Title: Away with the Penguins
Author: Hazel Prior
ISBN: 9781984803818
Publisher: Black Swan
Pages: 385
Source: Private Copy
Veronica McCreedy is about to have the journey of a lifetime . . .
Veronica McCreedy lives in a mansion by the sea. She loves a nice cup of Darjeeling tea whilst watching a good wildlife documentary. And she’s never seen without her ruby-red lipstick.
Although these days Veronica is rarely seen by anyone because, at 85, her days are spent mostly at home, alone.
She can be found either collecting litter from the beach (‘people who litter the countryside should be shot’), trying to locate her glasses (‘someone must have moved them’) or shouting
instructions to her assistant, Eileen (‘Eileen, door!’).
Veronica doesn’t have family or friends nearby. Not that she knows about, anyway . . . And she has no idea where she’s going to leave her considerable wealth when she dies.
But today . . . today Veronica is going to make a decision that will change all of this.
Official Summary
Away with the Penguins is our second buddy read, I am not sure if this was quite Alicia’s cup of (Darjeeling) tea, but I did hear her laugh while reading.
15 July 2022
Zelda’s Review:
Venturing out of my comfort zone and exploring different genres has been brilliant. This book by Hazel Prior has been on my TBR for almost two months and finally, I got to read it. When I first started seeing this book on social media, I thought it was a children’s book and didn’t pay much attention to it – heaven knows why.
This is a brilliantly creative tale that explores the life of Veronica McCreedy, a slightly difficult eighty-six-year-old. She is a fabulous character. The book shares wonderful details about penguins and reminds us about the importance of taking care of the environment. Away with the Penguins is brilliantly humorous and manages to pull at your heartstrings. Be warned, by the time you close this book you will have fallen in love with penguins, even if you have never seen one yourself.
Away with the Penguins has stolen my heart and turned me into a Hazel Prior fan. I cannot wait to dig into the next book, Call of the Penguins, which is already sitting on my shelf. I bought two copies of Away with the Penguins for our buddy read and it was money well spent.
The author brought this story to life with a wonderful character, stunning scenery, a touch of romance, some history and environmental awareness. There is something for everyone in this book. The story is a beautifully written, clever and witty read that will leave you laughing out loud.
Veronica McCreedy is a feisty old woman who does not like people very much. She has spent a large part of her life alone. She knows that she is getting on and that she doesn’t have any family to leave her fortune to. More than anything Veronica wants to leave this world feeling like she has done something worthwhile. Watching a nature show on TV, Veronica believes she has found her cause. Much to Eileen, her ‘assistants’, shock – Veronica sets off on a remarkable journey that will change her life.
I cannot believe it took me so long to start reading this book. I fell in love with the characters – especially Pip. I laughed out loud while reading this book which caused the family to give me raised eyebrows since my genre of choice is never anything to laugh at. This book is happy, sad and enlightening at the same time. I cannot wait to have the chance to visit the South African penguins in Cape Town again. This book left me with a new respect for these darling little creatures.
Veronica McCreedy is a prickly old bat that makes you smile when you read all her antics. Yet, this woman has had the worst life imaginable, and she quickly turns your heart to mush. Her story is heartbreaking, but she is a headstrong determined woman who insists on having things her way. This character has stolen my heart, the author did a marvellous job creating her. The other characters in the book perfectly compliment Veronica making the story an extremely entertaining read.
There is no doubt that Away with the Penguins and Hazel Prior have been added to my loved list. This book has a little of everything making it a brilliant read.
If you are keen to try something a little different, then I would highly recommend Away with the Penguins. This book will make you laugh, it will make you sad and it will leave you eager to explore the natural world. And if you didn’t before, you will be left loving penguins by the time you close this book.
Please add this title to your TBR, you will not be left disappointed!
Alicia’s Review:
This story follows Veronica McCreedy, an eighty-five-year-old woman who lives in Scotland, who tries to reach out to her estranged grandson, Patrick. It also follows Ms McCreedy’s journey as she tries to discover to who she wants to leave all her millions. This leads to her going to Antarctica to visit some penguins and scientists who are studying them.
This story is told from both Patrick and Veronica’s points of view. I enjoyed getting to see what they were both thinking and their opinions on each other were funny to read.
I loved how the book touched on love and loss. Reading about Ms McCreedy’s past when she was just a teenager was heart-breaking. Seeing her go through everything she did was upsetting and added much depth to her character. You could almost understand why she turned out to be so miserable.
I honestly could not pick a favourite character, purely just because these characters are amazing. Although I did really love Veronica McCreedy, Terry and Patrick’s characters. In the beginning, Ms McCreedy was a very unlikable character, however, the more you read the more she grows on you. Terry, you cannot help but love her from the first time she is mentioned. I loved her overall vibe and how happy and optimistic she was which was the opposite of Ms McCreedy’s character. I found Patrick at times to be very funny and good comic relief.
Also, I have decided I want a Pip (or Patrick the Penguin). He just seemed so cute and I would die to hold a baby penguin.
I will say the ending was somewhat unbelievable, it seemed unrealistic as so many things that happened in this book would never happen in real life. Although it is just a feel-good story so I will give it a break and use my imagination.
Overall the book was good. If you are looking for a feel-good quick read, then I would recommend this book.
Also by Hazel Prior
Ellie and the Harp Maker
In the rolling hills of beautiful Exmoor, there’s a barn. And in that barn, you’ll find Dan. He’s a maker of exquisite harps – but not a great maker of conversation. He’s content in his own company, quietly working and away from social situations that he doesn’t always get right.
But one day, a cherry-socked woman stumbles across his barn and the conversation flows a little more easily than usual. She says her name’s Ellie, a housewife, alone, out on her daily walk and, though she doesn’t say this, she looks sad. He wants to make her feel better, so he gives her one of his harps, made of cherry wood.
And before they know it, this simple act of kindness puts them on the path to friendship, big secrets, pet pheasants and, most importantly, true love.
About The Author
Author bio from Good Reads
Hazel Prior is the author of ELLIE AND THE HARP MAKER and Richard & Judy Book Club number one bestseller AWAY WITH THE PENGUINS (UK title)/HOW THE PENGUINS SAVED VERONICA (US title). Her third book, CALL OF THE PENGUINS, will be out in the UK this November and is available to pre-order. Hazel is also a freelance harpist. She lives in Exmoor, in England, with her husband and a huge, ginger cat.
Thank you for visiting the blog and reading our reviews. I know you will enjoy this book as much as we did. If we have successfully convinced you to add this one to your TBR, leave a comment below. Until next time…Happy Reading!
Looking forward to reading this one!
Its a brilliant read!
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