinary young men like George heroically offering themselves up in the patriotic defence of their country, only to discover the cruel realities and horror of the war.

Source - We Love This Book - thanks to them for a review copy of this novel

Publisher - HarperCollins - 16th January 2014

Dearest Rose - Rowan Coleman

This was my first Rowan Coleman book but certainly won’t be my last.  I’m not sure why but I had always perceived her books to be light and fluffy however this book couldn’t be further from that.  It’s well written fiction which deals with some deeper issues such as abandonment and domestic abuse.

The book begins when Rose and her young daughter Maddie turn up in the middle of a rainy night at a B&B in the wilds of Cumbria.  They are not made particularly welcome by the landlady, Jenny, however her husband takes pity on them and allows them to stay.  Little by little we learn of the events that led them to Millthwaite and why Rose has chosen that particular place to escape to.   

Fate, love and forgiveness play a huge part in this book.   It’s an emotional read at times but it’s also uplifting and there are two lessons to be learnt – one, that you should never give up on your dreams and secondly that there are times when people do deserve a second chance.

There is a well written and believable cast of characters.  The main one being Rose.  When we first meet her, she is a shell of her real self.  She is the product of a dysfunctional family and having spent many years having her spirit crushed has no self-worth.  Will she find the strength she needs to protect herself and her daughter?  

Maddie was an absolute delight to get to know.  She is an unusual child, only 7 years old but old beyond her years.  She has no social graces and because of her direct manner finds herself friendless most of the time. At first I thought she was on the autistic spectrum but as the book unfolds, we understand more of the reason for her behaviour.  Maddie was my favourite character and I thought she was adorable in spite of her unusual ways.  

Some other characters who play a big part in Rose’s new life include her best friend Shona, who has her own troubled life to cope with but nevertheless brings humour to the story, the B&B landlady Jenny, whose bark seems to be worse than her bite and Jenny’s son Ted, a flirty young barman with an eye for the ladies who figures in much of the story. 

My only one slight disappointment with the book was towards the end when I found the storyline somewhat rushed and to my mind, unexplained, but having said that it was a fabulous read and one that I would definitely recommend.

Reviewed by Karen Cocking - guest reviewer

Many thanks to Karen for reading and reviewing this novel for The Little Reader Library, and writing this lovely review. Karen is an avid reader whose thoughts on books I trust and whose reviews I always enjoy reading. 

'Dearest Rose' is published by Arrow
You can follow the author on twitter @rowancoleman and visit her website here.
Thanks to the author and publisher for kindly sending a copy of this novel to read and review.