The Shell Seekers - Rosamunde Pilcher

===A wonderful compelling novel-The Shellseekers' by Rosamunde Pilcher

Rosamunde Pilcher has written many novels and short stories. Some of her books have been made, very successfully, into television films and plays. In my opinion, they translate wonderfully to the television screen.

Rosamunde Plilcher was made an O.B.E. in 2002 for her services to literature. The novel I am about to review, The Shell Seekers was the book that really got her noticed.

I consider Rosamunde Pilcher to be an incredible story teller who involves her reader into the characters from the first pages. I enjoy re reading all of this author's work that I have read so far. In my opinion, her novels are warm and popular and can claim to reach a wide audience. True that they probably have most appeal to women of the thirty plus age range and over but I think they are so well written and always possess interesting story lines that probably would appeal to most readers. They aren't 'lovey dovey tales' and always contain some strong and likeable characters. I think any age group would warm to her style but the type of story quite often centres around mature heroines.

The Shell Seekers begins with a prologue and thus, we discover, the heroine, Penelope Keeling, who has discharged herself from hospital after suffering a suspected heart attack. Instead of being collected from the hospital by friends or family she has chosen to make very little fuss and arrives home in a taxi.

Penelope can't wait to reach her beloved home. On arrival she walks around her cottage and we share her delight in her home and treasured possessions.

Penelope realises prudently, that she needs to inform her three grown up children that she is no longer an hospital inpatient and ponders on which one to contact first. Who should it be? By now we begin to understand the personalities of Penelope's family.

Nancy is the eldest. She is living a very materialistic life and strives to continue and improve upon a lifestyle that she really can't afford. Her life revolves around her pompous, overbearing husband and two spoilt children. Over the years she has become frumpish and boring. Also Nancy is resentful that life doesn't seem to be giving her her due.

Noel is the youngest child. He is smart and ambitious but also seems to be of the opinion that he is owed a certain life style. He is quite calculating and knows how to get in with the right people. He is rather shallow and doesn't think he should have to work hard for anything.

Olivia is the child closest to Penelope's heart. It isn't that she doesn't love the other two but more that Olivia is a 'kindred spirit'. This daughter is independent, like her mother, and works for what she wants. She doesn't expect her mother or anyone to hand her anything on a plate. Indeed, Olivia's attitude is that her mother should enjoy her money and doesn't expect anything from her financially. She has a generous nature and doesn't succumb to jealousy, unlike her siblings.

And so, Penelope decides to telephone Olivia, not so much due to favouritism but knowing that Olivia would be the most likely child to understand her actions.

So we move on. This novel has sixteen chapters each named after a character in the story, some now deceased. We are quickly moved on and learn about the main characters who are still living and the reminiscing of the heroine as she remembers those now gone. We are introduced to other characters, important to the plot. Danus is employed by Penelope as a gardener. They become friendly and, although curious, Penelope doesn't intrude on his past. She takes him, as with everyone, at face value.

We learn that Penelope is a protector of waifs and strays when, Anthonia, daughter of a past lover of Olivia, comes to stay.

Penelope Keeling has had a very interesting past. Her childhood was spent living in a spacious terraced London property which was shared with lodgers ( A friendly household with the lodgers being close family friends) and a country cottage, full of character, in Cornwall, close to the sea. Penelope is given the London house by her father, with great insight, to afford her some security for her future.

Her father, Lawrence Stern was a renowned artist. His work has grown out of fashion but at the present time is becoming, once again, fashionable, sought after thus making it valuable. Her mother, Sophie, very much junior to Lawrence was an orphaned French girl. It was a marriage filled with love. The family are quite unorthodox and very loving. Her parents are totally non judgemental.

During the second world War Penelope decides to do her bit and joins the Wrens. This action is life changing and determines the course of her future.

As a wedding present Penelope is given a painting, The Shell Seekers. It is, to Penelope, very dear to her because of its sentimentality, not its financial value. She keeps it on display in her home. But, alas, her children discover the value of this painting and two of them then set about convincing their mother to sell so that they can continue to live the lives they feel they should be accustomed to. And this is really the theme of the rest of this book. The story is grippingly told.

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This is a truly wonderful read. I have read this at least three times over some years. I am a quick reader which means that a book nearing seven hundred pages is to me a delight. I could really get stuck into this book and didn't want to put it down. This was true on the initial read and the subsequent ones too.

I had total empathy with the heroine, Penelope keeling. I found her to be an example of generosity and independence. I was annoyed with some of the characters who were totally believable.

In summary, I would say that this book was a real treasure of a novel and I definitely would recommend it to friends but would not give it away.
Summary: A real treasure of a novel