The Shell SeekersThe Shell Seekers
Score Classic
What it's about
Penelope Keeling, in her sixties, owns a painting called The Shell Seekers by her father, a once-famous Victorian artist, and it has become very valuable. Her three grown children are eager to sell it. As they press her, Penelope looks back on her life, from her bohemian childhood in Cornwall to a love affair during the Second World War, and decides what really matters.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is Rosamunde Pilcher's most beloved book. It's a warm, absorbing family saga.
You'll love it if you liked
Winter Solstice
The Thorn Birds
AtonementGood to know
It's long and leisurely. Two of the children are deliberately unlikable.
By the numbers
- Readers79 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller40 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
More by Rosamunde Pilcher
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1984
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Quick answers
Is The Shell Seekers worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is Rosamunde Pilcher's most beloved book. It ranks #1,007 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Shell Seekers about?
Penelope Keeling, in her sixties, owns a painting called The Shell Seekers by her father, a once-famous Victorian artist, and it has become very valuable. Her three grown children are eager to sell it. As they press her, Penelope looks back on her life, from her bohemian childhood in Cornwall to a love affair during the Second World War, and decides what really matters.
How long does it take to read The Shell Seekers?
About 17 hours (671 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Shell Seekers?
If you liked it, try Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher, The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough or Atonement by Ian McEwan.