Rosie of the River - Catherine Cookson

Often falling into the romance genere, Catherine Cooksons books are generally historically orientated, detailed retails of family life and social standings. Most of her story lines include moralistic issues and highlight class gulfs of the times. This particular book is somewhat different.....

Having been an avid Catherine cookson fan for a long time I was more than eager when a magazine came out on a fortnightly basis that was accompanied with a copy of one of her works with each issue.
I knew I had read most of her books but also knew there were some works that had passed me by. I loved her books so much that the prospect of reading many of them again was a big bonus, so I subscribed via my local newsagents and awaited the compilation of my favorite author.

Each fortnight I eagerly read each book that came along and by the twentieth edition I had read 17 previously read books and three titles I hadn't yet found. Twenty one arrived and I was overjoyed at it being "Rosie of the river" yet another book that had evaded me. It was a title I had heard of, but I'd never come across it in my scouring of bookshops and car boots sales (an excellent source for cheap copies of her books).
My first thought when I saw the book was that it was a much thinner book than many of her other works, quite a good thing as I wanted something I could get through in the one spare day I had this week.

If I had to pick out one thing that stood out in the writings of this author it would have to be her ability to transport you to times past, most notably the Victorian eara where she conveys extreme detail into the surroundings, buildings, way of life and characters of the period. This book however is set much later on, working through a decade and into the 1950's. This isn't something that would trouble me except for the fact that her vibrant descriptions fell far short of acceptable.
Not only did I find the details missing, but also annomilies in the settings. Irky little things would be out of place for the time yet included in a way that would suggest they were of that period.

The story or plot was little short of dire although I would have expected someone so talented to have been able to make it a little absorbing.

The story line runs in a totally different manner from her main writings, instead of being in the midst of the characters interacting and conversing along with descriptive paragraphs, i found myself reading what appeared on face value as a script for a play!
Using exhaustive amounts of long phone calls used to form dialogue coupled with narrative pages of explanatory type.

To elaborate on the plot (ha,ha)....

Take two of the most ordinary cardboard cut out people you can find, send them on a disastrous boating holiday for a week. Throw in a huge difference of type written views between this couples idea of a holiday, a mad dog and a heaps of people they would meet and be embraced by in a hugely friend manner (despite meeting them for all of 5 minutes a time).
Send them back home from their holidays and a saga of correspondence and telephone calls directs the breif life story of these aquaintancies - now boosom buddies is retailed.

Surprisingly although "Rosie" (of the river) is not the main character..that thrill is left for the carboardies, she is the main theme of the book and fills a huge gap in the ever grateful lives of the box people.
Rough and brash would be an appropriate description of Rosie as the couple encountered her on their boating holiday, her main part is to develop into an educated well versed and wonderful lady who gets hitched and lives a long and happy life.

If the thrill of the plot hasn't sent you to sleep yet then don't worry, the few other encountered souls will do!

Oh, gosh, it appears I have forgotten to mention a pivotal part of the book!! The is a huge moral undertone about judging books by their covers...perhaps Catherine was in humorous mood when that inspiration hit her!

Passing on to the points of the material I was much amazed that this book was actually written by Catherine Cookson, and indeed I still feel heavily in doubt as to it really being one of her works. Many of the key indicators I'd expect to find in one of her books were definitely there. Words she is apt to use, like the name "Briggy" when referring to a tutor or governess. The token good preist/ bad priest and specific words she is apt to use. What concerns me greatly is that they are repeated into the story or placed in a way I have never previously noted with her work. So ill placed are these references that they seem to have been purposely placed into the writing in order to give it credibility, yet it has the complete opposite affect.

Even the ending of the book doesn't feel right. Her writing has a habit of ending abruptly or on a fairy tail note that leaves you wanting to know what happens in ten years time. This ending whilst not notable doesn't have the same ring to tit at all, almost tidying up the messy book.

So, having slogged my way through the mere 139 pages in what should have taken me less than an afternoon (it took me 4 days in the end) I was left feeling confused and convinced if this was the work of Catherine Cookson, then it must have been a very early creation in her literary life.
I had to constantly put the book down and have a coffee or wander off from it for a bit as it was so hard to read. Not only could it not hold my interest, but the wording itself was difficult to digest.

I paid £4.99 for my book which also included the magazine I wasn't impressed with the book. However it is a hardback and nicely bound and it will at the end of the series leave me with a completed collection of her works. That alone is it's saving grace because as a story it's actually a disgrace. If you are a Catherine Cookson fan, then give this one a miss. If your just want to try one of her books then definitely give this one a miss!!