Book review: Les Chateaux de Sable

By Judith Lennox

Book review: Les Chateaux de Sable

No one. And I mean NO ONE. Will ever paint generational patterns like Judith Lennox. She is brilliant and easily one of my favourite authors of all times. How effortlessly she gives a voice to the adult, children, and elderly characters of her books is beyond genius.

She often explores family lineage and her books extend throughout periods of 10-20 years, so you're able to witness the development of the main characters.

In today's book review, we will be talking about "Les Chateaux de Sable". This book is the LOVE of my life. And I don't mean it lightly. It's romance, it's drama, it's adultery, it's rebellion, it's grief, experienced all throughout Europe (and America for a little bit).

It is available in English as "Footprints in the Sand", and I should have probably bought it off Takealot 4 years ago when it was much cheaper and more accessible.

It starts pre WWII with Ralph Mulgrave, unemployed, charming, with nothing but charisma in his pockets. He falls in love with Poppy Vanburgh, wealthy to the bone, with bitter older sisters. Their (his and Poppy's) age gap is questionable but stay with me.

They got married on a whim, and she quickly realises the whimsy applied everywhere else in his life. Perhaps this man, although genius, did not have a knack for business. I mean, so much of what he invested in "the idea of the century" depleted their savings. And... well... that kind of hurts? But at least he has wealthy friends who let them crash at their humble (it was a castle) residence.

They have three children, Faith (bless her heart), Jake, and Nicole. They each have a distinct personality, but must have taken after their father's stubbornness.

With the war coming up, they are forced to travel a lot, in search for a peaceful home. They meet so many people along the way and pick up on an arsenal of random skills. Like what mushroom is comestible in the forest for example.

These children, although unruly, are culturally so rich. The family lives life as bohemians and the children grow up to experience romance and heartbreaks of their own.

When they call first-born daughters to the front, Faith is first in line, because she is dependable, charming, and more beautiful than she thinks. She falls in love, but that love is rather unrequited. I mean he's married for crying out loud, Faith!

Altogether, beautiful book.

I could talk about it every day.

10/10

Get yourself a copy.