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ecdereus's review against another edition
4.0
Heerlijk en vlot leesbaar verhaal met Jack en Sadie Rosenblum als sympathieke hoofdpersonen die eerst steeds meer van elkaar lijken te vervreemden door Jacks niet-aflatende streven een echte Engelsman te worden en Sadies behoefte aan het verleden, haar geloof, haar cultuur en de herinneringen aan haar overleden familieleden vast te houden, maar die elkaar na een crisis weer weten te hervinden. Het laat een warm gevoel achter...
cwgraham's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
domicspinnwand's review against another edition
2.0
Oergs - das war irgendwie nix. Habe drei Stunden gehört, und nachdem die Story immer noch nicht in Fahrt kam, hab ich abgebrochen. Und The Voice Brückner als Vorleser hat mich hier eher genervt - neee. Brauch ich nicht.
redowns1022's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful, sad, funny, heartwarming - and just a little bit magical. Interesting note: Natasha Solomons is dyslexic and likens her main character's perseverance to her experience writing this debut novel.
emandlew's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book- LOVED the characters and couldn't wait to see how it ended. Sometimes the garden descriptions were a little tedious, but it made me want to escape busy life and settle into a small, simple garden home.
alidottie's review against another edition
4.0
4 & 1/2 stars.
I was looking for a book with a good story to review for my little old ladies and I hit a home run with Mr. Rosenblum! This is a delightful story of a Jewish couple who fled Berlin before WWll for England and Mr Rosenblum's deep, deep desire to assimilate in his new country. He (Jack) and his wife, Sadie, handle things so differently, but it is easy to respect both of their views and care deeply for both of them in this beautifully written book.
I was looking for a book with a good story to review for my little old ladies and I hit a home run with Mr. Rosenblum! This is a delightful story of a Jewish couple who fled Berlin before WWll for England and Mr Rosenblum's deep, deep desire to assimilate in his new country. He (Jack) and his wife, Sadie, handle things so differently, but it is easy to respect both of their views and care deeply for both of them in this beautifully written book.
wanderingmole's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book. A mixture of sorrow and happiness. Was kept reading till my eyelids were drooping, as I followed Jack's endeavours to build "the greatest gold course of Engldand". Not to forget Sadie's baking which had me salivating.
samstillreading's review against another edition
2.0
I had heard so much about this book – all of it good. So when the opportunity came to purchase this at the Borders closing sale, I grabbed it. One thing all those other reviews didn’t tell me though – there is a significant proportion of this book about golf. I’m telling you now so you don’t make the same mistake I did (albeit at 50% off). This is not mentioned anywhere on the blurb on the back of the book!
You might have guessed I don’t care for golf.
Which is a pity as Jack Rosenblum, recent immigrant to England, has decided that golf is one of the true pleasures of the quintiessential Englishman along with a number of other items that a ‘true’ English man does – from type of car (Jaguar, Top Gear fans start crying now) to breakfast spread (marmalade). Jack’s determination to fit into his new country is at first charming, then slightly boring. Jack’s mind then turns to the building of the best golf course in Britain and this is where I got a bit distracted and so did the plot. We have meticulous planning of the golf course, the distain and then gradual acceptance of the villagers, a mysterious tale of a pig, some tragic moments and then happiness. This book could have been really sweet in an old English kind of way had it not focused so much on the damned golf. I don’t know if Bobby Jones is a real golfer, but the parts including him seemed a bit forced, not to mention unbelievable.
The characters – Jack and Sadie are well done. Despite being husband and wide, they are polar opposites when it comes to life in the new country. Sadie wants to hang on to her traditions, while Jack is determined to lose them all (even going so far to change his name to something more English). Their daughter, Elizabeth, remains a mystery though – what was her rationale for wanting to change? The villagers, while occasionally being stereotyped, are ‘good eggs’ and the reader really does feel sadness at some of the events that happen. However, I can’t get over the fact that this book really dragged out for me and perhaps I shouldn’t be blaming it all on the golf – maybe it needed better editing. The descriptions of the English countryside were lovingly rendered though.
I didn’t buy Solomons’ second book, The Novel in the Viola and I think I’ll hold onto my money for now – or wait for a 75% off sale.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
You might have guessed I don’t care for golf.
Which is a pity as Jack Rosenblum, recent immigrant to England, has decided that golf is one of the true pleasures of the quintiessential Englishman along with a number of other items that a ‘true’ English man does – from type of car (Jaguar, Top Gear fans start crying now) to breakfast spread (marmalade). Jack’s determination to fit into his new country is at first charming, then slightly boring. Jack’s mind then turns to the building of the best golf course in Britain and this is where I got a bit distracted and so did the plot. We have meticulous planning of the golf course, the distain and then gradual acceptance of the villagers, a mysterious tale of a pig, some tragic moments and then happiness. This book could have been really sweet in an old English kind of way had it not focused so much on the damned golf. I don’t know if Bobby Jones is a real golfer, but the parts including him seemed a bit forced, not to mention unbelievable.
The characters – Jack and Sadie are well done. Despite being husband and wide, they are polar opposites when it comes to life in the new country. Sadie wants to hang on to her traditions, while Jack is determined to lose them all (even going so far to change his name to something more English). Their daughter, Elizabeth, remains a mystery though – what was her rationale for wanting to change? The villagers, while occasionally being stereotyped, are ‘good eggs’ and the reader really does feel sadness at some of the events that happen. However, I can’t get over the fact that this book really dragged out for me and perhaps I shouldn’t be blaming it all on the golf – maybe it needed better editing. The descriptions of the English countryside were lovingly rendered though.
I didn’t buy Solomons’ second book, The Novel in the Viola and I think I’ll hold onto my money for now – or wait for a 75% off sale.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com