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The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price Purveyor of Superior Funerals
by
Wendy Jones
Everyone has to make decisions about love...
Wilfred Price, overcome with emotion and a yellow dress, on a sunny spring day, proposes to a girl he barely knows at a picnic. The girl, Grace, joyfully accepts and rushes to tell her family of Wilfred's intentions. But by this time Wilfred realized his mistake. He does not love Grace.
Wendy Jones' charming first novel is a movin...more
Wilfred Price, overcome with emotion and a yellow dress, on a sunny spring day, proposes to a girl he barely knows at a picnic. The girl, Grace, joyfully accepts and rushes to tell her family of Wilfred's intentions. But by this time Wilfred realized his mistake. He does not love Grace.
Wendy Jones' charming first novel is a movin...more
Hardcover, 262 pages
Published
March 1st 2012
by Corsair
(first published January 1st 2012)
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Community Reviews
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Mar 12, 2013
Brenda
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
keeper,
reading-group-review-book
Wendy Jones's debut novel is set in the 1920's in a small Welsh village. This is a lovely gentle read about a naive young man, Wilfred, on a picnic with girl in a yellow dress. He wonders how it fastens and how she gets in and out of it and before he has time to think he finds himself proposing to her and she accepts him. He almost immediately regrets his proposal and there the story begins to unfold.
To talk more about the story would give too much away and I would hate to spoil it for others.
Be...more
To talk more about the story would give too much away and I would hate to spoil it for others.
Be...more
Time Taken To Read - 1.5 days
Blurb From Goodreads
Everyone has to make decisions about love...
Wilfred Price, overcome with emotion and a yellow dress, on a sunny spring day, proposes to a girl he barely knows at a picnic. The girl, Grace, joyfully accepts and rushes to tell her family of Wilfred's intentions. But by this time Wilfred realized his mistake. He does not love Grace.
Wendy Jones' charming first novel is a moving depiction of love and secrecy, set against the rural backdrop of a 1920's...more
Blurb From Goodreads
Everyone has to make decisions about love...
Wilfred Price, overcome with emotion and a yellow dress, on a sunny spring day, proposes to a girl he barely knows at a picnic. The girl, Grace, joyfully accepts and rushes to tell her family of Wilfred's intentions. But by this time Wilfred realized his mistake. He does not love Grace.
Wendy Jones' charming first novel is a moving depiction of love and secrecy, set against the rural backdrop of a 1920's...more
Read my full review here: http://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wor...
Wendy Jones’s debut novel is set in 1924, in the small Welsh village of Narberth. It’s the story of Wilfred Price, a naive young undertaker who one day day takes a picnic with a girl in a yellow dress. Wilfred wonders how the dress fastens and how the girl, Grace, gets in and out of it. Caught up in the moment, he proposes to her and she accepts him. Wilfred immediately regrets his proposal and is on the verge of extricating himse...more
Wendy Jones’s debut novel is set in 1924, in the small Welsh village of Narberth. It’s the story of Wilfred Price, a naive young undertaker who one day day takes a picnic with a girl in a yellow dress. Wilfred wonders how the dress fastens and how the girl, Grace, gets in and out of it. Caught up in the moment, he proposes to her and she accepts him. Wilfred immediately regrets his proposal and is on the verge of extricating himse...more
There is a lot to like about this book: it's charming and the opening scene is very engaging. My criticisms of it stem largely from what it *doesn't* do, rather than for things it does wrong.
It feels ungrounded in its setting - we're in 1924 but you'd barely know it, and the Wales we're given could be England.
It lacks tension in places. (view spoiler)...more
It feels ungrounded in its setting - we're in 1924 but you'd barely know it, and the Wales we're given could be England.
It lacks tension in places. (view spoiler)...more
Well, I'm torn.
I didn't not like it. I certainly read it quickly enough. I root for Wilfred, and for Grace. I care for their fate, as I care for several of the other characters. But something seemed to me to be lacking while I read it. Well, for one, one of the major plotlines is left a little too wide open for my taste. That's one problem I have. The other is less tangible. Because while, as I said, I root for Wilfred and Grace, I somehow fail to be touched very deeply. Several of the events sh...more
I didn't not like it. I certainly read it quickly enough. I root for Wilfred, and for Grace. I care for their fate, as I care for several of the other characters. But something seemed to me to be lacking while I read it. Well, for one, one of the major plotlines is left a little too wide open for my taste. That's one problem I have. The other is less tangible. Because while, as I said, I root for Wilfred and Grace, I somehow fail to be touched very deeply. Several of the events sh...more
What a sweet, sad, disappointing, engaging, delicate, exciting, enjoyable book this is.
A beautiful, engaging opening with absolutely superb, vivid descriptions. Wendy Jones has a clever way of painting a very precise image in my mind and the pictures are delightful.
The characters in this story are very real and poignant. Although the story didn't always go the way I would have liked it to go, hence the disappointing part of my description, but it was a nice read. Her style is so subtle, yet like...more
A beautiful, engaging opening with absolutely superb, vivid descriptions. Wendy Jones has a clever way of painting a very precise image in my mind and the pictures are delightful.
The characters in this story are very real and poignant. Although the story didn't always go the way I would have liked it to go, hence the disappointing part of my description, but it was a nice read. Her style is so subtle, yet like...more
What a silly book. I have no idea how it's gotten an almost 5 star rating on both Amazon US and UK. It makes me a little sad at the quality of books people are reading these days and how these books are being measured in comparison to other more worthy books.
Wilfred Price is a silly man, who makes a silly mistake of proposing to a girl, and is then forced to marry her because the silly girl has a terrible secret and needs someone to blame it on. Then Wilfred falls in love in the silliest of ways...more
Wilfred Price is a silly man, who makes a silly mistake of proposing to a girl, and is then forced to marry her because the silly girl has a terrible secret and needs someone to blame it on. Then Wilfred falls in love in the silliest of ways...more
I was fortunate enough to be sent a free copy. I was looking for something simple and reasonably quick to read and this fitted the bill perfectly.
Set in 1924 in a quiet Welsh villiage, a simple storyline and characters. Wilfred is the local funeral director. He proposes out of the blue to a local lass and then quickly regrets doing so. He tries to amend the situation but finds it difficult to voice his feelings. Things get complicated and another young lass catches his eye while carrying out a f...more
Set in 1924 in a quiet Welsh villiage, a simple storyline and characters. Wilfred is the local funeral director. He proposes out of the blue to a local lass and then quickly regrets doing so. He tries to amend the situation but finds it difficult to voice his feelings. Things get complicated and another young lass catches his eye while carrying out a f...more
This book is set in 1924, in rural Wales. Wilfred Price is a young undertaker, living with his father. On a picnic, he proposes to a girl he hardly knows. Instantly regretting it, he’s nonetheless caught up in a series of events.
I don’t want to go into the story or the characters, as they are best left to unfold naturally throughout the story. The importance is in how the book is written. It’s written in a rather gentle way, which to me completely reflected the behaviours and feelings of the cha...more
I don’t want to go into the story or the characters, as they are best left to unfold naturally throughout the story. The importance is in how the book is written. It’s written in a rather gentle way, which to me completely reflected the behaviours and feelings of the cha...more
Jul 03, 2012
Lindsay (Little Reader Library)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
'Wilfred was beginning to realise that the profession of undertaker wasn't much use to him when it came to matters of romance.'
Wilfred Price is the undertaker in the Welsh village of Narberth in Pembrokeshire. One day in 1924, quite unintentionally and just swept up by the moment, Wilfred impulsively proposes marriage to a girl, Grace, whilst at a picnic. As soon as he has done it, he wishes he hadn't, as he realises he doesn't love her at all. He decides that he will explain this to her, and be...more
Wilfred Price is the undertaker in the Welsh village of Narberth in Pembrokeshire. One day in 1924, quite unintentionally and just swept up by the moment, Wilfred impulsively proposes marriage to a girl, Grace, whilst at a picnic. As soon as he has done it, he wishes he hadn't, as he realises he doesn't love her at all. He decides that he will explain this to her, and be...more
I was surprised and not a little disappointed by this book. It sounded charming and quirky, and I was imagining another gem like 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society'. Instead it was slow, far too slow and I'm afraid I found the spineless Wilfred rather annoying, instead of charming. I got halfway through, my eyes continued to be drawn to that lovely exciting pile of books waiting patiently and I skim-read to the end. I love the sort of books that have a gentle story and are beauti...more
Don't be misled by the charming cover because you will find a much darker tale at the heart of this seemingly unassuming book set in rural Wales in the 1920`s. Our hero Wilfred finds himself embroiled in a complicated love triangle (despite the advice of his funereal mentor Mr Auden forbidding `fancy business with the ladies') with a quite shocking secret at its heart that hits you square on and makes you reassess the predicament that he and Grace (his intended) find themselves in, further compl...more
The title of Wendy Jones' first novel sums up just what the story is about, and although it's a bit of a mouthful, it really is the perfect title for this wonderful story. Looking at the cover, which depicts the back view of a shapely young woman in a beautiful dress, the reader can suppose that many of Wilfred's thoughts centre around his relationships.
The story is set in the small Welsh town of Narbeth in the early 1920s. Wendy Jones has brought this insular, sometimes petty, often snobbish to...more
The story is set in the small Welsh town of Narbeth in the early 1920s. Wendy Jones has brought this insular, sometimes petty, often snobbish to...more
Jun 03, 2012
Kerri Turner
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
I had a real love/hate experience reading this book. This is probably more a 2.5 rating because when I finished the book, I was more on the side of hating it.
To put things bluntly, the writing is pretty awful. Almost everything is a cliche (I actually laughed out loud at a few, even though they weren't supposed to be funny), and the writing is riddled with constant similes and metaphors. If that weren't enough, everything is repeated at least two or three times - sentences, paragraphs, key plot...more
To put things bluntly, the writing is pretty awful. Almost everything is a cliche (I actually laughed out loud at a few, even though they weren't supposed to be funny), and the writing is riddled with constant similes and metaphors. If that weren't enough, everything is repeated at least two or three times - sentences, paragraphs, key plot...more
Yes I think I'll give this the full 5 stars as I really enjoyed it and wolfed it down in a couple of sittings. The writing was gorgeous and the blurb (for once) was right. It was a gentle book but it dealt with a shocking topic which satisfyingly filled the book from cover to cover.
Maybe I enjoyed it so much as I know Narbeth (the village in Pembrokeshire, Wales where it is set) really well and its only 90 miles from where I live. The strait laced, conventional attitude of the time and place wer...more
Maybe I enjoyed it so much as I know Narbeth (the village in Pembrokeshire, Wales where it is set) really well and its only 90 miles from where I live. The strait laced, conventional attitude of the time and place wer...more
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One of the best books I've read this year. I welled up at least twice while reading it. This is the story of Wilfred Price, undertaker, and making a choice between two very different women. I think this book was almost faultless - the characters were fully formed, the writing moved at a gentle pace, and the story itself unfurled slowly, as all the best stories do. Definitely a worthwhile read!
A warm and gentle read. Wendy Jones writes extremely well, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light and (very) slow read. It is that last point that brought the book down for me. I felt like the story didn't particularly kick off until I was about half way through. It took me almost a month to wade through the first half, and then I devoured the rest in a single sitting. It is not that the beginning is bad – it rather expertly explores character and setting – it just doesn't fee...more
Set in the spring of 1924 in west Wales, this is a story of a young man who makes a foolish statement that if he is not careful will change his life forever.
Very easy to read, quite short and flows along, this book isn’t something that requires you to think too much. Some may find it too gentle a read and not really grabbing you. There certainly isn’t anything you can fault about the quality of the writing but for me the story was a little to ‘nice’.
Lovely connections between Wilfred and his fat...more
Very easy to read, quite short and flows along, this book isn’t something that requires you to think too much. Some may find it too gentle a read and not really grabbing you. There certainly isn’t anything you can fault about the quality of the writing but for me the story was a little to ‘nice’.
Lovely connections between Wilfred and his fat...more
Its 1908, and having accidently blurted out a marriage proposal to a girl he has only been with a few times, Wilfred realises his mistake, but finds himself embroiled in a situation from which there seems to be no escape. But few things in this lovely work are what they seem and there is a lot of work on hand to sort everything out.
I was attracted by the beautiful cover of this novel, and the contents did not disappoint
I was attracted by the beautiful cover of this novel, and the contents did not disappoint
I was fortunate enough to read this book after getting a copy from my internship/job. The book is a truly traditional comedy of manners, but it involves a good number of surprising twists and sometimes shocking revelations. I'm looking forward to future books in the series.
It's a charming novel, very descriptive and warm, but I didn't feel hat it had a great deal of substance and t times it dragged. I think what I liked most as how connected Wilfred felt to being an undertaker: he related his major lif decisions back to his chosen career/calling.
I must admit I haven't finished this book and therefore have little right to judge it but I can not stand it any longer, a pronoun every now and again would be welcomed, "Wilfred did this" "Wilfred did that" I don't understand why the book lacked in pronouns but it really did irritate me.
Perhaps I shall return to it soon to complete it but for now I must put it back on the shelf
Perhaps I shall return to it soon to complete it but for now I must put it back on the shelf
Rather sweet and gentle little novel set in a 1920s Welsh village. It starts off with an accidental proposal and ends slightly bittersweetly with truth telling and blackberries. I got slightly impatient with Wilfred Price at times, but Da was lovely throughout.
A lovely book, just a looney story dealing with some hard issues in a touching and mannered way. Wilfred Price is a very Welsh and 1920's book so there is much to reflect about this social, geographical and political time which should be borne in mind. We read it for book club and found lots to discuss, from forgiveness for Madoc as a product of horrific trench warfare, the power of losing loved ones so young like Da and how those that we lose become memories that we treasure. How death is a sta...more
You're going along comfortably with the gentle, simple prose and suddenly, something shocking happens. Pretty effectively, it jolts you out of your comfort-zone. If that was the only thing the writer was aiming for, she succeeds. However, according to the intro at the start of the book, she's getting a PhD in creative writing. Given that context, the book wasn't impressive. Too conventional and unexperimentative.
Charming little book - the cover makes it look a bit whimsical but it's quite dark in some ways. Wendy Jones is very good at keeping the narrative voice consistent throughout and making the characters come alive. Well worth reading
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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At first I really didn't like this - as I didn't like any of the characters, except Da. But as the story unfolded this shifted and I felt so sorry for the wife and I really didn't know how it was going to end - was pleased it was how it was. Having been on holiday as a child I am aware of how the tides come in so that was totally reliable. Liked the 'Welshness' of the story.
This book was really fab. Well written and moving. Its not my usual cup of tea but I enjoyed it all the same. It you like heartwarming historical stories about working class people then this is for you.
Endearingly funny, worth a read. Brilliant feeling of its 1921 Welsh setting. After you close the book you may well feel there is more to it than you first thought. I want her next book please!
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