Looking Back - Three Junes

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.

Three Junes by Julia Glass

Fiction

2002

Finished on May 21, 2002

Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Three Junes is a vividly textured symphonic novel set on both sides of the Atlantic during three fateful summers in the lives of a Scottish family. In June of 1989, Paul McLeod, the recently widowed patriarch, becomes infatuated with a young American artist while traveling through Greece and is compelled to relive the secret sorrows of his marriage.

Six years later, Paul's death reunites his sons at Tealing, their idyllic childhood home, where Fenno, the eldest, faces a choice that puts him at the center of his family's future. A lovable, slightly repressed gay man, Fenno leads the life of an aloof expatriate in the West Village, running a shop filled with books and birdwatching gear. He believes himself safe from all emotional entanglements--until a worldly neighbor presents him with an extraordinary gift and a seductive photographer makes him an unwitting subject. Each man draws Fenno into territories of the heart he has never braved before, leading him toward an almost unbearable loss that will reveal to him the nature of love.

Love in its limitless forms--between husband and wife, between lovers, between people and animals, between parents and children--is the force that moves these characters' lives, which collide again, in yet another June, over a Long Island dinner table. This time it is Fenno who meets and captivates Fern, the same woman who captivated his father in Greece ten years before. Now pregnant with a son of her own, Fern, like Fenno and Paul before him, must make peace with her past to embrace her future.

Elegantly detailed yet full of emotional suspense, often as comic as it is sad, Three Junes is a glorious triptych about how we learn to live, and live fully, beyond incurable grief and betrayals of the heart--how family ties, both those we're born into and those we make, can offer us redemption and joy.

My Original Thoughts (2002):

I probably would have finished this sooner had I not set it aside for several new releases. It's not like it wasn't good. The last section, though, didn't hold my attention as well as the other two parts. Not great, but I'm glad I gave it a chance.

My Current Thoughts:

Three Junes won the 2002 National Book Award for Fiction. I vaguely remember the plot of this debut novel, but wasn't impressed enough to read more by the author.

September

 

September by Rosamunde Pilcher

Fiction

1990

Finished on September 12, 2024

Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good)

50 years is a long way to look ahead, but looking back it doesn’t seem any time at all. Makes you wonder what life’s all about.

Publisher's Blurb:

Perhaps once in a generation, a novel seemingly comes out of nowhere and explodes onto the bestseller lists. Such a book was Rosamunde Pilcher's The Shell Seekers. With well over the three million copies sold in the U.S. and Canada, and close to four million worldwide, it was a publishing phenomenon, on national bestseller lists for two years! 

An audience of millions has awaited Rosamunde Pilcher's new novel, and with September they will not be disappointed. Rich and involving, it teems with memorable and above all human characters coping with universal human difficulties and experiences. Set in Mrs. Pilcher's native Scotland, the novel begins in May as invitations are being written for a party in September. September is an extraordinary month in Scotland, when a brief but glorious summer is ending and the long, gray winter has yet to begin. It is a time of almost frenzied rounds of parties and houseguests and reels. September is a month when marriage is proposed and marriages break up, when even normally reticent Scots, Londoners, and Americans drink a little too much, dance a little too late into the night, when promised are made, hearts are broken, and long-buried family secrets can come to light. 

With consummate skill, Rosamunde Pilcher draws more than a dozen major characters from London, New York, Scotland, and Spain to the little town of Strathcroy. The occasion is to be a twenty-first birthday party, but as May becomes June and the summer commences, the reader can almost feel the tug of inexorable fate propelling Pilcher's marvelous characters to their inevitable--and often surprising--destinies. 

September is a novel to be savored, a curl-up-under-the-covers kind of old-fashioned read hardly anyone knows how to write anymore. It is a book to be savored and cherished--not just in September, but in any month of any year.

Earlier this year, two of my blogging friends and I decided on a buddy-read of Rosamunde Pilcher's hefty novel, September. We didn't start reading it in the month of September, but close enough! This was my second reading of the novel, but most (if not all!) of the details were long forgotten from that first encounter. I read the hardcover edition that I purchased many years ago, and discovered that books over five hundred pages are very difficult to read in bed. I was tempted to download the audio version, but felt more inclined to read the print edition, so I toughed it out. 

As mentioned in the publisher's blurb, Pilcher peoples this particular novel with numerous characters, and I was forced to start a cheat sheet with each character's traits and relationships to others in the story. As one would expect, it wasn't long before I no longer needed to glance at that list, but it did come in handy during the early chapters. 

Readers familiar with Rosamunde Pilcher's works know what a comfortable reading experience she brings to the page. Her descriptions of the homes, as well as the surrounding locations, are rich with domestic details, making this reader consider a trip to Scotland.

As Isobel, worn out with the daily demands of her busy life, retreated from time to time to the linen room, so her husband found solace in his workshop. This was the basement of Croy, an area of stone-flagged passages and dimly lighted cellars. The old boiler lived down here, a brooding, smelly monster that looked large enough to drive a liner, and demanded constant and regular attention and enormous quantities of coke. As well, one or two other rooms were still employed —to store unused china, unwanted items of furniture, the coal and the logs and a much-diminished wine cellar. But mostly, the basement stood deserted, hung with cobwebs, and invaded each year by families of field mice.

And 

Sunday morning. Overcast, very still, very quiet, hushed with the weekly inertia of a Scottish Sabbath. It had rained during the night, leaving puddles by the roadside and gardens dripping with moisture. In Strathcroy, cottages slumbered, curtains stayed drawn. Slowly the occupants stirred, rose, opened doors, lit fires, made cups of tea. Plumes of peat-smoke rose, straight, from chimney-pots. Dogs were walked, hedges clipped, cars washed. Mr. Ishak opened up his shop for the sale  of morning rolls, milk, cigarettes, Sunday newspapers, and any other commodity that a family might need to get through the empty day. From the tower of the Presbyterian church, the bell tolled.

In addition to September, I have read all of Pilcher's full-length novels (The Shell Seekers, Winter's Solstice, and Coming Home) at least once, as well as several of her novellas. I prefer her longer novels to her shorter works, and will most likely re-read the former again in the coming years. 

Thanks for the nudge, JoAnn and Tina, to read this family saga once again. While not my favorite (that may be Coming Home or Winter's Solstice), it didn't disappoint! A satisfying read. Highly recommend!

Meredith, Alone

 

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander

Fiction

2022

Narrated by Freya Mavor

Finished on June 17, 2024

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Meredith Maggs has everything a person needs.

A best friend in Sadie.

A beloved cat in Fred.

Jigsaws to fill the time.

Recipes to perfect.

Even a weekly visit from the Tesco delivery guy.

So what if she hasn't left the house in 1,214 days? That her memories are treacherous, and it's getting harder to ignore the estranged sister knocking at her door.

How long can one woman keep the world out?

How long before she invites in what's out there?

And how long does it take to discover the person you were meant to be?

I really enjoyed this novel! At the heart of the story are Meredith and her sister, Fiona. Raised by a single mother who is incapable of love, throwing verbal abuse their way at every opportunity, both sisters are eager to leave home as soon as possible. Surprisingly, Meredith's awful childhood and upbringing isn't the source of her agoraphobia, although it isn't difficult to discern the cause, given several clues in the early chapters of the book.

Meredith is such a likeable, well-drawn character. I came to care about her, as well as her new friends, Tom and Celeste, who not only give her emotional support and confidence to overcome her situation, but also unconditional love, which she is so desperately in need of. The story's conclusion is not predictable or sappy, but ultimately hopeful and uplifting. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine are sure to enjoy this satisfying, character-driven story. And the audiobook is outstanding! I was eager to listen at every chance I had, and I fell in love with the narration by Freya Mavor, a Scottish actor with whom I'm not familiar. I look forward to Claire Alexander's second novel, which is due out in 2025. 

Recommend! 

I received a complimentary copy from Libro.fm. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Devorgilla Days

 

Devorgilla Days by Kathleen Hart

Nonfiction - Memoir

2021

Finished on May 18, 2024

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

This is a story about uncovering the things that really matter, and discovering what makes us feel alive. It is a story about finding that inner strength and resilience, and never giving up hope.

Eight years ago, Kathleen Hart was diagnosed with breast cancer. Further complications led to a protracted recovery and months spent in hospital, where Kathleen had to learn how to walk again. While recuperating, she came across a small whitewashed cottage for sale in Wigtown, Scotland. Driving hundreds of miles on nothing more than a few photographs and an inkling, she bought it that very same day, and named it Devorgilla after the formidable 13th century Scottish princess.

Devorgilla Days is the story of how Kathleen left behind her old life to begin again in Scotland's book capital. From renovating her cottage to exploring the seemingly quiet, but actually bustling town, she encounters a whole community of book lovers, beekeepers, artists and writers - and Lobster Fishermen. Kathleen starts wild swimming, a ritual that brings peace and clarity to her mind as her body heals. And, with the support of her virtual worldwide community who know her as PoshPedlar on Instagram, she rebuilds her life again.

Heartwarming and deeply moving, Devorgilla Days is an inspiring tale of one woman's remarkable journey, a celebration of community, and a call-to-arms for anyone who has ever dreamt of starting over.

I thought I read about Devorgilla Days on a friend's blog, but I can't locate their review, nor can I find any mention of it by my friends on Goodreads. Hmmm, it must have been shared by someone on Instagram, which is where I've gotten a lot of recommendations lately. I'm sure the beautiful cover art caught my eye, as well as the subtitle ("finding hope and healing in Scotland's book town"). 

Kathleen Hart's memoir is somewhat reminiscent of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea. Both memoirs are personal introspections, as well as observations of their surroundings, yet rather than a solo retreat on Sanibel Island, Hart buys a small cottage in Scotland, where she lives alone, recovering from numerous illnesses and setbacks: Pneumonia, breast cancer and a mastectomy, multiple reconstructive surgeries, pleurisy, a slipped disc, three attempts at a discectomy, and, (as if that's not enough!), a tumor in her chest, which required open-heart surgery. She really has had everything thrown at her! And yet, despite her terrible luck, she recovers, finds joy and friendship in her new community, and takes daily swims (weather permitting) in the frigid Wigtown Bay. Remarkable! 

Hart's writing is engaging and uplifting, and I enjoyed a glimpse into her not-so-solitary life in Scotland. Once settled, she learns to be "her own best friend," but it isn't long before she's joining a variety of groups, finding new activities to occupy her time: Beekeeping, a knitting group called Knit and Natter, Scottish country dancing, watercolor painting, Gaelic lessons, and of course, swimming.

The wind blusters across the cool water, ruffling its surface, and splashes of briny spray sting my face as I sweep, kick, thrust out into the bay. Miles to the south, the craggy silhouette of the Lake District is vivid against a peachy sky. It's very clear today; even the terrain is visible: valleys, cliffs, scree, all glowing golden in the last of the light. It's a wonderful sight, romantic and alluring, and it could be anywhere in the world. I conjure up the peaks of a rugged Antipodean island, or perhaps a mountain range in Mongolia. It looks close enough to swim to. I propel myself forward, towards the horizon--horizons give me hope; they are a glimpse of the future. Across to the west, on the opposite side of the bay, the heather high up on the Galloway Hills glows and shimmers like an amethyst, glinting in the final rays of the sun. The cairn is silhouetted gold, like the halo of a Russian icon.

A severe cold spell is forecast, with fierce storms on the way, so I make the most of the session, swimming slow steady laps across from the breakwater to the harbour wall. The sun is very low now, cradled by a dip in the field, and casts silvery spangles over the tar-black water. A crow waddles across the beach, picking his way through large mounds of seaweed, searching for his supper. The hills and mountains have softened now, bathed in a soothing amber hue. Two swans sweep by, rhythmically beating time, wings not quite clipping the surface of the water. I can hear the swoosh, swoosh as they head into the harbour. I float a while, suspended, letting my mind go quiet, treading water, cupping my hands and pushing ripples out to sea, wondering where they will land, these mini whorls of water. Perhaps they'll reach Dublin, maybe New York.

My skin is tingling with the cold, my fingers white and aching, and I can see lights glowing in the cottages across the estuary. The sun has set. It's time to get out. 

Devorgilla Days is less about a community of bookstores (twelve!) and more about a community of kind-hearted neighbors. It's less about Hart's physical ailments and more about her keen sense of awareness of her surroundings and the natural environment she inhabits. I loved this book and am now one of her many thousand Instagram followers (@poshpedlar). Her curated photographs and cheerful quotations are beautiful and inspiring, as one would imagine. I wish her good health and happiness!

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

Fiction

2000 Thomas Dunne Books

Finished on January 4, 2022

Rating: 5/5 (Excellent)

Publisher's Blurb:

For millions of readers around the world, a new Rosamunde Pilcher novel is a cause for celebration. Her clear-eyed and sharply observed stories have captivated readers for a generation, and with Winter Solstice she proves herself to be at the height of her powers by creating people and places so real, we feel we have known them for years.

The December solstice is a turning point. For some it represents a time of darkness, the shortest day of the year. But for others this events--just a few days before Christmas--is about hope, renewal, and rebirth. In a story both deceptively simple and effortlessly complex, Rosamunde Pilcher brings together five very different people, ranging in age from the teens to the mid-sixties, each of whom must confront very different challenges or losses. 

When Elfrida Phipps abandons London for a quaint country village, she settles in quickly. She has a tiny cottage, her faithful dog, Horace, and the friendship of good neighbors, Oscar, Gloria, and their little girl. Perhaps, at last, she can exorcise the pain of the past and find peace.

But it is not to be.

Tragedy upsets Elfrida's newfound tranquility, and she takes refuge in a rambling house in the north of Scotland called Corrydale. Almost like a magnet, Corrydale attracts various waifs and strays, each of them escaping difficult personal pasts. As the holidays approach and the weather turns foul, the scene seems set as a perfect recipe for disaster.

But somehow the group proves to be greater than the sum of its ill-suited parts, and as the solstice passes and Christmas approaches, the healing power of love, even on the most troubled human spirit, begins to work its magic.

Once again, Rosamunde Pilcher reminds us all that friendship, compassion, loyalty, and love can come together and renew us all--even when the days seem darkest.

Oh, what a wonderful book. When Diane (Bibliophile By the Sea) first mentioned that she was going to listen to the audiobook in December, I considered reading it as well, but I was in the middle of another novel and didn't give Winter Solstice another thought, especially since it's one I'd already read. Well, I finished the aforementioned book on December 21st and took that as a sign to begin Pilcher's novel on the winter solstice. I was a little distracted with our holiday preparations, so it took me a few chapters to finally get interested in the story. However, once I acquainted myself with the cast of characters, I couldn't stop reading. As I mentioned, this is one that I've previously read, but I don't know when that was and I've yet to locate that journal entry. When I do, I will be sure to link back to this review for comparison.

I have read several books by Rosamunde Pilcher, the first of which was The Shell Seekers, which I absolutely adored. I have always intended to read it again, but worried that it might not be as enjoyable as the first time I read it. Having now reread Winter Solstice, I should not let that concern me. I believe Pilcher's novels are marvelous comfort reads, which stand the test of time. I loved this book!