Colour Blind - Catherine Cookson

Introduction -

As many of you may know if you have already encountered Catherine Cooksons books,was born in Tyne Dock,and her birthplace and area of upbringing is often the basis for many of her books.
With a very disadvantaged upbringing and local knowledge of the areas she writes about,she is able to incoprerate her experiances and historical research and counger up vivid and detailed images of times and scenes.
She has also written under the pseudonym Catherine Marchant,producing more of her excellent work.
Her books generally center around her homeland locations,and invariably utilise families,work and the hardships of the time for their core,and it is this that captivate the reader.

Colour Blind was written in 1953,and as often her work does,tackles issues of unemployment and class at the time.It also tackles the sensative issue of colour,and in this makes this book somewhat more unusual than some of her later work.

The story -

Centered around her beloved Tyneside,the story follows a fimillies lives.A mixed marraige,it's end results,the social implications for the couple,their child and the extended family.
Starting with the orival of a daughter home,to announce her marraige and impending baby,to a family that can barely comprehend the mortal sin she has commited...worsened by the fact as a catholic she wed in a registry office.The story then follows her harrowed life as the cosequences of her actions becomes apparent by the way her family and neighbours continue to treat her.The disturbed and evil brother that causes untold fear and disrution,as events turn violent and her husband is forced to flee for his life by the threat of swinging on a rope.
The tale then follows the upbringing of the daughter,her trials and tribulations,andthe wrath the hated uncle then turns on her.
Eventually the story goes full circle as her father returns to see her in is dying days,steeped in fear the ending truns out to be more favourable than her life or experiances could have lead her to home for as she finds real love in a painter,that she has wrked for and despite his turning on her as her gets the wrong end of the stick,in true Catherine Cookson style she ends happily ever after.

Conclusion -

Like many of her books,she captivates her readers with the knowledge whe filters into her writting,making you feel as though this is your family,your home and you can picture and smell the scenes as they unfold.
This book,more than her others captivates the reader to the point it is difficult to put the book down.Where nearly all her works hold your attention well,this one in its entirity grasps you and whirls you into this past world,throwing you emotions on a rollercoaster of heartache,passion and loathing.

Information -

I recently bought this book for £4.99 along with a magazine about her life and works as a series being currently published.This is available from most news agents.
Alternatively you will find a copy of this book in most libraries or good bookshops for under £10.

A final word -

If you have read any of her books,then this one is an essential read.
If you haven't read her books,then this is an excelllent choice to sample her writtings with.

~ ~ ~ Thankyou for reading ~ ~ ~