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Weathering
An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here
Pearl doesn't know how she's ended up in the river - the same messy, cacophonous river in the same rain-soaked valley she'd been stuck in for years. Or why, for that matter, she'd been stupid enough to fall down those rickety stairs.
Ada, Pearl's daughter, doesn't know how she's ended up back in the house she left thirteen years ago - with no heating apart from a fire she can't light, no way of getting around apart from an old car she's scared to drive, and no company apart from echoing footsteps on the damp floorboards. With her daughter Pepper, she starts to sort through Pearl's things, clearing the house so she can leave and not look back.
Pepper has grown used to following her restless mother from place to place, but this house, with its faded photographs, its boxes of cameras and its stuffed jackdaw, is something new. Fascinated by the scattering of people she meets, by the river that unfurls through the valley, and by the strange old woman who sits on the bank with her feet in the cold, coppery water, Pepper doesn't know why anyone would ever want to leave.
As the first frosts of autumn herald the coming of a long winter and Pepper and Ada find themselves irresistibly entangled with the life of the valley, each will discover the ways that places can take root inside us and bind us together.
Pearl doesn't know how she's ended up in the river - the same messy, cacophonous river in the same rain-soaked valley she'd been stuck in for years. Or why, for that matter, she'd been stupid enough to fall down those rickety stairs.
Ada, Pearl's daughter, doesn't know how she's ended up back in the house she left thirteen years ago - with no heating apart from a fire she can't light, no way of getting around apart from an old car she's scared to drive, and no company apart from echoing footsteps on the damp floorboards. With her daughter Pepper, she starts to sort through Pearl's things, clearing the house so she can leave and not look back.
Pepper has grown used to following her restless mother from place to place, but this house, with its faded photographs, its boxes of cameras and its stuffed jackdaw, is something new. Fascinated by the scattering of people she meets, by the river that unfurls through the valley, and by the strange old woman who sits on the bank with her feet in the cold, coppery water, Pepper doesn't know why anyone would ever want to leave.
As the first frosts of autumn herald the coming of a long winter and Pepper and Ada find themselves irresistibly entangled with the life of the valley, each will discover the ways that places can take root inside us and bind us together.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2015
21 people are currently reading
2367 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Wood
33 books74 followersLucy Wood has a Master's degree in Creative Writing from Exeter University. She grew up in Cornwall. Diving Belles is her first work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
November 18, 2015
It's surreal and eerie, a hard and gnawing read at times . The three main characters are weathering their personal storms as well as the constant rain in this place somewhere in rural England It's a quiet story in a way, except for the river. There is an intensity in the thoughts and memories of the characters as well as the rain and the snow storms.
The story begins with Pearl who is trying to get out of the river, as her daughter Ada spreads her ashes . Ada hasn't seen her mother for thirteen years and returns to this isolated place where she grew up to scatter her mother's ashes and sell the old dilapidated house . The story is told through three distinct points of view : Pearl , yes even though she's dead , is alive and well in spirit and is here to tell us her story and there's Ada and her six year old daughter Pepper who owned my heart . With beautifully descriptive language and I don't mean in a flowery way , Lucy Wood makes you hear and see that river , feel the rain and the dampness and believe that Pearl is right there .
It's about mother - daughter relationships , love that is genuine even though it doesn't always seem so , discovering one's self when it seems you are lost. Just so impressive how Wood moves us back and forth through the minds of Pearl, Ada, and Pepper, connecting past and present and linking them through love , hardship, birds , and of course the river .
It was 4.5 stars for me and I may make it 5 after I think about it more .
Thanks to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley.
October 7, 2015
Three generations of women, all wanting a home, a place they feel they belong. Ada, arrives with her young daughter Pepper, back to the house she had left many years ago. Her mother Pearl has died, and she intends to stay only long enough to put the house in order, to sell.
When I first started reading this the prose was so lovely, almost haunting, dreamlike, it kept me reading, still wasn't sure how I felt about the story. The descriptions of the river that plays a crucial role in this novel, were amazing. The wildlife, descriptions of the house, that needs so much more work than even Ada realizes. Truthfully this is a slow burner of a book, a quiet seducer that creeps up on the reader. Not much happens, but what does is set against the surroundings, the town and pub, the few characters that live there.
Pearl comes back, kind of and tells her story, a sad one. Her love of photography which young Pepper will continue. At the end of Chapter 24, there is such a tender moment, it almost brought me to tears, just a few lines but for me it encapsulated what this novel is relating. Love shown in different ways, and where you least expect it whether for a person, nature or a home. Almost without realizing it I came to love this tender, exquisitely told story and all its characters.
ARC from Netgalley.
When I first started reading this the prose was so lovely, almost haunting, dreamlike, it kept me reading, still wasn't sure how I felt about the story. The descriptions of the river that plays a crucial role in this novel, were amazing. The wildlife, descriptions of the house, that needs so much more work than even Ada realizes. Truthfully this is a slow burner of a book, a quiet seducer that creeps up on the reader. Not much happens, but what does is set against the surroundings, the town and pub, the few characters that live there.
Pearl comes back, kind of and tells her story, a sad one. Her love of photography which young Pepper will continue. At the end of Chapter 24, there is such a tender moment, it almost brought me to tears, just a few lines but for me it encapsulated what this novel is relating. Love shown in different ways, and where you least expect it whether for a person, nature or a home. Almost without realizing it I came to love this tender, exquisitely told story and all its characters.
ARC from Netgalley.
February 1, 2016
This atmospheric debut novel is set in a crumbling house by an English river and stars three generations of women – one of them a ghost. Ada has returned to her childhood home after 13 years to scatter her mother Pearl’s ashes, sort through her belongings, and get the property ready to sell. In a sense, then, this is a haunted house story. Yet Wood introduces the traces of magical realism so subtly that they never feel jolting. Like the river, the novel is fluid, moving between the past and present with ease. The vivid picture of the English countryside and clear-eyed look at family dynamics remind me most of Tessa Hadley (The Past) and Polly Samson (The Kindness).
Non-subscribers can read an excerpt of my review at BookBrowse.
Non-subscribers can read an excerpt of my review at BookBrowse.
January 14, 2015
I have been spellbound by this beguiling and bewitching book; a book that speaks of mothers and daughters, of memories and ghosts, of the way people and places can hold us and form us, and of other thing – fundamental things – that I can’t quite put into words.
The story that the Lucy Wood spins is quite simple.
Ada has come home for the first time in thirteen years with her small daughter, Pepper, in tow. She didn’t really want to come, but her mother has did and it has fallen to her to go through her mother’s things and to clear the house. She had nowhere in particular to go back to, she has nowhere in particular to move on to, but she doesn’t plan to stay.
The house lies deep in a valley that has been carved out by a great river; a river that is replenished by rain that never seems to stop.
The house is dilapidated, it is isolated, and it has no home comforts. Ada just wants to do what she has to do and then go.
But so many things say that she should stay.
Pepper has never had a place to call home and she is captivated by the house full of relics of her grandmother’s life, by the power and the beauty of the river, and by the small community that welcomes her.
Pearl, Ada’s mother, hasn’t quite left the place that was her home for so long, and her spirit rises up from the river that has claimed her to reclaim her place in the lives and the memories of her daughter and her granddaughter.
And even Ada herself begins to wonder as she recalls and begins to understand the past and as she is drawn back into the life of the world that she thought she had left behind thirteen years earlier.
All of this happens in one time and in one place, but the story is timeless and it could play out anywhere in the world.
The world that Lucy Wood creates lives and breathes; and it’s a world where nature is very, very close. I could feel the rain; I could hear the river. The river and all of the life in and around it has much of a place as the people who move through the story.
The story ebbs and flows, it moves backwards and forwards in time, and it works beautifully. One every page there’s an image, an idea, or a memory, and this is a book to read slowly, so that you can pause and appreciate every one. And so that you can appreciate how profoundly this novel speaks of mothers and daughter, how our relationships and the roles that we play evolve, how our understanding of each other and the world around us change overtime.
The emotional intensity, the clarity and the beauty of the writing is so wonderful. I loved Lucy Wood’s voice when I read her short stories, and it was so lovely to recognise it as soon as I opened this book and started to read. Her voice is distinctive and her prose is glorious and utterly, utterly readable.
This book explores themes that are close to my heart; I love it for that and I love it for its artistry.
I’ve read comparisons to authors like Angela Carter and Margaret Atwood. I understand them, I think they’re fair, but I also think that that Lucy Wood isn’t quite like anybody else.
I think – I hope – that one day she will be held as much as esteem as they are.
I’ll be very disappointed if I don’t see Lucy Wood’s name when literary prizes are awarded later in this year.
I know I’m not wholly objective, but I really do think that this book is in that class.
The story that the Lucy Wood spins is quite simple.
Ada has come home for the first time in thirteen years with her small daughter, Pepper, in tow. She didn’t really want to come, but her mother has did and it has fallen to her to go through her mother’s things and to clear the house. She had nowhere in particular to go back to, she has nowhere in particular to move on to, but she doesn’t plan to stay.
The house lies deep in a valley that has been carved out by a great river; a river that is replenished by rain that never seems to stop.
The house is dilapidated, it is isolated, and it has no home comforts. Ada just wants to do what she has to do and then go.
But so many things say that she should stay.
Pepper has never had a place to call home and she is captivated by the house full of relics of her grandmother’s life, by the power and the beauty of the river, and by the small community that welcomes her.
Pearl, Ada’s mother, hasn’t quite left the place that was her home for so long, and her spirit rises up from the river that has claimed her to reclaim her place in the lives and the memories of her daughter and her granddaughter.
And even Ada herself begins to wonder as she recalls and begins to understand the past and as she is drawn back into the life of the world that she thought she had left behind thirteen years earlier.
All of this happens in one time and in one place, but the story is timeless and it could play out anywhere in the world.
The world that Lucy Wood creates lives and breathes; and it’s a world where nature is very, very close. I could feel the rain; I could hear the river. The river and all of the life in and around it has much of a place as the people who move through the story.
The story ebbs and flows, it moves backwards and forwards in time, and it works beautifully. One every page there’s an image, an idea, or a memory, and this is a book to read slowly, so that you can pause and appreciate every one. And so that you can appreciate how profoundly this novel speaks of mothers and daughter, how our relationships and the roles that we play evolve, how our understanding of each other and the world around us change overtime.
The emotional intensity, the clarity and the beauty of the writing is so wonderful. I loved Lucy Wood’s voice when I read her short stories, and it was so lovely to recognise it as soon as I opened this book and started to read. Her voice is distinctive and her prose is glorious and utterly, utterly readable.
This book explores themes that are close to my heart; I love it for that and I love it for its artistry.
I’ve read comparisons to authors like Angela Carter and Margaret Atwood. I understand them, I think they’re fair, but I also think that that Lucy Wood isn’t quite like anybody else.
I think – I hope – that one day she will be held as much as esteem as they are.
I’ll be very disappointed if I don’t see Lucy Wood’s name when literary prizes are awarded later in this year.
I know I’m not wholly objective, but I really do think that this book is in that class.
April 16, 2017
She spent a long time finding the right spot -- the correct angle of light, complicated colours, something to frame the shots with in the background. Then she set up the tripod, selected a lens, attached it and set the aperture and focus. And then waited. And waited. [ . . . ] Why did she do this? [ . . . ] But she knew why. She could remember exactly why, even now. For the way time seemed to slow down and stretch, measured in the river's ripples rather than by clocks and mealtimes. For the invisibility. For the hush. To forget. To make some sort of record -- but of what she wasn't sure exactly. To notice things she wouldn't otherwise have noticed: dragonflies hunting, the patterns of light, the specific way that water poured over a dipper's back. (page 124)
It has been thirteen years since Ada has seen the house on the river where she grew up alone with her mother, Pearl. Now she has returned with Pepper, her six-year-old daughter, to this damp and derelict place, but--as she's quick to point out to local folk--she's only here to settle her mother's affairs, sell the house, and move on as soon as possible.
The first thing Ada and Pepper do is to scatter Pearl's ashes on the water. Pearl, however, is not ready to leave. There are things she, too, needs to settle. A watery, elemental spirit, she creeps from the river and makes her presence known to her daughter and granddaughter up at the house. She recognizes now how isolated and confused her life had been in those final months. Sinking into a form of dementia, in part from lack of society, she had refused to answer the phone or even respond to knocks at the door. Luke, her closest neighbour, had kept an eye out for her, accompanying her to the hospital when her wrists and fingers could no longer flex to perform the jewelry and watch repairs that had earned her a meager living. Now she needs to be with the remaining two members of her family before taking final leave.
Pearl's appearance does not startle or unsettle Ada or Pepper. She guides her granddaughter in the use of the camera left behind and encourages her interest in the birds that live on and near the river. Pearl's artistic passion for the creatures is evident in the framed photographs that line the lower hallway of the house. To Ada, Pearl communicates her understanding that the life they lived beside the river was isolated, unusual, and difficult. She knows why her daughter decided to leave. There is no bitterness.
Determined though Ada is to clear out Pearl's things and sort through all the paperwork expeditiously, the house has other ideas, raising endless impediments. Just keeping herself and her daughter warm, fed, and clean is a time-intensive business for Ada. The house has a primitive heating system that involves feeding wood into a boiler for heat and warm water. Due to disrepair and turbulent weather (rain, hail, and snow) the power and telephone service are frequently down. The nearest shop is some distance away, and Pearl's rusty old car is hardly reliable. Coping with the place and weathering the ongoing fall and winter storms make Ada appreciate the hardships her mother faced. She also comes to terms with her guilt about not returning earlier to see Pearl before her death.
News spreads quickly that Ada is back, and she finds herself working at the local pub, something she did as a younger woman. An excellent and creative cook, she is soon in some demand at the establishment, and the money is helpful. She is attracted to a sympathetic younger man who assists her with repairs to the house. Quite naturally, it seems, she is becoming "embroiled" in exactly the ways she vowed she wouldn't be.
Wild storms, wind, rain, flooding--the elements--are powerful players in Lucy Wood's poetic novel. Like her mother before her, Ada is changed--weathered-- by her time in the rundown house near the "chuntering" river that muscles its way through the valley. So is Pepper.
Wood has written a highly atmospheric, impressive first novel. Having said that, I should add that it is not for everyone. First of all, there is not much of a plot here. Most of the book turns on how Ada and Pepper face the difficulties of living in a house so worn down by the elements. Furthermore, while the author does provide some of Pearl's backstory--telling how and why she first came to the house and how she felt about the place at the beginning--I would've liked to know more about the time before the isolated valley. I wish the author had offered this instead of dwelling quite so much on Pearl's end: how she is (almost cosmically) absorbed back into the larger, impersonal, natural world.
In the end, Weathering is not so much a novel of incident as an extended prose poem, albeit one with fully fleshed-out characters. I believe fans of Emily Bronte would like this book, as well as readers of Jon McGregor, who (I understand) has been a mentor to Wood. I look forward to seeing what she does next.
It has been thirteen years since Ada has seen the house on the river where she grew up alone with her mother, Pearl. Now she has returned with Pepper, her six-year-old daughter, to this damp and derelict place, but--as she's quick to point out to local folk--she's only here to settle her mother's affairs, sell the house, and move on as soon as possible.
The first thing Ada and Pepper do is to scatter Pearl's ashes on the water. Pearl, however, is not ready to leave. There are things she, too, needs to settle. A watery, elemental spirit, she creeps from the river and makes her presence known to her daughter and granddaughter up at the house. She recognizes now how isolated and confused her life had been in those final months. Sinking into a form of dementia, in part from lack of society, she had refused to answer the phone or even respond to knocks at the door. Luke, her closest neighbour, had kept an eye out for her, accompanying her to the hospital when her wrists and fingers could no longer flex to perform the jewelry and watch repairs that had earned her a meager living. Now she needs to be with the remaining two members of her family before taking final leave.
Pearl's appearance does not startle or unsettle Ada or Pepper. She guides her granddaughter in the use of the camera left behind and encourages her interest in the birds that live on and near the river. Pearl's artistic passion for the creatures is evident in the framed photographs that line the lower hallway of the house. To Ada, Pearl communicates her understanding that the life they lived beside the river was isolated, unusual, and difficult. She knows why her daughter decided to leave. There is no bitterness.
Determined though Ada is to clear out Pearl's things and sort through all the paperwork expeditiously, the house has other ideas, raising endless impediments. Just keeping herself and her daughter warm, fed, and clean is a time-intensive business for Ada. The house has a primitive heating system that involves feeding wood into a boiler for heat and warm water. Due to disrepair and turbulent weather (rain, hail, and snow) the power and telephone service are frequently down. The nearest shop is some distance away, and Pearl's rusty old car is hardly reliable. Coping with the place and weathering the ongoing fall and winter storms make Ada appreciate the hardships her mother faced. She also comes to terms with her guilt about not returning earlier to see Pearl before her death.
News spreads quickly that Ada is back, and she finds herself working at the local pub, something she did as a younger woman. An excellent and creative cook, she is soon in some demand at the establishment, and the money is helpful. She is attracted to a sympathetic younger man who assists her with repairs to the house. Quite naturally, it seems, she is becoming "embroiled" in exactly the ways she vowed she wouldn't be.
Wild storms, wind, rain, flooding--the elements--are powerful players in Lucy Wood's poetic novel. Like her mother before her, Ada is changed--weathered-- by her time in the rundown house near the "chuntering" river that muscles its way through the valley. So is Pepper.
Wood has written a highly atmospheric, impressive first novel. Having said that, I should add that it is not for everyone. First of all, there is not much of a plot here. Most of the book turns on how Ada and Pepper face the difficulties of living in a house so worn down by the elements. Furthermore, while the author does provide some of Pearl's backstory--telling how and why she first came to the house and how she felt about the place at the beginning--I would've liked to know more about the time before the isolated valley. I wish the author had offered this instead of dwelling quite so much on Pearl's end: how she is (almost cosmically) absorbed back into the larger, impersonal, natural world.
In the end, Weathering is not so much a novel of incident as an extended prose poem, albeit one with fully fleshed-out characters. I believe fans of Emily Bronte would like this book, as well as readers of Jon McGregor, who (I understand) has been a mentor to Wood. I look forward to seeing what she does next.
October 30, 2018
3.75 stars. This is a book about three generations of women. The youngest is six yo. The oldest is no longer alive. But I don't want to say she is dead either, because her presence is real throughout this story.
I was drawn into the story right from the start, as Ada sprinkles the ashes of Pearl, her mother, into the river near Pearl's former home, as her daughter, Pepper, asks what she's doing. Ada just wants to get the house ready for sale and move on. But there's a lot to be done before that can happen and lots of roadblocks are thrown in the way, thus, the purpose for the novel.
There is no audio available for this book, and so I brought it with me on a trip so I would have time to sit and read it. I was very focused on getting to the end so I would know what happened, but this isn't really that type of book. Some questions are answered and the ending is satisfactory, but this novel is really more about the journey than the destination.
It takes place near a river and moorland, both of which almost become characters, and all three women are quirky and interesting. But there were so many obstacles in Ada's way as she tries to close out her mother's property and move on that the book carried a little too much tension for me. Some of the situations 6 yo Pepper was left in drove me crazy as a mom, the old home actually requires wood to be fed into the furnace to provide heat and hot water, etc.
I was looking for a more peaceful tale in the British countryside and got a bit more tension than I bargained for, but this is a good book and it was worth my time, for sure. There is a lot of figurative language here, which I really enjoy, and you'll get a good bit of backstory on Pearl's life and see interesting characteristics repeating in the generations. Pepper seems more like a 10-12 yo than a six yo, but it makes the story more interesting that she is the way she is.
I think if you're in the mood for a multi-generational story, told beautifully, with interesting, quirky characters, and you enjoy the British countryside, you'll probably enjoy this one too. Happy reading.
I was drawn into the story right from the start, as Ada sprinkles the ashes of Pearl, her mother, into the river near Pearl's former home, as her daughter, Pepper, asks what she's doing. Ada just wants to get the house ready for sale and move on. But there's a lot to be done before that can happen and lots of roadblocks are thrown in the way, thus, the purpose for the novel.
There is no audio available for this book, and so I brought it with me on a trip so I would have time to sit and read it. I was very focused on getting to the end so I would know what happened, but this isn't really that type of book. Some questions are answered and the ending is satisfactory, but this novel is really more about the journey than the destination.
It takes place near a river and moorland, both of which almost become characters, and all three women are quirky and interesting. But there were so many obstacles in Ada's way as she tries to close out her mother's property and move on that the book carried a little too much tension for me. Some of the situations 6 yo Pepper was left in drove me crazy as a mom, the old home actually requires wood to be fed into the furnace to provide heat and hot water, etc.
I was looking for a more peaceful tale in the British countryside and got a bit more tension than I bargained for, but this is a good book and it was worth my time, for sure. There is a lot of figurative language here, which I really enjoy, and you'll get a good bit of backstory on Pearl's life and see interesting characteristics repeating in the generations. Pepper seems more like a 10-12 yo than a six yo, but it makes the story more interesting that she is the way she is.
I think if you're in the mood for a multi-generational story, told beautifully, with interesting, quirky characters, and you enjoy the British countryside, you'll probably enjoy this one too. Happy reading.
June 29, 2015
Weathering is a meandering, almost dream-like novel in which a mother and daughter, Ada and Pepper, return temporarily to the decaying and isolated home of Ada’s recently deceased mother, Pearl. The cottage resists all attempts at renovation as the damp of the adjacent river and the constant rain and snow intrude on a daily basis, and the ghost of Pearl seems to haunt every last corner – literally and figuratively. The relationships between three generations of women are explored as they constantly repeat and reflect one another, and attempt to come to some sort of peace with themselves, each other and their surroundings.
I absolutely loved Weathering, but if you’re looking for a novel with pace and plot, you may want to give this one a miss: the characters’ journeys are slow and difficult, and the narrative is rich with descriptive detail, to the point where the house and the river on which it stands are really characters in themselves. This is a book with an incredible sense of place and atmosphere, and of the effect that one's environment can have on the psyche. Rarely have I read a book which has given me such a strong, almost physical sense of its location.
It’s also a brilliant character study of three women. Six-year-old Pepper is difficult child, excluded from multiple schools, prone to fits of temper and full of blunt questions. She’s capable of developing a fierce fondness for people, yet has little idea how to express this; at the start of the novel she repeatedly butts at Ada's hip rather than giving her a hug, and her disappointment when a feral cat refuses to return her love is poignant. Ada herself, back in the very place from which she spent her whole life planning her escape, seems inept and irresponsible at times; nonetheless, it’s clear that she’s simply trying to do her best under challenging circumstances. Cooking is one of the ways that she not only shows affection and helps herself to feel under control, but also the means through which she begins to find some sort of niche in a village stricken by rural decline. She is also full of guilt at leaving her mother alone – a guilt that’s encapsulated in the blood stains on the floor from her mother’s fatal fall.
Pearl herself, whose death has brought Ada and Pepper back to the house in the first place, begins Weathering as a ghost trapped in the treacherous river, and yet her plight is extraordinarily physical as she struggles against the current and the weeds. Gradually, she fights her way back to the house and makes her presence known in a way that Ada doesn't seem to find surprising; we’re almost straying into magical realism here, albeit in a remarkably unwhimsical manner.
There’s a suggestion that runs through Weathering that only through memory will Ada and Pearl manage to repair their relationship, as each of them dwells on their years living in the cottage together and on Pearl’s unorthodox approach to motherhood. They don’t explicitly discuss this – their interactions are small and few – but in the environment of the cottage, in which the memories of years past seem to be as deeply ingrained in the walls as the ever-present damp, they seem to be reconciled. Pepper, a child whose life so far has lacked continuity and belonging, takes to photographing things as physical record of memory, only to be utterly devastated when she discovers that her camera lacks a film.
The idea of someone coming to a particular place, hating it and then gradually finding happiness by making it their own is not a new one. However, Weathering presents the idea in a way I haven’t seen before, full of ambiguity and frequent unease. There is a strong sense that the battle against the climate and the isolation will never be won, that the house will never be comfortable and dry, and that its occupants can only accept, rather than overcome, this situation. Pepper is as drawn to the river and its bird life as Pearl was before her, and is enchanted by observing them, but never is the landscape romanticised – indeed, the river’s unpredictable currents and sudden rises in water level are a constant threat. Watching the birds means being cold and wet, entangled and scratched by vegetation.
Similarly, every tiny thing at the cottage, whether it's getting the radiators going, making a journey in Pearl's old car or even just painting a wall, presents an exhausting challenge. There is no moment when Ada and Pepper finally triumph in their struggle with the house; when a leak in the roof is fixed, it simply reappears elsewhere.
As a portrait of rural life, Weathering is similarly uncompromising. Ada’s former school friends Judy and Robbie are struggling to keep their farm running, the local pub is frequently empty and serves terrible frozen meals; the village shop is exploitatively expensive, devoid of fresh produce and sells bottled water and bad firewood at inflated prices when the pipes freeze over the winter. And yet somehow, this is where Ada and Pepper realise that they belong.
Weathering is a beautifully written, vivid and captivating novel, bittersweet and occasionally surprisingly funny. There is a sense of melancholy about it, but ultimately, I found it strangely life-affirming.
I absolutely loved Weathering, but if you’re looking for a novel with pace and plot, you may want to give this one a miss: the characters’ journeys are slow and difficult, and the narrative is rich with descriptive detail, to the point where the house and the river on which it stands are really characters in themselves. This is a book with an incredible sense of place and atmosphere, and of the effect that one's environment can have on the psyche. Rarely have I read a book which has given me such a strong, almost physical sense of its location.
It’s also a brilliant character study of three women. Six-year-old Pepper is difficult child, excluded from multiple schools, prone to fits of temper and full of blunt questions. She’s capable of developing a fierce fondness for people, yet has little idea how to express this; at the start of the novel she repeatedly butts at Ada's hip rather than giving her a hug, and her disappointment when a feral cat refuses to return her love is poignant. Ada herself, back in the very place from which she spent her whole life planning her escape, seems inept and irresponsible at times; nonetheless, it’s clear that she’s simply trying to do her best under challenging circumstances. Cooking is one of the ways that she not only shows affection and helps herself to feel under control, but also the means through which she begins to find some sort of niche in a village stricken by rural decline. She is also full of guilt at leaving her mother alone – a guilt that’s encapsulated in the blood stains on the floor from her mother’s fatal fall.
Pearl herself, whose death has brought Ada and Pepper back to the house in the first place, begins Weathering as a ghost trapped in the treacherous river, and yet her plight is extraordinarily physical as she struggles against the current and the weeds. Gradually, she fights her way back to the house and makes her presence known in a way that Ada doesn't seem to find surprising; we’re almost straying into magical realism here, albeit in a remarkably unwhimsical manner.
There’s a suggestion that runs through Weathering that only through memory will Ada and Pearl manage to repair their relationship, as each of them dwells on their years living in the cottage together and on Pearl’s unorthodox approach to motherhood. They don’t explicitly discuss this – their interactions are small and few – but in the environment of the cottage, in which the memories of years past seem to be as deeply ingrained in the walls as the ever-present damp, they seem to be reconciled. Pepper, a child whose life so far has lacked continuity and belonging, takes to photographing things as physical record of memory, only to be utterly devastated when she discovers that her camera lacks a film.
The idea of someone coming to a particular place, hating it and then gradually finding happiness by making it their own is not a new one. However, Weathering presents the idea in a way I haven’t seen before, full of ambiguity and frequent unease. There is a strong sense that the battle against the climate and the isolation will never be won, that the house will never be comfortable and dry, and that its occupants can only accept, rather than overcome, this situation. Pepper is as drawn to the river and its bird life as Pearl was before her, and is enchanted by observing them, but never is the landscape romanticised – indeed, the river’s unpredictable currents and sudden rises in water level are a constant threat. Watching the birds means being cold and wet, entangled and scratched by vegetation.
Similarly, every tiny thing at the cottage, whether it's getting the radiators going, making a journey in Pearl's old car or even just painting a wall, presents an exhausting challenge. There is no moment when Ada and Pepper finally triumph in their struggle with the house; when a leak in the roof is fixed, it simply reappears elsewhere.
As a portrait of rural life, Weathering is similarly uncompromising. Ada’s former school friends Judy and Robbie are struggling to keep their farm running, the local pub is frequently empty and serves terrible frozen meals; the village shop is exploitatively expensive, devoid of fresh produce and sells bottled water and bad firewood at inflated prices when the pipes freeze over the winter. And yet somehow, this is where Ada and Pepper realise that they belong.
Weathering is a beautifully written, vivid and captivating novel, bittersweet and occasionally surprisingly funny. There is a sense of melancholy about it, but ultimately, I found it strangely life-affirming.
January 16, 2016
Beautiful, quiet book about the relationship between three generations of women living (or having lived) in a remote cottage. Wonderful language about the river and the weather. Not a strong narrative, but that didn't matter (too much).
August 20, 2016
Torrential rains, wind, snow and ice, that is what the weather’s like in this book, which starts off in late autumn and moves through winter.
Everything and everyone is damp, soaked, drenched, freezing cold, from Pearl, who fell into the river, to Ada and Pepper in their attempts to do up the house and keep the water out.
I generally like “reading with the seasons”, as I call it, so I didn’t start this until the weather finally turned cold in January, after a very mild November and December. But I didn’t make much progress, and all through a very wet February I was still reading it, and I finally finished it on this rainy day which saw a few wintery showers.
I quite liked the writing and the story though, and since I don’t think I did the book any favours by leaving it so long in-between readings, I do intend to reread it at some point. But I might just wait until there’s a heatwave on.
Everything and everyone is damp, soaked, drenched, freezing cold, from Pearl, who fell into the river, to Ada and Pepper in their attempts to do up the house and keep the water out.
I generally like “reading with the seasons”, as I call it, so I didn’t start this until the weather finally turned cold in January, after a very mild November and December. But I didn’t make much progress, and all through a very wet February I was still reading it, and I finally finished it on this rainy day which saw a few wintery showers.
I quite liked the writing and the story though, and since I don’t think I did the book any favours by leaving it so long in-between readings, I do intend to reread it at some point. But I might just wait until there’s a heatwave on.
June 7, 2016
This novel builds on the reputation Lucy Wood established with her short story collection Diving Belles. This book feels darker in tone, a family story set in an isolated and old fashioned house, and a location that shapes the lives of the family that live there - a mother and daughter who return to live there after her mother's death, and the grandmother whose ghostly presence is given equal weight. Brooding and atmospheric, full of startlingly vivid language.
May 2, 2017
A cold, cold, river. An even colder, deserted, and unloved house. It is here that Ada brings her six year-old daughter, Pepper. The very first thing they do when they arrive is they take Pearl's ashes to the river and scatter them among the current and the swirling leaves. Pearl was Ada's mother. Pepper had never met her grandmother because Ada has not been back to this house for thirteen years. The rural isolation coupled with the dilapidated old house have a profound effect on Ada and Pepper - as it did to Pearl before them.
The house does not welcome them. It is cold and damp. There is a leaky roof, a blocked chimney, peeling paint, and no food in the cupboards. Ada maintains that they are only going to stay until everything is 'sorted' and her mother's house cleared out. Ada is 'in between' jobs. Pepper has decided that she likes it here.
Pepper is aptly named. She is a prickly, precocious little girl who is prone to moodiness and volatility. In the house, she discovers many pictures that had been taken by her unknown grandmother. Pictures of birds. Then she finds her grandmother's camera and tries to pick up where her grandmother left off - capturing the avian life near the river. Only she doesn't have any film...
Pearl too had at one time thought her life at the river house was temporary. But life has a way of making you change your expectations - change your 'plans' without really realizing that this is what you have done.
Though dead, Pearl can be seen by Ada and Pepper. Oh, and Captain the old cat. Pearl is not a 'ghost' per se. She is a presence. An expected and accepted presence. She belongs here. She has become one with the river.
Pearl sits on the riverbank with her feet in the cold, cold, brown river water. Just as Pearl haunts the place where she has spent her last solitary years, so does "Weathering" haunt the reader.
Ada gradually picks up the odd shift at the pub. The locals like the food she prepares and her shifts increase. Before she knows it, she is starting to feel like she might belong in this strange, lonely place - despite her best efforts at remaining 'untangled'.
"Early morning, the sky tinged orange in the distance but grey as a sucked mint in the valley."
The imagery in this novel is astounding. I can vividly picture the aged Pearl, alone and forgotten, in her damp house, asleep on a kitchen chair covered by an old coat.
"Weathering" reminds us that solitary people, whether they are solitary through accident or design, can still be lonely. It depicts how the incessant struggle that life sometimes presents us with is not without its rewards, be they hard to identify at first...
This is a novel which examines how miscommunication and loneliness can play upon the psyche. How connection to a place can comfort through a sense of belonging. How the examination of memories can assuage regret and rehabilitate souls. A book of the elements.
The title "Weathering" is apt on two levels. Pearl is weathered. Worn away by time and circumstance. Ada and Pepper weather the changes in their lives and ride out the storm of Ada's reluctant homecoming. As a young woman she could hardly wait to leave this stifling, ramshackle, isolated house. Now, back again, Ada finds herself unwittingly caring for it.
I think this novel spoke to me personally. I too was an only child - brought up by a single mother. The family dynamic was eerily similar (minus the ghost, LOL)
The weather, the cold, the damp, the dank chill, all play a huge part in this descriptive debut novel. The damp is so palpable that I'm not unsure that I'm a bit mildewed. For readers who dislike verbose description and more than a touch of the supernatural, I advise them to steer well clear. Happily, I like both. I found this novel of fatherless families to be a splendid and thoughtful debut equally rich in atmosphere and character.
The house does not welcome them. It is cold and damp. There is a leaky roof, a blocked chimney, peeling paint, and no food in the cupboards. Ada maintains that they are only going to stay until everything is 'sorted' and her mother's house cleared out. Ada is 'in between' jobs. Pepper has decided that she likes it here.
Pepper is aptly named. She is a prickly, precocious little girl who is prone to moodiness and volatility. In the house, she discovers many pictures that had been taken by her unknown grandmother. Pictures of birds. Then she finds her grandmother's camera and tries to pick up where her grandmother left off - capturing the avian life near the river. Only she doesn't have any film...
Pearl too had at one time thought her life at the river house was temporary. But life has a way of making you change your expectations - change your 'plans' without really realizing that this is what you have done.
Though dead, Pearl can be seen by Ada and Pepper. Oh, and Captain the old cat. Pearl is not a 'ghost' per se. She is a presence. An expected and accepted presence. She belongs here. She has become one with the river.
Pearl sits on the riverbank with her feet in the cold, cold, brown river water. Just as Pearl haunts the place where she has spent her last solitary years, so does "Weathering" haunt the reader.
Ada gradually picks up the odd shift at the pub. The locals like the food she prepares and her shifts increase. Before she knows it, she is starting to feel like she might belong in this strange, lonely place - despite her best efforts at remaining 'untangled'.
"Early morning, the sky tinged orange in the distance but grey as a sucked mint in the valley."
The imagery in this novel is astounding. I can vividly picture the aged Pearl, alone and forgotten, in her damp house, asleep on a kitchen chair covered by an old coat.
"Weathering" reminds us that solitary people, whether they are solitary through accident or design, can still be lonely. It depicts how the incessant struggle that life sometimes presents us with is not without its rewards, be they hard to identify at first...
This is a novel which examines how miscommunication and loneliness can play upon the psyche. How connection to a place can comfort through a sense of belonging. How the examination of memories can assuage regret and rehabilitate souls. A book of the elements.
The title "Weathering" is apt on two levels. Pearl is weathered. Worn away by time and circumstance. Ada and Pepper weather the changes in their lives and ride out the storm of Ada's reluctant homecoming. As a young woman she could hardly wait to leave this stifling, ramshackle, isolated house. Now, back again, Ada finds herself unwittingly caring for it.
I think this novel spoke to me personally. I too was an only child - brought up by a single mother. The family dynamic was eerily similar (minus the ghost, LOL)
The weather, the cold, the damp, the dank chill, all play a huge part in this descriptive debut novel. The damp is so palpable that I'm not unsure that I'm a bit mildewed. For readers who dislike verbose description and more than a touch of the supernatural, I advise them to steer well clear. Happily, I like both. I found this novel of fatherless families to be a splendid and thoughtful debut equally rich in atmosphere and character.
January 16, 2021
Beautifully written, with a strong sense of place and relationship. After years of moving from place to place, Ada returns to the idiosyncratic, isolated house by the river where she grew up, bringing her six year old daughter, Pepper. The catalyst is the death of Ada’s mother, Pearl, whose ashes she scatters in the river, but who remains present throughout the book.
The chapters shift among the voices of Ada, Pepper, and Pearl, and as a reader you slowly come to see the home, community, landscape, and relationships from different angles and perspectives, fitting richly together. The way Wood describes place and weather is superlative and FELT. Immersive and lovely. 4.5.
“Rain like feet stamping. A few fat drops slipped down Ada’s back as they ran to the house. It soaked her coat, her hair. Puddles gleamed at her feet. She had forgotten this: the sudden squalls, hail to sun, gales to downpours, drizzle to fog.”
“The snow creaked under her boots like polystyrene. A blackbird hurried in front of her, ruffling its feathers so it looked twice as big. Snow slumped off a branch and onto the ground. All the sounds were muffled and distant. Pepper turned and looked back at the house. No lights on. There were her footprints in the smooth snow. As if she was the only person left in the world. The prints looked small and unfamiliar.”
“Outside, the snow was getting deeper and still falling. There was ice in the corners of the window and the corners of Pearl’s eyes. Snow was building up under her tongue. She rolled it round and round. Felt each piece of snow as it landed and melted on the river, which was cold and stunned, running slower than usual, stiffening like a joint.”
The chapters shift among the voices of Ada, Pepper, and Pearl, and as a reader you slowly come to see the home, community, landscape, and relationships from different angles and perspectives, fitting richly together. The way Wood describes place and weather is superlative and FELT. Immersive and lovely. 4.5.
“Rain like feet stamping. A few fat drops slipped down Ada’s back as they ran to the house. It soaked her coat, her hair. Puddles gleamed at her feet. She had forgotten this: the sudden squalls, hail to sun, gales to downpours, drizzle to fog.”
“The snow creaked under her boots like polystyrene. A blackbird hurried in front of her, ruffling its feathers so it looked twice as big. Snow slumped off a branch and onto the ground. All the sounds were muffled and distant. Pepper turned and looked back at the house. No lights on. There were her footprints in the smooth snow. As if she was the only person left in the world. The prints looked small and unfamiliar.”
“Outside, the snow was getting deeper and still falling. There was ice in the corners of the window and the corners of Pearl’s eyes. Snow was building up under her tongue. She rolled it round and round. Felt each piece of snow as it landed and melted on the river, which was cold and stunned, running slower than usual, stiffening like a joint.”
May 15, 2016
I received a copy of this beautiful book in the April 2016 subscription box from Book and a Brew
It is always interesting when you read a book that has been chosen for you as part of a subscription box as the release of this would have probably passed me by and I wouldn't have even considered reading it, despite its' gorgeous cover
But it has been a fascinating and evocative read about 3 generations of women and their connection to a run-down house in the middle of the woods, cut off from the real world and at the mercy of nature and its' surroundings.
It was a really slow paced book so if you're looking for an incident packed story then this is not for you, but if you enjoy a story told with beautiful descriptions of its setting, and a fascinating look at 3 different characters and their past, present and future then I'd highly recommend this.
AT times i think the characters get a little lost in the slow pace of the book as there is no real destination to their journeys, but it is fascinating to view the world through their eyes and how they see/saw the world they lived in and all their hopes and fears brought to life
Pearl, Ada and Pepper are 3 very interesting characters and this is what makes this book so intriguing - Pepper was my favourite though as her innocence shone through in how she behaved and acted.
It is always interesting when you read a book that has been chosen for you as part of a subscription box as the release of this would have probably passed me by and I wouldn't have even considered reading it, despite its' gorgeous cover
But it has been a fascinating and evocative read about 3 generations of women and their connection to a run-down house in the middle of the woods, cut off from the real world and at the mercy of nature and its' surroundings.
It was a really slow paced book so if you're looking for an incident packed story then this is not for you, but if you enjoy a story told with beautiful descriptions of its setting, and a fascinating look at 3 different characters and their past, present and future then I'd highly recommend this.
AT times i think the characters get a little lost in the slow pace of the book as there is no real destination to their journeys, but it is fascinating to view the world through their eyes and how they see/saw the world they lived in and all their hopes and fears brought to life
Pearl, Ada and Pepper are 3 very interesting characters and this is what makes this book so intriguing - Pepper was my favourite though as her innocence shone through in how she behaved and acted.
July 21, 2016
If you are looking for a plot-driven book, this isn't the read for you. If you are looking for a book that is action packed, this isn't the read for you. But, if you are interested in a book with strong character development, then this is a book you might like.
Pearl had a child late in life, that child Ada, grew up without a father when he suddenly left them behind when Ada was just a baby. That Child Ada, also grew up to have a fatherless child. Pepper is sensitive and seems to have a problematic learning disability.
The book is filled with page after page after page of the weather and the river located quite near Pearl's dilapidated, falling apart home.
When Ada scattered Pearl's ashes in the river, little did she know that her mother would return to haunt the house and communicate with Ada. Throughout the book Ada does not seem alarmed at all that her mother's spirit is restless.
As a wet fall turns to a winter of heavy snows, the roof leaks, the paper peals off the walls, and the dampness is ever pervasive. The lights flicker, the wood is wet and smoky, and layer after layer of clothing cannot take the chill out of the air.
Away from society, Pepper longs to sell the house and move along, but Pepper roams through the woods and watches others in the small hamlet.
Slowly, Ada meets local people. And, as a huge storm occurs, Pearl becomes more agitated as her ghostly form turns into the water of the river that pulls her into the swirling torrents and under neath to the bottom of the river where perhaps she can find peace.
Truly, I'm not sure how I feel about this book. The prose is poetic. But, the continual descriptions of the wind, the water, the snow, the cold and desolation filled page after page and page. And, the never ending chill was over the top.
Pearl had a child late in life, that child Ada, grew up without a father when he suddenly left them behind when Ada was just a baby. That Child Ada, also grew up to have a fatherless child. Pepper is sensitive and seems to have a problematic learning disability.
The book is filled with page after page after page of the weather and the river located quite near Pearl's dilapidated, falling apart home.
When Ada scattered Pearl's ashes in the river, little did she know that her mother would return to haunt the house and communicate with Ada. Throughout the book Ada does not seem alarmed at all that her mother's spirit is restless.
As a wet fall turns to a winter of heavy snows, the roof leaks, the paper peals off the walls, and the dampness is ever pervasive. The lights flicker, the wood is wet and smoky, and layer after layer of clothing cannot take the chill out of the air.
Away from society, Pepper longs to sell the house and move along, but Pepper roams through the woods and watches others in the small hamlet.
Slowly, Ada meets local people. And, as a huge storm occurs, Pearl becomes more agitated as her ghostly form turns into the water of the river that pulls her into the swirling torrents and under neath to the bottom of the river where perhaps she can find peace.
Truly, I'm not sure how I feel about this book. The prose is poetic. But, the continual descriptions of the wind, the water, the snow, the cold and desolation filled page after page and page. And, the never ending chill was over the top.
March 28, 2016
I am sure some people will enjoy the descriptive details in this story, but I couldn’t focus on the story. At. All. I tried reading this several times and I just couldn’t follow it. I was like 5 chapters in and I still had no idea what the story was about.
"The noise started up again, a sort of rustling somewhere in the house. She followed it past a closed door, past the stairs, making sure she stood on the carpet’s big flowers rather than the gaps. The hall curved and at the end of it where stone steps going down to another room. Inside, there were thick orange curtains and shelves full of books and boxes. A row of glass birds. A toolbox with the lid open: a hammer and screwdriver and broken watches inside………."
Etc, etc on and on and on. What were we doing? I forgot already.
"The noise started up again, a sort of rustling somewhere in the house. She followed it past a closed door, past the stairs, making sure she stood on the carpet’s big flowers rather than the gaps. The hall curved and at the end of it where stone steps going down to another room. Inside, there were thick orange curtains and shelves full of books and boxes. A row of glass birds. A toolbox with the lid open: a hammer and screwdriver and broken watches inside………."
Etc, etc on and on and on. What were we doing? I forgot already.
February 28, 2016
I really wanted to love this book, as the reviews made it sound right up my alley. I adored the first few pages and read them over several times because they were just so evocative. But when I got into the bulk of the story and it took me four days to get to page 100 (and not because I was re-reading anything) I realized I was tired of the sense the novel had for me that nothing was happening, even though things were. Damn, this book should have been catnip for me.
I don't usually include books I don't finish here because I see no point in either tracking them myself or sharing them with others who might like them just fine, but this one is here because I know someone else is going to love this as much as I did those first pages. And that's a lot.
I don't usually include books I don't finish here because I see no point in either tracking them myself or sharing them with others who might like them just fine, but this one is here because I know someone else is going to love this as much as I did those first pages. And that's a lot.
September 27, 2017
This is one of those books that sounded really good and I wanted to like.
I really did, but I ended up having a hard time finishing.
There is no real plot point to the story and it seems like it is all over the place, which for me was hard to focus on. Not only that there was no real story to it really. This book was not plot driven at all.
I did however enjoy the characters, they were enjoyable and did actually show some growth throughout the book.
The writing was good if you don’t mind a book that is not necessary has a set plot line.
Overall I wish I would have enjoyed the book more buy I’m sure there are plenty of people who will love this book.
I rate it 2 ★
January 8, 2016
This review was originally posted on [www.125pages.com]
Weathering sounds so amazing. Three generations trapped in a small town. A ghost trapped in a river, her drifter daughter returning to town with her daughter. Swirling, almost magical landscapes. I was so excited to read it. But sadly it was less than stellar. Pearl the ghost was just kind of there, not haunting, not comforting, just a wet footprint left here and there. Ada the daughter, a luckless mother who drags her daughter Pepper from one bad job and relationship after the other. Pepper the youngest member of the family is a precocious girl who is painted as wise above her years.
The problem with Weathering is in the characters. Pearl is just there as a dripping ghost, occasionally interjecting her confusion but not adding any real depth. Ada is very selfish and her mothering made me cringe. She takes her daughter from pillar to post with no real thought behind it. They move into a crumbling and literally rotting house with no heat and she occasionally tries to pick it up but basically leaves it a dangerous mess. And Pepper is portrayed in a manner that implies she should be sassy but it just comes across as bratty.
The world built was so-so, no specific country or area was ever stated so it could have been set anywhere which led to some confusion. The town was painted with broad strokes so it was hard to envision. The pacing was also not all there as it would jump all of the sudden. The plot was also lacking as there was nothing to achieve or conclusion to reach. It just seemed to move, jerk, then stop.
Weathering and it's author Lucy Wood had potential, but to me it was never reached. I know some people love these nebulous stories but I am not one of them. I enjoy plot and tension and character development. And to me Weathering was lacking.
Favorite lines - The river moved in bulky ripples; behind it, the wet kaleidoscope of trees. The woods were so deep and sometimes there were hoarfrosts so thick in there it was as if the whole world had grown . . .
Biggest cliché - "I will never go home again."
Have you read Weathering, or added it to your TBR?
Weathering sounds so amazing. Three generations trapped in a small town. A ghost trapped in a river, her drifter daughter returning to town with her daughter. Swirling, almost magical landscapes. I was so excited to read it. But sadly it was less than stellar. Pearl the ghost was just kind of there, not haunting, not comforting, just a wet footprint left here and there. Ada the daughter, a luckless mother who drags her daughter Pepper from one bad job and relationship after the other. Pepper the youngest member of the family is a precocious girl who is painted as wise above her years.The problem with Weathering is in the characters. Pearl is just there as a dripping ghost, occasionally interjecting her confusion but not adding any real depth. Ada is very selfish and her mothering made me cringe. She takes her daughter from pillar to post with no real thought behind it. They move into a crumbling and literally rotting house with no heat and she occasionally tries to pick it up but basically leaves it a dangerous mess. And Pepper is portrayed in a manner that implies she should be sassy but it just comes across as bratty.
The world built was so-so, no specific country or area was ever stated so it could have been set anywhere which led to some confusion. The town was painted with broad strokes so it was hard to envision. The pacing was also not all there as it would jump all of the sudden. The plot was also lacking as there was nothing to achieve or conclusion to reach. It just seemed to move, jerk, then stop.
Weathering and it's author Lucy Wood had potential, but to me it was never reached. I know some people love these nebulous stories but I am not one of them. I enjoy plot and tension and character development. And to me Weathering was lacking.
Favorite lines - The river moved in bulky ripples; behind it, the wet kaleidoscope of trees. The woods were so deep and sometimes there were hoarfrosts so thick in there it was as if the whole world had grown . . .
Biggest cliché - "I will never go home again."
Have you read Weathering, or added it to your TBR?
June 13, 2016
The opening chapter sucks you in as the river is sucking Pearl in- some fabulous descriptive passages of wet and cold; the river, the cold, and finally snow are all strong characters in this novel-- unfortunately, the people are not. Perhaps the author makes a better poet than story-teller as the narrative was sorely lacking in plot and character development. The child Pepper's dialogue did not sound at all like a child's; what was her Mother Ada running away from? Who was Pepper's Father? Where does her money come from? Throughout the book Ada talks about wanting to leave again and then she abruptly changed her mind. No reason given, no build-up of Ada's thoughts as she comes to this decision. You just don't really get to know the characters, understand their motivations, and ultimately I didn't care enough about them. There are some mesmerising paragraphs describing the river and the weather, truly a marvel to read, but those are just not enough to distract from the lack of a good story.
July 20, 2017
The setting of this book is southern England, and it takes place in a deteriorating country house that has contained two generations of single mothers, both of intellectual and creative talents but each hampered by a lack of money. The mother is dead and her daughter comes back to sell off the house but ends up wanting to stay. The house is near a river which plays a significant role in the book--almost a character on its own--and the dead mother, too, continues to influence her granddaughter through her possessions.
While I enjoyed it for a good portion, the ending chapters were weakly drawn. This writer has potential and an interesting voice, but she has to work on the way she resolves her story's plot.
While I enjoyed it for a good portion, the ending chapters were weakly drawn. This writer has potential and an interesting voice, but she has to work on the way she resolves her story's plot.
September 19, 2015
A gorgeously evocative novel of beginnings and endings and the cyclical nature of all that goes between.
I adored the bleak, remote landscape and setting, and the characterisation of nature which permeates throughout.
With just a hint of earthy magic realism this is an incredibly atmospheric novel which will appeal to those who enjoyed Eowyn Ivey's "The Snow Child", or indeed anyone who has ever inhaled deeply to REALLY smell the wet earth or a boggy riverbank.
Wonderful.
I adored the bleak, remote landscape and setting, and the characterisation of nature which permeates throughout.
With just a hint of earthy magic realism this is an incredibly atmospheric novel which will appeal to those who enjoyed Eowyn Ivey's "The Snow Child", or indeed anyone who has ever inhaled deeply to REALLY smell the wet earth or a boggy riverbank.
Wonderful.
April 8, 2020
There's a lot of depth to this book, but sort of in that quiet, thoughtful behind the plot way.
The way where some people can appreciate stark movies with very few lines of speech, or the way the trees look in the winter with some soft snow on them.
In some respects this is a ghost story, and it does have some original and frankly eerie beautiful ideas of what that haunting looks like.
For me, I expected this to be a ghost story that somehow tied to a crime mystery, or, some big secret or something. It's not really that, and that expectation kept stunting my ability to appreciate the negative space in the book.
Overall, I think it had some beautiful scenery, the house in the book becomes it's own entity for sure, and sort of becomes one with the ghost story itself. There's a lot you could spend time analyzing in terms of character development and motivations of the human psyche, but beyond that to be frank, not a lot of actual plot movement happens.
So if you can get behind the idea of a strange ghost story that doesn't involve a mystery being solved, where not a lot happens in a stark landscape to show the study of a human mind,
then it may be of interest.
The way where some people can appreciate stark movies with very few lines of speech, or the way the trees look in the winter with some soft snow on them.
In some respects this is a ghost story, and it does have some original and frankly eerie beautiful ideas of what that haunting looks like.
For me, I expected this to be a ghost story that somehow tied to a crime mystery, or, some big secret or something. It's not really that, and that expectation kept stunting my ability to appreciate the negative space in the book.
Overall, I think it had some beautiful scenery, the house in the book becomes it's own entity for sure, and sort of becomes one with the ghost story itself. There's a lot you could spend time analyzing in terms of character development and motivations of the human psyche, but beyond that to be frank, not a lot of actual plot movement happens.
So if you can get behind the idea of a strange ghost story that doesn't involve a mystery being solved, where not a lot happens in a stark landscape to show the study of a human mind,
then it may be of interest.
January 29, 2021
1.5 ⭐
This book makes me uncomfortable. Everything is cold, moldy, muddy, tepid, wet, warped, broken, rusty, damp, snowed in or flooded.
Reading this is like lying in a cooled-down bathtub or walking a mile in drenched clothing. You think you won't ever be warm again.
This book makes me uncomfortable. Everything is cold, moldy, muddy, tepid, wet, warped, broken, rusty, damp, snowed in or flooded.
Reading this is like lying in a cooled-down bathtub or walking a mile in drenched clothing. You think you won't ever be warm again.
July 11, 2019
2.5 stars
January 10, 2020
Evocative, lyrical, atmospheric, imaginative and beautifully written - to say anymore would ruin the story.
September 14, 2021
Pearl hadn’t intended to end up in the river and she is not fully sure how she got there either. It might have been something to do with falling down the very dodgy stairs in her crumbling house. But she is in there.
Ada, Pearl’s daughter, had never expected to end back up in her mothers home again, in that rain-soaked valley and people that she wasn’t particularly looking forward to seeing after leaving them behind over a decade ago. The house is slowly succumbing to the relentless weather, the heating has failed and it is so damp that she can barely get a fire going.
Pepper has always followed her restless mother, Pearl, around from place to place as she sought somewhere to settle. She is a nomad too, but this house is full of things to discover, memories that she never knew she had from her past generations and there is that strange old woman who sits on the river bank with her feet in the cold water.
Pearl does not want to stay, this place has too many unhappy memories for her, but winter is coming and before they know it they are involved in life in the valley once again. They never thought that they would settle in one place, but things are changing, Pepper has calmed down and they feel they have a presence keeping an eye out for them both.
There were some parts of this that I liked, the writing is atmospheric and has wonderful descriptions of the river and the natural world outside the house. The three main characters, or two and a bit really… Pearl, Ada and Pepper are all independent and in some ways a bit dysfunctional way too, the way they interact and change as circumstances develop is the main point of the book. One problem that I did have with it was I kept thinking that Ada was the grandmother mother figure who permeates the book in all sorts of ways, but it was her daughter! There is precious little plot in here, and if you are after stories with a similar feel but with a bit more substance to them, I’d recommend Lanny or Elmet. 2.5 stars
Ada, Pearl’s daughter, had never expected to end back up in her mothers home again, in that rain-soaked valley and people that she wasn’t particularly looking forward to seeing after leaving them behind over a decade ago. The house is slowly succumbing to the relentless weather, the heating has failed and it is so damp that she can barely get a fire going.
Pepper has always followed her restless mother, Pearl, around from place to place as she sought somewhere to settle. She is a nomad too, but this house is full of things to discover, memories that she never knew she had from her past generations and there is that strange old woman who sits on the river bank with her feet in the cold water.
Pearl does not want to stay, this place has too many unhappy memories for her, but winter is coming and before they know it they are involved in life in the valley once again. They never thought that they would settle in one place, but things are changing, Pepper has calmed down and they feel they have a presence keeping an eye out for them both.
There were some parts of this that I liked, the writing is atmospheric and has wonderful descriptions of the river and the natural world outside the house. The three main characters, or two and a bit really… Pearl, Ada and Pepper are all independent and in some ways a bit dysfunctional way too, the way they interact and change as circumstances develop is the main point of the book. One problem that I did have with it was I kept thinking that Ada was the grandmother mother figure who permeates the book in all sorts of ways, but it was her daughter! There is precious little plot in here, and if you are after stories with a similar feel but with a bit more substance to them, I’d recommend Lanny or Elmet. 2.5 stars
February 24, 2015
If you read and enjoyed Wood's collection of short stories, Diving Belles, you'll recognise the smell and taste of this book. Or rather, the smell and taste are different: while Diving Belles was all about the salt-sea and the sand, Weathering is imbued with cold and muffling snow. Wood has moved inland, upriver, to where the water is fresh. But like the earlier book, the elements are almost like characters or plot, defining the shape of the story (born in Autumn, carried away, at the end, on a Spring flood) and setting limits for the protagonists.
The boo is about three women, mother and grandmother Pearl, mother and daughter Ada, daughter and granddaughter Pepper, At the start, Pearl finds herself in the river. She wants to get back into her house, where Ada and Pearl have arrived, but that pesky river keeps carrying her away.
Ada walked out years ago, leaving Pearl, not in a drama but at the same time, intent on getting away, living a life. Now she has come back, with strange Pearl - who can't settle at school, doesn't get on with the other kids - to clear out the cottage. Not to live there: she'll only be around a few weeks. Good thing too - the roof leaks, the log burner is spiteful, the electricity intermittent. Perhaps she can get something for the house from Ray, he of the thin smile.
And there we are. Ada and Pearl make a home, temporary, like all the other places where they wash up. The story drifts back and forward in time, meandering a bit, showing how Ada grew up and how Pearl declined. Unlike Diving Belles, there's nothing magical (though the way the story's told might reflect the supernatural - or it might not...) but it has the same clarify of focus, the same flow, the sense of watching ripples in the river, as that book. Also, the same magical use of language, close observation of the world and sympathy for its characters: they are human, they manage as best they can, what can you do, it seems to say. The heron will be here next year, whatever. The snow will melt, the flood will rise, everything will be rinsed away down to the sea.
It is a captivating, magical book, to be read slowly and appreciated. Buy the print version, not the e-book - there is a beautiful, tactile cover: simply holding it is a pleasure.
What a terrific writer: I'm really, really hoping for more from Lucy Wood.
The boo is about three women, mother and grandmother Pearl, mother and daughter Ada, daughter and granddaughter Pepper, At the start, Pearl finds herself in the river. She wants to get back into her house, where Ada and Pearl have arrived, but that pesky river keeps carrying her away.
Ada walked out years ago, leaving Pearl, not in a drama but at the same time, intent on getting away, living a life. Now she has come back, with strange Pearl - who can't settle at school, doesn't get on with the other kids - to clear out the cottage. Not to live there: she'll only be around a few weeks. Good thing too - the roof leaks, the log burner is spiteful, the electricity intermittent. Perhaps she can get something for the house from Ray, he of the thin smile.
And there we are. Ada and Pearl make a home, temporary, like all the other places where they wash up. The story drifts back and forward in time, meandering a bit, showing how Ada grew up and how Pearl declined. Unlike Diving Belles, there's nothing magical (though the way the story's told might reflect the supernatural - or it might not...) but it has the same clarify of focus, the same flow, the sense of watching ripples in the river, as that book. Also, the same magical use of language, close observation of the world and sympathy for its characters: they are human, they manage as best they can, what can you do, it seems to say. The heron will be here next year, whatever. The snow will melt, the flood will rise, everything will be rinsed away down to the sea.
It is a captivating, magical book, to be read slowly and appreciated. Buy the print version, not the e-book - there is a beautiful, tactile cover: simply holding it is a pleasure.
What a terrific writer: I'm really, really hoping for more from Lucy Wood.
March 7, 2015
Parts of the story could easily fit amongst the tales of Diving Belles. For those who are fans of her writing style, Weathering is definitely worth a read. It has maybe lost a little of the magic of the short stories but her writing is beautiful. Evocative of the landscape, the river, the slow decay of the house and, as the title suggests, an awful lot of weather. It's a tale of belonging.
The house is central to the story, a character in itself and one that starts off being a burden and slowly becomes loved. Life in a remote rural location is quiet in pace but full of its own particular challenges, as Ada and Pepper soon learn. I’m guessing it’s in Devon, where Lucy Wood lives. The landscape definitely fits for anyone that knows the woods and moorland.
As someone who has had a stray cat decide to live with them, I loved Captain. His behaviour is spot on, right down to the grudging acceptance of a young child. Pepper’s disappointment in finding a pet but not one that wanted to be petted reminded me of the whirling dervish of our cat when he first came to live with us.
The grandmother’s story is probably the part that most reflects the tales in Diving Belles. She doesn’t know how she got in to the river, we assume she fell, but slowly the link between her and the place and her family become clearer. I loved the ending, it made me smile in the same way her short stories did.
Review copy provided by publisher.
The house is central to the story, a character in itself and one that starts off being a burden and slowly becomes loved. Life in a remote rural location is quiet in pace but full of its own particular challenges, as Ada and Pepper soon learn. I’m guessing it’s in Devon, where Lucy Wood lives. The landscape definitely fits for anyone that knows the woods and moorland.
As someone who has had a stray cat decide to live with them, I loved Captain. His behaviour is spot on, right down to the grudging acceptance of a young child. Pepper’s disappointment in finding a pet but not one that wanted to be petted reminded me of the whirling dervish of our cat when he first came to live with us.
The grandmother’s story is probably the part that most reflects the tales in Diving Belles. She doesn’t know how she got in to the river, we assume she fell, but slowly the link between her and the place and her family become clearer. I loved the ending, it made me smile in the same way her short stories did.
Review copy provided by publisher.
October 8, 2015
Mijn moeder, zaliger nagedachtenis, zei steeds "als ze je uitstrooien over de strooiweide, eindig je in de grasmachine van de gemeente."
Als je uitgestrooid wordt in de rivier word je natuur, alleen duurt het even.
In dit verhaal over 3 generaties, Pearl (moeder) is gestorven en Ada en Pepper (dochter en kleindochter) gaan haar eenzame krakkemikkige cottage opruimen om te verkopen, worden we geconfronteerd met eerst onbegrip en dan herkenning, maar ook met hoe trekjes over generaties meegaan, hoe een huis van ziel verandert, hoe loslaten is en hoe je jezelf (terug) vindt.
Slechts 2 sterren want ik vond het een vertelselke met af en toe een sterk stuk. Ik heb het niet zo met boeken met een zeer aanwezige aflijvige, zoals bvb ook in "Wit is altijd schoon", en dat geldt ook voor dit boek. Ja het is zo dat je in jezelf dingen van je ouders herkent, het is zo dat hun huis doordrongen is met wat zij waren en dat je hen daar gedurig tegen komt en dat je in gedachten tegen hen spreekt, maar in dit boek blijft dit maar duren en de moeder blijft maar "grit' 'mud" 'water' 'ice' snow' and 'twigs' .... spillen.
Voor mij dus geen aanrader.
Als je uitgestrooid wordt in de rivier word je natuur, alleen duurt het even.
In dit verhaal over 3 generaties, Pearl (moeder) is gestorven en Ada en Pepper (dochter en kleindochter) gaan haar eenzame krakkemikkige cottage opruimen om te verkopen, worden we geconfronteerd met eerst onbegrip en dan herkenning, maar ook met hoe trekjes over generaties meegaan, hoe een huis van ziel verandert, hoe loslaten is en hoe je jezelf (terug) vindt.
Slechts 2 sterren want ik vond het een vertelselke met af en toe een sterk stuk. Ik heb het niet zo met boeken met een zeer aanwezige aflijvige, zoals bvb ook in "Wit is altijd schoon", en dat geldt ook voor dit boek. Ja het is zo dat je in jezelf dingen van je ouders herkent, het is zo dat hun huis doordrongen is met wat zij waren en dat je hen daar gedurig tegen komt en dat je in gedachten tegen hen spreekt, maar in dit boek blijft dit maar duren en de moeder blijft maar "grit' 'mud" 'water' 'ice' snow' and 'twigs' .... spillen.
Voor mij dus geen aanrader.
February 26, 2015
A simple story, beautifully told. The joy of this book is all in the writing and the journey of the characters over the course of the book - not very much happens admittedly, but it happens gorgeously! As another reviewer has said, I'll be very surprised and disappointed if this book doesn't at least get nominated for any awards.
And as the daughter of a single mother the relationships in this book are almost painfully accurate.
And as the daughter of a single mother the relationships in this book are almost painfully accurate.
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