Blog Tour: The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera

Title: The Awakening of Miss Prim
Author: Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera
Published: 6th January 2014
Publisher: Abacus

Review

Initially I found this a little hard to get into. I think this was down to the style of writing as it felt more highbrow than what I am normally used to reading. However once I got used to it, a really lovely story was opened up to me and I was lost in the world of San Ireneo.
Miss Prim, an independent, intellectual woman, sees an advert in a paper asking for a female spirit to work as a librarian in the French countryside. She feels compelled to apply, despite the fact it says 'graduates and post graduates need not apply". If that was not enough to hint at the type of person she will be working for, when she meets her employer she is in for a little bit of a shock. She soon discovers that despite her many degrees, they have done nothing to prepare for the lessons she is in for.
After reading this I really want to live in San Ireneo. It is such a tranquil, gorgeous place and like the resisdents there, it made me want to give up my busy lifestyle and work in a library/newsagents/school with lovely short hours and no rushing around.
I really enjoyed reading how Miss Prim 'awakens' to the world around her. It really is like she becomes another woman, still the same, but with new views and opinions and she gradually appears less hard and conventional in her ways of thinking. Despite her many degrees not being of benefit to her on some occasions in this book, I relished in the fact that she was a highly intelligent woman. It was one of the qualities that made me really like her as a character and a small part of me aspired to be just like her.
Once I had got into this, I actually found it quite a philosophical read and actually quite thought provoking. As you read along with Miss Prim's story, your own eyes open up to a different way of thinking and I came to really like Natalia's beautifully eloquent style of writing, I only wish I was just as eloquent.
An intelligent, thought provoking and uplifting read from Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera.