Judy Croome: Author on the Prowl
Judy Croome lives, writes and reads in Johannesburg, South Africa. A novelist & poet, Judy loves cats, exploring the meaning of life, chocolate, rainy days and cats (who already appear to have discovered the meaning of life.) Visit Judy on www.judycroome.com or join her on Twitter @judy_croome
Review: Little Island by Katharine Britton
*Mild Spoilers*
A pleasant holiday read about the Little family and the dynamics of their family, which change dramatically with the revelation of secrets over the course of a family gathering for the memorial service of the grandmother.
An enjoyable read, with some lovely lines offering enough depth to keep one interested, such as this scene: "He began to tease the strands apart, careful to avoid the hooks on the shiny jigs. One was always tempted to tug, but he knew to push gently. It took patience, but eventually, almost miraculously, space began to open up and the knot released." A gentle life lesson in that scene, and in others.
The book was somewhat spoilt by the memorial service scene which descended into inappropriate farce around food and a bear - while the reason was clear (to give Joan the fun she had not had in life and to remind Grace to "have fun"), the earlier skinny dipping scene was far more poignant and in keeping with the rest of the tone of the book.
Britton has a wonderful way with characterisations - Joy, Roger and Grace were particularly well drawn, and the way all the characters grew throughout the book was believable.
No real surprises in the book but it was an easy and satisfying read.
