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A Sweet Obscurity
by: Patrick Gale

List Price: £7.99

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Used Price: £1.89
Third Party New Price: £4.63

Availability: Usually dispatched within 9 to 11 days Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780007151028
ISBN: 0007151020
Label: HarperPerennial
Manufacturer: HarperPerennial
Number Of Pages: 336
Publication Date: July 05, 2004
Publisher: HarperPerennial
Studio: HarperPerennial
Sales Rank: 5011

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Another great read from Patrick Gale
Another great read from Patrick Gale. A Sweet Obscurity is a tale of disparate adults all with their own needs and hope. Some are living in London and some in Cornwall - we know that somehow their lives will overlap and so we are compelled to read on...... At the heart of the book is Dido, a feisty nine year old who at times acts as parent to her stepmother/biological aunt Eliza. We know that there is some mystery about Dido's mother but we are kept in suspense until the very end. The plotting is ingeniously worked out and the whole work is a very satisfying read with a "feel good" ending.

I can understand why Gale has such a firm fan base even though he will never feature in the more prestigious literary prize lists. Based ... Read More:

Rating:

- Another lovely one from Gale
If you've read any of his books before this doesn't disappoint.

I found it a little slower going than his others (Rough Music for example) and I didn't really get into it until about a third of the way through. It was worth the read though. As always with Gale's books, you're completely drawn in to the characters (who always seem to be slight oddballs) rather than the story itself.

Although not much grips you with his stories, it's always a shame to get to the end of the book - I just want to keep on reading!

A lovely, easy read.

Rating:

- By far one of the best books you'll ever read
I won't go into details about what the book is about, as i'm sure other people will have done this. I happened to stumble on this book in a 3 for 2 offer! Having started to read it I really felt like i couldn't put it down I was desperate to see how the book finished, and i'm now a solid Patrick Gale fan!

It's not exactly a complete romantics book, but goes into a lot of detail about relationships etc. and I suppose would be considered more of a 'women's book'. Nevertheless it's a great read and I throughly recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:

- " A verse of softer pleasures and a sweet obscurity"
When reading Patrick Gale, one always gets a warm, calm, fuzzy feeling. His novels conjure visions of fireside chats on cold winter evenings, and the affectionate bliss of domestic life. A Sweet Obscurity, although not his best work, certainly invokes such images, while also presenting a rather dark, but hopeful look at modern, untypical relationships and families. Like its predecessor, Rough Music, landscape plays a distinct role; Gale's sophisticated Londoners are transported to Cornwall where they discover both an alternative rhythm of life and a healthier way of living.

Eliza is a musicologist who has lost her way. She's wrecked her marriage with a foolish liaison, and is now living in some squalor in a council flat, while taking ... Read More:

Rating:

- Back To Form
Patrick Gale has long been my favourite modern day English author. With Cornwall back as his favourite setting and dealing with generational issues as only he can, Sweet Obscurity sees Patrick Gale return to a form last reached with The Cat Sanctuary. Whilst comparisons with Joanna Trollope can be drawn in terms of Cornwall vs Cotswolds settings, the complexities of emotional relationships in an ever changing world and the emphasis on how women/girls deal with them; Gale's sparser style and wry humour adds a dimension few authors of this genre achieve. I doubt if there is a male writer who can capture the thoughts and feelings of women and children with Gale's accuracy and empathy. Neither is Gale afraid to tackle the more difficult aspects of life, ... Read More:

Books : A Sweet Obscurity