Permanent Rose

From Achockablog: Hillary McKay has written another book about the unusual Casson family. The Times reviews Permanent Rose.


I just finished listening to Indigo's Star. It picks up where Saffy's Angel ended and is the touching story of Indigo Casson and the problems he has with a gang of thugs and bullies at his school. Indigo makes his first real friend, Tom, an American living with his British grandmother for the term. In many ways this is Tom's story as much as Indigo's. Tom is in England to escape the realities of his father's remarriage. He is a gifted guitarist and longs to purchase a special guitar at the local music store. Indigo's sister, Permanent Rose, latches on to Tom and considers him as much her friend as her brother's. She is determined to get that guitar for Tom. The rest of the eccentric Casson family returns from the earlier novel. Oldest daughter Caddy is at university and besieged by suitors. Adopted sister Saffy and her friend Sarah are fiercely protective of the family members. Permanent Rose is trying hard to engage their mostly absent father in the family's life. Their dottie mother, Eve, is enjoying more artistic success than her husband but cannot manage to keep groceries in the house.

This is another wonderful visit with characters that seem so real they are like my own dear friends.

Helen Lederer's narration of the audio version is excellent. Highly recommended.