The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds
–Alexander McCall Smith
★★★★★ 3.5/5
After the last couple of disappointing reads, I ended up seeking the comfort of the familiar to bookend my reading for 2019— and I was not disappointed. One reviewer declares that Alexander McCall Smith’s books are like a visit to the spa—and she couldn’t have captured my feelings better! His books shine not with immaculate prose nor with intricate captivating plot, but with the charm of relaxed everyday life amidst appealing characters, the most delightful of his many creations being Isabel Dalhousie. It’s the kind of joyous reading that leaves one with the feeling that the world is going to be quite alrigh.— akin to that master, P.G. Wodehouse’s books.
I’ve read most of the books in the Sunday Philosophy Club series, my favorite among McCall Smith’s several and don’t seem to tire of them. The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds has all the elements of the series that create its appeal: the endearing character of Isabel Dalhousie, the seeming charm of Scotland, and the non life threatening problems of usually well healed people lending the elements of mystery and plot to keep it all together through the many thoughtful driftings of Isabel’s mind.
In this instance, the Munrowe family has a priceless Poussin stolen and through an intermediary, enlists Isabel’s help in comforting the owner and through the negotiations for its retrieval. Art features prominently in the series, owing I suspect to the author’s own proclivities. Besides the theft, there is the recurring tiff between Isabel and her maid, Grace; Eddie the deli help needing a hand through a tough situation; and the demands of the journal on Ethics that Isabel edits and now also owns.
If there’s a flaw in the book and the series, it is that Isabel is almost too perfect: bereft of blind spots, no kryptonite to speak of. This in spite of her acknowledging that she is as human as the next person. If only Mr. McCall Smith gave us some indication of that through the books.