Review: Looking for the Durrells by Melanie Hewitt

After a year that sees a broken-off engagement and the death of her beloved father, Penny is desperate to get away.

Fulfilling a childhood dream, she sets off on a month-long pilgrimage to Corfu--an island idyll she knows only through the pages of Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals.

On the island, Penny quickly finds herself drawn into the lives of a tight-knit circle of strangers. Exploring--searching for the places the Durrells knew decades before--she makes unexpected discoveries about the hopes, fears, and secrets of the people living there today.

And as strangers start to be friends, lives past and present become entwined in ways none of them could have predicted. . .

I was instantly drawn into this book. I loved Penny as a character and I loved exploring Corfu with her. I felt that we were with her for every step of her holiday of a lifetime, I could feel the sun on my face and visualise the stunning island in all its vibrant glory. The supporting characters are all well written too - there’s a real sense of community and family as Penny adjusts to Corfu life and I found myself caring for them all. I appreciated the fact that the narrative gave us multiple points of view, allowing us to really get to know the other characters, and yet I felt that some of their stories were only just beginning by the novel’s end. It all finishes somewhat abruptly, and I did check a few times that I hadn’t somehow missed an epilogue. But perhaps the moral of the story is that life is ongoing. One summer can change everything, but who knows where the new trajectory will take you.

As soon as I got into this book I immediately felt the urge to dig out my copy of My Family and Other Animals (a battered old copy I gained from a neighbour’s bookshelf clear out and had since completely forgotten about) and started reading it. It’s easy to see why Penny was so fascinated by George Durrell and his wonderfully eccentric life. That said, no prior knowledge of The Durrell family is required to enjoy this book - I’ve seen a couple of episodes of the TV but even if I hadn’t I would have had no trouble following the story.

Above all this book is a love letter to Corfu. I defy anyone to finish reading it without feeling the urge to book themselves onto the next flight there. It’s the perfect read for those craving a bit of sunshine or missing their holidays abroad.

Looking for the Durrells is a glorious slice of sunshine. A story of family and friendship, of finding yourself and weathering the storms of life. Thank you to Readers First and Harper Inspire for the review copy!