A nice wholesome read. I enjoyed the intro from Bruce Beresford and the eulogy as well. The author seemed like an interesting and unique woman.
I enjoyA nice wholesome read. I enjoyed the intro from Bruce Beresford and the eulogy as well. The author seemed like an interesting and unique woman.
I enjoyed this book as it was a trip down a memory lane I was not part of. My home town, and the strictness of the day. Fathers going out to work, and mothers staying at home sewing and cooking. This was the simple part of the story, as we got to know Lisa (she did not like her given name of Leslie) who has just finished her leaving certificate and lucky enough to gain casual employment amongst the ladies wearing black dresses, serving the customers of the fancy department store in the heart of Sydney.
There was humour and sadness, a young girl on the cusp of her womanhood, encouraged by the 'Continental' manager of the Model Gowns section. So very fancy and proper, the employees would wear there own clothes to and from work, and sell their wares in the black dresses, all the while smelling of perspiration and 'work' considering they were only washed once a week.
A nurse was on staff, as well as a canteen, all the while the closed off and brisque manager stressing the importance of the 'girls' having 'a good lunch'.
The young women were a mixed lot, unhappily married, single and wanting the right man, and the strong willed Magda, an immigrant of Slovenia. Introducing Lisa to the delicacies such as salami, Lisa's hard working parents must have wondered what all the fuss was about, considering the name change at the same point in time.
Lisa studied hard and worked hard, she must talk her father into allowing her to study at 'The University' which alludes to USYD, which will make sense after reading the forward.
The author has written a plodding and witty story of suburban life with subtle hints of feminism and coming of age.
I loved the narration of Deidre Rubenstein. She nailed the voices, the older more uppity ladies, the men, the women on the floor of the store and in particular, Lisa's mother who initially seemed much put out about her daughter's new found independance, but slowly came around. Even intimating they may have to find 'some of that salami. We must be able to find it somewhere.'
I listened to this on the BorrowBox platform via my public library, at 1.5 speed....more
Like many of us these days, I stumbled across this title from a screen adaption. Watching first I suppose I formed definite expectations, but happily Like many of us these days, I stumbled across this title from a screen adaption. Watching first I suppose I formed definite expectations, but happily will say I enjoyed the book more.
A therapist in her own little bubble she seems to have it all, perfect job, perfect husband, perfect son, perfect home. Dare I say it - perfect life. This will all be shattered when the ideals she has espoused for an entire lifetime come crashing down so terribly. A smart woman warning her clients against in the precise insidious situation she finds herself in. Grace has married a paediatric oncologist who has a way of ingratiating himself with such falseness that Grace seems to be the last to know.
A dead lover, utter lies and deception, families torn apart by a person so callously able to be all the things one only can dream about, and those things she warns about in her upcoming book entitled ‘You Should Have Known’ Tirelessly written between seeing patients in her private practice in the Upper East Side of New York, and being mum to lovely Henry, a quiet and mature boy.
This soon to be published book warns of the signs individuals should be on the look out before marriage, she is good with her patients and we see many internal observations and judgements placed onto her clients. This is a good juxtaposition we find her in, and the denial that begins to lift the more we learn about the crime committed by her husband, and combined lives built on lies over twenty years. The publicity is reaching serious levels, a piece for Vanity Fair, she is about to be the next big thing.
I loved the slow unfolding of the deviance, the denial of such a smart woman, and easy reading of a sordid tale. It was a quick read with lots of incredulity and astonishing moments. The detectives were interesting, often putting it back on Grace with many statements inferring how she should understand the mind of such a psychopath, and watching Grace begin to understand how life is to be from now on, and that how an individual can live under such pretence for a ridiculous amount of time.
A propulsive and compulsive read, an audiobook which I recommend, accessed through the State Library of New South Wales and the Indyreads platform....more
I am one of the many that watched the Netflix screen version. I did not know about the book, the show recommended by a friend. I liked the show, so grI am one of the many that watched the Netflix screen version. I did not know about the book, the show recommended by a friend. I liked the show, so grabbed the book. I wasn’t disappointed.
An easy read but a large undertaking. Spanning three decades, focusing on two women who love and hate each other in equal measure. Tully, larger than life, daughter of an addict and fatherless. Kate, from a happy home, bookish and smart, lacking confidence where Tully compensates tenfold.
Fashion, music, education all lead these two women to a burgeoning career in television for Tully, and family life and motherhood for Kate. As always, these women ponder on what they don’t have, if their lives had gone in different directions – but what is always paramount in these women’s lives is their love and commitment to each other. The most literal example of best friends for ever that I have read. TullyandKate they are known as, Kate’s family become Tully’s, they embrace her as their own as her mother has chosen her addiction over offspring. Abandonment is Tully's constant companion.
"There’s something wrong with me, Katie,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “She ditched you?” “Like a thief in the night.” “Tallulah Rose Hart, you listen to me right now. I’ll take care of you. Got it? And bring my family with you.” “You don’t have to yell. I’m coming. We all are. But you better have alcohol ready for me when I get there. And I’m not mixing it with that gross juice your kids drink.”
Kate has a family base of calm for Tully, whose life and inner being is in constant turmoil. All her material wealth does not equate to peace, happiness or contentment.
Kate is as meek as Tully is fierce, it was hard to always sense Kate’s lack of confidence and demurring to Tully. They do compliment each other but Kate did grate at times.
Firefly Laneis a book to become absorbed in, I spent lovely hours with it. An easy read, which is always important to me, to pick up and put down with short amounts of reading time available. It is light and heavy in equal measure, feel good and heartbreaking, stereotypical and edgy also. A book being compared to its screen adaption isn’t always necessary, but I enjoyed both, the personalities true to form, the fashion and music resonating brightly. The imagery jumping out at all stages.
An easy five star read, emotional and teary. I am looking forward to the finale Fly Away....more
Late in the afternoon, thunder growling, that same old green pickup rolled in and he saw Jack get out of the truck, beat up Resistol tilted back. ALate in the afternoon, thunder growling, that same old green pickup rolled in and he saw Jack get out of the truck, beat up Resistol tilted back. A hot jolt scalded Ennis and he was out on the landing pulling the door closed behind him. Jack took the stairs two and two. They seized each other by the shoulders, hugged mightily, squeezing the breath out of each other, saying, son of a bitch, son of a bitch, then, and easily as the right key turns the lock tumblers, their mouths came together, and hard, Jack’s big teeth bringing blood, his hat falling to the floor, stubble rasping, wet saliva welling, and the door opening and Alma looking out for a few seconds at Ennis’s straining shoulders and shutting the door again and still they clinched, pressing chest and groin and thigh and leg together, treading on each other’s toes until they pulled apart to breathe and Ennis, not big on endearments, said what he said to his horses and his daughters, little darlin.”
Who’d have known this special movie was based on a short story? Obviously I am late to the party, a common theme with me, but I had no idea. I watched the movie years ago and loved it, and only just realised my work library held the audio CD. I grabbed it quick smart. Excellent and quality narration by Campbell Scott, this is a love story that is never fully realised by our two leading men.
Meeting in summertime, 1960’s, Ennis and Jack meet as ranch hands, their physical attraction immediate. Something catches these two men and summer after summer they try to grab back what they felt that first time. Both marry, and carry on with lives that lack lustre when apart, both joining again for snatches of time in the years to come.
Brutally honest writing as seen in the above excerpt, it is such succinct writing where ridiculous amount of depth is packed into something so small in volume, but so large in everything else.
I loved the scene where two work shirts joined together, unwashed sitting inside each other is a metaphor for a forever love, joined together, never to be parted.
This book was on my radar forever. I watched the series, then quickly jumped on to the audio. I LOVED both. The show was so true to the written form, This book was on my radar forever. I watched the series, then quickly jumped on to the audio. I LOVED both. The show was so true to the written form, I could hear it as I went straight from one to the other. So much of the dialogue word for word. I'm not sure what I'd make of the book had I not watched the series, but I don't at all mind that I watched the adaption first.
The two young people in this story find their 'person'. Both emotionally fragile and quite flawed, so much gets in their way as they are young and don't see (right away) what doesn't matter in life, particularly Connell who is swept up in appearance and what his peer group think - although we see his inner self as quite the opposite.
He pretends to not know Marianne outside of school as she is the high school pariah. Brilliant but shunned, given her sharp and acerbic wit, a woman who truly does not care about the opinion of those around her, teachers and students alike. I loved a quick retort to a teacher about looking out the window in class, she will not suffer fools.
Through this brilliant writing, Sally Rooney shows the audience the normality of life in a lyrical way. Both characters suffer anxiety and depression, Marianne due to a terrible family life, via continually heartbreaking scenes throughout. There is abuse and tones of a terrible loneliness and a disconnect from her family, which causes a general disconnect from life as well. This is throughout the novel, and the reader captures this so easily through innate author skill.
Connell, who seems never to be able to entirely lift himself above the fog of feeling outwardly from his own existence, keeps his head above water ever so minutely, trying to be a part of society, but always feeling less than. Marianne is similar, but never cares as much.
The basic premise of two wonderful characters meeting at school and revisiting each other months and years apart as each go about their education may seem quite plain, but the story is not. It is beautiful and intricate. Both individuals have such depth and beauty in their normality it is impossible to not be drawn in.
What they experience from their initial sexual connection and friendship is completely obvious, and equally sad as they miscommunicate over the years and each suffer and struggle with their lives. Never wavering in support or love, it becomes quite inevitable and sad (for this reader) how it will end.
Connell's mother was a beautiful soul, as a cleaner for the wealthy family for Marianne, she was Marianne's hugest advocate while clearly loving her son, dispending much life wisdom. Marianne not so fortuitous, going things alone much of the time without familial support.
I loved the ah ha moments from each as they realised how little the past mattered, and that many friendships with university and high school friends were not real. Connell and Marianne were always real to each other. Connell would say to Marianne many times 'I love you', I could feel it always. This is a glimpse into two brilliant people's lives over a four year period where both individuals flounder, grow and mature, eventually leading to a satisfying, though extremely thought provoking ending for this reader. I discussed it in length with a work colleague, and picked it up off the shelf at work, just to see the words given I listened to the audio version.
As Connell remarks to Marianne that he was only truly happy during their time at school, before their life journeys and circumstance pulled them apart, I was gutted emotionally in my reading process. I stood still and pondered. This is such a sign of a brilliant read.
If you haven't been lucky enough to have crossed paths with this beautiful book, I wholeheartedly recommend that you do....more
Loading...
