Patrick, Phaedra. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. Ontario: MIRA. 2016. Print.
First Sentences:
Description:
Happy reading.
Fred
Each day Arthur got out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive.
Description:
Arthur Pepper is a man of rigid habits. Same time rising in the morning, same breakfast, same daily routine, same bedtime. Any deviance is a cause for internal panic until the schedule can be resumed.
But then, one year after the death of his wife, Miriam, Arthur discovers a previously-unknown charm bracelet of hers carefully hidden in an old shoe box. It is rich looking, heavy gold, with several unusual charms on it: an elephant with an emerald, an artist's palette, a tiger, a flower, a book, a thimble, a heart, and a ring. None of these figures had any significance to Arthur.
So he sets out to discover the story behind each charm and uncover the secret life of the woman he once thought he knew completely during their 30 years of marriage. Arthur must summon up all shreds of curiosity and willpower to break his bonds of habit and mourning to follow the trail suggested by the charms.
Phaedra Patrick's debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, promises adventure, mystery, self-discovery, and love stories, and delivers on every expectation. Along the way Arthur encounters a family living in India, a recluse who keeps tigers roaming freely around his grounds, a well-meaning but pushy neighbor and her surly son, and a neighbor who mows his lawn every day. With each person and adventure, Arthur finds he must question Miriam's past life and compare it to the quiet life they led together for decades. Was she satisfied with him and their life or did she harbor regrets from her previous life? Arthur has to find out somehow, and that's the beauty of this adventure.
I won't spoil any more of the details. Suffice to say, Arthur is in for a long, twisty ride that changes his ideas about his wife, their relationship, and his own inner being. He is wonderful character full of insecurities, drive, and a dogged persistence to find answers, no matter their affect on him or his memories. You cannot help but pull for him throughout each episode of discovery.
But then, one year after the death of his wife, Miriam, Arthur discovers a previously-unknown charm bracelet of hers carefully hidden in an old shoe box. It is rich looking, heavy gold, with several unusual charms on it: an elephant with an emerald, an artist's palette, a tiger, a flower, a book, a thimble, a heart, and a ring. None of these figures had any significance to Arthur.
So he sets out to discover the story behind each charm and uncover the secret life of the woman he once thought he knew completely during their 30 years of marriage. Arthur must summon up all shreds of curiosity and willpower to break his bonds of habit and mourning to follow the trail suggested by the charms.
Phaedra Patrick's debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, promises adventure, mystery, self-discovery, and love stories, and delivers on every expectation. Along the way Arthur encounters a family living in India, a recluse who keeps tigers roaming freely around his grounds, a well-meaning but pushy neighbor and her surly son, and a neighbor who mows his lawn every day. With each person and adventure, Arthur finds he must question Miriam's past life and compare it to the quiet life they led together for decades. Was she satisfied with him and their life or did she harbor regrets from her previous life? Arthur has to find out somehow, and that's the beauty of this adventure.
I won't spoil any more of the details. Suffice to say, Arthur is in for a long, twisty ride that changes his ideas about his wife, their relationship, and his own inner being. He is wonderful character full of insecurities, drive, and a dogged persistence to find answers, no matter their affect on him or his memories. You cannot help but pull for him throughout each episode of discovery.
What these people and events had stirred in him was desire. Not in the sense of lust or longing, but a reaction to others. When they had shown a need, he found a desire to help. When the tiger attacked he felt a desire to live.
Happy reading.
Fred
www.firstsentencereader.blogspot.com
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Jonasson, Jonas. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Jonasson, Jonas. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
On his hundredth birthday, a man escapes the old folks home and, armed with a suitcase of stolen money, begins a world-traveling adventure with police and criminals in hot pursuit. Delightfully funny and unexpected on every page. (previously reviewed here)
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