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    A Long Way from Verona
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    A Long Way from Verona
    Unavailable
    A Long Way from Verona
    Ebook220 pages6 hours

    A Long Way from Verona

    By Jane Gardam

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Jane Gardam's marvelous stories of young girls on the threshold of womanhood—God on the Rocks and Crusoe's Daughter—have delighted fans and critics alike. These "modern classics" (The Independent) are now joined by a new novel that is equally fresh and genuine, comic and touching.

    Jessica Vye introduces herself with an enigmatic pronouncement: "I ought to tell you at the beginning that I am not quite normal, having had a violent experience at the age of nine." A revered author has told Jessica that she is, beyond all doubt, a born writer. This proves an accurate prediction of the future, one that indelibly colors her life at school and her preception of the world.

    Jessica has always known that her destiny would be shaped by her refusal to conform, her compulsion to tell the absolute truth, and her dedication to observing the strange wartime world that surrounds her. What she doesn't know, however, is that the experiences and ideas that set her apart will also lead her to a new and wholly unexpected life. Told with grace and inimitable wit, A Long Way to Verona is a wise and vivid portrait of adolescent discovery and impending adulthood.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEuropa Editions
    Release dateNov 5, 2013
    ISBN9781609451554
    Unavailable
    A Long Way from Verona

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    Reviews for A Long Way from Verona

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      Oh my goodness. I’ve just finished a book that has rocketed to the top of my list, and toppled all the other books nearby. It’s my new Favorite Book of All. And you simply must read it, too. It’s an amazing read, with amazing characters and an amazing little story. It’s very odd, but you’ve probably never heard of it and---even odder---you’ve probably even heard of the author. I just came across it by the unlikeliest of chances. It’s on the 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read list, so somebody else must love it, too. Don’t worry about that; it’s not really a just-for-children book. It’s a great book, about families, and friendships, and growing up, and religion (just a bit) and happiness, and finding your calling. Oh, you really must read it. Now. Hope you can find a copy. And remember to thank me when you finally give it a read. And I’ll be off now to find some more Jane Gardam. I’m afraid nothing can be as good as this delicious novel, but I must try to find a little more and see for myself.
    • 4/5
      A good read about life in England during WW2 and a good book for Jane Gardam complete-ists. Not a favorite of mine but a fine light novel.
    • 5/5
      My favorite author and my favorite genre - coming of age - perfection! Set during WWII, Jessica Vye refuses to conform or fit into her middle class Brit family or her school. The book is divided into three chapters "The Maniac" focuses on Jessica's decision to become a writer after meeting a famous author during a school talk. He encourages her, with monumental consequences. "The Boy" is Christian, whom Jess meets at a house party. He's a quasi-communist and takes Jess into a slum, where they are the victims of a German bombing. "The Poem" is her first publication, in the Times of London. And then there's everything in between. Should not be missed.
    • 4/5
      When she was nine, Jessica Vye was told by an author visiting her school that she WAS AN AUTHOR INDEED." This was after she had run home, gotten everything she had written and caught up with the author before he boarded her train. He sent her back that message in the mail, several months later. She of course never forgot it and it shaped her life.World War ll and the world of ration cards, air raid shelters and gas masks had become part of everyday life in England. Jessica is quirky, she is very head strong and very vocal, unable to keep to her self what she thinks, this has made her popular with some, but unpopular with many. We follow along with her as she experiences her first crush, as she puts herself in danger, luckily living through a bombing. I loved her character and that of Miss Philomen, an elderly teacher who had been published. She was very observant, eccentric and a delight. So much of this coming of age story is. Another offering from Nancy Pearl on NPR and a re-issue from the publisher. I love this author's writing, she is extremely talented with dialogue, and apparently this was the first book this author wrote. So the maturity of her later novels is missing but I think all the more delightful because of that. Lastly Jessica Vye reminds me of myself at that age and it was very easy for me to relate to her, especially when I read these lines "I wish I read slower as a matter of fact because I can't get books to last>" A girl after my own heart.