Cover Image: How the Penguins Saved Veronica

How the Penguins Saved Veronica

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Member Reviews

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Aging Veronica, estranged from her family, tries to connect with her grandson, only to find it's a big mistake. After seeing a documentary about penguins, she decides to head to Antarctica to see them and the scientist as she has a great amount of money to leave someone. Her grandson follows her and a wonderful story entwines them and the penguins.

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Omg what a cute story. I absolutely loved reading this book. Totally uplifting and a light easy read. I highly recommend!

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HOW THE PENGUINS SAVED VERONICA is a story about the wealthy, relatively heathy, feisty and savvy octogenarian Veronica McCreedy. Living on her own in a big house Veronica only has her housekeeper Eileen and occasionally the gardener for company. As her life comes to a close Veronica must make some decisions regarding her estate. With help Veronica locates an estranged grandson. After a disastrous first meeting Veronica decides not to make further contact. She pursues her newly found interest in penguins and heads off to a research station in the Antarctic in search of a good cause.
The characters in the book are well drawn. While Veronica appears single minded and a bit of a bully you know there is a tender heart beating strongly under the tough woman facade.
I found HOW THE PENGUINS SAVED VERONICA an entertaining and enjoyable read.
I think it would be perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman‘s novels.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for allowing me access to the advanced ebook.

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This is a "I'm definitely going to recommend this book to my friends" book. Veronica is old, 86 years old to be exact, cranky, bored and lonely. She has plenty of money but no friends. Her favorite show is a documentary about Adelie penguins. She's smitten with them.

Enter Patrick. Veronica has done extensive research and has discovered that she has a grandson. Their initial meeting is a disaster but one little penguin, Pip, will help them heal their sorrows and become a family again.

A charming book with flawed but likeable characters who only need a bit of help to find the happiness they are looking for.

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#How the Penguins Saved Veronica #NetGalley
I loved this book! This story will warm your heart. The 86-year-old Veronica is such a spunky character. At times I was laughing out loud and others I was feeling so badly for what she went through in her lifetime.
I also enjoyed the focus on the Penguins and Antarctica.
The storylines and blend of characters worked very well. I consider it an uplifting must-read.
Thanks very much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a Digital ARC for a review.

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This book is a delightful read in the vein of A Man called Ove. I quite enjoyed the attitude of Veronica and her stubborn almost coldness (no pun intended) personality. Once you get the real story of why she is the way she is this book becomes heartwarming in spite of the polar location. A great cast of characters- her housekeeper, grandson, a team of researchers and most importantly the penguins especially Pip. It is Pip who eventually cracks through the ice of Veronica's heart..

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Veronica is now advanced in her years. She has no known living family and only a pesky housekeeper who keeps her company through the days. The problem is that she has millions of dollars and no one to leave them to! When Veronica sees a documentary on penguins on TV she somehow feels a connection to them and knows that she needs to leave her money to the group studying them. She buys a ticket to Antarctica and has her housekeeper inform the research team that she's coming, like it or not. Despite their desperate attempts to dissuade her from coming Veronica goes anyways. A long-lost grandson and the fact that Antarctica is not all that hospitable to 84-year-old ladies only serve to complicate things.

This was a beautiful book and a story of courage, determination, and attempting to make up for lost time. I couldn't help but feel that this had "A Man Called Ove" vibe, which was great for me since that book is one of my all-time favourites. The book weaves a story between past and present Veronica since we gain access to some of her personal diaries via her grandson, Patrick. I enjoyed getting to know the young Veronica more than I thought that I would. The picture painted of what it was like during the war felt authentic and was a welcome addition to the overall plot.

A cranky old lady, a long-lost grandson, and some super cute penguins worked together to create one endearing story that I enjoyed even more than I anticipated! My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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The title of this book grabbed my interest right away, and the story didn’t disappoint. It jumped right off the pages, and I could easily see it coming alive on the screen with Dames Judi Dench or Maggie Smith in the starring role.

Upon first glance, Veronica is a feisty, crabby elderly woman who spends most of her time alone and prefers it that way. As we get a glimpse into her past, we learn more about why Veronica pushes everyone away. Her hurt runs so deep that she simply closed off that part of her heart, not willing to risk caring about anyone to feel that type of pain ever again.

Veronica’s journey of self-discovery is one you won’t want to miss. There is an eccentric cast of characters who join her—not to mention the penguins! I had to swallow my disbelief at some of the goings-on, but the story was so much fun that I just enjoyed the adventure. Veronica’s leap of faith and growth shows that it’s never too late to reassess what’s important and make some changes in your life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Hazel Prior for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Another breathtakingly beautiful book by Hazel Prior ❤️ I loved her first book and I have been waiting patiently for this book to be released in Canada when I spied it on Netgalley. I can’t thank Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada enough for allowing me to read the ARC.

Veronica is one the best characters I have met in a book. You instantly see her as a stubborn old lady and I wondered how her housekeeper could work for her but as I learned more about her I fell in love and wanted to crawl inside the book and hug her. Veronica is a person who makes a decision and acts on it, something I wish I did which is another reason why I loved her character. When she decides she want to save the penguins she sets off to Antarctica to do just that. What follows is an emotional journey that had me awestruck with the beauty I could easily imagine and then suddenly laughing out loud at some of her antics. I really enjoyed how the author allowed Veronica’s past to unfold to us through her grandson reading her diaries and through Veronica’s own telling. It is poignant and, as with her previous book, the author creates characters and locations that are beautiful physically and spiritually. I couldn’t put this book down and I was so sad when it was over. I wanted to hear more about the antics she gets up to and how Patrick’s life goes. I just don’t want to say goodbye to them. These characters have experienced pain and loss but also moments of great joy making them easy to associate with and to love. This is a book I will reach for again and again when I want to feel good. This author knows how to write beautiful books and you really need to read both of them.

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This is the second novel by this British author. Her first was 'Ellie And The HarpMaker'. This one features Veronica who is an 86 year old woman who is dissatisfied with her life. After viewing a documentary on a penguin research station she decides she will leave her fortune to them and then at least her life would have had value...but she insists on visiting the site in Antarctica first. Before she leaves a grandson she did not know about enters her life and suddenly her life has changed. This is a fun read with some depth and should appeal to fans of Fredrik Backman and anyone who loves penguins.

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I want to express my sincere thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this wonderful, heartfelt ARC. This delightful gem of a book will take its place high on my favorite list. This is my second reading of this enjoyable book which also has an alternate title, Away With the Penguins. The author writes with compassion and insight into the human heart, especially its good and kind parts in human nature that are redeemable. I loved the characters and its setting. There were sections that made me cry, parts where I was laughing out loud. I found it pleasurable and also thought-provoking.

In the worlds’ present state, the story seemed surreal. It was set in a time when people were going about their daily lives, going to work, and travelling. It seems a long time ago.

Veronica’s 86th birthday is approaching. She is cantankerous and feisty. She lives in an old mansion. A woman, Eileen comes in to help around the house. A hired Gardner keeps the grounds in fine condition. Veronica has been friendless most of her long life and has no known relatives. She is very wealthy and is wondering to whom she will leave her riches. Her days are spent doing crossword puzzles, reading, and watching TV.

She is entranced by a television documentary describing research on Adelie penguins by a 3 person team on Locket Island, Antarctica. Veronica has a locket that has sentimental meaning for her, so she believes this is a sign. Meanwhile, she has asked her caregiver, Eileen to do research on a computer gadget to investigate her family tree. Much to her astonishment, she learns she has an unknown adult grandson. Veronica orders Eileen to use her technical knowledge on the computer thingy to locate him and send an email to meet him.

Her grandson, Patrick’s life is in free fall. His girlfriend has left him for a muscled, racist labourer and he is forced to move out of her fine apartment. He is now living in a messy, cheap place that he cannot be bothered to clean. He is dishevelled, on welfare, working one day a week repairing bicycles at a friend’s shop. He lacks any incentive to improve his life. Patrick’s meeting with Veronica is a disaster. He is nervous and regards Veronica as cold, harsh, judgmental, far from the jolly grandmother he was hoping to meet. She regards Patrick as a dope-smoking degenerate, lazy, dirty, and lacking in ambition.

After watching a further show on the plight of the penguins and reading blogs by Terry, one of three scientists at the underfunded research station on Locket Island, she is enthralled by the penguins and makes it her goal to save them with her wealth. But first, Eileen must communicate with the Antarctic base and make an offer for funding, but only if they agree to permit Veronica to visit for three weeks. She insists on seeing the penguins herself and decide if the project is worthwhile.

The three scientists send frantic emails to Eileen to dissuade the 86 year old woman from the folly of visiting despite her bribe of millions of dollars. Veronica is an unstoppable force, stubborn in her determination. Eileen contacts Patrick, but he is intimidated by Veronica and realizes he can do nothing to stop her risky and unwanted visit.

Eileen reluctantly takes Veronica to the airport for her departure. Veronica has packed suitable cold-weather gear, three designer purses, her medication, and a makeup bag. Although she despises looking in the mirror at her wrinkly old face, she always paints her lips a bright red and applies eyebrow pencil and powder. Her makeup skills will play an important and surprising role in a scheme she devises later in the story. Patrick shows up at the airport. He is worried about the wellbeing of his newly found granny but silently admires her adventuresome spirit. Veronica, after a lifetime of disappointment and loss which has broken her spirit, has learned to always expect the worst from people. She feels Patrick is only after her money. She looks forward to the excitement of actually seeing a colony of penguins.

Does Veronica achieve her goal? If so, how do the scientists react to her unwanted and disruptive presence? What about Patrick? Can he clean up his act and find true love and a mission in life? Highly recommended for anyone who likes penguins, people, or both. This life-affirming story shows that it is never too late to change ones’ perspective and behavior. I am glad it was set in an era where social mingling and travel were possible for Veronica and others. Such a lovely book!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this advance reader’s copy.

This book is about Veronica, who at 85 decides she wants to visit a penguin research station in the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica. Through her love of penguins, especially Patrick./Pip the little orphan penguin she “adopts” Veronica learns to open her heart once again to the people around her. Along the way, we learn of Veronica’s childhood during WW2 in England, and explore her complex relationship with her grandson, who she has Only recently met, We also learn a lot about penguins !

I have to admit I requested this book because I’m a little penguin obsessed . But I really enjoyed this book, and not just because penguins played such a. integral part in it. The characters are well developed , the story is hard to put down, and with all her faults and crankiness, I learned to love and admire Veronica.

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