If someone would ask me what has most influenced my early years (but I doubt anyone ever will), I’d say this family. I have been reading Jeanne Birdsall’s Penderwicks since I was five years old and they have had a major impact on my life. This is the reason why I was so enormously thrilled to finally see the fifth book in store!
The leading role is sadly Lydia and not the four original Penderwicks what I thought was a huge mistake. From my point of view, Lydias life isn’t as interesting as the stories of Rosalind, Skye, Jane and Batty who you have come to know and love. Although Lydia is now as old as Skye was in the first and Jane was in the second novel, she neither has the mental maturity nor is she integrated enough in the family to seem interesting.
SPOILER – don’t read if you still want to read the grand finale!
Skye is now 26 years old, studies astrophysics and has Czech boyfriend named Dusek. The most annoying thing of this novel was the fact, that Skye ends up marrying Dusek instead of my long lost dream of marrying Jeffrey! It is unbelievable that Jeanne Birdsall doesn’t follow up the hint of the love for Skye and Jeffrey, starting with an enormous friendship lasting through thick and thin!
Rosalind is finally marrying Tommy Geiger – at least one of my dreams came true! Jane is still writing books, not wanting to marry for now, maybe not ever!
Jane and Skye have always been my favorite characters as I could often identify myself with the two sister, looking at myself as a mixture! Therefore I was sad these two weren’t mentioned enough and if they were, they had nothing to do with the two people I’ve come to love!
Therefore, this book isn’t quite what I’d imagined it to be: Lydia plays the leading role, Skye and Jeffrey have no future as Skye marries Dusek and Jane and Skye are mentioned way to little! So: no book I can recommend.
Although this book wasn’t fulfilling my expectations, this has no impact on my thoughts about the first three novels which have changed my life for the better!
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