Customer Reviews

Summertime

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read this book in 2 days, and wish it took longer because I didn't want it to end! The story revolves around diary entries made by a single mother named Venetia living in Norfolk England with her three children two boys 9& 10--Giles and Felix, and a three year old girl that the author refers to only as The Beauty. Venetia is supported by a fun cast of wacky characters, from her flower power sixties mother to her lovestruck brother I just opened this book and wanted to be part of their world. What I really enjoyed about this book was that they left in all the british words for things, like nappies (diapers) and instead of darn it she would say bugger...etc. For an anglophile like myself I loved that. If you like Bridget Jones's Diary your sure to like Summertime, though it is not a knock-off, but a completely authentic work in its own right. As soon as I finished the book I found out there was a previous book by Mrs. Barker called Hens Dancing, which also features Venetia and the same cast of characters. Just ordered it, and I can't wait for it to arrive!

... but a good dollop of Venetia Summers & crew nonetheless. Don't let the "Brit-Chick Lit" label scare you -- Raffaella Barker is an accomplished writer with pockets full to bursting with wit and wry insights. She's penned a regular column for English Country Life for ages, lives in the English countryside, and so knows of what she speaks. There is a wonderful cast of characters in these books (Hens Dancing, the first one, and this follow-up, Summertime). I couldn't wait to get my hands on Summetime when it came out, and though I was a bit disappointed (how could I not be after being so disarmed by the first book? Perhaps a bit of the novelty had worn off), I am still glad that she brought back the whole gang for another installment.

Besides, any book that mentions "the Aga" (famous British brand of stove, which they always call a cooker, apparently) at least a dozen times can't be all bad, can it?

This book deserves WAY more attention than it's received ... but do start with "Hens ... ", because the story will make more sense if you do. It's not "serious" literature, but if you are serious about enjoying what you read, and making room for books as friends in your life and on your shelf, give this a whirl.

Cheers!

Sorry but I couldn't finish this. The story was extremely slow-moving and nothing ever seemed to happen. I skipped ahead a lot of pages before anything ever happened, and even when it sort of did, it was boring. I'm just not that into the everyday minutia of raising kids even though I've done it. I want a story with adventure and excitement and this definitely didn't have any.

The follow up to "Hens Dancing" features Venetia continuing to struggle with independence and autonomy. Her love from the previous book, David, is out of the country and Venetia fears he has permanently abandoned her. (Despite the fact that he regularly communicates with her boys, sends gifts and even arranges for the delivery of a rather profane parrot - that story alone is worth reading the book.) Venetia's sodden mother, her slacker brother and his wedding and "the beauty's" continued progression are the stand out features of this book. The story line with Hedley Sale, her volcanically tempered maybe/maybe not fiancée is less engaging.

The book is a bit more melancholy than Hen's Dancing, but it is still laugh out loud hilarious. I am so hoping that this is not the last we hear from Venetia.

I highly recommend this book as a follow-up to Hens Dancing (see my longer review under that book).

This book was quite a book to get through. I'm a younger reader, probably too young to understand the material and feel the feelings the writer was protraying. The book was extremely slow for me from the beginning to the end. A single mother grieves and gets through every day with a grudge, supporting three children. Venita's boyfriend David is gone which makes things worse. She calls him and e-mails him to keep in touch, but the feeling isn't the same.

Venitia goes through the troubles of raising her three kids. She has to take them to church, deal with car problems, raise The Beauty, deal with her mother and occuring weddings.

Lonely as ever, Venitia does get to meet a man Hedley. He asks her to marry him and she agrees. The thing is, her heart has been given to David. She does not truly love Hedley with her heart and soul, and soon with help she realizes the man who she's destined to be with.

The book was set in a depressed mood which made it boring to read. Definately not a fun read.