I was instantly drawn into this book. I loved Penny as a character and I loved exploring Corfu with her. I felt that we were with her for every step of her holiday of a lifetime, I could feel the sun on my face and visualise the stunning island in all its vibrant glory. The supporting characters are all well written too - there’s a real sense of community and family as Penny adjusts to Corfu life and I found myself caring for them all. I appreciated the fact that the narrative gave us multiple points of view, allowing us to really get to know the other characters, and yet I felt that some of their stories were only just beginning by the novel’s end. It all finishes somewhat abruptly, and I did check a few times that I hadn’t somehow missed an epilogue. But perhaps the moral of the story is that life is ongoing. One summer can change everything, but who knows where the new trajectory will take you.
As soon as I got into this book I immediately felt the urge to dig out my copy of My Family and Other Animals (a battered old copy I gained from a neighbour’s bookshelf clear out and had since completely forgotten about) and started reading it. It’s easy to see why Penny was so fascinated by George Durrell and his wonderfully eccentric life. That said, no prior knowledge of The Durrell family is required to enjoy this book - I’ve seen a couple of episodes of the TV but even if I hadn’t I would have had no trouble following the story.
As soon as I got into this book I immediately felt the urge to dig out my copy of My Family and Other Animals (a battered old copy I gained from a neighbour’s bookshelf clear out and had since completely forgotten about) and started reading it. It’s easy to see why Penny was so fascinated by George Durrell and his wonderfully eccentric life. That said, no prior knowledge of The Durrell family is required to enjoy this book - I’ve seen a couple of episodes of the TV but even if I hadn’t I would have had no trouble following the story.