Here are two novels I read earlier in the month.
About a week ago I read Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. Major Pettigrew is of the old school where manners, duty and honour matter. A retired Army Major, he lives in a small English country village where life is slow but ordered and he has his select friends. He’s still mourning his wife, his son seems like a patronising stranger, and then his brother dies. When Mrs. Ali, the village shopkeeper helps him when he’s feeling poorly they slowly become friends. They connect through a love of literature and their recent bereavements. But as they move towards romance the ignorance of the villagers might just tear them apart. The Major has a very dry sense of humour which brings some wit and humour to the novel. I was very much on his side for most of the time though towards the end I despaired of his need for class approval. The friendship and romance between him and Mrs. Ali was sweet but realistic and the talk of race and religion was very relevant. Anyone who has grown up or lived in a village will recognise the gossiping and organising of events that goes on.
Next was Small Miracles by Anne Booth. Essentially about three Catholic nuns who are the only ones left in their Convent order and the slight problem of financing their house and order for the future. There are numerous characters in this novel set in an English city but this wasn’t off-putting. Cecelia, the elderly nun, keeps entering to lottery – maybe she’ll get lucky one day. Both the characters and the plot shine through in this book. Margaret is in crisis having lost her job as headmistress of the local school as well as a dear friend. Now she is Superior and is having a crisis of faith. Bridget is Irish and a wonderful cook. She is full of life and bubbly. All the characters were making the best of things and were always looking on the bright side. Although this made it uplifting sometimes I felt it was a bit full on. There’s a nice mystery, some travel and a miracle.
Readable 