Neptune's Daughter

by Beryl Kingston

When Gwen Maclvor is widowed, she surprises everyone by embarking on an entirely new life. She buys a derelict tower by the sea, sets about restoring it, takes a lover and a job, studies astrology and learns to enjoy life - at long last! Unfortunately, her daughter Eleanor, a successful executive in her 30s, has other plans for her. Eleanor is pregnant and intends to go back to work as soon as her baby is born. She assumes that her mother will bring the baby up - it is not an assumption that Gwen shares and she is aghast at being viewed simply as "good child care."

288 pages

First published August 12, 2005

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Beryl Kingston`s novels.
The characters are very believable and the plot is so true in our modern world. (Daughter discovers that she is pregnant and expects to go back to work, while mum looks after the baby- mum has other plans for her well earned retirement!)

All the place names are real and the observations that are made depicting every day life are so accurate.

[MrsKrueger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Auch wenn es mitunter anmaßend oder sehr engstirnig erscheinen mag, ist es mir persönlich wichtig, dass der Titel zu dem Buch passt - in einem inneren Zusammenhang mit der Handlung und eventuell auch mit dem Cover. Inhaltlich ist das hier bei Beryl Kingstons Roman auch der Fall, aber die Wahl des Titel selbst finde ich nicht sonderlich ansprechend. Er suggeriert einen kitschigen Liebesroman (den man jetzt nun mögen kann oder nicht), der aber "Leuchtfeuer des Glücks" so gar nicht ist. Viel eher ist es die Selbstfindungsgeschichte einer Frau, die endlich verstanden hat, für sich ihr Leben zu leben - ohne Kompromisse und Zugeständnisse. Es ist eine berührende Story über das Loslassen und Neuanfangen, über das Wurzelnschlagen an neuen Orten - und das alles mit dem Hintergrund einer traumhaften Küste. Mitunter fehlte es mir an Tiefgang, aber nichts desto trotz ist der Roman eine luftigleichte Sommerlektüre, die nicht nur Lust auf Meer, sondern auch auf mehr Unterhaltung macht. Trotz des nicht wirklich gut gewählten Titels durchaus ein lesenswertes Buch!

[penelopewanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here as a ring.
I think this is the second Transita book I've read, and I must say I've enjoyed them both. Initially I was a bit irritated by the pace of this book - it felt very breathless and a bit huff-puff (and then and then and then). Not sure if others will understand what I mean, but it seemed the author was racing from one sentence to the next and I found that unpleasant.
After a while I got used to this hasty voice and was no longer aware of it. I agree with someone else's comment about how extreme the villagers' reaction was, and felt Lucy careened a bit too much to and fro with her emotions so that her announcement about Neil at the end felt rather dicey to me... Likewise Ellie's change of heart... but maybe that was a result of what I perceived as rushing in the narrative, no time for things to really ripen. This being said, I rushed through the novel myself, reading it in a few hours, and quite enjoying it. I too would love to live in the tower!

[Pam]

09/20/08 rec via bookcrossing ring/ray

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Older woman deserves life of her own, but ah! the selfishness of the ungrateful offspring. Everyone redeemed and happy in the end. That's it.

[Kate Millin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gwen moves to a new home after the death of her controlling husband and makes a new life which her daughters take some time to get used to.