Isa & May

by Margaret Forster

The curiously named Isamay, a would-be academic, is trying to write a coherent thesis about grandmothers in history - from Sarah Bernhardt and George Sand to the matriarchal Queen Victoria and other influential grannies -- while constantly ambushed by the secrets her own family has been keeping. An only child, she is named after her grandmothers, Isa and May, who were there at her birth and who have formed and influenced her in very different ways. Jealous of each other, they both want to be first in their granddaughter's affections. Isa has an edge, in that young Isamay looks like her, but Isa's reserved and elegant exterior hides startling surprises that could undermine her granddaughter's certainties. May, on the other hand, is plump, indomitable and opinionated, and it's from her that
Isamay inherits her stubborn determination. Isamay, almost thirty, has never wanted children, but suddenly considers changing her mind. Her live-in lover, Ian (always mysterious about his own family history) is sure that he does not want a child.

Engrossing, set in the present but with hooks into the past, this is an unusual story about grandmothers and their potentially powerful role in family life, about nature vs nurture, bloodlines and bridges across generations.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Literary Fiction, Book Club, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Margaret Forster was educated at the Carlisle and County High School for Girls. From here she won an Open Scholarship to Somerville College, Oxford where in 1960 she was awarded an honours degree in History.

From 1963 Margaret Forster worked as a novelist, biographer and freelance literary critic, contributing regularly to book programmes on television, to Radio 4 and various newpapers and magazines.

Forster was married to the writer, journalist and broadcaster Hunter Davies. They lived in London. and in the Lake District. They had three children, Caitlin, Jake and Flora.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got quite frustrated with this book. I really only finished it because it was a book club book, then our meeting came around & I couldn't make it & I just felt annoyance in having read this book effectively for nothing!
I couldn't make up my mind what the author had in mind when she started to write it. Was she attempting to write a story or was she writing a thesis? I don't think she ever really made up her mind. It was actually her character who was writing the thesis & she had the traditional mental block in writing it which lasted all through the novel. But then, right at the end, all of a sudden the character's thesis was implausibly finished with no explanation, rather as if the author had suddenly realised she'd gone over her word limit. Neither did Isamay's boyfriend's story get satisfactorily explained. Nor the mystery over Isa's "brother".
I found the characters quite hard to believe in, they had been made to be as apparently contradictory to each other as possible. There were too many stories going on, and Forster really did not need to introduce the historical figures into it as well.
Having said all that apparently it provoked a much longer & more heated debate at our book group than usual!

[El · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was surprised this book was by Margaret Forster as it seemed to me to be more of a literature-lite work. There were certain inconsistencies that I found annoying: Isamay's relationship with her partner (very hard to believe); her determination to go through with her pregnancy against his wishes despite previous (unexplained to us) abortions; her relationship with her thesis supervisor. And the unexplained elements (Isa's hidden-away brother; the sudden appearance of the mother at the end) were bemusing. However, I did find the two grandmothers interesting - though they were very much cliched grandmothers: one working-class and grumpy, the other upper-class and distant - and it was revealing to see Isamay's interactions with them. Some of the thesis information about historical grandmothers was also fascinating and I did learn some facts. But I found the characters on the whole unengaging and hard to relate to and, while the story moved along well enough, it wasn't enough to engage me at all times. Disappointing in comparison with other Forster works.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book after reading this recommendation. The concept - grandmothers and their influence on their granddaughters - is unique and interested me, but, although I had no problem staying interested in the book, in the end it was an unsatisfying read. I couldn't identify with any of the characters (not that that is essential), but as presented as ordinary people, none of them felt real. Most seemed as caricatures and the main character, Isamay, was too inconsistent in her thoughts and actions to mold together into a believable personality. I kept reading, still interested in the story, hoping that it would all gel, but it never really did.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have enjoyed previous Margaret Forster books, but this was a let down. First of all the main character and narrator Isamay, was bland and to me unbelievable, who would spend 4 years in a relationship with a person who doesn't share their back ground, family details and who has no interest in yours? and that more or less sums up how i feel about most of the characters, none of them developed, there were hints throughout the novel that May might have caused harm to her own mother, but nothing ever came of it, everything was vague.

This novel was hard work from beginning to end - one for die hard Forster fans only.

[Nicola Herd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was quite disappointed by this book. Perhaps it was because although Isamay claims to be close to her grandmothers, she actually seems to just put up with them. I constantly compared it with my relationship with my Nanna and Grandma, which was truly close...none of the awkwardness that comes across in this book. The constant narrative on her dissertation I found dull, and the climax unsatisfactory. You never really understand what's going on with Ian. Although I think the writing is good, the story isn't. Really struggled to get through to the end...and I think the author did too....the ending doesn't feel like a true ending.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This year I'm reading a book each month named for that month - January Colours, February Flowers, March and The Enchanted April. Like March, this book cheats a little by using May as a woman's name but May books are actually harder to come by than I had first assumed. I got this from my local library rather than buying it and I'm very pleased about that: it'll go back with no regrets and no thought of a repeat reading.

I found this hard because I found it cold. Cold is not always bad - a cold personality or entire novel doesn't necessarily mean I can't be empathetic or interested - but here I was very uninterested in all of the characters, including Isamay, the main character, named for her grandmothers Isa and May. The book is supposed to be about the three of them - indeed, Isamay is writing an MA on 'the importance of grandmothers' but I found the book heavily weighted towards May rather than Isa (a shame, as I was perhaps more interested in Isa.)

I didn't hate this book but I was confused by the things everyone did. May seemed the most realistic character of them all: an old woman prove to grumps and rages and stubbornness just to be stubborn. The relationship between her and Isamay seemed the only true one in the book: I could understand that relationship and see how their ridiculous life-long games worked to sustain it.

But I still didn't care. I found Isamay to act out of her people-pleasing character by keeping a baby against her partner's wishes - why, when she has given them up before? It's never explained to my satisfaction. And, for that matter, what the hell is she doing with her partner in the first place? He is self-absorbed and refuses to tell her anything - at all - about his past. I could not live with a man like that. Isamay is a women literally obsessed with family - her life, thoughts and academic career all rotate endlessly around this theme and what it means - and yet she chose a man who refuses to acknowledge his in any way or make a family with her.

She seems like a woman struggling endlessly to make contact with anyone, just someone, at any time and failing because of the people she's chosen to reach out to. Maybe that's why she decides to have a baby.

[Bowerbird · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book I persevered with rather than enjoyed. Perhaps it deserved another half mark but no more, as none of the characters were interesting enough to make one want to know much more about them. The contrast between the two grandmothers was well brought out but we are given very little about their past and for me they fail to come alive.
The most intriguing was Isamay's partner - a man whose childhood apparently caused him to see no value in families or links with one's personal past. But why Isamay would want a long term relationship with someone so unable/unwilling to confide in her I failed to understand.
Although this is a story about relationships it lacks genuine warmth. Isamay continues with her pregnancy in spite of her partner's opposition, as her biological clock is now ticking. But in the past she has apparently disposed of previous pregnancies and has no regrets.
Are the characters meant to be cold or just damaged by their pasts. The book leaves questions unanswered but by then I didn't much care.
I wouldn't recommend this book to a friend.

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I put off buying this as although [[ASIN:0140258361 Shadow Baby]] is my favourite book of all time, the last couple of Margaret Forster's books didn't hit the same mark as far as I'm concerned.

This book although really plays to the authors exceptional skill in writing about family relationships both those that work and those that don't. The characters were all likeable, especially both Grandmother's who though totally different had both contributed and been involved in Isamays life. I love the way the different relationships including the natural frustrations that occur in family life are described.

Isamays dissertation on other Grandmothers nicely interjects the main story and as it is a dissertation does so in a natural and readable way.

I will read this again I'm sure and have another excuse to remember my Grandmother who helped shape my life

[Cathy Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a pleasure to read an intelligent book with the theme of grandmothers, possibly the most disregarded demographic in fiction (apart from elderly childless women). Via her protagonist, Isamay, Forster examines some of the more interesting grandmothers of history, from George Sand to Sarah Bernhardt, and unravels Isamay's own relationships with her very different grandmothers. It's sustained beautifully, and brings the role of the grandmother into a sharp focus. Thoroughly enjoyable, and reminded me of my own grandmother's and their influences on me.

[Ruth Saville · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Margaret Forster usually, but didn't enjoy this book. The narrative was weak and although the premise was interesting, I felt it never really 'got anywhere' it certainly didn't make any new points as far as the subject matter was concerned. I didn't like the main character either, the only character I feel I connected with was that of May, one of the grandmothers. Oh well, you can't win em all!

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

A confusing read. For the large part badly executed with plot holes and errors in the chronology. It was lazy and sometimes boring and the characters just didn't ring true. I almost gave up around 100 pages but in the end I'm glad I persevered. Disappointing as I've always been a fan of Margaret Forster. Is she losing her touch or is this book just crying out for a good edit?

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the contrast between the two grandmothers.

[Alison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish it. Found the characters irritating and unlikeable!

[Sara Eames · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into this book at all

[Johanna Markson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isa & May, Margaret Forester
One of my favorite writers - Lady's Maid, great book. This novel is about grandmothers and their effect on granddaughters throughout history. At least that is what Isamay's dissertation is about. After college and lots of travel, Isamay, named for her two grandmothers, returns to England, meets a man, studies feminist theory and writes her dissertation. Isamay is also a dutiful granddaughter, spending time with both her posh upper class grandmother and her working class gran. Isamay struggles to find a coherence for her grandmother dissertation by studying certain women in history and their relationships with their granddaughters. Some funny bits whenever she meets with the professor helping her with her work and in her relationship with her salt of the earth gran. Isamay loves family history so when some are partially revealed with her posh grandmother, her attempts at finding out the truth are thwarted at every turn. It took a while to get into the book, and the reader is never sure what conclusion the dissertation makes about the place of grandmothers in feminist theory, but the writing is great, as are the tangled family relationships.

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I used to read Margaret Forster quite a bit. I picked this up out of curiosity at my library, remembering I used to like the family secrets stuff.

The main protaganist IsaMay is struggling to write a coherent dissertation on grandmothers. It would seem that this character's struggle is reflected in Margaret Forster's own struggle to write a coherent about grandmothers. I think she manages the coherence at the expense of liveliness.

As a mother and grandmother of only boys I felt a bit dismissed by the infatuation with grandmothers and grand-daughters. It was as if only women really count.

Maybe its my frame of mind at the moment, but all of the main characters in this book made me feel angry with them. Sorry.

[Maura Heaphy Dutton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing.

I didn't buy the grandmothers, Isa(bel) and May, for one minute. I didn't buy the parents or the boyfriend, or the thesis advisor. They all seemed like plot devices, of the purest cardboard, rather than people. But most especially, I didn't buy the insufferable Isamay.

I actually liked the idea of Isamay's thesis: looking at famous women, as grandmothers. Does it help us consider these famous women in a different light? Were their "grandmotherly" personas different from the celebrities or historical figures we think we know? Were they different as mothers and grandmothers?

Don't know why this interesting topic had to be sweetened by the framing device of the trials and tribulations of Isamay ....

[Hjwoodward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book when I had just become a grandmother, and now, now that I have six grandchildren, I found it so much more absorbing and relevant. I think grandmothers have a strange and rather unique place in a child's life. I think mainly you are (or should be) a safe space. What I particularly liked about this novel is the way it spurred me on to write a little myself!

[Julia Granito · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it a lot. Very entertaining. I loved how distinct the two grandmothers were and I really liked the main character. However, I was hoping for more drama and the main character’s boyfriend was so irritating and I was waiting for her to dump him the entire time.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simply the most boring book ever. The protagonist is not believable & the writing style never picks up. Got to page 100 then simply could not bring myself to finish it. My first ever one star rating. Don’t read this book

[Dawn Marsanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The family story is good and kept me engaged. However, the first part of the book has too many pages devoted to the literary details of the main character's dissertation. I didn't feel this added a lot.

[Teresa D · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found Isamay extremely irritating.

[Sarah Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story. This book is one of my favorites. The characters are so easy to empathize with. This book stayed with me long after I had finished reading.

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, as Margaret Forster always is. But too long - would have benefited from some strict editing.

[Carly Vevers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this but way too many unsatisfactory endings and loose ends

[Herbi (Heather) Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable family mystery

[Sara Caramitti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

[Ann Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant read 😊

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing read with some strong female characters .

[Jessica Feinstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just my kind of book!