Winter Solstice Book

Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. Winter Solstice has all the familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homely, beguiling style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolt-hole in the country where she meets retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Carrie, meanwhile (Elfrida's second cousin), returns to London from Austria and her brilliant career in the tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by her selfish mother and equally spoilt grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is recalled from New York by his company chairman to rekindle an ailing Scottish textile mill. As one after another must learn to live with their own kinds of loss, they find themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need find solace in unexpected places. While her characterisations are, generally, carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Ms Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her natural, easy narratives of everyday life, her thoroughly researched and captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. --Carey GreenRead More