Search - The Copper Beech

What a delightful read this is! It's the story of the lives of the inhabitants of a tiny Irish village from the 50's onwards, with an emphasis on the pupils of the small village school. The three roomed school is built under the shade of a huge Copper Beech tree on which generations of children have carved their initials. The pupils range from the elite of the village, the Major's daughter, the solicitor's son and the daughter of the hotel owners, to the desperately poor offspring of the town dressmaker and the town drunk, with a few adults thrown in for good measure, such as the spinster who yearns for the young priest, the school teacher couple who can't have children of their own and the hotel owners who are trying to improve their social status. Add to the plot a covered up murder, a randy bachelor and a romantic wife who's looking for some extra spice in her life and it all makes for a good, meaty read which is difficult to put down. Maeve Binchy fans will love it!

As a huge Maeve Binchy fan, I must say this hard to find book is not exactly like her others...and its uniqueness made me hesitate to read it. Wrong! It was different from most of her works, but good. No continuous characters like some of her later works, but all of your questions about the characters are indeed answered by the and of book. Enjoyable!

This book is non-traditional in its style - it's truly the same story but told several ways focusing on several of the many key players in the small town of Shancarrig. One might think of it as a class reunion in book form. The characters are well-developed and I wanted to know what had happened to each. The only thing lacking was a solid tying up at the end.

In the Irish town of Shancarrig, the young people carve their intials - and those of the people that they love - into the trunk of an ancient copper beech tree in front of the schoolhouse. But not even the parish priest, Father Gunn, who knows everything that goes on behind closed doors, or Dr. Jims, the village doctor, who knows all the rest, realizes that not everything in the placid town is as it seems.

Unexpected passions and fear are bringing together so many people; the handsome new priest and Miss Ross, the shy, beautiful school teacher, Leonora, the privileged daughter of one of the town's richest families and Foxy Dunne, whose father did time in jail. There is also Nessa Ryan, whose parents own Ryan's Hotel, and two very different young men. For now the secrets deep in Shancarrig's shadows are being revealed, from innocent vanities and hidden loves, to crimes of the heart and murder.

I really enjoyed this book. I had read it several years ago as well and loved it then as well. I give it an A+!

This is a book about pepole and realtionship, it is about frienship, love and fanmily and so much more, I highly suggest that you read it!!!!

This is one of her better ones. I've enjoyed all but this is one I'd put near the top.