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The Shell Seekers
At the end of a long and useful life, Penelope Keeling's prized possession is The Shell Seekers, painted by her father, and symbolizing her unconventional life, from bohemian childhood to wartime romance. When her grown children learn their grandfather's work is now worth a fortune, each has an idea as to what Penelope should do. But as she recalls the passions, tragedies, and secrets of her life, she knows there is only one answer...and it lies in her heart.
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First published December 15, 1987
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About the author
Rosamunde Pilcher
170 books3,084 followersRosamunde 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).
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).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,506 reviews
June 11, 2007
There's something about this book that always makes me resolve to move to Cornwall, bake lots of bread and have an enormous flower garden, and spend the rest of my days painting huge swathes of light on the beaches. That aside, this is one book that I regularly read every six months and love each time. I don't know how to describe it. Just go read it.
February 22, 2022
I seldom find myself blubbering over a book anymore. I used to do it when I was younger, but my insides seem to have toughened as I have aged. My sentimental side is harder to access, and even when a book evokes strong feelings I do not really cry. Well, Pilcher put the lie to that today. I cried like I was 15 again, felt foolish doing it, and felt clean and empty afterward.
OK, maybe I was just needing a good cry. It happens. But, there was something very touching in the way Pilcher presented this story; a truthfulness that made it special. It was a re-read, but goodness knows almost thirty years between reads made it brand new in many ways.
I thought of my own mother when I read these lines: "Yes, she was lovely. But more than that, she was warm and funny and loving. Hot-tempered one moment, and laughing the next. And she could make a home anywhere. She carried a sort of security about with her. I can't think of a single person who didn't love her. I still think about her every day of my life. Sometimes she seems very dead. And other times, I can't believe that she isn't somewhere in the house and that a door won't open and she'll be there."
For me, she nailed what it is to lose someone you truly love.
And this passage that might be best understood by someone my own age, and yet I know I must have understood it even when I was so young, reading this for the first time:
"A ring was the accepted sign of infinity, eternity. If her own life was that carefully described pencil line, she knew all at once that the two ends were drawing close together. I have come full circle, she told herself, and wondered what had happened to all the years. It was a question which, from time to time, caused her some anxiety and left her fretting with a dreadful sense of waste. But now, it seemed, the question had become irrelevant, and so the answer, whatever it was, was no longer of any importance."
Rosamunde Pilcher must have loved deeply, lost someone very close, known greedy and intemperate people, turned the earth in her own garden, shared meals with irreplaceable friends, and embraced a few kindred spirits in her day. She knows all those things too well to have made them up out of air. And, to some extent, that is what we all know of life. The details, the little things that make it bearable, the larger things that make it seems impossible to live through, these are the hallmarks of humanity. In the end, perhaps I cry not for the characters in a book but for myself.
OK, maybe I was just needing a good cry. It happens. But, there was something very touching in the way Pilcher presented this story; a truthfulness that made it special. It was a re-read, but goodness knows almost thirty years between reads made it brand new in many ways.
I thought of my own mother when I read these lines: "Yes, she was lovely. But more than that, she was warm and funny and loving. Hot-tempered one moment, and laughing the next. And she could make a home anywhere. She carried a sort of security about with her. I can't think of a single person who didn't love her. I still think about her every day of my life. Sometimes she seems very dead. And other times, I can't believe that she isn't somewhere in the house and that a door won't open and she'll be there."
For me, she nailed what it is to lose someone you truly love.
And this passage that might be best understood by someone my own age, and yet I know I must have understood it even when I was so young, reading this for the first time:
"A ring was the accepted sign of infinity, eternity. If her own life was that carefully described pencil line, she knew all at once that the two ends were drawing close together. I have come full circle, she told herself, and wondered what had happened to all the years. It was a question which, from time to time, caused her some anxiety and left her fretting with a dreadful sense of waste. But now, it seemed, the question had become irrelevant, and so the answer, whatever it was, was no longer of any importance."
Rosamunde Pilcher must have loved deeply, lost someone very close, known greedy and intemperate people, turned the earth in her own garden, shared meals with irreplaceable friends, and embraced a few kindred spirits in her day. She knows all those things too well to have made them up out of air. And, to some extent, that is what we all know of life. The details, the little things that make it bearable, the larger things that make it seems impossible to live through, these are the hallmarks of humanity. In the end, perhaps I cry not for the characters in a book but for myself.
February 14, 2017
"The most ordinary of prospects caused her to stop and stare. The last of the leaves dropped from the trees, and the bare branches made lace against pale skies. Sun after rain turned cobbled streets blue as fish scales, dazzling to the eye. Autumn winds, whipping the bay to a scud of white-caps, brought with them, not cold, but a surging sense of vitality…"
Penelope Keeling knows how to live life to the fullest and I absolutely adore her! She grasps those things that matter most in life – the comfort of a home, the security of a loving mother, the laughter of friends and family, the feel of soil and the beauty of the outdoors, the enticing smells of home-cooked meals, and the allure of a splendid painting. When I come across a character in one of my books that touches me and makes me want to re-examine my own life, then I know I have found a gem.
Of course, we’re all familiar with the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of that offense in the past and no less so with this book. I have seen Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels in bookstores and libraries and have admittedly walked right on by due to their overly feminine and botanic covers. I didn’t think they were "my sort of book". However, I decided to give this one a try when I discovered some trusted Goodreads friends were reading this. Well, thank goodness I did – such a true delight! At the outset, we learn that Penelope is a sixty-four-year old widow that has had a surprise glimpse at her own mortality. We are introduced to her three adult children – Nancy, Olivia and Noel - as well as others that have touched her life at some point or another – her treasured mother and father, an ill-suited husband, a loyal friend, a devoted lover, a grieving young woman and a secretive yet trustworthy gardener. Each character is drawn with such depth and clarity that I felt I really knew each and every one of them. The title of this novel, The Shell Seekers, derives from a painting given to Penelope by her father, the prominent artist Lawrence Stern. When the now deceased Lawrence Stern’s works of art become much sought-after, the value of this and other pieces increases significantly. Each of Penelope’s children have their own thoughts about what should be done with this and other works in their mother’s possession. What they desire reveals to us much about each of them, their innermost substance. As with real people, what we see is not all pretty. Pilcher has the gift of depicting riveting family dynamics. "Family rows are like car accidents. Every family thinks, ‘It couldn’t happen to us,’ but it can happen to everybody. The only way to avoid them is to drive with the greatest care and have much consideration for others."
Penelope makes a journey to Cornwall, both in spirit and literally, where she sweeps us along to revel in the landscape and her own cherished memories. I loved every minute of this visit and will miss my time spent with Penelope. Heart-warming, memorable, and a bit of a tear-jerker, The Shell Seekers is a treasure I won’t soon forget. I am quite pleased that several more Rosamunde Pilcher novels now grace my bookshelf with their blossoming covers and their promise of comfort and pure reading satisfaction.
Penelope Keeling knows how to live life to the fullest and I absolutely adore her! She grasps those things that matter most in life – the comfort of a home, the security of a loving mother, the laughter of friends and family, the feel of soil and the beauty of the outdoors, the enticing smells of home-cooked meals, and the allure of a splendid painting. When I come across a character in one of my books that touches me and makes me want to re-examine my own life, then I know I have found a gem.
Of course, we’re all familiar with the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of that offense in the past and no less so with this book. I have seen Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels in bookstores and libraries and have admittedly walked right on by due to their overly feminine and botanic covers. I didn’t think they were "my sort of book". However, I decided to give this one a try when I discovered some trusted Goodreads friends were reading this. Well, thank goodness I did – such a true delight! At the outset, we learn that Penelope is a sixty-four-year old widow that has had a surprise glimpse at her own mortality. We are introduced to her three adult children – Nancy, Olivia and Noel - as well as others that have touched her life at some point or another – her treasured mother and father, an ill-suited husband, a loyal friend, a devoted lover, a grieving young woman and a secretive yet trustworthy gardener. Each character is drawn with such depth and clarity that I felt I really knew each and every one of them. The title of this novel, The Shell Seekers, derives from a painting given to Penelope by her father, the prominent artist Lawrence Stern. When the now deceased Lawrence Stern’s works of art become much sought-after, the value of this and other pieces increases significantly. Each of Penelope’s children have their own thoughts about what should be done with this and other works in their mother’s possession. What they desire reveals to us much about each of them, their innermost substance. As with real people, what we see is not all pretty. Pilcher has the gift of depicting riveting family dynamics. "Family rows are like car accidents. Every family thinks, ‘It couldn’t happen to us,’ but it can happen to everybody. The only way to avoid them is to drive with the greatest care and have much consideration for others."
Penelope makes a journey to Cornwall, both in spirit and literally, where she sweeps us along to revel in the landscape and her own cherished memories. I loved every minute of this visit and will miss my time spent with Penelope. Heart-warming, memorable, and a bit of a tear-jerker, The Shell Seekers is a treasure I won’t soon forget. I am quite pleased that several more Rosamunde Pilcher novels now grace my bookshelf with their blossoming covers and their promise of comfort and pure reading satisfaction.
June 9, 2025
“She believed, of course ... because without something to believe in, life would be intolerable.”
The Shell Seekers ~~ Rosamunde Pilcher
I definitely was not excited to read The Shell Seekers. My mother had chosen it for her book club; telling us, it was one of her favorite books of all time. I foolishly viewed this as a woman's book, no, an old woman's book.
How wrong I was. I absolutely loved The Shell Seekers. My only regret is that I hadn't visited the worlds created by Rosamunde Pilcher sooner.
I was sucked into this world from the start. I loved Penelope from the opening paragraph, and loved how her story progressed. I also loved that this story was told in nonlinear fashion, and each chapter focused on a character who moved through Penelope's life. And yet, this is Penelope Keeling’s story from start to finish ~~ even when she is not present.
Penelope is a stylish, elegant woman even in her well-worn, often shabby clothes. Her generosity, hard work, joie de vivre, understanding, and caring for others never seems to falter. Penelope shines like a golden thread in the tapestry of her life and the lives of others. She loves unconditionally, rises above mistakes ~~ both hers and those of others; she makes do with what life has given her.
Penelope's philosophy is that money buys, not just material things, but it also buys freedom, independence, dignity, learning, and time. As she ages, she comes to believe that the greatest gift a parent can give the children is to maintain one’s independence, be self-reliant, and not witless ~~ a lesson she learned from her father.
As we journey with Penelope we view her life through both the best of times, and the difficult times. Through it all, we witness what a strong, caring woman, wonderful woman she is.
We experience Penelope's life in Cornwall, growing up her artist father and her French mother Sophie, We come to know the village and her people; we meet Doris and her two sons, evacuees of WWII. Later, we visit London and Spain through Penelope's eyes. We see Penelope as she experiencing living in her daughter Olivia's world and meet her friends Cosmo and Antonia. We become absorbed in the never-ending conflicts of her other two children, Nancy and Noel. In her old age we experience the wonderful gift Antonia and her young friend Danus bring to her.
Penelope's story reveals so much of human nature, of who we are. The Shell Seekers has charms all its own, and you definitely should experience these charms.
The Shell Seekers ~~ Rosamunde Pilcher
I definitely was not excited to read The Shell Seekers. My mother had chosen it for her book club; telling us, it was one of her favorite books of all time. I foolishly viewed this as a woman's book, no, an old woman's book.
How wrong I was. I absolutely loved The Shell Seekers. My only regret is that I hadn't visited the worlds created by Rosamunde Pilcher sooner.
I was sucked into this world from the start. I loved Penelope from the opening paragraph, and loved how her story progressed. I also loved that this story was told in nonlinear fashion, and each chapter focused on a character who moved through Penelope's life. And yet, this is Penelope Keeling’s story from start to finish ~~ even when she is not present.
Penelope is a stylish, elegant woman even in her well-worn, often shabby clothes. Her generosity, hard work, joie de vivre, understanding, and caring for others never seems to falter. Penelope shines like a golden thread in the tapestry of her life and the lives of others. She loves unconditionally, rises above mistakes ~~ both hers and those of others; she makes do with what life has given her.
Penelope's philosophy is that money buys, not just material things, but it also buys freedom, independence, dignity, learning, and time. As she ages, she comes to believe that the greatest gift a parent can give the children is to maintain one’s independence, be self-reliant, and not witless ~~ a lesson she learned from her father.
As we journey with Penelope we view her life through both the best of times, and the difficult times. Through it all, we witness what a strong, caring woman, wonderful woman she is.
We experience Penelope's life in Cornwall, growing up her artist father and her French mother Sophie, We come to know the village and her people; we meet Doris and her two sons, evacuees of WWII. Later, we visit London and Spain through Penelope's eyes. We see Penelope as she experiencing living in her daughter Olivia's world and meet her friends Cosmo and Antonia. We become absorbed in the never-ending conflicts of her other two children, Nancy and Noel. In her old age we experience the wonderful gift Antonia and her young friend Danus bring to her.
Penelope's story reveals so much of human nature, of who we are. The Shell Seekers has charms all its own, and you definitely should experience these charms.
October 8, 2024
This vast family drama centres on the life of Penelope. The story begins with her discharging herself from hospital after a suspecteded heart attack. If you read this, you’ll be struck by Penelope, I guarantee it. You will find no spirit freer, and no person as accepting as dear Penelope.
Nancy, Olivia, and Noel are her three adult children. Olivia, a publishing executive was my favourite – clear headed, ambitious, business-like, sensible and the closest to her mother. The other two – Nancy, is a bubbling mess of self-indulged emotion with a bland husband and two spoiled children. The son Noel is a selfish man, money-oriented and out for what he can get. Both Nancy and Noel are as annoying as can be.
Each chapter centres around one of the many characters in this book and is titled as such. The cast is large and varied. Looking back, we learn about her parents, her father, a famous artist (the painter of The Shell Seekers) and her mother, a young French woman. The painting, and other works by her father become central to this story as Penelope enters her sixties, as two of her children are keen to reap the benefits of their sale value – which is considerable. The family squabbles are so real.
Penelope marries an annoying man called Ambrose, and she has a love affair with a man named Richard during WWII. Penelope and Richard seem to be a match made in heaven.
There is everything you would expect in this almost seven-hundred-page family saga – however, love and loss predominates.
This writer did such a brilliant job of breathing life into these characters, To the extent the last fifty pages is one of the most emotional and riveting passages of a book I have read.
Heartbreaking, blissful, triumphant.
5 Stars
Nancy, Olivia, and Noel are her three adult children. Olivia, a publishing executive was my favourite – clear headed, ambitious, business-like, sensible and the closest to her mother. The other two – Nancy, is a bubbling mess of self-indulged emotion with a bland husband and two spoiled children. The son Noel is a selfish man, money-oriented and out for what he can get. Both Nancy and Noel are as annoying as can be.
Each chapter centres around one of the many characters in this book and is titled as such. The cast is large and varied. Looking back, we learn about her parents, her father, a famous artist (the painter of The Shell Seekers) and her mother, a young French woman. The painting, and other works by her father become central to this story as Penelope enters her sixties, as two of her children are keen to reap the benefits of their sale value – which is considerable. The family squabbles are so real.
Penelope marries an annoying man called Ambrose, and she has a love affair with a man named Richard during WWII. Penelope and Richard seem to be a match made in heaven.
There is everything you would expect in this almost seven-hundred-page family saga – however, love and loss predominates.
This writer did such a brilliant job of breathing life into these characters, To the extent the last fifty pages is one of the most emotional and riveting passages of a book I have read.
Heartbreaking, blissful, triumphant.
5 Stars
August 7, 2009
From its supermarket cover (have you seen it? It felt embarrassing to have such a romantically embossed book in my hands) to its one-dimensional characters, the entire book reminded me of a heavyweight beach read.
So....what should get a "nice summer read" review instead trips me up for weeks, unable to write anything about this book and a dozen others because I'm forced to question my reasoning. Why do I feel so bad about being critical of this book? Mostly, I think it's because many friends and readers I know love this book. But, I also think my stupor of thought is a result of a former self once being able to love this book. My tastes have changed.
It's frustrating, because I think the themes Pilcher wrote about are serious enough to do well. Inheritance, greed, sentimentality, playing favorites with children, staying in a loveless marriage, putting a relationship that never fully developed on a pedestal because it escaped the inevitable boredom, irritation, and complacency that all relationships eventually go through. These are things you don't usually find underneath a flowery cover.
Overall, The Shell Seekers didn't feel wholly honest to me. The situations did have a semblance of reality. I imagine most of us would have some serious introspection if we discovered a piece of art we owned was suddenly very valuable, especially any art we owned that was created by a beloved relative. However, the characters, written as people who you should like (Penelope, Olivia, Richard), or who you should not like (Nancy, Neil, horrible grandmother and husband whose names I can't remember) didn't have motives - or at least any that I understood. It appears to me that Pilcher confused having the coveted flawed character with having bad characters. Just because a character makes bad choices shouldn't make them bad. I wanted to know why Nancy and Neil cared more about money than their grandfather's painting. Was Neil a gambler and in debt and needed cash? Did Nancy think her marriage would fall apart if she didn't continue to be the lavish bride that her grandmother turned her into?
Why in the world would Penelope stay in her never-should-have-happened-marriage when the author has done her best to describe her as a free-spirit, raised by an athiest father and French mother who both could have cared less if she married the father of her baby or took a lover while her husband (who she hoped would either die or leave her for someone else) was at war, who placed a nontraditional value to things (wasn't that the point of the the symbolic painting? Most people would care to know how much it was worth. But not Penelope, who would rather garden and feed people large meals)? Why were Neil and Nancy so shallow and greedy? Because they were genetically like their father and grandmother (who were also inexplicably bad)? Why did Olivia get such a free pass from her mother? Why did we have to invest so much time with her in Greece with her old and linen-clad lover (who I kept imaging as Kris Kristofferson. Odd)? Was I supposed to really care about her gardener's epilepsy?
So many more questions that have no satisfying answers because, once again, I don't think this is meant as a serious book. In which case, I'm being snobby and critical. Or it was meant as a serious book and I'm being picky and callous. Or snobby and critical. Take your pick.
Oh my...this is such a bad book review. For the confused, I'll tidy things up. I enjoyed the book. I'm disappointed it wasn't more.
And that worries me.
Because that means I'm a book snob
Oh....curse you, Shell Seekers! Why did I ever open your abysmal cover with flowers and shiny typeface?
Why? Because there's a well known saying about books and their covers. And I fell for it.
So....what should get a "nice summer read" review instead trips me up for weeks, unable to write anything about this book and a dozen others because I'm forced to question my reasoning. Why do I feel so bad about being critical of this book? Mostly, I think it's because many friends and readers I know love this book. But, I also think my stupor of thought is a result of a former self once being able to love this book. My tastes have changed.
It's frustrating, because I think the themes Pilcher wrote about are serious enough to do well. Inheritance, greed, sentimentality, playing favorites with children, staying in a loveless marriage, putting a relationship that never fully developed on a pedestal because it escaped the inevitable boredom, irritation, and complacency that all relationships eventually go through. These are things you don't usually find underneath a flowery cover.
Overall, The Shell Seekers didn't feel wholly honest to me. The situations did have a semblance of reality. I imagine most of us would have some serious introspection if we discovered a piece of art we owned was suddenly very valuable, especially any art we owned that was created by a beloved relative. However, the characters, written as people who you should like (Penelope, Olivia, Richard), or who you should not like (Nancy, Neil, horrible grandmother and husband whose names I can't remember) didn't have motives - or at least any that I understood. It appears to me that Pilcher confused having the coveted flawed character with having bad characters. Just because a character makes bad choices shouldn't make them bad. I wanted to know why Nancy and Neil cared more about money than their grandfather's painting. Was Neil a gambler and in debt and needed cash? Did Nancy think her marriage would fall apart if she didn't continue to be the lavish bride that her grandmother turned her into?
Why in the world would Penelope stay in her never-should-have-happened-marriage when the author has done her best to describe her as a free-spirit, raised by an athiest father and French mother who both could have cared less if she married the father of her baby or took a lover while her husband (who she hoped would either die or leave her for someone else) was at war, who placed a nontraditional value to things (wasn't that the point of the the symbolic painting? Most people would care to know how much it was worth. But not Penelope, who would rather garden and feed people large meals)? Why were Neil and Nancy so shallow and greedy? Because they were genetically like their father and grandmother (who were also inexplicably bad)? Why did Olivia get such a free pass from her mother? Why did we have to invest so much time with her in Greece with her old and linen-clad lover (who I kept imaging as Kris Kristofferson. Odd)? Was I supposed to really care about her gardener's epilepsy?
So many more questions that have no satisfying answers because, once again, I don't think this is meant as a serious book. In which case, I'm being snobby and critical. Or it was meant as a serious book and I'm being picky and callous. Or snobby and critical. Take your pick.
Oh my...this is such a bad book review. For the confused, I'll tidy things up. I enjoyed the book. I'm disappointed it wasn't more.
And that worries me.
Because that means I'm a book snob
Oh....curse you, Shell Seekers! Why did I ever open your abysmal cover with flowers and shiny typeface?
Why? Because there's a well known saying about books and their covers. And I fell for it.
June 20, 2009
I thought this book would be better for all its NYT Book Review (and other) praise, but it wasn't. Ostensibly a sprawling family saga centring around matriarch Penelope, it's basically the same 2 or 3 characters with different names playing out over three generations.
If you're a "good" character, then you're independent, stubborn, glossy haired, tall, beautiful. You love France, holiday in Spain, dream of Cornwall, and believe in children out of wedlock and monied bohemian lifestyles (but not too monied, nor do you care too much about cashola, but it doesn't matter because it will come pouring down in the hundreds of thousands anyway). You know and namedrop all the same (white) (western) painters and authors. You joined the war effort due to the "cultured refugee faced" (I kid you not) Jews who rent rooms in your massive inherited London mansion. You are or love gardeners or artists or offspring of artists. You have a 50% chance of dying in the great war.
If you're a "bad" character, you endlessly harp on class and money and other selfish concerns. You have no interest in intimacy or art or any higher calling than social climbing and your awful ugly children and awful ugly spouse or your anorexic supermodel lover of the mo. You are either ugly and empty or beautiful and empty. You hate gardeners.
Everyone, regardless of integrity or intention, wants a scotch and soda.
So why did I plow through 500+ pages of this? And even tear up at moments? Because the idea of lives fully lived is a powerful one and Ms. Pilcher tells a well paced story, even if it is written in a hackneyed trashy romance style. Certainly it wasn't hard to blow through, and it was sort of fun watching all the foils of the story unfold in mediocrity. I left my copy in Newark Airport on top of the recycling bin for someone else to take it up or pitch it in.
If you're a "good" character, then you're independent, stubborn, glossy haired, tall, beautiful. You love France, holiday in Spain, dream of Cornwall, and believe in children out of wedlock and monied bohemian lifestyles (but not too monied, nor do you care too much about cashola, but it doesn't matter because it will come pouring down in the hundreds of thousands anyway). You know and namedrop all the same (white) (western) painters and authors. You joined the war effort due to the "cultured refugee faced" (I kid you not) Jews who rent rooms in your massive inherited London mansion. You are or love gardeners or artists or offspring of artists. You have a 50% chance of dying in the great war.
If you're a "bad" character, you endlessly harp on class and money and other selfish concerns. You have no interest in intimacy or art or any higher calling than social climbing and your awful ugly children and awful ugly spouse or your anorexic supermodel lover of the mo. You are either ugly and empty or beautiful and empty. You hate gardeners.
Everyone, regardless of integrity or intention, wants a scotch and soda.
So why did I plow through 500+ pages of this? And even tear up at moments? Because the idea of lives fully lived is a powerful one and Ms. Pilcher tells a well paced story, even if it is written in a hackneyed trashy romance style. Certainly it wasn't hard to blow through, and it was sort of fun watching all the foils of the story unfold in mediocrity. I left my copy in Newark Airport on top of the recycling bin for someone else to take it up or pitch it in.
July 1, 2017
3.5 Stars
A beautifully written character driven novel about family and life, love and loss, greed and hope, a book that has the charm and eloquence of books from a bygone era, just a good old fashioned family saga, a story with real characters and places that are interesting and vivid.
I had never read a book by this author before and as a couple of Goodread friends have really enjoyed her novels and the fact I saw it on the BBC list of Top 100 books I just had to try one and I was in not disappointed by the story or the writing style as the characters and images in the novel are so well drawn with little details that bring a wonderful sense of time and place to the story which makes this novel so readable and enjoyable.
This is the type of novel that while it didn't move me or have me on the edge of my seat, I loved picking it up and spending time with the characters and just enjoyed the good feeling it gave me. It would make a terrific holiday read or a book for cosy winter nights by the fire, It the sort of book I will remember reading 10 years from now and still be able to recall the characters.
I did find the book a tad long but I am not a fan of long books anyhow but I am certainly looking forward to reading more by this author soon.
I bought a paperback edition of this novel and delighted to place this one on my bookshelf for future re-reading.
A beautifully written character driven novel about family and life, love and loss, greed and hope, a book that has the charm and eloquence of books from a bygone era, just a good old fashioned family saga, a story with real characters and places that are interesting and vivid.
I had never read a book by this author before and as a couple of Goodread friends have really enjoyed her novels and the fact I saw it on the BBC list of Top 100 books I just had to try one and I was in not disappointed by the story or the writing style as the characters and images in the novel are so well drawn with little details that bring a wonderful sense of time and place to the story which makes this novel so readable and enjoyable.
This is the type of novel that while it didn't move me or have me on the edge of my seat, I loved picking it up and spending time with the characters and just enjoyed the good feeling it gave me. It would make a terrific holiday read or a book for cosy winter nights by the fire, It the sort of book I will remember reading 10 years from now and still be able to recall the characters.
I did find the book a tad long but I am not a fan of long books anyhow but I am certainly looking forward to reading more by this author soon.
I bought a paperback edition of this novel and delighted to place this one on my bookshelf for future re-reading.
September 28, 2008
Rosamund Pilcher is consistently marketed via book jackets covered with flowers. I'm not sure why. On the surface, Pilcher's stories are nostalgic and evocative of magical other places where good things always happen to good people; but her novels and characters are consistently rich, complicated, and subtle. I've not read another author who could draw the infuriating imperfections and dysfunctions of family so accurately, or so compassionately. It's easy to admire, then almost despise, and then love her characters for being so very human.
The Shell Seekers, like so many of Pilcher's stories, is set in England, told from the vantage of a menagerie of characters whose lives are bound together by various ties of kinship and obligation. At first, one is content to get to know the cast as their various stories unfold, but little by little the pieces - and the people - come together, and by the end one realizes how incredibly tight this novel is.
It's the sort of novel that restores faith in life, and in fiction.
The Shell Seekers, like so many of Pilcher's stories, is set in England, told from the vantage of a menagerie of characters whose lives are bound together by various ties of kinship and obligation. At first, one is content to get to know the cast as their various stories unfold, but little by little the pieces - and the people - come together, and by the end one realizes how incredibly tight this novel is.
It's the sort of novel that restores faith in life, and in fiction.
July 27, 2025
I finished THE SHELL SEEKERS last night then woke up early this morning to water my garden before the oppressive summer heat set in, wondering how I wanted to approach this review.
The answer was given to me, almost immediately. Right at the top of my running playlist on my phone was “In My Life,” by the Beatles. The first musical offering of my day:
There are places I’ll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
If you’ve ever read this multigenerational epic from 1987, you will know, absolutely, that you’d be hard pressed to find any better lines to quickly summarize this 530 page story.
What we have here, really, is a masterpiece of storytelling. It wasn’t the characters that wowed me, nor the dialogue. It’s not that kind of book. Or, it wasn’t for me. This is all about STORY. Luckily, that’s one of my favorite topics.
This is the story of a young girl, a shell seeker, whose image was captured, early on, in a gorgeous painting by her regionally famous father, Lawrence Stern.
Lawrence Stern has been gone for years now; he was an older father to begin with, but his art has come back into fashion and wealthy Americans, in particular, are seeking what they can, of his work, and they are willing to pay outrageous sums for them. Our little shell seeker, Penelope, is 64-years-old now, and, as the only child of Lawrence Stern, she has not only pieces of his that have never been viewed before by strangers, but a secret cache of his work, to boot.
This artwork isn’t valuable to Penelope because a handful of American millionaires desire to possess it; it is meaningful to her because her parents were absolutely precious to her and the painting “The Shell Seekers” itself, which is casually positioned above Penelope’s sofa, is a source of instant peace for her.
Her adult children are of a different mindset. They’re “upwardly mobile,” spending their resources faster than they can replenish them. Penelope’s kids are wrapped up in the financial schemes of the current day, the 1980s, and don’t have any connection to the antiquated shell seekers of the 1920s and 1930s, or their creator.
They wish that Mom (Penelope) would sell everything, anything, and leave it all to them now, but they never take the time to find out why she’d never want to part with his work, or what her relationships were like, with these beloved parents.
What follows: complex dynamics between an adult widow and her grown children, complicated sibling rivalries, and a time capsule of a simpler time.
What may stay with me forever: a devastating argument between a mother and her adult children at her table, after a meal. So much was revealed in this scene, which was rife with miscommunication, unfair assumptions and layers of defensiveness.
I was disappointed by some of the “picture perfect” coincidences and a very underwhelming (and predictable) ending, but, all in all, I was so hip-deep in this story for about 10 days, I’d basically rub my eyes, emerging back into my reality, every time I paused in my reading.
I’m a richer person for having read this novel, and I truly appreciated Penelope’s attraction to those friends who are stewards of our earth and her natural repulsion for those who are motivated by materialism. I could absolutely relate to the pain that our generational wounding causes us, even the subconscious suffering, and I agree with Penelope, wholeheartedly, that I am never more restored than when I am praying in a garden.
I learned to live within myself, to grow flowers, to watch my children grow; to look at paintings and listen to music. The gentle powers. They are quite amazingly sustaining.
The answer was given to me, almost immediately. Right at the top of my running playlist on my phone was “In My Life,” by the Beatles. The first musical offering of my day:
There are places I’ll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
If you’ve ever read this multigenerational epic from 1987, you will know, absolutely, that you’d be hard pressed to find any better lines to quickly summarize this 530 page story.
What we have here, really, is a masterpiece of storytelling. It wasn’t the characters that wowed me, nor the dialogue. It’s not that kind of book. Or, it wasn’t for me. This is all about STORY. Luckily, that’s one of my favorite topics.
This is the story of a young girl, a shell seeker, whose image was captured, early on, in a gorgeous painting by her regionally famous father, Lawrence Stern.
Lawrence Stern has been gone for years now; he was an older father to begin with, but his art has come back into fashion and wealthy Americans, in particular, are seeking what they can, of his work, and they are willing to pay outrageous sums for them. Our little shell seeker, Penelope, is 64-years-old now, and, as the only child of Lawrence Stern, she has not only pieces of his that have never been viewed before by strangers, but a secret cache of his work, to boot.
This artwork isn’t valuable to Penelope because a handful of American millionaires desire to possess it; it is meaningful to her because her parents were absolutely precious to her and the painting “The Shell Seekers” itself, which is casually positioned above Penelope’s sofa, is a source of instant peace for her.
Her adult children are of a different mindset. They’re “upwardly mobile,” spending their resources faster than they can replenish them. Penelope’s kids are wrapped up in the financial schemes of the current day, the 1980s, and don’t have any connection to the antiquated shell seekers of the 1920s and 1930s, or their creator.
They wish that Mom (Penelope) would sell everything, anything, and leave it all to them now, but they never take the time to find out why she’d never want to part with his work, or what her relationships were like, with these beloved parents.
What follows: complex dynamics between an adult widow and her grown children, complicated sibling rivalries, and a time capsule of a simpler time.
What may stay with me forever: a devastating argument between a mother and her adult children at her table, after a meal. So much was revealed in this scene, which was rife with miscommunication, unfair assumptions and layers of defensiveness.
I was disappointed by some of the “picture perfect” coincidences and a very underwhelming (and predictable) ending, but, all in all, I was so hip-deep in this story for about 10 days, I’d basically rub my eyes, emerging back into my reality, every time I paused in my reading.
I’m a richer person for having read this novel, and I truly appreciated Penelope’s attraction to those friends who are stewards of our earth and her natural repulsion for those who are motivated by materialism. I could absolutely relate to the pain that our generational wounding causes us, even the subconscious suffering, and I agree with Penelope, wholeheartedly, that I am never more restored than when I am praying in a garden.
I learned to live within myself, to grow flowers, to watch my children grow; to look at paintings and listen to music. The gentle powers. They are quite amazingly sustaining.
March 1, 2012
This is one of my favorite books of all time, but I'd be hard-pressed to explain why. The criticisms of this book are true enough--semi-cliched characters and all--but I just love them. I love Penelope and this book makes me want to garden and cook soup and let everyone be themselves even if they're stuffy and stodgy or not at all in fashion. I love that her personal life is real, as in far from perfect--her societally correct husband was miserable and her true love wasn't allowed. I love that Antonia happens into Penelope's life and becomes inextricably linked and a better 'granddaughter' than her biological grandkids. One of my favorite lines is towards the end where it is said "Penelope may not believe in God, but I am quite sure that God believes in her..." This is a curl up in a chair with a mug of tea, blanket and wallow in the familiarity of it all kind of book.
I have read other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, and none of them had this same effect on me. There's just something about this story....
I have read other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, and none of them had this same effect on me. There's just something about this story....
October 14, 2025
Le sigh— this was quite simply one of my favorites reads of the year (so far). When you hear the words, “sweeping drama,” this is the kind of book that deserves that title.
Pilcher has created three generations of a family and set them in England between the 1920s and 1980s. She fills their lives with vivid locales, personal strife, family clashes, beloved art work, World War 2 deprivation and survival, sibling rivalry, loves, both gained and lost, and finally the meaning of “the ties that bind.”
Amidst all those life events and tragedies she sets one woman. We meet her as a child, a bride, a mother, a caretaker, and finally as an elderly woman. It’s a triumph of fiction and I understand why it was such a runaway hit when it was originally published in the ‘80s. I’m so glad I never read it until now (when I’m somewhere between caretaker and elderly) because I understand how life can be wonderfully bittersweet and terribly happy. And after reading this book, so will you.
Want to escape to the 20th century? I highly recommend this one! (I’d like to add, unlike some books, you’ll never miss the lack of technology. Cell phones or google searches wouldn’t have mattered…not once. Its themes are timeless.)
PS- I look forward to finding a copy of the movie starring Vanessa Redgrave. Seems a wonderful casting choice.
(Reviewed 6/28/25)
Pilcher has created three generations of a family and set them in England between the 1920s and 1980s. She fills their lives with vivid locales, personal strife, family clashes, beloved art work, World War 2 deprivation and survival, sibling rivalry, loves, both gained and lost, and finally the meaning of “the ties that bind.”
Amidst all those life events and tragedies she sets one woman. We meet her as a child, a bride, a mother, a caretaker, and finally as an elderly woman. It’s a triumph of fiction and I understand why it was such a runaway hit when it was originally published in the ‘80s. I’m so glad I never read it until now (when I’m somewhere between caretaker and elderly) because I understand how life can be wonderfully bittersweet and terribly happy. And after reading this book, so will you.
Want to escape to the 20th century? I highly recommend this one! (I’d like to add, unlike some books, you’ll never miss the lack of technology. Cell phones or google searches wouldn’t have mattered…not once. Its themes are timeless.)
PS- I look forward to finding a copy of the movie starring Vanessa Redgrave. Seems a wonderful casting choice.
(Reviewed 6/28/25)
March 7, 2017
From the blurb:
"Set in London and Cornwall from World War II to present(1983), The Shell Seekers tells the story of the Keeling family, and of the passions and heartbreak that have held them together for three generations. The family centers around Penelope, and it is her love, courage, and sense of values that determine the course of all their lives. Deftly shifting back and forth in time, each chapter centers on one of the principal players in the family's history. The unifying thread is an oil painting entitled "The Shell Seekers," done by Penelope's father. It is this painting that symbolizes to Penelope the ties between the generations. But it is the fate of this painting that just may tear the family apart.
I don't really want to write a review for this book, since it touched me so deeply, and I found such a connection with Penelope, that I would rather have talked about the bond of friendship we have formed! I almost felt like sitting down and write her a letter. It felt that personal.
In that spirit I can only conclude that it was a tremendous moment when I started reading this book by Rosamunde Pilcher. It was like opening the door to a very familiar home. Meave Binchy had this effect on me.
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher was my introduction to this author, and it was a unforgettably good experience.
We always talk about a light read to indicate the tone of a book. In this case it will have to be described as a medium read, since the horrors of war form part of the saga, but not as brutal and devastating as the violent counterparts by other authors. The book shows another side of WWII than the one we would normally encounter in historical fiction. A cup full of colorful petals is heaped onto an otherwise mono-colored part of history.
Recommended to family saga-readers.
"Set in London and Cornwall from World War II to present(1983), The Shell Seekers tells the story of the Keeling family, and of the passions and heartbreak that have held them together for three generations. The family centers around Penelope, and it is her love, courage, and sense of values that determine the course of all their lives. Deftly shifting back and forth in time, each chapter centers on one of the principal players in the family's history. The unifying thread is an oil painting entitled "The Shell Seekers," done by Penelope's father. It is this painting that symbolizes to Penelope the ties between the generations. But it is the fate of this painting that just may tear the family apart.
"Family rows are like car accidents. Every family thinks, ‘It couldn’t happen to us', but it can happen to everybody. The only way to avoid them is to drive with the greatest care and have much consideration for others."MY THOUGHTS
I don't really want to write a review for this book, since it touched me so deeply, and I found such a connection with Penelope, that I would rather have talked about the bond of friendship we have formed! I almost felt like sitting down and write her a letter. It felt that personal.
In that spirit I can only conclude that it was a tremendous moment when I started reading this book by Rosamunde Pilcher. It was like opening the door to a very familiar home. Meave Binchy had this effect on me.
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher was my introduction to this author, and it was a unforgettably good experience.
Perhaps you never completely grew up until your mother diedFamily saga; a story of a courageous woman; a compassionate tale of hardship and wonder; the making of a family; the bonds of blood and destiny. It's all there and written in tasteful and beautiful prose.
We always talk about a light read to indicate the tone of a book. In this case it will have to be described as a medium read, since the horrors of war form part of the saga, but not as brutal and devastating as the violent counterparts by other authors. The book shows another side of WWII than the one we would normally encounter in historical fiction. A cup full of colorful petals is heaped onto an otherwise mono-colored part of history.
Recommended to family saga-readers.
February 26, 2019
An older woman looks back on her life, thinks about her family, and tries to decide what to do with a valuable painting that she's inherited from her father, an artist.
I read this back in the day and honestly don't remember any of the details, but I do remember enjoying this read.
I read this back in the day and honestly don't remember any of the details, but I do remember enjoying this read.
November 8, 2023
Penelope Keeling is sixty four, she’s just had a heart attack and it makes her reflect on her life. She’s the daughter of the famous Victorian era artist Lawrence Stern, her mother Sophie was French and they lived a free spirited life in London and Cornwall. Hers was a happy childhood, filled with love and her parents had so many wonderful and interesting friends. I guess she was a little naïve, she fell for and married the first man she dated Ambrose Keeling and it was a big mistake. She had three children, Nancy, Olivia and Noel and her children are all very different in temperament.
Penelope has always been independent, she lives in a cottage in Gloucestershire, with a beautiful garden and now her children are worried it’s too much for her. Penelope is a wonderful cook, she loves to entertain and finds young people refreshing. Two of her children discover their grandfather’s painting are going up in value, is their mother sensible enough to look after them and how much are they worth? Penelope isn’t silly, she’s one step ahead of her kids, if anyone decides what becomes of her father’s paintings and sketches it will be her.
The Shell Seekers is a classic book, a long one and each page has been written to be slowly savored by the reader. A masterpiece by Rosamunde Pilcher, rich in characters and places, it’s about life, Penelope lives hers to the fullest, and she’s delightful. A timeless novel to read and five stars from me.
Penelope has always been independent, she lives in a cottage in Gloucestershire, with a beautiful garden and now her children are worried it’s too much for her. Penelope is a wonderful cook, she loves to entertain and finds young people refreshing. Two of her children discover their grandfather’s painting are going up in value, is their mother sensible enough to look after them and how much are they worth? Penelope isn’t silly, she’s one step ahead of her kids, if anyone decides what becomes of her father’s paintings and sketches it will be her.
The Shell Seekers is a classic book, a long one and each page has been written to be slowly savored by the reader. A masterpiece by Rosamunde Pilcher, rich in characters and places, it’s about life, Penelope lives hers to the fullest, and she’s delightful. A timeless novel to read and five stars from me.
May 20, 2010
You really can't judge a book by its cover.
People have recommended Rosamunde Pilcher's books to me for years, and I refused to read them because all the covers looked like they had been marinated in mothballs. But after spying "The Shell Seekers" on the BBC's "The Big Read: Top 100 Books," I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. Annoyingly, several people had put it on reserve at the library before me, so by the time I received it, I wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as I had been when I had originally ordered it. To add insult to injury, my copy had a cover that resembled a fussy spinster's guest room wallpaper. I literally had to fight the urge to hide the book under my jacket, lest one of my hipster friends caught sight of me leaving the building with it.
But then I opened the front cover and started to read. And was captivated by the first sentence. And the second. By the time I had reached the last page, I was head over heels in love with this book. If you're smart enough to overlook a stupid looking cover for the sake of a great read, pick up this book. You won't be sorry.
People have recommended Rosamunde Pilcher's books to me for years, and I refused to read them because all the covers looked like they had been marinated in mothballs. But after spying "The Shell Seekers" on the BBC's "The Big Read: Top 100 Books," I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. Annoyingly, several people had put it on reserve at the library before me, so by the time I received it, I wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as I had been when I had originally ordered it. To add insult to injury, my copy had a cover that resembled a fussy spinster's guest room wallpaper. I literally had to fight the urge to hide the book under my jacket, lest one of my hipster friends caught sight of me leaving the building with it.
But then I opened the front cover and started to read. And was captivated by the first sentence. And the second. By the time I had reached the last page, I was head over heels in love with this book. If you're smart enough to overlook a stupid looking cover for the sake of a great read, pick up this book. You won't be sorry.
October 17, 2022
I read The Shell Seekers with Karina, my good friend on Goodreads. This is a book about family, but not about the importance of a loving, congenial group of people, but what happens when that is not the case. Penelope Keeling is a warm, delightful person with a deft hand at making a house a home. She is in her sixties when the story begins. Penelope loves nature and food and all the good things of life. This gift of joy had been handed down to her by her artist father and French mother. Unfortunately, her children do not possess the lust for life that she has and she blames this on the cold, grasping man she married without truly knowing his nature.
Her three children are all difficult in their own way. I read in one review that it gives a parent permission to dislike their own children. Nancy and Noel are the eldest and are particularly icky, only interested in their mother's money. Both are unpleasant to be around in their own particular way. Noel wants to steal something from his mother (who inherited valuable paintings from her father) but doesn't have enough ambition to be a competent thief. Olivia, the youngest, is only interested in her career. Of the three, Olivia is the least objectionable, although I really couldn't stand her myself. She is the type of boss who seems to gleefully chastise an employee at the beginning of the book.
The story weaves through the past and present and we discover that Penelope has secrets: and although she loves her children, it will be complete strangers who she foresees will inherit the joy that her parents gave her.
Her three children are all difficult in their own way. I read in one review that it gives a parent permission to dislike their own children. Nancy and Noel are the eldest and are particularly icky, only interested in their mother's money. Both are unpleasant to be around in their own particular way. Noel wants to steal something from his mother (who inherited valuable paintings from her father) but doesn't have enough ambition to be a competent thief. Olivia, the youngest, is only interested in her career. Of the three, Olivia is the least objectionable, although I really couldn't stand her myself. She is the type of boss who seems to gleefully chastise an employee at the beginning of the book.
The story weaves through the past and present and we discover that Penelope has secrets: and although she loves her children, it will be complete strangers who she foresees will inherit the joy that her parents gave her.
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June 30, 2023
Read as part of The Infinite Variety Reading Challenge, based on the BBC's Big Read Poll of 2003.
I'm not a huge fan of genreless fiction, not in the least when it has a strong romance-vibe, but I found The Shell Seekers to be a pleasant read. It was not at all taxing and can be described as escapist literature, and requires not an awful lot of mental agility to get through, but that was part of its charm.
The best thing about the book was how splendidly well it was written. I wasn't hugely captivated by the plot, in fact, I thought it was rather weak and there were about 200 superfluous pages, with some extremely tedious moments during the mid-way section that meant I had to put it down for a few days and return to after a short break; having said that, it was a lovely journey to go on and I found myself transported to the wonderful places that the characters inhabited.
Speaking of which, I though Penelope was such a wonderful, breath-of-fresh-air character. It's a rare thing in books these days to have a wonderful, strong, independent older woman as a main character in any kind of medium (be it books, film or TV) and I enjoyed her immensely. The other characters were a little bit too background for me, though I enjoyed them as they were, and found they all fit in with each other well.
It is not a book to change lives, it is simply something to read and enjoy. I did enjoy it, despite my misgivings, though it won't be read again, nor perhaps will it be much thought of ever. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading something that was so well-written and just lovely to get around to.
I'm not a huge fan of genreless fiction, not in the least when it has a strong romance-vibe, but I found The Shell Seekers to be a pleasant read. It was not at all taxing and can be described as escapist literature, and requires not an awful lot of mental agility to get through, but that was part of its charm.
The best thing about the book was how splendidly well it was written. I wasn't hugely captivated by the plot, in fact, I thought it was rather weak and there were about 200 superfluous pages, with some extremely tedious moments during the mid-way section that meant I had to put it down for a few days and return to after a short break; having said that, it was a lovely journey to go on and I found myself transported to the wonderful places that the characters inhabited.
Speaking of which, I though Penelope was such a wonderful, breath-of-fresh-air character. It's a rare thing in books these days to have a wonderful, strong, independent older woman as a main character in any kind of medium (be it books, film or TV) and I enjoyed her immensely. The other characters were a little bit too background for me, though I enjoyed them as they were, and found they all fit in with each other well.
It is not a book to change lives, it is simply something to read and enjoy. I did enjoy it, despite my misgivings, though it won't be read again, nor perhaps will it be much thought of ever. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading something that was so well-written and just lovely to get around to.
December 30, 2020
I read this book for the first time in 1991. I had this great urge to reread it for two reasons: 1) I remember it being a beautiful engrossing story of a woman, Penelope Keeling, and her life, loves and family. 2) Without any travel this past year, I yearned to go back to Cornwall, so this book took me there in spirit at least.
I think I may have loved it even more on my second read. The perfect book to while away time over the holidays. I loved getting to reconnect with Penelope again. She was a woman who valued what was important in life- which was her family and friends, her garden, her gatherings around a supper table.
The Shell Seekers, the title, refers to a painting her father had done. It has been a part of her life forever, but now the time has come to decide what to do with it.
Rosamunde Pilcher knows how to create people. Every person was so well drawn out. I felt that I knew them all. You can feel her love for Cornwall throughout the book (understandably so!). I have been to St Ives twice and Land’s End- I could feel the wind and the surf, I was walking along with Penelope and enjoying those stunning views. If you haven’t been there, this book will make you want to go for sure.
“ And in this life, nothing good is ever lost. It stays part of a person, becomes part of their character. So part of you goes everywhere with me. And part of me is yours forever.”
Perfect book to loose yourself in!
I think I may have loved it even more on my second read. The perfect book to while away time over the holidays. I loved getting to reconnect with Penelope again. She was a woman who valued what was important in life- which was her family and friends, her garden, her gatherings around a supper table.
The Shell Seekers, the title, refers to a painting her father had done. It has been a part of her life forever, but now the time has come to decide what to do with it.
Rosamunde Pilcher knows how to create people. Every person was so well drawn out. I felt that I knew them all. You can feel her love for Cornwall throughout the book (understandably so!). I have been to St Ives twice and Land’s End- I could feel the wind and the surf, I was walking along with Penelope and enjoying those stunning views. If you haven’t been there, this book will make you want to go for sure.
“ And in this life, nothing good is ever lost. It stays part of a person, becomes part of their character. So part of you goes everywhere with me. And part of me is yours forever.”
Perfect book to loose yourself in!
September 12, 2024
I've just spent the most wonderful week lost in a book. I first read this when it was published in 1987. I remember loving it dearly, but not much more, nothing at all if truth be told. So a re-read turned into a first read, and I got to delight in it twice. It is the life of Penelope Keeling, daughter of an artist, quite the Bohemian, a warm and loving woman, determined to make the best of whatever life handed her. As life handed her the second world War at the age of 19, she made some decisions that affected the rest of her life, for good and ill. Some of this time was spent in Cornwall, my favorite area for fictional settings, some in London, and a lot in a small village in the Cotswolds, and her home of Podmore Thatch.
This novel is so full of everything: loving families, ungrateful children, good friends, kind strangers, a bad marriage, a wartime love affair, as well as incidentals as art, history, gardening, food and drink. Also, as it's an English novel, lots of tea. I loved every word of it, and felt the 630 pages were not enough, I could have gone on much longer.
I'm pretty sure I came upon this book the first time through Book-of-the-month club. (Remember that?) Pre Goodreads and Amazon, that was how we were informed of new releases and books we might never have come across even in a bookstore. I looked forward to those catalogs in the mail each month and spent hours perusing them. Not quite as much fun as Scholastic Book Fairs, but a close second.
Do yourself a favor and dive into this one, for the first or second time. It reminds us that this is not an easy world to live in, now or then, but life is what you make of it. Choose happiness.
This novel is so full of everything: loving families, ungrateful children, good friends, kind strangers, a bad marriage, a wartime love affair, as well as incidentals as art, history, gardening, food and drink. Also, as it's an English novel, lots of tea. I loved every word of it, and felt the 630 pages were not enough, I could have gone on much longer.
I'm pretty sure I came upon this book the first time through Book-of-the-month club. (Remember that?) Pre Goodreads and Amazon, that was how we were informed of new releases and books we might never have come across even in a bookstore. I looked forward to those catalogs in the mail each month and spent hours perusing them. Not quite as much fun as Scholastic Book Fairs, but a close second.
Do yourself a favor and dive into this one, for the first or second time. It reminds us that this is not an easy world to live in, now or then, but life is what you make of it. Choose happiness.
August 25, 2022
This sprawling multi generational novel reminds me of the kind of book I used to read decades ago. It is an old fashioned “women’s” novel with a wonderful, offbeat main character. A great vacation treat - over 600 pages but I zipped through it.
May 5, 2025
“‘Have a cup of tea,’ suggested Penelope, as she always did.
‘Well, I wouldn’t mind,’ said Mrs. Plackett, as she always did.
The morning was on its way.”
As characters repeatedly meet over tea, a family history reveals itself, thanks to an old painting’s potential market value setting imaginations — and memories — on fire. At the heart of the story is Penelope, mother of three adult children, and daughter of the late Lawrence Stern, a Victorian painter. The times are now the 1980s, and as the market heats up for period pieces, a family heirloom, hanging in Penelope’s home, suddenly sparks a lifetime of recollections.
Although everyone really does keep running after a kettle in this novel, the story isn’t quite as old-fashioned as you might expect, nor is Penelope, and it’s with a certain mastery that the book brushes engaging portraits of capable women, surrounding them with a healthy support cast. Family dynamics inspire realistic dialogues, some of them softly mockful.
Penelope’s three children each embody a paradigm: one is independence, another one is greed, and a third one personifies snootiness. Their motivations aren’t nearly as deeply explored as their mother’s, but their very presence carries the novel along when Penelope herself is occupied or otherwise out of focus. With various secondary characters entering and exiting the story to parade their own quirks as well, the pace remains (mostly) lively.
While the bulk of the action takes place at a Cotswolds cottage by the picturesque name of Podmore’s Thatch, other locations such as London are on hand to provide contrast. They ignite the occasional sense of wanderlust, and this has to be the first time I come across a reference to Ibiza that doesn’t evoke nightlong partying, but rather the previous, presumably simpler days of bohemian foreigners rubbing elbows with the island’s rural inhabitants; that is, pre-mass tourism. I remember being similarly captivated with descriptions of pre-touristy Barcelona in Mercè Rodoreda’s In Diamond Square. This particular trick in a novel seems to make for a charming surprise every time, without fully dragging the genre towards historical fiction; it’s a context more than a focus, and you could just as well drop me into fairyland, when this happens.
Between tales of old painters, wartime woes, concealed love affairs, and inheritance concerns, The Shell Seekers packs a potential wallop, which it considerably smoothes down by directing the reader’s attention to countryside candour and neighbourliness above all else. This is a cozy read, something of a charm operation, and less of a study in contrasts — despite their obvious role in the story — than an uplifting take on family affairs, even when things get complicated. You could say that through Penelope’s eyes, Rosamunde Pilcher chooses to see the good in everyone, showing a steadfast commitment to benevolence and self-restraint rather than full-blown drama, regardless of how badly supporting characters may behave.
Solid book. Soft angles. A few fully assumed clichés, and a great use of geography. This is as close to a romance novel as I dare approach.
(I may never know whether the passage was meant to be funny, but at some point Penelope seems to become distracted and offers a guest coffee, not tea, when he shows up at the cottage. Needless to say, he turns it down. What was the woman thinking?)
‘Well, I wouldn’t mind,’ said Mrs. Plackett, as she always did.
The morning was on its way.”
As characters repeatedly meet over tea, a family history reveals itself, thanks to an old painting’s potential market value setting imaginations — and memories — on fire. At the heart of the story is Penelope, mother of three adult children, and daughter of the late Lawrence Stern, a Victorian painter. The times are now the 1980s, and as the market heats up for period pieces, a family heirloom, hanging in Penelope’s home, suddenly sparks a lifetime of recollections.
Although everyone really does keep running after a kettle in this novel, the story isn’t quite as old-fashioned as you might expect, nor is Penelope, and it’s with a certain mastery that the book brushes engaging portraits of capable women, surrounding them with a healthy support cast. Family dynamics inspire realistic dialogues, some of them softly mockful.
Penelope’s three children each embody a paradigm: one is independence, another one is greed, and a third one personifies snootiness. Their motivations aren’t nearly as deeply explored as their mother’s, but their very presence carries the novel along when Penelope herself is occupied or otherwise out of focus. With various secondary characters entering and exiting the story to parade their own quirks as well, the pace remains (mostly) lively.
While the bulk of the action takes place at a Cotswolds cottage by the picturesque name of Podmore’s Thatch, other locations such as London are on hand to provide contrast. They ignite the occasional sense of wanderlust, and this has to be the first time I come across a reference to Ibiza that doesn’t evoke nightlong partying, but rather the previous, presumably simpler days of bohemian foreigners rubbing elbows with the island’s rural inhabitants; that is, pre-mass tourism. I remember being similarly captivated with descriptions of pre-touristy Barcelona in Mercè Rodoreda’s In Diamond Square. This particular trick in a novel seems to make for a charming surprise every time, without fully dragging the genre towards historical fiction; it’s a context more than a focus, and you could just as well drop me into fairyland, when this happens.
Between tales of old painters, wartime woes, concealed love affairs, and inheritance concerns, The Shell Seekers packs a potential wallop, which it considerably smoothes down by directing the reader’s attention to countryside candour and neighbourliness above all else. This is a cozy read, something of a charm operation, and less of a study in contrasts — despite their obvious role in the story — than an uplifting take on family affairs, even when things get complicated. You could say that through Penelope’s eyes, Rosamunde Pilcher chooses to see the good in everyone, showing a steadfast commitment to benevolence and self-restraint rather than full-blown drama, regardless of how badly supporting characters may behave.
Solid book. Soft angles. A few fully assumed clichés, and a great use of geography. This is as close to a romance novel as I dare approach.
(I may never know whether the passage was meant to be funny, but at some point Penelope seems to become distracted and offers a guest coffee, not tea, when he shows up at the cottage. Needless to say, he turns it down. What was the woman thinking?)
August 13, 2025
Es una novela preciosa, que se desarrolla en Inglaterra en los años 80. Rosamunde escribía de maravilla. Es del mismo estilo que Kate Morton, pero mejor. Esta novela fue la que la llevó a ser una escritora de éxito. Es una trama familiar muy interesante y evocadora.
Era una maestra en transmitir emociones, así como descripciones de la costa de Cornualles, la campiña inglesa, el amor por los jardines y las flores, y el estilo de vida tradicional inglés (con sus cosas buenas y malas).
En esta novela, la protagonista es Penelope Keeling, de 64 años. En la narración se alterna su vida actual y las de sus hijos con lo que ella rememora de su pasado, que no fue fácil.
Actualmente vive sola en una casita en el campo, donde dedica su tiempo a su jardín y sus flores. Sus hijos viven en Londres o alrededores.
Últimamente se están subastando cuadros del padre de Penelope, que fue un conocido pintor, por una barbaridad de dinero y repentinamente sus hijos están muy pendientes de ella, pues hay un cuadro espectacular que ella tiene en su casa y que podría valer una fortuna. Este cuadro es "Los buscadores de conchas". Pero Penelope se muestra firme con respecto a los intereses de sus hijos y toma una serie de decisiones que provocarán un lío familiar.
En el pasado de Penelope hay de todo: desde felicidad a momentos duros y años difíciles, incluidos los años de la guerra. Sus hijos no conocen a esa Penelope del pasado, solo ese pasado es suyo.
El final es muy emotivo.
¡Me ha encantado! 👌
Era una maestra en transmitir emociones, así como descripciones de la costa de Cornualles, la campiña inglesa, el amor por los jardines y las flores, y el estilo de vida tradicional inglés (con sus cosas buenas y malas).
En esta novela, la protagonista es Penelope Keeling, de 64 años. En la narración se alterna su vida actual y las de sus hijos con lo que ella rememora de su pasado, que no fue fácil.
Actualmente vive sola en una casita en el campo, donde dedica su tiempo a su jardín y sus flores. Sus hijos viven en Londres o alrededores.
Últimamente se están subastando cuadros del padre de Penelope, que fue un conocido pintor, por una barbaridad de dinero y repentinamente sus hijos están muy pendientes de ella, pues hay un cuadro espectacular que ella tiene en su casa y que podría valer una fortuna. Este cuadro es "Los buscadores de conchas". Pero Penelope se muestra firme con respecto a los intereses de sus hijos y toma una serie de decisiones que provocarán un lío familiar.
En el pasado de Penelope hay de todo: desde felicidad a momentos duros y años difíciles, incluidos los años de la guerra. Sus hijos no conocen a esa Penelope del pasado, solo ese pasado es suyo.
El final es muy emotivo.
¡Me ha encantado! 👌
February 9, 2019
I remember reading this book in one sitting in the nineties, and what a sitting it was! My husband had business meetings in Basingstoke and I had joined him. It was May, nice weather, so I chose a bench in the park and started reading. Of course I walked around the centre and had lunch but for the rest of the time I just sat on that bench reading and had finished the book by the end of that day. I have read other books by her, but I've never enjoyed them as much. Now Ms. Pilcher has died on the 6th of February and I have the feeling that I should read The shell seekers again as a tribute and to see if I'm still as carried away by it as I was then.
September 10, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Such an amazing and extremely well written story!
Such an amazing and extremely well written story!
January 4, 2025
Ух, якою ж гарною була ідея почати рік з Пілчер ❤️🩹її книги як справжнісінькі ліки для душі ❤️🩹не все там, звісно, так сонячно і рівно, але врешті - у кого в житті так буває?
Це історія Пенелопи, яка вже будучи сіньйором озираючись назад пригадує всі важливі та значущі події та людей, які були поруч❤️🩹
Трішки, звісно, було і про війну - але це було помічне для мене особисто, бо ж «вже хтось через це проходив»
Дітей її хотілося прибити, але врешті вони не були тут основними
Раджу 🙌
Сподіваюсь, РМ буде кожного року видавати по книжечці
Це історія Пенелопи, яка вже будучи сіньйором озираючись назад пригадує всі важливі та значущі події та людей, які були поруч❤️🩹
Трішки, звісно, було і про війну - але це було помічне для мене особисто, бо ж «вже хтось через це проходив»
Дітей її хотілося прибити, але врешті вони не були тут основними
Раджу 🙌
Сподіваюсь, РМ буде кожного року видавати по книжечці
July 12, 2019
I did not review books at this stage. In fact, this book lead me to Goodreads for the first time ever. I remember Googling this book from the car on the way home from summer holidays, and ultimately I discovered this wonderful site that way. This is the first read from this author, I remember enjoying it immensely and then borrowed a bunch from my mum. After signing up here, of course!
April 9, 2021
This author brings me so much comfort!
January 22, 2025
5 🐚🐚🐚🐚🐚
Inspired to do a reread of this after a couple of friends did the same. I remembered nothing of the story so it was like the first time. One of the most enjoyable audiobooks ever consumed, I'm sad it's over.
Inspired to do a reread of this after a couple of friends did the same. I remembered nothing of the story so it was like the first time. One of the most enjoyable audiobooks ever consumed, I'm sad it's over.
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