Jane O'Connor (3)

Sylvia è una persona strana, desidera mantenere il controllo ma è incredibilmente ingenua e romantica, così finisce per estraniarsi dal mondo e alla fine anche dalla famiglia e col perdere il lavoro. Unico legame con la realtà la sua ttività di volontariato a casa di Jonas, un anziano vedovo che mantiene viva la memoria della moglie occupandosi di un rifugio per ricci.
Tra le varie vicissitudini di Sylvia, a volte tragicomiche, l'autrice ha inserito con abilità molte informazioni sui ricci, in inglese hedgehogs, e in giapponese Harinetzumi, ovvero topi con gli aghi.
Una lettura simpatica per chi ama gli animali.… (plus d'informations)

A story about a single middle-aged woman with an unrequited love for her boss isn't particularly original, but this is a well-told, well-written (debut) novel. I wasn't particularly enamoured by the protagonist, Sylvia, at the start…her boss obsession makes her an unpleasant, scheming person, one for whom you feel absolutely no sympathy or compassion. But O'Connor rather skilfully has you rooting for her towards the end. Bad decisions, misunderstandings and disappointments have moulded Sylvia and become her undoing. But her niece, old Jonas, an old boyfriend and…hedgehogs (or needlemice...you'll find out at the end!) transform her into quite a different, less-blinkered, nicer person.

There are some wonderful and wide-ranging characters, such as Jonas (who runs the hedgehog sanctuary), and the flamboyant Millie (Sylvia's sister). It's a heart-warming and uplifting story, written articulately and sensitively.

I would have given this five stars, but I couldn't overlook the tautologising nodding of heads, the 'leaving Lola and I (for heaven's sake '…and ME'!), the 'lay low' (it's 'LIE low'), and O'Connor should be aware that the proof is not in the pudding, it's in the EATING of the pudding! I'm slightly alarmed that a primary (ex)teacher would blunder like this. And equally alarmed that an editor didn't pick these up.

But for that…a charming, entertaining and enjoyable debut novel. I hope there's more to come from this promising author.… (plus d'informations)

The Trial of Gwen Foley is not actually about the trial of Gwen Foley. In fact, it's about a group of people who try and ensure that Gwen gets a fair trial when it comes. The story is narrated by Hester Albright and the year is 1723 in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Hester is so affected by the hanging of a woman who killed her husband after years of ill-treatment that she is moved to set up the Lunar Society with her daughter, Amber, and some friends from the local bookshop to prevent the same fate happening to Gwen Foley.

Gwen is a local woman who is believed by many to be a witch because of her unusual appearance and because disastrous events coincided with her arrival in the village. She is accused of a shocking murder and Hester is determined to prove that she didn't do it.

This is a historical murder mystery with a sub-plot of witchcraft and what I particularly enjoyed about it was that it felt authentic without becoming bogged down in too much detail that sometimes, for me, feels too heavy in historical fiction. Jane O'Connor is a skilled writer and has written a story that kept my interest, in fact I became more interested the more I read. The settings felt real and there's a gritty yet sympathetic portrayal of what women faced 300 years ago, whilst celebrating those women who were able to forge ahead and be unafraid.

I admired Hester and her fearlessness and strength in trying to find out who did commit the murder. Amber, her daughter, is another wonderful character. She's assistant to the surgeon and dresses like a man. She's fiercely clever and independent in a time when women were supposed to stay at home and be quiet. I can imagine that there might be more miscarriages of justice for the Lunar Society to solve in the future.

I found The Trial of Gwen Foley to be a well-written and interesting story challenging women's roles in the 18th century, and illustrating the lingering spectre of witchcraft.… (plus d'informations)

To say Sylvia Penton, the protagonist of Needlemouse, is prickly would be an absolutely massive understatement. What amazes me is how Jane O'Connor manages to get the reader to open their hearts to Sylvia when in reality if we came within 10 yards of her precious 'Prof' we would get the cold shoulder and the death stare from her.

I really wanted to give Sylvia a stern talking to; wasting her life mooning over her boss and thinking that they were meant to be together. It's almost like she is a love struck teenager and I suppose she is quite innocent and inexperienced in matters of the heart. As her story unfolds, it is quite heartbreaking at times as it appears that life has passed her by and people have taken advantage of her. At one stage she talks about 'normal people' with 'proper lives' as if there is something wrong with her because she is a single 52 year old woman. There's nothing wrong with being single but, having met the love of my life in my mid-forties, I know that it's never too late for love.

Jane O'Connor completely hit the nail on the head with Sylvia's character being shocked at children who were now grown up; there's something about being single that seems to make time stand still. It's almost like you are still a youngster yourself and you can't believe that the 2 year old little girl that you use to babysit is now a grown woman with a family of her own. It's amazing how many times this has happened to me and I still continue to be gobsmacked when I find out people's ages...how can they be 40 when I'm just a young whippersnapper...oh wait a minute!

Although Sylvia would rather stay indoors with a good book (I mean, who wouldn't?) she volunteers at a hedgehog sanctuary. She initially volunteered to make people think she is nicer than she is but she is thought of as part of the family by Jonas and his daughters. I think amongst her prickly friends at the sanctuary, Sylvia can be who she really is and we soon see her soft underside. Many years ago, we had a hedgehog nest in the garden and I've been a fan of these strange creatures of the night ever since, so I really liked the seasonal updates from Jonas' book 'The Hedgehog Year', reminding us to be careful when raking piles of leaves or digging under sheds. Needlemouse is actually the Japanese term for a hedgehog and I loved how the use of this word came about in the book.

Needlemouse is an absolutely stunning and completely flawless debut; it's both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of life, love, family and friendship and a reminder that it's never too late to start living. I am in no doubt at all that this book is going to be a HUGE success. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant definitely need Sylvia Penton in their lives!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.… (plus d'informations)