atownlikealice

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A Town Like Alice

Nevil Shute

Shute, Nevil. A Town Like Alice. Ballantine Books Inc. 1950.

A Town Like Alice, a novel written by the great author Nevil Shute, is a fiction novel about a couple whom are dearly in love with each other. Nevertheless, there is something that’s keeping them apart. Nevil received many awards for his novel such as Best Book Award Winner from USA Book News.

A Town Like Alice a tale about a lady named Alice and her now dead husband, Walter. Alice was forced to marry Walter when she was twenty-one. In the town that Alice lived in, by the time a girl is twenty if she’s not married her parents have to find her a person to marry. When Alice first met Walter, she saw a hard, strong soul -- a man who gets whatever he wants. Alice was scared, she wasn't ready to get married. She didn't know the man, and their wedding was in less than two weeks.

Two weeks later, on their wedding, it was Alice’s turn to say her “I do” vow, when all of a sudden, she gets the idea of walking out. As she was about to take her step, Walter grabs her arm. Alice was in shock. She yanked her arm out of his hand and started sprinting towards the doors, she didn’t care if she was disappointing her parents. Once she was out, she didn’t know where to turn. She heard footsteps behind her. When she turned around she saw Walter standing there with an expression on his face that couldn’t be read. Finally he asked, “What are you doing out here?” “Well, isn’t it obvious. I don’t even know you and I’m being forced to marry you, doesn't that seem odd?” she answered. “I don’t know you either, I agreed to marry you because my parents were bugging me, saying that I need to get a wife soon or they’re kicking me out. I thought maybe after we got married, we would get to know each other more.”

It has been three months since the wedding. Alice and Walter hadn’t gotten married yet, they’ve decided to keep seeing each other, until a tragic accident happened and Walter died. Alice was devastated and heartbroken, but she wasn’t for long...

A Town Like Alice is fascinating book. It’s written very well, and it draws a reader in from the first page. Nevil did an amazing job writing this novel. This book is recommend this book for teenagers and young adults.

5 out of 5 stars

Contributed by M. Gebremariam

November 23, 2012