Mum's Monday: Reap the Harvest by Margaret Dickinson

Part one, when I see that this book includes the great floods of 1953 and set in Lincolnshire, I decided to do a blog as a tribute to all those affected by the floods and it has been 68 years since the flood. So this blog is for those down the eastern side of Britain and some coastal areas of Europe . The flood affecting these areas happened over the dates of the 31st of January and the 1st of February 1953. Hence when this blog has been put up. I have also visited Lincolnshire on numerous occasions so I am familiar with the county also.

It took me a little while to figure out who was who in this story. I first thought the story was mainly told by the daughter Kate but it is told mostly in the view of the granddaughter Ella. And from what I have read so far it seems that this is going to be an interesting read/’battle of the wills’.

Sadly, for some families it does take a funeral to bring a family together, which it has in this case. It seems there are a lot of secrets in this family and in the way that this story line is written there are little snippets of clues to what some of the secrets are. Also we are still yet to find out what is in the ‘Letter’.

It is nice to read about Lincoln cathedral as I have passed it so I am familiar with the city of Lincoln. I like the comparison of ‘Townie’ and ‘Country bumpkin’ . What I don’t like is Ella’s grandmother Esther’s reaction to Ella’s shoes when Ella got back from the beach/sea. It is only Ella’s mother Kate’s opinion that counts. Also I don’t believe Ella to be impertinent either, she is, I feel, mature for her age and wise beyond her years. I also believe Kate has done a good job in bringing up Ella especially as a single parent. Kate’s parenting should be none of her mother Esther’s business. 

This book has been very well researched, reading about the night when the storm floods hit the east coast of the UK is both tragic and informative. It has been well written with even a tiny bit of an amusing part where a pig is saved and has to put upstairs with the rest of the people in the house.

It is also nice to see Ella help her grandmother and that they make an amicable connection. It shows that some things are bigger than some family secrets. There is more tragedy in this story, but I am glad the family and Ella have closure. 

It is heart-warming to read about Ella getting a draughts board that was donated to the flood victims. I feel that there is more depth to this part than what I read. I see that someone’s kind gesture can mean more than to a person receiving it than the person donating it could ever know. The flood was so much more tragic than the sea just coming in over land.

I can see how Ella, having been brought up in Lincoln, needs to learn a lesson in the ways of the workings of a farm. I don’t like reading this bit, but a farm is a farm and food is food. However, sad it is. 

It is a shock, and yes, well done to Ella as to what she observed/noticed and did. Also a shrimping trip doesn’t normally make it to the front pages of a local newspaper. 

The next part is a little quick when aunty Peggy comes to visit. Afterwards the next few years seem to be skipped over. 

Part two, it is nice to read that Ella is able to visit Lincoln. I sadly don't think what she bought her grandmother is appropriate. I know in the story there are reservations from Ella and I agree. It turns out it is all good after all. Although it looks like Ella and her grandmother are getting/becoming closer or have become closer over the years sadly, there are still some issues to be resolved/resolve. 

This is not a nice book to read in some places mainly to do with how Ella’s grandmother Esther treats Ella. One time she cold towards her and the next only slightly warm-hearted. I hope Ella’s grandpa Jonathan is reasonably ok. I am glad Tibby the cat survived. Sadly, I still see a lot of reasons for Ella to rebel in the future, but the cat has to recover first. 

Now chapter twenty starts off unexpectedly nice/good. The mystery continues with a duplicate photo, but this is soon forgotten as there is a dance to get to. Now I thought Rob and Ella are related, someone ought to tell/remind Ella if this is the case and the truth behind it or at least what all the mystery is. I do know that yes, during the 1950s earlier and a while after things were very different to as they are now in 2020.

This book does high-light it is not always a good idea to be rebellious as Ella found out. It was a surprise as to who came to her rescue. Ella got lucky, again it is not a good idea to rebel, but at sixteen, I know me as an adult now that I didn’t know everything when I was sixteen. But sadly, teens are teens. More and more snippets of information are coming to light. I knew it, with an interesting end to chapter twenty two. I am intrigued now to read chapter twenty three. I don't want to put this book down now.

It is heart-warming to read that during Danny disclosing the secrets he knows that Ella is going to put flowers on her mother’s grave. I don’t know if it is just me but all the entwined family secrets take some reading. There is just one thing left for Ella to do now and that is yes, to find her father.

Reading about Ella’s life now and the reunion is lovely. I just hope everything does work out as Ella hopes it will. I still don’t want to put this book down. There is still intrigue and a lot to work out. Well that quickly turned sour. I suppose some things are not always plain sailing and it takes a little time to come to terms with. I mean the information was sprang on her with no warning to begin with.

Even with Ella’s new exciting spoiled life it is heart-warming to read about the obvious worry about what is going on back at the farm. Things have certainly moved on fast.

So Ella is going ‘Home’ . It is sad under the circumstances and I don’t like how Esther has been stubborn, I just hope Ella is not too late and now I love how Ella, with help, saves the day. This book does high-light that ‘You don’t know what you have until it's gone’.

I loved reading all about the party, the guests and the ‘Burying the hatchet’ as it has been said previously should happen. 

It is lovely, although obviously people don’t live forever so yes, there are ghosts to lay to rest in amongst it all working out for Ella and Rob and yes, Ella you are still there. This is a heart-warming ending.

They say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but when I see this one I thought that Ella stayed or went to live with her grandmother to help on the farm after it was affected by the floods. Yes, Ella does help but the circumstances are very different to what I first thought them to be and this is a really good book and I am glad I got it and have read it.