No Need To Run (Away From It All - Judy Astley)

Member Name: belfin

Product:	Away From It All - Judy Astley
Date:	22/03/07 (108 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Characters that you can really relate to

Disadvantages: none

***Background***

After reading the lovely comical novel Size Matters and then following it up with the delightful All Inclusive, it wasn't a surprise for me to start looking along the A's in the local library to see what else I could find by this author.

Judy Astley has written many novels dating back to 1994 but she started out by writing a picture book for children called When One Cat Woke Up. This book was published in 2003 and I'm surprised that it's taken me so long to discover this wonderfully light-hearted author.

***The Story***

Alice has been living in London for many years now and has what most people dream of - a lovely family, a great house and car and a career as a children's author that has made her famous. When she gets a phone call to say her mother has become ill, she returns to her childhood home and finds it to be fast becoming a crumbling ruin.

Her mother, Jocelyn, was a once famous author herself and Alice was brought up as part of a bohemian lifestyle. Now, Joss finds herself at a time in her life when she is beginning to feel old and vulnerable, despite still having her son, his wife and their two children living with her, trying to run a bed and breakfast business in property that no one wants to stay in.

This visit home forces Alice to take stock of her own life and soon realises that there are some things that are more important than fancy houses and private schools for her children. Determined to get things back on track with the vast property, this book tells of her journey at a crossroads in her life. She has doubts about her marriage and her future and has to decide which route to take.

***The Characters***

Alice is a very easy to love character and I'm sure a lot of women will relate to her. Stuck in a rut, she has to decide whether to stay on the path that she is on or whether to risk everything for a new life. A loving mother to her daughter, Grace and stepson, Theo, she starts to think that the carefree life in the small Cornish village is just what they both need.

Noel is Alice's second husband and he is very self-absorbed with work, golf and money. He has made fun of the bohemian way of life that Alice grew up with and can't see why anyone would want to stay in the middle of nowhere.

Jocelyn wrote a book when she was young that made her famous throughout the world. Living her life with no cares or worries has suited her just fine until she is forced to come to terms with the realisation that her health and strength is not what it used to be. Telling the story of her life to a remarkably good-looking ghostwriter gives her the chance to reminiscence with her family and wish for things that are long gone.

Grace has been used to a life of luxury, going to a private school in London and having lots of fancy gadgets, but she loves visiting her grandmother and feels she can relax in the wonderful countryside retreat that is a stone's throw from a gorgeous beach. Loving nature and adventure she grows closer to her grandmother as she is taught about all the festivals that Jocelyn used to celebrate with the changing seasons, as well as all the little spells and potions that were used to help people fall in love or wish for what they desire the most.

***My Thoughts***

This book is a really refreshing read and I found that it was very easy to imagine this rambling old house on the Cornish coastline, as I have visited the area quite a few times in the past and love the beauty and calmness of the quiet villages and towns.

The story is much more than just a holiday read though as it explores hopes and dreams and makes you start to think about your own life and how different it could have been, if only.

The characters are easy to relate to and the relationships between them are so normal that everyone will be able to recognise them in someone they know. As Jocelyn relates stories to the rest of the household it made me think of my own grandmother telling me what it was like when she grew up and I suddenly realised how much things can change in only a few decades.

It seems obvious that in these days where money seems to be so important to everyone that success is marked by how big a house and car you own, when it should be marked upon how happy you are. After all, money may help take the pressures off but it doesn't necessarily follow that it will make you happy. After all, what is the point of working all the hours' god sends us to get the best of everything if you don't get a chance to appreciate the simple joys around you, such as family and friends.

This book brings all these issues forward through the tremendously organised Alice and we see her struggle to come to terms with a husband who doesn't seem to want to put her needs first. She sees him as someone who, although reliable, has become boring and is desperately looking for a bit of excitement. This is especially true when she sees the young and very good-looking Aidan who has been hired to write about her mother's life story.

As I made my way through the book I was kept wondering whether or not she would ditch her husband for a life that is totally different and much more laid back. As the book goes on, I also saw how much the olds ways of life appealed to Grace and how the wishes of her treasured daughter might just be the thing that makes Alice forget about the busy life in London and move back to her childhood home.

There are many other interesting characters in this book such as Alice's brother who is more interested in growing his own supply of cannabis in the greenhouse than he is in doing up the falling to bits property. His wife Mo, would love to get away from the crumbling ruin and get back to doing what she loves best, painting.

To sum it up I would have to say that this book is more than just a book to pick up when you are on holiday - it is a very personal journey of a family's difficulties and a discovery of what is really important in life.

***Other Judy Astley Titles***

Just for the Summer
Pleasant Vices
Seven for a Secret
Muddy Waters
Every Good Girl
The Right Thing
Excess Baggage
No Place for a Man
Unchained Melanie
All Inclusive
Size Matters
Blowing It

***Price and Availability***

The price on the back of this paperback is £6.99 but you can find it for only £4.89 from www.dvd.co.uk.

ISBN No. 0552999512

Summary: Lovely story