Wednesday, December 10, 2008

This Charming Man

Author: Marian Keyes
Publication Date: 2008
Category: Fiction - chic lit
Who'll want to read it? Fans of Irish female authors

Point of no return: Hard to say - was one of those books where you want to know what happens, but aren't always engaged by the characters

Classic line: "Evening drew to a close. Blanche had to leave. Is dairy farmer. Has sixty head of cattle and has to get up at 5am to milk then. Blanche is a man of means."

What's it all about? The interconnected lives of three women, all of whom have been badly affected by their relationship with the same man - an up and coming politician. Looks at how & why women allow themselves to be manipulated by a certain style of man.

There are some incredibly disturbing passages in this novel and those expecting the previous breezy style of Marian Keyes' earlier novels will possibly be disappointed. The humour is still present, but is in much smaller doses. I was torn between abandoning this - I really felt distressed when reading some passages, but I was compelled to discover how it all worked out.

Publisher: Michael Joseph imprint of Penguin.

2 comments:

Kieran said...

Your words remind me of how I felt reading Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married. The issue of Lucy's alcoholic father and his neediness, coupled with Lucy acting like a doormat,was distressing for me.

Anonymous said...

Similar themes in this - alcoholism & doormat females - distressing - what makes you keep reading is the need to know will there be a catalyst for change & can they change..