Book Review: Scarlet Feather - World Cultures European

Whitethorn Woods
by Maeve Binchy

A brand new novel from one of our favorite best-selling authors!
Synopsis:
The town of Rossmore is a special place, full of character and charm. Nestled beside the Whitethorn Woods, the town has grown since the days when it was small and friendly and everyone knew everyone else; now it has chain stories and traffic problems and housing estates. But still, there are the woods, full of spiky bushes and criss-crossed with paths; and there's St Ann's Well, where generations have come to pray or make wishes or just to look back at the pretty little town. Which is why there is going to be such a fuss about the plans for the new motorway. It's going to by-pass Rossmore, cutting through Whitethorn Woods and endangering the well itself. The new road will bring jobs and relieve traffic in the town; for others, it will destroy businesses and leave the town a backwater. The people of Rossmore are divided. There is a lot of land standing in the way of the great road of progress. Quite by accident the decision rests on Neddy Nolan - the most honest man in Rossmore. A man determined to do the right thing.

NOTE: This book will be published on August 23rd in Gt. Britain. To pre-order the hard cover edition, please click Whitethorn WoodsUK.

It will be not be published in the USA until March 2007. If you don’t mind the wait, click Whitethorn WoodsUSA.

Book Review: Scarlet Feather
by Judith Flynn

Maeve has done it again. A verbal, colorful, comforter of family and friends (and a few not so friendly) to delight the reader.

Binchy possesses a magical way of drawing the reader into the mix and making you wish that you could be a part of it all. If you enjoy a love story, there is more than one and a surprise ending - intrigue, there is that too - adventure, a wee bit of that, kids that say the darndest things, and oh, a mother-in-law you would love to hate but just end up realizing she is human and - surprise - in the end I began to like her in an odd sort of way.

It occurs to me that Binchy has the ability to present us with a lovely Irish romance that's too good to be called a soap opera in a package with all of the loose ends neatly tied up at the finish. You will love Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather ...Lizzie and Muttie...Cathy's parents...well, I could go on and on but - you must read Scarlet Feather and meet the rest of the cast on your own!

A Few Notes From Herself: Binchy truly is a master spinner of tales and I can't wait to sink my teeth into her latest. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank Judith for sending us her review and also for sending me the book! Definitely one of those lovely, unexpected bonuses which arrived on a day when I needed a bit of cheering up.

If you haven't read any of Maeve's dozen or more novels, she's not just an excellent story-teller; she's a very easy, fast-paced read which makes most of her books difficult to put down once you get started.; she's also incredibly popular with legions of fans including former First Lady, Barbara Bush and Oprah Winfrey. In fact, Tara Road was one of Oprah's Book Club Selections. Judging by the accolades Scarlet Feather has already received, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that Oprah chooses this one too.

If you're interested in learning more about Maeve Binchy's works, please click here for a selection of her best-selling titles: The Best of Binchy
Or click here for more details on her latest: Scarlet Feather.