An Ocean Apart

Rating:
Summary: A sad, yet sometimes boring novel
Review: "An Ocean Apart" by Robin Pilcher is an extremely interesting novel. Characters are described well, and I felt as if I knew them personally. The settings in this book are portrayed well, also. There are parts of the book where the author will be very detailed with the settings. However, I enjoyed this because it helped me understand exactly what was going on. In contrast, the plot seemed to get off tract sometimes. Even though it was interesting to read, the quickly changing scenes got a little confusing at times. Compared to other books, it had vivid explanations of characters. I did enjoy this novel, but could've done without some of the more boring parts of the book.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: I am a fan of Rosamunde Pilcher's work, so when I saw that her son had written a book, I immedietly read it. It really lives up to the Pilcher name. The book was easy to read, the charecters were believable, and the story was really good. I recommend this book to anyone that likes a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Good story but a little unbelievable
Review: I have never read a more moving and touching book. We have all read many books that brings tears to our eyes. This is the first book I have read that tells a sad, yet Love Story from a male's point of view. The story of David is the most moving and emotional story that I have read in a very long time. I purchased this book as a Discount item and was overwhelmed at how moving it was. I was unable to put the book down and eagerly await Robin's next book due to come out in January 2002. Robin made the character of David come alive and everyone who reads this book will want to find someone just like David.

Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly Enjoyable!!!
Review: I really enjoyed the book! I got into it more after the first few chapters. Pilcher sets his the stage for the story before really taking off with the main theme, so you need to be little bit patient as he sets the tone. Emotions are expressed VERY well as you move through the story, and you can feel for the characters and their happenings throughout the book. As I read, I could form pictures in my mind of the background scenes and the characters which were written with wonderful descriptions and scenes.

Rating:
Summary: What a dreary book
Review: On second reading, I found this book to be awful. The characters are cardboard cut-outs made to fit different stage sets Mr. Pilcher has devised. There may be people like these characters in the real world, but I don't want to meet most of them. The main character is a feeble fool who neglects his elderly parents and his children, and causes the premature death of his father, whilst pandering to the neglected child of a foolish woman thousands of miles away. It's ridiculous. Save your money, get it from the library. Sorry, Amazon.

Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly Enjoyable!!!
Review: The book was given to me by my daughter to read. We both love Rosemunde Pilcher and thought it worth a try. We loved the book. It was a little slow in the beginning but then I hated to put it down. It is a great "feel good" book. Never having lost a mate but having had trials that at times has made me want to run away, I can see wanting to live where no one knows you. Remember he did keep in touch with his family and children, and he did NOT know about the underhanded work of Duncan, I found the book believable. I loved it!

Rating:
Summary: Simple and Lovely
Review: This book was a joy to read. I found it heartwarming, simple and sweet, and although other readers objected to what they thought was a simplistic and cliched plot, I did not.

The story concerns upper-class Scotsman David Inchelvie, who has lost his beloved wife Rachel to cancer. The untimely death of his life's partner has thrown David into a deep and dangerous depression, and forced his elderly father, Lord Inchelvie, to go back to work at the family's renowned distillery. For David, wallowing in his own grief, has brought his children back to his parents' estate, literally dropped them into his parents' care, and taken to the garden, where he is knee-deep in mud all day long. Yes, of course the mud is a metaphor for David's state of mind, and of course it is obvious. But it works.

Although the estate has a perfectly good gardener, David is only sane when he can dig, weed, plant, and work with his hands, as hard as any laborer. Only when he is thoroughly exhausted can he get through his days. His parents are worried sick, and his children need him, but he cannot pull himself out of the mire, literally or figuratively.

But things at the brewery are in sorry shape, as the unscrupulous general manager, who now has the sharp and heretofore cutting-edge boss's son out of the way, is planning nefarious deeds. Duncan Caple is not worried about the old man, as the Lord is easy to fool. But he wants David far away as he schemes to sell out the family's old and elegant business. Therefore, he sends David to America on a largely phony business pretext, and David, barely able to pull himself together, reluctantly agrees.

America is where David starts to notice the sun again. In a lovely village on Cape Cod, he passes himself off as a day laborer, and gets a job with Jasmine, whose philandering husband is off doing what he does best. David finds a small cottage, a horribly smelly dog, an unpretentious seaside village quite unlike what he is used to in Scotland, and a small boy who needs a father figure. And so the plot winds along to its inevitable conclusion, predictable, but wonderful.

What saves this book from banality is Pilcher's utterly ingenuous style, his obvious sincerity, his total honesty and the fact that he cares for his characters very much. In addition, he is a good writer who keeps the plot moving along with good descriptions, interesting plot twists, and a story that holds one's interest.

Is the son as good as the mother? Probably not, but in my view, this first novel holds great promise, and I am anxious to begin his just-released new book!

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, but with some irritating linguistic quirks
Review: This is the third review I've written for this book. Although I have carefully followed all the rules, neither of my reviews have been printed. I suspect you only print favorable reviews because your job is to sell books, not serve the public. How disappointing. I will never read or write a review of a book again. My time is too valuable, and I have lost my respect for your review process.