The Lovers of Pound Hill

by Mavis Cheek

A fabulously reviewed comic romp set in the English countryside by queen of social satire Mavis Cheek.
 
When city girl Molly Bonner arrives in the village of Lufferton Boney, she creates quite a stir. With her non-country-style boots, determined manner and alluring looks, she sets off a wave of intrigue that ripples through the lives of everyone there, from Julie the barmaid at the Holly Bush to antiques dealer Dryden Fellows and Montmorency the cat. Nobody knows exactly what she's up to, but one thing seems her presence will alter the lives and loves of the village and its people for good.
 
For Molly is a girl on a to discover the truth behind Lufferton Boney's sinister and most notorious resident, the giant (and slightly obscene) Gnome, a fertility symbol etched into the face of Pound Hill. As she works her way into the villagers' hearts and lives, Molly needs to keep one step ahead. She has a few demons of her own to settle, as she pursues the wonderful secret that only the Gnome can reveal.
 
Mavis Cheek is on brilliant form in this warm and sparklingly witty novel about life and love.

Genres: Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2011

About the author

Born in Wimbledon, now part of London, Mavis left school at 16 to do office work with Editions Alecto, a Kensington publishing company. She later moved to the firm's gallery in Albemarle Street, where she met artists such as David Hockney, Allen Jones, Patrick Caulfield and Gillian Ayres. In 1969 she married a "childhood sweetheart", Chris Cheek, a physicist, whom she had met at a meeting of the Young Communist League in New Malden, but they separated three years later. Later she lived for eleven years with the artist Basil Beattie. She returned to education in 1976, doing a two-year arts course at Hillcroft College, a further education college for women.

Although Cheek had planned to take a degree course, she turned instead to fiction writing while her daughter, Bella Beattie, was a child. She moved from London to Aldbourne in the Wiltshire countryside in 2003, but as she explained to a newspaper, "Life in the city was a comparative breeze. Life in the country is tough, a little bit dangerous and not for wimps."

Cheek has been involved with the Marlborough LitFest, and also teaches creative writing. This has included voluntary work at Holloway and Erlstoke prisons. As she described in an article: "What I see [at Erlstoke] is reflected in my own experience. Bright, overlooked, unconfident men who are suddenly given the opportunity to learn grow wings, and dare to fail. It helps to be able to tell them that I, too, was once designated thick by a very silly [education] system. My prisoners have written some brilliant stuff, and perhaps it gives them back some self-esteem."

Reviews

[Nora Branch Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't like all of Mavis Cheek's books, though I think she's a very gifted writer - sometimes the themes just don't appeal to me. However, I LOVE the Lovers of Pound Hill. Not only is the prose Absolutely Brilliant, the characters are beautifully fleshed out and the outcome just makes me feel cozy. There are a lot of alleged "feel good" books out there, but most are by terrible writers like Jan Karon or Debbie Macomber. For some reason, more skilled authors prefer tackle depressing subjects. If I want depressing, I'll watch CNN. That's why this book is such a gift. I'm currently reading it for the second time, to pick up on all the nuances I missed and enjoy the company of her wonderful characters once again. I look forward to reading it many more times in future. Lovers of Pound Hill ranks right up there on my "I wish this book would never end" list along with "London Bridges" by Jane Stevenson, "Blackberry Wine, by Joanne Harris, and "Life after Life," by Kate Atkinson.

[Harriet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I like the concept of this book I disliked the style of story telling. I cannot bear it when the author's voice is omnipresent; playing god with the characters, each personality completely summed up. It just made me dislike the characters and detached me from the plot.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It has an air of Midsomer Murders about it - a cosy English-village mystery, except that this is an archaeological mystery not a murder. It had a multiplicity of characters but they were all well drawn and therefore easy to keep track of. A nice easy summer escape.

[Sam Colloff · Rating 3 out of 5]

really enjoyed this. wickedly amusing, clever concept, great read. can just see this as one of those wonderful english movies- the judi dench, dame maggie smith type.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the style of the book, the omnipresent narrator. It fitted in well with the mystical flavour of the story. Nice for a change to have the loose ends all tied up.

[Cath Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. So amusing. Excellent characters. Laugh out loud throughout
Mollie completely transforms the village bringing joy all around.
I loved this book.

[Yvonne Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book. Loved the prose and gentle British humour. Romantic and quirky. An absolute delight.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is based on the real life Cerne Abbass Giant,a chalk etching in an English hill.

[Alison Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Textbook example of how to write about a saucy subject in the most delicate of terms, whilst making the meaning abundantly clear! Thoroughly entertaining but perhaps not one of Mavis Cheek's best.

[Clare Coffey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am usually quite a big fan of Mavis Cheek. However, I could not get into this title at all. I read the first fifty pages and then gave up. I will try another time.

[Barbara Hodkinson]

Really enjoyed this book. Love the author.

[Ronnie]

Not my choice, this is a book club read

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quaint little light hearted farce for an easy reading escape.