July book club - The Other Side of the World

I found this a difficult book to read. I thought the descriptive passages were excellent and really atmospheric.However, I found it hard to relate to either of the main characters, though I hadn't thought about the possibility of post - natel depression.
I would be interested to know why the author chose to write in the present tense, which took me a while to get used to.
It was only after I had finished the book that I started to reflect on how our memories of places rarely reflect the present reality.

I finished the book the other day. Hate to say so, but it didn`t really do anything for me, apart from making me want to give them both a blooming good shake!

I have just finished 'The Other Side of The World' whilst on holiday.
I enjoyed the beautifully descriptive prose but found it difficult to empathise with the characters.
Spoiler alert ( maybe)
Charlotte is such an absent mother that I feel that she must have had post natal depression. That, plus the fact that she is completely unprepared for the changes that having children will make upon her life, causes her to be very cruel and uncaring at times.

Henry is almost an absent minded professor. So caught up in his work that he cannot see how much Charlotte is hurting. He is a lost soul with no sense of belonging anywhere. even India. When people are racially prejudiced against him he hasn't even identified with being black because he has always identified with being British.He made me cross!
Sadly this was not my kind of book. A bit slow and ponderous for me,but I could appreciate how beautifully written it was.

should read lifestyle down under.

Thanks for my copy.I am particularly interested as I went to Australia with my family in 1949 under the£10 scheme. Fortunately my mother wouldn't go until she had enough money to come back home if she didn't like it. We lived with my aunt who had married an Australian during the War until my parents were able to buy their own home in Sydney. For various reasons. my mother disliked the lifespan under and we returned to England two years later I remember her telling me how many of her English friends were envious of her as there was general unhappiness amongst those who had made the long six week journey by boat with us whose expectations had not been met.

Thank you very much for my copy of The Other Side of The World, which I received yesterday. I have read the reviews and it sounds as though it will be a good read, I will post my thoughts as soon as I have read it.

Very pleased to receive copy of The Other Side of The World yesterday morning. Thanks again gransnet for this great offer! Much appreciated!! Will let you know what I think of it.

Arrived home to find my copy, thank you, looking forward to reading it.

Thank you for my copy also, it arrived late morning this morning. I`m reading something at the moment, but will start The Other Side of the World after this book is finished.

Lucky me, came home from work to find I'd won a copy. Thank you Gransnet. About to start reading it now.

Lots like a great read (I've read a few chapters already) Thank you GransNet; will post a review later

Just got my copy - thank you! I am looking forward to reading it.

Thank you Gransnet for my copy which arrived this morning and was much appreciated amidst the junk mail! I'm half way through a Camilla Lackberg and looking forward to starting The Other Side of the World soon.

I have just received The Other Side of the World. Thank you, I am looking forward to reading it.