From Publishers Weekly
Perfect indulgence for the eponymous set—or pandering to an anticipated audience? Or maybe both? As the London
Evening Standard put it, "The blurb has [the author] down as a simple Surrey housewife who knocked this out between the Hoovering and the hot sex, but further investigation reveals her to be a veteran of book marketing married to the head of Time Warner UK." Go figure! Well, either way, this U.K. bestseller is a frothy page-turner that dissects the relationships, desires and discoveries of five English women, all members of a book club. Over the course of a year, the women read 12 novels (including
Atonement,
Rebecca and
The Alchemist) and, through their playful but intimate discussions (few of which revolve around the books), they bond closely while coping with such matters as a philandering husband, a mother with dementia, a pregnant but unmarried daughter, an infertility crisis, a wedding and a funeral. It's a testament to Noble's characterizations and plotting that the novel is not overwhelming, despite its numerous (perhaps too many) points of view, complicated backstories and interweaving contemporary crises. Light but never flip, this is funny, contemplative and touching reading, and the group's familiar book choices allow readers to feel as if they're part of the gang, too, as they race to the end, eager to find out what happens, why it does and what it all means.
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When a narrator catches you within the first seconds of hearing her voice and when the story is promising, you know you're in for an enjoyable listening experience. Five women meet once a month to discuss a book. During their conversations listeners are treated to discussions of their home lives and the importance of their friendships with the other book group members. All of this is possible because of narrator Gerri Halligan's warmth and compassion. She gives each character her own personality and even gives the group's book critiques the serious tone of book lovers. J.P. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine