I'm quite behind with my book review at the moment, but I will catch you all up! This book was a birthday present from Emily after she read it and absolutely loved it. Whislt she was reading it, Emily did keep telling me just how good it was and that she couldn't put it down; I was completely the same!
From the moment I started reading it, I knew that I just wanted to carry on reading. The storyline and the characters were all so capitivating, and it was quite unlike anything I had read before.
The story starts with a girl called Elizabeth visiting her Grandmother, Arlette with the result that Elizabeth and her mother are going to have to leave their home to move in with Arlette. Although greatly saddened by this at Elizabeth becomes closer and closer to her Grandmother, who begins to call her Betty. Arlette teaches her all about glamour and gorgeuous fashion and all other wonderful things that Betty has never known before on their home of Guernsey Island.
Upon Arlette's death, Betty moves to SoHo in order to find a Clara Pickle who Arlette has mentioned in her will but that no one knows. The book then starts skipping back to the early decades of the 1900s, changing to Arlette's perspective and insight into London life of that time. The story then follows Arlette's past life and Betty's new one, trying to track down who her Grandmother really was.
The story is truly engaging, showing Betty struggle through life, both domestic and love, whislt trying to find the life that her Grandmother had led. As the story unfolds, you are left wanting to know more and more of both Betty and Arlette's lives.
Jewll's writing is so convincing and ehr descriptions are so realistic that you feel as if you are in both worlds and that you are being transported back in time. Yet you also feel that you are living with Betty in dubious apartment with a rock star up the road and a record stall holder opposite. Words cannot describe just how good a read this was!
I would most definitely recommend this book to those who love storis of lost loves and glamour mixed with the modern day hustle and bustle of life. A truly wonderful read! (Please ignore my sounding like a combination between a middle-aged woman and a broadsheet review, but my words speak the truth!)
Next Review to come: Tales of the City - Armistead Maupin
Have I convinced you to grap a copy?
xoxo
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