CITY OF BELLS

One of the books which deserved wider recognition last year was Island Magic, an utterly charming family story of the Channel Islands, with a Cinderella motive made convincing. Now comes City of Bells, and once again the author gives evidence of her unusual gift in bringing children and old people to life in her pages, and conveying the fragrant atmosphere of picturesque setting, in this instance a cathedral town. There the resemblance ends, for it is quite a different, and to me less satisfying, story, in which the long arm of coincidence is overstretched. The first half of the book I loved; I felt the last half not so well paced, unconvincing. None the less -- far above average, beautifully written, a good yarn with fantasy, sentiment, romance and drama in due measure.