This book was just okay. I liked it, but it wasn't that great of a story for me. I'm trying not to be too hard on it, but there were little things that just didn't quite make this something I couldn't put down. The book starts out by telling two stories, one in present day England and the other in 1970's Italy. Both settings are equally charming. We learn about Marina, present day, and Floriana, 1970's, and the events that led their lives to intersect. I have to say that my favorite part about this book was Floriana's story, her love story, her amazing birthday, and her tragic turn of events. We later find out how the characters in the book will come together and it ends as well as can be expected. Clementine started off being annoying without any depth to her character, and somehow she learns to figure herself out, but still comes out a little flat for me. I just never clicked with her. The whole "Baffles the Robber" thing could have been left out entirely, but I guess the author felt the need to add that irrelevant element of mystery to the story, as well as a touch of dry humor after Mr. Atwood was arrested for role playing a burglar with his mistress. It has no relevance to the story and only peppered it with a bit of whimsy - nothing substantial, which was a bit of a turn-off for me. Overall, it's lacking something that I can't quite put my finger on. The settings were beautiful, some of the characters were lovable while others were detestable, and there weren't any irritating "coincidences" that usually turn me off of a book. It was pretty clean and slightly enjoyable, but maybe just a little bit dry. The Mermaid Garden by Santa Montefiore is such an engrossing book! Montefiore tells two stories--one set in Tuscany in 1966, the other in Devon, England, in 2009--and they eventually come together in the end. The author's lovely descriptions make the scenes come alive (you can tell that from the beginning paragraph), and the characters have depth, each one with a unique voice. I believe this is the first book I've read where the author let me inside each character's head, so I had an idea where everyone was coming from. You'd think that would be confusing, but Montefiore handled it well. I recommend this book as a good read for anyone who enjoys a story with substance that spans decades.
What do You think about The House By The Sea (2011)?
Enjoyed this author, always looking for new authors.
—VuieMuie
A nice story, well written, kept me hooked
—Leezy
Wat een geweldig romantisch verhaal......
—skelefiction
