
Book Blurb:
Against the backdrop of an elegant Cornwall mansion before World War II
and a vast continent-spanning canvas during the turbulent war years,
this involving story tells of an
extraordinary young woman's coming of
age, coming to grips with love and sadness, and in every sense of the
term, coming home...In 1935, Judith Dunbar is left behind at a British boarding school when her mother and baby sister go off to join her father in Singapore. At Saint Ursula's, her friendship with Loveday Carey-Lewis sweeps her into the privileged, madcap world of the British aristocracy, teaching her about values, friendship, and wealth. But it will be the drama of war, as it wrenches Judith from those she cares about most, that will teach her about courage...and about love.
Teeming with marvelous, memorable characters in a novel that is a true masterpiece, Coming Home is a book to be savored, reread, and cherished forever.
My review:
A reviewer on Goodreads said of this book "Rosamunde Pilcher's books are like a hot bubblebath. You sink into the story and resurface a few hours later feeling refreshed." I agree with this - to a point. I don't necessarily feel refreshed afterward, but I do feel comfortable and warm and safe. Coming Home is an epic novel - it is well over 800 pages of tiny print in whatever format you get it. It spans about 12 years in the life of Judith Dunbar who is fourteen years old when the book begins. The book is set just before, and primarily during the second world war.
Pilcher's books, and this one in particular, are very detailed and descriptive of daily life, primarily in England but also in other settings. You feel as if you are part of the story. Reading a Pilcher book is like coming home to family that you love, and are comfortable with. There is love and loss and friendship and more love. At times you feel like it will go on forever, but inevitably you are sad when it ends. For all the time I invested in the characters of Judith and the Carey-Lewis family and friends, I will admit to a slight disappointment at where Pilcher chose to end this story. It was so long and so epic it just seems to have ended rather abruptly. I would have liked it to have gone on just a little bit longer.
About the author (from Wikipedia):

In 1949, Pilcher's first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills and Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her real name with Secret to Tell. By 1965 she had dropped the pseudonym and was signing her own name to all of her novels.[1]
At the beginning writing was a refuge from her daily life. She claims
that writing saved her marriage. The real breakthrough in Pilcher's
career came in 1987, when she wrote the family saga, The Shell Seekers. Since then her books have made her one of the more successful contemporary female authors.
One of her most famous works, The Shell Seekers,
focuses on Penelope Stern Keeling, an elderly British woman who relives
her life in flashbacks, and on her relationship with her adult
children. Keeling's life was not extraordinary, but it spans "a time of
huge importance and change in the world."[2] The novel describes the everyday details of what life during World War II was like for some of those who lived in Britain.[2] The Shell Seekers sold more than five million copies worldwide and was adapted for the stage by Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham.[4]
Lovely review and brought to my attention an author I'd never heard of, that I probably should have. How long did it take you to read 800 pages?
ReplyDeleteThank you John. I'm a fairly fast reader and this book took me about four days or so to get through. If you're interested in reading one of Pilcher's books I wouldn't recommend starting with Coming Home though> I'd probably start with The Shell Seekers. Much more manageable in size and a truly wonderful book!
ReplyDeleteOh yay!! Finally, someone who reads Pilcher! :) My mum, one of my friends and I love her books. I haven't read this one yet but The Shell Seekers was brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that her books are like bubblebath, to a point. I do feel great like after a hot bath - warm and.. safe. The only thing I don't necessarily like about her books is their length. She's very descriptive which is great when I'm in a mood for such lengthy description. But I have to be in a certain mood to appreciate this. Other than that, her books are really good! :)
PS. 800 pages?! Whoa.
I agree about The Shell Seekers Vicky. Thanks for sharing how you feel about her books!
DeletePlease would someone be kind enough to let me know what the follow on book to "Coming Home" is please. Thank you in advance. Debbie T
ReplyDeleteDebbie I don't have a concrete answer for you. I know that she published Coming Home in 1995. She only published three more stand alone books after that:
DeleteThe Key (1996)
Shadows (1999)
Winter Solstice (2000)
I hope that helps you. :)
Hi, there isn't a follow on book from Coming Home, although when it was made into a tv movie there was a sequel :)
ReplyDeleteI love Rosamund Pilcher's book's and Coming Home is my absolute favourite, if you enjoy Pilcher then Marcia Willitt writes books in a very similar style
Thank you Fred and Ginger - That is quite helpful information. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete