Synopsis: The novel tells the story of a group of people all living in flats in the same building. Maeve and Matt are a married couple coping with a traumatic event, Katie is finding it hard to see where her life is going, Lydia is a female taxi driver who cares for her Mum (who has dementia) and Jemima is coming to the end of her life.
Well, my sister was right - it's not really chick lit. In fact, Marian Keyes' writing style reminded me a bit of Nick Hornby's and there was no way the book could be described as superficial. Marian was very good at writing about everyday life in a way that didn't sugarcoat it or make it overly depressing. It was just like real life, lived by people everywhere.
With such a large cast of characters, it was hard to relate to and root for every one. I found Maeve's story the most affecting and guessed the twist before it was revealed. On the other hand I didn't really get behind Katie's relationship struggles. Those sections weren't boring, but I didn't really care which character Katie chose.
The writing style was simple and easy to read - all of the strength of the book was in the characters and plot developments. I didn't care for the supernatural element of this novel but would definitely read more by Marian Keyes.
Verdict: Sister 1 Me 0
Score: 3.5 out of 5
I haven't read this one, but I agree that Marian Keyes is much less superficial than a lot of Chick Lit. I like that her plots tend to be less predictable and pretty captivating as compared to other works in the genre.
ReplyDeleteThis is one I have not read. I definitely think Keyes is slightly more Chic Lit. Try This Charming Man that makes you stop and think a bit as well. Not a very nice topic that is handled brilliantly and I passed this onto my boss not long after I had read it and he is a Commander in the Royal Navy and is now hooked on Keyes. Although I am not supposed to tell anyone that!
ReplyDeleteI don't think this novel is for me, but the title is so lovely.
ReplyDeleteI think the cover makes it look chick lit! I like the story line here though.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I think I'd look into this author. I'm a big Nick Hornby fan and also turned off by chick lit. Very funny line about the verdict - you'll get your sister back, I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteLisa, Mystica - I'm definitely going to read some more Marian Keyes, and feel a bit bad for dismissing her as mere chick lit!
ReplyDeleteJo - I'll keep a look out for This Charming Man. Thanks for the recommendation, it's gone on my wish-list.