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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Book for a Long Evening of Reading, June 6, 2003
When Daisy comes to the town of Merham, England, she hopes to reshape her life. Instead, she finds herself embroiled in a controversy with someone else's history. Lottie Bernham came to Merham as a war refugee and became such fast friends with Celia, the daughter of her host family, that she rarely returned to her home in England. The two remain close until Celia falls in love and brings her fiancé, Guy, to meet her family. From the moment she sees Guy, Lottie cannot take her eyes off of him. Although she tries to avoid him, they seem to be thrown together. He even enjoys the company of the residents of Arcadia House when the rest of the town is scandalized at the behavior of the artists who purchased it. When one of the artists paints a mural depicting Guy and Lottie in love with one another, they must decide between passion and propriety. Fast forward 50 years, when the new owner of Arcadia House decides to turn the place into a fancy hotel. Daisy takes on the job of remodeling the building, moving into the hotel during its renovation in order to provide a home for herself and her daughter. When the carpenters come across the mural hidden behind years of growth and decay, she decides to have it restored to its former glory. Now Daisy must come to terms with her future and Lottie must come to terms with her past. Jojo Moyes has a way of drawing the reader into the story, of making the reader turn the page to find out what happens next. The characters, with all of their flaws and the hardships they face, ring true for the reader. Although part one focuses on Lottie, part two focuses on Daisy so that we see the changes in the people and the town of Merham from an outsider's perspective. The stories of the two women parallel each other, in more subtle ways than often seen in novels.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
well-written comparative character study, April 15, 2003
Teenage Londoner Lottie Swift finds the seaside village of Merham quite delightful as no one dare break the rules of morality less they prefer exile or being ostracized. However, the conversion of Arcadia mansion into a retreat for bohemian artists causes monumental conflict, as the locals detest the nonconformist outsiders. Lottie relishes the new infusion of excitement that the avant-garde crowd brings. Five decades later, Daisy Parsons arrives at the small back to sleep village to renovate Arcadia into a luxury hotel. The villagers once again abhor the thought of amoral outsiders descending on their hamlet. Insecure from a failed relationship, Daisy discovers a mural that portrays scenes from the mansion's ignominious past. Daisy's work begins destroying the emotional cocoon that Lottie has resided since her teen days. WINDFALLEN is a well-written comparative character study that interweaves the past and the present into a cohesive tale. The story line enables the audience to see deep inside the two women so that everyone understands what motivates both and the tenuous relationship and bond which forms between them. Though limited in action, Jojo Moyes provides readers with a deep drama that focuses on the long-term impact of personal opportunity costs. Harriet Klausner
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Miserable Substance., July 6, 2004
This review is from: Windfallen (Mass Market Paperback)
In WINDFALLEN, JoJo Moyes tells the story of two women whose lives are intertwined through an art deco house. The result: a choppy, tedious storyline, which brings the reader to the bottomless pit of depression. There is no gentle romance reading found in these pages, only the shifting of gloom.
Lottie Swift was born in London's East End. WWII evacuates the child to the seaside village of Merham, where the Holden family takes her in and raises her. Celia Holden is Lottie's best friend and companion.
Boasting an art deco style, Arcadia is built on the seaside cliff of Merham. When Lottie and Celia are in their late teens, a wondrous clan of bohemians inhabits Arcadia. The girls are frequent visitors. Horrified, Celia parents fear this carefree group will lead their naive daughter astray. Quickly, they send Celia off to school, in London. When Celia returns home to Merham, she brings her fiance - a man Lottie discovers is her destiny - a doomed destiny.
Half a century later, interior designer Daisy Parsons moves to Merham and Arcadia. Daisy plans to turn the art deco structure into a fashionable tourist destination. Daisy Parsons is a dejected person. Her longtime lover and design partner has skipped out, leaving her with a new baby. The reader reluctantly stumbles along in Daisy's self-pity and unhappiness. JoJo Moyes intertwines the two main female characters by allowing Lottie to take Daisy under her wing.
WINDFALLEN is a discouraging story. It is a slow read about miserable people, miserable actions, and miserable situations.
Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.
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