THE SAFFRON TRAIL by ROSANNA LEY

THE SAFFRON TRAIL

BY ROSANNA LEY

THE BLURB:-

Once, there was a girl who loved saffron. She loved its secrets, its mystery, and best of all, she loved its hint of magic.

After the death of her beloved mother, Nell travels from rural Cornwall to the colour and chaos of Marrakech. Her marriage may be on the rocks, but exploring the heady delights of Moroccan cuisine could help fulfil her dream of opening her own restaurant.

It's there she meets Amy- a young photographer trying to unravel the story behind her family's involvement in the Vietnam War. The two women develop a close friendship and discover a surprising connection between their own pasts.

This connection will take Nell and Amy on a journey to find their own 'saffron trail'- from the labyrinthine medina, and the bustle of Moroccan bazaars, all the way back home to Cornwall and the heart of their families' origins.

THE REALITY:-

This was my holiday read and it was truly wonderful! In the same way that the last novel I read (set in wartime Cairo) made me want to visit Egypt, this sheer delight of a page-turner made me want to visit Morocco. I was, at first a bit wary of reading a book by this author as a previous read of hers (called Bay Of Secrets) was very good, but didn't really have a proper ending, or so I felt.

Written well enough to create mystery...SPOILER ALERT!... you are some way in before you realise that the Bethany of the 1970s parts of the novel is actually modern-day Nell's mother. Incidentally the modern and historical parts of the book are clearly labelled, where necessary, and it's obvious that the bulk of Lillian's memories are set during the Second World War and post-war. Incidentally, the Vietnam War features and the author has researched this, and the Marrakesh hippie trail of the 70s very well. You get a real feel for the dress and habits of the day and the speech patterns and expressions are very authentic.

I liked the variety of characters and the concluded, happy ending. I also loved that this book questioned the spiritual side of life, with Bethany and her tarot cards and meditation, and Hadi and his retreat from the world and the need for him to find inner peace. It's something we all have to try and strive for in this fast-moving, technologically-aware world, and it's something we should never overlook. I could also relate to the subject of genetics playing a part in out looks and mannerisms- how we inherit a bit of this from that person and a bit of that from another.

Morocco came alive for me- in every way from the dress, customs, diet and pace of life- even though I read the bulk of this book in a caravan in Great Yarmouth (a fantastic holiday, incidentally). The beauty of saffron was a colourful and lovely backdrop theme throughout, and I'm tempted to go and visit Saffron Walden now! This story moves at at a reasonable pace and all of the different eras come together like a neat jigsaw.

Give it a try. I can't see how you will be disappointed.