I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Tea Planter's Wife: A Novel by Dinah Jefferies
Published by Crown
Publication Date September 13th 2016
Source: Netgalley
Genres: Historical Fiction
Goodreads
#1 International bestselling novel set in 1920s Ceylon, about a young Englishwoman who marries a charming tea plantation owner and widower, only to discover he's keeping terrible secrets about his past, including what happened to his first wife, that lead to devastating consequences
First Impressions
The Tea Planter’s Wife by Dinah Jefferies reminded me of The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, a parent faced with a terrible decision that leads to life-altering consequences. Although, unlike Kim Edwards’ novel Dinah Jefferies creates a dimensional world with a captivating setting of 1920s Ceylon.
Impressions While Reading
The Tea Planter’s Wife was pretty predictable. I saw the majority of the plot coming a mile away. It was a predicament that had been done before and therefore lacked the shock and awe. I do realize that not every book has to be Siegfried and Roy, I only wish there had been a little more original oomph to it.
That being said, I thought Jefferies’ descriptions made up for it. The landscape and tea plantation described were lovely and could easily be pictured in my mind’s eye. Her writing also captivated me and wrung my hands for Gwen and her tormenting situation. Even so, I did not feel any emotion towards her. Gwen made her bed and therefore must lie in it.
Verity, Gwen’s sister-in-law was Mrs. Danvers reincarnate. She was cunning and made it clear early on that she was not a person to be trifled with. I relished the time she was on-screen and felt that she was the star of the show with her actions moving the story forward.
Final Impressions
Dinah Jefferies novel was a summer read and would fit inside a beach bag nicely, but if one is looking for a little more panache The Teaplanter’s Wife missed the mark.
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