Customer Reviews

Eggshell Days

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This book sounded promising, but after about 20 pages and the upteenth instance of variations on the "F" word, I gave up. I couldn't keep the characters straight, and I don't think it's just me. If you read the book description on amazon or the inside cover description in the book, Emmy's daughter is listed as "Lila," whereas Lila is really her friends' daughter. Emmy's daughter is named Maia. If even the blurb writer can't keep them straight, how can the average reader?

I enjoyed Eggshell days, for the character development, the storyline and the peak into Cornwall culture. At first I was a bit put off by the number of words that are unfamiliar in American English, but I kept with it to see what was going to happen and to stretch my comfort zone. I liked the premise of a small group of friends deciding to change their lives and their children's' lives. I'd like to see this story on the big screen. Gorgeous old mansion being transformed by occupants dedicated to renovation, kids reconnecting with nature and each other in carefree play fueled largely by their imaginations, couples trying to live a simpler life style and navigating relationships and friendships with the fierceness and forgiveness of love, the unique culture of a small town, the forever quality of family connections.

In the end Gregson ramped everything up into crisis mode, for virtually every character, and then wrapped it all up in the last 50-60 pages. I recognize the momentum she achieved by that design, but I would have rather seen those significant events spread throughout the book. A few times I found myself nodding in agreement at wise thing said that I'd never thought of in quite that way before. And by the end of the book I cared about the characters and wished them well; those are two of my standards for a good read.

This is a lovely book that tells the story of several families living communaly in Cornwall, England. The adults and children's stories take turns from chapter to chapter, yet you feel as if you are getting to know each character very well. This book will not change your life, but it will allow you to escape into their world for awhile. I also enjoyed the "British-isms"