The reader knows immediately that Penelope Keeling has a mind of her own when The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher begins with her ignoring her doctor’s advice and checking herself out of the hospital against doctor’s orders. Her life story is told from her beginnings with unconventional parents to the wrangling now with three adult children, each with a mind and personality of their own. Her tale switches back and forth from the past to the present and between the viewpoints of herself and her three children. It is always presided over by her father’s wedding gift painting “The Shell Seekers,” as the work of Lawrence Stern has suddenly become quite valuable. Naturally, each of the children has an opinion about what should be done with the painting.
In addition to the family, the book has secondary characters equally well-painted and with something to gain or lose as Penelope decides what must be done with her father’s valuable sketches as well as his paintings and the all-important painting “The Shell Seekers.” Penelope’s creative distribution of her father’s legacy as well as her decisions about her own life confirm the initial impression that her own mind will control her decisions.
I’m a bit late reading this book first published in 1987 and adapted twice in movies. A friend mentioned it recently, and I knew I needed to read it. Now, I’m recommending that you follow my example if you haven’t read it. If you read it when it came out, you may just want to return and read it again.