September

by Rosamunde Pilcher, Eliane Rizo (translator)

As spring comes to Scotland and the hills burst into life, a dance is planned for September. The invitations summon home the group of people Violet Aird has cared for most in her long life. The oldest, strongest and wisest of them all, she sees Alexa, her vulnerable granddaughter, find love for the first time, while the decision to send her little grandson away to school is driving parents Edmund and Virginia even further apart. Far from them all is Pandora, the glamorous, exciting girl who ran away twenty years before. All will converge on Scotland this September.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Scotland, Historical Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, British Literature

784 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Rosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.

In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Reviews

[Candi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I happily ‘discovered’ Rosamunde Pilcher less than two years ago when I read The Shell Seekers. I adored that book! I immediately added nearly all of her novels to my list of must-read books. Coming Home was my next encounter with her work and I was equally enthralled. At that point I laid aside my prior misconception that Pilcher wrote only ‘chick-lit’, a genre towards which I am not personally drawn. There was so much depth to her characters and the writing was so intelligent and tasteful that I had to reevaluate my preconceived notions.

This book, however, fell short of the mark and landed more in the territory I had been trying to bypass. Now, that’s not to say it was a horrible book; in fact, I loved the first half of the book to pieces. Pilcher draws you into a story by the skillful introduction of her characters. This particular book, however, did throw quite a few names out that initially confused me. I eventually became familiar with each as individuals and managed to keep everyone straight. I delight in her ‘older’, more experienced with life characters the most – this is where she excels, I think. These are, for the most part, older women that have the benefit of time and wisdom on their side. Violet Aird reminded me of my favorite character, Penelope Keeling, from The Shell Seekers. I would have been quite happy if Ms. Pilcher could have focused on Violet a bit more in this novel, but that wasn’t quite her intent. What did manage to aggravate me in September were the somewhat unbelievable actions of more than one character. Following an effective sketching of the characters, I thought I mostly had a handle on each of them. But then the story took a turn and some characters behaved in a manner that I just didn’t understand given what I had been told about them thus far. We started to venture into the dreaded waters of melodrama at the expense of what had been competently written characterizations.

I never wanted to set this book down; never considered abandoning it. Despite my complaints above, I was still invested in the story enough to want to turn to the next page and see how this would all play out. There was a mystery surrounding the return of one character that had exited the scene twenty years ago. She had left Scotland to marry young and move to California, never returning even for her parents’ funerals. Why did she leave? What made her decide to finally return after all those years? An invitation to a twenty-first birthday party couldn’t be enough motivation to make a reappearance, could it? I simply needed some answers!! Of course, Pilcher never fails to captivate with her splendid descriptions of setting. Here we spend most of our time in the beautiful country of Scotland, with a couple of detours to places like London and the picturesque island of Majorca. Her language always makes me yearn to visit these places one day. It is worth it for that element alone, but you may need a bit more to inspire you to read this one. I would say, grab one of the other two I mentioned in my review if you really want to immerse yourself in a wonderful story. This one, I would not highly recommend, but if you are already a Pilcher fan, then you may want to consider it as well. I plan to continue my quest to read more of this author’s writing, hoping that this is perhaps, for lack of a better word, the ‘worst’ of her novels. They can’t all be five star books!

"The past was always golden because one recalled only the good times. But what about the darker side of memory? Happenings better left where they were, shut away, like sad mementoes stuffed in a trunk, the lid closed down, the key turned in the lock. Besides, the past was people, not places. Places without people were like railway stations where no trains ran."

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have varied thoughts about “September”......my first book by Rosamunde Pilcher.
There is nothing particularly extraordinary about the plot: A big party - dance - is going to take place in September for Katy on her 21st birthday.
Most of the action - or lack of action - takes place in Croy, Scotland....with visits to London.

For me - what kept me reading - with invested interest - was that I was reading this book with a group of wonderful women. We’ve been discussing this novel in a group thread daily ( the month of Feb). We’re having a blast of fun with this book - but it’s because we’re making it happen!!! Otherwise — without the ladies with me — I might have given up.

Since our group is discussing the specifics- more gritty details there, I’ll share a few random thoughts and feelings here.

Rosamund Pilcher has a huge fan of readers. Women love her books. Personally - I’m not jumping to read another book by her next week - I appreciate the type of writer she is. I ‘did’ enjoy this novel - but not without a little kicking and screaming from my inner voice.

My inner voice speaking: [WHEN NOT READING THIS BOOK]…”Oh, must I really get back to it?” .......”It’s slow ....and I forget the names of all the characters”.

My OTHER VOICE SAYS: [ WHEN READING IT]..... “Yippy me....I ‘don’t’ have dementia after all - I have finally gotten the characters straight”. “I’m engaged with the characters - this town - the local drama - and I’m having fun connecting with my reading group - picking apart the ‘happenings’ with the other ladies. This book is actually pretty darn good. Gotta get with the slow-burn- and be in the mood for it.

Several characters in “September” have a name starting with the letter ‘V’. It drove me a little batty for awhile. Three other main characters have names that begin with the letter A.
A couple of other characters with names beginning with the letter I.
After reading 18% on my kindle — then putting the book down for a day or two —to read another book, I found myself IN TROUBLE. I frickin had to start over. I was moving in the wrong direction for a long book - with other books to read to boot.
Are you feeling my pain? Lol

There are a lot of characters in this little village of Croy to remember....
with not much going on other than THEIR LIVES and us knowing their business....
From their walking, gardening, cooking, eating, sleeping, talking to one another, describing one another, shopping, worrying, arguing a little, describing their homes, furniture, wallpaper, pets, references to the famous grouse, the weather, the surroundings, the clothes, people’s bodies and appearance, people’s choices, the children, marriages, general community history - memories- and gossip chatter - and of course INVITATIONS are BEING MAILED OUT.
THE PARTY IS SEPTEMBER 16th....I’ll share no more: God forbid I should give away the juicy details Haha!
ITS ALL DETAILS..... so grab a cuppa tea - a few biscuits- a cozy blanket - a comfy chair — and enjoy a COZY COUNTRYSIDE NOVEL!!!


A little sample writing: note....I could have picked anything.... this is just one of dozens:
“As Isobel, worn out with the daily demands of her busy life, retreated from time to time to the linen room, so her husband found solace in his workshop.
This was the basement of Croy, an area of stone-flagged passages and dimly lighted cellars. The old boiler lived down here, a brooding, smelly monster that looked large enough to drive a liner, and demanded constant and regular attention and enormous quantities of coke. As well; one or two other rooms were still employed —to store unused china, unwanted items of furniture, the coal and the logs and a much-diminished wine cellar. But mostly, the basement stood deserted, hung with cobwebs and invaded each year by families of field mice”.

Whew!!!

I can’t NOT rate this book anything less than 4 stars. The author worked too hard, and so did I. Yet......something WAS very satisfying to my SOUL....
I’m guessing for the author too!

[chris carleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Shell Seekers so much I jumped to read another on of her books. Pilcher's novels are full of description and character and the countryside of Scotland. At first I was not sure about her, as I was pretty sure she was on my mom's nightstand back in the day... but she's got It. Instead of a quick spicy snack, her books are a long comforting meal best eaten slowly and with a nice glass of wine. :)

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, here I am, in one of the wildest, most beautiful places on earth, listening to the waves of the Atlantic crash and bang about shore, sobbing, inside a beautiful rental, from the ending of another Rosamunde Pilcher novel.

I can’t believe the old girl isn’t with us anymore. Ms. Pilcher, that is. It seems altogether wrong. I’ve only “known” her for less than a year, but I feel downright companionable with her, like we’ve been friends forever now.

I find it funny that they once billed her as a “romance writer.” Romance? Hardly. No heaving bosoms or sordid embraces in these stories. In fact, any romantic entanglements that ever occur are ones that my prudish, dear grandmother would have approved of, and we spend a lot more time talking about food, whisky, and Scottish tweeds than we do about physical intimacy.

But perhaps it was Ms. Pilcher’s sensibilities that were romantic, rather than her characters?

In the blurb on the back of my hardcover, published in 1990, the publisher suggests that this novel is the “kind of old-fashioned read hardly anyone knows how to write anymore.”

That’s for sure.

In a certain way, the author’s work reminds me a bit of Ernest Hemingway’s, which is a somewhat odd comparison for me to make, as I’m not a great fan of Hemingway’s work. These two authors shared a similar eye for detail, though, particularly when it came to descriptions of meals and natural settings. There’s always a bit of A MOVEABLE FEAST in Ms. Pilcher’s offerings.

And, for the first time, I feel compelled to compare one of her novels with one of William Trevor's. If you’ve ever read Trevor’s THE CHILDREN OF DYNMOUTH (and, oh, I hope you have), you might delight in the very creepy Lottie Carstairs (Dottie Lottie), who may remind you a bit of Trevor’s creepy creation, Timothy Gedge.

If you liked Pilcher’s THE SHELL SEEKERS, you simply must read this novel. If you haven’t read THE SHELL SEEKERS, then you should read that one first, then read this one. We get to visit with Noel Keeling again (remember: Penelope Keeling’s vain, materialistic son?) and we get to meet a new group of characters, some of whom once knew Penelope.

I don’t know how Rosamunde Pilcher gets away with describing every make and model of everyone’s car in the driveway and every item on the menu without boring the living hell out of me, but somehow she does.

Of the four novels of hers I’ve read this year, this one is my new favorite. It has sharper edges and it’s far less picture perfect, and, oh yeah, it caused me to add some of my own salt to the sea.

“It’s always a good moment, isn’t it? Just before a party. Time to have a toes-up and listen to nostalgic tunes. Do you remember this one? It’s so pretty. . . Something about a long long time from May to December. But the days grow short when you reach September.”

[Anne Bogel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleased to find this large Pilcher novel, the one published immediately after The Shell Seekers, in the hotel library when I was traveling last month—and even happier to discover that its minor character Noel Keeting play a major role here.

The novel opens in May and, in rotating points of view, Pilcher examines the life and love troubles of several characters who we know will all find themselves at the old family home in the Scottish Highlands come September, because they've been summoned to attend a celebration for the daughter of one of the small town's leading families.

I didn't love this as much as The Shell Seekers, but this was the right book at the right time for me this January.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4'8🌟)

"El pasado siempre es hermoso porque uno recuerda solo las cosas buenas. Pero, ¿y el lado oscuro de la memoria? Hechos que era preferible no remover, dejarlos encerrados como tristes reliquias metidas en un baúl, mantener la tapa bajada, la cerradura echada. Además, el pasado era la gente, no los lugares. Los lugares sin gente eran como estaciones sin trenes".

"Septiembre" es uno de esos libros tranquilos, sin grandes pretensiones y sin grandes giros. Y no por ello se hace aburrido. Al contrario, sus casi 600 páginas (pues mi edición en castellano tiene 595) no se hacen nada pesadas y siempre quieres saber qué pasa con los distintos personajes que nos presenta la autora.

La trama no tiene mucho misterio a primera vista: una serie de personajes que acabarán reuniéndose para celebrar una fiesta de cumpleaños en Escocia. Visto de este modo no es muy llamativo, yo misma hace años tuve mis dudas antes de leerlo (pues este libro me lo regalaron), pero pronto comprendí que lo verdaderamente importante de la historia son los personajes, cada uno más distinto al anterior, y todos con sus luces y sus sombras. En definitiva, lo importante es descubrir los pasados de cada uno de ellos, los motivos por los que actuaron de la manera en la que lo hicieron...

Mi favorita siempre va a ser Pandora. Desde el primer momento logré conectar con su personaje y la comprendí (aunque es muy distinta a mí). Sinceramente, la sentí muy humana, con todas esas malas decisiones que han hecho que se vuelva más madura a lo largo de los años. No voy a decir mucho, solo que su final me dolió un poquito.

Los demás personajes también me han gustado, aunque me he quedado con ganas de saber más acerca de uno en particular: Noel Keeling. Y da la casualidad que hace unos días descubrí que aparece en otro de los libros de la autora, así que me tocará ahorrar para comprarlo.

La narración es exquisita y lo que más predomina son las descripciones tan detalladas de los parajes escoceses. Ni siquiera necesitaba ir a Google para mirar las imágenes, solo con lo descrito en el libro uno puede hacerse una idea de lo bonita que es Escocia. Por desgracia, sentí que algunas descripciones me sobraban porque ya me había quedado claro la primera vez, pero bueno, tampoco es algo tan grave como para bajarle mucho la puntuación.

El libro comienza lento y le cuesta arrancar, aunque es normal. Son muchos los personajes y todos debían tener un momento para ser presentados, así que no me puedo quejar mucho por esto. Aunque eso sí, cuando ya conocemos a todos los personajes la cosa empieza a ponerse realmente interesante. Vamos descubriendo de qué manera se van entrelazando las vidas de los distintos personajes (que a primera vista parece que no tienen nada que ver los unos con los otros) y todo empieza a cobrar sentido.

Podría pasarme varias horas hablando de este libro porque lo amerita, pero creo que con lo expuesto aquí es más que suficiente.

Para terminar, os dejo un fragmento que me ha encantado, esta vez del final:

"La muerte no es nada. No cuenta. Solo me he ido a la habitación de al lado. Nada ha ocurrido. Todo sigue tal como estaba. Yo soy yo y tú eres tú. Y la vida que vivimos juntos permanece intacta, inmutable. Lo que fuimos el uno para el otro seguiremos siéndolo. Llámame con el nombre de siempre. Habla de mí con la naturalidad de siempre. No cambies de tono. No adoptes un aire solemne ni triste. Ríe como siempre reíamos de los chistes que nos gustaban a los dos. Juega, sonríe, piensa en mí. Reza por mí. Deja que mi nombre sea esa palabra amiga que siempre fue. Que sea pronunciado sin esfuerzo, sin que sobre él se proyecte una sombra. La vida significa lo mismo que significó. Sigue siendo lo mismo que fue. Existe una continuidad absoluta e ininterrumpida. ¿Qué es esta muerte, sino un accidente insignificante?

¿Tengo que estar fuera de tu pensamiento porque esté fuera de tu vista? Solo me he ido a esperarte, durante un intervalo, a un lugar muy próximo, a la vuelta de la esquina. Todo está bien".

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another satisfying Rosamunde Pilcher novel. I am so glad my mum told me all about her, now I seek at least one to read over the summer break - it's just that kind of wholesome soulful reading. September was a touch long, but still with that feeling of warmth, of coming home. This is the way I feel when I read Maeve Binchy, also. I like feeling this way.

This is so sweet, I feel we don't think of the simple stuff anymore. He had his supper and his bath, and was now in bed reading his library book, which was by Enid Blyton and called The Famous Five. He heard the clock in the hall strike eight o'clock, followed by the sound of Vi's footsteps treading heavily up the staircase, which meant she was coming to say goodnight to him.

Strong female characters that are not necessarily gorgeous, but still beautiful in their own way. These women run farms and households, help their friends and think nothing of driving 10 miles up the road to lend out their tablecloths and vases. These women help their friends and seem to have an inexhaustible supply of friendship and tea. "She wasn't in the least fashionable or chic, but she held herself so proudly, and that endowed her with a great elegance. She gave off an enormous charge of... enjoyment."

September is the best time of year, and an entire family are coming home, first loves and long absences are being discovered in Scotland. The thought of boarding school to an only son who’ll dreadfully miss his mum. The surrounds are beautiful and scenery inviting. The characters are very likable and Scotland may not be sunshiny all the time, but it seems that most people are happy. "And you are her son. Imagine it. How strange life can be. At seventy-eight, you’d think that you’d stop being surprised, and something like this happens, and it’s as though the world has just begun.” The words of Vi, the capable and satisfied matriarch who is always helping her clan. Words spoken to a character related to the family in The Shell Seekers. A re-read, possibly? I think I'd like to re-visit that cast of characters.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for my re-read. It's been quite a while since I first read this, so was happy to purchase a used copy for my own bookshelf and be able to read at leisure. Such a great family saga, lovely Scottish setting, and wonderful autumn references. Rosamunde Pilcher does family sagas so amazingly well.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Rosamunde Pilcher. Her novels manage to give home-making the importance and satisfaction it deserves. I always want to tidy up my home and put out some fresh flowers after finishing one of her books. She has strong, older female characters who seem so real. This is a great read for . . . what else, September! :)

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded down.

I have always thought of Rosamunde Pilcher as one step up from chick-lit, but I must say September pretty much falls directly in that category for me. It has that warm, Pilcher feel and the complicated twists and turns, and glamorous characters and settings, but it lacks meaning and cohesiveness and in the end seems much ado about nothing.

I read it back in the early 90s when it was released, and I remembered absolutely nothing about it. That was strange in itself, because I could certainly outline the plots of most of Pilcher’s other books despite the time lapse. I think there was a reason. I imagine it left me confused and cold the first time around as well.

I did enjoy the first half of the book and felt the requisite curiosity about how these relationships were going to develop. About half way in, several characters began to do things that didn’t feel consistent with what we had been told about them. In one particular relationship, I kept shaking my head saying that is ludicrous. I find it hard to truly enjoy a book that feels contrived or where people react to situations in ways that just don’t seem plausible. That is how this one left me feeling.

So, if you want to read a lovely, warm Pilcher that hangs together and makes sense, please read Coming Home. September seems like a very heavy time investment for very little return.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this 5 stars not because it feeds my soul, but for the lovely journey & sated feeling I had by the end. I wanted to continue "visiting" with these people. I saw that this book was on a list of "most comforting books." I can wholeheartedly agree with that! It's like putting on warm socks & curling up in front of a fire with good friends and hot chocolate (or tea, if you like). Lush descriptions of rural Scotland and peopled with a variety of interesting characters. One moseys through this novel, not realizing that there is a tension building, which requires resolution, until it is fully upon you. And before I hear criticism, I don't mean there isn't some predictability, set it aside & enjoy.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fourth Pilcher, and my least favorite. Only four stars, not five. Why?

I have grown to appreciate the comfort-read aspect of this author, which for me means that I know what to expect in her books. But I guessed too much of the plot ahead of time in this book, so maybe it was a little too comfy?

I loved visiting Scotland, immersing myself for a few days in a world I will never actually see but can easily imagine: the big country estate, grand old houses, guests for dinners and parties, and the weather, always the weather!

There were a great many people discussed in the first few chapters and I needed more time than that to sort everyone out, so I was confused for longer than I thought was reasonable. But once we all got to know each other I was one of the bunch, with my favorites (Archie, little Henry and his grandmother Violet) and not-so-favorites (Pandora, because after hearing about her for most of the book, when I finally got to meet her, what does she do? Splatters orange juice all over a book she was looking at, leaves the page stained, and then drops the book on the floor when she finished with it. Sacrilege!!)

The driving event is a big birthday dance for a certain family member and all the drama that preparation for such a grand entertainment involves. Will everyone in the scattered clan make it home to the big house for the fiesta? And what in the world are we going to wear?!

There is much more going on, of course: tensions between Edmund and Virginia about their son Henry (8 years old and facing boarding school), suspicion about villager Lottie who is being released from mental hospital just in time to make a nuisance of herself and scare everyone. And then there is Pandora again. Will she merely spill orange juice on everything or does she have something else planned for her first time home in twenty years?

Good stuff, but not quite stunning enough for that fifth star that I gave the others.

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the last year, I have had the opportunity to meet some writers for the first time and go further in the work of others who really know how to write and create beauty through their texts. One of these writers was Rosamunde Pilcher, who in each of her books offers me hours of reading pleasure with her wonderful writing, describing in such a beautiful way the human emotions and the tranquil beauty of the British landscape which is reflected in her stories that have beauty without the need for great emotional peaks to make them interesting.

Such a beautiful and restrained story is told in this book, against the backdrop of the magnificent Scottish landscape. An almost traditional dance to celebrate a birthday is the occasion for some different people to meet - some of them coming from far away - and for the unraveling of some stories that either existed long ago or started very recently. Couples with problems in their relationships, couples who want to move on, women who are ready to make decisions, young men who want to choose the course of their lives, older ones with secrets from the past, they all coexist within the pages of this book as the Scottish summer days slowly pass with plans and preparations for the big event to end on a beautiful September and on this holiday that will mark the end of the pendulum and the beginning of new chapters, something like the changing seasons.

This is exactly what I felt while reading the book, with the alternation of seasons keeping pace with our history. The author describes the landscape in a unique way, starting from the flowering of nature in May, reaching its maturity in summer, ending shortly before the advent of the great Scottish winter, with the landscape changing rapidly, becoming more serious and melancholic and nature is preparing for the cold days ahead. This is how the moods of the protagonists change, their hopes bloom, their joy matures for what they have and they can appreciate, and when the problems come as the autumn comes at some point melancholy makes her appearance - which the author knows to make it look beautiful - and the bittersweet ending after some moments of mild intensity becomes the capstone and the reason that my impressions that up until then were somewhat lukewarm were transformed by the emotion of the ending and the appreciation the whole story to excitement and to reassurance that I read another great book.

Τον τελευταίο χρόνο είχα την τύχη να γνωρίσω για πρώτη φορά κάποιους συγγραφείς και να προχωρήσω περισσότερο στο έργο κάποιων άλλων που πραγματικά γνωρίζουν πώς να γράψουν και να δημιουργήσουν ομορφιά μέσα από τα κείμενά τους. Μία τέτοια συγγραφέας ήταν και η Rosamunde Pilcher που σε κάθε βιβλίο της μου προσφέρει ώρες αναγνωσ��ικής απόλαυσης με την υπέροχη γραφή της, με την οποία περιγράφει με τόσο ωραίο τρόπο τα ανθρώπινα συναισθήματα και την ήρεμη ομορφιά του Βρετανικού τοπίου που αντανακλάται στις ιστορίες της που διαθέτουν ομορφιά χωρίς να χρειάζονται μεγάλες συναισθηματικές εξάρσεις για να τις κάνουν ενδιαφέρουσες.

Μία τέτοια όμορφη και συγκρατημένη ιστορία μας αφηγείται σε αυτό το βιβλίο, με φόντο το υπέροχο Σκωτσέζικο τοπίο. Ένας σχεδόν παραδοσιακός χορός για τον εορτασμό κάποιων γενεθλίων γίνεται η αφορμή για να συναντηθούν διάφοροι άνθρωποι - με κάποιους από αυτούς να έρχονται από πολύ μακριά - και να ξετυλιχτούν κάποιες ιστορίες που είτε υπήρχαν από παλιά, η ξεκίνησαν πολύ πρόσφατα. Ζευγάρια με προβλήματα στις σχέσεις τους, ζευγάρια που επιθυμούν να περάσουν στο επόμενο στάδιο, γυναίκες που είναι έτοιμες να πάρουν αποφάσεις, νεαροί που θέλουν να αποφασίσουν για την πορεία της ζωής τους, μεγαλύτεροι με μυστικά από το παρελθόν, όλοι αυτοί συνυπάρχουν μέσα στις σελίδες του βιβλίου καθώς περνάνε σιγά-σιγά οι μέρες του Σκωτσέζικου καλοκαιριού με σχέδια και προετοιμασίες για το μεγάλο γεγονός για να καταλήξουμε στον πανέμορφο Σεπτέμβριο και σε αυτή τη γιορτή που θα σηματοδοτήσει την λύση των εκκρεμοτήτων και το ξεκίνημα καινούργιων κεφαλαίων, κάτι σαν την εναλλαγή των εποχών.

Αυτό ακριβώς ήταν που ένιωθα όσο διάβαζα το βιβλίο, με την εναλλαγή των εποχών να συμβαδίζει με την ιστορία μας. Η συγγραφέας περιγράφει με μοναδικό τρόπο το φυσικό τοπίο, ξεκινώντας από την άνθηση της φύσης μέσα στον Μάιο, περνώντας στην ωριμότητα της μέσα στο καλοκαίρι, καταλήγοντας λίγο πριν την έλευση του μεγάλου Σκωτσέζικου χειμώνα, με το τοπίο να αλλάζει ραγδαία, να γίνεται πιο σοβαρό και μελαγχολικό και τη φύση να προετοιμάζεται για τις κρύες μέρες που ακολουθούν. Κάπως έτσι αλλάζουν οι διαθέσεις των πρωταγωνιστών, ανθίζουν οι ελπίδες τους, ωριμάζει η χαρά τους για αυτά που έχουν και μπορούν να εκτιμήσουν και όταν τα προβλήματα έρχονται όπως κάποια στιγμή έρχονται οι συννεφιές του φθινοπώρου κάνει την εμφάνισή της η μελαγχολία - που η συγγραφέας ξέρει να την κάνει να φαίνεται όμορφη - και η γλυκόπικρη κατάληξη μετά από κάποιες στιγμές ήπιας έντασης γίνεται το επιστέγασμα και ο λόγος που οι εντυπώσεις μου που μέχρι τότε ήταν κάπως χλιαρές μετατράπηκαν μέσα από τη συγκίνηση του τέλους και την εκτίμηση ολόκληρης της ιστορίας στον ενθουσιασμό και στη σιγουριά ότι διάβασα ένα ακόμα υπέροχο βιβλίο.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Where to start? Well, I only read this for an annual book challenge to read a best seller from 1990 and I'd already given up on Jackie Collins.

This novel is based at the end of the 1980's. Bear that in mind because a lot of it felt like the 1890's. I listened to this book in 2024 and it has not worn well at all. In fact I'm amazed that noone has tried banning it.

It focuses on a few families originally from some faraway wee hamlet in the wilds of ... well not far from Edinburgh apparently. So a bit like Brigadoon - in fact if Gene Kelly had turned up i wouldn't have been surprised.

There are three main families - the Airds, the Balmorinos and the Steyntons. We are leading up to September throughout the book because that's when there's a 21st party for Katie Steynton - who I'm not sure we even meet but I might have been ranting at the time.

My problems with this novel are multiple - the attitude of the men (manly, gruff, know-it-all, must be obeyed, hunting shooting fishing types with such stiff upper lips it's a miracle they can speak), The attitude of the women - soft, delicate, unsure of every decision, want to be dominated and adored, if they show a spark of independence or dissention they're termed - whores/wild/unmanageable/hysterical.

I swear it's like the 1970s passed this crowd by.

We also have racism, sexism, child abuse and an attitude towards mental health that just doesn't bear thinking about.

Yes I know things were different 30 years ago but to have a woman with mental health difficulties and then turn her into an evil character that people are afraid of is just plain wrong. The only minorities are a couple who run the corner shop and, of course, they are Pakistani. The biggest dumpling of the lot, Edmund Aird, is shocked that the "Pakistanis" are open all hours but doesn't mind heading down there to buy a case of tonic at all hours. Double standards?

The other part that really made me aggravated (and I was very aggravated for most of the recording) was the denigration of the daughter of Edmund - Alexa. They are relieved she has found a man, at last, and hope it will help her become more mature. This would almost be understandable were she a mid 60s spinster living with her family but the woman is 21, lives alone in London and runs her own catering business. Just how much more independent can you get??

To say I disliked this twaddle is the understatement of the year. It was awful. It gave me a headache. However it has one star because I finished it and the narration was okay but a little melodramatic at times. (The star is mainly for me.)

[Obsidian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what to say about this. This was a very well done book. It was recommended to me by several people and I finally read it this past weekend. I have no critiques. I loved the characters, writing, setting, and the ending. The only thing I wish is that we had a chance to follow up with all of these characters in a later book. I wonder what happened to Henry, Alexa, Vi, all of the people we got to meet in this one.

"September" is all about the preparations that are leading to a dance, celebrating the 21st birthday of a young woman named Katy Steynton. Though it's been some time since the village has done a huge dance, all of the inhabitants are happy to do so. Though we hear about Katy and her parents, they are not the focus of this book. Instead we follow Edmund and Virginia Aird and their family (their son Henry and his daughter, Alexa, along with his mother Vi). We also follow Archie Balmorino, his wife, his daughter and estranged sister Pandora.

The characters are so very well done. We follow some other characters who will impact the characters above, one named Noel who appears to have a loose connection to the Aird family. Also a long-time servant/nanny whose creepy cousin seems hell-bent on destroying the Aird family.

The writing is so lyrical. Pilcher made me remember being a kid again and the summers of my friends and I playing games, going wading in the nearby creeks, catching fireflies, playing tag, staring at the clouds and telling each other the shapes, eating on a run so that we could be outside with our friends again. I could actually picture Scotland while reading this book. It made me long for a place that I have never been before. The loch, the trout, the smells, the heather, the people, friends, and food. She does such a great job that you may want to run out and book a trip to Scotland right away.

The ending was messy, but it worked. Not all things are neatly tied up, but tied up enough that you realize that the families will continue on., That people will pass away, but the bones of the families will still remain for years.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book last week again for maybe the 10th time. Everytime I read it, I love it more and more. It's a book that pulls you into the beautiful world of Scotland and weaves you through the lives of well-rounded, fascinating characters.

[Melindam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4 stars

Not as good as my favourite Pilchers: Winter Solstice or Coming Home, but very enjoyable nevertheless.

An easy, slow-going, character-driven comfort read with Pilcher hallmark writing and style, featuring family, friendly and romantic relationships set in September in Scotland.

I really liked the book as a whole, even though I could not relate to the characters as strongly, hence the -1 star.

Excellently narrated by Jilly Bond.

[Connie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely country village in Scotland provides a gorgeous background for a 21st birthday celebration in September. Verona Steynton is planning a party with traditional Scottish reels and country dances with the men in kilts and the women in beautiful gowns. Invitations have been sent with some mailed to people who haven't returned to the village in years.

There is a large cast of characters with most of them associated with two prominent families. Patriarch Archie Balmerino, a titled landholder, was injured in a military incident in Northern Ireland and has to cope with a prosthetic leg. His sister Pandora, a free spirit with many secrets, has not been home to Scotland for twenty years, but she accepts an invitation to the party.

Violet is the wise matriarch of the Aird family, the confidant of many people in the village. Her son, Edmund, and his wife are having arguments about sending their young son off to boarding school at the age of eight. Edmund's sweet daughter is bringing her new boyfriend home with her to meet the family.

This was a cozy, warm story about families with many flashbacks. I had mixed feelings about the book. A few incidents seemed out of character. There were also many mentions of everyday tasks that could have been edited out. But that might be what some readers want--the feeling that they have spent the day by the fire drinking tea or whiskey, and sharing details of their lives.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She just wanted to be back at Croy, and everything just the way it used to be. September. And parties, and the little shopping sprees to Relkirk, and people coming and going and the house full of guests.”

It is so hard for me to pick a favorite Rosamunde Pilcher novel. Every time I put one down I think, yes, this is it. This one’s my favorite. My reread of September has made me love this book even more than on my first read of it. I reread it in quick succession to The Shell Seekers which I think helped. Particularly as we get to see Noel Keeling out of the scope of his family.

And there are so many wonderful characters from Violet to Virginia to Archie to Edie. This book is such a lovely glimpse at Scottish village life and the complexities of the relationships therein. While the book takes us from May to September, reading it in September was perfect as we end it in that month where the seasons are just beginning to change and something new is on the horizon as I hope it is for all the beloved characters in this novel.

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

What better saying to mention to an author than that of she has a way with words? Certainly this is ever so true with Ms Pilcher as she carefully and what seems effortlessly draws the reader into her characters and her setting. In this beautifully told tale, we meet wonderful characters, the Airds, the the Ishaks, The Lord and Lady Balmerino, and so many others. ...and then there is Scotland, presented to us in all its glory, a beautiful, gorgeous land so striking a picture with its traditions, kindness, and togetherness of history and lineage.

This novel was ever so beautifully done. It was cozy and warm and filled this reader with the sense that one really was able to know the characters. They became real and were people one longed to know as friends and neighbors. How nice to be able to read a novel where family and friends were the focus and life was dependent on the goodness and acceptance of others.

[Maria Roxana · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Moartea nu înseamnă nimic. Nu contează. N-am făcut decât să mă strecor în camera cealaltă. Totul rămâne exact aşa cum a fost. Eu sunt eu şi tu eşti tu, iar viaţa de demult, trăită împreună şi pe care am iubit-o din toate puterile e neatinsă, neschimbată. Între noi doi continuă să existe ceea ce a existat întotdeauna. Spune-mi pe nume, ca şi până acum. Vorbeşte cu sinceritate despre mine, ca şi până acum. Nu-ţi schimba tonul vocii. Nu arbora un aer forţat, solemn sau trist. Încearcă să râzi, aşa cum râdeam împreună de glumele care ni se păreau la fel de bune. Glumeşte, zâmbeşte, gândeşte-te la mine, roagă-te pentru mine. Fie ca numele meu să fie rostit în familie, la fel ca şi până acum. Fără efort, fără nicio umbră de îndoială. Sensul vieţii este etern. Acelaşi, mereu. Există o continuitate absolută, care nu poate fi frântă. Ce este oare moartea, decât un accident neglijabil? De ce să fiu uitată, numai pentru că am dispărut? Sunt aici, în aşteptarea ta, într-un interval, undeva, foarte aproape, după colţ. Totul e bine.”

Septembrie, Rosamunde Pilcher.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Pero septiembre era especial en Relkirkshire, incluso después de un verano espléndido. Habían empezado a caer algunas ligeras heladas, que habían limpiado el aire y otorgado tonalidades más vivas a los campos. El intenso azul del cielo se reflejaba en el lago y en el río y, levantadas ya las cosechas, los rastrojos doraban los campos. En las cunetas florecían las campanillas y el brezo de olor, con sus flores, teñía de púrpura las montañas.”

“Septiembre” es un libro muy largo que no se hace para nada largo. No es posible parar de leer porque desde el principio se intuye que cuando las vidas de todos sus personajes confluyan en un mismo punto, la bomba va a estallar. Es como una mecha que se enciende en un extremo y va quemando hasta que al final, en el otro extremo, se produce una explosión.

“Septiembre” comienza en mayo y concluye en el mes que le da título. Es en mayo que Verena Steynton informa a su socia Violet Balmerino de que planea organizar un baile para celebrar el cumpleaños de su hija Katy que es, naturalmente, en septiembre.

En el pequeño pueblo de las Highlands, donde se reunirán todos los personajes, viven varias familias con sus pequeñas historias de alegrías y penas: Los Balmerino, nobles locales venidos a menos, los Aird, adinerados pero con sus relaciones pendientes de un hilo, la abuela Vi en su cottage, Edie, la amable antigua ama de llaves de los Aird que cuida ahora de una prima loca llena de rencor.

Además están los de fuera del pueblo, las hijas ausentes y sus parejas, un americano triste y misterioso invitado por Katy y Pandora, la hermana de Archie Balmerino, quien huyó del pueblo casi veinte años atrás cuando sólo era una jovencita y nunca volvió, hasta ahora. ¿Por qué ahora? La extravagante Pandora es la clave, es la mecha en esta bomba.

Rosamunde Pilcher tiende, con su fluidez narrativa, unas redes que atrapan al lector con una fuerza que es imposible resistirse. Va desgranando cada paso, cada escena y cada descripción con un ritmo armónico que lo integra todo. Es atmosférica y envolvente sin ahogar, metiéndonos en las casas de estas familias, saltando de una a otra pero sin marear ni hacernos perder el hilo. Es más, no sé exactamente qué tienen sus párrafos que cuando cada personaje muestra lo que lleva en su interior consigue que empaticemos con él o ella.

Sin ser una saga familiar, “Septiembre” me ha recordado mucho a “La saga de los Forsythe”, de John Galsworthy pero ambientado, en mi opinión, en un lugar idílico que complementa bien las turbulentas vidas de sus habitantes. Una delicia de lectura.

[Ευα Μηλιά Κουτσουμπα · Rating 5 out of 5]

« Σεπτέμβρης»

Ροζαμουντ Πιλτσερ για μένα σημαίνει χειμώνας.
Ζεστό τσάι, βουτήματα και θαλπωρή δίπλα στην φωτιά ενώ έξω η βροχή και το κρύο στήνουν τον δικό τους ερωτικό χορό.
Αγάπησα την Κορνουαλη μέσα από τις δικές της περιγραφές.
Άγγιξα νοερά κάθε τοπίο, κάθε εποχή, κάθε στιγμή μέσα από τις λέξεις της.
Σε μαγεύει με τη γραφή της.
Σε ταξιδεύει με το άρωμα της γλαφυρότητας της.
Σε λυτρώνει μέσα από τις καταστάσεις που περνούν οι ήρωες της.

Ο Σεπτέμβρης ήταν η αρχή για να την γνωρίσω χρόνια πολλά πριν.
Και τα υπόλοιπα της βιβλία ήταν Φυσικό επακόλουθο όταν ο αναγνώστης γοητεύετε από τον άνθρωπο που γράφοντας διαπερνά την ψυχή του με μελάνι το βάλσαμο της καρδιάς του.


Ο Σεπτέμβρης είναι ένα πολυπρόσωπο μυθιστόρημα εποχής που διαδραματίζεται σε ένα χωριό της


Σε αυτό το βιβλιο η αγαπημένη συγγραφέας δε σε ταξιδεύει μονάχα μα σε γεμίζει συναισθήματα.

Ένας χορός ήταν η αρχή του Σεπτέμβρη και αν και το Είχα ξανά διαβάσει χρόνια πριν ένιωσα ξανά να μαγεύομαι από κάθε σελιδα, κάθε περιστατικό, κάθε ήρωα, κάθε τοπίο & κάθε συναίσθημα.

Η γλαφυρότητα της γραφής της δίνει μια νότα θαλασσινού μελιού γλυκόπικρης γεύσης στις ψυχές των ηρώων της.

Η Ροζαμουντα Πιλτσερ χτίζει οικογένειες μέσα στα βιβλια της.
Χτίζει θαλπωρή, αγάπη, φόβους, στιγμές που ίσως αφήσαμε πίσω μας τρέχοντας να προλάβουμε τα προβλήματα της ζωής μας και να ικανοποιήσουμε την ρουτίνα της ζωής μας.

Με τη ρομαντική πινελιά που δίνει η συγγραφέας στο βιβλιο γίνεσαι και εσύ ένα κομμάτι του βιβλίου.
Αγωνίας για την εξέλιξη των πραγμάτων.
Νιώθεις όπως οι ήρωες.
Αλλάζεις, μεγαλώνεις, ωριμάζεις, σκέπτεσαι με διαφορετικό σκεπτικό καταστάσεις που ίσως έζησες η κάπου άκουσες.
Ίσως ακόμη ταυτιστείς με κάποιους από τους ήρωες του Σεπτέμβρη.
Ίσως βρεις κομμάτια του εαυτού σου που σου έλειπαν.
Ίσως ακόμη ερωτευτείς καταστάσεις που κάποτε πεθύμησες να ζήσεις και ξέχασες να υλοποιήσεις μέσα στη βουή του χρόνου που δε σου απομείνει να αδράξεις για τον εαυτό σου.




Ένα όμορφο γραφικό χωριουδάκι στην Σκοτία, μια πρόσκληση χώρου που θυμίζει παλιές εποχές και οι ήρωες.
Άνθρωποι της αγροτιάς, άνθρωποι της αριστοκρατίας, άνθρωποι άπλοι που ζουν και συνυπάρχουν σε αυτό το μέρος. Ο κάθε ένας δίνει ότι έχει, όλοι δίνουν συναισθήματα.
Και όλοι διπλά ο ένας στη χαρά & τη λύπη του άλλου και ανάμεσα τους ο πολυπόθητος χώρος.
Μια προσμονή για την αρχή κάτι καινούργιου.
Και αυτή η απλή πρόσκληση αλλάζει τα πάντα στις ζωές των ανθρώπων.
Νέες σφίξεις, παλιές ερωτικές ιστορίες, φόβοι ανασφαλείς μα πάντα κάπου βρίσκει η ελπίδα μια ηλιαχτίδα να τρυπώσει στις ζωές και στις ψυχές τους.

Ένα τρυφερό, γλυκό, ρομαντικό βιβλιο που με γραφή λυρική σε ταξιδεύει σε άλλη εποχή και σε αλλα μέρη.
Σε μαγεύει, σε αναστατώνει, σε συγκινεί, σε πληγώνει μα με ένα γλυκό ρομαντικό τρόπο που όλα σου φαίνονται ότι θα έχουν αίσιο τέλος.

Αυτό το βιβλιο ήταν για μένα ένα παράθυρο να ξεφύγω από τι με βασανίζει και να ηρεμήσει τη ψυχή μου.
Μια γαλήνια θάλασσα λέξεων και σκέψεων που με ημέρεψε περνώντας με για λίγο μακριά από τη καθημερινότητα μου.

Αγαπημένη Πιλτσερ. Μια συγγραφέας που μας λείπει ήδη πολύ.

Τελειώνοντας θα ήθελα να αναφέρω ότι οι Εκδόσεις Ψυχογιός έκαναν πολύ καλή δουλειά καθώς το βιβλιο είναι πιο εμπλουτισμένη σε επιμέλεια έκδοση.
Και το Εξώφυλλο ειναι ατμόσφαιρικο εξίσου με το βιβλίο.

[Beth Bonini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I vividly remember the first time I read this book: I was just starting graduate school, and I had arrived in Houston, Texas, exhausted and strung out from a long summer of working nights and having too many romances. I had about a week before school started, and as I didn't know anyone, I spent most of the time comfort reading the type of novel I knew that I would not be assigned in my English literature course. I remember lying on my quilt, being semi-cooled by the blast of an old-fashioned air conditioning unit, and reading myself into a sort of stupor. There was no hint of autumn in the late summer Houston air, but I got a nice romantic dose of it in this book.

Pilcher is a great storyteller, and she writes books which are very 'moreish'. She is very adept at writing vivid characters of all ages and balancing several interrelated story-lines. I suspect that most of the appeal of her books is down to the atmosphere, though. Although this book has some early scenes in London and Majorca, the majority of it takes place in Strathcroy, Scotland. Highlands country. The Balmerinos and the Airds are the main landowning families in the area, and this novel is very much about their small and intersecting clans. There are a number of conflicts and dramas upsetting the peace; interestingly, the only one I recalled was the one between Virginia and her much older husband Edmund Aird. Edmund wants to send their 8 year old son Henry away to boarding school, while Virginia is very much against this plan. Another major story-line revolves around the 'glamorous' character of Pandora Balmerino, who is a sort of prodigal daughter. Having run away from home at age 18, Pandora decides (mysteriously and quixotically) to return to her childhood home of Balnaid for a dance. Violet Aird is the matriarch of the clan, and very much in the style of Penelope Keeling (the beloved heroine of The Shell Seekers). Fans of The Shell Seekers will enjoy the return of Noel Keeling, Penelope's spoiled youngest child, who becomes the love interest of Alexa Aird.

I will admit to this: I read this book in a mood of needing a nice, absorbing comfort read and it fit the bill. I consumed it almost as avidly as I did 25 years ago. However, several aspects of the plot and characterisation rankled this time. There are way too many women being wonderfully domestic and putting up with annoyingly dictatorial men. Aspects of the plot, like the Northern Ireland storyline involving Archie Balmerino date it some extent, but the female characters date it more worryingly, at least from my point of view. 3.5 stars

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosamunde Pilcher writes very “readable” stories. I enjoy all of her books, but some more than others. Please note that I have rated this book compared to the author’s other novels. It was good, but she has written better.

I had no idea that the Noel in this book was the same Noel from “The Shell Seekers”. To tell you the truth, I didn’t recognize him at all and was pretty surprised when it finally dawned on me ¾ of the way into the book. It presented a bit of a dilemma for me since I HATED Noel in “The Shell Seekers”, and had liked him in this book – right up until I realized who he was. Then I didn’t quite know how to feel about him.

I had no problem with knowing how to feel about Pandora. I thought she was a selfish bitch, and I thoroughly despised her. I doubt the author intended this character to be viewed so unsympathetically, but I had zero tolerance for her and did not find her to be the charming and whimsical character as portrayed. In this case actions speak louder than words.

Edmund was portrayed as the bad guy, and him I liked quite a bit. Go figure!

NOTE:

Here we go again! I can’t let go of one of my personal peeves. 2 of the main characters are named:

Mrs. Violet Aird (frequently referred to as “Vi”)
Mrs. Virginia Aird

Why? What purpose does it serve other than to confuse the reader? I get that they are mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, so there is no way around them both being Mrs. Aird. But couldn’t the author have named one of these characters Mary? Or Anne? Or Beatrice? Or ANYTHING other than these 2 first names that each began with “Vi”… with one of them having a nickname that could have applied to either? There were enough characters to keep track of without adding to the confusion.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a really hard time getting through this book. I thought that there was too many characters that were hard to keep track of. I had a hard time keeping all of the relationships straight. It was very descriptive--to the point of being to descriptive. I started skipping over a lot of the description. I really enjoyed the last 100 pages, but for the 600 before that I thought numerous times about quitting.

[Sally906 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A huge saga that looks at the lives of two main families and their friends over a 4 month period. A large cast of characters that resulted in me having to write the names on a list.

A slow moving story - it never boring - covers a few different countries - a few dramas - and a huge secret revealed.

As per usual with a Pilcher novel every aspect of human lives - feuds, love, illness and friendship, was an easy read.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - English novel - I have dyslexia -
In my notebook : beautiful scenes with beautiful painted characters. 😁🦋😁

[Eleanor Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book started promisingly enough; the author used some descriptive prose which evoked the wild beauty of Scotland but she became bogged down in the peat as she rehashed conversations and got carried away describing everything in minute detail. Who needs three pages of shopping for kitting out a man in traditional highland gear? Not me. I wouldn't have finished it but was stuck in a hotel with nothing else to read.
SPOILERS AHEAD
This story centers mainly on two rich/privileged families whose lives have intertwined over the years. One family consists of father Edmund, second wife Virginia, their young son Henry, daughter Alexa from his first marriage and patriarch Vi. Yes, Virginia and Vi and a secondary character named Verena to add to the confusion. The other family is a Scottish lord, Archie, wife Isobel, daughter Lucilla, son Hamish and estranged sister to Archie, Pandora.

Edmund is a cold, unreasonable, spoiled man. His high powered job keeps him away from his family most of the time. We learn that he is embarrassed by his daughter Alexa's appearance. He has a habit of marrying beautiful women so poor Alexa just doesn't measure up as she is not all that physically attractive and her body shape is somewhat dumpy. He cruelly sends his 8 year old Henry, a sensitive child and the delight of his mother, Virginia to boarding school against his and her wishes. While Virginia raises legitimate concerns, he steamrolls his way through it anyway without any regard for anyone else's opinion. Virginia, his half American, younger wife has clearly lost her identity now that she has married into this horrible family. Vi, her mother-in-law, is made out to be wise and sweet but at her cold core is a monster. More on that later.

Archie is a former soldier, wounded in a skirmish with the IRA. He is land rich but cash poor so his put upon wife Isobel takes in paying guests to help make ends meet. She is basically a doormat (as are most of the women) who does without so her men folk can shoot grouse, drink malt whiskey and take 5 pairs of leather shoes to boarding school. Apparently 12 year olds need five pairs of them. Hamish, the aforementioned 12 year old is basically a spoiled brat who eats a lot. Lucilla, their adult daughter, seems nicer; maybe they couldn't afford to send her to boarding school. While she is travelling, she meets up with her aunt, Pandora. They have all been invited to a fancy shmancy dance in Scotland so after years of not seeing her family, Pandora decides to travel back with Lucilla and her friend, Jeff.

Virginia, visiting London because she is upset that Henry is going away, stops in to see Alexa and learns she is living with her boyfriend, Noel. He will fit right in with this bunch as he is all about the best parties, appearances, and the finer things in life. Is he after her money? What else could he possibly see in her?

The author attempts to inject some urgency by introducing us to Lottie, sister of the long suffering Edie. Vi claims that Edie is her best friend but she is basically "the help", being nanny to both Alexa and Henry. She also does everything else: keeping house, preparing and serving meals, doing laundry, ironing, and polishing his nibs silver buttons on his fancy highland dress gear. Edmund even wonders if one of his women folk got round to it, lord knows he is helpless to do any manual labour himself. But I digress. Lottie is described as crazy, disturbing, weird. She has a trace of a mustache so she is also supposed to look evil I suppose. She is basically a Cassandra type figure, speaking the truth but this bunch certainly doesn't want to hear that as it reflects so badly on them. She spies on people and gossips about them, but it is not rumours she is spreading; everything she says is true. She apparently spied Edmund with Pandora when he was married and had Alexa. Of course this gets back to Virginia who meets up with an old friend after reluctantly leaving Henry at boarding school. She gets a bit tipsy and decides she shouldn't drive but coincidentally her pal Conrad just happens to be the "sad American" who has also been invited to the dance. How convenient. So they end up returning to her home (Edmund is away to New York on business) and they sleep together. Their rendezvous is witnessed by Lottie so when Vi finds out she decides to have her recommitted to the looney bin. She even drives her there herself after speaking to her doctor. Edie, the cousin and supposed best friend, isn't happy but Edmund and Vi (and Pandora) always get their way so Edie has to basically suck it up. And continue to serve this horrid bunch.

Which leads me to Pandora, a spoiled, cruel, selfish and lazy creature. The author has various characters describe her as beautiful, spirited, fascinating, and so on but she is scrawny, sleeps most of the time, and only has money because she stole a rich old husband(s) away from other women. She certainly never worked a day in her life and describes herself as not very bright. She never lifts a finger to help but it's Pandora so it's just so wonderful she's around. Blech.

So blah blah blah, pages and pages later we finally get to this dance. The women take great pains to make everything and everyone look nice, preparing food, decorating the place, ironing and setting out clothes. Pandora asks Noel to drive her home and talks to him about Alexa, saying she is gold. Basically, Alexa is the opposite of Pandora: unattractive, dumpy, and hard working. Noel is fascinated by Pandora (why is a mystery) and he's not "in love" with Alexa but he likely realizes he will have as pampered a life as all the other men so he asks Alexa to marry him. I hope for her sake she said no. Another coincidence, Vi met his mother once and described it all in nauseating detail, right down to exactly what they ate. The book needed a good editor, amongst other things.

Pandora goes home, inadvertently breaks a bottle of expensive perfume (which she pointedly leaves for good old Isobel to clean up), grabs sleeping pills and champagne and proceeds to drive to a loch where she drowns herself. Selfish to the end. Apparently she had cancer which was why she was so tired but rather than share this with her family and find comfort from them she refuses treatment (she might lose her hair and she would be forever 'maimed' by a mastectomy). Vanity trumps life every time in her world.

My first, and definitely last, read by this author. She spent about a page talking about the situation with the IRA and another talking about the use of land for hunting which is one way to keep it from being developed for industry, housing or intensive farming. Further exploration of either of those topics would have been interesting. Additionally everything was "terribly" or "frighteningly" this or that. All of the characters basically spoke like everyone else and used these repeatedly. It all became "terribly" predictable.