Laura's Reviews > The Shell Seekers

This is one of my favorite books of all time, but I'd be hard-pressed to explain why. The criticisms of this book are true enough--semi-cliched characters and all--but I just love them. I love Penelope and this book makes me want to garden and cook soup and let everyone be themselves even if they're stuffy and stodgy or not at all in fashion. I love that her personal life is real, as in far from perfect--her societally correct husband was miserable and her true love wasn't allowed. I love that Antonia happens into Penelope's life and becomes inextricably linked and a better 'granddaughter' than her biological grandkids. One of my favorite lines is towards the end where it is said "Penelope may not believe in God, but I am quite sure that God believes in her..." This is a curl up in a chair with a mug of tea, blanket and wallow in the familiarity of it all kind of book.

I have read other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, and none of them had this same effect on me. There's just something about this story....