Virago Press has an Instagram meme for this month called “#BooksforChange“. I’m really enjoying the photos that people are posting in response to this meme, and these daily prompts inspire lots of ideas to think about regarding my reading.
Today’s prompt is “favorite female character,” and it didn’t take me very long to decide that Penelope Keeling, from Rosamunde Pilcher‘s The Shell Seekers, is one of my all time favorite female characters. I liked her very much when I first read the book as a young mother, but I like her even more now that I am approximately the same age as the character.
Some things I love about this character: I love that she’s a gentle, thoughtful person, that art and beautify help her survive the terrible losses in her life, that she has an inner strength that guides her well through the relationships in her life, and that she finds joy in the little things in life — “the gentle powers,” she calls them.
“I’ve lived with sadness so long. And a loneliness that nothing and nobody could assuage. But, over the years, I came to terms with what had happened. I learned to live within myself, to grow flowers, to watch my children grow; to look at paintings and listen to music. The gentle powers. They are quite amazingly sustaining.”
In the two different movie versions of this book, the character of Penelope Keeling was played by two lovely actresses — Vanessa Redgrave and Angela Lansbury. Both of them were perfect for the role.
A Fondness For Reading 
What a fun meme!
I haven’t read any of Rosamunde Pilcher’s books in ages, but I loved The Shell Seekers. Now I’m wondering what happened to my copy.
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Lisa, I hope you find your copy! It’s a delightful reread!
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I love this book so much. I consider it the “comfort food” of reading and have read and reread it numerous times. I think it is time I did so again.
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Marlo, “comfort food of reading” describes it perfectly! I’ve read it numerous times and never seem to get tired of it.
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I loved this book when I read it in the late 80s and plan to read it a second time in the coming year!
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Les, rereading it beside the ocean would be a lovely reward for all the work of moving soon! 🙂
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I didn’t know there was a Vanessa version. I looked on youtube but not in English. What I liked about the Hallmark version was the ending. Penelope lived! Those children of hers were despicable. I loved the notion that you kind of choose your ‘family.’ That sometimes there are kindred spirits who aren’t necessarily related to you.
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Nan, I have the DVD of the Vanessa Redgrave version and would be very happy to loan it to you! Neither of the movies does the book justice, in my opinion, but I did enjoy them both–but more so the Redgrave version. Send me an email if you’d like me to mail it to you. I’d love to share it if you’re interested.
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