Book review: My Cousin Rachel

This is something you would find different from what you experience with the other books that are read generally.In fact I too came across this by an accident and then ended up reading this.From the first page you are taken with ease away from the hustle and bustle of the urbane life to the village and that too at a time when communication was still not as advanced as now, can't say a Victorian story but gives you a similar feeling

Coming to the story this is about Philip Ashley who although orphaned at an early age is brought up by his older cousin Ambrose who at the time happens to be his only close relative living.Ambrose takes a liking for the boy and starts bringing him up as his own son, his heir in a world that consisted of none but the two and a firm liking of the house they grew up in until; when Ambrose in order to recuperate from his rheumatic problem and also to collect plants for his garden meets a charming lady and ends up marrying her which unfortunately was a fiasco in simple terms.His only communication to his young protege was through letters which in the begin were full of fun an enthusiasm soon start turning sad and also stating the failing of his health.Hearing this young Philip arrives at Florence only to learn of his cousin-guardian's sudden death and that his wife out of grief had left the place for good leaving behind nothing but Ambrose's hat.
Later when Philip's cousin Rachel turns up in England and despite the initial anger and ill feeling Philip cannot help but be attracted to the small, delicate, mysterious, sophisticated lady.... his cousin Rachel.The story from here takes twists and turns with young Philip in a turmoil about how actually did his cousin meet with his untimely death as one mask is exposed there lies beneath another mask of deceit and this is not limited just to his cousin Rachel but also the Ashleys who are the closest to Philip in England after his deceased cousin and also a ghostly beggar figure whom Philip meets during his short visit to Florence and which keeps haunting back through out the book.
In short this is an interesting and griping story worth reading because the style of the writer, the way in which she shows subtle signs to the reader depicting the state of mind in which the character is there by capturing their interest time and again and the way in which she deals with each character so differently and naturally as though the reader gets the feeling that this is something of a record of what had actually happend.