Friday 28 February 2020

A Review of Part Two - Imagining Violet Married

First off, this is not a book for everyone. So why the five-star rating? Because I believe the author has succeeded in creating a wonderful glimpse into the world of polite society in turn-of-the-century Toronto. If you’re the type of reader who enjoys history and likes to be immersed in the past, this may be the book for you. The story is drama-free and does not follow the typical conflict/resolution format. Instead, it’s written as a collection of letters penned by Violet, a young wife who goes about setting up her new life in a country that is foreign to her.

Some of the events she writes about may seem ordinary at first glance (buying a new house, her husband’s budding career, building a vacation home, having children), but it’s a credit to the writer that the book still held my interest to the end. Violet is a well-rounded and carefully thought out character - her letters excel at taking everyday events and making them memorable. This would be an ideal book to read over the course of a relaxing weekend.

Thomas O