Forgotten Favorites: September by Rosamunde Pilcher; A Sweet Novel With A Memorable Ensemble of Characters And A Lovely Scottish Setting

Forgotten Favorites: September by Rosamunde Pilcher; A Sweet Novel With A Memorable Ensemble of Characters And A Lovely Scottish Setting


By Julie Sara Porter


Bookworm Reviews





Spoilers: Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, September is one of those sweet novels like the works of Maeve Binchey with a fascinating lovely setting, in this case Scotland in September and a memorable ensemble of characters. Quite often there's a kind wise elderly woman, a pair or two of young lovers, an eccentric older character who might be crazy or just odd, a feuding couple on the brink of divorce or separation, and a figure, usually an elegant lovely woman, who is the source of much rumors and speculation. These characters go through some struggles within their families, friends, and romances. There are some vague attempts at real world issues like divorce, unemployment, war, mental illness, and death but ultimately the characters shine through and the Reader is guaranteed a happy ending in which lovers are united and ties are strengthened.





This description makes it sound like I don't like these type of books. On the contrary, it’s impossible not to like these books, as formulaic as they can be, and September is a sweet book. It is the type of book that is filled with beautiful description and such lovely characters that this Reader considered booking a flight to Scotland just to see if they exist so she could hang around with them.





The book starts with the overbearing, Verena Steyton who wants to give a party in September for her daughter, Katy’s 21st birthday. September is the perfect time of year for such a party. It's after summer when the American tourists have left and when the weather is the most beautiful in Scotland. The book is filled with wonderful descriptions of Relkirkshire (a fictional village) in autumn. The senses are given a full workout picturing morning's light frost giving the countryside’s colors a brighter shade, the golden fields, the rain drizzle, and the scent of full bloomed heather.





While Verena is handing out invitations, booking a rock band for the entertainment, and overseeing the hors d’oeuvres, the Readers meet the other characters, each with their own issues that hopefully will be resolved by the big day. There's Edmund Aird, a businessman who wants his 8-year-old son, Henry to begin boarding school against the wishes of his second much younger wife, Virginia. Virginia despairs of letting her little boy go and feels a combination of separation anxiety and empty nest syndrome. Alexa, Edmund's adult daughter, a freelance chef lives happily with her boyfriend, advertising executive, Noel Keeling (who incidentally is the son of the protagonist of Pilcher's previous novel, The Shell Seekers). But Alexa is concerned about how her family feels about her common law relationship and Noel is debating whether or not to take their relationship to the next level. Edmund's mother, Violet Aird is a kind matronly woman whom everyone goes to with their problems but is beginning to feel the twilight of her years and is concerned about her friend, Edie whose mentally ill cousin, Lottie is staying with her and causing trouble.





Besides the Steyton and the Airds, the other important family is the Blairs, the family of Lord Archibald Balmerino, titled landowners. Archibald feels useless with a prosthetic leg shot off during a conflict in Northern Ireland. Nowadays, he putters around in his workshop carving wooden statues while his wife, Isobel runs a lucrative tourist business catering mostly to rich Americans. Their daughter, Luciella seems to have rejected a life of riches and titles to go backpacking on the Continent with her Australian boyfriend, Jeff. Then there's Pandora, Archibald's sister who moved from Relkirkshire nearly 20 years ago and left a trail of former husbands and lovers behind everywhere she went, one of whom was Edmund Aird.





The beauty of Pilcher's novel is not just in the setting. The characters are just so darned likeable that everyone is given a moment to show that they are more than they seem. Verena is nosy and overbearing but clearly loves her daughter, Katy and only wants what's best for her. Edmund can be a boorish stiff so bound in tradition that he is willing to pack off an 8-year-old kid to boarding school despite objections from everyone else. He sees the error of his ways when Henry returns after running away from school to tell his parents that he is unhappy there. So unhappy that even the headmaster thinks Henry's too young to be in boarding school.


Virginia feels that her marriage is loveless so she begins an affair with Conrad Tucker, a former American boyfriend and considers leaving with him. In the end, she decides not to when she realizes how much Edmund loves and needs her.


Archibald is filled with PTSD about his military experiences and conflicted about his current role as a wounded Lord. However he bonds with Conrad as the two share experiences in wars, they felt were unjust and unnecessary: Archibald’s in North Ireland and Conrad’s in Vietnam. Archibald also shows great creative talent as he carves a sculpture of Katy Steyton for her birthday giving him an opportunity for a future possibility of earning money.


Even characters who fill the others with fear and loathing like Lottie have memorable moments. While Lottie flies off into unpredictable rants, she also reveals the truth in the most inopportune times. For example she reveals to Virginia that Edmund and Pandora were once lovers and the reason Edmund flew off on a sudden business trip was to avoid meeting her.





The most fascinating character in the bunch is the beguiling Pandora Blair. After leaving Relkirkshire, she never returned even to attend her parent's funerals. The free-spirited enthusiastic woman traveled through Europe, North America, South America, and everywhere else ultimately settling in Majorca, Spain where she meets Luciella and Jeff. Verena Steyton’s invitation sends her home for the first time in a long time.


Pandora is a whirlwind who catches everyone else up in her elaborate plots such as taking Isobel, Alexa, Virginia, and Luciella on expensive shopping sprees for clothes for Katy's birthday party in which she pays for everything. She also encourages Archibald to wear their father’s formal clothes even though he long rejected them and to sell his carved wooden sculptures.


Like a pixy, Pandora spreads advice to the people around to make them happy. She suggests that Noel marry Alexa, a woman that he loves, to avoid a lifetime of regret and loneliness like she had.


Pandora is a strange figure that fills the characters and the Reader with curiosity about her and her motives. Why did she come back after all this time? Does she want to resume an affair with Edmund? Why is she excitable one minute and sleepy the next? Is she bipolar or is there something else wrong with her? The final pages reveal that Pandora was a complex woman with plenty of regrets but a zest for life that was undeniable.





September is a delightful book. While there are some sad moments, it is the enchanting setting and the brilliant characters, particularly Pandora, that the Reader will hold onto after the book is closed.