Margaret Kennedy
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Cornouailles, 1947. Comme tous les étés, le révérend Seddon rend visite au père Bott. Hélas, son ami n'a pas de temps à lui accorder cette année, car il doit écrire une oraison funèbre : l'hôtel de Pendizack, manoir donnant sur une paisible crique, vient de disparaître sous l'éboulement de la falaise qui le surplombait. Et avec lui, sept résidents...
Dans cette maison reconvertie en hôtel par ses propriétaires désargentés étaient réunis les plus hétéroclites des vacanciers : une aristocrate égoïste, une écrivaine bohème et son chauffeur-secrétaire, un couple endeuillé, une veuve et ses trois fillettes miséreuses, un chanoine acariâtre et sa fille apeurée... Le temps d'une semaine au bord de la mer dans l'Angleterre de l'après-guerre, alors que les clans se forment et que les pires secrets sont révélés, les fissures de la falaise ne cessent de s'élargir...
Auteure talentueuse et espiègle, Margaret Kennedy pousse à leur comble les travers de ses personnages dans une fable pleine d'esprit et de sagesse.
Ce Festin est un régal !
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Celebrated by Cathy Rentzenbrink, this glorious rediscovered classic exploring the mystery of a buried Cornish hotel is perfect for Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier fans ... ''Hilarious and perceptive, here''s the perfect seaside holiday read.'' Daily Mail ''The miniature charm of a Baby Austen.'' Observer ''Tense, touching, human, dire, and funny ... A feast indeed.'' Elizabeth Bowen ''Kennedy is not only a romantic but an anarchist.'' Anita Brookner ''So full of pleasure that you could be forgiven for not seeing how clever it is.'' Cathy Rentzenbrink ''Oh boy, what a treat; wonderfully sharp and funny; I devoured this ... Page-turningly good!'' Lissa Evans Cornwall, Midsummer 1947. Pendizack Manor Hotel is buried in the rubble of a collapsed cliff. Seven guests have perished, but what brought this strange assembly together for a moonlit feast before this Act of God - or Man? Over the week before the landslide, we meet the hotel guests in all their eccentric glory: and as friendships form and romances blossom, sins are revealed, and the cracks widen ... Reader Reviews: ''Really clever - but readable. Perfect for a sunlounger (in the garden!)'' '' One of the best books I have ever read ... Viva Ms. Kennedy, you were truly marvellous!'' ***** ''The best book I''ve ever read. Yes, I know that''s a big statement! Kennedy is quickly becoming my all-time favorite author ... A first-rate literary genius. '' ***** '' This is bar none, one of the best books I have ever read.'' ***** ''A magnificent rediscovery ... Kennedy''s masterpiece is a searing and unflinching look at postwar England ... Elegantly and tartly written, this smart and haunting novel offers one of the most unforgettable endings ... A brilliant and moving literary feast to be enjoyed without any moderation ! ***** ''I''m longing to read this again! Clever Kennedy! Is it a thriller? Is it a morality play or an exploration of divine justice? Or is it a family/village saga and maybe even a romance? ... Terrifically readable with a marvellous cast .'' ***** ''This isn''t just the story of a Cornish summer holiday gone horribly wrong. Kennedy is, in fact, doing something much cleverer and more sophisticated - offering us the chance to solve a very unusual kind of mystery ... An unexpectedly engaging literary game.'' **** ''Such a good idea, and brilliantly executed ... I was unable to stop reading, absorbed completely in the company of the motley group. It''s almost like you''re eavesdropping on them. After finishing it, I find myself still thinking about it ... A fabulous read.'' ***** ''One of my favorite kinds of books: a forgotten treasure . The writing is exemplary ... Many, many fine moments.'' *****
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Femmes
Margaret Kennedy
- Nouvelles editions latines
- Les Maitres Etrangers
- 25 Janvier 2008
- 9782723307284
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