Journal Entry 1 by miketroll on Saturday, April 16, 2011

A finely crafted, bleak novel of thwarted dreams, murder and mortality. The cover blurb is succinct, so I'll lift most of it:

"In a silent valley in southern France stands an isolated stone farmhouse, the Mas Lunel. Its owner is Aramon Lunel, an alcoholic haunted by his violent past. His sister, Audrun, alone in her bungalow within sight of the Mas Lunel, dreams of exacting retribution for the unspoken betrayals that have blighted her life. Into this closed world comes Anthony Verey, a wealthy but disillusioned antiques dealer from London seeking to remake his life in France..."

There are two more important characters in the story, Veronica ("V"), Anthony's sister, a garden designer, and her lesbian lover, Kitty. The couple have already settled in the Cévennes. Kitty is jealous of Anthony's presence and hopes his stay will be short.

A most absorbing read, if short on light relief. 

Journal Entry 2 by miketroll at Coffee#1, Albany Road, Cardiff in Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Thursday, January 12, 2012

Released 1 yr ago (1/12/2012 UTC) at Coffee#1, Albany Road, Cardiff in Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom

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In OBCZ upstairs. 

Journal Entry 3 by Cassiopaeia at Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Monday, January 23, 2012

Checking the Coffee#1 books today while having an early afternooon flat white I came across one of miketroll's contributions to the shelf. I have read and really like The Colour and I'm certainly looking forward to this one. 

Journal Entry 4 by Cassiopaeia at Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Sunday, March 11, 2012

While reading this I found a copy of The Road Home, unregistered on my bookshelves. I know I'll have to read it, maybe I'm in for more doom and gloom but as long as it is of the same quality as Trespass, I'll be happy. 

Journal Entry 5 by Cassiopaeia at Dublin Convention 2012 in Dublin, Co. Dublin Ireland on Monday, April 09, 2012

Released 1 yr ago (4/14/2012 UTC) at Dublin Convention 2012 in Dublin, Co. Dublin Ireland

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Releasing in Dublin. 

Journal Entry 6 by ApoloniaX at Dublin, Co. Dublin Ireland on Saturday, April 14, 2012

Journal Entry 7 by ApoloniaX at Bremen, Bremen Germany on Sunday, December 02, 2012

Unputdownable... what a creepy, brilliant novel... quite right for a gloomy, grey December weekend. Like Cassiopaeia I checked my shelves for more - and found an unregistered copy of Tremain's The Colour.
Highly recommendable. 

Journal Entry 8 by ApoloniaX at Bremen, Bremen Germany on Sunday, December 02, 2012

Released 5 mos ago (12/3/2012 UTC) at Bremen, Bremen Germany

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Journal Entry 9 by kirstykat at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, December 07, 2012

Gratefully received as an unexpected RABCK! Thank you sooo, sooo much ApolinaX!!! It has cheered me up and I look forward to reading it. How kind!!! :) 

Journal Entry 10 by kirstykat at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, April 19, 2013

I really admire Rose Tremain's writing and this was no exception. There was a good plot, great descriptions of the characters to the point of real empathy, the area in the South of France, the Cevennes had been extremely well researched and there was just the right amount of suspense, without making the plot too drawn out.

I also liked the fact that Tremain keeps a sense of reality that not everything in the world ends perfectly, it adds more credence to her work.