Review: One of the best books of 2013
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 12, 2013
From the very first paragraph I knew this book was special. The descriptions of people, place, and feelings, were so keenly observed and atmospheric. Somehow the author manages to fill in details of the present and the past seamlessly without taking us away from the main plot of the book. The little asides about all the characters helped make them come alive, they felt like real people, like I was glimpsing into their lives. I loved the anecdotes about her grandmother, and all the NZ traditions and food, the culture, and the things they did as kids. And Charlie, wow, how can you not love him? I admire the way the author wrote a hero that isn't the norm, a hero with little love handles, and a cute self deprecating sense of humour. He's not what you expect, and I just loved him. Often with a 2 person point of view book, you can get lost with who is who, but not in this book. Charlie and Pearl are written completely differently, consistently through the entire manuscript. This book is full of life, and love, heartbreak, and hope. I never read books twice, but I will be reading this again. It's truly special.