The Peacock Emporium: A Novel

This was an unmitigated delight in every possible way. The story is lovely. The readers were perfection. The writing was just lyrical. This will be the book I recommend (along with The Heft) whenever someone wants something good to read.

This is the Jojo Moyes that got away from me, meaning sat on my TBR shelf and I only discovered it there after her new book had been published.I don't know why I hadn't seen anything on my book social media pages about it? I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I have all her other books, and I think everyone will see that this plot differed from so many books written around this era. Now on to an ARC from LibraryThing, then the new Jojo Moyes, surrounded by some controversy, but, having read the other book first, I will withhold my opinion until I read it.

This book from Moyes' backlist seems a bit different than other books by this author; it is darker in ways, and fewer of the characters are likable. On the other hand, they are portrayed in such a realistic way that one can’t help but develop - for most of them - an understanding of, and sympathy for, both their good and bad aspects.

The focus of the book is on the family of the Fairley-Hulmes and the people with whom their lives have intersected over the past 50 years or so. (The novel moves back and forth in time.) In particular, the story centers around Suzanna, one of the Fairley-Hulme daughters, now 35 and married to Neil Peacock. Her life seems boring and passionless to her, and she thinks perhaps a shop will help make her feel fulfilled. Thus she opens The Peacock Emporium, a little boutique for “found” objects with a coffee bar.

One of Suzanna’s first customers, Jessie Carter, offers to help in the shop. Because Jessie is genial and friendly in contrast to Suzanna, Suzanna realizes Jessie can help bring in customers. In time, surly Suzanna succumbs to Jessie’s charm as well, and in spite of their nine-year age difference (Suzanna is 35 and Jessie is 26), they become the best of friends.

Through the influence of Jessie, Suzanna gets to know the other shopkeepers and customers in the neighborhood, and the store’s business grows, as does Suzanna’s happiness. One male customer in particular seems to drop by more and more frequently. But Suzanna is married, and Jessie has a long-time boyfriend. They’re not sure what it means.

Changes are also occurring in her parents’ lives, but Suzanna, pre-occupied with herself, is largely oblivious to it. Then disaster strikes, and everyone has to re-evaluate who they are and what they want out of their lives.

Discussion: It takes longer than usual for Moyes to set up the background for the story and the ways in which its threads are tied together, but once the scaffolding is laid the pace is much improved. The story is cleverly bookended by the author, which adds to one's appreciation at the end.

While Moyes doesn't make it easy for us to like the characters, she adds the right amount of subtlety to convince us there is more to her protagonists than first meets the eye. In addition, the characters lives are quite interesting, and Moyes has you wishing you were there in the shop, having an espresso, and watching the story unfold.

Evaluation: I enjoy all of Moyes books. Her writing is quite good and her talent for realistic dialogue is outstanding.

Several chapters in this book were wonderful depictions, but over all not cohesive. A disappointing work from this author. The whole midwife/Argentina situation didn't seem to add to the story and did not serve as a worthy introduction.

I've loved almost all of Jojo Moyes' books, but this one wasn't quite as good. It starts off slowly, but some parts are excellent. She creatively crafted the tale about different generations and sometimes it's not clear which character is narrating the chapter for a page or two. I liked that, but I don't mind figuring things out. As usual for Moyes, I could identify with the characters or I know someone similar. I'll still recommend this one, but not at enthusiastically as her other novels.

I enjoy Moyes books as her characters and situations seem real and interesting. However, there was some issues not explained or described at the end of her book. She writes with so much detail and then it seems she rushes the last 100 pages as if she is bored with the story and character. Will not say what I missed as I do not want to reveal the events to other readers.

I quite liked it. It's not a life changing book, but it's not meant to be. It's just a well done story about a woman struggeling with her marriage, her family and her place in the world.

Very just OK.
Story begins with Vivi and her deb ball hoping to snag rich, wonderful Douglas Fairley-Hume who only has eyes for Athlene Forrester. Vivi is patient, however.
Then we move into the present day with Suzanne Peacock who moved to Dere, England and opens a shop in the small town where she employees a young woman Jesse who lives with an abuser.
Very light beach reading, nothing more. Can't say I want to read any more by JoJo.

For me, this was an enjoyable light read. I enjoyed the description of the shop, countryside and characters.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.

The book starts with a random chapter about a woman giving birth, that seems to have no relevance to anything else. I found myself wondering if the midwife was going to be Athene perhaps, or Vivi. But it turned out to be a man who only enters the story about a third of the way through.

There were one or two other random chapters like that, which I presume were supposed to be the stories for the life story things at the shop. But overall I found the way the book was put together to be very disjointed

The blurb on the back is misleading because it makes it sound like the book is very much about Athene and Suzanna, but I did feel Athene to be an almost secondary character because she's hardly in the story, and even Suzanna is overshadowed by other characters at times. And I thought Suzanna was an unlikeable character really.

I didn't think it was very plausible that throughout her life, nobody had let slip to Suzanna about the circumstances of her birth, and that she only found out when Mrs Creek mentioned it.

I did love the sound of The Peacock Emporium though - it sounded like a lovely little shop.

Reading this hasn't made me want to read any more of JoJo Moyes' books, but there were parts of it that I did like.