Day 9- The Shell Seekers
Despite being nominated by the British public as one of the top 100 novels (I am not sure where in the top 100 of the ‘Big Read’), I thought the 1987 novel, The Shell Seekers, by Rosamunde Pilcher, to be lacklustre. It did not grab my attention at all, and I yawned all the way through, waiting for the fun to begin. It didn’t.
The only thoughts I have on this book are:
Did Penelope really love her children Noel and Mary or did she subconsciously resent them for being like Ambrose and therein affecting the relationship?
They also speak about the shock of epilepsy, but it was epilepsy, and not leprosy.
She claimed to be Bohemian and accepted Doris for her frailties but could not do the same for her own children.
As a parent of adult children, I can relate to some of these feelings, and there is one passage, that describes being in love, that did weave a little ‘magic’ for me:
Now day to day her inner vision cleared and her preceptions were sharpened by a new awareness…. a sharpened sensitivity.
Needless to say that was the first and last novel by Rosamunde Pilcher I have read.
Something I won’t be pondering about for long!
Upcoming posts in this challenge-
DAY 10. – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving.
DAY 11. – Favorite classic book.
DAY 12. – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t.
DAY 13. – A book that disappointed you.
DAY 14. – Book that made you cry.
DAY 15. – A character who you can relate to the most.
DAY 16. – Most thought-provoking book.
DAY 17. – Author I wish people would read more.
Something to Ponder About 
This was made into a mini series which I have just watched. It really was rather wishy washy. I have read the book. It is just too superficial. 😀
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One wonders why they bother with these half-baked stories when there are so many other good ones around.
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I agree. You asked the difference between books from different eras. Back in the 19th century it was more about inner beauty, charity and religious life within town life — Anne of Green Gables, Pollyanna and What Katy did.
I read a woman of Substance and Judith Kranz and they were more about money and wealth. There was a lot of descriptions about clothing – ie power dressing. Not to mention an obsession with sex in the 80’s.
Rosamund Pilcher was very popular in Germany and Austria and they made a lot of mini series from them. No substance to them at all. 😄
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So the priorities and interests of readers have changed, or have they? I wonder how much this is dictated by the publishing house’s perception of what they think readers want. I tend to stick to Scandinavian fiction, who for the most part, ( there are a few exceptions), don’t dwell on the sexual side, but more on the descriptive side. I am not sure why this is, perhaps a cultural thing. What do you think about comparing American crime fiction to say Swedish crime fiction?
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