Showing posts with label
The Library At The Edge Of The World.
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Showing posts with label
The Library At The Edge Of The World.
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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
A heart-warming story about secrets between four generations of women and the healing power of books, love and friendship.
The
Garden Café, in the town of Lissbeg on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula,
is a place where plans are formed and secrets shared ...
But Jazz
- still reeling from her father's disclosures about the truth of his
marriage to her mother, Hanna - has more on her mind than the comings
and goings at the café. Now isolated from friends and family and
fixating on her new job at a local guesthouse, she's started to develop
feelings for a man who is strictly off limits . . .
Meanwhile
Hanna, Lissbeg's librarian, is unaware of the turmoil in her daughter's
life - until her ex-husband Malcolm makes an appearance and she begins
to wonder if the secrets she's carried for him might have harmed Jazz
more than she'd realised.
As things heat up in Lissbeg, can the old book Hanna finds buried in her own clifftop garden help Jazz?
Review:
The Library At The Edge Of The World, by Felicity Hayes-McCoy, was one of the most enjoyable books I read last year. I loved the sense of community and all the characters in the fictional Irish village of Finfarran. Where the first book centered around a community crisis, it's sequel, Summer At the Garden Cafe, was more about individual relationships and some of the downsides of living in a town where everyone knows your business.
What I Liked:
Characters:
There are so many wonderful characters in this book. I was particularly pleased with the introduction of two characters who are immigrants, Ameena Khan, and her mother Saira. The author stayed away from stereotypes and made these characters very relatable. We also see more of the older generation in the village. The past is represented as well with diary entries from Maggie Casey, whom Hannah inherited her home from.
Story:
The novel is broken down into several smaller stories that spanned generations. There is the young couple, Conor and Aideen, who are trying to see if they want to make a deeper commitment. Divorced Hannah is still unsure about starting a relationship with Brian, but will her indecision drive him away? Jazz, Hannah's daughter, is dealing with the aftermath of her car accident, and her growing attraction to a married man.
The plot point I found most enjoyable was about Mary Casey, (Hannah's mother) and Hannah's ex-mother-in-law, Louisa. Both widowed, they both are trying to figure out how to restructure their lives.
Themes:
While The Library At The Edge of The World, celebrates the upside of small town life, this book shows there are some downsides, as well. News of arguments, ailments, and amorous adventures are spread faster than wildfire. And in this little village, many of the older citizens are eager to chime in with advice.
What I Was Mixed About:
While I liked the story, I wish there would have been a larger plot point that could have tied all the individual stories together. As it was, I found the smaller stories a bit disjointed.
I
also felt that it was a bit unrealistic that everyone (even the young
people) wanted to live in such a small town. I would think that there
would be at least a few young adults who would feel stifled and be eager
to venture forth and tackle the big city.
Rating:
Release Date: May 18th, 2017
Author: Felicity Hayes-McCoy
Publisher: Hachette Books
Genre: General Fiction
Page Length: 400 Pages
Source: Public Library
Format: E-Book
Recommendation:
A satisfying sequel to The Library At The Edge Of The World. Full of small town drama.
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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way. Also, I have linked the book cover with Amazon. If you buy the book through the link, I will get a small fee.
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Local librarian Hanna
Casey is wondering where it all went wrong ... Driving her mobile
library van through Finfarran's farms and villages, she tries not to
think of the sophisticated London life she abandoned when she left her
cheating husband. Or that she's now stuck in her crotchety mum's spare
bedroom.
With her daughter Jazz traveling the world and her
relationship with her mother growing increasingly fraught, Hanna decides
to reclaim her independence. Then, when the threatened closure of her
library puts her plans in jeopardy, she finds herself leading a battle
to restore the heart and soul of the fragmented community. Will she also
find the new life she's been searching for?
Review:
I recently did a writing exercise in preparation for NaNoWriMo where we listed things we like to see in books. Mine included a small town setting, strong female characters, a central meeting place, and an underdog. All those wonderful aspects are part of The Library At The Edge Of The World, by Felicity Hayes-McCoy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and left me with a massive desire to visit Ireland in the future.
What I Liked:
Strong Female Character:
Hanna Casey once had dreams of being an art librarian in London. But after her marriage and high-flying lifestyle crumbles, she must return home to Ireland and live with her shrew of a mother. She finds employment at the local library, a big step down, but she is somewhat content there.
I love how Hanna regained her self-worth by renovating an old home. Through her builder, she learns to compromise and to realize that accepting help from others doesn't make you weak.
Once she realizes the county plans to consolidate services (and close the library), she spearheads an effort to mobilize the whole village to act.
Small Town Setting:
While the little peninsula of Finfarran is fictional, the book's vivid descriptions and colorful characters created a living place.
There are beautiful beaches with stunning coastlines. Quaint farms, and family-run bed and breakfast inns, all struggling in an economy that is fading. They see their economy, which is mostly tourism, slowly slipping away as wealthy businessmen guide lucrative government contracts towards larger towns. If they don't do something soon, younger people will be forced to leave, in order to find work.
A Central Meeting Place:
At the heart of the story is the library. As an avid reader, I loved how the library went from a rigid, sterile place to an active community center. It really became the heart of the town.
And in the library, there were wonderful secondary characters that enriched the novel. From the chatty moms with strollers, to the man who comes to the library, systematically looking at each book, this feels like a real place.
An Underdog:
The whole town is the underdog as they fight to keep the county from consolidating vital services. The county's plan may seem like a smart way to save money, but it doesn't take into account the impact it will have on the smaller communities.
As the town bands together to develop an alternate plan, they all realize how much they have to gain by helping and supporting each other. They know that if their plan succeeds, younger people will have a chance to stay in the community. But if they fail, it will mean the slow death of the village.
What I Didn't Like:
While I enjoyed the ending, there was a plot device that was used to move certain characters into place which I thought was unnecessary. I don't like to include spoilers, but this small event felt totally thrown in and artificial. I wished that the author could have made a different choice.
Rating:
Release Date: November 14th, 2017
Genre: General Fiction
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Page Length: 339 pages
Source: Edelweiss
Format: ARC E-Book
Recommendation: Full of wonderful characters, this would make an excellent book club selection.
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