Inver
14th January 2008, 23:07
Recommend this one. Blurb.
'Shattered by a recent bereavement, Minna and husband Tom retreat to an isolated village on the Dorset coast, seeking the solitude that will allow them to cope with their loss and rebuild their foundering marriage. Walking on the beach one day, they unearth a human skeleton. It is a discovery which will plunge Minna into a mystery which will consume her for months to come. The remains are soon identified as those of Private Lew Campbell, a black American GI who, it seems, drowned during a wartime exercise in the area half a century before.Growing increasingly preoccupied with the dead soldier's fate, Minna befriends a melancholy elderly woman, Felix, who lived in the village during the war. As Minna coaxes Felix's story from her, it becomes clear that the old woman knows more about the dead GI than she initially let on. "Playing with the Moon" is an unforgettable novel about memory and loss, about the legacy of war, and the need to reconcile ourselves to our past in order to live with the present.’
Review
In a word.....wonderful. The first book :readingtwo: I have read this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Took the characters to my heart immediately and was page turning from the beginning. I loved the way the book unfolded without giving in to the obvious because it just didn't happen. A few surprises were in store and completely held the book together. Minna's grieving process was completely understandable, but I did feel sorry for Tom on occasions. Felix went through a lot too, keeping secrets for all those years. For a first novel it was very well written and will look out for more. Would definitely recommend to others.
'Shattered by a recent bereavement, Minna and husband Tom retreat to an isolated village on the Dorset coast, seeking the solitude that will allow them to cope with their loss and rebuild their foundering marriage. Walking on the beach one day, they unearth a human skeleton. It is a discovery which will plunge Minna into a mystery which will consume her for months to come. The remains are soon identified as those of Private Lew Campbell, a black American GI who, it seems, drowned during a wartime exercise in the area half a century before.Growing increasingly preoccupied with the dead soldier's fate, Minna befriends a melancholy elderly woman, Felix, who lived in the village during the war. As Minna coaxes Felix's story from her, it becomes clear that the old woman knows more about the dead GI than she initially let on. "Playing with the Moon" is an unforgettable novel about memory and loss, about the legacy of war, and the need to reconcile ourselves to our past in order to live with the present.’
Review
In a word.....wonderful. The first book :readingtwo: I have read this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Took the characters to my heart immediately and was page turning from the beginning. I loved the way the book unfolded without giving in to the obvious because it just didn't happen. A few surprises were in store and completely held the book together. Minna's grieving process was completely understandable, but I did feel sorry for Tom on occasions. Felix went through a lot too, keeping secrets for all those years. For a first novel it was very well written and will look out for more. Would definitely recommend to others.