Members with This Book
Most Helpful Reviews
see all reviews
Liked It “A heartwarming story of a widower who makes a journey of personal discovery as he heads west from The Ukraine and tries to find work as a means of survival in England for he and his mother and young daughter. He grows as a man and as a human being and finds motivation in the most unusual places....” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
see all reviews-
“A heartwarming story of a widower who makes a journey of personal discovery as he heads west from The Ukraine and tries to find work as a means of survival in England for he and his mother and young daughter. He grows as a man and as a human being and finds motivation in the most unusual places. He has both good and bad experiences and finds new meaning for the life that lies ahead for him. Tremain is a new writer of interest for me, and I plan to pursue more of her books.”
Brett S wrote this review 9 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I like Rose Tremain - a lovely author with interesting stories and good characterisations. This is the story of an Eastern European immigrant, coming to terms with his wife's death and the yearning for a better life. There's a happy, though bittersweet, ending. I felt she totally captured this man's emptiness and ache, but realistically protrayed someone who was vulnerable, but incredibly resilient. I have read other books by her which I preferred, but this is still a captivating read.”
Anne H wrote this review Thursday, October 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I enjoyed this very much. Plenty of convincing tension as Lev tries to find his way in a strange country. Disappointd in the end, which seemed a bit rushed and unconvincing.”
Ann Purser wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I enjoyed this book far more than I anticipated. The story follows Lev, an immigrant from an Eastern European country, who arrives in Britain after his wife dies, leaving his daughter with his mother. Lev is a compelling character and his relationships with Rudi, his friend from home who he keeps in touch with over his cell phone, Christy, his new roommate, Lydia, the homely woman he meets on the bus to England, Sophie, his first lover after his wife and GK Ash, the chef he ends up working for, are all nicely developed and complex.
Mary v wrote this review Thursday, September 24 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Lev learns that he loves cooking and preparing food for people, and he pursues his idea of opening a restaurant in his homeland after he discovers that the town where he had lived is going to be covered when a dam is built.
The novel adeptly develops Lev's life as an immigrant and a man who had barely wanted to live after his wife's death as he blossoms into a Chef who is able to call his homeland, "home". ”
“I love Rose Tremain - and this book does not disappoint at first, quite to the contrary. But somehow I lost interest along the way and it became predictable and soap-opera like. But a good read and an amazing beginning.”
Barbara G wrote this review Sunday, September 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Enlightening, at times depressing. How horrifyingly lonely immigration must be but how strong this man is!”
Nan C wrote this review Tuesday, August 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A wonderfully sympathetic view of an immigrant's experience in London. What is striking is the characters' kindnesses to each other, which softens the harshness of surviving in an alien culture. Tremain writes with great insight and subtlety.”
odetteodile wrote this review Thursday, August 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Good read and also won a book award”
Sally H wrote this review Monday, July 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This a good but flawed book. Rose Tremain is such a great creator of characters and storyteller, that it's worth reading. ”
Gene K wrote this review Tuesday, July 14 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a normal book that I enjoyed reading. The beginning was not bad, but it started being a bit boring at the middle of it. It also introduces lots of characters and, some of them, at the same time, so I came to a stage where I didn't know who was who. I also took a lot of time to finish reading it, and I think this was the cause why I forgot some of the characters. However, there are funny parts that you were not expecting and it gives a new meaning to the story.
Raffa wrote this review Tuesday, June 30 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Finally, I think that the best part of the book is the end, when he makes a review of all the people he met and makes himself conscious of his behaviour. Besides all his past, he tried to change his entire life and his family and friends' life in an amazing way. He's very strong and he is certain of what he wants, so he managed to have a better life - and he did it!”
