The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper
Phaedra Patrick,2016
Mira
336 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780778319337
Summary
In this poignant and curiously charming debut, a lovable widower embarks on a life-changing adventure.
Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive. He dresses in the same gray slacks and mustard sweater vest, waters his fern, Frederica, and heads out to his garden.
But on the one-year anniversary of Miriam's death, something changes
Sorting through Miriam's possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he's never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as India in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife's secret life before they met—a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places.
Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters with big hearts and irresistible flaws, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is a joyous celebration of life's infinite possibilities. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
Phaedra Patrick studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. She has won numerous prizes for her short stories and now writes full time. She lives in the UK with her husband and son. (From the publisher.)
Book Reviews
[E]vokes whimsy and poignancy.... [An] outward journey is also a journey within.... This is a sweet story with an almost magical, but never saccharine denouement, as a newly whole Arthur Pepper emerges.
Publishers Weekly
(Starred review.) Tender, insightful, and surprising.... [Arthur Pepper] will instantly capture the hearts of readers who loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Little Paris Bookshop, and The Red Notebook.
Library Journal
How well can you know a person, even a person you've loved and lived with for decades? This is the question posed by Phaedra Patrick's gentle, funny and wistful first novel... You have to read the book.
BookPage
Patrick's debut novel tells a sweet and poignant story about marriage, grief, and memory. Readers will find bumbling, earnest Arthur utterly endearing.
Booklist
Nothing otherworldly happens in this feel-good debut novel, yet the story...has the quality of a fable.... [E]ach bad turn in the book comes wrapped in a teachable moment; each cloud has an unmistakable silver lining.... [R]elentlessly upbeat...[and] as cozy and fortifying as a hot cup of tea on a cold afternoon.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
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