When I was ill a few weeks ago, I reread a book that had been dancing at the edge of my mind, The Empty House by Rosamunde Pilcher. It’s about fields and combines, silk dresses and nannies, kittens and hidden beaches, betrayal and loyalty, motherhood and friendship, overcoming oneself and trusting in others.
Many Rosamunde Pilcher books, and I’ve read them all several times, have a sharp edge to them. In The Empty House that edge is softened and the story of Virginia overcoming herself and her past, reclaiming her children, and understanding her mother is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read. That list sounds very dramatic, but the book, like Virginia, is not dramatic at all. It’s ordinary life, portrayed in a magical way, with a few magical ingredients, like Cornish farmer Eustace, thrown in.
The Empty House may be a light read, but lurking under the surface are all sorts of issues to contemplate. The plot may be, in some ways, predictable, but the emotional impact never is. And the atmosphere is among the most welcoming of any of Rosamunde Pilcher’s books.
Do note that God is not a part of Virginia’s life, and The Empty House is not a Christian book. However, in many ways the world it presents is more wholesome than that of most contemporary Christian fiction.
When you need a lovely book with a peaceful atmosphere that will stay with you, I encourage you to read The Empty House.
This is yet another book in the in the 2012 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge, and is also linked to Saturday Reviews.
Disclosure I have owned this book for many years. I was not compensated for this review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
I just put this book on hold at the library. It’s been a while since I’ve read a good book.
Sounds like a good read, haven’t read this author but will have to keep an eye out for it.
Great review,
Ally 🙂