Hello, to those who love to read!
Gene Tierney
It's been a long while since I've done a book post!
Since we last met I've read Kate Morton's The Secret Keeper,
and Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure.
Both books were a bit drawn out and uneventful in the first half but rocketed ahead after that!
The Secret Keeper shifts between the present, the 1960s and the the 1930s, revealing the life and times of Vivien, Jimmy and Laurel. In the summer of 61, Laurel sees her mother kill a man, and it is not until her mother is close to death in 2011, that Laurel decides to resolve the mystery that has haunted her all those years - who was that man and why did her mother kill him? The story is quite disjointed and difficult to follow in the first half, as characters are established and pieces of history are pieced together. It is interesting though to see how Laurel goes about her research of the mystery, putting together the scattered fragments of information until the stunning conclusion reveals all.
Quite a heart-wrenching, clever story, with a thought-provoking ending.
In Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure, Vianne is back in the town of Lansquenet, where Father Reynaud is believed to have burned down Vianne's chocolate shop, after a school for Moroccan girls was housed there. Vianne makes it her mission to mend (often with chocolate or peaches!) the disharmony between the locals and the Moroccans, however the two cultures are fiercely protective of their own and lives are at risk. Religious and cultural views are explored here, with a focus on the way women are regarded. When Reynaud is kidnapped half way through the story, the pace and interest quickens! The shocking reveal of why Ines is determined for the Moroccan girls to continue to wear a veil at all times is devastating.
While the story was a bit slow in parts, I simply enjoyed the setting and characters. Vianne is a bewitching character, as are her free-spirited children and their whimsical friends. I adore reading of their festive get togethers, Vianne's magical ways, and picturing Johnny Depp as Roux!
Currently, my reads are:
Now I am off to the Book Journey to visit some more bookworms!
Love to you
xxx
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