The Chapel at the Edge of the World

Very touching so I got two copies one to keep one to share a must read!!!

I enjoy reading fiction that is based on a real event or experience, and although the characters were made up, it was really interesting to learn about the fate of PoWs in the UK, about their lives, and about how the chapel came to be built. A lovely read.

One of the best books I have read, full of information about the chapel I never knew existed. A little sad in parts, what amazing people!

My husband got this book as Christmas present and we have both read and enjoyed it. A real life story, and if you have ever been to Orkney then you can picture it all happening.

One of my favourite places to visit when on holiday. The talent of the Italian prisoners of war who created such a lovely place of worship out of scraps of rubbish they could salvage was amazing. Was ever so sad to learn that there had been the theft of one or two items recently. But delighted that benefactors will arrange to have replacements. Was pleased to read this book.

I bought this on the strength of a review I read in a leading newspaper but wish I hadn't. Either I've missed something or the review was talking about a different book! There was no depth to the characters and I could feel no affinity for, or even any particular interest in any of them. The plot never really got off the ground and there was little to make me want to turn the page. I persevered because I'd also read a review that said the last third of the book was well developed and better than the first two. Not for me - throughout the novel the writing was singularly lacking in depth and excitement. There were no really evocative descriptive passages (as one would imagine there would be writing about such a wild place as Orkney and such a beautiful place as Como)and the dialogue was often trite and unnecessary plus there was rather too much of it. It didn't feel particularly well-researched and to me read like something out of a beginners' creative writing class. On a more positive note, allowances must be made for a first novel - the idea, and the history behind it, was a good one but so much more could have been done with it.