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Candlepower
There is something very odd about Stella's neighbour. Rose leads a peculiar, Amish-like existence, refusing to have electricity in her Paris apartment. She teaches piano during the day, and in the evenings she makes wonderful quilts by candlelight. Birds love Rose. They come to her window, they follow her in the street - but other neighbours are suspicious, and she has enemies. Stella is drawn to her. The more she gets to know her, the more mysterious she becomes. Rose seems to be at the centre of some very disturbing events. Candlepower..."Weaves a magic spell"
...is "so original that it takes my breath away."
...is "so original that it takes my breath away."
284 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2012
About the author
Janet Doolaege
15 books59 followersI was born in England but have lived for most of my life in France, working for a number of years as a translator.
Birds, other animals and the environment in general have always been important to me. I’ve written a book about two birds that I rescued when they were very young: Ebony and Spica, a blackbird and a starling. My life would have been very different without these unforgettable characters.
I’ve published four novels in ebook format. Two are set in Paris, and I’ve tried to make them both realistic and eerie: A Paris Haunting and Candlepower. Woman in Blue and White is set partly in Paris and partly in Greece. The Road through the Woods, set in England this time, is a sequel to Candlepower, but it can be read as a standalone. All my novels contain hints of the strange and unexplained.
Besides these, there are four stories for children: The Story of an Ordinary Lion, Flora and the Wolf, Tobias and the Demon and The Christmas Dolls' House. The first three are lively and detailed retellings of old legends, two of them told from the animal’s point of view. The lion story is also available in Italian. The Christmas Dolls' House is a story of magic and friendship between two girls, and the fascination of miniature things. All are downloadable, and they can all be purchased as illustrated paperbacks (except for The Christmas Dolls' House, soon to be published in paperback).
Although I feel very much at home in France after so many years, I still read mostly in English and in particular have tremendous admiration for the treasure-house of children’s literature in the English language. I would never be parted from my favourite old books for children.
Birds, other animals and the environment in general have always been important to me. I’ve written a book about two birds that I rescued when they were very young: Ebony and Spica, a blackbird and a starling. My life would have been very different without these unforgettable characters.
I’ve published four novels in ebook format. Two are set in Paris, and I’ve tried to make them both realistic and eerie: A Paris Haunting and Candlepower. Woman in Blue and White is set partly in Paris and partly in Greece. The Road through the Woods, set in England this time, is a sequel to Candlepower, but it can be read as a standalone. All my novels contain hints of the strange and unexplained.
Besides these, there are four stories for children: The Story of an Ordinary Lion, Flora and the Wolf, Tobias and the Demon and The Christmas Dolls' House. The first three are lively and detailed retellings of old legends, two of them told from the animal’s point of view. The lion story is also available in Italian. The Christmas Dolls' House is a story of magic and friendship between two girls, and the fascination of miniature things. All are downloadable, and they can all be purchased as illustrated paperbacks (except for The Christmas Dolls' House, soon to be published in paperback).
Although I feel very much at home in France after so many years, I still read mostly in English and in particular have tremendous admiration for the treasure-house of children’s literature in the English language. I would never be parted from my favourite old books for children.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 23, 2015
Candlepower by Janet Doolaege
Set in Paris France, Stella is a bit of a social outcast. She meets her neighbor Rose. Stella is fascinated with Rose and the unlikely pair become friends. Rose is a bit mysterious, some find her (Rose) a bit odd. But not Stella, she is captivated by her "uniqueness".
Rose does not believe in modern luxuries, such as electricity. But she does have a love of birds, and making quilts. As the two become friends, Stella faces some of her inner struggles, and even falls for a young man.
A well written fascinating story, told from Stella's point of view. I really liked Stella, she has some inner feelings she must comes to terms with. Rose is very likable. The more I read about her the more I liked her. And I loved the "mystique" around Rose.
I don't do spoilers so I won't say too much more. The story is very original, the prose flows with perfection on each page, and the atmosphere drew me in. Set in Paris added "charm" I really liked, the setting.
Overall I feel that Candlepower is a definite five star read and book lovers (or all genres) will greatly enjoy this fascinating, captivating, magical tale.
Set in Paris France, Stella is a bit of a social outcast. She meets her neighbor Rose. Stella is fascinated with Rose and the unlikely pair become friends. Rose is a bit mysterious, some find her (Rose) a bit odd. But not Stella, she is captivated by her "uniqueness".
Rose does not believe in modern luxuries, such as electricity. But she does have a love of birds, and making quilts. As the two become friends, Stella faces some of her inner struggles, and even falls for a young man.
A well written fascinating story, told from Stella's point of view. I really liked Stella, she has some inner feelings she must comes to terms with. Rose is very likable. The more I read about her the more I liked her. And I loved the "mystique" around Rose.
I don't do spoilers so I won't say too much more. The story is very original, the prose flows with perfection on each page, and the atmosphere drew me in. Set in Paris added "charm" I really liked, the setting.
Overall I feel that Candlepower is a definite five star read and book lovers (or all genres) will greatly enjoy this fascinating, captivating, magical tale.
December 5, 2014
I loved this story. I have always loved Paris and Janet Doolaege conjures up the atmosphere so well.
The story is told in the first person by Stella, a solid, dependable, down-to-earth person, but it is really about the mysterious Rose. Rose, who lives an odd, Amish-like existence and refuses to have electricity in her apartment. Rose, who teaches piano during the day and in the evenings makes wonderful quilts by candlelight. And then there are the birds. Birds love Rose, they come to her window, they follow her in the street. There is something almost supernatural about it.
This book is beautifully-written. The language is fluent and grammatically flawless. The characters are well-drawn and utterly believable. And as for the plot . . . it is so original that it takes my breath away. There are harrowing moments in this book but they are outweighed by the love in it. I daren’t say any more for fear of giving too much away. Just read it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
The story is told in the first person by Stella, a solid, dependable, down-to-earth person, but it is really about the mysterious Rose. Rose, who lives an odd, Amish-like existence and refuses to have electricity in her apartment. Rose, who teaches piano during the day and in the evenings makes wonderful quilts by candlelight. And then there are the birds. Birds love Rose, they come to her window, they follow her in the street. There is something almost supernatural about it.
This book is beautifully-written. The language is fluent and grammatically flawless. The characters are well-drawn and utterly believable. And as for the plot . . . it is so original that it takes my breath away. There are harrowing moments in this book but they are outweighed by the love in it. I daren’t say any more for fear of giving too much away. Just read it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
September 10, 2019
Review of Candlepower and The Road through the Woods by Janet Doolaege.
It was the broadcasting of a dramatization of A Kestrel for a Knave on BBC Radio 4 that finally made me stir my stumps and write this review. The young protagonist of A Kestrel for a Knave, Billy Casper, has an empathy for animals (by no means only for his kestrel) shared by Janetoolaege. In her short factual book, Ebony and Spica, she writes about her relationship with a blackbird and a starling she reared. This passion for birds has led to a key element in two novels, Candlepower and The Road through the Woods, in which this passion is expressed imaginatively in the depiction of a character who has a Saint Francis-like ability to attract birds.
These two novels are probably best described as Magic Realism. The author has a gift for narrative that keeps the reader wanting to read more, and for evoking a vivid sense of place and character. Candlepower is set mostly in Paris, which is vividly evoked in all the reader's senses; you can smell the coffee and feel the rain. We eagerly follow the vicissitudes of Stella, the ingenuous narrator, and identify with her as she tries to make sense of the problems in her personal life, which are interwoven with these those of Rose Martin, the bird-woman. Throughout the book, Janet Doolaege's narrative magic enchants us to willingly suspend our disbelief.
At the beginning of the sequel, the author states that "this story can stand alone." When I was a lad, many cinemas had two showings of the feature film each evening. There were many people who would arrive halfway through the first showing of the feature film, and at the same point of the second showing, say "Here's where I came in," and make their way out of the picture-house. Unless you are one of those types, I strongly suggest you read the two volumes in the right order; if you do I'm sure you'll enjoy them more.
I was slightly wrong-footed reading the beginning of the sequel; a quarter of a century has elapsed since the end of Candlepower, and I realized that my inattentive mind had set the action of the first volume in the too recent past. This book has quite a different ambience to the first one; the author conceals less from the reader, one result of which is that there is a long stretch of dramatic irony, where the author and the reader are in cahoots against the narrator, Jaki, who has just graduated and is seeking a career.
She is as ingenuous as her aunt was in the first tale, but this time we can see clearly what is unclear to her. There is a certain enjoyable Schadenfreude about saying to oneself, "Silly girl; why can't she see what's going on?"
The main plot-line is concerned with proposals to construct a large road through the middle of an ancient wood in south-eastern England, and with the fight to prevent its despoliation. The author's openness with the reader in the sequel does slacken the dramatic tension somewhat, compared with the first book, but it nonetheless remains great fun to read. I would say that these two books are a very enjoyable read, and most successful in placing the magic in the real world most convincingly.
It was the broadcasting of a dramatization of A Kestrel for a Knave on BBC Radio 4 that finally made me stir my stumps and write this review. The young protagonist of A Kestrel for a Knave, Billy Casper, has an empathy for animals (by no means only for his kestrel) shared by Janetoolaege. In her short factual book, Ebony and Spica, she writes about her relationship with a blackbird and a starling she reared. This passion for birds has led to a key element in two novels, Candlepower and The Road through the Woods, in which this passion is expressed imaginatively in the depiction of a character who has a Saint Francis-like ability to attract birds.
These two novels are probably best described as Magic Realism. The author has a gift for narrative that keeps the reader wanting to read more, and for evoking a vivid sense of place and character. Candlepower is set mostly in Paris, which is vividly evoked in all the reader's senses; you can smell the coffee and feel the rain. We eagerly follow the vicissitudes of Stella, the ingenuous narrator, and identify with her as she tries to make sense of the problems in her personal life, which are interwoven with these those of Rose Martin, the bird-woman. Throughout the book, Janet Doolaege's narrative magic enchants us to willingly suspend our disbelief.
At the beginning of the sequel, the author states that "this story can stand alone." When I was a lad, many cinemas had two showings of the feature film each evening. There were many people who would arrive halfway through the first showing of the feature film, and at the same point of the second showing, say "Here's where I came in," and make their way out of the picture-house. Unless you are one of those types, I strongly suggest you read the two volumes in the right order; if you do I'm sure you'll enjoy them more.
I was slightly wrong-footed reading the beginning of the sequel; a quarter of a century has elapsed since the end of Candlepower, and I realized that my inattentive mind had set the action of the first volume in the too recent past. This book has quite a different ambience to the first one; the author conceals less from the reader, one result of which is that there is a long stretch of dramatic irony, where the author and the reader are in cahoots against the narrator, Jaki, who has just graduated and is seeking a career.
She is as ingenuous as her aunt was in the first tale, but this time we can see clearly what is unclear to her. There is a certain enjoyable Schadenfreude about saying to oneself, "Silly girl; why can't she see what's going on?"
The main plot-line is concerned with proposals to construct a large road through the middle of an ancient wood in south-eastern England, and with the fight to prevent its despoliation. The author's openness with the reader in the sequel does slacken the dramatic tension somewhat, compared with the first book, but it nonetheless remains great fun to read. I would say that these two books are a very enjoyable read, and most successful in placing the magic in the real world most convincingly.
April 3, 2017
The very title makes you wonder: there is light associated with it as well as a certain suggestion of darkness that goes with it as its opposite. There is knowledge, wisdom and awareness and yet, there is the absence of these lurking in the background. There is candlelight and with it all the harmonies of colours and again there are, sometimes despite all the efforts, disharmonious and dysfunctional relationships between and among people. And danger of a fire into the bargain.
In this highly interesting novel, Janet Doolaege describes Parisian life giving occasional glimpses of England, just across the Channel. The novel is a kind of tapestry, or rather a patchwork, of modern living. Telling us the intriguing stories of her very different characters she also introduces us to the city that is, in a way, the main character of the novel: 21st century Paris with its people who actually come from different places, the French as well as all kinds of foreigners. Its modern concrete, featureless, functional buildings, so many different shades of grey, as well as its wonderful sights that attract so many tourists. Without them and without its ordinary people Paris would be empty in the hot summer days. This fascinating city has got its painters like Douanier Rousseau and Cesanne, we are also reminded of the great, distant and gory Aztecs in European culture on the one hand and Mozart, Shakespeare and Fred Astaire on the other. The flashbacks are intriguing, enriching. Pallas Athene or the Roman Minerva - Goddess(es) of wisdom, useful arts and prudent warfare. Unlike men who tend to kill, torture and dominate for no reason at all. Life, understanding and art are wonderful things to give to the world, the author reminds the reader.
Paris also has its fair share of versatile animal and plant life - birds, an occasional dog (they are so "straightforward and honest and cheerful") adding extra flavour to its parks and city life in general: pigeons, owls, chaffinches, blackbirds, thrushes, swifts, swallows, starlings, sparrows, crows; wistaria, thyme, poinsettia. And Topaz, the canary, a bird in a cage, perhaps telling us that its owner, Stella, is also somehow caged within the limits of her existence. Will music save her in the long run, bring her freedom? Will Hathor, the Goddess of music, love, dancing and journeys be strong enough against the other forces of Stella's complex life? Will her life remain in the sad state we first meet her in, like "the crystals of purity, snow trodden into slush". Like, as the author warns, water that carries the filth of human civilization?
Unfortunately, the people, especially the men in Stella and Rose's world do not seem to be able to appreciate either other people, life or art - there simply are people interfering in other people's lives without consciously meaning to. So, it is against the background of Parisian and English life that their personal destinies are played out, destinies full of "guilt, elation, anger and confusion where people pass each other in the dark and fail to meet", as the author points out noticing their gregarious umbrellas.
In this highly interesting novel, Janet Doolaege describes Parisian life giving occasional glimpses of England, just across the Channel. The novel is a kind of tapestry, or rather a patchwork, of modern living. Telling us the intriguing stories of her very different characters she also introduces us to the city that is, in a way, the main character of the novel: 21st century Paris with its people who actually come from different places, the French as well as all kinds of foreigners. Its modern concrete, featureless, functional buildings, so many different shades of grey, as well as its wonderful sights that attract so many tourists. Without them and without its ordinary people Paris would be empty in the hot summer days. This fascinating city has got its painters like Douanier Rousseau and Cesanne, we are also reminded of the great, distant and gory Aztecs in European culture on the one hand and Mozart, Shakespeare and Fred Astaire on the other. The flashbacks are intriguing, enriching. Pallas Athene or the Roman Minerva - Goddess(es) of wisdom, useful arts and prudent warfare. Unlike men who tend to kill, torture and dominate for no reason at all. Life, understanding and art are wonderful things to give to the world, the author reminds the reader.
Paris also has its fair share of versatile animal and plant life - birds, an occasional dog (they are so "straightforward and honest and cheerful") adding extra flavour to its parks and city life in general: pigeons, owls, chaffinches, blackbirds, thrushes, swifts, swallows, starlings, sparrows, crows; wistaria, thyme, poinsettia. And Topaz, the canary, a bird in a cage, perhaps telling us that its owner, Stella, is also somehow caged within the limits of her existence. Will music save her in the long run, bring her freedom? Will Hathor, the Goddess of music, love, dancing and journeys be strong enough against the other forces of Stella's complex life? Will her life remain in the sad state we first meet her in, like "the crystals of purity, snow trodden into slush". Like, as the author warns, water that carries the filth of human civilization?
Unfortunately, the people, especially the men in Stella and Rose's world do not seem to be able to appreciate either other people, life or art - there simply are people interfering in other people's lives without consciously meaning to. So, it is against the background of Parisian and English life that their personal destinies are played out, destinies full of "guilt, elation, anger and confusion where people pass each other in the dark and fail to meet", as the author points out noticing their gregarious umbrellas.
November 1, 2014
Having read and enjoyed 'A Paris Haunting' by the same author last year, I was very pleased to come across 'Candlepower' while browsing favourite authors on Amazon. I downloaded it and began reading it almost at once, finding myself rapidly drawn in to the intriguing story
Narrated by Stella, all events are filtered through her consciousness, but as seems to happen with Doolaege's novels, the POV character takes something of a back seat in order to turn the spotlight on other characters. There are some marvellous characters in 'Candlepower', though none more delightful than Rose. Of course, the other thing this author does so well is evoke the atmosphere of a Paris unseen by tourists, making the reading a satisfying, visual experience.
The question of who and what Rose is permeates the entire story. She's an ethereal being and I spent a lot of time wondering if she was meant to be real. She lives alone in a Paris apartment opposite Stella, teaching and playing beautiful music, creating exquisite patchwork quilts by candlelight (she shuns electricity) and talking to the birds.
It is when Stella's canary, Topaz escapes through the window that Stella first meets Rose. Unable the resist the attraction Rose has over all living creatures, Topaz leaves his tree and flies into her hands, and that's the beginning of a rather haunting friendship.
There is a beautiful poignancy about the way this story unfolds around the two almost-tragic females who find friendship in a world in which they are both slightly out of kilter. Bilingual Stella escapes from an overbearing mother, academic father, not-too-loveable brother and an unhappy love affair, into a Paris apartment she purchases with her beloved grandmother's legacy. She yearns to love and be loved and after meeting Rose, embarks on another love affair with Rose's friend, Olivier, ignoring all the hints that her fragile heart is again at serious risk.
Of Rose, Stella tells her father, "People are drawn to her, but somehow they're scared of her at the same time." This sums up everyone's attitude towards the tormented Rose and the reader longs to know more about her and for the other characters to understand and accept this strange and rather wonderful creature in the same way the birds do with their unquestioning adoration.
It's always difficult, when writing a review, to say enough to interest other readers but not too much to give away 'spoilers', so I'm reluctant to say more about the events and mar the reading experience for others. And it's a reading experience I highly recommend. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and when I was reading, I was mesmerised by the raw, often grim Parisian atmosphere and the colourful, diverse characters. The story is beautifully told and weaves a magical spell that held me enthralled from beginning to end. Read it - enjoy the magic.
Narrated by Stella, all events are filtered through her consciousness, but as seems to happen with Doolaege's novels, the POV character takes something of a back seat in order to turn the spotlight on other characters. There are some marvellous characters in 'Candlepower', though none more delightful than Rose. Of course, the other thing this author does so well is evoke the atmosphere of a Paris unseen by tourists, making the reading a satisfying, visual experience.
The question of who and what Rose is permeates the entire story. She's an ethereal being and I spent a lot of time wondering if she was meant to be real. She lives alone in a Paris apartment opposite Stella, teaching and playing beautiful music, creating exquisite patchwork quilts by candlelight (she shuns electricity) and talking to the birds.
It is when Stella's canary, Topaz escapes through the window that Stella first meets Rose. Unable the resist the attraction Rose has over all living creatures, Topaz leaves his tree and flies into her hands, and that's the beginning of a rather haunting friendship.
There is a beautiful poignancy about the way this story unfolds around the two almost-tragic females who find friendship in a world in which they are both slightly out of kilter. Bilingual Stella escapes from an overbearing mother, academic father, not-too-loveable brother and an unhappy love affair, into a Paris apartment she purchases with her beloved grandmother's legacy. She yearns to love and be loved and after meeting Rose, embarks on another love affair with Rose's friend, Olivier, ignoring all the hints that her fragile heart is again at serious risk.
Of Rose, Stella tells her father, "People are drawn to her, but somehow they're scared of her at the same time." This sums up everyone's attitude towards the tormented Rose and the reader longs to know more about her and for the other characters to understand and accept this strange and rather wonderful creature in the same way the birds do with their unquestioning adoration.
It's always difficult, when writing a review, to say enough to interest other readers but not too much to give away 'spoilers', so I'm reluctant to say more about the events and mar the reading experience for others. And it's a reading experience I highly recommend. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and when I was reading, I was mesmerised by the raw, often grim Parisian atmosphere and the colourful, diverse characters. The story is beautifully told and weaves a magical spell that held me enthralled from beginning to end. Read it - enjoy the magic.
April 11, 2015
An Unusual Book
The story is set in Paris and is narrated by Stella who is recovering from a broken relationship. When her canary, Topaz, escapes she meets Rose who lives in an apartment opposite. And so begins a special friendship.
The reader is intrigued by Rose, who lives an old-fashioned existence without electricity and the modern amenities that affords. She sits by candlelight and stitches beautiful quilts. Birds cannot resist her. They fly in at her window and when she walks down the street they follow her and sometimes alight on her shoulder. She is mysterious, never revealing anything about her own life or her family. And it seems it’s not just that she doesn’t want to join the modern age, but that electrical items actually break when she is near them. Not unsurprisingly, many of her neighbours regard her with a kind of superstitious fear.
The reader is also pulled in by the relationship Stella pursues with a man to whom she’s strongly drawn and yet isn’t quite sure why and she can’t quite work out how he feels for her. There also seems to be something strange going on between him and Rose, but were they ever together? Is Rose bothered by the relationship?
This is a very well-written book with just the right amount of tension and intrigue.
The story is set in Paris and is narrated by Stella who is recovering from a broken relationship. When her canary, Topaz, escapes she meets Rose who lives in an apartment opposite. And so begins a special friendship.
The reader is intrigued by Rose, who lives an old-fashioned existence without electricity and the modern amenities that affords. She sits by candlelight and stitches beautiful quilts. Birds cannot resist her. They fly in at her window and when she walks down the street they follow her and sometimes alight on her shoulder. She is mysterious, never revealing anything about her own life or her family. And it seems it’s not just that she doesn’t want to join the modern age, but that electrical items actually break when she is near them. Not unsurprisingly, many of her neighbours regard her with a kind of superstitious fear.
The reader is also pulled in by the relationship Stella pursues with a man to whom she’s strongly drawn and yet isn’t quite sure why and she can’t quite work out how he feels for her. There also seems to be something strange going on between him and Rose, but were they ever together? Is Rose bothered by the relationship?
This is a very well-written book with just the right amount of tension and intrigue.
January 9, 2016
Janet Doolaege created a mesmerizing spell of narrative in A Paris Haunting. But she has surpassed that novel with the magic of her story and characters of Candlepower.
There is something hypnotic about Janet Doolaege's narrative pace and the timing with which she drops clues; both plot and characters draw you in, irresistibly. And there is always that break in the narrative, where one feels the narrative tensions dissipate, and then the magic begins once again, winding the tension until it is at a breaking point. Stella's visit to England takes the reader completely out of the mystery and romance of Paris, only to drop him/her back into the intricate triangle of Rose, Olivier and Stella.
Janet Doolaege is an unclaimed treasure as an author -- read and discover her for yourself. You won't be able to put her books down!
There is something hypnotic about Janet Doolaege's narrative pace and the timing with which she drops clues; both plot and characters draw you in, irresistibly. And there is always that break in the narrative, where one feels the narrative tensions dissipate, and then the magic begins once again, winding the tension until it is at a breaking point. Stella's visit to England takes the reader completely out of the mystery and romance of Paris, only to drop him/her back into the intricate triangle of Rose, Olivier and Stella.
Janet Doolaege is an unclaimed treasure as an author -- read and discover her for yourself. You won't be able to put her books down!
May 17, 2015
The story is set in Paris France, Stella is a bit of a social outcast.She meets Rose her neighbor. Stella is fascinated by Rose and they become friends.Rose is mysterious, and some find her a bit odd.Rose does not believe in modern luxuries, Such as electricity but she does love birds and making quilts. As the two become friends, Stella faces some of her inner struggles and even falls for a young man named Oliver.A very well written story told from Stella's point of view. I really loved Stella and Rose has a certain mystique about her. A fascinating magical tale.
July 23, 2019
This is a great read. A gentle story with that hard to put down feeling. Insightful and with an easy to follow timeline. Janet Doolaege takes the reader and leads them through the book, maintaining that page turning feeling.
December 27, 2014
This story is a tapestry of its own, mixing in vivid landscapes of Paris life with emotional descriptions of living in a foreign city. It is a magical story told by a talented musician named Stella. Stella is in the process of finding what she really wants out of life in her career, all while avoiding being lonely at the same time. She is from a family of dual backgrounds, her mother is French and her father is English. Living in Paris after her grandmother leaves her an inheritance, Stella works in an office, but her true passion occurs at home with her guitar.
Stella lives with her beautiful conarry Topaz, who flies free one day out of her open window. She races outside to find him being coaxed out of the tree by a mysterious woman named Rose. This is where the story truly begins. Rose is a peculiar woman who sews beautiful coats and quilts, and she also teaches piano lessons. There is something quite attractive about Rose and almost all are drawn to her, people and animals alike. We also meet Oliver through Rose, who Stella finds very attractive but in a totally different way.
There is some definite heartbreaking moments throughout this story. However, by the time I was over halfway finished with book, I was pleasantly surprised by the feeling of optimism exploding from within Stella.
I was captivated by Ms. Doolaege's writing and how she draws you into her story, feeding you with each passage. I truly could not put this book down and stayed up late several nights engrossed in its pages. There seems to be a continuation story that can be made from the ending of this one, and I will anxiously wait for its publication.
Stella lives with her beautiful conarry Topaz, who flies free one day out of her open window. She races outside to find him being coaxed out of the tree by a mysterious woman named Rose. This is where the story truly begins. Rose is a peculiar woman who sews beautiful coats and quilts, and she also teaches piano lessons. There is something quite attractive about Rose and almost all are drawn to her, people and animals alike. We also meet Oliver through Rose, who Stella finds very attractive but in a totally different way.
There is some definite heartbreaking moments throughout this story. However, by the time I was over halfway finished with book, I was pleasantly surprised by the feeling of optimism exploding from within Stella.
I was captivated by Ms. Doolaege's writing and how she draws you into her story, feeding you with each passage. I truly could not put this book down and stayed up late several nights engrossed in its pages. There seems to be a continuation story that can be made from the ending of this one, and I will anxiously wait for its publication.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews