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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Book Review - The Witch of Exmoor by Margaret Drabble




This book has been around for simply ages. I just happen to get books rather late in the day, that is why I sometimes wonder whether anyone would be interested in this review at all!

The book revolves around an eccentric, wealthy matriarch Frieda who for reasons best known to her withdraws from her family of three greedy children (all grown up and with families of their own) and takes up residence in a remote, far off corner of the West County. The decrepit, falling down castle is on the edge of a mountain overlooking the sea and seems ready to slide into the sea at any moment.

The children are avaricious - despite being independently well off and well established in their respective careers. The emotions of greed and avarice are very clearly demarcated by their individual silent wonderings as to whether their mother is dead or alive and what is going to happen to her estate. The children are not aware of the extent of wealth their mother possesses but each of them do not want the other child or even a grandchild to benefit from the old lady's largesse.

I had high hopes for this story as the story itself is so "real" and one which is commonplace as well! However it bored me. I do not know whether it is the style of writing or the pace of it but it lagged and I did find it difficult to finish the book. The cover is nice though!

8 comments:

  1. I agree the cover is appealing. Too bad the story did lag.

    my Sunday Salon

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  2. The Moon
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    on a cat

    Meow

    As a native Swede, I am particularly proud of my love poetry suite Sonnets for Katie.

    My Poems

    My wallpaper art Babes!)

    And: reciprocity: for mutual benefit, you will do re a favor promoting your own blog on mine!

    Yours,

    - Peter Ingestad, Sweden

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  3. Well, I've never heard of the book before! It does sound like a good story, too bad it didn't turn out that way. I do like the cover, also.

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  4. That's too bad! It's not one I've heard of before.

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  5. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! I love discovering book bloggers especially one who is so close by!

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  6. I read you have no seasons where you live. (I read other peoples comments!) I do enjoy seeing the seasons change--just not the arrival of winter here in the Midwest! Since you have a reading blog--do you like ereaders? I have a kindle and love it. And I'm very envious of your traveling to Melbourne and it will be spring, I think?

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  7. Hm, was it Drabble I liked, I do think so. But if this one bored you I might just pass

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  8. I think it's great that you are reading books on a different timeline than everyone else! The fact that you mention the books alone will either jog people's memories or push them up our TBR pile. Margaret Drabble is someone I've heard lots about but haven't read myself.

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