A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr - A Book Review of Sorts
Updated: Sep 28
Two Years Later: A Return to Writing and Reflection
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A Moment of Reflection
Two years have passed since I last wrote a piece for my blog. It's been a year since I put pen to paper—or fingers to keys, as it were. But now, I intend to return.
Today is January 25th, 2026, and I genuinely believe the world will never be the same. Just yesterday, an ICU nurse was shot—nay, executed—in Minneapolis for trying to help two women. His name was Alex Pretti, just 37 years old, and quite clearly a good and innocent man. On January 7th, 2026, it was a wife and mother of three, Renée Good, who was murdered by ICE and the Trump Administration. This is just a small blog about books and writing, but to say nothing, to ignore these two innocents killed, would be wrong. So, for my part, I say their names.
The world is in shock.
Mourning.
Fearful.
Please pause and appreciate the happiness you have, the people you love, and most of all, be gentle with yourself and others. And so, with pain in my heart, I return to a book review.
Rediscovering Joy in Reading
I stopped reading before I stopped writing. My brain wasn't coping, even though my only activity was a cleaning job. But with the start of 2026, that role came to an end. Now, I find room to breathe, heal, and return to things I enjoy. Last week, this recluse ventured to the local library in Sandy and borrowed a novella. The book I chose to read first was A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr.
I picked A Month in the Country simply because it was incredibly slender, labelled as a modern classic, and I believed it wouldn't overwhelm me. Indeed, my daughter laughed—affectionately—when she saw how slim it was and how proud I was to be reading again. I won't lie; it was difficult at first. Two or three pages at a time, a paragraph here and there. My old brain muscles quickly exhausted and struggled to focus. But by the end, I managed to finish a twenty-page read. No mean feat for a crazy guy. And I loved it.
The Story of Healing
The story follows a young man, a WWI veteran, employed for just a single summer to reveal a medieval painting on a church wall. His journey is one of reflection, healing from the trauma of war, and experiencing unrequited love. It’s about finding happiness in a fleeting moment of life, often without realising it until much later. Such are memories, and such is life. It’s a story that resonates with us all.
Many reviews on Goodreads criticise the book for its complexity. Carr writes with technical expertise about architecture, pigments, and medieval paintings. But there’s no need to understand every detail; it simply sets the tone and scene. Personally, I enjoy this sort of writing because I look it up and learn new things. He also incorporates dialect—dialect even a Yorkshireman might struggle to read out loud. Yet again, you don’t need to understand every word; just recognise that even though they are speaking English, you might not grasp what they’re saying. What matters most about this book is its message, which I felt rang true at the end.
Cherishing Fleeting Moments
Enjoy the good moments in life.
However fleeting.
Cherish them.
Memories.
This feels particularly apt, given the awful start to 2026. Stay safe, friends. Stay safe.
Looking Ahead
As I step back into the world of writing, I find myself reflecting on how much I’ve missed this connection. Writing is not just a hobby; it’s a lifeline. It connects me to you, dear readers, and to the stories that shape our lives.
If there's a topic you'd like me to consider in a blog, a book you think I really need to read and review, or a TV series you think I'd enjoy (and you'd like me to include it in my blog), drop me a line and let me know.
Finally, if you do buy my books, thank you. And let me know what you think. Get in touch on Threads. I'm always there; a writer, you see...
If there's a topic you'd like me to consider in a blog, a book you think I really need to read and review, or a TV Series you think I'd enjoy (and you'd like me to include it in my blog) drop me a line and let me know.
Finally.
If you do buy my books.
Thank you.
And let me know what you think. Get in touch on Threads.
I'm always there; a writer, you see...
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