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Campari for Breakfast
'Reads like a cross between I Capture the Castle and Love, Nina' Cathy Rentzenbrink, Bookseller
Life is full of terrible things. Ghosts of dead relatives, heartbreak . . . burnt toast.
In 1987, Sue Bowl's world changes for ever. Her mother dies, leaving her feeling like she’s lost a vital part of herself. And then her father shacks up with an awful golddigger called Ivana.
But Sue’s mother always told her to make the most of what she’s got – and what she’s got is a love of writing and some interesting relatives. So Sue moves to her Aunt Coral’s crumbling ancestral home, Green Place, along with a growing bunch of oddballs and eccentrics. Not to mention the odd badger or two . . .
There she fully intends to write a book, fall in love, and learn to live decadently.
Campari for Breakfast is a heart-warming, eccentric novel that joins the ranks of great British coming-of-age novels such as Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle and Nancy Mitford's The Pursuit of Love.
Life is full of terrible things. Ghosts of dead relatives, heartbreak . . . burnt toast.
In 1987, Sue Bowl's world changes for ever. Her mother dies, leaving her feeling like she’s lost a vital part of herself. And then her father shacks up with an awful golddigger called Ivana.
But Sue’s mother always told her to make the most of what she’s got – and what she’s got is a love of writing and some interesting relatives. So Sue moves to her Aunt Coral’s crumbling ancestral home, Green Place, along with a growing bunch of oddballs and eccentrics. Not to mention the odd badger or two . . .
There she fully intends to write a book, fall in love, and learn to live decadently.
Campari for Breakfast is a heart-warming, eccentric novel that joins the ranks of great British coming-of-age novels such as Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle and Nancy Mitford's The Pursuit of Love.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 13, 2014
About the author
Sara Crowe
2 books9 followersSara Crowe is best known as an actress. She has appeared on television, stage and film, including the iconic Four Weddings and a Funeral. She has won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress, the Variety Club Best Actress Award and the London Critics Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Newcomer. Sara’s West End appearances include Private Lives, Calendar Girls and Hay Fever. She has also toured with Acorn Antiques: the Musical, and appeared in The City Madam for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Campari for Breakfast is Sara’s first novel, inspired by a crumbling old house and a love of English eccentricity. She began writing as a child and has also written comedy sketches for television and stand-up. But in the tradition of late developers‚ she recently re-opened the notebooks of yesteryear and some of the characters climbed out.
Campari for Breakfast is Sara’s first novel, inspired by a crumbling old house and a love of English eccentricity. She began writing as a child and has also written comedy sketches for television and stand-up. But in the tradition of late developers‚ she recently re-opened the notebooks of yesteryear and some of the characters climbed out.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 24, 2015
A borító és a cím egy könnyed chick-litet sejtetett számomra, és bevallom őszintén kedvem lett volna ahhoz is, de igazán kellemes volt a csalódás: ez nem chick-lit! Reggelire ivott Camparikról is vajmi kevés szó esik benne - bár az eredeti cím is ez -, annál több viszont a denevér-doboz, az egy négyzetméterre eső jóindulatú nagynéni, és az íróklub-összejövetel. Mindemellett a történet egy óriási, ódon vidéki házban játszódik, aminél csábítóbb helyszín nem is létezhet azt hiszem. :)
Bohém, humoros, bájos regény, igazi üdítő kikapcsolódás. Modern ugyan, de mégsem túl modernizált, még 1987-ben játszódik, kütyüktől mentes, és így megmarad az a naiv, kedves "Váratlan utazásos" hangulata.
Bővebben: http://pupillaolvas.blogspot.hu/2015/...
Bohém, humoros, bájos regény, igazi üdítő kikapcsolódás. Modern ugyan, de mégsem túl modernizált, még 1987-ben játszódik, kütyüktől mentes, és így megmarad az a naiv, kedves "Váratlan utazásos" hangulata.
Bővebben: http://pupillaolvas.blogspot.hu/2015/...
February 17, 2015
I hadn't realized this was such a YA book. Sue, the 17 year old protagonist, came off as closer to 14 to me, very immature.
As a bit if plot re-hashing, which I normally avoid, her mother's just committed suicide, and she hates her dad's fiancée, so she's off to her Aunt Coral at her mother's family estate, or at least manse. At that point, some of the story is told in flashback form over Coral's lifetime from her journals; I liked that as an alternative to Sue mooning over a boy she can't have in the present. Coral's the best part of the story, although she's rather immature herself, at her best when leading the weekly writing seminars. Naturally, there's a villain as well, who becomes the girlfriend of the object of Sue's obsession. Never fear, by the end she's contrite, Sue learns that the truth about her parents wasn't what she'd assumed, her life is on track, and Coral is left with a rehabilitated manse, formerly a money pit, to run as a sort of guest house. Sorry for the spoilers, but most readers would see all that coming in a book where everything's tied up very neatly.
One of the few audiobooks where the author's own narration is probably better than a professional would have done.
As a bit if plot re-hashing, which I normally avoid, her mother's just committed suicide, and she hates her dad's fiancée, so she's off to her Aunt Coral at her mother's family estate, or at least manse. At that point, some of the story is told in flashback form over Coral's lifetime from her journals; I liked that as an alternative to Sue mooning over a boy she can't have in the present. Coral's the best part of the story, although she's rather immature herself, at her best when leading the weekly writing seminars. Naturally, there's a villain as well, who becomes the girlfriend of the object of Sue's obsession. Never fear, by the end she's contrite, Sue learns that the truth about her parents wasn't what she'd assumed, her life is on track, and Coral is left with a rehabilitated manse, formerly a money pit, to run as a sort of guest house. Sorry for the spoilers, but most readers would see all that coming in a book where everything's tied up very neatly.
One of the few audiobooks where the author's own narration is probably better than a professional would have done.
May 7, 2015
Siamo nel 1987, Sue, ragazzina di diciassette anni, nativa dell’Hempshine, amante della scrittura e della creazione di nuovi vocaboli, si trasferisce per un anno presso Green Place, residenza di zia Carol, sorella di sua madre. La giovane vive una situazione familiare alquanto difficile e dolorosa: la madre è morta suicida e il padre sta per sposare la sua nuova compagna. Tra le vecchie mura dell’immensa villa e grazie all’irriverente zia Carol, a un gruppo di scrittura alquanto originale, a un lavoretto e a un inaspettato primo amore, Sue riesce a ritrovare se stessa e a bere il suo Campari a colazione.
” Per me, scrivere è più importante di ogni altra cosa, anche se a volte dubito che a qualcuno possano interessare le rimuginazioni di una diciassettenne che vive a Titford.”
Ho adorato questo romanzo dalla prima all’ultima pagina, poiché riesce a unire alla perfezione in un’unica trama diversi genere letterari senza mai risultare noioso. “Campari a colazione” è un romanzo rosa, certo, ma è anche romanzo di formazione, giallo e paranormale.
La vicenda della giovane protagonista Sue, rispecchia il tipico romanzo di formazione, ella infatti alla fine della narrazione sarà totalmente diversa dall’adolescente che il lettore conosce attraverso la lettura delle prime pagine. I segreti di famiglia uniti alle “presenze” costituiscono l’elemento mistery dell’opera: un’incredibile rivelazione di zia Carol fa apparentemente crollare tutte le certezze della giovane nipote ma allo stesso tempo, apre la strada per nuove consapevolezze. Insieme zia e nipote decidono di ripercorrere la storia, di capire cosa è davvero accaduto nella loro famiglia. Non mancano i momenti esilaranti che alleggeriscono il flusso della narrazione.
Nell’opera non si distinguono i personaggi principali da quelli secondari, poiché tutti, persino l’antagonista per eccellenza, influiscono in maniera più o meno incisiva sulla crescita di Sue.
Voglio soffermarmi sul personaggio di zia Carol, una donna dalle grandi contraddizioni. Carol fin da bambina avverte su di sé il peso di essere la sorella maggiore e quando ormai la vita sembra aver fatto il suo corso, ella si rende conto di essere rimasta sola in un’immensa casa. Carol, per fuggire al dolore, trova rifugio nell’immaginazione. Compra scarpe e borse pensando a feste e banchetti ai quali mai nessuno la inviterà, s’indebita fino al collo e sogna un amore che la vita non le ha regalato. La presenza della giovane nipote l’aiuta a uscire da questo stato di torpore. Carol fonda un gruppo di scrittura, del quale sarà il guru, cerca d’impegnarsi concretamente nella ricostruzione della storia della sua famiglia e non può che sorridere orgogliosa dinanzi al roseo lieto fine.
La vicenda è narrata in prima persona. L’autrice si serve del diario per dare voce ai pensieri e al punto di vista della giovane protagonista che racconta a se stessa, senza filtri, tutto quello che le accade. Alle pagine di Sue si affiancano i volumi dello Zibaldone di zia Carol che catapulta il lettore negli anni della Seconda Guerra Mondiale e del dopoguerra. Questa trovata narrativa permette di comprendere molte delle complesse dinamiche familiari vissute dagli abitanti di Green Place.
L’autrice si serve di uno stile semplice, diretto, fluido, adatto ai personaggi, capace di rispecchiare le emozioni, i dubbi e le perplessità che verranno poi consegnati al lettore, il quale assiste alle vicende in maniera attiva, fa congetture, ipotesi e supposizioni, si lascia trasportare dal clima che si respira a Green Place quasi affezionandosi ai suoi eccentrici e unici personaggi.
Un romanzo di agevole lettura, ben scritto e originale, una storia familiare fatta di gioie e dolori, segreti e ombre, pervasa d’amore.
” Per me, scrivere è più importante di ogni altra cosa, anche se a volte dubito che a qualcuno possano interessare le rimuginazioni di una diciassettenne che vive a Titford.”
Ho adorato questo romanzo dalla prima all’ultima pagina, poiché riesce a unire alla perfezione in un’unica trama diversi genere letterari senza mai risultare noioso. “Campari a colazione” è un romanzo rosa, certo, ma è anche romanzo di formazione, giallo e paranormale.
La vicenda della giovane protagonista Sue, rispecchia il tipico romanzo di formazione, ella infatti alla fine della narrazione sarà totalmente diversa dall’adolescente che il lettore conosce attraverso la lettura delle prime pagine. I segreti di famiglia uniti alle “presenze” costituiscono l’elemento mistery dell’opera: un’incredibile rivelazione di zia Carol fa apparentemente crollare tutte le certezze della giovane nipote ma allo stesso tempo, apre la strada per nuove consapevolezze. Insieme zia e nipote decidono di ripercorrere la storia, di capire cosa è davvero accaduto nella loro famiglia. Non mancano i momenti esilaranti che alleggeriscono il flusso della narrazione.
Nell’opera non si distinguono i personaggi principali da quelli secondari, poiché tutti, persino l’antagonista per eccellenza, influiscono in maniera più o meno incisiva sulla crescita di Sue.
Voglio soffermarmi sul personaggio di zia Carol, una donna dalle grandi contraddizioni. Carol fin da bambina avverte su di sé il peso di essere la sorella maggiore e quando ormai la vita sembra aver fatto il suo corso, ella si rende conto di essere rimasta sola in un’immensa casa. Carol, per fuggire al dolore, trova rifugio nell’immaginazione. Compra scarpe e borse pensando a feste e banchetti ai quali mai nessuno la inviterà, s’indebita fino al collo e sogna un amore che la vita non le ha regalato. La presenza della giovane nipote l’aiuta a uscire da questo stato di torpore. Carol fonda un gruppo di scrittura, del quale sarà il guru, cerca d’impegnarsi concretamente nella ricostruzione della storia della sua famiglia e non può che sorridere orgogliosa dinanzi al roseo lieto fine.
La vicenda è narrata in prima persona. L’autrice si serve del diario per dare voce ai pensieri e al punto di vista della giovane protagonista che racconta a se stessa, senza filtri, tutto quello che le accade. Alle pagine di Sue si affiancano i volumi dello Zibaldone di zia Carol che catapulta il lettore negli anni della Seconda Guerra Mondiale e del dopoguerra. Questa trovata narrativa permette di comprendere molte delle complesse dinamiche familiari vissute dagli abitanti di Green Place.
L’autrice si serve di uno stile semplice, diretto, fluido, adatto ai personaggi, capace di rispecchiare le emozioni, i dubbi e le perplessità che verranno poi consegnati al lettore, il quale assiste alle vicende in maniera attiva, fa congetture, ipotesi e supposizioni, si lascia trasportare dal clima che si respira a Green Place quasi affezionandosi ai suoi eccentrici e unici personaggi.
Un romanzo di agevole lettura, ben scritto e originale, una storia familiare fatta di gioie e dolori, segreti e ombre, pervasa d’amore.
July 2, 2015
Funny enough to make me laugh out loud on the train, sweet enough to make me fall completely in love with the wonderfully hapless characters. Sue is a brilliant creation, and this is an utter delight.
July 19, 2018
Easy read but still a little thought provoking.
July 3, 2015
http://nicholasedevelyneildiamantegua...
Quando ho letto la trama, poco prima dell'uscita, mi ha incuriosito subito per via del tempo e del luogo di ambientazione, ma anche perché la protagonista Sue ama scrivere e ha il sogno di diventare una scrittrice. Io adoro i libri che hanno come protagonisti gli scrittori, i ghostwriter o qualsiasi altra figura abbia a che fare con i libri (bibliotecari, sia per quanto riguarda la narrativa sia per il fantasy). E questo libro sembrava fare al caso mio. Anche la copertina ha contribuito molto, perché ha dei colori allegri che mi ispiravano simpatia. E non c'ho visto male, sapete! Nonostante io sia cieca come una talpa! Dire che questo libro è ironico è riduttivo. Lei e sua zia Coral sono un’accoppiata travolgente: dai malintesi, ai commenti sui racconti del gruppo di scrittura-quasi terapeutico, all’invenzione di molti termini e storpiature di parole già esistenti. In certi punti era davvero esilarante. Ho sorriso durante tutti i trafiletti riguardanti i racconti del gruppo di scrittura capeggiato da zia Coral e composto da tutti gli inquilini (ma non solo) di Green Place. E' qui che maggiormente esplode l'ironia di Sue, ma anche la stramberia di zia Coral.
La parte divertente è compensata da una parte un po’ triste. L’autrice ha saputo dosare bene i sentimenti di Sue, evitando di cadere troppo nel drammatico.
La povera Sue si trova a diciassette anni orfana di madre, dopo che lei si è tolta la vita in circostanze misteriose – circostanze che, secondo me, sono un pochino deboli, ma forse quando la disperazione sovrasta la ragione, non c’è più niente da fare, purtroppo. Ad ogni modo, queste circostanze, si scopriranno nel corso del libro, con rivelazione finale - e con un padre che si sta per sposare con Ivana, la sua amante. Non solo è costretta a trasferirsi in un'altra casa (enorme! *___*) che non è la sua, ma deve combattere anche con un'odiosa coetanea che le metterà i bastoni tra le ruote e a lavorare in una tavola calda per contribuire alle spese di sua zia Coral e tentare di ripagare i suoi debiti, contratti per riportare a nuovo la casa, ma anche per colpa del suo vizietto dello shopping compulsivo, nato per compensare la sua mancanza d’amore. Ma a parte tutto questo, Sue, non si perde d'animo e va avanti, a testa alta, mantenendo i nervi saldi, anche quando scopre dei particolari sconcertanti a proposito della famiglia di sua madre. Ah sì! In questo libro c'è tutto! Anche il giallo e un certo alone di mistero che sovrasta Green Palce e i suoi sinistri e paranormali rumori notturni. Ma oltre il giallo, c'è anche il Rosa-Romantico, con le R maiuscole, perché Sue è una sognatrice; è una ragazza che aspetta l'amore vero, quello che le fa battere il cuore, che però, non sembra arrivare mai, fino a quando, alla tavola calda, conosce il meraviglioso ma inarrivabile Icarus. Se ne invaghisce talmente tanto da dormire con una delle fotografie rubate - che ritrae uno dei suoi stupendi occhi - sotto il cuscino. Roba inquietante e maniacale, ma a lei basta quello per averlo vicino, dato che lui neanche la considera. Ma se ce n'è uno che non se la fila, un altro le fa una corte sfrenata, travolgendola con la sua dolcezza e la sua semplicità: Joe, il fratello di Icarus. Io l'ho apprezzato molto come personaggio. E' uno dei miei preferiti del romanzo e in qualche modo contribuisce anche al titolo del libro, che io trovo di una dolcezza spropositata, Campari a parte. Quel Campari a colazione ha un significato insito che è tutto uno spettacolo! Mi sono venuti gli occhi a quadruplo cuoricino (2 per gli occhi e 2 per gli occhiali) a 26 anni. Rendiamoci conto. ♥♥_♥♥
La storia di Sue è intervallata anche da quella di zia Coral, grazie al suo Zibaldone, che in pratica è una sorta di diario sul quale, durante la sua vita, ha annotato tutti i suoi pensieri e gli avvenimenti principali avvenuti a Green Place. Mi è piaciuta molto anche la parte storica di questo libro, ambientata durante la seconda guerra mondiale. Ha dato un tocco in più all'intera storia, anche perché all'interno di quello Zibaldone, senza volerlo, zia Coral, aveva già trovato la soluzione a uno dei misteri della sua famiglia.
Eh eh eh, vi ho incuriositi, almeno un pochino? Lo dovete leggere, assolutamente! E' un romanzo delizioso e delicato che è raro trovare in giro al giorno d'oggi.
Quando ho letto la trama, poco prima dell'uscita, mi ha incuriosito subito per via del tempo e del luogo di ambientazione, ma anche perché la protagonista Sue ama scrivere e ha il sogno di diventare una scrittrice. Io adoro i libri che hanno come protagonisti gli scrittori, i ghostwriter o qualsiasi altra figura abbia a che fare con i libri (bibliotecari, sia per quanto riguarda la narrativa sia per il fantasy). E questo libro sembrava fare al caso mio. Anche la copertina ha contribuito molto, perché ha dei colori allegri che mi ispiravano simpatia. E non c'ho visto male, sapete! Nonostante io sia cieca come una talpa! Dire che questo libro è ironico è riduttivo. Lei e sua zia Coral sono un’accoppiata travolgente: dai malintesi, ai commenti sui racconti del gruppo di scrittura-quasi terapeutico, all’invenzione di molti termini e storpiature di parole già esistenti. In certi punti era davvero esilarante. Ho sorriso durante tutti i trafiletti riguardanti i racconti del gruppo di scrittura capeggiato da zia Coral e composto da tutti gli inquilini (ma non solo) di Green Place. E' qui che maggiormente esplode l'ironia di Sue, ma anche la stramberia di zia Coral.
La parte divertente è compensata da una parte un po’ triste. L’autrice ha saputo dosare bene i sentimenti di Sue, evitando di cadere troppo nel drammatico.
La povera Sue si trova a diciassette anni orfana di madre, dopo che lei si è tolta la vita in circostanze misteriose – circostanze che, secondo me, sono un pochino deboli, ma forse quando la disperazione sovrasta la ragione, non c’è più niente da fare, purtroppo. Ad ogni modo, queste circostanze, si scopriranno nel corso del libro, con rivelazione finale - e con un padre che si sta per sposare con Ivana, la sua amante. Non solo è costretta a trasferirsi in un'altra casa (enorme! *___*) che non è la sua, ma deve combattere anche con un'odiosa coetanea che le metterà i bastoni tra le ruote e a lavorare in una tavola calda per contribuire alle spese di sua zia Coral e tentare di ripagare i suoi debiti, contratti per riportare a nuovo la casa, ma anche per colpa del suo vizietto dello shopping compulsivo, nato per compensare la sua mancanza d’amore. Ma a parte tutto questo, Sue, non si perde d'animo e va avanti, a testa alta, mantenendo i nervi saldi, anche quando scopre dei particolari sconcertanti a proposito della famiglia di sua madre. Ah sì! In questo libro c'è tutto! Anche il giallo e un certo alone di mistero che sovrasta Green Palce e i suoi sinistri e paranormali rumori notturni. Ma oltre il giallo, c'è anche il Rosa-Romantico, con le R maiuscole, perché Sue è una sognatrice; è una ragazza che aspetta l'amore vero, quello che le fa battere il cuore, che però, non sembra arrivare mai, fino a quando, alla tavola calda, conosce il meraviglioso ma inarrivabile Icarus. Se ne invaghisce talmente tanto da dormire con una delle fotografie rubate - che ritrae uno dei suoi stupendi occhi - sotto il cuscino. Roba inquietante e maniacale, ma a lei basta quello per averlo vicino, dato che lui neanche la considera. Ma se ce n'è uno che non se la fila, un altro le fa una corte sfrenata, travolgendola con la sua dolcezza e la sua semplicità: Joe, il fratello di Icarus. Io l'ho apprezzato molto come personaggio. E' uno dei miei preferiti del romanzo e in qualche modo contribuisce anche al titolo del libro, che io trovo di una dolcezza spropositata, Campari a parte. Quel Campari a colazione ha un significato insito che è tutto uno spettacolo! Mi sono venuti gli occhi a quadruplo cuoricino (2 per gli occhi e 2 per gli occhiali) a 26 anni. Rendiamoci conto. ♥♥_♥♥
La storia di Sue è intervallata anche da quella di zia Coral, grazie al suo Zibaldone, che in pratica è una sorta di diario sul quale, durante la sua vita, ha annotato tutti i suoi pensieri e gli avvenimenti principali avvenuti a Green Place. Mi è piaciuta molto anche la parte storica di questo libro, ambientata durante la seconda guerra mondiale. Ha dato un tocco in più all'intera storia, anche perché all'interno di quello Zibaldone, senza volerlo, zia Coral, aveva già trovato la soluzione a uno dei misteri della sua famiglia.
Eh eh eh, vi ho incuriositi, almeno un pochino? Lo dovete leggere, assolutamente! E' un romanzo delizioso e delicato che è raro trovare in giro al giorno d'oggi.
September 3, 2018
A fun, light read. Better than your average Chick Lit.
July 20, 2015
As I met the author at an excellent reading event at Storytellers Inc in St Anne's, Lancashire, and she kindly signed my copy, my view of this book is enhanced. At first it reads as a frivolous and silly yarn, but there's a lot lurking in there.
The story switches between the inter-war and then the war period, through the eyes of the matriarchal Aunt Coral (although circumstances have left her with no children of her own)and the '80s, when a young woman comes of age, having suffered a tragic event. Said young woman longs to be a writer, but at 17 her lack of life experience is a bit of an issue. Other characters conspire to support her, forming a creative writing group. The main plot thread is unravelling the mystery behind the tragic event, in the midst of many rather slight sub-plots.
The crumbling mansion. Green Place, is a sort of brooding presence throughout, keeping it from falling down completely being a preoccupation for several characters. Apparently Clement Attlee's attitude to the rich is the start of all problems, he 'doesn't care about the rich at all'. It is sort of implied that sorting out the British economy after the war deaths of 60m people worldwide, might have been rather more on Clement's mind.
Some of the plot is rather silly, but no more than many other books. The main character, Sue Bowl's narration does get a bit irritating, but it is supposed to be a naive (in many ways) 17 year old talking. This includes a constant stream of minor spelling mistakes and words out of context, inserted for comic effect. This book must have been an editor's nightmare; some are not actually funny and one wonders if they are genuinely mistakes, such as 'affect' used for 'effect' at one point. 'Tittinus' used for 'tinnitus' is pretty obviously deliberate. Sara Crowe has used 'follow-spot' when describing a beam of light and it might not be clear what that is to the non-theatrical person.
The book contains what appear to be fairly inconsequential characters and minor plot asides, which are easily forgotten and then turn out to be crucial to the plot. I tend to read late at night, when I'm tired and then fall asleep with the book in my hands, which makes stuff like that tricky to recall. Thus I have found myself riffling back through this book to pin down what is actually going on. Who was the character who dragged a brick around with them and why?
After a series of false dawns, the mystery is finally solved to provide an ending with pathos, where some characters become compromised, but others have their repuations restored in a flood of new understanding. In the end it all hangs together rather well. Sara Crowe has produced a first book of considerable perception, with bizarre but just about believable characters, which work in a gently comic format. I look forward to the next book, which I understand is to be called 'Martini Henry' (the Victorian military rifle, not a cocktail).
The story switches between the inter-war and then the war period, through the eyes of the matriarchal Aunt Coral (although circumstances have left her with no children of her own)and the '80s, when a young woman comes of age, having suffered a tragic event. Said young woman longs to be a writer, but at 17 her lack of life experience is a bit of an issue. Other characters conspire to support her, forming a creative writing group. The main plot thread is unravelling the mystery behind the tragic event, in the midst of many rather slight sub-plots.
The crumbling mansion. Green Place, is a sort of brooding presence throughout, keeping it from falling down completely being a preoccupation for several characters. Apparently Clement Attlee's attitude to the rich is the start of all problems, he 'doesn't care about the rich at all'. It is sort of implied that sorting out the British economy after the war deaths of 60m people worldwide, might have been rather more on Clement's mind.
Some of the plot is rather silly, but no more than many other books. The main character, Sue Bowl's narration does get a bit irritating, but it is supposed to be a naive (in many ways) 17 year old talking. This includes a constant stream of minor spelling mistakes and words out of context, inserted for comic effect. This book must have been an editor's nightmare; some are not actually funny and one wonders if they are genuinely mistakes, such as 'affect' used for 'effect' at one point. 'Tittinus' used for 'tinnitus' is pretty obviously deliberate. Sara Crowe has used 'follow-spot' when describing a beam of light and it might not be clear what that is to the non-theatrical person.
The book contains what appear to be fairly inconsequential characters and minor plot asides, which are easily forgotten and then turn out to be crucial to the plot. I tend to read late at night, when I'm tired and then fall asleep with the book in my hands, which makes stuff like that tricky to recall. Thus I have found myself riffling back through this book to pin down what is actually going on. Who was the character who dragged a brick around with them and why?
After a series of false dawns, the mystery is finally solved to provide an ending with pathos, where some characters become compromised, but others have their repuations restored in a flood of new understanding. In the end it all hangs together rather well. Sara Crowe has produced a first book of considerable perception, with bizarre but just about believable characters, which work in a gently comic format. I look forward to the next book, which I understand is to be called 'Martini Henry' (the Victorian military rifle, not a cocktail).
February 9, 2015
4.5/5
Originally posted on:> http://lauraslittlebookblog.blogspot....
Campari for Breakfast is unlike anything I have ever read before and I absolutely loved it! This fantastic novel, set in 1987 tells the story of seventeen year old Sue, who devastatingly loses her Mother and feels like she has lost a part of herself. But she finds a saviour in her Aunt Coral who she moves in with for her gap year, in the beautiful crumbling home of Green Place. Here she is determined to write and book and fall in love.
I really didn't quite know what to expect when I first started reading this, but I ended up absolutely loving it! You cannot help but like Sue, she may only be seventeen, but I found her really sophisticated and grown up. She may be naive in some ways, but I would definitely have found a friend in Sue. Also what I found brilliant was Sue's language is Sueified as Joe so brilliantly puts it. She has her own way of saying things and mixing two words together to create another meaning. Initially I thought it was a spelling mistake but when I cottoned on, I realised it was sometimes words that I say when pronouncing them differently.
Along with Sue there are a fantastic array of characters that Sara has created. There is obviously Aunt Coral, who despite her eccentricities really helps Sue out with her words of wisdom and helps bring to justice a very unlikable character. Then there is Admiral Avery Little, who is actually a really sweet character and has the eye of Aunt Coral and is a lodger at Green Place. My final favourite character was Joe, who is really really likes Sue, but Sue crazily likes the ridiculous Icarus who she works with at the Toastie. All these brilliant characters regularly come together for the Egham Writing Group, to help Sue achieve her dream of becoming an author. This was one of my favourite parts of the book. I loved all their little writing exercises and reading Sue's own story as it progresses.
I loved the eccentricity of this, it is what makes the novel works so well. I loved dipping back into it during my train journeys and during my lunch break. I would always want time to hurry up so I could get back to it. Also I really enjoy books set in the eighties, never entirely sure why, but maybe because it was the main era my Mum grew up in and I've always found it a fascinating time. Though this book may not be typical of an eighties teenager, I still enjoyed seeing a different side to a more secluded part of 1980's England. The flitting back and forth between present day Sue and Aunt Coral's Common Place diary from the 1930's to present day, also made for some great reading and comparing Sue and Aunt Coral's eccentricities.
Overall a surprisingly brilliant, charming and quirky story that I could not get enough of.
Originally posted on:> http://lauraslittlebookblog.blogspot....
Campari for Breakfast is unlike anything I have ever read before and I absolutely loved it! This fantastic novel, set in 1987 tells the story of seventeen year old Sue, who devastatingly loses her Mother and feels like she has lost a part of herself. But she finds a saviour in her Aunt Coral who she moves in with for her gap year, in the beautiful crumbling home of Green Place. Here she is determined to write and book and fall in love.
I really didn't quite know what to expect when I first started reading this, but I ended up absolutely loving it! You cannot help but like Sue, she may only be seventeen, but I found her really sophisticated and grown up. She may be naive in some ways, but I would definitely have found a friend in Sue. Also what I found brilliant was Sue's language is Sueified as Joe so brilliantly puts it. She has her own way of saying things and mixing two words together to create another meaning. Initially I thought it was a spelling mistake but when I cottoned on, I realised it was sometimes words that I say when pronouncing them differently.
Along with Sue there are a fantastic array of characters that Sara has created. There is obviously Aunt Coral, who despite her eccentricities really helps Sue out with her words of wisdom and helps bring to justice a very unlikable character. Then there is Admiral Avery Little, who is actually a really sweet character and has the eye of Aunt Coral and is a lodger at Green Place. My final favourite character was Joe, who is really really likes Sue, but Sue crazily likes the ridiculous Icarus who she works with at the Toastie. All these brilliant characters regularly come together for the Egham Writing Group, to help Sue achieve her dream of becoming an author. This was one of my favourite parts of the book. I loved all their little writing exercises and reading Sue's own story as it progresses.
I loved the eccentricity of this, it is what makes the novel works so well. I loved dipping back into it during my train journeys and during my lunch break. I would always want time to hurry up so I could get back to it. Also I really enjoy books set in the eighties, never entirely sure why, but maybe because it was the main era my Mum grew up in and I've always found it a fascinating time. Though this book may not be typical of an eighties teenager, I still enjoyed seeing a different side to a more secluded part of 1980's England. The flitting back and forth between present day Sue and Aunt Coral's Common Place diary from the 1930's to present day, also made for some great reading and comparing Sue and Aunt Coral's eccentricities.
Overall a surprisingly brilliant, charming and quirky story that I could not get enough of.
April 24, 2019
I double loved the craziness of this book ,took a few double takes as well until I clocked that the" spelling mistakes" are all part of the book! Again, I probably wouldn't have chosen to read this book but I am very glad I did .It is refreshingly creative, looking as it does through the eyes of a bereaved seventeen year old Sue, with massive aspirations to being a writer, who goes to live with her Aunt Cora who turns out to be her great aunt through one of the many twists and turns of this fascinating plot. Aunt Cora's rambling old house is falling down around her ears, but not until Sue sets about rescuing them all in weird and wonderful ways does the whole saga get under way! And what a ride it is! At times it is laugh out loud funny.
There are mysteries old and new to be solved, money to be raised to save the house, Sue's love interest. Icarus, son of her cafe owning employer, to be wooed, and Sue's novel to be encouraged along by the inimitable Cora. Inhabited by quirky-eccentric but lovable characters it is very entertaining. There are also the hateful sneaks, Loudolle being easily the most hateable, all to be sized up and defeated by the wise and wonderful Aunt Cora. Her optimism and cleverness holds the whole disparate band together to its joyous conclusion.
I noticed in the acknowledgements that Mark Gatiss and Liza Goddard are amongst the starry names mentioned as friends and helpers, along with a comment on the cover from Tamsin Grieg. Sara Crowe is a successful actress and script writer and this is her first novel. Hopefully she will find time to write more as I found the whole book wonderfully entertaining.
There are mysteries old and new to be solved, money to be raised to save the house, Sue's love interest. Icarus, son of her cafe owning employer, to be wooed, and Sue's novel to be encouraged along by the inimitable Cora. Inhabited by quirky-eccentric but lovable characters it is very entertaining. There are also the hateful sneaks, Loudolle being easily the most hateable, all to be sized up and defeated by the wise and wonderful Aunt Cora. Her optimism and cleverness holds the whole disparate band together to its joyous conclusion.
I noticed in the acknowledgements that Mark Gatiss and Liza Goddard are amongst the starry names mentioned as friends and helpers, along with a comment on the cover from Tamsin Grieg. Sara Crowe is a successful actress and script writer and this is her first novel. Hopefully she will find time to write more as I found the whole book wonderfully entertaining.
May 18, 2014
Sue goes to live with her great-aunt Coral following the death of her mother. During her time there, she uncovers family secrets, and brings together a cast of wholly eccentric characters.
I was really impressed that although I thought I had guessed where the suicide note was hidden and who Buddleias father was - I was totally wrong! I thought the letter would be hidden in a book in the library. So where I thought that the plot would be too predictable - the author truly proved me wrong.
I liked the characters, particularly Aunt Coral - even if she was a hopeless shopaholic who was dreadful with anything practical. The ending was a little twee for me but on the whole I found the book enjoyable.
Favourite quote: we only ever know of a person what they choose to let us see.
I was really impressed that although I thought I had guessed where the suicide note was hidden and who Buddleias father was - I was totally wrong! I thought the letter would be hidden in a book in the library. So where I thought that the plot would be too predictable - the author truly proved me wrong.
I liked the characters, particularly Aunt Coral - even if she was a hopeless shopaholic who was dreadful with anything practical. The ending was a little twee for me but on the whole I found the book enjoyable.
Favourite quote: we only ever know of a person what they choose to let us see.
Read
November 4, 2014Absolutely delightful and charming. Loved it.
September 28, 2017
I read Campari for Breakfast by Sara Crowe for the book club which I belong to. It isn’t something that I would have normally read. It did take me a little bit to get into the book, but I did manage to finish and kind of enjoy it?
The main character is a young girl called Sue, who has moved to stay with her eccentric relative (Aunt Coral), in her rather large, grand home (albeit rather run-down home) following the death of her mother, who has committed suicide. Sue is a pseudo intellectual who wants to be a writer. She has taken a gap year and wants to write a book and fall in love. The novel is a coming of age book and follows Sue’s journey to adulthood; helping to save Green Place, falling in love, attempting to write, attempting to come to terms with her mother’s death and trying to find her mother’s missing suicide note
I found the book rather strange, it set in the 80’s but I felt it was more like the 60’s! A kind of posh Adrian Mole diary written by Sue, inserted with diary extracts from her aunt from the 30’s and 40’s. Sara employed the use of incorrect and misused language by the main character which I didn’t understand at first and thought that the character of Sue was misusing language. These Sueisms were the character’s way of combining 2 words to create a new word.
Eccentric characters, a strange plot line, I found this book very quirky!
The main character is a young girl called Sue, who has moved to stay with her eccentric relative (Aunt Coral), in her rather large, grand home (albeit rather run-down home) following the death of her mother, who has committed suicide. Sue is a pseudo intellectual who wants to be a writer. She has taken a gap year and wants to write a book and fall in love. The novel is a coming of age book and follows Sue’s journey to adulthood; helping to save Green Place, falling in love, attempting to write, attempting to come to terms with her mother’s death and trying to find her mother’s missing suicide note
I found the book rather strange, it set in the 80’s but I felt it was more like the 60’s! A kind of posh Adrian Mole diary written by Sue, inserted with diary extracts from her aunt from the 30’s and 40’s. Sara employed the use of incorrect and misused language by the main character which I didn’t understand at first and thought that the character of Sue was misusing language. These Sueisms were the character’s way of combining 2 words to create a new word.
Eccentric characters, a strange plot line, I found this book very quirky!
February 4, 2015
Review posted on www.onmybookshelf.blog.pl
In 1987, seventeen - year - old Sue Bowl decides to stay at Green Place, home of her elderly Aunt. It's less than a year since her mother has committed a suicide and Sue can't come to terms with this and the fact that her father has already a girlfriend. Sue's ambition is to be an author and as her Aunt wants to help her, they organize a creative writing group. The group is composed of some eccentric and eclectic members who very actively partake in the meetings. Sue also finds herself a job at a local cafe, where she develops a crush on one of her co - workers (unfortunately, it's a case of an unrequited feeling), is a person that somebody has a crush on, starts to take care of Aunt Coral's finances, trying to save Green Place which is slowly deteriorating, and also, as she still can't believe that her mother really wanted to commit suicide, is sure that she's left her a farewell letter and is trying to find it. Is she going to find it? Or maybe she's going to find much more? Some family secrets?
I must admit, it took me some time to get into the story and get used to the writing style. Firstly, I was a little confused about the "Commonplace Book" and the storyline jumping from present to past, but soon I was looking forward to Aunt Coral's entries. Secondly, Sue's writing style is very unusual and original, and her spelling mistakes are brilliant - Sue feels so adult and sophisticated and then bang, here it is, the spelling mistake, and Sue changes into a little girl again. Lovely idea!
The story is told through Sue's diary entries, from time to time interspersed with the above mentioned Aunt Coral's memories from her "Commonplace Book", which is a mix of a diary and scrapbook, where she put not only her thoughts but also some articles, quotes or just things that took her interest. As she's been writing them since she was 7 years old, and now she's 65, there are five volumes of them, and although those entries are only a small part of the book, they indeed help us to have a better insight into Coral's past, understand some things better and, shortly, they are great flashbacks and they add a lot to the story.
The book takes place in the 1980s, but I would say the atmosphere and the events are more those of 60s or 70s, what with Sue working as a waitress, the shoe auction, the writing group... in the whole, the flower - power feeling to the story.
The books, or rather the main character Sue, concentrates on so many things, she's for sure one very mobile and dynamic character. She is a girl of many interests and can't sit in one place and I think one can't not like her, she's so full of positiveness and optimism and she always plays fair. Although 17 years old, I still could detect a little, lone, lost girl, and not only because of her spelling mistakes, there was something in her that made me feel like this. She somehow made me feel sentimental about her and I wanted to take care for her, and the only thing that didn't work for me was her writing career and the stories she wrote for the writing competition - oh no, they made me tired relatively quickly and weren't my cup of tea.
Apart of Sue, the author introduces us to a bunch of very eccentric and eclectic. There is Aunt coral, with her money issues and always growing collection of shoes; Coral's friend Delia, whose daughter Loudolle quickly becomes a thorn in Sue's side, when she snaps a boy that Sue is interested in and in the whole set her sights on complicating Sue's life; other inhabitant of Green Place, Admiral Avery Little, who Aunt Coral is very interested in, unfortunately, not a mutual interest; Joe, whose trying to win Sue and her feelings and who sticks to her no matter what happens. It was a great joy to dive into their eccentric and unusual world, a world that is incredibly colourful and vibrated, and a world where something happens all the time, so be prepared for a joy - ride, full of action and unexpected twists and turns.
The book felt a little over - the - top, the actions too larger than life, too overdrawn, and some of the scenes would better suit a soap - opera, too dramatic and too exaggerated, but as the whole book was in fact written in this style, so it was not a problem to follow the story. To be honest, I'm still in trouble what to think about the book, I can't categorise it, can't classify it. Nevertheless, as I had no idea what to expect from this story, it surprised me very much with the direction it took and with the fact that it was not your usual "laugh out loud" read but the author tried to mix a little mystery to it as well, but also there were some tender and touching moments in it as well. It was for sure a very original novel that is full of nostalgia.
It is for sure not a predictable, "I've been there, I've seen this" kind of book. No, it is full of surprises and turns and I really wasn't sure where the author is going to take us, and I totally enjoyed this. I think that it may not be a book for everybody, but it is also a clever, intelligent and in distorted mirror read that those readers who like a little eccentricity and decadency in their stories, who like their novels to be a little different and not so predictable will enjoy. The book is, in fact, a charming, sweet coming - of - age story, full of chaos and craziness, but also tender moments, and I personally can't see what Ms Crowe has in store for us next time.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
In 1987, seventeen - year - old Sue Bowl decides to stay at Green Place, home of her elderly Aunt. It's less than a year since her mother has committed a suicide and Sue can't come to terms with this and the fact that her father has already a girlfriend. Sue's ambition is to be an author and as her Aunt wants to help her, they organize a creative writing group. The group is composed of some eccentric and eclectic members who very actively partake in the meetings. Sue also finds herself a job at a local cafe, where she develops a crush on one of her co - workers (unfortunately, it's a case of an unrequited feeling), is a person that somebody has a crush on, starts to take care of Aunt Coral's finances, trying to save Green Place which is slowly deteriorating, and also, as she still can't believe that her mother really wanted to commit suicide, is sure that she's left her a farewell letter and is trying to find it. Is she going to find it? Or maybe she's going to find much more? Some family secrets?
I must admit, it took me some time to get into the story and get used to the writing style. Firstly, I was a little confused about the "Commonplace Book" and the storyline jumping from present to past, but soon I was looking forward to Aunt Coral's entries. Secondly, Sue's writing style is very unusual and original, and her spelling mistakes are brilliant - Sue feels so adult and sophisticated and then bang, here it is, the spelling mistake, and Sue changes into a little girl again. Lovely idea!
The story is told through Sue's diary entries, from time to time interspersed with the above mentioned Aunt Coral's memories from her "Commonplace Book", which is a mix of a diary and scrapbook, where she put not only her thoughts but also some articles, quotes or just things that took her interest. As she's been writing them since she was 7 years old, and now she's 65, there are five volumes of them, and although those entries are only a small part of the book, they indeed help us to have a better insight into Coral's past, understand some things better and, shortly, they are great flashbacks and they add a lot to the story.
The book takes place in the 1980s, but I would say the atmosphere and the events are more those of 60s or 70s, what with Sue working as a waitress, the shoe auction, the writing group... in the whole, the flower - power feeling to the story.
The books, or rather the main character Sue, concentrates on so many things, she's for sure one very mobile and dynamic character. She is a girl of many interests and can't sit in one place and I think one can't not like her, she's so full of positiveness and optimism and she always plays fair. Although 17 years old, I still could detect a little, lone, lost girl, and not only because of her spelling mistakes, there was something in her that made me feel like this. She somehow made me feel sentimental about her and I wanted to take care for her, and the only thing that didn't work for me was her writing career and the stories she wrote for the writing competition - oh no, they made me tired relatively quickly and weren't my cup of tea.
Apart of Sue, the author introduces us to a bunch of very eccentric and eclectic. There is Aunt coral, with her money issues and always growing collection of shoes; Coral's friend Delia, whose daughter Loudolle quickly becomes a thorn in Sue's side, when she snaps a boy that Sue is interested in and in the whole set her sights on complicating Sue's life; other inhabitant of Green Place, Admiral Avery Little, who Aunt Coral is very interested in, unfortunately, not a mutual interest; Joe, whose trying to win Sue and her feelings and who sticks to her no matter what happens. It was a great joy to dive into their eccentric and unusual world, a world that is incredibly colourful and vibrated, and a world where something happens all the time, so be prepared for a joy - ride, full of action and unexpected twists and turns.
The book felt a little over - the - top, the actions too larger than life, too overdrawn, and some of the scenes would better suit a soap - opera, too dramatic and too exaggerated, but as the whole book was in fact written in this style, so it was not a problem to follow the story. To be honest, I'm still in trouble what to think about the book, I can't categorise it, can't classify it. Nevertheless, as I had no idea what to expect from this story, it surprised me very much with the direction it took and with the fact that it was not your usual "laugh out loud" read but the author tried to mix a little mystery to it as well, but also there were some tender and touching moments in it as well. It was for sure a very original novel that is full of nostalgia.
It is for sure not a predictable, "I've been there, I've seen this" kind of book. No, it is full of surprises and turns and I really wasn't sure where the author is going to take us, and I totally enjoyed this. I think that it may not be a book for everybody, but it is also a clever, intelligent and in distorted mirror read that those readers who like a little eccentricity and decadency in their stories, who like their novels to be a little different and not so predictable will enjoy. The book is, in fact, a charming, sweet coming - of - age story, full of chaos and craziness, but also tender moments, and I personally can't see what Ms Crowe has in store for us next time.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
March 8, 2020
I wish I would have liked this book, but it was just so awkward and badly written. The main character, Sue, was supposed to be 17, but she acted like a 13-year-old. No teenager is this naive.
The plot was actually interesting and surprising, but ruined by confusing, uninteresting and bad writing.
The plot was actually interesting and surprising, but ruined by confusing, uninteresting and bad writing.
October 15, 2017
Pretty awful, a poor man's Adrian Mole.
January 20, 2018
This was a great book. A very easy enjoyable read. I was very surprised and thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 7, 2018
Meh...really meh.
October 13, 2019
Aunt Coral, Cameo, Sue
Green Place
Joe, Icarus
This was just charming.
Green Place
Joe, Icarus
This was just charming.
November 11, 2020
Davvero bello, da leggere tutto d’un fiato. Me ne sono innamorata dalla prima pagina. Leggetelo♥️
December 9, 2020
I loved this book. It is not so much about drinking as the title would suggest. It’s about writing, malapropisms, age, love, time.
August 14, 2015
Romance and Fantasy for Cosmopolitan Girls
Un cocktail è una bevanda ottenuta tramite una miscela proporzionata ed equilibrata di diversi ingredienti...
Perdonate il paragone, ma è così che sento di descrivere questo romanzo.
Campari a colazione ha quel mix di freschezza, umorismo, vivacità che ti attrae e conquista fino all’ultimo sorso… OPS, volevo dire parola!
La storia è ambientata nel 1987 e ha per protagonista Sue, diciassettenne che decide di trascorrere un po’ di tempo con sua zia Carol a Green Place, tutto pur di allontanarsi da suo padre e da quell’essere chiamato Ivana.
Sue ha bisogno di un po’ di tempo da dedicare a se stessa, per raccogliere le idee e dedicarsi alla sua passione, la scrittura.
Co-protagonista di questa storia è sicuramente zia Coral. Sessantadue anni ma è come se ne avesse ventisei!
Un personaggio fresco, brillante che, grazie alle pagine del suo diario, abbiamo la possibilità di conoscere anche da giovane. Mi ha affascinata molto la cara zietta :3
Sarà lei a creare il gruppo di scrittura, il club degli Irsuti di Erigham.
La necessità di condividere emozioni e pensieri, la necessità di raccontare se stessi e lasciarne un pezzetto agli altri.
E’ strano come tutta la gente che incontri nella vita si metta insieme per farti capire chi sei.
Ogni singola persona sarà d’aiuto a Sue ma anche a zia Carol, ognuno di loro porterà, anche se piccolo, un contributo alle loro vite, a Green Place.
La storia ci viene presentata sotto forma di diario, quello di Sue e quello di zia Carol, nipote e zia… Appunti, ricordi, ricette, lettere, quei diari parlano di loro stesse, di una vita vissuta e una ancora da vivere.
Nonostante l’apparenza, questo libro presenta temi forti che il lettore, insieme alle protagoniste, dovrà esser pronto ad affrontare.
Green Place è fatta di segreti, segreti che sono rimasti assopiti per troppo tempo ed è arrivato il momento di risvegliarli e farli conoscere.
Non avevi mai bevuto Campari a colazione, è una cosa che si fa in momenti di grande sconforto. E lì l’alcol, l’ora e il silenzio hanno portato al primo vero bacio della mia vita.
Sue, come vi ho accennato all’inizio, vive con suo padre, perché sua madre è morta… Si è suicidata.
Quando i segreti verranno svelati, la nostra protagonista sarà ossessionata dalla verità.
Anche se vivi al fianco di una persona per molti anni, è possibile che tu non riesca mai a conoscerla davvero. Di una persona sappiamo solo ciò che quella persona ha deciso di mostrarci. E ciò che ha dentro può essere il contrario di ciò che si vede.
Sue e zia Carol sono due personaggi diversi, che si contrappongono, ma allo stesso tempo si completano e donano armonia al racconto.
La vita è amara anche per chi non è più adolescente, non esiste un’età per le delusioni, queste arrivano SEMPRE, per tutti, a diciassette ma anche a sessant’’anni.
Green Place rappresenta questo libro, questa storia.
All’inizio la casa è vecchia, impolverata, triste e malinconica, ma man mano che questa verrà riportata alla luce, il passato verrà lasciato alle spalle, e finalmente le porte del futuro saranno pronte ad aprirsi. SPERANZA.
Campari a colazione è un libro che non ti aspetti, che ti stupisce con le sue mille sfumature! Una
lettura piacevole, grazie anche allo stile dell’ autrice, leggero, scorrevole, a tratti ricercato oserei dire, ma che funziona. Quindi in alto i campari e brindiamo a Sara Crowe!
Quando pensi a qualcuno che hai perso e vedi una piuma bianca, vuol dire che quella persona sta cercando di comunicare con te.
Un cocktail è una bevanda ottenuta tramite una miscela proporzionata ed equilibrata di diversi ingredienti...
Perdonate il paragone, ma è così che sento di descrivere questo romanzo.
Campari a colazione ha quel mix di freschezza, umorismo, vivacità che ti attrae e conquista fino all’ultimo sorso… OPS, volevo dire parola!
La storia è ambientata nel 1987 e ha per protagonista Sue, diciassettenne che decide di trascorrere un po’ di tempo con sua zia Carol a Green Place, tutto pur di allontanarsi da suo padre e da quell’essere chiamato Ivana.
Sue ha bisogno di un po’ di tempo da dedicare a se stessa, per raccogliere le idee e dedicarsi alla sua passione, la scrittura.
Co-protagonista di questa storia è sicuramente zia Coral. Sessantadue anni ma è come se ne avesse ventisei!
Un personaggio fresco, brillante che, grazie alle pagine del suo diario, abbiamo la possibilità di conoscere anche da giovane. Mi ha affascinata molto la cara zietta :3
Sarà lei a creare il gruppo di scrittura, il club degli Irsuti di Erigham.
La necessità di condividere emozioni e pensieri, la necessità di raccontare se stessi e lasciarne un pezzetto agli altri.
E’ strano come tutta la gente che incontri nella vita si metta insieme per farti capire chi sei.
Ogni singola persona sarà d’aiuto a Sue ma anche a zia Carol, ognuno di loro porterà, anche se piccolo, un contributo alle loro vite, a Green Place.
La storia ci viene presentata sotto forma di diario, quello di Sue e quello di zia Carol, nipote e zia… Appunti, ricordi, ricette, lettere, quei diari parlano di loro stesse, di una vita vissuta e una ancora da vivere.
Nonostante l’apparenza, questo libro presenta temi forti che il lettore, insieme alle protagoniste, dovrà esser pronto ad affrontare.
Green Place è fatta di segreti, segreti che sono rimasti assopiti per troppo tempo ed è arrivato il momento di risvegliarli e farli conoscere.
Non avevi mai bevuto Campari a colazione, è una cosa che si fa in momenti di grande sconforto. E lì l’alcol, l’ora e il silenzio hanno portato al primo vero bacio della mia vita.
Sue, come vi ho accennato all’inizio, vive con suo padre, perché sua madre è morta… Si è suicidata.
Quando i segreti verranno svelati, la nostra protagonista sarà ossessionata dalla verità.
Anche se vivi al fianco di una persona per molti anni, è possibile che tu non riesca mai a conoscerla davvero. Di una persona sappiamo solo ciò che quella persona ha deciso di mostrarci. E ciò che ha dentro può essere il contrario di ciò che si vede.
Sue e zia Carol sono due personaggi diversi, che si contrappongono, ma allo stesso tempo si completano e donano armonia al racconto.
La vita è amara anche per chi non è più adolescente, non esiste un’età per le delusioni, queste arrivano SEMPRE, per tutti, a diciassette ma anche a sessant’’anni.
Green Place rappresenta questo libro, questa storia.
All’inizio la casa è vecchia, impolverata, triste e malinconica, ma man mano che questa verrà riportata alla luce, il passato verrà lasciato alle spalle, e finalmente le porte del futuro saranno pronte ad aprirsi. SPERANZA.
Campari a colazione è un libro che non ti aspetti, che ti stupisce con le sue mille sfumature! Una
lettura piacevole, grazie anche allo stile dell’ autrice, leggero, scorrevole, a tratti ricercato oserei dire, ma che funziona. Quindi in alto i campari e brindiamo a Sara Crowe!
Quando pensi a qualcuno che hai perso e vedi una piuma bianca, vuol dire che quella persona sta cercando di comunicare con te.
May 19, 2022
I picked this up browsing at the library, knowing nothing more than the blurb, and not realising how young the protagonist is. It was okay.
While there are some interesting characters and charming aspects, this book also felt like a bit of a mess. The protagonist Sue is only 17, and a very young and naive 17 at that. The bulk of the book is written in the style of her diary, spelling mistakes and all, with some excerpts from stories she has written (all mysteriously much more poorly written than her diary) and from her aunt's own childhood diary/scrapbooks. Because of this, it reads more like a YA book than a novel for adults (maybe it really is YA and was just misfiled at the library??). I'd even say it's more a children's book, except that it tackles some darker themes and has swearing in it.
The book is set in 1987, which is mentioned specifically in the blurb as if the period atmosphere is part of the book's appeal. But you get no sense of the 80s from it at all. Things are cheaper and they don't have the internet, but it could be any decade from the 60s to the 90s with only a few tweaks.
Apart from being rather naive and bad at spelling, Sue was quite an endearing narrator. I also really liked Aunt Coral, and most of all enjoyed their relationship, which was very warm and affectionate, with both of them in a caretaking role in some ways, and both of them filled with admiration for each other, even when their flaws are exposed. It was a very sweet aspect of the book. Some of the other characters are a bit flat, such as the vapid, scheming Loudelle, whose extreme behaviour is never really explained.
By the end, it is all a touch pat and convenient (almost as if it’s written for a young audience…. seriously, is this YA??), but I appreciated that the book made an effort to wrap up the plot threads, distribute comeuppances, and even manage a few surprises.
While there are some interesting characters and charming aspects, this book also felt like a bit of a mess. The protagonist Sue is only 17, and a very young and naive 17 at that. The bulk of the book is written in the style of her diary, spelling mistakes and all, with some excerpts from stories she has written (all mysteriously much more poorly written than her diary) and from her aunt's own childhood diary/scrapbooks. Because of this, it reads more like a YA book than a novel for adults (maybe it really is YA and was just misfiled at the library??). I'd even say it's more a children's book, except that it tackles some darker themes and has swearing in it.
The book is set in 1987, which is mentioned specifically in the blurb as if the period atmosphere is part of the book's appeal. But you get no sense of the 80s from it at all. Things are cheaper and they don't have the internet, but it could be any decade from the 60s to the 90s with only a few tweaks.
Apart from being rather naive and bad at spelling, Sue was quite an endearing narrator. I also really liked Aunt Coral, and most of all enjoyed their relationship, which was very warm and affectionate, with both of them in a caretaking role in some ways, and both of them filled with admiration for each other, even when their flaws are exposed. It was a very sweet aspect of the book. Some of the other characters are a bit flat, such as the vapid, scheming Loudelle, whose extreme behaviour is never really explained.
By the end, it is all a touch pat and convenient (almost as if it’s written for a young audience…. seriously, is this YA??), but I appreciated that the book made an effort to wrap up the plot threads, distribute comeuppances, and even manage a few surprises.
May 26, 2015
Benvenuti a Green Place con zia Coral
Intenso, acuto, divertentissimo e davvero originale. Ciò grazie alla scrittura poliedrica, dallo stile frizzante e con una trama avvincente. Questo è CAMPARI A COLAZIONE. È il romanzo che avrei voluto leggere durante la mia spensierata adolescenza per poterla apprezzare di più.
Chi l'avrebbe mai detto che un'attrice come Sara Crowe potesse essere tanto brava a scrivere?
Confesso di aver letto questo romanzo proprio per la curiosità che il nome nell'attrice ha suscitato in me con tutta una serie di aspettative. Questo romanzo si è rivelato spettacolare e dalla travolgente ironia.
Sara Crowe, per chi non lo sapesse, è nota al grande pubblico come attrice di teatro, cinema e tv. Faceva parte del cast del film cult, Quattro matrimoni e un funerale, e debutta come scrittrice proprio con Campari a colazione, per il quale ha tratto ispirazione da una vecchia casa cadente e dall'amore per l'eccentricità inglese.
Sara ha iniziato a scrivere da bambina e riaprendo vecchi quaderni di appunti, alcuni personaggi sono tornati a far sentire la propria voce. Tra questi c'è forse la tanto simpatica zia Coral. È proprio quest'ultima che ha saputo parlare al mio cuore con la sua eccentrica ed elegante effervescenza britannica.
Il romanzo è ambientato nel 1987 e narra quello che è il mondo di Sue Bowl, una giovanissima ragazza con tanti sogni, il cui mondo cambia per sempre. Come se non avesse abbastanza problemi con i suoi diciassette anni, il padre se la fa con un'orribile mangiatrice di uomini di nome Ivana. La madre, ormai defunta, l'ha sempre spinta a fare del proprio meglio con quello che ha, e ora ciò che le è rimasto sono il suo amore per la scrittura e una zia, che definire stravagante è dir poco.
Sue si trasferisce per un po' nella malmessa magione di famiglia di zia Coral, Green Place, insieme a un numero sempre crescente di eccentrici personaggi.
Sue organizza un gruppo di scrittura, che tra amori adolescenziali e svendite di borse, avrà modo di scrivere e di scoprire cos'è l'amore. Ovviamente il tutto sarà annaffiato non dal classico e solenne tè inglese, ma, dal citato nel titolo, Campari a colazione.
Potrà Sue fare pace con le questioni irrisolte del suo passato?
"A diciassette anni non sei una donna ma non sei neanche più una bambina. Io non vedo l'ora di compierne venti mentre mia zia Coral vorrebbe tornare ai suoi trenta. Nessuna di noi due può accelerare o invertire questo processo, e a nessuna di noi va giù questa cosa. Sul tema però zia Coral cita sempre Oscar Wilde: "La tragedia della vecchiaia non è essere vecchi, ma essere giovani."
February 26, 2017
Made me cry with laughter on the bus. Very witty, very charming.
April 14, 2014
Review first posted on my blog: http://spoonfulofhappyendings.blogspo...
It’s 1987 and seventeen-year-old Sue Bowl’s world has just been turned upside down by her mother’s unexpected suicide. She can’t understand that her father is already together with another woman and decides to go and stay with her aunt Coral, who lives in an enormous country house with the name Green Place. In order to preoccupy herself with other things, Sue wants to focus on her ambitions to become an author. She starts a creative writing group together with her aunt and the other eccentric inhabitants of the house, and next to that she finds herself a job at a local cafe. Soon, Sue has enough to focus on: a crush on one of her co-workers, saving Green Place which is slowly crumbling down, and her search for her mother’s missing suicide note.
It took me a bit of time to get into this book; the storyline is a mix of both present and past events, told mainly from the perspective of Sue, but there are also passages from aunt Coral’s diary. Sue’s voice (which is really distinctive; the book even features the spelling mistakes Sue makes, which I think really adds to the whole atmosphere) fascinated me and as the story progressed I just wanted to jump into the book and live at Green Place together with Sue, Aunt Coral, and the rest of the characters. I particularly warmed to Sue, but the supporting cast consists of a brilliant blend of various personalities: lovely Aunt Coral, charming Joe, infuriating Loudolle... Each of them plays their own significant part in Sue’s journey to adulthood and adds something specific to the book.
While the suicide of Sue’s mother is central to the entire story, the book definitely has a hopeful and heart-warming side to it. I loved that Sue was busy with several things at the same time, providing the reader with various storylines to enjoy: her crush on one of the boys at the local cafe and how she tries to hide this from everyone, her search for her mother’s suicide note, the attempts to save Green Place. ‘Campari for Breakfast’ is an absolutely charming and quirky coming-of-age story; a book that left me with a feeling of positivity and a broad smile on my face!
It’s 1987 and seventeen-year-old Sue Bowl’s world has just been turned upside down by her mother’s unexpected suicide. She can’t understand that her father is already together with another woman and decides to go and stay with her aunt Coral, who lives in an enormous country house with the name Green Place. In order to preoccupy herself with other things, Sue wants to focus on her ambitions to become an author. She starts a creative writing group together with her aunt and the other eccentric inhabitants of the house, and next to that she finds herself a job at a local cafe. Soon, Sue has enough to focus on: a crush on one of her co-workers, saving Green Place which is slowly crumbling down, and her search for her mother’s missing suicide note.
It took me a bit of time to get into this book; the storyline is a mix of both present and past events, told mainly from the perspective of Sue, but there are also passages from aunt Coral’s diary. Sue’s voice (which is really distinctive; the book even features the spelling mistakes Sue makes, which I think really adds to the whole atmosphere) fascinated me and as the story progressed I just wanted to jump into the book and live at Green Place together with Sue, Aunt Coral, and the rest of the characters. I particularly warmed to Sue, but the supporting cast consists of a brilliant blend of various personalities: lovely Aunt Coral, charming Joe, infuriating Loudolle... Each of them plays their own significant part in Sue’s journey to adulthood and adds something specific to the book.
While the suicide of Sue’s mother is central to the entire story, the book definitely has a hopeful and heart-warming side to it. I loved that Sue was busy with several things at the same time, providing the reader with various storylines to enjoy: her crush on one of the boys at the local cafe and how she tries to hide this from everyone, her search for her mother’s suicide note, the attempts to save Green Place. ‘Campari for Breakfast’ is an absolutely charming and quirky coming-of-age story; a book that left me with a feeling of positivity and a broad smile on my face!
August 25, 2016
Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog Anima Libri - Buchseele
Rezensionsexemplar, zur Verfügung gestellt vom Verlag im Austausch für eine ehrliche Rezension ♥
Sue ist 17 – und seit etwa einem halben Jahr Halbwaise, seit ihre Mutter sich zur Überraschung aller das Leben genommen hat. Ihr Vater hat in der Zwischenzeit eine neue Freundin gefunden und Sue flieht zu ihrer Tante und deren exentrischen Mitbewohnern auf Schloss Egham. Dort möchte sie auch ihr Vorhaben Autorin zu werden in Angriff nehmen und Tante Carol verspricht tatkräftige Unterstützung.
Ich habe eine ganze Weile gebraucht, um mit dem Buch warm zu werden. Das liegt vor allem an der seltsamen Erzählart, die eigentlich ein Tagebuch ist, aber mit Zeit- und Perspektivsprüngen zwischen Sue in der Gegenwart (1987) und Carol in der Vergangenheit, und an Sues Sprache, denn die ist… Ähm ja :D Sagen wir so, Sue hat ein kleines Problem mit Fremdwörtern und so fragt man sich an der einen oder anderen Stelle doch, was sie einem denn nun sagen will – hin und wieder ist es doch ein wenig Rätsel raten, bis man die Begriffe richtig eingeordnet hat.
Hat man sich aber einmal eingelesen, dann entwickelt die Geschichte schnell einen gewissen britischen Charme und auch der Humor ist durch und durch britisch, um nicht zu sagen herrlich ;) Auch die Figuren entfalten nach und nach ihren Zauber und eigentlich will man nichts lieber, als sich zu ihnen in den Wintergarten von Schloss Egham zu setzen und einen Campari zu schlürfen. Hier und da grenzen die Figuren sicherlich ans Stereotypische, aber das macht sie trotzdem nicht weniger liebenswert-schrullig.
Im Zentrum der Geschichte steht die ganze Zeit über auch der Selbstmord von Sues Mutter, aber trotzdem hat „In ziemlich bester Gesellschaft“ von Sara Crowe die gesamte Zeit eine sehr positive Stimmung, was nicht zuletzt natürlich an Sues eigener, optimistischer Weltsicht liegt. Sara Crowe erzählt hier eine humorvolle Coming Of Age Story, die sich, nach etwas Eingewohnung, ganz hervorragend durchschmökern lässt und einen vor allem mit dem schrägen, leicht verrückten und irgendwie einfach britischen Charme in ihren Bann zieht.
Rezensionsexemplar, zur Verfügung gestellt vom Verlag im Austausch für eine ehrliche Rezension ♥
Sue ist 17 – und seit etwa einem halben Jahr Halbwaise, seit ihre Mutter sich zur Überraschung aller das Leben genommen hat. Ihr Vater hat in der Zwischenzeit eine neue Freundin gefunden und Sue flieht zu ihrer Tante und deren exentrischen Mitbewohnern auf Schloss Egham. Dort möchte sie auch ihr Vorhaben Autorin zu werden in Angriff nehmen und Tante Carol verspricht tatkräftige Unterstützung.
Ich habe eine ganze Weile gebraucht, um mit dem Buch warm zu werden. Das liegt vor allem an der seltsamen Erzählart, die eigentlich ein Tagebuch ist, aber mit Zeit- und Perspektivsprüngen zwischen Sue in der Gegenwart (1987) und Carol in der Vergangenheit, und an Sues Sprache, denn die ist… Ähm ja :D Sagen wir so, Sue hat ein kleines Problem mit Fremdwörtern und so fragt man sich an der einen oder anderen Stelle doch, was sie einem denn nun sagen will – hin und wieder ist es doch ein wenig Rätsel raten, bis man die Begriffe richtig eingeordnet hat.
Hat man sich aber einmal eingelesen, dann entwickelt die Geschichte schnell einen gewissen britischen Charme und auch der Humor ist durch und durch britisch, um nicht zu sagen herrlich ;) Auch die Figuren entfalten nach und nach ihren Zauber und eigentlich will man nichts lieber, als sich zu ihnen in den Wintergarten von Schloss Egham zu setzen und einen Campari zu schlürfen. Hier und da grenzen die Figuren sicherlich ans Stereotypische, aber das macht sie trotzdem nicht weniger liebenswert-schrullig.
Im Zentrum der Geschichte steht die ganze Zeit über auch der Selbstmord von Sues Mutter, aber trotzdem hat „In ziemlich bester Gesellschaft“ von Sara Crowe die gesamte Zeit eine sehr positive Stimmung, was nicht zuletzt natürlich an Sues eigener, optimistischer Weltsicht liegt. Sara Crowe erzählt hier eine humorvolle Coming Of Age Story, die sich, nach etwas Eingewohnung, ganz hervorragend durchschmökern lässt und einen vor allem mit dem schrägen, leicht verrückten und irgendwie einfach britischen Charme in ihren Bann zieht.
January 30, 2015
Seventeen-year-old Sue Bowl has gone to live with her Aunt Coral at Green Place, the family's ancestral home. Sue's mother Buddleia died recently, her father has taken up with a new woman, Ivana and Sue hates her. Aunt Coral's invitation is perfect, she will make the best of what she has, just as her mother always urged her to.
Campari for Breakfast is told through Sue's diary entries, in her own slightly quirky, and often muddled words. Interspersed between Sue's words are extracts from Aunt Coral's Commonplace Back; a diary come scrapbook that Coral has been keeping for many years.
There are many things to love about Campari for Breakfast including Sue, her Aunt and the delightful cast of characters that surround them. Although at times they do verge on the stereotypical, there is no doubt that they are colourful bunch who keep the reader entertained throughout the story.
Sue is a writer and forms her own writing group made up of the most eclectic and eccentric of characters. She also starts work in a cafe, and experiences her first romance, and her first heartbreak.
Overall, this story is charming, and a little bit mad, although there are a couple of things that I had to question. Sue's story is set in the 1980s, and if I hadn't known the date, I would have placed it in the 1950s or, at a push the 60s. There are none of the trappings of the 80s in the story, Sue doesn't act like a teenager of that era at all. The other issue that I had during the first chapter or so was what I thought were typos in the print. Sue muddles up her words and phrases, when she speaks and when she writes and these are replicated in her diary entries. Once the reader realises that these are not mistakes, then all is fine, it just takes a while to realise that these malapropisms are a huge part of Sue's character.
Sue is a hopeful, optimistic character who deals with everything that is flung at her with humour that is quite touching.
Campari for Breakfast is a book that is easily devoured within a couple of sittings. The characters are eccentric, original and endearing.
Campari for Breakfast is told through Sue's diary entries, in her own slightly quirky, and often muddled words. Interspersed between Sue's words are extracts from Aunt Coral's Commonplace Back; a diary come scrapbook that Coral has been keeping for many years.
There are many things to love about Campari for Breakfast including Sue, her Aunt and the delightful cast of characters that surround them. Although at times they do verge on the stereotypical, there is no doubt that they are colourful bunch who keep the reader entertained throughout the story.
Sue is a writer and forms her own writing group made up of the most eclectic and eccentric of characters. She also starts work in a cafe, and experiences her first romance, and her first heartbreak.
Overall, this story is charming, and a little bit mad, although there are a couple of things that I had to question. Sue's story is set in the 1980s, and if I hadn't known the date, I would have placed it in the 1950s or, at a push the 60s. There are none of the trappings of the 80s in the story, Sue doesn't act like a teenager of that era at all. The other issue that I had during the first chapter or so was what I thought were typos in the print. Sue muddles up her words and phrases, when she speaks and when she writes and these are replicated in her diary entries. Once the reader realises that these are not mistakes, then all is fine, it just takes a while to realise that these malapropisms are a huge part of Sue's character.
Sue is a hopeful, optimistic character who deals with everything that is flung at her with humour that is quite touching.
Campari for Breakfast is a book that is easily devoured within a couple of sittings. The characters are eccentric, original and endearing.
May 15, 2015
Tre stelle e mezzo!
Per la recensione completa segui il link su Briciole di Parole
Era da un pò che non leggevo un romanzo intenso che con una tale semplicità riuscisse a toccare argomenti delicati importanti e allo stesso tempo essere leggero e divertente. Si, lo so che detta così sembra un controsenso, ma l'autrice riesce davvero bene ad alternare scene intense emotivamente con altre frizzanti e caratterizzate da quella ironia sottile che non fa di certo sbellicare, ma ridere di gusto. Definirei Campari a colazione un romanzo familiare ed eterogeneo, poichè appaiono tanti personaggi, come Delia e la sua viziata figlia Loudolle, l'ammiraglio Little Avery, il timido Joe, solo per farne degli esempi, tutti diversi per età e carattere che rimangono impressi al lettore. Ognuno di loro ha il proprio vissuto e porta con sè un piccolo o grande contributo alla vicenda generale. Le due voci principali però sono affidate a Sue e Zia Coral, che parlano attraverso i loro diari personali. Un'attenzione speciale va a quello di Zia C., una specie di zibaldone in più volumi pieno di ricordi, aneddoti, ricette, liste delle cose da fare, lettere personali e quant'altro che rappresentano una testimonianza tangibile della vita di Coral e di coloro che da sempre insieme a lei hanno animato e riempito di vita le stanze di Green Place, la dimora dei Garden da generazioni. Da sola l'immensa proprietà tanto avrebbe da dire, e difatti nasconde tuttora dei segreti misteriosi che neanche la stessa proprietaria potrebbe spiegare. E zia Coral è un personaggio unico, una donna frivola e allo stesso tempo profonda, che cela una grande vita interiore che solo in pochi riescono a cogliere appieno. E una di questa persone è appunto sua nipote Sue.
Per la recensione completa segui il link su Briciole di Parole
Era da un pò che non leggevo un romanzo intenso che con una tale semplicità riuscisse a toccare argomenti delicati importanti e allo stesso tempo essere leggero e divertente. Si, lo so che detta così sembra un controsenso, ma l'autrice riesce davvero bene ad alternare scene intense emotivamente con altre frizzanti e caratterizzate da quella ironia sottile che non fa di certo sbellicare, ma ridere di gusto. Definirei Campari a colazione un romanzo familiare ed eterogeneo, poichè appaiono tanti personaggi, come Delia e la sua viziata figlia Loudolle, l'ammiraglio Little Avery, il timido Joe, solo per farne degli esempi, tutti diversi per età e carattere che rimangono impressi al lettore. Ognuno di loro ha il proprio vissuto e porta con sè un piccolo o grande contributo alla vicenda generale. Le due voci principali però sono affidate a Sue e Zia Coral, che parlano attraverso i loro diari personali. Un'attenzione speciale va a quello di Zia C., una specie di zibaldone in più volumi pieno di ricordi, aneddoti, ricette, liste delle cose da fare, lettere personali e quant'altro che rappresentano una testimonianza tangibile della vita di Coral e di coloro che da sempre insieme a lei hanno animato e riempito di vita le stanze di Green Place, la dimora dei Garden da generazioni. Da sola l'immensa proprietà tanto avrebbe da dire, e difatti nasconde tuttora dei segreti misteriosi che neanche la stessa proprietaria potrebbe spiegare. E zia Coral è un personaggio unico, una donna frivola e allo stesso tempo profonda, che cela una grande vita interiore che solo in pochi riescono a cogliere appieno. E una di questa persone è appunto sua nipote Sue.
September 11, 2015
I quite enjoyed this book. It was really captivating, exciting and moving. I liked how it had so many plotlines in it, yet every single one of them came to its place. Some more abruptly than others, but none of them felt unnecessary or just put in the book to be a page filler.
I really liked the family dynamics in the novel, especially between our main character Sue and her auntie Coral... and I also thought the Ad Actra Literary Club's meetings were sweet, cute and done well... it was the perfect depiction of a little country community trying to bring some culture in their life. I could say that the whole novel was full of heart, and that I just adored.
What I wasn't a fan of was the fact some characters, especially the mean ones were SO flat (Loudolle and Icarus)... I really don't like it when villains don't have any redeeming qualities. Also, it may also be a matter of translation (I read it in Hungarian), but I really felt wannabe writer Sue's writing was... quite bad. And kind of analyzing the sentence structures, especially how the sentences did not have enough connection, and also, how there were some cringeworthy moments (especially the borderline ridiculously exaggerated moments with the nasty princess)... well, I can kind of guess it sucked a bit in the original, too.
Also, I kind of thought Sue's voice was not credible for a 17-year old... She sounded way too immature for me... but that may be because it was set in the 80s, and I was a similar teen (a fatty, no boyfriend, wannabe writer etc.) in the 00s.
I really liked the family dynamics in the novel, especially between our main character Sue and her auntie Coral... and I also thought the Ad Actra Literary Club's meetings were sweet, cute and done well... it was the perfect depiction of a little country community trying to bring some culture in their life. I could say that the whole novel was full of heart, and that I just adored.
What I wasn't a fan of was the fact some characters, especially the mean ones were SO flat (Loudolle and Icarus)... I really don't like it when villains don't have any redeeming qualities. Also, it may also be a matter of translation (I read it in Hungarian), but I really felt wannabe writer Sue's writing was... quite bad. And kind of analyzing the sentence structures, especially how the sentences did not have enough connection, and also, how there were some cringeworthy moments (especially the borderline ridiculously exaggerated moments with the nasty princess)... well, I can kind of guess it sucked a bit in the original, too.
Also, I kind of thought Sue's voice was not credible for a 17-year old... She sounded way too immature for me... but that may be because it was set in the 80s, and I was a similar teen (a fatty, no boyfriend, wannabe writer etc.) in the 00s.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews