The Monkey Puzzle Tree

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

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Description

The first part of the book provides a portrait of war-time Britain from a childs perspective, which is a slightly newer take, and one in which there is contemporary interest: compare the collection When the Children Came Home: Stories of Wartime Evacuees published recently by Simon & Schuster (978-1847398765)
One of the few wartime novels to focus on Wales
Describes the long-term effect on future relationships of childhood sexual abuse and shows the protagonists journey from alienation to acceptance and self-affirmation
Of interest to readers of Welsh origin or connections, and perhaps to ex-pats generally.
It presents a picture of a difficult mother-daughter relationship
Is partly a study of geriatric care
The episodic nature of the plot provides variety and action

Reviews

"I read several [passages] to my wife Cindy, who was very struck by the language ... The writing is flawless and I found myself drawn in from the beginning by the storytelling."--Ninnau & Y Drych "An engrossing and ambitious debut novel ... Tilson is a very competent writer, with a gift for authentically describing moments of historical significance through the eyes of a child ... deeply gratifying."--The National Post "The Monkey Puzzle Tree is no soft sell. It is a well-written, clear-eyed look at the evacuation of small children from British cities during the Second World War."--The Ottawa Citizen "The Monkey Puzzle Tree is filled with references to domestic and cultural life, both good and bad, in 20th-century Britain. Along with the comforting beef jelly, marmalade, Everyman's Library, Shirley Temple dolls and 'We'll Meet Again,' the reader is presented with insidious anti-Semitism and blatant discrimination toward Irish Catholics. Tilson depicts time and place with expert handling ... The Monkey Puzzle Tree is a fine first novel."--The Telegraph-Journal "The novel transitions easily between present and past ... in The Monkey Puzzle Tree, Sonia Tilson gently leads us into paragraphs of deep emotion ... a very readable book."--The Winnipeg Review

Author Bio

Sonia Tilson was born in Swansea, South Wales and educated at Monmouth School for Girls and at the University of Swansea. She emigrated to Canada in 1964 where she taught English. She currently lives in Ottawa.