A Song for Summer

This was an enjoyable story with likable characters. The descriptions of the setting and the action of the characters were believable and the activities undertaken by the more eccentric persons were not over the top. The romance and main story were balanced by the descriptions of activities in the wider region as a result of the upcoming war and the manner in which people were dealing with the totalitarian actions of the Third Reich. This was an abridged version of the audiobook and I felt that there were some gaps to the story that could probably be attributed the abridgment process. It is a good story and I would listen to this audiobook again.

Great book. I love reading Eva Ibbotson books. This was a great book about finding true love. I always love her main characters. They are strong wonderful women who are truly lovely inside and out. I always enjoy finding how they finally come to be with there true loves. I also love how her books are set in a historical time period and face the views of what was happening during that time. I love this book it is a great addiction to my collection of books and can't wait to read it again and share it with my friends who also love a great story.

Of all Ibbotson's books in this vein, this is my least favorite because the hero, Marekm causes a lot of grief by being ridiculously stubborn. It would give away too many spoilers to explain exactly what happens, and the event that causes him to be ridiculous is tragic and affecting, but...he is over thirty. You feel like he should be able to get over himself, and it seemed contrived to me.The setting of an somewhat rundown Austrian castle is a blast, and all the secondary characters--especially Ellen's family--really add something to the story. Ellen herself is an awesome heroine, spunky, smart, and happy in her own skin.

Book was a birthday gift for my daughter.

interesting, fun, not great lit.

I love Eva Ibbotson but this book was hard to get into, somewhat boring

Took a bit long to get to my residence. Package a bit hard to open. Paged appeared a little souled in some parts of the book.

Eva Ibbotson swept me away in this book! I originally picked it up not thinking it would be able to hold my interest, but before I knew it I was hanging off of ever beautiful detail she provided as she intertwined the stories of so many characters into one big amazing plot! I cannot believe how well written this is, and I would suggest it to anybody.

I discovered Eva Ibbotson through her amazing children’s book A Journey to the River Sea written in 1998, when she was 73. I then selected her adult romances, often promoted for Young Adults. The cover pictures for A Song for Summer pitch it as a romance, which it is, but it is so much more than that. As Ellen, an educated young woman from a suffragist household, travels to 1930s Austria, we see this idyllic country knowing that it will soon be plunged into turmoil. Spurning her chance for an academic life, she yearns to visit the country of her unofficial grandmother and to cook and care for a group of needy children in an extremely eccentric school. Never judgemental, she spreads happiness and sorts out problems and this school has many.The other adult trusted by the children is Czech handyman, Marek, who carries two secrets; one a dangerous mission to help people escape from the Nazis and the other a wonderful talent and fame. But he is a flawed hero, impulsive and easily roused to anger and circumstances are bound to separate him from those he cares for.There are many amusing characters in this story, such as Tamara, the passionate Russian ballet dancer, who is actually Beryl from England, Hermine a pretentious eurythmics teacher with her baby Andromeda, tucked down the front of her smock and the dire, Kendrick Frobisher, who adores Ellen but is scared of his mother or any involvement in real life. And yet, the awful consequences of the advancing fascists are also addressed within the plot so that we hope Ellen can survive but do not expect a happy ending. For me this was a perfect read for the present time.

On one level, this book is quite simple, charming and straightforward. It could be seen as a gentle love story. However, in my opinion it is much, much more. The heroine(s) are socially aware and Ellen, the protagonist, is a great observer of life and social rules. There are tantalising glimpses of life in Europe before the impending Second World War, there is casual and accepted racism for anyone who is different. This book is of it’s time and a superb reminder of what can happen to ordinary and extraordinary people when nationalism prevails. A book to enjoy and reflect upon. Highly recommended. I bought this on the back of an article by Nigella Lawson, she spoke highly of other books by Eva Ibbotson, I tend to agree with her.

Eva Ibbotson books are always enjoyable but I wouldn’t say this was her best. The Austrian.school and village setting is a blast but for me the hero isn’t as appealing as some of her others. Still, she’s better than most writers even when she isn’t on top form. One thing I would say is that the introduction contains HUGE PLOT SPOILERS (which annoyed me) and you’d be better off not reading it before you read the novel for the first time.

I bought it for one of my Christmas reads, thoroughly enjoyed it. I've since read all her books for adults. Wished I'd saved them for Covid 19 isolation

It took me a while to get I to this book, but once it got going, I thoroughly enjoyed how relationships developed and the twists and turns in the plot. Charming.