Ninepins by Rosy Thornton

Deep in the Cambridgeshire fens is an old house by the name of Ninepins where lives Laura  with her 12 years old asthmatic daughter, Beth. Laura rents out the pump house, once a fen drainage station to students every year to earn a little extra income. But this year she lets it to a girl named Willow on the recommendation of her social worker, Vince. Willow has a dubious past. Her childhood has been particularly disturbed as her mother, a hippy, had since been suffering from some bi polar disorder. On top of it, Beth who is entering her teens, is falling in the company of wrong girls and has been facing problems at school. She asserts that she is old enough to make her own decisions and seeks no interference in her matters from her mother. The once peaceful life of Laura is crumbling down and she does all she call to keep it intact.

How will Willow and her past influence Laura and Beth's life? How will Laura handle her daughter's demand for independence? There is also some sprinkling of romance in the story but that is always in the sidelines. The story revolves mostly around the 3 female characters as they try to straighten out their lives from a tangle of problems caused by emotions, surroundings and company.

This is the second book I have read of the author and I have realized that characters and landscape play a very important role in her novels. In her previous novel, The Tapestry of Love she brought the French country side vivid in your mind and in this novel you could get a picture of the atmosphere in the Cambridgeshire fens. The beauty of her novels also lies in the well sketched and entirely believable characters. As you read the story you can connect with each characters and empathize with them. I loved Laura's character and could understand her desire to protect her child as she is going a difficult period of age. I could empathize with Willow for all the problems she had faced as a child. All the emotions are heightened by the intricate details of the landscape the story is set in. Above all the author is very meticulous about the treatment of all the relationship portrayed in the story. The tone of the book is gentle yet assertive. But the best part is that the narration is entirely non judgmental. It doesn't judge things and situations as right or wrong, but shows how life takes unexpected turns much to our discomfort. There is even an element of suspense and mystery that makes it an even more compelling and enjoyable read. In a nutshell, Rosy Thornton latest novel, Ninepins explores the dynamics of relationship between a mother and a teenage daughter, complicated by the arrival of a stranger with a troubled past.

Overall, a very good read. A story about love and relationships. It asserts the belief that love alone goes a long way in mending relationship, keeping them intact and bringing harmony in life.

Highly recommended.

I received a review copy from the author.

The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton

Imagine life in a rural French countryside, in a place that is greatly remote, has a scarce population, in fact barely a few souls in the neighbourhood. And what it might be like if you are not a native of that place. That is what Rosy Thornton has given a picture of in her book, The Tapestry of Love. It is about Catherine Parkstone, who is seeking an idyllic life in a small hamlet in the Cevennes mountain in the French country side.

Catherine is divorced for the past few years and has has come in terms with it. She has two grown up kids, Tom and Lexie, whom she loves and adores. At the age of 49, Catherine wants to make a fresh beginning in her life. She sells her house in England and moves to a small house in Cevennes. She has great skills in tapestry work and wants to set up a small business as a seamstress to earn a living.

Slowly Catherine, adjusts to the place, gets acquainted with the neighbours, gets accustomed with the weather and sinks into the lifestyle of the place. She befriends her neighbours and has cordial relationships with all of them  and  gradually, they too develop a liking towards her. But, she is very intrigued by one of her neighbours, Patrick Castagnol because of his reserve nature, part English name and fluent French. Equations of relationships between them changes when Bryony, Catherine’s younger sister visits her. She is smitten by Patrick's charm, leaving Catherine feeling decidedly uncomfortable. Catherine also faces challenges against setting up her business from the French bureaucracy and she has a hard time dealing with all the paper work.

This book is about the little things of every day life. Rosy has drawn the poignancy of ordinary life. I just loved how she has portrayed a spectrum of relationships in various lights and shades. I also loved the way Rosy has given intricate details of the tapestries which Catherine creates. The description of the place is so vivid that one imagine the pictures of the location in their minds and the readers are gradually absorbed in the slow paced and relaxed life of the countryside. I found the book very relaxed, warm and quiet. In fact, I needed one like this after reading 'The Lovers'.

Take this book, lie down and immerse yourself in reading it and let the magic of the book work on you. One of the best contemporary women literature of modern time. I picked this book after reading Lindy's review and I am glad I did. I will definitely recommend reading it to someone looking for a relaxed and soothing read.