Het tuinfeest

by Sarah Challis, Fanneke Cnossen (Translator)

Wanneer Alice Dunlop haar veertigste trouwdag en zestigste verjaardag ziet naderen, beseft ze dat ze die niet voorbij wil laten gaan zonder een goed feest. Ze maakt grootse plannen en heeft al visioenen van een glorieuze familiereünie op een stralende dag in de tuin, rondom een tafel beladen met heerlijke hapjes en flessen champagne. Haar echtgenoot David is helaas minder enthousiast. Sinds zijn pensionering lijkt hij alle plezier in het leven te hebben verloren. En hij is niet de enige die niet in feeststemming is: hun vier volwassen kinderen worstelen elk met hun eigen problemen en tegenslagen, en zitten helemaal niet te wachten op een verplicht samenzijn met hun bloedverwanten. Terwijl Alice zich op de voorbereidingen voor haar feest stort, valt de familie in rap tempo uit elkaar. En wanneer haar man eindelijk uit zijn lethargie ontwaakt, blijkt dat ook geen zegening te zijn. Zal Alice erin slagen iedereen weer nader tot elkaar te brengen?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Sarah Challis, whose father is the distinguished cinematographer, Christopher Challis, travelled widely with film units as a child. She has since lived in Scotland and California but is now happily settled in a Dorset village with three rescued dogs and three chickens. She is married with four sons.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/s...

Reviews

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poignant

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

In het tuinfeest wilt Alice een groot feest geven voor haar familie en vrienden. David, haar man, is nukkig en niet helemaal blij over het feest.

Echter tijdens het lezen was er alleen sprake van de voorbereidingen van het feest, en niet zo zeer het feest zelf. Het bleef continu een negatieve sfeer aanhouden en ging vooral over heel veel gezeik die zich speelt in de familie en de verschillende gezinnen. Ik heb het tot de helft volgehouden en daarna de laatste twee hoofdstukken gelezen. Die waren niet beter geworden en beschreven nog altijd de negatieve dingen. Ik werd er een beetje depri van, er werd gewoon bijna niks goeds verteld. Ik raad het boek dan ook echt absoluut niet aan.

[Caroline Wormsbecher-Hartsink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welkom in de echte wereld 😉

[V H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book changes between a lot of characters: Alice and David and also some of their children, in-laws, grandchildren and friends. But with exception of Alice and Anne it wasn't very confusing, and it was mostly only confusing with Alice and Anne because of their similar names (I can be rubbish with names).

The book is about the life of all these characters, the tension and dilemma of family life, and the search of true happiness. Often in books you only know what the main character is thinking and how he/she sees other people, but in this book you got all sides of the story. It was very interesting to read about what was happening in each characters life and what they thought of it, and at the same time read what the other characters though of them. It was also interesting to read about the differences and similarities between generations. I think all of the characters were really believable.

I'm not really sure what was my favorite part of the book. Maybe the ending... I also liked the parts with Sabine, Alice and David's step-daughter-in-law, it was interesting (I seem to used that word a lot...) to read about her views on her parents, their separation, their living in different countries, her step-parents and step-families. And I was really worried about her when she was going to France to visit her father.

I also didn't know how the book would end, which was nice as it made it even more exciting.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a little bit slow to start with, but after the first chapter it got more exciting.

[Jolieg G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me wat uurtjes vermaakt met dit boek.
Het verhaal van een familie waar bij bij iedereen wel spanning en verdriet is.
Alice, de moeder houdt het gezin een beetje bij elkaar en steunt waar nodig is.
Maar ook zij heeft steun nodig en dat beseft ze op latere leeftijd.
Haar leven bestond eigenlijk alleen maar uit geven en weinig nemen...

[Pauline Chamberlain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A GOOD SUMMER READ ABOUT FAMILIES AND THEIR PROBLEMS

[Susanne Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but I certainly wouldn’t have reacted like Alice did, david would have been kicked out if it was me. What a selfish horrible man.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book about every day life of a large family with all its ups and downs.
Great bedtime reading.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3***

[Mark Rudd · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very slow moving family novel, with a totally disfunctional family trying to maintain that all is well.
It rambles on and they all live happily ever after.
Very middle-aged Mills & Boon.

[An Brouckaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

The various characters were well sketched. How the different generations viewed the same situations was interesting. I thought the time from the decision to have a party and for the rest of the story to unfold was unrealistically short. But loads of story and realistic situations.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this audio book in the car and it was just right for that. Nice and easy dramatic entertainment. It tells the story of Alice and David, married for 40 years, and their children and their families. David and Alice had a traditional life - 4 kids, Alice stayed at home to look after them. Their kids live in a different world now, dealing with various challenges of step-families, new babies, exes, single parenting, and how women deal with the pressure to stay at home with children or go back to work. Meanwhile, Alice is planning a big garden party but her husband has other things on his mind.

[Belinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een roman over een vrouw die graag het perfecte gezin heeft. Ze is 40 jaar getrouwd, heeft 4 kinderen en die zijn allemaal uitgevlogen. Natuurlijk loopt het niet zoals ze het allemaal heeft bedacht. Iedereen bouwt tenslotte zijn eigen leven en maakt zijn eigen keuzes. Alice wil een feest geven. Ter gelegenheid van hun 40 jarig trouwen, de pensionering van haar man en hun beider verjaardagen. Nu geven ze nooit een feest en hiermee pakt Alice aardig uit. En hoe verlopen de levens van hun 4 kinderen en kunnen ze hun eigen problemen oplossen? Leuk boek wat hier een daar wat traag is maar je wilt toch weten wat er verder met hun gebeurt.

[Osa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was given this book to read by a friend, so let me start by saying that looking at the cover, I could tell that it was something I wouldn't normally have picked up on my own. Still, I decided to give it a chance. It's one of those books that your mom/mother-in-law would love to read during the summer. Like "Eat, Pray, Love" or something. Incredibly boring narrative about a retired couple's upcoming anniversary celebration. I was never so glad to get out of that hospital bed and walk into freedom.

[Megan Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I enjoyed it. A bit on the slow side and it jumps around quite a bit but I stuck with it and I was glad I did. No family is perfect and although Alice thinks she has that perfect family its falling down around her. Will they all find happiness?.......read it to find out! If you want an easy going read - perfect for a holiday read, train journey or just to take your mind off eveything else but won't tax the brain then this is the book.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this gentle read. The characters were so convincing & well fleshed out. I really wanted to find out what happened to them & the way it was all weaved together worked really well.
Ok it's not great literature, but it is well written with some good descriptive sections. Excellent for stepping out of reality & becoming engrossed in convincing descriptions of a cross section of lives.
Want to read more by this author.

[Sharice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a warm tale of family life. I did find that the book took forever to get to the crux of the story and then was finished in about two chapters, it did feel a bit hurried towards the end. However, it made me think about my own relationships, both with my partner and with my family and that is what I got most from reading this, some insight into how some of the relationships I am a part of need some care and attention.

[Maaike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was best aardig om te lezen, maar neigt soms wel naar wat tuttig. Denk ook dat de vertaling wat humor heeft laten verdwijnen door soms te letterlijk te vertalen. Er worden verschillende hedendaagse relatieperikelen aangestipt, maar nergens wordt de tijd of de ruimte genomen om de verhaallijnen goed uit te werken. De huwelijksproblemen tussen David en Alice zijn bijvoorbeeld in theorie interessant, maar worden niet uitgediept, waardoor het geheel wat oppervlakkig blijft.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant read I can only describe as "quiet." A soft plot with various family dramas, that ultimately lands with a strong message of the importance of family. Not a thrilling book, but just the kind of book you want to cuddle with on a sick day in front of a roaring fireplace.

[Emma Charlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read and likeable characters, the trials and tribulation of organising a family party and then secrets coming out all over the place and easy, comfortable read - nothing challenging about it but quite like it.

[Sophie Fransen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een perfect tuinfeest kan alleen met een perfecte familie is het motto van dit boek. Maar de familie is verre van perfect en dat maakt ze zeer menselijk. Het duurt even voor je alle relaties doorhebt, maar gaandeweg hou je ze goed uit elkaar. Een lekker leesboek!

[Annika Steen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5*

Not bad writing, but quite slow to begin with. The story tells views from a lot of different characters that change even within chapters. Some of their problems seem to be a bit of the same and are suddenly solved getting to the end, which concluded it somewhat hastily.

[Linda Jamieson]

Although I felt rather let down by the ending of lonely desert I decided to give Sarah challis another chance and this time her story was amazing from start to finish. Everyone deserves a second chance in more ways than one.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into into....maybe just my frame of mind - not ruling out I'd give it another go?!?

[Marleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a dull book. The first book was much better.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very Joanna Trollope type of book. While Alice is planning a big party to celebrate her anniversary, it appears that her marriage and family is falling apart. I really enjoyed it.

[Ulrika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jag kände att jag var lite fel målgupp här, sen tog den sig efter att tag. Den skildrar en massa olika karaktärer och vi kan väl säga att vissa är mer intressanta än andra.

[Vivienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have written that story in less pages no substance to it

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy pleasant read about family problems.