The Pavilion in the Clouds

By: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by: David Rintoul

It is 1938 and the final days of the British Empire. In a bungalow high up in the green hills above the plains of Ceylon, under a vast blue sky, live the Ferguson family: Bella, a precocious eight-year-old; her father Henry—owner of Pitlochry, a tea plantation—and her mother Virginia. The story centres around the Pavilion in the Clouds, set in the idyllic grounds carved out of the wilderness. But all is not as serene as it seems. Bella is suspicious of her governess, Miss White’s intentions. Her suspicion sparks off her mother’s imagination and after an unfortunate series of events, a confrontation is had with Miss White and a gunshot rings off around the hills.

Years later, Bella, now living back in Scotland at university in St Andrews, is faced, once again with her past. Will she at last find out what happened between her Father and Miss White? And will the guilt she has lived with all these years be reconciled by a long over-due apology?

©2022 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2022 Recorded Books

Weird story

I really did not enjoy this book. The ending redeemed it a little. Kind of depressing. But good narration. I’m going to stick to 1st Ladies from now on. I’m bummed because I bought this in 2 for 1 sale and a few days later a 1st Ladies book showed up which wasn’t there before. Wish I’d gotten that instead!

Somewhat strange story

The story has 2 parts and each one ends rather abruptly! It seemed mysterious with little solution.

pavilion in the clouds

So very different from other books by this author, but as always very human and touching, showing the unnecessary baggage we carry with us from childhood into adulthood

Wonderful story! Mystery, history, poetry, and love

Alexander McCall always approaches complicated subjects and emotions with simple and light words. His ability to describes a point of view from women is always surprising, funny, honest, and appreciated.

wonderful story, well-told

I've read many of the Alexander McCall Smith series books. This one was even better. It had a more serious story to tell, but still captured the viewpoint of a child. So brilliant. It was a wonderful story with interesting twists but always kept that child's voice also. The narration was superb. The ending was so very satisfying. This is a great book. Five stars all around.

A lovely story steeped in small mysteries.

The author has not over sweetened this story as sometimes he does. It recalls the last days of the British in Ceylon and the inadvertent impulses of a 9 year old, the course of action that followed unexpectedly. Nicely done and beautifully narrated.

An easy read

“The Pavilion in the Clouds” by Alexander McCall Smith is a standalone historical novel set in 1938 Ceylon. The story centers on Bella, the imaginative eight-year-old daughter of a tea plantation owner. Despite its calm and pleasant tone, the novel carries an undercurrent of unease—both from the local Ceylonese people regarding British colonization and from the growing specter of Fascism in Europe.

As with all of Smith's works, philosophical musings are woven throughout the narrative. Here they explore the intricacies of a child's imaginary world alongside deeper reflections on colonialism. True to his style, there are also thoughtful discussions on poetry.

Overall, the novel offers a comfortable and engaging read. I experienced it as an audiobook through Audible, narrated by David Rintoul, whose performance masterfully brings the story to life. The recording runs for six hours and forty-nine minutes.

Captivating

AMS is a genius! This is outside anything else I be read by him, yet just as comfortable
Also very well narrated.
More ! More!

Beautiful Story

I always love the way Alexander McCall Smith tells a story. He paints a scene with words in such beautiful ways. His main charters are honest and forthright, or at least until they are revealed in the end. I feel like I know his characters and have been to the locations he so lovingly describes. This book is no different. I can visualize Sri Lanka’s tea plantations under British rule as WWII approached. And listening to his books over Audible is almost even better than reading them because the narrators have wonderful accents that are perfectly appropriate to the characters and the peaceful pace of the story.

Get Over It

Alexander McCall Smith gets into the inner lives of his characters, and the message his characters learn here is simple — Get over it. Don't worry. Because we don't really understand how things were when we were children, nor do we know all of the players or viewpoints that made up the story of which our lives are only a subtext of a greater story. But most of all, forgive yourself and move on. Superb narration with a tone of melancholic introspection.