Rating: 
Summary: One of Pilcher's best!
Review: Excellent book with wonderful characters. I found myself reading slowly toward the end because I didn't want to say goodbye to them!
Rating:
Summary: Is more than 5 stars an option
Review: This has got to be one of the best books I have ever read. Pilcher takes you in, warms your heart and then wraps you up in the tales of her story, which is spun so intricately with love. Her writing style leaves no corner of a setting or character uncovered. You can see the tilt of their head or an upturned smile, even the scent that they might be wearing or the sea breeze as the wind whips the hair against your face. She is a master.Penelope is in the later years of her life. After time spent in the hospital she is facing her mortality, along with the present she is remembering her life, loves, and secrets. One of which she has carried quietly over the decades. She is taking a good hard look at her 3 grown children who have not all turned out like a mother might hope for. As they quibble over Penelope's assets she is disgusted by their behavior. I became so entranced by this book that it was all I wanted to read. There are several surprises along the way and the book is filled with characters that are quite memorable. I have read and enjoyed many of Pilcher's works, one of my favorites being WINTER SOLSTICE, but I have to say this was indeed my favorite of all time. Kelsana 9/01/01
Rating: 
Summary: Great Novel!
Review: Penelope Keeling has just recovered from a heart attack and wants to spend the rest of her days as if it never happened. So when her doctor recommends to her daughter Nancy that Penelope get a house guest Nancy is filled with worries. She would like to get her mother a housekeeper but they could never afford it. So when she finds out from her sister Olivia that Penelope's father's (Lawrence Stern) paintings are worth a fortune Nancy wants to sell the immediately. And there brother Noel wants her to sell them too, but only so he can inherit the money. Olivia is dead set against it but soon the question of selling their mother's paintings, including Penelope's beloved "The Shell Seekers," grows into a huge debate. A debate that effects every life around them. But in the end it will be Penelope's decision on selling the paintings. And as she reminisces about her past she knows that there can be only one answer. Set partly in modern day England with flash backs to WW2, The Shell Seekers is an entertaining novel. Though it started out a bit slow it soon improved. Each chapter is named after a main character and each one is more interesting than the last. The story is touching and though a bit realistic at times, it's impossible not to enjoy. I loved this book and I'm sure to read another novel by Rosamunde Pilcher.
Rating:
Summary: A different world
Review: Once I started to read the book I began to live in a different world altogether....in the world of Penelope. I savoured each page and didn't let go of it till it was done...and I was left asking for more...
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This was a wonderful story about an exceptionally terrific woman, Penelope Keeling, and her life and family. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves life and loves a good read!
Rating:
Summary: The Shell Seekers and Life Changes
Review: Once every 10 years or so, everyone who's ever read The Shell Seeks ought to re-read the book --- just to have a different perspective on the life events that happen to Penelope and those that revolve around her -- children, the love of her life, father and friends. It is a very centering book.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed when I finished...wanted it to go on and on....
Review: I don't know if my review can do this book justice. I loved this book. Before you know it, you're pulled in, and by the time it's over, you don't want it to end. It's such a lovely, and realistic, story of family, friends, and lost loves. It starts off with the individual and present stories of Penelope and her children. From the way the characters are written, you get a true sense of each character, specifically her children, Noel and Nancy. Even so, at times you hope that they will surprise you and actually show some compassion towards their mother or each other. What truly drew me in, however, were the the flashbacks depicting Penelope's years during the war. It displays the significance of the devastation that the war had on those living close to it. The relationship between Penelope and her parents are especially touching. What can I say - Penelope is a special person, and everyone seems to know that except her children (the exception being, perhaps, Olivia). But what makes the story even more special is that Penelope knows her children's faults and accepts them. This isn't a story of a woman scorned or bitter. It's the story of a woman who loved, lost, and went back to her childhood days and relived them again. She had no regrets (well, maybe one....), and she was happy with her decisions. A very special book.
Rating: 
Summary: Light Entertainment
Review: I really enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. The narrator was excellent, and the piano music was tasteful. While some plot twists were surprising and well-executed, other parts of the novel were cheezy and predictable. I would reccommend this book if you're in the market for some light beach reading, but not if you take your novels more seriously.
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable saga
Review: This book is definately on my Top 10 list of favorites. For anyone who is a fan of anything English, this is for you. The writing is so beautiful and subtle. Pilcher draws you in so that you feel you know these characters in real life. This book left a huge impression on me; I laughed, I cried, and I loved every minute of it.
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable Characters Make This One of My Top Five Books
Review: I doubt that anyone who reads "The Shell Seekers" will ever forget Penelope Keeling and her three children---Nancy, Olivia, and Noel. Nor will they be likely to forget Sophie, Lawrence, Danus, Antoinia, Richard, and the other characters that move through this spell-binding, heart-enriching novel. Mrs. Pilcher sets out to explore the disastrous effects that the prospect of an inheritance can have on a normal family. She also combines the lifestyle of upper-class Bohemians and the days before, during, and after World War II to tell a story that will be forever fresh. From the beautiful beaches of Cornwall to the idyllic setting of Ibiza to the bustling life in London, Rosamunde Pilcher transports readers to a world as satisfying as a cup of tea with a plate of warm scones. You will see Penelope grow up in the sheltering world of her artist father and young, French mother. You will share her first love with Ambrose, her true love with Richard, her most wonderful joys and her deepest heartbreaks. You will see her anguish with her three adult children as she struggles to give them independence and feels their venom. You will see her come to terms with her life and her beloved painting of "The Shell Seekers." I first read this book several years ago and only yesterday finished a second reading of it. I found it even more warm and heartfelt than ever. I will make it a point to savor this most marvelous book every few years just for the pure joy it gives.
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