Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #975997 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

Customer Reviews

enchanting and humurous
This is a wonderful novel about 7 sisters growing up in the South of the Netherlands in a staunch Catholic small town. They are trying to fend for themselves after their parents die and leave them a pastry bakery. The story has been presented with a light flair for words and a taste for humorously portraying the usual hopes and dreams young people have.
This was one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. Being a fan of the South American writing style prominent in Isabel Allendes and Laura Esquivels work I was pleasantly surprised to read a similar kind of enchanting piece of fiction on the development of a family of seven sisters now set close to home in the traditional social patchwork of the Southern Netherlands. Being Dutch myself I read the book in Dutch and am now anxiously awaiting publication in English so that I can read the book to my husband and can enjoy it all over again. If you have seen the movie 'Amelie' and liked it you will also love this book.

A tale of family and shattered dreams
When Martha and her six sisters are abandoned by their father, they have little choice but to continue working in the family bakery so they can survive. As they grow older each of the sisters will fall in love, or try to escape the harshness of their life, and each have their dreams shattered.

Although this could make for dreary reading, the novel is in fact full of hope and emphasises the importance of family. The imagery is, at times, incredible.

This is an unusual book, very much in the same style as Laura Esquivel's 'Like water for Chocolate' and Joanne Harris's 'Chocolat.'

Really enjoyable, I deducted one star because the only fault I could find was that some aspects of the story were passed over a little quickly.