Reviews

• Another wonderful heartwarming story from Maeve Binchy.

• A Week in Winter is a heartwarming, life-assuring book. I love the setting and the characters. All of them are a bit stuck in their life – but during that week in winter, they come to the hotel (which I imagine as a chateau -- a renovated chateau on the Irish sea coast), and they figure it out. Some events and people help them move through their blocks and stuckness. What is particularly appealing are the women characters. The novel begins with Chicky, who comes to renovate and run the hotel. Her backstory is incredible. She falls for a guy, and the conventional story would have her ruined by doing so. But she doesn’t get ruined. Instead, she learns to go at it by herself and becomes her own kind of woman. This is such a simple yet incredibly inspiring story – a woman who doesn’t try to find somebody to prop her up but finds her own way. When Chicky lives in New York, she periodically returns to Ireland, where she’s from, and goes for long walks on the beach. I love that imagery and concept. It’s true – we all need to find a space to recharge, and what Chicky is doing is creating a place, away from societal conventions and expectations, where people can get unstuck and find renewal. And all the characters are wonderful. Some of the stories almost made me cry but in the sweetest way. I loved the final story of Freda, the woman with an uncanny sixth sense. Even the characters who aren’t part of Chicky’s hotel plotline were wonderful and left a mark on me. It’s a sweet, life-affirming book that reminds me a little of What You Are Looking For Is In the Library. It has particularly strong women’s stories, and I think you’ll love it.

• Ótimo livro Adoro essa autora

• I am a fan of Maeve Binchy and have read most of her novels. In this book, as with all her books, we get a cosy, rose-tinted view of Ireland. It is a land of beautiful scenery and warm-hearted, charming people. It is a world where every problem has a solution and usually the solution is a very simplistic one. When you read this novel it is important to just accept this idealised view of Ireland and just sit back and enjoy the ride. This is a warm-hearted, feel-good read. It is escapist and sometimes that is all you want. The central character is Chicky who was born in the remote village of Stoneybridge but who moved to America when she was young. She has now returned to her place of birth and has bought an old house which she is converting into a small hotel. We learn about Chicky's past and also about the past of the various members of staff whom she employs. Each of them has a story to tell. The conversion of the property is finally completed and the hotel is scheduled to open for business in the middle of the winter. On the week in which the hotel opens, a group of disparate people arrive to stay for the week. All of them have a problem in their lives and all of them are seeking a solution. They all hope that in this remote and peaceful place, they will find what they need. The gracious and charming Chicky guides each of them towards a solution. This then is the crux of the novel - each of the guests tells their own story, in their own words and we empathise with them as they work their way towards a solution. Altogether this is a very enjoyable read. The various characters are all very real and very believable. If you are prepared to forgive the somewhat simplistic view of the world, you cannot help but enjoy it. For a short period of time you will forget about all the troubles which exist in the real world and simply wallow in the cosy world portrayed in the novel.

• A very good story. The page quality is superb. There are pictures in the book.

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