Review: Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

For millions of readers around the world, a new Rosamunde Pilcher novel is a cause for celebration. Her clear-eyed and sharply observed stories have captivated readers for a generation, and with Winter Solstice she proves herself to be at the height of her powers by creating people and places so real, we feel we have known them for years. 


The December solstice is a turning point. for some it represents a time of darkness, the shortest day of the year. But for others this event--just a few days before Christmas--is about hope, renewal, and rebirth. In a story both deceptively simple and effortlessly complex, Rosamunde Pilcher brings together five very different people, ranging in age from the teens to the mid-sixties, each of whom must confront very different challenges or losses. 


When Elfrida Phipps abandons London for a quaint country village, she settles in quickly. She has a tiny cottage, her faithful dog, Horace, and the friendship of good neighbors, Oscar, Gloria, and their little girl. Perhaps, at last, she can exorcise the pain of the past and find peace. 


But it is not to be. 


Tragedy upsets Elfrida's newfound tranquillity, and she takes refuge in a rambling house in the north of Scotland called Corrydale. Almost like a magnet, Corrydale attracts various waifs and strays, each of them escaping difficult personal pasts. As the holidays approach and the weather turns foul, the scene seems set as a perfect recipe for disaster. 


But somehow, the group proves to be greater than the sum of its ill-suited parts, and as the solstice passes and Christmas approaches, the healing power of love, even on the most troubled human spirits, begins to work its magic. 


Once again, Rosamunde Pilcher reminds us all that friendship, compassion, loyalty, and love can come together and renew us all--even when the days seem darkest. 


I am so glad that my grandmother recommended Rosamunde Pilcher to me. Sometimes, I'm just in the mood for something with slower pacing--something cozy, if you will. Sinking into a Rosamunde Pilcher novel is like curling up with a comfy blanket and a warm cup of tea.

Despite having a slower pace, this book is by no means boring, and the pages fly by pretty quickly. For one thing, Rosamunde Pilcher really writes beautifully. I had a picture clear image in my mind as I was reading, and I love those books that read like a movie, if that makes sense. Her writing is detail-oriented, but not overbearing. I've always wanted to visit the English or the Scottish countryside, and Rosamunde Pilcher's writing takes me there.

On another hand, I'm definitely a fan of her character development. It did not take me long at all to become invested in this set of characters and their situations. My favorite was definitely Lucy, and I really felt for her. I wanted so badly to smack her mother and her grandmother. They made me so angry. And of course, we all know that feeling so strongly towards characters in a book is one of the best parts of good character development. By the end of this novel, I counted this cast of characters among my dear literary friends.

All in all, although this may not be my favorite book in the universe, Rosamunde Pilcher never lets me down when I'm in the mood for a cozy story.

4 / 5 Stars

Check it out: 
Goodreads page 
Rosamunde Pilcher's website

Happy reading and until next time, 


Jess