Shell Seekers [Import] [Paperback]

Rosamunde Pilcher (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Coronet Books; Limited Signed Ed edition (November 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340835621
• ISBN-13: 978-0340835623
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Is more than 5 stars an option, September 1, 2001

By 

Denise Bentley "Kelsana" (The California Redwoods) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shell Seekers (Mass Market Paperback)

This has got to be one of the best books I have ever read. Pilcher takes you in, warms your heart and then wraps you up in the tales of her story, which is spun so intricately with love. Her writing style leaves no corner of a setting or character uncovered. You can see the tilt of their head or an upturned smile, even the scent that they might be wearing or the sea breeze as the wind whips the hair against your face. She is a master.

Penelope is in the later years of her life. After time spent in the hospital she is facing her mortality, along with the present she is remembering her life, loves, and secrets. One of which she has carried quietly over the decades. She is taking a good hard look at her 3 grown children who have not all turned out like a mother might hope for. As they quibble over Penelope's assets she is disgusted by their behavior.

I became so entranced by this book that it was all I wanted to read. There are several surprises along the way and the book is filled with characters that are quite memorable. I have read and enjoyed many of Pilcher's works, one of my favorites being WINTER SOLSTICE, but I have to say this was indeed my favorite of all time. Kelsana 9/01/01

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable Characters Make This One of My Top Five Books, January 20, 2001

By 

Antoinette Klein (Hoover, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shell Seekers (Tenth Anniversary) (Hardcover)

I doubt that anyone who reads "The Shell Seekers" will ever forget Penelope Keeling and her three children---Nancy, Olivia, and Noel. Nor will they be likely to forget Sophie, Lawrence, Danus, Antoinia, Richard, and the other characters that move through this spell-binding, heart-enriching novel.

Mrs. Pilcher sets out to explore the disastrous effects that the prospect of an inheritance can have on a normal family. She also combines the lifestyle of upper-class Bohemians and the days before, during, and after World War II to tell a story that will be forever fresh.

From the beautiful beaches of Cornwall to the idyllic setting of Ibiza to the bustling life in London, Rosamunde Pilcher transports readers to a world as satisfying as a cup of tea with a plate of warm scones.

You will see Penelope grow up in the sheltering world of her artist father and young, French mother. You will share her first love with Ambrose, her true love with Richard, her most wonderful joys and her deepest heartbreaks. You will see her anguish with her three adult children as she struggles to give them independence and feels their venom. You will see her come to terms with her life and her beloved painting of "The Shell Seekers."

I first read this book several years ago and only yesterday finished a second reading of it. I found it even more warm and heartfelt than ever. I will make it a point to savor this most marvelous book every few years just for the pure joy it gives.

50 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another perfect book to read on the beach ~~, February 20, 2001

By 

Busy Mom (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Shell Seekers (Tenth Anniversary) (Hardcover)

Penelope Keeling is a character that you just cannot help but love ~~ hosting dinner parties for friends and family, wearing shabby clothes simply because clothes aren't that important to her and talking about wine, literature and art ~~ sounds perfect to me! I am not fond of Nancy and Noel ~~ two of her children who seems to expect too much from their mother, while Olivia is my favorite child ~~ she's so much like her mother except for being career-driven. She doesn't put many demands on her mother ~~ she's the daughter every mother wishes she has!

Pilcher writes convincingly of the human relationships between Penelope and her children as well as the other characters. She writes of ordinary lives transformed by love. Her descriptions of Cornwall are so vivid that you can almost see the breakers on the beach as well as smelling the salt in the air. It must be artists' paradise!

What captures my fancy is how Penelope is such a warm-hearted person who uses her inheritance to pay for a trip home. Too many people expect their parents to leave them money after they have gone, whereas Penelope spends her inheritance prudently and wisely. She has never followed the rules and she does it with so much grace and love ~~ it makes one want to be more like her instead of like two of her greedy children.

This book covers more emotions and depths of the human lives and these characters become as real as your family. It's a great summer read (or even a winter read ~~ with a pot of hot tea nearby and delicious scones!) and the characters will linger long after the last page is turned.