Search - A Cup of Tea

A remarkable little gem. If you are searching for something thought-provoking for your next airplane ride or lazy afternoon, I recommend "A Cup of Tea." The ending sneaked up on me. Exquisitely structured!

What a surprising delight this short novel was. It tells a story in a very minimalist style. You get to know the characters, as the story builds, through their actions and thoughts rather than detailed descriptions of traits and physical qualities. A self-involved woman decides to do a kind deed, but for narcissistic reasons, and this decision sets off a slow chain of events that impacts the lives of many. At its core, this is a short and powerful story of the impact of selfish decisions. You will find it hard to put down, as you'll sense the impending train wreck, and it's easily finished in one sitting. Highly recommended.

Set in 1917, when the world is profoundly changing, this book tells the story of two women from totally different circumstances and the man they both love. It has a bit of an "Upstairs, Downstairs" feel. It is inspired by the famous Katherine Mansfield short story, by the same name. Darkly romantic and compelling.

This book is truly worth reading, but it keep in mind it is short about 200 pages and it was written by Amy Ephron.

Amy is a screen writer. She wrote for the Electric company and was the producer for The Secret Garden. She comes from a Hollywood background so her book reads more like a movie in some ways.

For instance in a movie there is foreshadowing. The beginning relates to the end. Not all writers do this. This doesnt make the writing bad, just different. I could see another author using the same story and it would be written very different. No big twists or turns in this book. But not every book needs that either.

I do like that there are some themes about Duty and honor, and crumbling rolls of women around the time of world war one.

While the story line kept me reading, I wasn't all that pleased with the book. Mainly because the set of morals that was lacking in this book made me uneasy. It was hard to imagine some of these things. But, as I said, it was interesting story, just not one that I hope to ever hear from a reality perspective.

I enjoyed this book--a light read and entertaining--a period piece.