Search - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

It takes great writing to get me, a 36 year old peace loving, American mother of two, to feel completely connected and sympathetic towards a 60 something retired military British man in a small village. This book has that writing! I loved that we were given the Major's unspoken thoughts along with what was allowed past the filter of his stiff upper lip. I expected a charming story and was rewarded with that as well as a healthy dose of truth and inspiration.

This book was not what I expected. I think the concept was great, but the author tried to address too many topics and issues. The clash of generations. The clash of old school versus "progress." The clash of cultures. The clash of traditions. A love story. Another love story where love conflicts with self. Parts of the book read like a piece set in Victorian England except that the setting was present day. I think any one of those issues fully pursued would have made an even stronger book. I read it because I thought that the main issue was that of cultural diversity and the conflict it sometimes causes. And it was, but it was sometimes a little lost amongst all the other issues. Also, some of the "cultural" point of views presented were very stereotypical. I enjoyed reading it, but again, it was not really what I expected. I look forward to hearing my book club's comments on it.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand reminded me a bit of the British comedies on PBS and a bit of the Miss Julia books by Ann B. Ross, but with a fantastically sarcastic British "curmudgeon" in place of the often clueless Southern church lady. I know that the Miss Julia books are a bit of a guilty pleasure, and I mean no disrespect in this comparison. Both have colorful settings and casts of characters that sucked me in and slightly preposterous plots that snowball to fantastic conclusions.

Major Pettigrew is living a quiet retirement in the English countryside until his developing relationship with a local Pakistani widow, the town busybodies planning the local golf club's annual to-do, his only son's ruthless drive to succeed, and a dispute with his recently deceased brother's widow over a family heirloom, all converge to make his life more complicated.

Helen Simonson has written a terrific first novel and I look forward to seeing what she writes next, whether it features Major Pettigrew or not.

This was an absolutely delightful and charming book. I enjoyed the slow development of the book -- along with the slow courtship between the Major and Mrs. Ali. I loved the shyness of the Major and how their relationship blossomed. How he knew when not to let a good thing get away from him. Extra spice was added to the story with Sandy and Roger; Abdul Wahid, Amina, and George.