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3rd out of 19 books
—
36 voters
Winter Solstice
When she leaves London for the pretty Hampshire village that she describes as 'my geriatric bolt-hole', Elfrida Phipps quickly feels at home. She has a tiny cottage, her faithful dog Horace and the friendship of the neighbouring Blundells - particularly Oscar - to ensure that her days include companionship as well as independence.
But an unforeseen tragedy upsets Elfrida's...more
But an unforeseen tragedy upsets Elfrida's...more
Published
(first published January 1st 2000)
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Opening: Before Elfrida Phipps left London for good, and moved to the country, she made a trip to Battersea Dogs Home, and returned with a canine companion.
At 598 pages in hardback this would appear to be a doorstop however it moves along at a quick lick.
3* September (high 3)
3* Winter Solstice (low 3)
-------------------------------------
AB A Week in December
CR December
3* Winter Solstice
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2* A Country Christmas
TR A Killer's Christmas in Wales
5* A Child's Chris...more
At 598 pages in hardback this would appear to be a doorstop however it moves along at a quick lick.
3* September (high 3)
3* Winter Solstice (low 3)
-------------------------------------
AB A Week in December
CR December
3* Winter Solstice
--------------------------------------
2* A Country Christmas
TR A Killer's Christmas in Wales
5* A Child's Chris...more
6 likes · like · see review
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This fluctuates between heartwarming and trashy. A group of loosely connected people wind up together at an estate house in some small Highland town, where they make friends and heal their wounded souls, all in time for Christmas. Parts of it are very sweet, and I’m yearning now to spend a Christmas in the snowy north of Scotland, but the author’s lack of moral clarity was so off-putting that it spoiled the book. It’s as though she couldn’t possibly be so judgmental as to condemn the stupid choi...more
7 likes · like · see review
This is one of my favourite books of all time. The writing is fantastic, the characters so well penned that I came to care about them, and when I put the book down, I wanted to continue to know these people, which to me is a good indication that the book is top notch. Scotland came to life for me here, and I really wanted to go there at christmas time and experience Scotland at that period. I have read it several times and will continue to pick it up on occasions.
16 likes · like · see review
I love Rosamunde Pilcher. I love everything she's written. Most people rave about The Shell Seekers, and while I love that book as well, it's not my most favorite.
Winter Solstice is delightful and thought-provoking. Pilcher's narratives are pure prose. You find yourself immersed in the world of Scottish tweeds and cottages and hospitality. She captures the intense feelings of grief, and the hope that comes when you learn to love again.
Winter Solstice is delightful and thought-provoking. Pilcher's narratives are pure prose. You find yourself immersed in the world of Scottish tweeds and cottages and hospitality. She captures the intense feelings of grief, and the hope that comes when you learn to love again.
I don't think I've ever read a book set in a small English village that didn't turn up a dead body and have a detective inspector just happening to be vacationing there or something. So I kept waiting for the dead body even though this is not a murder mystery. Imagine my surprise when this actually happened. But it wasn't a murder, it was a tragedy. Not my kind of book already. This is basically a romantic but clean, old-fashioned kind of family saga.
And it goes on and on and on and on..... I k...more
And it goes on and on and on and on..... I k...more
1 like · like · see review
Dec 27, 2009
Relyn
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Relyn by:
I have been a fan of Rosamunde Pilcher for years
I just finished listening to this book again. I have it on my iPod. I bet I listen to it at least once a year. Probably more than that. I adore Rosamunde Pilcher's world, and I think this is her very best book. I could go on and on about Pilcher. I have read everything she's written. At least, that I know about. I mourned when I found out that she doesn't intend to write another book. This is my favorite author. She is full of warmth. She writes of the comforts of home. A warm fire, comfy chairs...more
9 likes · like · see review
Jan 16, 2009
Sheri
added it
This book really disappointed me. While the writing was fun and entertaining and did feel like a holiday (all the cozy cottages and teas and twinkling things), I felt icky inside when I was done with it. The author seems to glorify adultery, divorce and sex outside marriage as long as there's an "understandable" excuse (ie: done in the name of "love"). If you've read the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - this, to me, is Turkish Delight.
4 likes · like · see review
My words are inadequate in describing what a beautiful story this book represents! This book is just perfect for the Christmas season and it is set in Scotland. And even if you don't agree with all of the characters' actions, the story, as a whole, is about grieving and healing, hope, forgiveness, faith, beauty, and the power of love and friendship. The characters are represented very realistically and it is almost as if you were part of the story itself, and in some ways, I wish I was. I highly...more
I love this book, and I read it almost yearly. While it glorifies many aspects of life and smooths over others (grief, for example: I don't understand how Oscar could function two months after his loss; a year might be more realistic and certainly give Elfrida more reason to feel it's time for him to move on to healing), relies on "deus ex machina" and various other flaws. . . . it's a good-hearted, warm, nicely written book for an Anglophile in a cold climate, and it nicely fills that "I have n...more
Jul 16, 2012
Mary
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who likes contemporary fiction
Recommended to Mary by:
Library Book Sale
Elfrida Phipps, once a famous actress on the London stage, retires at age 62 and moves to the sleepy Hampshire village of Dibton. She never anticipates going off with a man. But after a devastating tragedy, her first friend from when she arrived in Dibton, Oscar Blundell - the church organist - asks her for companionship. So, with her brown-and-white dog in tow, Elfrida begins her journey.
What she doesn't realize is that also joining her and Oscar in the rundown Victorian mansion in Scotland, wi...more
What she doesn't realize is that also joining her and Oscar in the rundown Victorian mansion in Scotland, wi...more
I really enjoyed this book by an author I've never read before. It was set in London, England and Scotland. I learned that good things happen to people even after they retire, or lose loved ones, there are people who need people of all ages and situations, everywhere. Very well written. I would read another of her books.
Here's a couple of quotes I liked:
pg 154: "He had always despised self-pity, and now, sitting huddled in the small wooden shelter, he fought it like a lion, striving to be posit...more
Here's a couple of quotes I liked:
pg 154: "He had always despised self-pity, and now, sitting huddled in the small wooden shelter, he fought it like a lion, striving to be posit...more
Jan 02, 2011
JayeL
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who enjoys nice fiction about people's relationships
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. A brief time, when darkness predominates. Yet in this brief time, Rosamund Pilcher has set a story filled with light and warmth.
The book is classic Pilcher, full of detail and texture, housed in quirky old buildings and peopled with obliging neighbors, wet dogs, unexpected guests and a cast of characters we can grow to love.
This is not a book to be rushed through. Don't read it in bits and pieces, wedged into stolen moments during lunch breaks or wh...more
The book is classic Pilcher, full of detail and texture, housed in quirky old buildings and peopled with obliging neighbors, wet dogs, unexpected guests and a cast of characters we can grow to love.
This is not a book to be rushed through. Don't read it in bits and pieces, wedged into stolen moments during lunch breaks or wh...more
Winter Solstice is truly a delightful story. It is one of those books that you just wished you had in hand when your outlook on the world is weary and dreary. For once in your lifetime, a book gives you a happily ever after ending. Oh, there is death, divorce, and the tawdry aspects of every day living, but the silver lining behind each little cloud almost makes you forget them.
Pilcher's tale could very well be entitled, a story of convenience. Why? You see after Elfrida's third love affair, t...more
Pilcher's tale could very well be entitled, a story of convenience. Why? You see after Elfrida's third love affair, t...more
This is the third Pilcher book I have read. I very begrudgingly read the first one (Coming Home) at recommendation of a good friend. All the covers of Pilcher's books are so hokey and romance novel looking - I was definitely (negatively) judging a book by it's cover and was rather appalled that my friend had thought I would like a book apparently written for my grandmother.But I read it & greatly enjoyed it. Now whenever I need a break from non-fiction or bloody murder mysteries or arty inte...more
Winter Solstice is a story of tragedy, of hearts that have been shattered and haven't mended, and of an unlikely gathering of people... who heal each other, who happen to be for one another the thing that this person or that person needs to move away from the grief that has created the circumstances which brought this motley crew together. The scenery, the setting, the plot, and the characterization are thoroughly, even lovingly, tended to, and Scotland is itself a character, as it is in most of...more
Altho, I loved reading about the preparation leading up to the event, as is always the case with a Rosamunde Pilcher book, I was very disheartened
about the ending. I loved the set of mismatched strangers coming together and ending up celebrating a very festive holiday each one of them
separately were determined to avoid. I loved each detail as they got closer to the day. I loved how they carefully selected the gifts for the other
guests. Then, I felt like I was dropped flat. Certainly the phantom...more
about the ending. I loved the set of mismatched strangers coming together and ending up celebrating a very festive holiday each one of them
separately were determined to avoid. I loved each detail as they got closer to the day. I loved how they carefully selected the gifts for the other
guests. Then, I felt like I was dropped flat. Certainly the phantom...more
For most New Englanders like myself, the winter solstice is a low point, with its early darkness, its cold and the absence of the verdant outdoor life we relish. Pilcher takes an opposite view. After all, the solstice also brings with it the Holiday Season. She uses her beguiling touch for character development and captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings to weave an endearing tale about an eclectic group of people who, by choice or by chance, spend Christmas together in an aging but...more
This is a charming, albeit long at nearly 600 pages, novel full of lovable odd characters, a freezing Scottish winter, and lots of friendship and love. There is tragedy and loss, but there is also rebirth and recovery. Life goes on. Circumstances change and much like in real life these characters keep going and try to find their place in things.
Others have criticized Pilcher's moral code with the drunk-driving and infidelity threads in this novel, but I think Pilcher probably feels much like I...more
Others have criticized Pilcher's moral code with the drunk-driving and infidelity threads in this novel, but I think Pilcher probably feels much like I...more
I have been in love with this author since I read The Shell Seekers years ago. OK, my 4 star rating is based largely on emotion and sentimentality. Why not? I want to go to the places she writes about, sit in the houses and gardens, know the people. There are difficult times, thoughtfully and intelligently handled by the strong, likeable female main characters. In the end there is resolution and a sense of contentment. I find the books inspiring and humorous in a subtle and sly way. The best par...more
I love Rosamunde Pilcher's writing. Her descriptions of scenery, homes, artifacts, weather, etc. are superb. You can immerse yourself in her world, see it, feel it, hear it. She gives glimpses of the way the genteel (and not so genteel)lived in a generation past. Her characters are flawed and you find yourself saying 'no, someone wouldn't do that' or 'they wouldn't do that so soon' or 'that wouldn't happen', but people do. They really do things you would never expect. And when you stop and think...more
Jan 08, 2008
Carrie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans of simple, well-written stories.
This is probably my all time favorite Pilcher book. I love her writing and regularly return to reread old favorites, but Winter Solstice had become a yearly ritual for me. Lie most of Pilcher's other novels, this is not an action packed book, but instead is a sweetly told story of people who come together to form an unlikely family.
I love the settings & the characters in Pilcher's book. She has a knack for making the rather ordinary (Oscar, the church organist who remained a bachelor until late mid-life) seem unique & the rather non-conventional (Elfrida, the London actress) seem cozy, warm & motherly. Set mostly in Scotland, w/ an assortment of extended family members.
Rosamund Pilcher never ceases to amaze me. The characters in this book may have a lot to be desired in their lives and morals, but that is life. Reading her books opens the door to areas that I may never be able to experience in travels. Her descriptions of the areas, food, furnishing of the estates is so vivid, that I feel I have been there. She enables you to be able to view the rooms, and the lives of the characters in the books. The young girl, Lucy can be any young girl whose parents are w...more
Hadn't read Pilcher in a while and picked it up at a book sale -- glad I did. As always, her writing spins a great story with interesting characters. Nothing too deep, but enough to hold your attention. In a nutshell, story of an array of characters -- Elfrida leaves London for the country where she meets a retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar... Meanwhile Carrie, Elfrida's much younger cousin, returns to London to find her niece, Lucy, sadly neglected by her mother(Carrie's sister) and her...more
This book .... I just didn't like it.
I was suspicious of it from the beginning. My aunt loaned me her paperback version which looks suspiciously like a romance novel. The title didn't help clear up matters, either. SPOILER ALERT: it is NOT a romance novel, so you can rest easy.
Boy, this author likes to write about beverages and appliances. Props to anyone who reads this and tallies how many time the author references a "restoring cup of tea."
At just over 500 pages, this was a "luxurious" read...more
I was suspicious of it from the beginning. My aunt loaned me her paperback version which looks suspiciously like a romance novel. The title didn't help clear up matters, either. SPOILER ALERT: it is NOT a romance novel, so you can rest easy.
Boy, this author likes to write about beverages and appliances. Props to anyone who reads this and tallies how many time the author references a "restoring cup of tea."
At just over 500 pages, this was a "luxurious" read...more
I can't help it, I have to give Rosamund Pilcher's books a 5 star rating. They are set in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland) so that immediately makes it a favorite read. Having been to England twice I can return there in her books. Her character development is bar-none. She paints pictures with words: the weather, the landscape, the person, their clothes, the event. I am drawn in so easily and find myself planted in Creagan, Scotland, looking up the lane at a mansion, feeling the cold wind...more
Rosamunde Pilcher writes very well and it is easy to get into her books. I found this one to be a little overly descriptive and felt like it could have ended sooner than it did. Also, I could live without the gratuitous romance...
I had checked out and enjoyed a movie based upon one of this author’s previous books, The Shell Seekers, so I decided to seek out some more books by her, and was glad I did. A bit slow in getting started as author makes all the introductions, it finally rewards the reader by about page 150 or so. Full of British and Scottish things, words, vocab, etc., it’s about a gathering of 5 different individuals who all find themselves at odds and ends (for various reasons, end of relationships, death in t...more
I was recommended to read this book by a sweet woman who loves libraries I met while having a Jane Austen Tea at Locust Grove. This and another books was recommended. Even though I label this book squeaky-clean, there was one cuss word in it...so the most gentle readers might want to pass.
The story shows the intersecting lives of 5 people in Scotland, in various ages in life and in various maturity. The 5 voices made this a bearable read for me; I'm just not into predictable and forced happy end...more
The story shows the intersecting lives of 5 people in Scotland, in various ages in life and in various maturity. The 5 voices made this a bearable read for me; I'm just not into predictable and forced happy end...more
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Rosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven, and published h...more
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“Beyond the pain, life continues to be sweet. The basics are still there. Beauty, food and friendship, reservoirs of love and understanding. Later, possibly not yet, you are going to need others who will encourage you to make new beginnings. Welcome them. They will help you move on, to cherish happy memories and confront the painful ones with more than bitterness and anger.”
—
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“And the wicked thing is, that when we're really upset, we always take it out on the people who are closest and whom we love the most.”
—
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