Monday 25 August 2014

Blessings by Anna Quindlen

When a young couple abandon their newborn child and leave her by the garage of the Blessings Estate they have no way of foreseeing the profound impact this will have on the lives of those who live there. The baby is discovered by Skip, the caretaker, who secretes the infant away and cares for her. However, when the estate matriarch, Lydia Blessings, discovers that Skip is caring for the newborn infant her reaction is surprising - most of all to herself.

This is another of those books that has been gathering dust on my shelves for years waiting to be read. Now that I have read it I have put it straight back on my shelf as there is no way I want to part with it and am certain I shall be re-reading it.

This is one of the most exquisitely touching novels I have ever read and by that I do not mean it is sentimental. What I do mean is that the prose is so beautifully and sensitively written that it was impossible to read this and not be stirred emotionally. It maintains a lovely tenderness throughout that meant I meandered through the beautiful prose. This is not a fast paced novel but a gentle stroll along the narrative and which made this a joy to read.

The book's main theme is love; not of the romantic variety but of the platonic love that grows between individuals or the love between parents and children. It also looks at how love has the ability to change a person and can be ultimately redemptive.

This is one of those few books which moved me to the point that I was afraid to read on because, as a reader, I firmly suspected that this situation was not going to end well. I was so engaged by the two main characters and the complicity that develops between them, along with the intelligent way in which the author bridges the social divide between them.  She has an exceptional ability to take an unlikely situation and make it completely convincing through such believable characterization.

This is an utterly compelling novel and if you haven’t already read this then I highly recommend that you do. For me, this book is a real treasure that I shall be keeping safe for the next time I want to read it.

ISBN:  978 0099558354

Publisher: Windmill Books

Price (based on today’s price at Amazon.co.uk):  £6.39

Total saving so far:  £346.02

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