Jane Gordon-Cumming

There are a lot of characters in this novel. So many that a family tree is provided at the front, and I found myself referring to it frequently in the early part of the book. It was useful, but I did find myself faintly irritated that the people were introduced so rapidly, and that they weren't rounded enough for me to tell them apart easily.

The most interesting person is Frances, the new nanny to a four-year-old called Tobias. His parents are the snobby and unfeeling Stephen and Leslie; they decide to spend Christmas with Stephen's father William at his ancient (and crumbling) mansion, in the hope of persuading him to write his will.

Meanwhile Stephen's jolly sister Julia and her philandering husband Tony, along with their rather ghastly daughter Posy and her even more appalling Nanny also decide to stay with William. Then William's sister Margery decides to bring a friend who is interested in old houses, and Margery's daughter-in-law Hilary is invited for good measure... confused? Yes, so was I.

There are even more people who appear during the first few chapters, mostly caricatured and unrealistic.

Having said that, it's not meant to be taken seriously. The novel is something of a family farce, with misunderstandings, complications, and intense family rivalry. I didn't particularly like the style, which was very rapid, switching viewpoints constantly, and interspersing thoughts and conversation with little explanation.

Still, it's not a bad book, and I found I got more interested in the various relationships as it progressed. The family gathering in a mansion, and one-dimensional characters reminded me a bit of some of Agatha Christie's books - so much so that I half expected someone to be murdered. I was relieved when everything turned out much as I expected it to towards the end.

Pleasant enough - if a little tiring - for a very light read over the holiday season.
… (altro)

William Shirburn really isn’t into Christmas – all that jingly tinsly presenty stuff makes him feel queasy. He’d prefer to spend it alone watching trashy TV with his cat. But there’s an unwritten law that elderly people are not allowed to be left alone at Christmas, especially if they live in a vast old mansion that could be a gold-mine in the right hands – and William’s relative are very keen to ensure that Haseley House does end up in the right hands!

Originally published in 2005, A Proper Family Christmas was re-released in 2008, under the OxPens Imprint. As outlined in the synopsis above, William is rather looking forward to spending Christmas alone, with just the rather amusing Scratch for company. That isn't to be, however, as various members of his family decide to stay with him, and others get brought along in the process!

This allows for a combination of some rather wonderful characters, resulting in various conflicts, friendships, and potential relationships. Jane has created a great mix of personalities, with some being very annoying, and others extremely likeable.. and yet all are believable.

The writing style manages to draw you into the midst of the story, and it's easy to imagine being right there with them. There's a wonderful, warm humour running through, with plenty of lines that brought a smile to my face. It's a story that can be enjoyed at any time of the year, but is just perfect in the approach to Christmas.… (altro)