2013 September - Alone on a Wide Wide Sea & Restoration

Only five of us here.

Alone on a wide Wide Sea – Michael Morpurgo 2006

A simply written, easy to read story directed at Teanagers, Not too much detail, but enough to tell the story. The story conveyed the harshness and heartlessness of life in the outback. I was in tears as I finished it. Piggy's use of Religion made Liz fume. It pulled me in right from the beginning and I would have read it in two sittings if I could have. I guess not too much emotion on Arthurs part, but that was the harsh upbringing. It is the story of an orphan child sent to Australia in the early fifties, the harsh life he led, and his determination to return to England and find his sister, until the baton is thrown to his daughter, who at 18 sails singlehandedly to England to find her aunt. It helped that Allie had developed an interest in sailing from her father. There was discussion about the communications with the man in space and also the death of the Albatross and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In summary, it was a simple undemanding read, but there was no graphic horror in it.

Marks – 7 for four of us that had read it

Restoration – Rose Tremain 1989

A frivolous nothing of a book that has kept me from reading better books was my opinion. We have read five of Rose Tremain's books before. The hero is a dissolute courtier of Charles II who main interest is Rumpty-tump. I gave up at the badger coat thing, which the others commented showed that he cared for his fellow man. I was told that I should have persevered as Merivel is restored to an honourable man after he gives up the frivolous life and goes to practice medicine at the lunatic asylum with his friend Pearce. The descriptions of some of the medical practices are gruesome. The quietness in the asylum calmed him down. The last third of the book was more reasonable in comparison to court life which was so unstable and dependent on favours. But one comment was that it took longer than the usual 100 pages to get into the book.

It was commented that following his antics, downfall, and getting his self-respect back instead of playing the big man was interesting. He was not a cruel man. He was admired by Gates, his butler/servant, but he despised Pearce even though Pearce was his saviour.

In terms of the writing style, it was good, and didn't dumb things down.

A comment was that it reflects partly today's society, where a person trains as a Doctor and then throws it up to become a comedian.

If I am allowed thoughts, her other books have been better, and we have the sequel to this book coming up in a couple of months. Why are we having so many Tremains?

Marks for the three that read it were 7.

I feel I must comment on my thoughts of Restoration as the review above does not do it justice. I and many others in the group enjoyed this book and are looking forward to reading the second Merivel book called ‘Merivel A Man of His Time‘. True the first 100 pages or so read like a ‘Tom Jones’ romp, you have to read this section to find out how immoral he was in his youth and how he redeemed himself. This book ends just after his wife died in childbirth and his hopes for his daughter. I am more than happy to read Rose Tremain books, is it a female thing? The last reviewer was male, or am I being sexist.