Major Pettigrew's Last Stand Helen Simonson Bright Star The Breaking of Eggs Jim Powell
WORDS��AMY�GRIER�
R E V I E W S
QUIET� N I G HT IN
A touching
tale of love
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen
Simonson; out now; £14.99, Bloomsbury
Major Pettigrew lives alone in his quiet
village home, disturbed only by the
chatter of the local church committee
and the infrequent phone calls from his
high-flying son, Roger. That is until his
brother Bertie dies, leaving the Major to
do battle with his terrifying sister-in-law
and gold-digging niece.
Bertie’s death also brings an unexpected visitor
to his door in the form of Mrs Ali, a local shop
keeper and widow. Their blossoming friendship is
what keeps you turning the pages till the very end
of this wonderful debut novel.
Simonson has a fabulously dry sense of humour
and the Major is drawn with touching detail. He
wears his deceased wife’s flowery housecoat to
Stylist’s
book of the
week
ward off loneliness and, in the face of his brother’s
death and son’s neglect, becomes increasingly
aware of his own mortality. Every page oozes
pathos, with Simonson gently mocking her
characters until you love them even more.
SHUT�DOWN�YOUR�SPREADSHEET� �������������������������
AND�FOCUS�ON�THESE�INSTEAD
BRIGHT STAR
DVD
Out now, £15.99 The story
of poet John Keats (Ben Wishaw)
and his love affair with the girl
next door, Fanny Brawne (Abbie
Cornish). Tackling literary and
social differences, family illness
and personal tragedy, Jane
Campion’s writing and direction
make this film worth staying in for.
BOOK
THE BREAKING OF EGGS
BY JIM POWELL
Out 11 March; £12.99, Orion
Feliks Zhukowski’s journey from
Berlin to the US brings the
promise of financial certainty and
reunification with his estranged
brother, sending him on an
unexpected path of self discovery.
Surprisingly warm and very witty.
WWW�STYLIST�CO�UK����
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