Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

You know a novel is terrific when you choose to re-read it, and enjoy it even more the second time. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is one such book. It is the story of a retired British Army major, Ernest Pettigrew, recently widowed, and the romance he develops with a Pakastani widow named Mrs. Ali, who runs a small local market.

The writing is superb, the characters so distinctly drawn, the situations easy to imagine. The Major's son, Roger, is an unappealing social-climber; his friends from the local social club are to varying degrees prejudiced against Mrs. Ali; and his colorful neighbors include an aging hippie trying to cajole him to join her anti-development crusade planned for the village.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ali is trying to reach her emotionally distant and fervently devout nephew, while also trying to maintain her independence from her late husband's family, which is trying to control her.

Major Pettigrew is also fighting to preserve the social order and manners of days gone by, yet he proves to be more progressive than many of the other characters. Of course, love will win the day, and it is totally charming to watch this older, serious man fall totally in love.

I've been drawn in from page one . . .

I enjoyed this book very much. It is a funny, quirky love story that addresses covert racism, class status, materialism and the goodness of those who can see beyond stereotypes. One of the things that makes this different from your normal love story is that Major Pettigrew is in his sixties, and his love interest is in her fifties. This will be a movie. Mark my words!

A very sweet love story set in the English countryside. A retired widower (Major Pettigrew) has just learned of the sudden death of his brother. There is a knock on the door and, in his distracted state, he answers the door wearing a flowery robe that belonged to his late wife. His visitor is Mrs. Ali, the widow who runs the local convenience store. She has come to deliver the special tea that he orders from her. They've had a distant shop owner/customer relationship to this point, but as the scene unfolds, we watch the sparks start to fly.
Of course it wouldn't be much fun if they just fell in love and went off into the sunset. Lots of complications arise, mostly in the form of obnoxious and/or meddlesome family members and others in their little village. (And of course some loud, uncouth Americans thrown in for laughs.) I love the dry humor and the thinly-veiled insults delivered in an oh-so-correct English way.
It's not all jokes, though. There are some serious issues covered.
But you can't help rooting for these two to overcome it all and end up together.