Best of Both Worlds
This is one of the most cheery books I've read this year. It's a very funny and witty take on living between two entirely different places. The characters are wonderful and at times rather scary. I read an interview with the author and she said that every London character was thinly disguised so that she wouldn't get sued...no wonder she upped sticks and escpaed to Mallorca with clients like that! The lyrical passages about rural Mallorca are beautiful and she has a wicked sense of irony and fun which makes the whole book a great read if you're trying to beat the economic gloom and doom. Read it. It really is a tonic for our times.
Disappointing
I was really disappointed - bought this book based on the very positive reviews, but this book didn't tell me anything about Spain at all and furthermore I didn't find the "piquant humour" as claimed on the back at all... If you're looking for a truly funny book about moving to Spain, try "Driving over lemons" from Chris Stewart...
GREAT FUN BUT TOO MANY MISTAKES!
A good, light hearted read. The author has a great sense of humour but the book was obviously not proof read which is annoying! The dog belonging to her neighbour in Mallorca was a bulldog and then a boxer. Her son had his 7th birthday but he was still 6! She said she hadn't driven for years but actually she drove her son to school in Palma. Also grammatical errors.
Still, if that doesn't bother you, I would recommend it as a good holiday book.
Funny, engaging and enchanting with fabulous characterisation, recommended!
First and foremost this is a very well written book. The characterisation is superb, and the way the author describes the way that she slowly gets drawn into rural Mallorcan life is nothing short of enchanting.
However perhaps the most accomplished part of the book is the way that the author views her other life in the PR business in London.
As someone who loves to read the stories of people who have moved to rural Spain and Mallorca it is this flitting back and forth between the author's previous life in London and new life in Mallorca that makes the book both unique and captivating.
Highly recommended.
Un gran exito!
This is a vey nice book about the island where I am growing up and I am happy that seņora Nicholas says many kind thing about the Mallorcan people. We have many tourists but in the countryside it is very different-beautiful scenery and fantastic local customs and fiestas. I also like to practise my English so this book was good for this too! I like her describing our foods and way of life that is calm and simple. This is about the real Mallorcan people. Es un libro especial..enhorabuena seņora Nicholas!
