Sheltering Rain by Jojo Moyes

  Heart-Warming, Riveting, Intriguing

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Family Drama

'Sheltering Rain' by Jojo Moyes

1953.

Edward stood nervously before Joy in her parent's living room. He had been intrigued by her at last night's soirèè and wanted to check that she was well. She seemed agitated at his unannounced, sudden arrival and he desperately wanted to put her at her ease, but he wasn't sure how he could do that without reminding her of the circumstances under which they had met. Whilst awaiting the announcement of the start of the Coronation on the wireless, he had become aware of her distress and guided her to fresh air, assuming that she had become overwhelmed in the crowded, warm room. Having gone to fetch a glass of water, he was then greeted by the sight of her vomiting inelegantly down the side of the building, evidence of which, slightly marking his newly pressed smart white trousers. He had accompanied her back to her parent's house, ensuring she was comfortable and safe before departing. Now, he just wanted to get to know her.

.....

1997.

Sabine was being packed off to stay with her grandparents, after another failed attempt on her mother's part to make a relationship work. Sabine had liked Geoff, but clearly things had become too comfortable and safe for Kate and she had found someone who she thought would be more exciting, more edgy. Frankly, her daughter thought him to be a bit of a prat. Her mother had always been this way. A revolving door of infatuations, there were a string of father-like figures, but Sabine had really bonded with Geoff. Now she was being sent to stay with her mother's parents, two people who hadn't seen their own daughter in God knows how long, and Sabine felt them to be virtual strangers, giving her mother space to extinguish reminders of past domesticity with her ex, and welcome in a new exhilarating chapter, another 'fresh start'. Sabine wondered how long it would last this time.

When Edward gets sick and is believed to be near the end of his life, Kate receives a telephone call informing her of her father's possible pending demise and after some soul searching, heads over to the Emerald Isle where she is forced to re-acquaint herself with many memories that she had long since buried and face truths that are hard to come to terms with.

It was so good to get back to reading a Jojo Moyes novel. I haven't done so for months. Jojo writes about people, they are the heart of stories, which is perfect for me, being a very character based reader, and reveling in anything that explores relationships and behaviours.

I enjoyed this being set in two different time periods, telling the back story of young Joy and Edward, what kind of people they were and what might have influenced them both in their upbringing and situations that they were forced to deal with, both separately and as a couple. The hardship for Joy in being away from Edward for months at a time, and her having to endure the acceptance that married men were almost entitled to have a roving eye, whilst the wives were to turn a blind one. Joy however, was far more spirited, and whilst she was willing to go so far to maintain her and her families dignity, Edward was left in no doubt of how she felt. It was clear to me, that she never quite recovers from some of the experiences of her past and perhaps maintains an emotional distance from the man she had been so hastily at pains to marry.

Kate and her Brother are very different. Whilst Christopher has proceeded with his life as his parents were hoping, although I'm not sure they were hoping for quite an exhausting, overly expressive daughter-in-law, I felt that, having had something happen to Kate at a relatively young age, when it would have brought disgrace on the family, she had been distanced from the family fold, becoming the black sheep. Joy, seemingly having relinquished a great deal of her emotions at an early age has clearly been unsure of how to deal with her equally spirited daughter, and therefore a lot has remained unsaid.

Poor Edward is so far gone in years and ability, that he doesn't really interact much anymore to his own admission, but I got the feeling that some of that may have been by choice. His ailing health did provide some funny moments for me. However, they were moments when I'd laugh and then realise that maybe Jojo hadn't intended them to be funny. I'll let you be the judge.

The Author sends Sabine on a journey of self discovery. Leaving behind her relatively insula existence to embark on a life that introduces her to new pastimes, new people and new responsibilities.

This novel felt like quite a formidable challenge when I first picked it up, with its long chapters (albeit only sixteen of them), but once seduced by the diversity of the characters, the Irish charm and the endearing narrative surrounding a young girl who puts the broken pieces of her family back together, you are too engrossed to care, and never want it to end.