This is the story of twins who have chosen to live very different lives. One seems to have the 'perfect life' with a happy marriage, children and successful business while the other is single and working in her own business. But when the perfect life starts to crumble and the other's business begins to succeed, the relationship and expectations between them change. This is especially so when the single twin, very much out of character, goes to Spain, has an affair with a married man and chooses to get pregnant. The whole dynamics of their relationship is now changing.
Kate enjoyed reading it.
JOAN: Daughters In Law
The story concerns a husband and wife and their 3 adult sons. As each of them marry we see the demise of the mother's power and the raising of the power of the daughters in law. It is told from the mother's point of view as she struggles to accommodate the changing role she has with her sons.
"I couldn't stand it...." speed reading required!
WENDY: Next of Kin
The setting is rural England in the 1950s when life in the countryside is very difficult. As the farmers and their families go through hardship, depression, suicide etc it is the women who show their strength, they are the hope for the future and they will change it.
It was not a depressing book and Wendy will read more by this author.
PAMELA: The Rector's Wife
The title embodies the main theme of the novel - a small community can deny a person's individuality. They also can have preconceived notions of role and obligations. There are no heroes or villains. The rector is devastated after he is unsuccessful with an expected promotion and his disappointment becomes inward looking.
His wife takes a job at the local grocer to earn a bit of money to help out her kids and this is seen by the parish and community as an act of undermining her husbands ability to provide for her and his family.
JUDY: A Soldier's Wife
This seems like a modern day version of the previous books with many similarities in plot and characters. This time the main character is a soldier returning from Afghanistan. While he has had a successful tour, he is unwilling and unable to talk to his wife about this, as well as being unable to leave the routine and security of the soldier's life behind. Well meaning friends and relatives try to help but probably make the situation worse. It is not until his wife changes direction with her life, is there any possibility that the marriage can be saved.
Both books featured long suffering wives who must make many sacrifices for their husband to continue with their careers.
KRIS: Girl from the South
A change in setting for this novel...switching between southern USA and London. It follows the lives of several couples, their families and friends. Few of them are able to make a commitment and others find it difficult to fit into their expected life style. Over the year in which the book is set, these dysfunctional characters grow and change.
ROSEMARY & ANNE: Friday Nights
Eleanor is a retired, childless spinster (by choice). Looking out of her window she sees 2 women passing and eventually invites them in and so Friday nights begin. Gradually various others join the group and their children become friends.
When one of them meets a man, the group dynamics change, and gradually their lives also change.
It was easy to read but with no real plot though.
JANE: Marrying the Mistress
An older judge has been having an affair with a younger councillor. He goes home to the wife in the country, she to the modern flat in the city.
Earlier in their marriage, the judge had given his wife the opportunity to have a career but she doesn't want it and goes on to play the long suffering, martyr role. So when the affair is discovered there is no sympathy for the wife.
The story gets bogged down in detail (eg description of the cottage garden) which seems to be used as padding. Again it is a variation of similar themes used in other books by the author.
JO: The Choir
The story is based around a boy's choir in a cathedral town, the internal politics and scandal surrounding it. One of the choir boy's mother is having an affair with the choirmaster, his grandfather, a councillor, wants more say in the running of the cathedral. The boys are pulled in different directions according to what people want them to be. Eventually the cathedral needs money for extensive renovation and so the choir must go.
Jo's opinion was that even though it had been made into a mini series it was only "OK".
JULES also had begun this book, but couldn't finish it.
CLAURINE: Other People's Children
The story is about 3 interconnected families all with interconnected children.
It is very simple writing, but she finished it only because of guilt feelings over not finishing other books.
CONNIE: Brother and Sister
Two children have been adopted and grow up in a loving and secure family. When one of them (later in adult life) decides to look for her birth mother, loyalties and relationships within the families and marriages are tested and changed.
In Connie's opinion, the story really didn't really end. She thought the couples may have got back together again but the book really didn't say.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Judy: The Chalk Girl by Carol O'Connell....strong female character, murders set in New York
Judith: Choir Man by Jonathon Welsh....Choir of hard Knocks, inspirational and entertaining
Connie: Shatter by Michael Robotham ....psychological thriller but quite violent
Pamela: White Heat by M J McGrath....murder set in the cold, bleak tundra of the Canadian Arctic
Is similar to Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg.....mystery thriller, very good read
Joan: Stasiland by Anna Funder....her research for this is used in next book"All That I Am"
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn ....a missing wife, a thrilling story
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