Reviews on The Guest House by the Sea (3)

If they didn't cry in every bloody chapter, I'd have liked it more

The Guest House by the Sea

Light read. I finished it, but I found it overly sentimental

Easy relaxing reading

The Guest House by the Sea

The book is based on a guest house on the West coast of Ireland and the main character is the owner, Esme. Esme is 82 and wheelchair bound after a fall, she is also losing her sight. Despite this, she is very aware of all the guests and the stories attached to their lives. Her guests include a young girl who had an affair with a married man, a family who are losing their father to dementia and other interesting characters. The book is light, easy to read and although it is about people and their problems, it has an underlying feeling of hope and happiness.

The Healing Power of Place

The Guest House by the Sea

Esme runs a guesthouse on the coast of Ireland. She is over 80 and has a fall which confines her to a seat in the lounge, from which she dispenses humour, warmth and wisdom to her summer guests. The guests are all in times of transition or difficulty and all find at The Willows, the time and space to recover and rediscover themselves. One has to forgive it for being a bit cliched and twee, because the characters are drawn with complexity and sensitivity, making it an uplifting read. Only after completing it did I discover that Faith Hogan is also the author of 'The Midnight Ladies' Swimming Club' which many of us enjoyed.