Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sumptuous and hugely readable, 4 Sep 2007
Before I say anything else about this book, I'd like to state for the record that I am definitely not a fan of 'chick lit'; anything with a pastel cover promising a stereotypical romantic storyline usually sends me running for the hills. So when a friend recommended this novel to me, I was initially unsure; but the 1950s setting and glowing reviews persuaded me to read on. I'm very glad I did.
'The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets' is a real treat - the literary equivalent of a huge slice of chocolate cake. It centres around Penelope, an enchanting but slightly awkward teenage girl growing up in a crumbling country manor in post-war England - and of course, ultimately, it's a love story. But to me, the plot is secondary to the beautiful writing and excellent characterisation. Eva Rice's characters are some of the most perfectly drawn I have ever encountered; even minor players in the story are depicted so exquisitely that they seem to leap off the page. Added to which, the protagonists are so eccentric and interesting that it's impossible not to care about them. The descriptions are equally brilliant - the book really brings the 1950s to life, and the settings (Penelope's grand house, her friend Charlotte's aunt's jumbled flat, decadent parties in London) are, without exception, vividly, entrancingly detailed. The dialogue sparkles with wit, vigour and intelligence; at several points I laughed out loud - and the last few chapters actually made me cry, which I very rarely do over a book.
The only criticism I have to make of this novel, and the reason I've given it four stars rather than five, is that the plot is completely predictable - it's obvious from the start what's going to happen, which makes the conclusion perhaps not as compelling as it might otherwise have been. The quality of the writing gives me the feeling that Rice is an incredibly accomplished author who deserves better than to be ranked amongst 'chick lit' writers. But if the predictability doesn't bother you (and it really shouldn't, because the book is good enough to overcome it), this is an absolutely delicious, highly enjoyable read.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charming and thrilling, 3 Oct 2007
If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be charming. Not in the sarcastic way that has been adopted over the years though - in the way it was originally meant. Given that I don't tend to read reviews of books before I read them, I didn't really have any idea of what this book was about. I'd just seen it knocking around in various supermarkets and bookshops, and finally gave in. I was expecting more chick-lit, to be honest. It could fit into this category, but really, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets is first and foremost a love story. But not of the sickening kind.
Set in the 1950s and the aftermath of World War II, the narrative follows Penelope Wallace, an 18 year old girl who lives with her beautiful mother and eccentric brother in Milton Magna House, Wiltshire. Penelope and Inigo's father was killed in the war, leaving his wife to raise the children alone in the lonely old house, which is proving both its lonely and old status... it is slowly crumbling and they simply haven't the money to do anything about it.
Penelope's life really begins when she meets whirlwind Charlotte at a bus stop. They form an odd but instant friendship and begin immediately to get into scrapes and disrupt lives. Charlotte is closer to her Aunt Clare than her own man-eater of a mother, so they spend their time between Milton Magna and Aunt Clare's, where Penelope meets Harry, Clare's son and Charlotte's cousin. She immediately dislikes him and his sarcasm, and his way of making her feel small and insignificant.
Charlotte unashamedly leads Penelope astray, and they begin to drink, smoke and attend society parties, where Penelope meets all kinds of undesirable people, and some who aren't so undesirable. However, Penelope only truly has eyes for Johnnie Ray, the superstar of the moment. He is the man all young women lust after and dream of marrying.
Soon enough, though, Penelope begins to meet other, more readily available men and she has her head turned, and her heart broken. Will Penelope ever get her man and live happily ever after? And what will become of the crumbling but stunning old house that has been her home since childhood? And how on earth do Penelope's mother and Aunt Clare know each other? Why the secrecy? Only one way to find out.
I would definitely say this book is worth every minute you spend reading it. It's old-fashioned but modern at the same time, and I felt really drawn into the 50s world and wanted to go to parties and flirt with rich bachelors myself. A romantic and touching page-turner. Loved it.
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28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Romance for the non-romantic Brit, 14 Mar 2006
I can't remember the last time I read such a page-turner. I used every spare moment to read this book in record time. I was utterly swept away and quite taken with the romance of it all. I was lent this book by a friend and would never have chosen it based on either its subject or it being, essentially, a love story. But not only was it a fabulous love story, but it was also brilliantly written with a flow and a crescendo which was almost unbearably British. Read this and then pass it on to your girlfriends too !
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