What does Phaedra Patrick’s first novel, THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER, offer to readers? I’ve come up with eight answers — one for each charm.
(1) When I’m screening the many literary choices available to modern day readers for a book that I might read from cover to cover, the first go-no-go decider is the quality of writing. THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER passed this test with well-designed and skillfully executed prose. Patrick’s writing is professional quality.
(2) From the outset, main character Arthur Pepper is portrayed as likable. Later, we see his imperfections, but overall, the author presents a family man, workingman, and gentleman that we are motivated to care about.
(3) Gradually we are introduced to a wide variety of interesting minor characters. By “interesting,” I do not mean outrageous (with the exception, of course, of the couple whose tiger roams the grounds of their estate). They are interesting because we identify with their ideals… and their flaws.
(4) THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER has a complex and mysterious plot; it embodies the concept of an imaginative tale. The litmus test of this? You can’t predict how it will end.
(5) The novel’s prose is not vulgar, as so many new literary offerings seem to be. This is not to say that the book steers completely away from unpleasant people, situations, and language — it’s just not saturated with those elements.
(6) The plot includes the sort of unexpected twists that are indicative of real life. It’s not just in books and movies that even the mildest of people occasionally make illogical and seemingly unlikely choices that put them at risk. (The stories I could tell. The stories YOU could tell…)
(7) The ending, like many other parts of THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER, causes us to wonder about our own life choices, those that we are required to make each day, and the attitudes that we bring to those decisions.
(8) Perhaps most importantly, Phaedra Patrick’s novel reminds us that people can change no matter how old they are — if they are open-minded and adventurous to the end.
“He didn’t want to feel like this, be treated like this. An urge swelled in his chest. He needed to say something so she wouldn’t think him helpless, hopeless and useless, like Mrs. Monton, who hadn’t left her house in five years and who smoked twenty Woodbines a day, or Mr. Flowers, who thought there was a unicorn living in his greenhouse. Arthur had some pride left. He used to have meaning as a father and husband. He used to have thoughts and dreams and plans.”
This review was written by Kevin Polman, author of THE EXTRA KEY.
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Popular Highlights in this book
There were eight in total: an elephant, flower, book, paint palette, tiger, thimble, heart and a ring.Highlighted by 754 Kindle readers- Sometimes you hold on to things, not because you want to keep them, but because they are difficult to let go.Highlighted by 603 Kindle readers
- The innocence of being young and thinking that your parents would last forever had been broken.Highlighted by 485 Kindle readers
From the Publisher
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| The Little Italian Hotel | The Messy Lives of Book People | The Library of Lost and Found | Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone | The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper | The Secrets of Love Story Bridge | |
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| Price | $7.74 | $9.69 | $10.69 | $14.44 | $16.45 | $13.57 |
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Reviews with images
So heartwarming and lovely!
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick is a lovely tale about love, loss, and overcoming things from the past to enjoy the present.This tale was so wonderful. Arthur met a number of really interesting and unique characters that helped him along the way in way both large and small. My favorite of the bunch was a man named Mike who lived in an apartment with his dog and played music on the street.Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine and sweetness; Arthur also had run ins with some rather nasty folk… And it broke my heart to see Arthur going through such a hard time and second guessing his life. But, much to my relief, everything ends up working out.I also really loved the focus on family. Learning more about the life that Arthur and his wife, Miriam, shared was so heartwarming. I loved that we got to see things through the stories of their children here and there as well.This is a book that you will want to pick up on a day off. It was simple and honest, but it will totally captivate you.I absolutely adored Arthur and I was so curious about his quest to learn more about each of the charms on the bracelet. I found myself smiling a lot while reading this one!If you enjoy stories with a little sadness, but a whole lot of heart and growth, then I highly recommend this one to you! The main premise behind the movie UP came to mind while I was reading this.
Top reviews from other countries
tara page
absolutely the best book I have read in a long time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2019