I was recently sent this signed copy by the author herself. I have an ongoing project to read all Transita's publications! I have yet to read this, but as I plan to release all Transita books I have purchased as Bookrays,marking as AVL so that other Transita fans will maybe let me know now of their interest in reading this title.

Synopsis:Amazon.co.uk
History repeats itself, so they say. Perhaps it has to because no-one listens! Ellie, an artist in her middle age, needs to live her life in a new way after the death of her husband. Feeling fearful but doing it anyway, she enrolls on a garden course in Tuscany one spring. Here she begins relationships with fellow students Nerine - an eccentric character in her seventies - and the much younger Max. Through the teaching of Salvatore - the owner of an ancient palazzo - Ellie comes to find that the universal truths, expressed in the Renaissance painting Primavera and the philosophy of Marsilio Ficino, still hold a potent relevance.

A story of loss and change mainly set in Italy I empathised with it even more as the descriptions of the gardens and places in Tuscany were particularly visual for me. The novelist Alison Hoblyn is also an artist and this is very apparent in her style of writing as each scene comes alive on the printed page with her vivid descriptions.

On the surface it is the story of the heroine Ellie trying to work out a new direction for her life, after the death of her husband. It is so much deeper than that though with much reflection on art, friendship, love and marriage, religious faith and death, actually quite philosophical at times.
It did take me awhile to get into though, so do not give up too early if you find this. It seems to become gentler and for me more readable as it progresses, maybe as one becomes more involved with the characters, particularly Nerine a wonderful eccentric.
There are some interesting twists along the way, one I guessed correctly, but another was completely unexpected!
This is so much more than just a romantic love story and it maintains the standards of novel that I have recently been enjoying from the publishing house of Transita. If you also have a love of art and or Italy it is definitely for you.

Ready to start its travels! Please try and read and pass on within a month. If this is a problem a journal entry just to explain would be apppreciated. Thankyou.

Chich/France
Midlifecrisis/UK
iwanttobeinital/Italy
Pell/Italy
Sidney1/Germany


Update 14/07/08 sidney1 has asked if i want this back.

Update 17/07/08 Have suggested to Sidney1 that FireOpal may be interested in reading this?

RELEASE NOTES:

En route to 'chich' in France.

Book received today, thanks so much LindyLouMac! And thanks for the little extra gift, too:D

I'll finish the book I'm reading right now and will get right on to this one:)

This is the first Transita novel I read, and what a treat it was! Unlike LindyLouMac I didn't find it difficult to get into and once I started reading I just couldn't stop and finished the book in two days:) I particularly enjoyed the atmosphere, the characters and Hoblyn's gentle writing style. The *very unexpected* plot twist left me in awe, I really didn't see it coming!

A moving and beautiful book, thanks so much for sharing it with us LindyLouMac!

I've PMed Midlifecrisis for her address and will send her the book as soon as she gives it to me.

Book sent to Midlifecrisis today, enjoy!

Arrived today - thank you very much.

I'm sorry, but apart from Linda Gillard and another author (I believe her name was Adrienne Dines), I am having trouble getting to grips with most Transita titles. I found the writing in this clumsy and there was nothing that enticed me to progress beyond 50 pages. I am so sorry to be a wet blanket yet again!! I plan to get this on its way in the New Year.

Posted today, 29 December.

Arrived safely yesterday.
I'm part way through another book at the mo but will be onto this one very soon.

I'm afraid I didn't really find the characters in the book particularly believeable.
Ellie I thought seemed very "wet" and too good to be true.
It has taken me a while to get through it as it wasn't one of those that I had to read in one go but I was determined not to give up on it.
Obviously just not my cup of tea.
Will be on its way to Pell when I get to the Post Office next.

Arrived safely today, have a few books to read but will try to finish in a few weeks.Thank you for sending it on Iwantobeinitaly.

Posted off last week sorry I havent journalled until now but have had probs with computer.

Book arrived safely about a week ago. Sorry, forgot to journal its arrival. Have nearly finished the book and will let you know what I think of it soon.

Unfortunately, I don’t think this book is much of a read. It’s not that Hoblyn can’t write, I just think the story is a bit of a bore. I also felt that the heroine Ellie, who is supposed to be in her early forties at the beginning of the book, acted much older. I am 41 and couldn’t relate to how she felt, at all. She was much too prissy, lacked too much self-confidence in spite of being a rather successful artist. Of course she did marry young and had a dominant older husband, but still I felt she seemed easily in her 50s or 60s, somebody brought up in an earlier era than me. I don’t think the twist in the plot is convincing and Max’ vengefulness really is over the top. What kept me going was the vivid depiction of Italy mostly, and of gardens in general (yes, I agree, one feels that the author is also an artist who really sees colour). Also, I know this good looking 50ish Italian palazzo owner near Florence, so I could really relate to the figure of Salvatore. Yes, there are some interesting reflections on art, belief and religion, but not enough to satisfy me over 306 pages.
But thanks for sharing, LindyLouMac. Let me know who to send the book to next.

Arrived safely today!
Thank you :)

Nicely written book but not my sort of read I suppose.
I was waiting for something exciting to happen, but it is more of a reflective book than a page turner.

I finished it mostly because I always finish books, but I didn't really get into any of the characters except possibly the splendid Nerine, who I could relate to a bit (just my luck!).

I can see the appeal of the book, and possibly it is better on a second read, but personally I enjoyed The Savage Garden (also read recently) much more, and in that one the myths and art was gone into in much more detail and there was a gripping plot to keep you interested.