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Book Review: A Gift from Brittany by Marjorie Price

April 22, 2010 by Darlene


The year is 1960 and 28 year old Marjorie Price decides to do the unthinkable for that time. She buys herself a ticket on a ship, on which she plans to travel alone, to France. Her parents are upset as is her boyfriend but Marjorie is a painter and she feels Paris is the one place she belongs – with other artists and painters. Besides she’s only going to go for a few months to see what it’s like and do some painting. A Gift from Brittany by Marjorie Price: A Memoir of Love and Loss in the French Countryside is a memoir of her journey through this time.

Well Marjorie (Midge) does not stay for only a few months. She ends up meeting a dashing Frenchman, Yves, a painter as well, and they marry. Later they have a daughter Danielle and all seems well. They’ve always dreamed of having a place in the country though and without Midge’s consent Yves agrees to buy La Salle. Midge isn’t thrilled with the place; it turns out to be a hamlet of 7 houses not a cozy cottage somewhere. After a while though she sees the charm of the place and begins to adjust to life in this small village community. A lot of hard work goes into restoring La Salle, most of it Midge’s as Yves is busy doing things for himself.

Here is a picture of La Salle as Midge saw it when she first arrived. Imagine how overwhelming it would be to see this ramshackle place and know you live there now – no running water, no bathrooms, etc.


Now, a picture of La Salle after it was restored. I think it’s beautiful. Marjorie’s writing is so vivid and descriptive that you feel that La Salle is a part of you once your done reading about it. One thing is sure you would definitely want to visit this little community for yourself.


Things were going smoothly enough in the beginning. Yves had his studio for painting and so did Midge. Yves though, was beginning to show another side to his personality; one that was not good. Yves has always been controlling to an extent; making all the decisions but he begins to spiral out of control at La Salle demanding that Midge quit painting and devote her time to being his wife – there can be only one painter in the family and that was presumably him. Midge continues to paint in secret until Yves finds out and really gets angry. From there Midge realizes that they can no longer be together.

Another huge part of this story is the relationship between Midge and Jeanne, a woman in her late 60’s who has lived in the village her whole life. She has lived with no running water, no bathroom, no television or radio – has never even been a few miles further than her home. Yet this woman who has no world experience to speak off teaches Midge so many things and one of the biggest is the importance of friendship. They become very close, sharing everything. Jeanne calls Midge the daughter she never had and Midge does what she can to make Jeanne’s life more comfortable. Jeanne helps Midge to understand she is worth so much more than Yves has led her to feel. She tells her…

‘No one ought to clip the wings off a bird.’ (pg 99)

This story for me was an emotional one. I really connected with Marjorie in terms of what she went through in her relationship with Yves. It’s difficult to live in a relationship where your partner strives to control everything and when they can’t, become angry. Worse yet you still love this person even while realizing it can never be. I could feel her pain, her uncertainty, and also her pride when she realized she could get by on her own. She could make it and she could be who and what she wanted to be – a painter – and there wasn’t anyone who could tell her any different.

As well the relationship between Jeanne and Midge was wonderful to read about. I really liked both of these women but you instantly feel love toward Jeanne even though you’ve never met her. She lived a rough life from the time she was a child yet never complained about her lot in life. To her, it was life, and you lived it and got by. Many of us could learn so much from her. I would have loved to have met her myself. I keep seeing her brandishing her pitchfork and it makes me smile.

This is a wonderful memoir of an important time in Midge’s life. She takes us out of our modern world into a time gone by. A time where people didn’t know how to read and write, they grew their own food and slaughtered their own animals. Yet even with the hardships of life in this small community, people found happiness. She also shows us how two people with seemingly nothing in common forge a friendship so strong that it transcends time.

I read A Gift from Brittany by Marjorie Price for her book tour. You can purchase A Gift from Brittany for yourself here in the US and here in Canada. Be sure to visit Marjorie Price’s website as well and check out her paintings! Make sure to stop by tomorrow as Marjorie will be joining us at Peeking Between the Pages with a guest post.

My thanks…to Diane Saarinen for inviting me on this book tour and the publisher Gotham Books for sending me my review copy of A Gift from Brittany by Marjorie Price.

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Filed Under: 2010 ARC Challenge, 2010 Book Reviews, 2010 eBook Challenge, 2010-100+ Challenge

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane says

    April 22, 2010 at 10:22 am

    This sounds excellent to me, and I loved the photos as well; thanks 4 bringing this to my attention Dar.

  2. Sandy Nawrot says

    April 22, 2010 at 10:51 am

    I've read a number of reviews on this book lately, but this is the first time I've seen pictures. When I see a broken down old place like that, I just perk up. I am SO no handy, but the idea of fixing up a place really appeals to me. I know it is probably an unrealistic dream, and I'd be sick of it after a week, but I'm still happy to fantasize about it! Nice review Dar!

  3. Mystica says

    April 22, 2010 at 12:47 pm

    This sounds such a good read. As you say emotional and nostalgic.

  4. Blodeuedd says

    April 22, 2010 at 1:31 pm

    Hm, am I tired? 1960s and people didn't know how to read and write?

  5. bermudaonion says

    April 22, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    I can only imagine what it was like to live in that house in the 60's since I know what it was like in France in the 90's. I'm really looking forward to reading this book.

  6. Serena says

    April 22, 2010 at 2:17 pm

    I love that Marjorie is an artist and author. I think her paintings are beautiful. Thanks for the great review as always.

  7. carla says

    April 22, 2010 at 2:48 pm

    It sounds like an enchanting story, and better as it's a true life one. Will be looking forward to the author tomorrow!

  8. Hannah Stoneham says

    April 22, 2010 at 3:33 pm

    How wonderful this sounds, and living in France, it is particuarly appealing!

  9. Zibilee says

    April 22, 2010 at 3:36 pm

    Oh, this does sound like an incredible read! I loved your review and think that this one is a must read for me. The pictures you included were wonderful as well! This story just sounds so interesting!

  10. Melissa says

    April 22, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    I'm almost finished with this book and am really enjoying it!

  11. Sherri says

    April 22, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    Darlene, this sounds like a wonderful book! Thanks for reviewing it for us.

  12. Staci says

    April 22, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    I like the review of this one..sounds interesting for sure!

  13. Stephanie Cowell says

    April 22, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    Blodeuedd, people in small villages in France who were born around 1900 did not go to school and were illiterate but there still remains a great deal of illiteracy today in France, Italy and the U.S. I read an article about it; it is rather astonishing.

    This is one of my favorite books, beautiful and tender and the old peasant woman Jeanne and Marjorie's passion for her painting are unforgettable.

  14. Stephanie says

    April 23, 2010 at 12:24 am

    This does sound good! I love vicarious travel. 🙂

  15. Lisa says

    April 23, 2010 at 2:06 am

    Love memoirs and this sounds like one I really want to read!

  16. softdrink says

    April 23, 2010 at 3:37 am

    I want to read this one! I didn't realize there was so much about fixing up the community…it sounds fascinating.

  17. Toni says

    April 23, 2010 at 6:05 am

    Very nice review Dar. That quote on pg 99 is great. I would read and enjoy this I am sure.

  18. Anna says

    April 23, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    Even though I don't read too many memoirs, this one sounds great.

    –Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

  19. Holly (2 Kids and Tired) says

    April 23, 2010 at 3:05 pm

    Lovely review. This sounds like a wonderful memoir.

  20. naida says

    April 24, 2010 at 2:48 pm

    this sounds liek an interesting and emotional memoir. Great review Dar.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

  21. Lisa says

    April 24, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    It sounds like a fascinating story and I love the photos!

  22. Alice Teh says

    April 25, 2010 at 9:50 am

    Another great review, Dar! I love that quote. Thanks for including the photos as well.

  23. The Tome Traveller says

    April 28, 2010 at 2:50 am

    Read this last year and absolutely loved it! Glad you enjoyed it, too!

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