What readers think of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, plus links to write your own review.

This is a very sweet story of Arthur Pepper, a widower of a year in the depths of serious grief when he discovers a charm bracelet belonging to his late wife and how these charms lead him on a journey to discover their meaning but also an the journey of resolving his grief through new experiences, friendships and even new love.

Having read "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" I anticipated a similar experience with this story. Sadly, for me it was not. Both stories describe an interior journey as well as a physical one. And each character experiences a transformation as a result of his journey. Both stories begin slowly but where the former seemed to draw me in, Arthur's story felt belabored and I very much wanted the author to "get on with it". Nevertheless, I feel the message in the story makes this novel a worthy read and I would definitely recommend it for book clubs.

I just finished The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper and I enjoyed the book. I found it to be a sweet story, sometimes sad but poignant. Arthur, the main character, through a journey of self discovery grew as a person, no matter that he was 70. There were also some nice passages that rang true to me concerning love, marriage and life. The plot had some nice little twists I was not expecting. I think this book would appeal to a middle age or older audience as it deals with aging and surviving the death of a spouse. That being said, I hope it is a book that younger people would read to get an appreciation for their parents or grandparents. There is plenty here to discuss in a book-group.

As Arthur Pepper tackles sorting through his deceased wife's belongings he comes across a hidden charm bracelet. A bracelet that he believes he has never seen or heard about, but definitely stirs his curiosity. And so the transformation begins...
This odyssey takes Arthur to India, Paris and London, as he searches for answers. Along the way he begins to doubt his 40 year marriage to Miriam. As he meets the people who correspond with the charms on the bracelet he sees another side of his wife ~ her life before him. He questions her love for him, he questions his acceptance by his grown children, and he questions why Miriam would stay with him and their uneventful routine life.
This book is the story of slow healing, better understanding those you love, and not only accepting the things you cannot change, but also changing with life's journey.
I really like the character development in this book. I started out not liking Arthur and ended up loving him. There were spots in the book that were very touching, that in fact, brought me to tears. Arthur's journey was realistic, as were most of the accompanying characters. The novel was a heartfelt, well written, easy read, in the manner of Elizabeth Berg or Anne Tyler, and one that you don't want to put down. This is the debut novel for this author, but I am sure not the last.