THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE by MAGGIE O' FARRELL

THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE

BY MAGGIE O'FARRELL

THE BLURB:-

Fresh out of university and in disgrace, Lexie Sinclair is waiting for life to begin. When the sophisticated Innes Kent turns up on her doorstep in rural Devon, she realises she can wait no longer, and leaves for London. There, Lexie carves out a new life for herself at the heart of bohemian 1950s Soho, with Innes by her side.

In the present, Ted and Elina no longer recognise their lives after the arrival of their first child. Elina, an artist, wonders if she will ever paint again, while Ted is disturbed by memories of his own childhood- memories that don't tally with his parents' version of events.

As Ted's search for answers gathers momentum, so a portrait is revealed of two women separated by fifty years, but linked by their passionate refusal to settle for ordinary lives.

THE REALITY:-

What a wonderful book! This is the second Maggie O' Farrell novel that I've read and, as with the first, I read it through in a couple of days. An interesting and easy read.

I'm always slightly uncertain about writing in the present tense but the author seems to make it work. I liked the way she played with scenes- she described a love scene backwards (very fascinating) and dropped hints regarding Lexie, our 1950s heroine, and her early demise (although Innes' death came as a total and unprecedented shock.)  Her descriptions of motherhood are detailed and so real that you can almost reach through the page and touch them and her storytelling really brought Lexie's London to life.

I like the way the two tales intertwine via the location of buildings- the place where Innes kept his offices is now, fifty years on, the coffee shop that Ted pops into most days- and how the place seems to keep an imprint of its previous occupants. I found the memory loss and deja vu suffered by Ted very atmospheric and also loved the way the author almost violently described the near-death experience Elina had whilst bringing her son into the world, and the after affects of that traumatic labour. I liked this unusual, foreign character, with her artistic bent and her alternative style of dressing. Put a story together that involves art, bohemian fashion, writing, London and unconventional, daring women and it's hard to go wrong with me.

I buy most of my books from charity shops. I will get a Kindle but, for me, nothing quite beats opening a real, living, breathing book. I bought this one from a Saint Francis' Hospice charity shop. I like to support them as they looked after my friend as she died her untimely death from ovarian cancer a couple of years ago. I always manage to find some good reads in this shop, some of them very current, such as Gone Girl, The Dress Thief (which I was about to order from Amazon) and my previous Maggie O' Farrell novel, The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox. I will make it my business to seek out more titles by this riveting author and learnt some lessons regarding writing from reading her work, which is always satisfying to do.

GONE GIRL by GILLIAN FLYNN

GONE GIRL

BY GILLIAN FLYNN

THE BLURB:-

Who are you? What have we one to each other?

These are the questions that Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren't made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone.

So what did happen to Nick's beautiful wife?

THE REALITY:-

Wow, what a masterpiece! I can understand why this book became a best seller and am now looking forward to seeing the film- this is one superb thriller and gets five stars from me.

The detailed descriptions of the characters' psyches are really explored via the writing and your sympathy ends up swinging from person to person. To start with, you feel sorry for Nick but then end up hating him and ditto for Amy. I wish I hadn't allowed this book to fall open at a future page, and hence- SPOILER ALERT!- finding out that Amy was actually alive, but luckily it was near the end of part one, and it's in part two that her story is detailed.

The setting was almost ghostly in its desolation, with the bankrupt town and disused shopping mall eerily described. As the tale progresses, you end up trying to differentiate between what is truth and what is fiction, especially with regard to Amy's diary. I loved all of the minor and not so minor characters and was saddened and touched when Amy got ripped off whilst on the run. I also had no sympathy for Desi, who also had extreme “issues.” The novel certainly makes you explore a whole caveat of personal emotions. I loved the use of quizzes to help you understand Amy and also her diary descriptions of being the “cool girl.” The writer left no stone unturned with the thoroughness of continuity and the tying up of any loose ends (rather like Amy!) Both of their crime research is second to none!

I ended up hating both characters- they are absolutely revoltingly horrid and deserve each other. I know Nick should have kept it in his pants but I do wish that he could have “manned up and grown a pair” and stuck up to this vindictive cow at the end of the novel- either that or simply killed her. Whilst I understand her motive for her wanting to stitch him up (a woman scorned, and all that) she is still an evil cow and deserves to die for what she did.

 

RIMMEL MASCARAS...

I have been using Rimmel make-up since I was a teenager and don't really see the point in upgrading to more (sometimes ridiculously) expensive products that do exactly the same job.  I've tried some of the premium make-up brands and, like anything else, some of the products are better than the cheaper versions, some are the worse and some no different. 

I like sticking to what I know- here's why!

As it's advertised everywhere, I thought I'd give their new Super Curler mascara a go.  I'm not generally swayed by advertising at all, but was in a particularly jovial mood and thought I'd take advantage of Superdrug's "3 for the price of 2" on all Rimmel cosmetics.  Kate Moss advertises this and, despite looking a bit dodgy nowadays, has very nice green eyes (green eyes are the best!!!!)  The same applies to the other Kate (no, not Middleton!) I'm talking Katie Price.  Despite ruining her once pretty looks through extensive plastic surgery, her eyes remain beautiful.

This was okay, but nothing to get your knickers in a twist about- it did the job, the curved brush was neither a help or a hindrance, but it did make my lashes look a bit twisted and spidery.  I'm gonna be sticking to Rimmel's Extreme Volume mascara in black, like I have been doing for AEONS.  With no fancy brush gimmicks, it does what it says on the tin.

Whenever I get to the till at Superdrug, they always try and plug Scandaleyes Mascara- they reckon it's their best seller and are always surprised when I tell them that I don't like this one.  The brush is way too fat and it's like trying to put your mascara on using a hairbrush!

SOMEONE LIKE YOU by CATHY KELLY

SOMEONE LIKE YOU

BY CATHY KELLY

THE BLURB:-

Emma, Leonie and Hannah all want just one thing in life- and then they'll be truly happy.

For just-married Emma, happiness means escaping the control of her domineering father and conceiving a much longed for child with her beloved husband.

For Leonie, divorced mother of three teenagers, it means finding the true love that was missing from her ten-year marriage.

And for Hannah, striking out alone after the man she loved abandoned her, happiness means independence and security- something she doesn't think any man can provide.

But sometimes when you wish with all your heart for a dream to come true, you rick destroying the happiness within your reach.

THE REALITY:-

This chick lit is certainly teaching me something and one of those things is that the men in this particular novel seem to be more in touch with their emotions than I am. Take Emma's Pete, for example, when trying to explain her father's bullying to her: he knows that Jimmy picks on his daughter so that it makes her doubt whether her opinions and feelings are valid, and once that doubt creeps in (as if often does) he can dictate and replace her feelings with whatever he wants them to be, and therefore control her. I'm not a woman who's clued up about feelings and psycho-babble, so it's nice to have things explained to me in black and white (even though I get the jist, it's not something that comes naturally.)

There were certain referenced things I needed to look up. I did not understand the Mr. De Mille bit until I googled him and did wonder what on earth a Saluki woman was (apparently some kind of dog.) I fear that I'm not on the same wavelength as these chick lit writers. Or rather I'm glad. I've never been one for the Loose Women-esque all-girls-together-sitting-and-moaning-about-men sessions. I've always called these sorts of women whingeing harpies.

This book was very long (nearly 700 pages) for a light, bright and trite story, although I did like many of the characters and didn't find it too much like hard work. I admired the way serious issues such as bullying, infertility and Alzheimer's reared their all too realistic heads and was glad that all three of the main characters got some kind of happy ending. I also loved the descriptive and atmospheric descriptions of Egypt, where the three women meet.

My book, The Reject's Club is also long and centres around the friendship between three women, but I think it's much too meaty to be classed as chick lit and has a certain noir quality. Did I enjoy this read? It was okay but nothing spectacular. Would I read Cathy Kelly again? Yes, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so. 

BLACK FOIL PRINT DRESS...

This is my latest Quiz Clothing acquisition...

It's very glam and lovely, with a silver foil print and sequins on the bodice and a floaty, dippy hem.  Perfect for Christmas parties (or any other party, come to that!)  Quiz Clothing is my favourite brand.  This was only £21 and was a Black Friday deal.

I think I might add a small mesh frill to the hem though, to lengthen the skirt without making it frumpy.  I'm not sure I want to wear a pussy pelmet and I'm not skinny like the model.  I also like to be individual and you can bet your bottom dollar that no-one else will think of doing the same.

BLINGING UP THE BORING...

1) Take one Hobbs maxi dress which is beautifully cut but a tad...boring...

2) Shorten it (because I am a titch!)

3) Bling it up, with pink and purple jewels and heart shaped buttons...

And voila!

I wasn't sure about the colour of this one- to me, navy is an old lady's colour, although this french navy is a tad more elegant.  I also pull down the straps to make it off-the-shoulder and s-e-x-y...

Also, this was in the eveningwear range and to me this is the kind of thing you might wear for a nice daytime meal out or on holiday (including to the beach!)

Having said that, I don't really wear this dress so it might end up becoming a top.  We shall see...

Six months later...an update...

I did it!  I turned it into a sex-goddess-supreme, off-the-shoulder top.

Dig the heart-shaped buttons. xxxx

THE REJECT'S CLUB by ELAINE ROCKETT...

I have now re-published The Reject's Club as a tome (full version as opposed to serialization) for those of you who (like myself) prefer tomes.

This is the Kindle version

This is the paperback version.

Note that it's going to still be available as a series.

I am also marketing my work via Wattpad, which allows me to post my novel chapter by chapter, for readers to view.  

Here is the link:-  https://www.wattpad.com/184007509-the-reject%27s-club

I won't be uploading loads of chapters, though- to read the lot you will have to buy my novel.  A girl's gotta make a living somehow!

Agents and publishers take note- I am here and I'm not going away.
I've got about twenty or so more agents to send my work to, in the hope of proper publication.

Once I've done that I'll begin my second novel properly.  So far I've made notes and completed some research but I put this work hold whilst trying to get The Reject's Club "out there."  I just thought it was better to concentrate on one project at a time and give it my all.

DYING TO TELL by ROBERT GODDARD

DYING TO TELL

BY ROBERT GODDARD

THE BLURB:-

Lance Bradley, idling his life away in the little Somerset town of Glastonbury, suddenly receives a call for help from the eccentric sister of his old friend Rupert Adler. Reluctantly, Lance goes to London, to discover that Rupe's employers want him tried for fraud. A Japanese businessman claims he has stolen a document of huge importance. And a private detective is demanding money for trying to trace, on Rupe's behalf, an American called Townley, who was involved in a mysterious death at Wilderness Farm, near Glastonbury, back in 1963.

No sooner has Lance discovered that whatever Rupe was up to is too risky to get involved in than he finds that he already is involved, and the only way to get out is to get in deeper still. Where is Rupe? What is the document he has stolen? Who is Townley? And what happened at Wilderness Farm nearly thirty years before that holds the key to a secret more amazing than Lance Bradly could ever have imagined?

THE REALITY:-

I haven't read a Robert Goddard book for... oh, it must be over fifteen years now. I can't remember the exact story behind Set In Stone but do remember that it was based around a weird, circular building called Otherways and was really great. I might have read one or two other novels of his around the same time, but would have to do my research into that.

This was a thriller in the truest sense of the word, with a fast pace, a few killings and a fair few near misses. The quest to find out the contents of “the letter” created the urge to keep turning the pages. I had to put this book down after the first chapter as I developed viral conjunctivitis, which made it nigh-on difficult for me to read for the best part of ten days, what with the state of my watery, streaming eyes, but I easily managed to pick up the thread. You have to keep on your toes with a thriller, as so many different characters come into play in such a story- it helps to have a good memory!

I loved the descriptions of the cities Lance visited and it was enough to make me want to visit Berlin, San Francisco and Japan (especially Kyoto, home of the Geisha- bucket list!) What happened to Rupert was sad- the price you pay for meddling- but I'm glad that a member of his family avenged that particular crime. With interesting twists and turns right to the end, one of the most interesting involved Mildred's relationship with her simpleton brother Howard. Unsavoury, disturbed and plain unwell older brothers play a theme in my next novel. Those of you who know me well will know where my inspiration for this theme springs from.

BLACK AND WHITE SNOW LEOPARD SPARKLY BAG...

My SuperDean kindly bought me this lovely snow leopard print bag as a pressie, to say sorry for giving me viral conjunctivitis (at my suggestion!)  The photo doesn't really do it justice as you can't clearly see all the lovely diamante sparkles it has stuck onto it.  It also has a long strap for wearing slung over the shoulder.

It came from a shop in Ilford called Saffron and was a bargain at £20.  It was the first shop I went in.  Did I do that female thing of then looking around the whole of the shopping centre before going back to the first shop to buy the bag?  Did I hell- I bought it there and then and went to the pub for a glass of wine.  Life is too short to piss about looking in shops for the sake of it.

I am not a typical woman- I am a geezerbird in heels!

SHAWL COLLAR FOXY COAT...

I love these sexy shawl type collars and I also love tie belt coats that define the waist and give a sexy silhouette, so this coat was a winner on most fronts.  I say most as it does have a design fault- it fastens with large poppers which, as the coat is quite fitted, have a habit of popping open, especially by the boobies!  I think I'm going to have to remove the poppers and add buttons and buttonholes, otherwise it's going to start pissing me off, and that's not conductive to happy wearing.

I picked this up for around £41 in New Look.  A friend had kindly given me a 25% off voucher that she had no use for.

I think the fur must be faux fox...  I was in Southend museum recently and they had some stuffed animals in cages on display.  One of them was a fox and he kind of matched my collar.  I swear he was giving me the evil eye.  Mind you, I don't blame him- I wouldn't want to be stuffed and stuck in a glass cage either.

FELINES BEWARE...ANIMAL PRINT ADORATION...

I bought this dress from Quiz Clothing a while back but have only worn it a handful of times, so I decided to turn it into a top.  I'm never going to win a prize for being the world's best machinist- it was something I really had to work hard at whilst at college, otherwise I wouldn't have passed my fashion course.  I could never work as a machinist or be self-employed sewing for other people- I simply don't have "the knack" and that's with over thirty years' sewing experience behind me.  But my skills are good enough to change that into this and I hope I get more wear out of it.

Call me Kat Slater or Bet Lynch (and many people have!) but I don't think a girl can have too much animal print.  Cats shudder in fear when I walk past!!!!

This leopard and tiger print combination is something I bought from Bay Trading years ago...

I do have a weakness for witchy hems, like this one.  I once designed for a company that supplied Bay Trading and I really loved their signature style- young, feminine, a bit blingy and undeniably sexy.  It's such a shame that they disappeared from the High Street.

SUNGLASSES AND INFECTED EYEBALLS...

I'm as miserable as hell as I have viral conjunctivitis (I'll spare you the photos- I look like something somewhere between The Phantom Of The Opera and Quasimodo- no comments please!)

As well as being red-eyed, sticky, swollen and weepy, I am also a bit photosensitive, so am sitting at my computer with the curtains closed and sometimes, when the sun peeks out from behind the clouds, I need to put my sunglasses on.  Yes, I'm a freak.

These gorgeous sunnies were £5 from River Island, reduced from £13 and well worth it, what with their girly pink frames, gradual-tinted brown lenses and leopard print arms.  I always stick my High Street sunglasses into a Ray-Ban case so that people think I'm an expensive, classy chick and not a common chav!!!!

Here's the lovely Charlie the Chocolate Magic Monkey modelling them for me.

THE VANISHING ACT OF ESME LENNOX by MAGGIE O' FARRELL

THE VANISHING ACT OF ESME LENNOX

BY MAGGIE O'FARRELL

THE BLURB:-

Edinburgh in the 1930s. The Lennox family is having trouble with its youngest daughter. Esme is outspoken, unconventional and repeatedly embarrasses them in polite society. Something will have to be done.

Years later, a young woman named Iris Lockhart receives a letter informing her that she has a great-aunt in a psychiatric unit who is about to be released.

Iris has never heard of Esme Lennox and the one person who should know more, her grandmother Kitty, seems unable to answer Iris's questions. What could Esme have done to warrant a lifetime in an institution? And how is it possible for one person to be so completely erased from a family's history?

THE REALITY:-

This really happened. If a woman didn't “fit in” or was passionate and outspoken, then her husband or her father could have her put into a mental asylum with only a signature from a GP.  Scary and unimaginable nowadays.

I have some personal experience of this. It later transpired that my paternal grandmother, who I believed had died when my father was three, was actually my longest living grandparent, dying when I was six. I recently found out the exact information whilst researching my family tree. As a teenager, it transpired that she “could be still alive” (she was not, by this point) and had actually spent her life in a mental hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown brought on by postnatal depression after having five children (including one who died at birth) in seven years. According to my mother, it was something my father would never talk about- she "went away for good” when he was eight and in those days these kind of things were just not discussed. It's something that should never have happened, wouldn't happen nowadays and is, quite frankly, barbaric. My uncle did some research into her life 25 years ago and I based a small character in my first novel, The Reject's Club, around this theme. I might elaborate upon this more in my second novel, through a different fictitious character and an alternative mental illness.

So, with the benefit of hindsight, it comes with some shock that when I was a feisty teenager, prone to answering back (I prefer to call it sticking up for myself) that I was threatened (on more than one occasion) with being “put away”. When I later developed bulimia, I couldn't confide in my parents for fear that they would deliver on their threat. I later found out that things like that no longer happen (we now have care in the community). Thanks, parents- I love you too. How my father could be like that, I do not know. But then, I suppose I have no idea about his exact experiences and sufferings, so it's wrong for me to judge.

As you can see this book touched a personal nerve in me. I've said it before and I will say it again: I find the attitudes of that generation (post Victorian and pre 1960s) SERIOUSLY OFFENSIVE!

Enough of going off on a tangent! Esme, the institutionalized lady comes out of the asylum sixty years on, seemingly sane. It's a nice twist that her sister, the person partially responsible for her incarceration (and another wrongdoing that I shan't spoil for you) is now the one with a broken mind, in the from of Alzheimer's.

At first I wasn't sure about the style of this book, written in the present tense and with no chapters; instead just sections running into one another. But as you get to know all of the interesting characters, it seems to work. Esme's anger and frustration was so real you could taste it and Kitty didn't escape with a charmed life either. If there is such a thing as karma, she certainly had her share of it metered out. I liked the way the story unfolded, with some unexpected twists, and also the way the ending leaves you with something to work out and think about...

HER OWN RULES by BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD

HER OWN RULES

BY BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD

THE BLURB:-

Meredith Stratton is forty-four and a successful businesswoman.

The owner of six elegant international inns, she is about to celebrate her only daughter's engagement. At this seemingly happy time in her life, Meredith begins to suffer from a strange illness that baffles everyone. Her doctor cannot find a cause for her debilitating symptoms, and, desperate for answers, she seeks the help of a psychiatrist. Through therapy, Meredith peels back the layers of her life to discover the truth behind her most careful creation- herself.

Secrets, survival, redemption and love abound in this compelling story of a woman who uncovers the key to her tormented past, and finds the courage to live by her own rules.

THE REALITY:-

I liked this book form the offset. My own novel, The Reject's Club, is split into three parts: The Present, The Future and The Past, so it was pleasing to see that this novel consisted of a similar formation. This is Barbara Taylor Bradford at her best, writing a beautifully descriptive novel with a bit if a mystery- one that sucks you in completely and makes you want to keep turning the pages to the end conclusion.

I have seen the film version of this book but it was a bit different: in the film Meredith was the product of her mother's relationship with a married man who has a paraplegic wife (if my memory serves me correctly- this would have been ten to fifteen years ago) whereas in the book Meredith has the affair with the married man and has a daughter by him. But both book and film are very gripping so I'm not complaining.

I did question whether Meredith would have lost her early memories regarding her mother completely- after all, she would have been six when she was sent to Australia under some kind of forced adoption scenario. I also questioned why she wouldn't have wanted to find out about her birth mother much earlier in life, but then I suppose that everyone's different and character quirks are what make a story interesting.

I really felt for Kate and her circumstances and could understand her heartbreak, frustration and anger at losing her little girl unnecessarily. It was so awful the way the authorities blocked Kate's progress in finding out what had happened to her daughter. It's sickness. I do hope that this kind of thing doesn't go on nowadays, although a friend did tell me some horror stories regarding the Tony Blair government's adoption quota.

The scenic descriptions (especially Yorkshire) really came to life, as did the emotions involving the recovery of Meredith's memory. Her strive to discover her past was really gripping and made you want to race to the end to find out if she really did get reunited with her mother. A superb novel.

DAUGHTERS OF FORTUNE by TARA HYLAND

DAUGHTERS OF FORTUNE

BY TARA HYLAND

THE BLURB:-

William Melville's daughters are heiresses to the world's most exclusive fashion dynasty. Beautiful and rich, they are envied by all. But behind the glittering facade of their lives, each girl hides a dark secret that threatens to tear their family apart.

Smart, ambitious Elizabeth, the eldest, knows how to manipulate every man she meets, except the one who counts: her father.

Gentle, naïve Caitlin, the illegitimate child, struggles to fit into a world of privilege while staying true to herself.

Stunning, spoilt Amber, the party girl with a weakness for bad boys, is more fragile than anyone realizes.

As each of them seek to carve out her own destiny, they face different choices, which will take them in wildly different directions. But as old wounds resurface and threaten to destroy the Melville empire, their paths will cross again. Because the simple truth is that, no matter how far you go, you cannot escape the claims of family.

THE REALITY:-

I liked this book. The basic structure was very similar to my novel, The Reject's Club, in that there are three main characters. The layout was also of the same ilk, with separate sections devoted to different timescales. The way the chapters were formed, with each semi-dedicated to one of the characters, but not exclusively so, and with new people also flitting in also rang a resounding bell. Boring lecture over! I will now discuss the story.

I read this during time off from work and managed to flatten it in a few days, despite it being nearly 600 pages long. That's child's play to me! Though not the most enthralling story I have ever read, it certainly made me want to turn the pages.

I sympathized with all the characters and their various issues. Elizabeth and Amber clearly needed more attention and recognition from their businessman father, and the latter's descent into depravity, due to the neediness of her nature was truly heart-wrenching. Parents take note- some young women are very, very vulnerable and insecure, and need your protection. I loved the sections detailing Caitlin's boarding school (I BEGGED my parents to send me to boarding school- the idea of independence, midnight feasts et all was very alluring, but sadly they couldn't afford it. I think I would have done much better there that at the state secondary school that I was forced to attend). The incident Caitlin had to suffer was well written and you really felt for the poor girl as men can be such revolting turds sometimes. As a fashion designer, I could really relate to this character. I wish I had attended the same course as she did-  learning the basics of pattern cutting and sewing in the first year before even being allowed to attempt some designing, and then being forced into being original. My course was about copying, copying and more copying. There was no structure to the course and you were expected to “just know” certain things. I didn't have to pay fees as it was all state funded at the time. If I had then I would have asked for my money back, it's as simple as that. Sadly, I hear the place is still exactly the same.

With a good ending that taught me a few things about the workings of the stock market (the author's field of expertise) I was impressed by this book and am looking forward to reading more by Tara Hyland.

BOWTIQUE AND LYDC

During a recent rip to Blackpool I stumbled across a lovely little shop called Bowtique.  It sells stunning handbags, purses and fashion accessories, for those of you that (like me) refuse to grow up and love a bit of glitter and bling.  I bought this stunning changeant hologram purse, which shifts from greeny-blue to bluey-pink in the light.  Wonderful!

I've seen this matching bag on Ebay and I might just get it- at less than £20, it's my kind of price.  The range also comes in a kind of silvery-white colour, with a small or large stud effect- take your pick.

 Bowtique also sell bath bombs and gorgeous smelling soaps that would make great gifts.  Some of the soaps looked like they had Catherine Wheels or Liquorice Allsorts welded inside.  Think Lush but with a more consistent and reasonable price tag.  I would love to work for Bowtique, in a head office capacity, but I checked them out and their head office is in Blackpool.  I may end up living there one day- who knows- although it would be a better place if they kept the Illuminations lit all year round, but for now it's a bit too long a commute.

I did, however, check out the makers of my purse, the London Young Designer's Connection, and it turns out that not only do they make my kind of clothing as well as accessories, but they are also situated just up the road from me in east London and are actually recruiting for a couple of roles that I am more than experienced at doing.  I have sent them a CV and hope that they have the good common sense to meet up with me- having a passion for a particular company is a very good start.

QUENTINS by MAEVE BINCHY

QUENTINS

BY MAEVE BINCHY

THE BLURB:-

Every table at Quentins restaurant in Dublin has a thousand stories to tell. The staff and customers all have tales of their own, and the restaurant itself has had times when it looked set for success, and others when it seemed doomed to failure. Presiding over it all are Patrick and Brenda Brennan, who have made Quentins such a legend- but even their life is not all it seems.

Now Ella Brady wants to make a documentary about Quentins but as she uncovers more of what has gone on, she is forced to confront a devastating dilemma in her own life.

THE REALITY:-

This was the first Maeve Binchy novel I've read. I saw the film adaptation of the excellent Circle Of Friends, starring Colin Firth and Minnie Driver, so when I saw Quentins sitting there on the charity shop shelf I had to give it a go. I read this during a very long National Express journey to Blackpool. The coach travel was part of a package deal and- note to self- in future take the bloody train. It's quicker and less painful.

The best thing about this book was the in-depth descriptions of the various characters that are involved in some way, whether as patrons or more directly, with Quentins. There was a great mix of individuals here and it's interesting to see how they all tie in. I liked the fact that the novel was set in Dublin (somewhere I have visited) and New York (ditto) as I personally could compare experiences, although not that much outside of Quentins was discussed. I also liked the fact that the novel was anti stereotyping the Irish as a bunch of pissheads. I have met a fair few that are like that but I suppose that's true of any race.

For me, the book revolved around Patrick and Brenda, and their story was probably the most heartfelt of all. I also loved Ella's friends, Deirdre and Nuala, who added some ooomph to the story. I have to say, though, that Ella didn't do that much for me and Don was predictable, and it was easy to work out that he'd faked his own death (no spoiler intended- I found it painfully obvious).

I did enjoy the way the story progressed, but Ella's final showdown with Don was just plain weird. With a bit of a nondescript ending and tying up of everything, this book was alright but not spectacular. Having said that, I am certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.

ANGEL by BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD

ANGEL

BY BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD

THE BLURB:-

Angel tells the story of four friends who, when all they had was each other, swore eternal friendship. Now their dazzling careers, their seemingly successful lives are to be disrupted by a devastating singer- and by the shadow of their past.

Rose Madigan is the angel- an award-winning costume designer, she is blessed with worldly goods yet troubled by personal commitments.

Gavin Ambrose is the Hollywood megastar: talented and idolized, true love has eluded him.

Nell Jeffrey is the glamorous head of an international PR company: her secret love for Rosie's brother Kevin pierces her usual shrewdness.

Kevin Madigan, undercover cop, inhabits a world of danger from which he tries to shelter his friends- but evil has a way of spreading.

Angel is the stunning novel of family and friends, of love and loss, of innocence and corruption: it will captivate you from the first page.

THE REALITY:-

Barbara Taylor Bradford once wrote stunning novels- her rags-to-riches saga, A Woman Of Substance is possibly my favourite novel ever and really inspirational. Ditto Voice Of The Heart (very long but incredibly detailed and difficult to put down) and Act Of Will (based upon the story of BTB and her parents' lives). And then at the other end of the scale you get Emma's Secret (a sequel to the former, borderline trite and lacking in continuity) and then there was another book (think it's called Dangerous To Know) that was so far fetched it was laughable. If my memory serves me correctly (and please feel free to put me straight on this if I am wrong) the storyline involved the heroine getting pregnant after an affair with her long-lost son, and then the long-lost son killing himself after falling in love with the heroine's daughter who, being the fruit of his loins, is actually his daughter too. You think it's a tad extreme and unbelievable? Yep, me too. Coincidence is all well and good, but you can have too much of it.

If BTB was a new author starting out she wouldn't find a publisher willing to work with her, it's as simple as that. It makes my blood boil that agents and publishers generally only seem interested in established authors or those with some degree of celebrity. There is so much talent out there, including myself. If you think that last remark is conceited, then TOUGH- I worked hard on my novel, think it deserves to be properly published and my readers agree. So there.

This book was alright but, in typical BTB style, most of the characters were beautiful, successful, rich... and totally two dimensional. I've personally met very few people who have done well out of life and have always wondered what the secret to success is.  Maybe it's living in America, a place where those in charge seem to encourage new ideas and intelligent people. Maybe it's sheer luck. If I knew, I would have cracked the code a long time ago. Mind you, if it's being a workaholic, then forget it. I've always thought them the saddest bunch on earth as there is so much more to life than work.

I would have loved to have read about the main characters' pasts and their joint experiences as orphans. Sunny needed to be developed and Mikey found. I would also have liked Kevin's role as a cop, and the sheer nitty-gritty of the Mafia underworld explored. Now that would have been interesting. I also found Johnny's sudden demise all too convenient- some kind of fallout from his violent death would have made for a brilliant blockbuster ending.

An okay read; with plenty of glamour, great locations, literature and detailed descriptions of historical events- but nothing major to recommend it. BTB, you can do better- sort it out!!!!

FLORAL CROCKERY SET AND MOCK-CATH-KIDSTON MUGS...

I needed some new crockery as the set I owned was more chipped than a street-fighter's teeth, so I was glad to find this twelve piece set going for just £7.50 in Wilkinsons.  I had one of those £5 Love To Shop vouchers, awarded to me for taking part in a survey regarding Newham, London (place of my birth and place of my current life) so I ended up paying just £2.50 for this little lot.  Result!

The set, as you can see, did not include cups, so I nipped over to Sainsbury's to pick up some lovely mugs I'd seen reduced in the sale, for either £1.50 or £1.75 each.  They had gorgeous red poppies and purple orchids splattered on them.

However, they only had the one mug left, and the colours didn't really go with the plate set (or my kitchen decor) anyway, so I was pleased to find four of these floral lovelies going for £1.25 each.

They are very Cath Kidston, aren't they?  I love that brand but it isn't cheap, although I'm not against shopping premium brands during the sales.

When I was buying my flat, I found some lovely, candy coloured, Cath Kidston stripy fabric that was ideal for my kitchen window, but I needed about four metres and they wanted £35 a metre for it!!!!

I was so pleased to source something very similar, albeit of lesser quality (well, that is to be expected) on Shepherd's Bush market for £1 per metre.

One day I will be rich- until that day, common sense applies! 

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA...

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I've ALWAYS wanted to see The Phantom of the Opera, ever since it was first released in 1986.  I've lived in London for 20 years, so can't actually believe that I left it this long.  I had some time spare so booked to visit the matinee performance yesterday, trudging through weather that resembled that of the tropics (think hot rain) and putting in an appearance at Her Majesty's Theatre in Haymarket looking like half-drowned rat.

This show lived up to the hype and then some, and did not disappoint.  I can certainly understand why it's still selling out nearly thirty years after opening.  The performances were exemplary in each and every way and the talents of the performers unmatched. Only the great get to perform in the West End and the singers/ dancers/ actors were all spellbinding and real experts in their field, as you would expect.

I've always steered a bit clear of musicals in general.  I find them too upbeat and zippedy-do-dah for me.  I don't want to listen to cheerful.  And I certainly don't want to see light, bright and trite.  Give me tragedy!  I'm a serious person- MOVE ME!  The only other musical I have seen is the fantastic Blood Brothers, which was suitably dark, and I suppose I'd better give Les Miserables a go in the future (the title of that one appeals to a gloomy cow like myself)...

As for Phantom, the music and the show itself sent shivers down my spine and I found the whole thing incredible moving.  I would certainly go to see it again and am looking forward to doing so.  The only anti-climax was the chandelier scene.  It was a real blink-and-you-miss it thing and I can't remember that much about it.  I don't even think the chandelier lights were on or flickering, it all seemed to happen that fast.  Mind, you, I was way up in the balcony, so was actually sitting higher that the chandelier when it was fully pulled above the stage, so that was no doubt why the impact of the fall and the swing was lost on me.  Next time, I'll go for a seat in the dress circle or stalls.

Swinging chandelier PDF

Lucky Sarah Brightman, having her husband, Andrew Lloyd Webber, so madly in love with her that he wrote a musical for her.  But strange that he should then leave her only a few years later.  Hmmm. 

As Graham Norton pointed out, on his show, to her, 'Andrew Lloyd Webber  is not the prettiest boy in the playground.'

She responded by saying, 'Ah, but he had the biggest willy!'

And I'm sure that you all feel better for being left with that thought in your minds!!!!