Today it's an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Mr Doubler Begins Again by Seni Glaister. It truly is an adorable, heart-warming and amusing story about loneliness and friendship.
About the Author
Seni Glaister worked as a bookseller for much of her career before founding WeFiFo ("We Find Food") in 2016. She is a novelist, founder and former CEO of The Book People. Her first novel The Museum of Things Left Behind was published in 2015.
Follow @SeniGlaister @HQStories on Twitter
Buy Mr Doubler Begins Again
About the book
Not every journey takes you far from home…
Mr Doubler lives all alone at Mirth Farm, on top of a hill.
Back when she was around, Doubler’s wife was always surrounded by friends. But Doubler is different. The only company he needs are his potato plants and his housekeeper, Mrs Millwood, who visits every day.
So when Mrs Millwood is taken ill, it ruins everything – and Doubler begins to worry that he might have lost his way. But could the kindness of strangers be enough to bring him down from the hill?
I adore this story. I also love the fact that I am now, courtesy of Mr Doubler somewhat of a potatoe aficionado and thanks to Mrs Millwood also able to debate the pomology of breeding a Granny Smith. I have to admit the latter isn't completely new to me after reading an excellent novel with the core themes of apple and tree breeding. Anyway, I digress.
At the heart of this tale is a man called Mr Doubler. He lives on an isolated farm, which is surrounded by land owned by rich businessman, who is determined to have the land Doubler lives on too. Mr Doubler has withdrawn since the death of his wife a few decades ago, almost to the point of agoraphobia. The only contact he has to the outside world are the occasional visits from his children and grandchildren, who are trying to force him into selling his land, and Mrs Millwood the woman who cleans his house.
Until Mrs Millwood is unable to come to work Mr Doubler doesn't realise how much he has come to enjoy their discussions and her company. He retreats even more and neglects himself, but he hasn't reckoned with the stubbornness of Mrs Millwood and her daughter.
It truly is an adorable, heart-warming and amusing story about loneliness and friendship. It might seem like a contradiction to mention loneliness and amusing in one sentence, but this story highlights the perfect contrast between chosen solitude and the descent into an almost hermit-like existence. It's a breathe of fresh air that shows the true breadth of human kindness.
It also shows the magnitude of small acts of goodwill. We live in an era that is known for being almost forgetful, neglectful even, to the elderly and the more isolated in our society. Glaister shows the reader what can happen when we pay attention to someone other than ourselves. It's a beautiful read.
Buy Mr Doubler Begins Again at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: HQ; pub date 24 Jan. 2019
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