Fiction

The Feast: the perfect staycation summer read

The Feast: the perfect staycation summer read

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  • Create Date：2021-06-13 07:51:21
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
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  • Author：Margaret Kennedy
  • ISBN：0571367798
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Summary

With a new foreword by Cathy Rentzenbrink， this glorious rediscovered classic exploring the mystery of a buried Cornish hotel is perfect for Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier fans 。。。
'The miniature charm of a Baby Austen。' Observer
'Tense， touching， human， dire， and funny 。。。 A feast indeed。' Elizabeth Bowen
'Kennedy is not only a romantic but an anarchist。' Anita Brookner
'So full of pleasure that you could be forgiven for not seeing how clever it is。' Cathy Rentzenbrink
Cornwall， Midsummer 1947。 Pendizack Manor Hotel is buried in the rubble of a collapsed cliff。 Seven guests have perished， but what brought this strange assembly together for a moonlit feast before this Act of God - or Man？ Over the week before the landslide， we meet the hotel guests in all their eccentric glory: and as friendships form and romances blossom， sins are revealed， and the cracks widen 。。。 A wise， witty fable， The Feast is a banquet indeed。

Reader Reviews:
'Really clever - but readable。 Perfect for a sunlounger （in the garden！）'

'Rich， powerful and intriguing characters that keep you glued [and] touch reader's hearts 。。。 One of the best books I have ever read 。。。 Viva Ms。 Kennedy， you were truly marvellous！' *****

'The best book I've ever read。 Yes， I know that's a big statement！ Kennedy is quickly becoming my all-time favorite author 。。。 I'm convinced she was a first-rate literary genius。' *****

'I have read quite a few books， and very few can I describe as 'unique'。 The Feast is one of these rare books 。。。 This is bar none， one of the best books I ever read。' *****

'A magnificent rediscovery 。。。 Kennedy's masterpiece is a searing and unflinching look at postwar England 。。。 Elegantly and tartly written， this smart and haunting novel offers one of the most unforgettable endings 。。。 A brilliant and moving literary feast to be enjoyed without any moderation！ *****

'I'm longing to read this again！ Clever Kennedy！ Is it a thriller？ Is it a morality play or an exploration of divine justice？ Or is it a family/village saga and maybe even a romance？ 。。。 Terrifically readable with a marvellous cast。' *****

'This isn't just the story of a Cornish summer holiday gone horribly wrong。 Kennedy is， in fact， doing something much cleverer and more sophisticated - offering us the chance to solve a very unusual kind of mystery 。。。 An unexpectedly engaging literary game。' ****

'Such a good idea， and brilliantly executed 。。。 I was unable to stop reading， absorbed completely in the company of the motley group。 It's almost like you're eavesdropping on them。 After finishing it， I find myself still thinking about it 。。。 A fabulous read。' *****

'One of my favorite kinds of books: a forgotten treasure。 The writing is exemplary 。。。 Many， many fine moments。' *****

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Reviews

A J HOOPER ，

A contemporary moral tale， where the good escape death and retribution and the bad are swallowed up by the earth。 Holiday makers staying at the small Cornish hotel fall in love， play games， escape death by drowning and are subject to some awful parenting。 Old fashioned （it was first published in 1949 in the Ladies Home Journal， then in slightly longer book form in 1950） but refreshingly modern， it's now been republished by Faber。 A contemporary moral tale， where the good escape death and retribution and the bad are swallowed up by the earth。 Holiday makers staying at the small Cornish hotel fall in love， play games， escape death by drowning and are subject to some awful parenting。 Old fashioned （it was first published in 1949 in the Ladies Home Journal， then in slightly longer book form in 1950） but refreshingly modern， it's now been republished by Faber。 。。。more

Melissa Joulwan ，

Such an odd， unsettling， and compelling book！ Need to chew on it a bit more to put better thoughts together。

Verity W ，

******copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review ******Well this is really quite something。 I liked it a lot。 I deliberately skipped the introduction before I read it so it wouldn’t spoil anything for me and it really repaid me。 I need to go and have a look at what the blurb says before I write any more so I don’t give too much away。 A complete page-turner。UPDATE:This one is really hard to summarise without giving too much away， and that would really ruin some of the enjoyment， but here ******copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review ******Well this is really quite something。 I liked it a lot。 I deliberately skipped the introduction before I read it so it wouldn’t spoil anything for me and it really repaid me。 I need to go and have a look at what the blurb says before I write any more so I don’t give too much away。 A complete page-turner。UPDATE:This one is really hard to summarise without giving too much away， and that would really ruin some of the enjoyment， but here goes: At the start of The Feast we hear about the Pendizak Manor Hotel， now buried under a collapsed cliff， with seven guests dead。 The rest of the book is set in the week running up to that cliff collapse， which happened in the middle of summer 1947。 You spend the book getting to know all the people who live and work at the hotel and the ins and outs of their lives。 I went through the book wondering whether it was going to turn out to be a thriller， or a tragedy or something else – it’s a complete page-turner。 And the characters， oh the characters。 Of all of the adults， there’s really only Nancy who is sensible。 The hotel is owned by a formerly genteel family fallen on hard times and who have turned the family home into a boarding house to try and make ends meet， and their guests tend to be people Mrs Siddal thinks are the “right sort” – although as you learn about them， you realise that “the right sort” may not be nice people at all…The Feast was first published in 1949 and this is a new edition with an introduction from Cathy Rentzenbrink。 Now I’ve been had by spoilers in introductions before so I deliberately skipped it before I read it so it wouldn’t ruin anything for me and I recommend you do the same because it really repaid me – both in reading the book the first time through and then when I read the introduction in giving me more layers and levels to think about。 I read Margaret Kennedy’s more famous book， The Constant Nymph， a couple of years back and could see why it was influential， but didn’t love it – mostly because the characters were annoying but not in a so annoying you want to see them get their comeuppance sort of way – but with this lot， the ones that are annoying are really annoying， and you have the added suspense of whether they’re going to end up under the cliff or not！ And on top of everything， the cover for this new edition is gorgeous too。 I’m seriously tempted to get myself a physical copy。 。。。more

Kate Vane ，

I loved this book！ It’s funny， clever and moving， with a seaside setting and a rich cast of characters。 First published in 1950， the new edition comes with a foreword by Cathy Rentzenbrink。The Feast begins with a prologue featuring the local vicar speaking to his friend。 He explains that a local hotel has collapsed into the sea， leading to the deaths of a number of people。 But， aside from the owner， Mr Siddal， he does not give the names of those who died。The novel proper then goes back to one we I loved this book！ It’s funny， clever and moving， with a seaside setting and a rich cast of characters。 First published in 1950， the new edition comes with a foreword by Cathy Rentzenbrink。The Feast begins with a prologue featuring the local vicar speaking to his friend。 He explains that a local hotel has collapsed into the sea， leading to the deaths of a number of people。 But， aside from the owner， Mr Siddal， he does not give the names of those who died。The novel proper then goes back to one week before the disaster and introduces a fascinating and varied cast of characters。 The hotel was formerly the family home of the Siddals but they have fallen on hard times。 Mr Siddal was going to be a lawyer but walked away and lives in a state of perpetual ennui while his long-suffering wife takes paying guests and does all the cooking to pay the school fees of her two younger sons。 Meanwhile her eldest son， a doctor， also works himself into the ground to help her。The guests range from Lady Gifford and her family – who spent the war in exile and demands the best of everything， while still begrudging paying tax – to the Coves， three girls and their widowed mother， to Anna Lechene and Bruce， an aspiring author who is her chauffeur and personal secretary （with the emphasis on personal）。 At the heart of the story is the wonderful Nancibel， the maid who comes in daily to work at the hotel， who has returned home from war service with some choice language and a strong sense of her own worth。The eclectic group are thrown together （with only one bathroom between them！） leading to a number of conflicts， romances and reckonings。 There is cruelty， kindness， love， pettiness， and one character whose behaviour is quite chilling。 No one wakes up on the day of the disaster unchanged。 They are all looking forward， whether with joy or dread， to a very different future。 But of course， we as readers know they will not all survive。This gives The Feast great poignancy。 As we come to know the residents of the hotel and watch them grow， we become invested in their future。 We hope that certain characters will survive （and perhaps that others will not！） but we have to wait to the end to find out。Beneath the charm and a rich vein of humour there is a very clever structure which asks questions about morality and society – what we owe to others and what we should reserve for ourselves。 Mr Siddal – remember， the only one we know isn’t going to make it – offers thoughtful and articulate arguments on the nature of our responsibilities， which have a massive impact on one character in particular。 His intelligent and well-argued views are subtly undercut， not only by his failure to follow his own edicts， but by the observation in the narrative that he could just as happily have made the opposite case。The moral arguments are also interesting in the context of the post-war years。 Everyone is preoccupied by making do， hoarding their ration points， wondering whether someone else is getting more than their share。 Class barriers are breaking down。 Miss Ellis， the housekeeper， insists on taking her meals in the dining room。 Nancibel is willing to speak her mind， knowing she could easily find work elsewhere。 There is talk of tax and justice and the nature of society。The feast of the title refers to an event held for the children。 The event takes on a magical feel， as the children excitedly prepare， and the adults help out with a mixture of kindness， reluctance and apathy。 Coming as it does on the night the hotel collapses， the feast takes on a religious – or perhaps pagan – significance， and I approached it with both hope and trepidation， knowing this was where the story would end。The Feast is enchanting， and full of lovely subtle touches – Anna is writing a novel based on the Brontës， while the three Cove girls live a rich imaginative life。 There are Mr Siddal’s wry observations on the literary fate of Bruce and his predecessors。 There's the motif of the seven deadly sins （Rentzenbrink expands on this in the foreword）。Margaret Kennedy is a new name to me but I’m determined now to seek out more of her books。*I received a copy of The Feast from the publisher via Netgalley。 。。。more

Mana ，

During the month of August 1947， a huge mass of cliff side had suddenly subsided and obliterated a hotel which once stood on a land。 Seven guests died， seven people who obviously commited seven deadly sins。 Hotel guests were varied selection of adults and children， some eccentric， snobbish， mean， envious， the other pure-hearted， helpful， loving and innocent。 Always hungry and uncared Cove daughters had only one wish， to have a feast where all hotel guest will be invited。 "They had so little， kne During the month of August 1947， a huge mass of cliff side had suddenly subsided and obliterated a hotel which once stood on a land。 Seven guests died， seven people who obviously commited seven deadly sins。 Hotel guests were varied selection of adults and children， some eccentric， snobbish， mean， envious， the other pure-hearted， helpful， loving and innocent。 Always hungry and uncared Cove daughters had only one wish， to have a feast where all hotel guest will be invited。 "They had so little， knew so little， had been to few places and met few people， their lives were so entirely bare that they had never learnt to want much。"The plot unwinds， people show their real faces and with every evil deed the cracks on the land seem to widen。Margaret Kennedy was an outstanding master storyteller， the novel is full of wisdom， humour， philosophical moments and intelligence。 The characters are so brilliant and the plot so exciting that I couldn't put the book down。The novel was first published in 1950， but people and our nature never really change， just time passes。 The reader easily relates to all characters and constantly root for all the underdogs， the innocent and oppressed。As an author says: "That mankind is protected and sustained by undeserved suffering; by all those millions of helpless people who pay for the evil we do and who shield us simply by being there。。。"Not only the summer read， it is a timeless classics。The magnificent feast for the reader。 。。。more

Annarella ，

I'm so happy I read this story because I discovered a great writer。There's a vibe of Golden Age mystery in this story as it could be the beginning of one of those mysteries set after WWII （I love them）。The author delivers a gripping story， full of humour， and her characters are well thought and represent different type of human being。 They're realistic and interesting。The aftermath and the scars of the war are well described and it's a great depiction of an era。Highly recommended。Many thanks to I'm so happy I read this story because I discovered a great writer。There's a vibe of Golden Age mystery in this story as it could be the beginning of one of those mysteries set after WWII （I love them）。The author delivers a gripping story， full of humour， and her characters are well thought and represent different type of human being。 They're realistic and interesting。The aftermath and the scars of the war are well described and it's a great depiction of an era。Highly recommended。Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC， all opinions are mine 。。。more

Brenda ，

Human nature can be incredibly humorous at times and the author made the most of it in this book which was originally written in 1950。 She wrote about ordinary things people think about but don't always say out loud。 It made me giggle several times。 The humour and wit are my favourite aspects of the book， including the motley crew of characters。 The descriptions are astonishingly well done， making it very easy to visualize the setting and characters。 Wow， the writing is clever！ Lots of deceit an Human nature can be incredibly humorous at times and the author made the most of it in this book which was originally written in 1950。 She wrote about ordinary things people think about but don't always say out loud。 It made me giggle several times。 The humour and wit are my favourite aspects of the book， including the motley crew of characters。 The descriptions are astonishingly well done， making it very easy to visualize the setting and characters。 Wow， the writing is clever！ Lots of deceit and secrets。 I could read books like this all day long。Following WWII in 1947 Cornwall， the Pendizack Manor was buried under rock。 Who were the hotel guests at the time？ Read this remarkably funny book to find out。 Just thinking about the story makes me chuckle。 Each character represents a sin and the characters make internal and external judgements about each other as they gossip and surmise。 Or don't as they are not all talkative。 You will read about several feasts in the story which tie into the title。So many brilliant and funny descriptions and amongst my favourites include the walk through the cornfield， the typescript notes for a sermon， minds wandering during a sermon including Sir Gifford noticing a comma in a hymn for the first time， the Spartan Test。 the folding bed and metatarsal talk。 Oh， how I laughed！ Do not skip a single word or you just may miss something。 Those who like extraordinary humour along with strong character emphasis， read this unusual and amusing book。 It is such a treat and brought me such joy！My sincere thank you to Faber and Faber Ltd。 and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this hilarious， intelligent and uplifting book！ This is exactly my wheelhouse。 。。。more

Jean-Luc ，

A magnificent rediscovery of 20th English fiction， Margaret Kennedy's masterpiece is a searing and unflinching look at Postwar England and at the deep emotional and psychological scars left upon its society at large by the five long years of a very difficult and at times almost interminable conflict。 Set along the windswept beauties of the Cornish Coast， the novel follows the daily life in August 1947 of a disparate group of adults and children vacationing as the paying guests of a shabby-gentee A magnificent rediscovery of 20th English fiction， Margaret Kennedy's masterpiece is a searing and unflinching look at Postwar England and at the deep emotional and psychological scars left upon its society at large by the five long years of a very difficult and at times almost interminable conflict。 Set along the windswept beauties of the Cornish Coast， the novel follows the daily life in August 1947 of a disparate group of adults and children vacationing as the paying guests of a shabby-genteel manor converted into a hotel and located at the bottom of some very impressive but menacing cliffs that unbeknownst to the guests might collapse at any moment。。。。。A harsh and unadorned tapestry of human foibles， weakness， wickedness and sinfulness， an unforgiving portrait of a derelict group of people teetering on the brink of moral collapse as it painstakingly tries to slough off the darkness brought upon its existence by WWII。 Elegantly and tartly written， this smart & haunting novel offers one of the most unforgettable endings when seven despicable characters representing the seven deadly sins will disappear， forever annihilated under the rubbles of a collapsed cliff， thus offering the survivors hope and a path towards a much brighter future。 A brillant and moving literary feast to be enjoyed without any moderation！ Many thanks to Netgalley and Faber&Faber for this fabulous ARC 。。。more

Bookwormbev ，

A hotel in post-world war two Cornwall is buried under a falling cliff。 This is revealed in the first few pages， revealing the grim fate of some of the residents。 The varied characters are introduced over the next chapters and what a crowd they are！ There are some absolutely horrible people， and as you read you will be hoping that the survivors are the nice ones。 It’s such a good idea， and brilliantly executed。 All the strands of the story dovetail beautifully - it’s very cleverly done。 Reading A hotel in post-world war two Cornwall is buried under a falling cliff。 This is revealed in the first few pages， revealing the grim fate of some of the residents。 The varied characters are introduced over the next chapters and what a crowd they are！ There are some absolutely horrible people， and as you read you will be hoping that the survivors are the nice ones。 It’s such a good idea， and brilliantly executed。 All the strands of the story dovetail beautifully - it’s very cleverly done。 Reading what I have written does not do justice to this novel。 I was unable to stop reading， absorbed completely in the company of the motley group。 It’s almost like you’re eavesdropping on them。 After finishing it， I find myself still thinking about it， a sure sign to me of a good book。First published in 1947， I’m certainly glad that Faber have produced a new edition， as I would not otherwise have come across it。It’s a fabulous read， a character study， a bit of a thriller， the tale of a family’s fortunes; all these things and with a bit of philosophy thrown in。I thank NetGalley and Faber for allowing me to read this wonderful book。 。。。more

Hally Childs ，

I just re-read this， after having read it about 40 years ago and loved it。 I have disliked many books I've read lately and decided to see if this would still satisfy。 The good guys are endearing， the bad guys obnoxious and Kennedy sorts them all out beautifully。 I just re-read this， after having read it about 40 years ago and loved it。 I have disliked many books I've read lately and decided to see if this would still satisfy。 The good guys are endearing， the bad guys obnoxious and Kennedy sorts them all out beautifully。 。。。more

Laurie ，

Reread recently。 As wonderful as I remembered decades ago。 Engrossing character development， allegory， setting， plot！

Rebekah ，

The Feast by Margaret Kennedy is not a romance， romantic comedy， or a mystery or a thriller or “women’s fiction” or any other type of book I usually gravitate to。 It is a novel-length character study of over 20 players。 They are all gathered at a family estate turned vacation guest house on the Cornish coast at the base of a cliff。 The evil， the disgusting， the pitiable， the contemptible， the good， the innocent， the admirable， the irritating， the heroic， the strong and the weak are all dissected The Feast by Margaret Kennedy is not a romance， romantic comedy， or a mystery or a thriller or “women’s fiction” or any other type of book I usually gravitate to。 It is a novel-length character study of over 20 players。 They are all gathered at a family estate turned vacation guest house on the Cornish coast at the base of a cliff。 The evil， the disgusting， the pitiable， the contemptible， the good， the innocent， the admirable， the irritating， the heroic， the strong and the weak are all dissected and revealed with a surgeons expertise。 We know at the beginning that a portion of the 23 now lie crushed to death by the fallen cliff。 By the end， we know that the dead are not innocent victims of chance。 They were the authors of their fate。 As were those who were spared。 The choice they made to attend “the feast” sprang from some goodness within them。 It is beautifully written with many beautiful descriptions and thought-provoking passages。Describing the sadness and isolation of one of the characters towards the end of the book， Margaret Kennedy writes，This was the second evening she would spend all alone up here， shut in with her troubles， while the light sank away…。Dusk， in this room， had no soft and lingering tints; it was merely the failure， the death of day。 And the silence of this room had no peace， no repose。 It was sterile and empty。 I wish I had read this on Kindle because of its highlighting capabilities and ability to search and find certain parts about certain people。 This is one of those books that one can reread again and again and find more meaning and insight each time。 I learned of this book a couple of years ago thanks to the wonderful blog， http://anotherlookbook。com/ which seeks to uncover and restore some of the "really-good-but-almost-entirely-forgotten books that "languish on library book shelves for decades" or "yardsales after someone's grandma passes away。" But fair warning: do not visit this website unless you have a couple of hours to spare。 。。。more

Clarissa ，

This was funny， and sad in a very British way。 The novel is about the people staying at， or staffing a hotel。 Many of these people are terrible。 The prologue makes it clear that the hotel is about to be destroyed by a natural disaster， and that some of the people will survive。 It soon becomes obvious that the disaster will clear the way for the survivors to go on to better lives。There are many hilarious moments in this book。

Teri ，

Wonderful book。 Quick read with great characters and story。

Gail ，

This is a 3。5 but rounded to 4。 It is a novel about a group of people at a cliffside hotel on the Cornish coast in the days leading up to the hotel’s destruction。 1949。 We learn in the first chapter that the cliff collapsed and that there were survivors。Why I liked this novel: I learnt about the heavy rationing and other post WWII conditions in England。Even the collapse of the cliff was the result of a WWII bomb that got washed ashore。I was fascinated by the discussions of class differences and This is a 3。5 but rounded to 4。 It is a novel about a group of people at a cliffside hotel on the Cornish coast in the days leading up to the hotel’s destruction。 1949。 We learn in the first chapter that the cliff collapsed and that there were survivors。Why I liked this novel: I learnt about the heavy rationing and other post WWII conditions in England。Even the collapse of the cliff was the result of a WWII bomb that got washed ashore。I was fascinated by the discussions of class differences and the concept of entitlement。 Despite the many examples of dysfunctional relationships between relationship parents and children and husbands and wives， there was a sense of hope。 。。。more

Adam ，

A dingy hotel on the coast of England in August is the setting of this masterly post-war novel。 Most if not all of Margaret Kennedy's two dozen characters here are not only flawed but， initially， quite unattractive personalities。 Over the course of one week， however， all become fully realized persons。 The group settles into distinct groups: first， those sympathetic "friends of the heart" one makes in reading a truly worthwhile author， and second， personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins。 The st A dingy hotel on the coast of England in August is the setting of this masterly post-war novel。 Most if not all of Margaret Kennedy's two dozen characters here are not only flawed but， initially， quite unattractive personalities。 Over the course of one week， however， all become fully realized persons。 The group settles into distinct groups: first， those sympathetic "friends of the heart" one makes in reading a truly worthwhile author， and second， personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins。 The story concerns acts of God and depravations of man， self-fashioned--but escapable--hells and certain fate。This is one of my favorite kinds of books: a forgotten treasure。 The writing is exemplary; the book contains many， many fine passages and moments。 The drama ranges from the subtle to the bold， and it is focused enough that the story might lend itself to a very powerful theatrical adaptation。 。。。more

Sharon Barrow Wilfong ，

Two Anglican Priests get together once a year to visit， play chess and otherwise enjoy each other's company。 This year it is not to be。 Father Bott must write a funeral oration。 Father Seddon does not understand why this particular funeral should intrude upon their annual visit。 Father Bott sits down with his old friend and explains the peculiarity of this funeral。A once wealthy family owns a mansion at the foot of some cliffs， near the sea。 It is 1947 and the Second World War has put many famil Two Anglican Priests get together once a year to visit， play chess and otherwise enjoy each other's company。 This year it is not to be。 Father Bott must write a funeral oration。 Father Seddon does not understand why this particular funeral should intrude upon their annual visit。 Father Bott sits down with his old friend and explains the peculiarity of this funeral。A once wealthy family owns a mansion at the foot of some cliffs， near the sea。 It is 1947 and the Second World War has put many families in dire straits。 The Siddal family has since had to convert their home into a guest house for tourists。 The war has also left something else: mines drifting along sea currents。 One finds its way into a cave under the cliffs near the Siddal mansion。 Fissures have been detected and inspected by government officials。 A letter has been sent out to Mr。 Siddal but no response has been received。It has not been received because none has been sent。 The warning letter was never read。 Mr。 Siddal is an indolent man who can't be bothered to read his mail。 No warning is ever heeded and finally the cliff comes crashing down， burying the mansion and the people in it。Of the guests and hosts， of which there are twenty-three， some are going to be buried and some are going to survive。 If you have a copy of this book with the dust cover， be sure not to read the inside flap because it obnoxiously gives the ending away。The suspense of wondering the fate of each person is increased as the story develops and we get to know each person。 Some are people one really wants to get to know and be friends with， others are odious。 I read later that some of them were supposed to represent each of the seven deadly sins。 After reading that it was apparent which person embodies which sin and also the others who are plagued by them。All in all， a fairly quick page turner。 Kennedy has the ability to paint compelling characters and draw the reader inside their reality。 Rather like a soap opera but with complex characters that demand our sympathy。 Except for seven who inspire our revulsion。 。。。more

Irene ，

I found this wonderful book on my bookshelves as I was spring cleaning。 Published in the year I was born I decided to open it up and take a walk through post-WWII coastal England。 Margaret Kennedy does a great job with bringing her characters to life on the page， even the children of the story who play a pivotal role in the plot。 Although the reader knows from the first pages that some of the characters will meet a tragic death as the house/hotel they are staying will plummet into the sea when t I found this wonderful book on my bookshelves as I was spring cleaning。 Published in the year I was born I decided to open it up and take a walk through post-WWII coastal England。 Margaret Kennedy does a great job with bringing her characters to life on the page， even the children of the story who play a pivotal role in the plot。 Although the reader knows from the first pages that some of the characters will meet a tragic death as the house/hotel they are staying will plummet into the sea when the cliff it sits on sheers off taking the house and its occupants with it。 What you don't know until the final pages is who is saved and who is lost。 And there are definitely characters you are hoping are among the lost。 Although it is an old novel I would recommend it。 I read it in 2 days so would make a fun beach or flight read。 。。。more

Jeanann ，

A cautionary tale to be sure。

LaCitty ，

L'idea è buona， anche se ricorda Il ponte di Saint Luis Rey di Wilder: una tragedia sconvolge una piccola comunità e l'autrice ricostruisce i giorni che precedono il fatto e le storie di chi ne è coinvolto。 Il libro però è davvero noioso， ho fatto fatica ad arrivare alla fine。 Purtroppo per me è bocciato。 L'idea è buona， anche se ricorda Il ponte di Saint Luis Rey di Wilder: una tragedia sconvolge una piccola comunità e l'autrice ricostruisce i giorni che precedono il fatto e le storie di chi ne è coinvolto。 Il libro però è davvero noioso， ho fatto fatica ad arrivare alla fine。 Purtroppo per me è bocciato。 。。。more

Kelly ，

I have read quite a few books， and very few can I describe as "unique"。 The Feast is one of these rare books。 It is something of a medieval morality tale- but updated with modern characters and situations。 The characters are well written and interesting， with an ensemble group， it is difficult for an author to make every character interesting， but Kennedy manages to breathe life into each one。 It is hard to classify this book- part mystery， part romance， part religious or spiritual morality tale I have read quite a few books， and very few can I describe as "unique"。 The Feast is one of these rare books。 It is something of a medieval morality tale- but updated with modern characters and situations。 The characters are well written and interesting， with an ensemble group， it is difficult for an author to make every character interesting， but Kennedy manages to breathe life into each one。 It is hard to classify this book- part mystery， part romance， part religious or spiritual morality tale， part humorous novel。 It is deceptively a "light" book。 The religious theme is not heavy handed， and would be imperceptible to people unfamiliar with Christianity。 She does not beat her readers over the head。 This is bar none， one of the best books I ever read。 。。。more

Theresa ，

I hope Margaret Kennedy's books get reprinted and/or put on Kindle。 This is my second book of hers to read， and like many others， I really loved the story and the way she defines all the characters。 Stellar read！ I hope Margaret Kennedy's books get reprinted and/or put on Kindle。 This is my second book of hers to read， and like many others， I really loved the story and the way she defines all the characters。 Stellar read！ 。。。more

Faith ，

Really hated The Constant Nymph， so I had a no idea Margaret Kennedy was actually in my wheelhouse。 This book was like a cross between Agatha Christie and Barbara Comyns and I thought it was great！

Ali ，

I was forced to read this lovely novel quite slowly， I was very， very busy last week and my reading time was frustratingly limited。 The only upside of that was I got to spend far longer with The Feast Margaret Kennedy’s eighth novel， set in a Cornish hotel in 1947 – than I may have done otherwise。The novel opens with a prologue， two clergymen settling in for a few days’ holiday together， one is paying a visit to his old friend Revd Bott of St。 Sody， North Cornwall。 The Revd Bott has a sermon to I was forced to read this lovely novel quite slowly， I was very， very busy last week and my reading time was frustratingly limited。 The only upside of that was I got to spend far longer with The Feast Margaret Kennedy’s eighth novel， set in a Cornish hotel in 1947 – than I may have done otherwise。The novel opens with a prologue， two clergymen settling in for a few days’ holiday together， one is paying a visit to his old friend Revd Bott of St。 Sody， North Cornwall。 The Revd Bott has a sermon to write – despite having supposed to have taken time off to entertain his friend。 The sermon is for a funeral service – a funeral service with a difference。 A dramatic cliff fall recently swallowed up a local hotel， burying everyone inside in a pile of rocks。 The dead were unable to be recovered。 There were however some survivors， those fortunate enough to be attending a picnic – and the story which follows is the story of the final week of life in that hotel， of all the people who were staying or working at the hotel at the time of the disaster。 Who died？ who survived？“The fallen cliff had filled up the entire cove， like stones in a basin。 No trace was left of the house， the little platform of land where it had stood， or of anything else that had ever been。”There are a lot of characters – the family who own the hotel – formerly a private family home – their guests， locals and the servants who work there。 There are over twenty characters and their stories are woven together brilliantly， the selfish， bullying， damaged and cruel。 Full review: https://heavenali。wordpress。com/2016/。。。 。。。more

Lora ，

I am abandoning this as never finished because I can't stand most of the characters and while I know they end up buried in rubble， that seems to be enough for me at this time。 Maybe later？ I don't know。 I am abandoning this as never finished because I can't stand most of the characters and while I know they end up buried in rubble， that seems to be enough for me at this time。 Maybe later？ I don't know。 。。。more

Lucy at Library Luggage ，

Since the ending to this novel is revealed on page two， you might question reading it at all。 Ahhh…but in Margaret Kennedy’s "The Feast"， it’s the getting there that’s all the fun。The story opens with two English clergymen about to enjoy their annual summer retreat。 But first， one of them has a dreary task to do—write a funeral sermon。 A few days before， an entire cliff side fell on a coastal hotel killing the guests within。 It’s no ordinary funeral since the deceased are already buried， says th Since the ending to this novel is revealed on page two， you might question reading it at all。 Ahhh…but in Margaret Kennedy’s "The Feast"， it’s the getting there that’s all the fun。The story opens with two English clergymen about to enjoy their annual summer retreat。 But first， one of them has a dreary task to do—write a funeral sermon。 A few days before， an entire cliff side fell on a coastal hotel killing the guests within。 It’s no ordinary funeral since the deceased are already buried， says the Reverend。 And this is no ordinary story。See Top Five Reasons I Love This Book: http://www。libraryluggage。com/serving。。。 。。。more

Susan ，

I read this for Margaret Kennedy Week （it's a real thing somewhere on the internet！） and really enjoyed it。 It's an odd book， combining Margaret Kennedy's usual delightfully deft psychological realism - or at least "usual" in the three books of hers I've read so far - with super heavy-handed and straightforward Pilgrim's Progress type symbolism。 As in seven characters literally representing the seven deadly sins， complete with names that alliterate with the sins， and in some cases （Lust/Lechene， I read this for Margaret Kennedy Week （it's a real thing somewhere on the internet！） and really enjoyed it。 It's an odd book， combining Margaret Kennedy's usual delightfully deft psychological realism - or at least "usual" in the three books of hers I've read so far - with super heavy-handed and straightforward Pilgrim's Progress type symbolism。 As in seven characters literally representing the seven deadly sins， complete with names that alliterate with the sins， and in some cases （Lust/Lechene， Wrath/Wraxton） quite sound-alike。The treatment of morality reminds me oddly of Agatha Christie - sharp and dark and uncompromising - and the post-WWII ration-card setting reminds me a lot of Christie as well。 But the book offers much more pleasures than a Christie novel， especially in the delightful portrayal of the child characters （some strongly reminiscent of Mitford's "Hons and Rebels"）， but also in the growth and development the non-evil characters undergo。 What might be called the "psyche-healing plot" is a favorite of mine and Kennedy does it beautifully in an unsentimental way。 In this book， she uses boarding house interactions to create that plot， reminding me strongly of one of my favorite books， "Mixed Blessings" by Marian Cockrell （not as unsentimental， btw， but also delightful）。I definitely look forward to finding and reading more books by Ms。 Kennedy， though I doubt any I read in the future will satisfy me as much as this one and "Lucy Carmichael。" 。。。more

Cirtnecce ，

The story begins with Father Bott putting off his age old ritual of playing chess when his dear friend Reverend Seddon visited him。 Father Bott explains that he has to prepare for an unexpected Funeral for 7 people， who died when the edge of the cliff collapsed over Pendizack Hotel。 The narrative then reverses back to the last 7 days preceding this event。 Pendzac kHotel is run by the Siddals – rather Mrs。 Siddal who is a lady and forced to convert her husband’s property into a hotel to educate h The story begins with Father Bott putting off his age old ritual of playing chess when his dear friend Reverend Seddon visited him。 Father Bott explains that he has to prepare for an unexpected Funeral for 7 people， who died when the edge of the cliff collapsed over Pendizack Hotel。 The narrative then reverses back to the last 7 days preceding this event。 Pendzac kHotel is run by the Siddals – rather Mrs。 Siddal who is a lady and forced to convert her husband’s property into a hotel to educate her sons because her husband， though perfectly intelligent， with all functional limbs is incapable of earning or maintaining his family’s livelihood。 It becomes apparent right at the very start， that Mrs。 Siddal though proclaiming that the conversion of the house to the hotel is an effort to improve the lives of all her three sons， it is actually to put her youngest and favorite son Duff through to Oxford that is her primary concern。 In fact she is so determined and engrossed in making this happen， that she is ready to sacrifice the lives of her other sons including her eldest son’s marriage to make this happen。 Gerry is the eldest of Siddon sons and a doctor by profession – responsible， sincere and self-effacing; he bears his mother’s inattention to him with equanimity。 He tries to help out in the running of the hotel as and when possible and accepts that his income is critical to make his mother’s ambition a success， regardless of his own wishes and aspirations。 The hotel is run with the help of Nancibel and Ms。 Ellis。 Nancibel is a lovely， generous local girl who worked in ATS during the war and was on the brink of getting married when her fiancée cried it off。 Now she lives with her parents at the cottage and works full time at the hotel。 Ms。 Ellis is an impoverished gentlewoman who feels the loss of her status bitterly; she believes herself superior to performing such menial tasks as changing beds sheets and often shy’s away from all work and spends her time in malicious gossip。 The guests occupying the hotel at the time of this event include Canon Wraxton and his daughter， Mr。 and Mrs。 Paley， Lord and Lady Gifford and the Cove family。 They are soon joined by Anna Lechren and her secretary cum chauffer Bruce。 Cannon Wraxton is a loud， unhappy quarrelsome man who argues and contests everything and constantly bullies his daughter。 Evangeline Wraxton is his young daughter who abides by her quarrelsome father， because of a deathbed wish made to her mother， that she would always take care of Cannon Wraxton; however this has unexpected results as Evangeline slowly succumbs to neurosis caused by her father’s temperament and bullish behavior！ Mr and Mrs Paley， a unhappily married couple who no longer find any joy or companionship in each other’s company especially since the tragic death of their daughter。 Sir Henry Giffordis an aristocratic upright kind gentleman， who takes interest in his work and understands his obligation to the country as a statesman， though he is no longer happy in his marriage。 Lady Gifford is a lazy hypochondriac woman who lives beyond her means and flouts all laws， believing that nothing can touch her because of her position。 They have three children， of whom three have been adopted。 The Coves family consists of a mother and three daughters who seem to live on the strictest economy as funds for them seem scarce。 Finally this motley crew is joined by Anna Lechene， a famous novelist and her secretary cum driver cum aspiring writer Bruce。 Over a period of 7 days， this group interact with each other， through incidents and daily lives routines， that propel the story forward with wonderful re-grouping of old loyalties and changing of dynamics – there are two romances， several friendships， self-realization and freeing oneself form his/her “prison soul”！ On the 7th day， the poor Cove children who always dreamt of holding a feast， are finally able to organize one， with help of others。 There are invitation cards sent out， fancy dresses selected and a whole range of food and wines！ Everybody who attends gets into the swing of this grand party and then…the cliff collapses！This is a social drama， a morality tale， a romance and so much more！ Ms。 Kennedy draws complex characters that have their whimsical follies and non-sense as well as a realization of self-worth through daily everyday occurrences and no miraculous fictional turn of events。 They are all rich， powerful and intriguing characters that draw you to the tale and keep you glued on。 It’s the characters more than the events that actually propel the story forward。 More than anything else， Ms。 Kennedy understood both the most noble and the very base instinct of the human heart and her characters brought them forth with force and unerring honesty！ Simple percepts on human behaviors’， like the less you have the more you give and the more you have the more you covet， is brought out beautifully through the story， without once steering to a high moral tome or sounding even remotely pedagogic。 The book was written in the back drop post World War II when England was recovering from the aftermath of the War and the left inclining Labor Party was in power; this change in political – social order is beautifully portrayed through the everyday lives and decisions made by the characters。 And then there is the language of the novel， such beautiful metaphors – such lovely phrases， Ms。 Kennedy sure knew what would touch the reader’s hearts – “Their shoulders hold the sky suspended。 They stand and earth’s foundations stay！” or “We are members of one another。 An arm has no integrity if it is amputated。 It is nothing unless it is part of a body， with a heart to pump blood through it and a brain to guide it。” And my favorite “Do you pay enough？ Does anybody pay enough？ Has any man repaid a millionth part all that he has received？ Where would you be without us？ Did you ever read Helen Keller？ Blind， Deaf， Dumb…a soul in a prison， an intellect frozen by solitude…。unable to reach us！ All alone！”This one of the best books I have ever read and going by this and my previous experience of Ms。 Kennedy’s work， she is soon joining my personal high gods of best loved authors！ Viva Ms。 Kennedy， you were truly marvelous！！ 。。。more

Tweety ，

4 1/2I can't think of anything to say that someone else hasn't already voiced。 But I can say that The Feast was a thoroughly engrossing read revolving around a little hotel set up on a cliff， the disfunctional family who ran it aand their horrid mix of guests。From the gossipy cook to the half-mad with worry young lady and her father as well as the master of the house who never does anything of use to the children running wild about the place something is bound to happen。 And a feast may just dec 4 1/2I can't think of anything to say that someone else hasn't already voiced。 But I can say that The Feast was a thoroughly engrossing read revolving around a little hotel set up on a cliff， the disfunctional family who ran it aand their horrid mix of guests。From the gossipy cook to the half-mad with worry young lady and her father as well as the master of the house who never does anything of use to the children running wild about the place something is bound to happen。 And a feast may just decided who that something is going to happen to。I really didn't think I'd end up enjoying this so much， I though it would be a dry character study。 But it is not dry， and it beautifully captures the scenes， the cliff with the thrashing waves， the maddening girl who orchestrats the children and poor Nancy， the only character seemingly with her head screwed on right。 Completely recommend。G rating there is mention of mistresses， or more accurately a lady with her lover。 Nothing shown to reader。 。。。more

Hana ，

Revising my rating up to five stars。 My default rating for a terrific book is four stars and I'm pretty grudging about giving five stars。 Generally I know the minute I turn the last page that it's a five star， but some books creep up on me， take time for the artistry to really sink in。 This one I read way back in October of 2014 and I'm still thinking about it and longing to read it again！ Clever Margaret Kennedy！ Is it a thriller？ Is it a morality play or an exploration of divine justice？ Or is Revising my rating up to five stars。 My default rating for a terrific book is four stars and I'm pretty grudging about giving five stars。 Generally I know the minute I turn the last page that it's a five star， but some books creep up on me， take time for the artistry to really sink in。 This one I read way back in October of 2014 and I'm still thinking about it and longing to read it again！ Clever Margaret Kennedy！ Is it a thriller？ Is it a morality play or an exploration of divine justice？ Or is it a family/village saga and maybe even a romance？Check all of the above。 The Feast is also terrifically readable with a marvelous cast of characters。 I was caught up right from the start when a conversation between two clergymen reveals the end of the story: the collapse of a cliff that buries a guest house and many of its inhabitants。 We know that some died and some survived， but we don't know who until the very end。 The next chapter opens months earlier in the final week before the catastrophe。 One after the other we meet the cast; some I loved from the start， others grew on me and went through changes that made me care for them， still others are revealed as rather evil and I found myself hoping that they would be the ones to die。 Yes， I know--and that's the tricky part。 It was thought-provoking and I found myself pondering the ending long after I put the book down。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Feast: the perfect staycation summer read

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Feast: the perfect staycation summer read&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Feast: the perfect staycation summer read&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0