Tag: Buddy Reads

A Love Letter to The Seven Sisters

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Last year a lovely bookish buddy suggested that we read ‘The Seven Sisters’ series by Lucinda Riley. As I am always willing to give most books I go, I knew I had to join in (I also knew that I have a habit of not finishing book series, so I thought this may encourage me to do so). Little did I know that in just over a year I would have read all eight of the books and be suffering from a little bit of a book hangover.

I have not written blog posts for each of these books, so I thought I would write a post that was an appreciation for them as a whole. Through this wonderful series, Lucinda Riley took us on seven incredible journeys as each of the seven sisters and Atlas’ adopted daughters find out about their pasts and their heritages. And then we have ‘Atlas – The Story of Pa Salt’, written by Harry Whittaker (Lucinda’s son) and inspired by his mother’s wonderful work; that final book that ties up all the loose ends and mysteries that have been created by each of the other books.

I think the joy of these books is that they are beautifully crafted stories, with the rich histories of many nations around the globe interwoven into the tales. But, also, these are stories that remind us that there is so much goodness and kindness in the world; even when things seem at their hardest, there is always someone who will help you find your way.

Also, they also inspire the reader to find out more about each of their historical settings (well, they did for me, anyway) or the fascinating countries that the stories of the sisters begin in. There is also a great respect for the cultures and traditions of the world – nothing is disrespected in the name of entertainment, which is incredibly important to me as a reader and a History teacher. (I have been known to find books with historical settings disappointing/difficult, when entertainment has been placed above the respect that some things should be shown).

The next paragraph may be a little bit of a spoiler (although not if you are an observant reader – which I am not) if you have not yet read ‘Atlas – The Story of Pa Salt’…

But something that is incredible about these books, is not just how well plotted they are, but how you realise that Pa Salt was there all along. In pretty much every book, Pa Salt had made an appearance and, as you read the final book, you realise where you have missed him. I found that an absolute joy, as I could remember moments of reading the original seven books and I felt transported back to those stories. And I have even heard myself saying that I will re-read the original stories. I may do it on audio this time to have a different reading experience, but I will be ready to spot Pa Salt in each of the books – a bit like a grown-up ‘Where’s Wally?’

So, I titled this post ‘A Love Letter to The Seven Sisters’, and I stand by that. This is a series of books that has offered me true escapism, characters that I have loved and cared about, and sent me on adventures that I would never imagine going on. They have also got me over my fear of chunky books; I will never let that put me off again, as I could be missing out on some stunning stories.

This is also a thank you to wonderful bookish buddies who have read along with me. It is thanks to them that I have entered this fabulous world of ‘The Seven Sisters’. When you can read along with a bunch of bookworms at your own pace, but have a space to share their ideas, always makes the reading a little more special and proves that reading does not have to be an antisocial or lonely pastime. And I have found a new set of books that will hold a special place in my heart for a long time to come.

The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I have seen the ‘Seven Sisters’ books all over Bookstagram and the book community, but I was a little put off. One reason, the hype: would starting these books be as wonderful as everyone was telling me it would be? And secondly, they are bricks and sometimes page numbers put me off (after all, Wolf Hall has been on the tbr pile for as long as I can remember).

Thanks to another fantastic buddy read on the little corner of Instagram that we affectionately know as Bookstagram, I picked up book one in the ‘Seven Sisters’ series, also called ‘The Seven Sisters’. And, I have to admit that I am very late to this party, but I am glad that I have finally shown up to it.

I was absolutely hooked on this book once I started; I just needed to know more about these six women and their adoptive father, Pa Salt. Lucinda Riley has created characters with such a rich history that they get under your skin, as does the mystery that she surrounds these six women with as they start to find out their personal history, before they were chosen by Pa Salt and made into a new family.

We start with Maia, the eldest of the sisters and possibly the most reserved, and a bit of a home bird. However, after Pa Salt’s death, she is left a clue (as are her sisters), which will help her possibly unlock the secrets of her past. The reader is whisked off from Geneva to Rio de Janeiro as we follow Maia on her adventures to find out more about her identity and her past. And, through correspondences from her Great-Grandmother Bel and clues in the present day, Maia begins to unravel the mystery of her past.

Lucinda Riley has really created such a page-turner and I just could not put the book down as more and more was revealed about Maia and her family. Also, as a history lover, as the events of the past are set around the events that led to the building of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, it sent me down a rabbit hole of researching more about that story, too, and the people involved.

So, as the book ended on a saga-like cliffhanger, I know I am destined to read the rest of the books, and hope they are just as engaging and fascinating as the first.

Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

The last ‘Big Classic Book Buddy Read’ was ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’. Now, I am going to be honest, I was certainly willing to pick this up for our buddy read – however, it took such an event to make me pick it up. I have been told by several readers ‘not to do it’ and ‘it is so depressing’ – so, I had probably avoided it for quite some time. I was also intimidated by the fact that it is by Thomas Hardy; he seems, a little like Dickens, as one of those authors that everyone holds in high esteem.

However, a bit like not judging a book by its cover, maybe you should not judge a book by the opinions of others or its author (or at least its author before you have really read much). I really enjoyed this book and I think it may be one of my favourite classics, although when you think about how sad this book is, it seems odd to associate positive adjectives with the reading experience. And it triggers so many brilliant discussions as you go, which makes it a fantastic book to buddy-read.

Tess’ story is one of great tragedy but none of which is her own making; it is all created at the hands of others and, sadly, the attitude of society of the time. (Which, as we agreed as a reading group, is not quite as different from modern society in so many ways). Tess’ future is dictated to her by her parents and their desire to be better placed in the world, and the men who believe that they can control her, and the tragic consequences of finally being unable to take any more. If you do not know the full plotline, I do not wish to spoil it for anyone, but it is fair to say I think Alec d’Urberville is one of the most villianous characters I have ever encountered, hiding it in charm and redemption, which makes it all the worse.

Hardy’s writing style is fantastic, which I do not think I have ever really appreciated before. His books are very readable and have a modern feel despite their age. (I have read one Hardy before, Desperate Remedies, which was a Victorian Sensation novel, so I assumed that it would be different in style to his other work). I would not now turn down the chance to read more of his books, as I think it is safe to say I am a fan.

So thank you again to my fellow book buddies for another great read of a classic – I can not wait to see what we read next.