"In this glittering, pellucid jewel of a story, Melanie Hewitt evokes Corfu of the 1930’s, the Durrell family and the present day island with such profound love and affection, you’ll need tissues aplenty."
The Durrell family and their writings have been a source of wonder and inspiration to book illustrator, Penny, since her Father read Gerald Durrell’s “Corfu trilogy” to, and with, her when she was young.
Now an enduring bond between them as his life nears its end, when the dread day comes, Penny, grieving and needing time and space, embarks on the promise that she and her dad couldn’t fulfil together, a Durrells’ pilgrimage.
Suffused throughout with the scent of flowers, lemon and garlic and the dual salves of sunshine and sea, Hewitt’s tale weaves the lives of fishermen, restaurateurs, holiday company representatives and more into a loving nurturing community, offering a balm to Penny’s spirits. Each character so perfectly drawn and credible, that you feel you know them, might even have actually met them.
At heart this is a story of belonging, proof of the Edna Buchanan phrase that “friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” Penny’s quest for the Durrells’ various homes and the restaurants they ate in, slowly revealing that while she can’t live their lives, she can and should live hers and live it well.
There ought to be a better word for the way sunlight sparkles so brilliantly on the sea, thought “glisters”, as a conflation of “glistens” and “glitters”, gets close, and this book does exactly that, shining calmly and thoughtfully from beginning to end.
This is such a enchanting, uplifting story of love for Corfu, for Corfiots and for life rediscovered, that one wonders why Hewitt has waited to debut.
That she has done so with such a perfect story, written with charm, insight and an utterly captivating sense of humane sensitivity, augurs well for future novels. And yes, tissues are advised while reading, there may be tears!
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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A beautifully written story which will make you fall in love with the island of Corfu.
This is a lovely book, perfect for cheering yourself up. It probably helps if you've read the Corfu Trilogy, or watched the TV series, but the book can be enjoyed without having done so. The story is beautifully written with evocative descriptions of Corfu and believable characters.... Read Full Review
A wonderfully uplifting and joyful read.
If you are looking for a light and easy read which also provides lots of enjoyment, this is the book for you! I read it in one go and was delighted with the story, the descriptions and the enjoyment of life on the island of Corfu. I found the premise of researching the three places where the Durrells lived so intruiging, that I have now ordered My Family and Other Animals and also the book on Corfu by G Durrell from the library, to reread if after so many years.
Penny loved the books by the Durrells, but especially the books written about Corfu the Greek island.... Read Full Review
A mini-holiday in the sun with some sympathetic characters.
After a couple of difficult events in her personal life, book illustrator Penny makes a solo trip to Corfu to follow in the footsteps of the Durrell family. Their lives, as portrayed in their books, have become her anchor, and help her explore a whole new side of herself.
The book’s cover is very much in the chick lit tradition, but having read the book I feel it’s misleading to call it that. Penny is older than the stereotypical chick lit heroine and there aren’t the usual confusions and misunderstandings of that genre. Instead this is a sympathetic portrayal of someone recovering from grief while at a crossroads in their life. It tackles serious issues in a sympathetic and engaging way.... Read Full Review
