Summer at Fairacre (Hardcover)

I even found the book's description to be so frivolous in it's worries, (is that really all there is to this simple book?), so much that it comes across as really funny, which certainly wasn't the author's intent. No, that couldn't be true because in fact even though the book has little humor, the main character's sense of fun is worse being so commonly plain throughout, that one has to think and then upon comprehension, a first response is to dismiss it quickly having found it horribly anti-social. A good recommendation really is that one could and should in fact read a screenplay to the 'Waltons' before picking up this tiresome, out of touch, babbling and boring story which is comparable only to an old ladies' private medical journal. The questions that I ask are, how did author Miss Read get this ratty thing published? And has the world really changed this much in only 15 years, since the time of it's publishing?

I will say that Miss Read has a nice vocabulary which she incorporates flowingly into her writing style, and so the vocabulary is its saving grace, yet good writing is to be expected from an adult novel. Without that between the lines, I imagine the plot would be so utterly simple and contain character dialogue so grittingly uninteresting, that it would have no distinction from a girl's young adult oh-so-pleasant fictional published in the 1950's era.

All in all, the strong points make this book a worthwhile read, yet it still purrs one 'P' too many in pppppleasant to consider it a good, substantial read. Expect it to be found only in flea markets or antique shops come 10-15 years down the road.

Everyone looks forward to the warmth of summer. For the school employees including Miss Read and most villagers, the highlight of the summer is the wedding of teacher Miss Briggs. As Spring slowly turns to Summer and the wedding nears, Miss Read's friend Amy begins to act strange and ultimately vanishes. Miss Read wonders if Amy is okay, what else will happen before school starts anew, and who will become the new custodian?

SUMMER AT FAIRACRE is a leisurely cozy look at a small English village. The story line is fun for those readers who want to kick back and follow a relaxing tale filled with friendly charcaters (and one not so friendly individual). Anyone who wants to observe life in a small village during the latter half of the twentieth century, this novel and the entire series provides an unhurried but insightful look.

Harriet Klausner