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Tailorstown #1
The Misremembered Man
Jamie McCloone's early years in a grim, cruel orphanage have left him wary of people and anxious of change. Now in his early forties, he has no dreams of changing his lonely life as a bachelor farmer until his kind-hearted neighbours, Patrick and Rose, decide he is in need of a wife.
Lydia couldn't be more different to Jamie. Rector's daughter and proper schoolteacher, she still lives at home, looking after her aged and demanding mother. She dreams constantly of changing her spinsterly fate, but has no idea how to - until a friend suggests she puts an ad in the Lonely Hearts column of the Mid-Ulster Vindicator.
The result is a meeting of absolute opposites: farmer Jamie with his cavalier attitude to personal hygiene and his ignorance of the fairer sex, and Lydia Devine, for whom everything must be folded neatly and laid in its proper place - including her ideal man.
The Misremembered Man is a beautifully rendered portrait of life in rural Ireland which charms and delights with its authentic characters and gentle humor. But the tears it brings to our eyes are not only tears of laughter. This vivid portrayal of the universal search for love brings with it a darker tale, heartbreaking in its poignancy, for Jamie's search for love is truly a search for innocence and the childhood that was stolen from him. In this first novel, McKenna lays bare a sinister period of Ireland's history; one which many would prefer to leave hidden and safe from investigative eyes.
Lydia couldn't be more different to Jamie. Rector's daughter and proper schoolteacher, she still lives at home, looking after her aged and demanding mother. She dreams constantly of changing her spinsterly fate, but has no idea how to - until a friend suggests she puts an ad in the Lonely Hearts column of the Mid-Ulster Vindicator.
The result is a meeting of absolute opposites: farmer Jamie with his cavalier attitude to personal hygiene and his ignorance of the fairer sex, and Lydia Devine, for whom everything must be folded neatly and laid in its proper place - including her ideal man.
The Misremembered Man is a beautifully rendered portrait of life in rural Ireland which charms and delights with its authentic characters and gentle humor. But the tears it brings to our eyes are not only tears of laughter. This vivid portrayal of the universal search for love brings with it a darker tale, heartbreaking in its poignancy, for Jamie's search for love is truly a search for innocence and the childhood that was stolen from him. In this first novel, McKenna lays bare a sinister period of Ireland's history; one which many would prefer to leave hidden and safe from investigative eyes.
324 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,304 reviews
April 17, 2020
Serendipity
The Misremembered Man is a captivating and very endearing story of two mature people dealing with a harsh past, a lonely present and a hope for a renewed future. Jamie McCloone and Lydia Devine are, both strangers, both seeking companionship, and both hoping for something meaningful in their autumn years. They find themselves increasingly alone as family and friends move on or pass away. There is a very sad underlying history and vulnerability with Jamie, particularly as his childhood was spent in an Irish orphanage with all its brutality and abuse. Jamie is a rough-cut farmer, honest and hardworking but socially awkward. Lydia is a school teacher, precise, polished and well-spoken, and carer to her elderly mother.
Lydia needs a partner for a wedding and decides against all logic to advertise in the paper. Jamie who has been coaxed into looking into the newspaper’s Lonely Hearts section sees the advert and decides to respond. His first attempt at a response, before his friends get hold of it, is hilarious, and the black humour is always prevalent throughout the book. Their first meeting was a bit of a shock but there was something really touching and absorbing about him despite his appearance in yellow shoes. The Northern Ireland (Norn Iron) slang is not something you’ll meet too often but you just can’t help reading with a smile on your face as the dialogue is really funny.
The social connections between the characters are very keenly observed and Jamie’s reflections back to the orphanage, are treated with a lighter touch than what may have been expected. I felt that approach was more appropriate for this story and maybe more poignant for it.
The story is not a complex tale and the plot is pretty straightforward but there is a lot of fun journeying through this story. There is a final twist when Lydia’s mother dies and leaves her a life-shattering revelation in a letter. Serendipity is one of life’s mysteries but with it comes hope.
The Misremembered Man is a captivating and very endearing story of two mature people dealing with a harsh past, a lonely present and a hope for a renewed future. Jamie McCloone and Lydia Devine are, both strangers, both seeking companionship, and both hoping for something meaningful in their autumn years. They find themselves increasingly alone as family and friends move on or pass away. There is a very sad underlying history and vulnerability with Jamie, particularly as his childhood was spent in an Irish orphanage with all its brutality and abuse. Jamie is a rough-cut farmer, honest and hardworking but socially awkward. Lydia is a school teacher, precise, polished and well-spoken, and carer to her elderly mother.
Lydia needs a partner for a wedding and decides against all logic to advertise in the paper. Jamie who has been coaxed into looking into the newspaper’s Lonely Hearts section sees the advert and decides to respond. His first attempt at a response, before his friends get hold of it, is hilarious, and the black humour is always prevalent throughout the book. Their first meeting was a bit of a shock but there was something really touching and absorbing about him despite his appearance in yellow shoes. The Northern Ireland (Norn Iron) slang is not something you’ll meet too often but you just can’t help reading with a smile on your face as the dialogue is really funny.
The social connections between the characters are very keenly observed and Jamie’s reflections back to the orphanage, are treated with a lighter touch than what may have been expected. I felt that approach was more appropriate for this story and maybe more poignant for it.
The story is not a complex tale and the plot is pretty straightforward but there is a lot of fun journeying through this story. There is a final twist when Lydia’s mother dies and leaves her a life-shattering revelation in a letter. Serendipity is one of life’s mysteries but with it comes hope.
June 11, 2012
a very emotional and thought provoking read.
Really two stories in one. The chapters alternate between the cruel, oppresive catholic orphange and the comically farcical adventures of two "lonely hearts"
I originally found the alternating chapters of chuckle out loud comedy and heartbreaking tragedy a little odd. It was difficult to have such a sudden wide swing of emotion. However once used to the literal technique I saw that there was a sort of balance with the emotions much like a see saw. I became comfortable then knowing that my next dose of heartbreak/myrth was just around the corner.
To write a piece that varies between the two emotions well is immensly difficult. Christina McKenna does it extremely well with a suple deft hand. Which is amazing considering (I believe?) this her first fiction work.
The plot in essence is not a complicated one and could basically be told in a lot less pages but like any good storyteller she squeezes out every bit of emotional turmoil out of her narrative.
She draws the juxtaposing strands of her tale together with a lyrical dexterity.
In addition the authour has a wonderful turn of phrase! some of my favourite gems include when our Irish compo/forrest gump is feeling depressed "stared at the floor and let the tears rain down inside himself"
Also the cuddly neighbour who uses malapropisms says "a leper doesn't change his socks"
When near to death a character is said to " have his hand on heaven's doorknob" There are quite of few of these pearls in the narrative.
This book made me chuckle on occasions and raised a lump to my throat on occasion. There are 3 tests for any book I read
1. Am I still thinking about it a few days after?
2. Do I want to find out what happens to the
characters after the end of the book?
3. Would I read another unrelated book by
the authour?
In this case the answer to all three is a resounding yes. Well done Christina McKenna
Really two stories in one. The chapters alternate between the cruel, oppresive catholic orphange and the comically farcical adventures of two "lonely hearts"
I originally found the alternating chapters of chuckle out loud comedy and heartbreaking tragedy a little odd. It was difficult to have such a sudden wide swing of emotion. However once used to the literal technique I saw that there was a sort of balance with the emotions much like a see saw. I became comfortable then knowing that my next dose of heartbreak/myrth was just around the corner.
To write a piece that varies between the two emotions well is immensly difficult. Christina McKenna does it extremely well with a suple deft hand. Which is amazing considering (I believe?) this her first fiction work.
The plot in essence is not a complicated one and could basically be told in a lot less pages but like any good storyteller she squeezes out every bit of emotional turmoil out of her narrative.
She draws the juxtaposing strands of her tale together with a lyrical dexterity.
In addition the authour has a wonderful turn of phrase! some of my favourite gems include when our Irish compo/forrest gump is feeling depressed "stared at the floor and let the tears rain down inside himself"
Also the cuddly neighbour who uses malapropisms says "a leper doesn't change his socks"
When near to death a character is said to " have his hand on heaven's doorknob" There are quite of few of these pearls in the narrative.
This book made me chuckle on occasions and raised a lump to my throat on occasion. There are 3 tests for any book I read
1. Am I still thinking about it a few days after?
2. Do I want to find out what happens to the
characters after the end of the book?
3. Would I read another unrelated book by
the authour?
In this case the answer to all three is a resounding yes. Well done Christina McKenna
November 26, 2012
God-blisses-an-save-us! I never thought this book would end! I had no idea it would be so dreadfully twee and romantic, and I'm a bit disappointed in you GoodReads people giving it such a good overall rating. It wasn't right that the nasty parts about the kiddies in the orphanage was the momentum that kept me going through all the heavy-handed Oirishness, and it did not make me feel good about myself!
It would have been one star, but it picks up the second star for the last few pages, as now the characters, writer and reader can breath a sigh of relief that it's all over and I never have to read anything even remotely similar again!
It would have been one star, but it picks up the second star for the last few pages, as now the characters, writer and reader can breath a sigh of relief that it's all over and I never have to read anything even remotely similar again!
May 26, 2013
This was a really good book. It could have been an astounding book but apparently the author's house caught on fire and she didn't have time to properly end it. Had she chosen to do so I would have given this book 5 stars. It had excellent character development and wonderful interactions between the characters.
I think this author would benefit from the services of a very strict editor. There is a lot of promise with this author but she needs to write one more chapter on this one.
I think this author would benefit from the services of a very strict editor. There is a lot of promise with this author but she needs to write one more chapter on this one.
December 27, 2011
This is wonderful book is really two stories with an unexpected ending. The time is 1976 and the two main characters are two lonely people with almost nothing in common. Jamie is bachelor farmer who was raised in a bleak and extremely cruel orphanage in Northern Ireland. He is perpetually depressed because of his lost childhood and the recent death of his adopted father who he refers to as Uncle Mick. Lydia is a sheltered school teacher still living with her mother at age 41. The mother is whining, complaining and demanding due to her selfish fear that she will be left alone in her old age. The recently dead father was a stern minister and obsessively protective. Lydia is not so much depressed as she is oppressed and unable to change things. The second story which is interlaced in alternating chapters is the painful recollection of Jamie's first ten years of life before his adoption. He was mentally, physically and sexually abused. Although these parts are hard to read, they shape the story intimately. This book is beautifully written and the characters are very real and you feel deep sympathy with both of them. They are so alone and need a family so much.... Highly recommended.
May 27, 2013
When the cover of the The Misremembered Man by Christina McKenna flashed up on the Kindle's screensaver two things happened:
1. I bought the book based on the interesting title and pretty cover and;
2. Amazon's ad executives had another reason to pat themselves on the back for orchestrating another successful attack on my wallet.
If you'll notice, at no time during the buying process did I stop to read the book description, check the genre or read any of the existing reviews which, at least in this case, may have stopped me from grabbing up the title in the first place. That would have been my loss. More to the point, if I'd read the severely cut down, vanilla description above I wouldn't have even given this title a chance mainly because it screams 'boring'!
Now literary fiction isn't usually my thing anyway - in fact, it's usually my experience that titles with more interesting descriptions than this one can result in some frustratingly mind-numbing stuff. And don't think for a minute that when I finally got around to cracking open The Misremembered Man and realized that it was a staunch member of the dreaded literary fiction camp that I didn't contemplate cutting and running onto the next title on my list.
This desire to move on was amplified by the adjective laden opening chapters. Thankfully though, the overly descriptive style of the first few pages is tampered down once the stage has been set and the stories of both the weathered, rough-edged Jamie, and the spinster Lydia begins. Centered on each of these characters search for companionship using the classifieds section of the local newspaper, McKenna adeptly weaves in a poignant critique of the church and their gross abuses of children in the Irish orphanages in the 1930's while introducing some truly colorful characters along the way.
Bottom Line: Pick up The Misremembered Man if you have an interest in cultural books about Ireland, love this genre, or you liked titles like A Friend of the Family or Mariana, (although, in my humble opinion, this title is leaps and bounds better than either of those). Avoid it if you're searching out romance or humor as this title is really has very little to offer in either category even though the too short summary would lead you to believe otherwise.
Love what you see here? Don't miss the weekly book reviews, monthly reading suggestions and free book title giveaways by visiting my blog or by following me on Twitter @TheJessle
1. I bought the book based on the interesting title and pretty cover and;
2. Amazon's ad executives had another reason to pat themselves on the back for orchestrating another successful attack on my wallet.
If you'll notice, at no time during the buying process did I stop to read the book description, check the genre or read any of the existing reviews which, at least in this case, may have stopped me from grabbing up the title in the first place. That would have been my loss. More to the point, if I'd read the severely cut down, vanilla description above I wouldn't have even given this title a chance mainly because it screams 'boring'!
Now literary fiction isn't usually my thing anyway - in fact, it's usually my experience that titles with more interesting descriptions than this one can result in some frustratingly mind-numbing stuff. And don't think for a minute that when I finally got around to cracking open The Misremembered Man and realized that it was a staunch member of the dreaded literary fiction camp that I didn't contemplate cutting and running onto the next title on my list.
This desire to move on was amplified by the adjective laden opening chapters. Thankfully though, the overly descriptive style of the first few pages is tampered down once the stage has been set and the stories of both the weathered, rough-edged Jamie, and the spinster Lydia begins. Centered on each of these characters search for companionship using the classifieds section of the local newspaper, McKenna adeptly weaves in a poignant critique of the church and their gross abuses of children in the Irish orphanages in the 1930's while introducing some truly colorful characters along the way.
Bottom Line: Pick up The Misremembered Man if you have an interest in cultural books about Ireland, love this genre, or you liked titles like A Friend of the Family or Mariana, (although, in my humble opinion, this title is leaps and bounds better than either of those). Avoid it if you're searching out romance or humor as this title is really has very little to offer in either category even though the too short summary would lead you to believe otherwise.
Love what you see here? Don't miss the weekly book reviews, monthly reading suggestions and free book title giveaways by visiting my blog or by following me on Twitter @TheJessle
January 20, 2012
This is a debut novel?? It has wonderfully developed characters, humor, tragedy, suspense and a surprising twist at the end. The cover on the copy I read proclaimed it to be a "love story" but don't be mislead. It is not a romance but rather a relating of a journey from loneliness to happiness.
I loved this book. I laughed and cried. I couldn't put it down. It would make a great book club book.
Read it.
I loved this book. I laughed and cried. I couldn't put it down. It would make a great book club book.
Read it.
September 5, 2013
Although I finished reading this book about two months ago, I'm still haunted by parts of it, and I suspect I will be for a very long time. Centered around a man named Jamie McCloone, the novel tells of Jamie's earlier days in a Catholic orphanage in Ireland and how these years continue to affect him as an adult. While parts are the story are amusing, even funny, there's always an undercurrent of sadness. Poor Jamie. Will he ever find love? What about companionship and acceptance? And what about a dose of self-esteem?
The plot is wonderfully thought-out, the scenes are richly described, and the characters are well-developed. I especially like the way the author skillfully writes about the present and then surprises the reader with a dark passage on Jamie's past. The latter scenes were so brutal and harsh that I skimmed some of them. How can people defile, molest, starve, and brutalize little children to such an extent?
I closed the book with a smile. And then I called my brother.
April 8, 2014
I'm glad this was a free book through the Kindle lending library, because I wouldn't have wanted to pay for it. I struggled against my urge to quit reading it multiple times and was happy when it finally ended. The contrast between the alternating chapters was jarring and it didn't even seem like they were from the same book or even author. It made for quite a disconnect between the child Jamie and adult Jamie characters. The present-day chapters were particularly annoying because they dragged on and on with useless details and stories that had nothing to do with the plot. I now hope to "misremember" this book and read something much better!
July 7, 2019
I love this book about two lonely people who meet through newspaper dating.
Jamie, a farmer, is damaged from his upbringing in an Irish orphanage and still suffering from the deaths of his aunt and uncle. When his friends encourage him to seek a mate through the newspaper, he complies because he has a deep desire for love and joy in his life.
Lydia, a teacher, is a spinster who has spent her life caring for her demanding mother. Since her father died last year, her mother is even more harsh and grasping, demanding complete devotion from Lydia. Yearning for love and freedom, Lydia eventually meets Jamie. They are from different worlds; however, they are both searching for love and joy.
This is a beautiful book set in Ireland. I love the plot, the language, the characters, the town; I love everything about this book! I cannot wait to read the next book by Christina McKenna. I shall not forget her name.
Jamie, a farmer, is damaged from his upbringing in an Irish orphanage and still suffering from the deaths of his aunt and uncle. When his friends encourage him to seek a mate through the newspaper, he complies because he has a deep desire for love and joy in his life.
Lydia, a teacher, is a spinster who has spent her life caring for her demanding mother. Since her father died last year, her mother is even more harsh and grasping, demanding complete devotion from Lydia. Yearning for love and freedom, Lydia eventually meets Jamie. They are from different worlds; however, they are both searching for love and joy.
This is a beautiful book set in Ireland. I love the plot, the language, the characters, the town; I love everything about this book! I cannot wait to read the next book by Christina McKenna. I shall not forget her name.
May 15, 2013
A short while into this book I did roll my eyes and wonder if everyone in Ireland had a terrible childhood filled with Catholic-fuelled abuse. And then I began to care about the characters and got really caught up in their simple rural Irish lives.
Jamie, one of the two main characters is a lonely and sad man with very few social skills. The cause of this becomes apparent throughout the book and the sense of hopeless he feels is very believable and real.
Lydia, the other main character, is a woman trapped in a life with her mother, beholden forever. The dusty despair which permeates her life is also very real and as the reader you can almost feel the cloying demands of her mother.
Despite the apparently doom and gloom foundation, this book is actually a wonderful celebration of the inner human light that exists and can survive, regardless of the shit life throws at you.
Towards the end of the book I was reading as fast as I could to see what would happen. Sitting on the edge of my seat I hurtled towards the resolution. Because the book is about the grittiness of life as well as the possible joy to be found, whether the end was going to be happy or not was not clear, until it was revealed.
As a postscript the books informs that the type of orphanage described in the book continued to exist in Ireland until as late as 1996. This horrifies me.
A very readable book despite, or because of, being very real, gritty and harsh.
Jamie, one of the two main characters is a lonely and sad man with very few social skills. The cause of this becomes apparent throughout the book and the sense of hopeless he feels is very believable and real.
Lydia, the other main character, is a woman trapped in a life with her mother, beholden forever. The dusty despair which permeates her life is also very real and as the reader you can almost feel the cloying demands of her mother.
Despite the apparently doom and gloom foundation, this book is actually a wonderful celebration of the inner human light that exists and can survive, regardless of the shit life throws at you.
Towards the end of the book I was reading as fast as I could to see what would happen. Sitting on the edge of my seat I hurtled towards the resolution. Because the book is about the grittiness of life as well as the possible joy to be found, whether the end was going to be happy or not was not clear, until it was revealed.
As a postscript the books informs that the type of orphanage described in the book continued to exist in Ireland until as late as 1996. This horrifies me.
A very readable book despite, or because of, being very real, gritty and harsh.
January 10, 2013
This book startled me. Expecting a sweet and comical Irish romance, instead I got some of the most horrifying descriptions of child abuse I have ever encountered. Grim chapters detailing Jamie’s years in an orphanage that made Oliver Twist’s workhouse seem like a resort spa are alternated with ones that are indeed more light-hearted; by Chapter Eight, I just started skipping those dealing with the orphanage. But even as I read about the developing relationship between Jamie and Lydia, I couldn’t help wondering apprehensively what kind of future they could have together, when he was so obviously damaged by years of neglect and abuse. The ending was therefore something of a relief, but overall I was disappointed that the story was not the “beautifully rendered portrait of life in rural Ireland which charms and delights with its authentic characters and gentle humor” as described on Amazon.
September 9, 2018
DONNA MATURA, amante cucina, giardinaggio, letture, musica e animali, gradirebbe conoscere gentiluomo di gusti simili per incontrarsi e fare amicizia. Casella postale n. 218.
Lydia e Jamie: due cuori solitari, maturi, in cerca di compagnia per ragioni diverse.
Una breve vacanza al mare fa incrociare le loro strade prima ancora che si arrivi all'incontro fatidico, il naturale evolversi dell'inserzione.
Jamie è stato Ottantasei, un bimbo cresciuto in un'orfanotrofio; un bimbo per il quale un adulto che sorrideva nella lunga e deprimente giornata era una vera rarità, un dono.; nonostante abbia subito le angherie più dure, è riuscito a sopravvivere, ma soprattutto a vivere, trovando finalmente la serenità in una famiglia adottiva umana.
Lydia invece ha vissuto sempre in famiglia; la sua vita è stata però dominata da un padre oppressivo prima, e da una madre egoista poi.
Ma anche a lei la vita riserva delle sorprese che comportano dolore e felicità insieme.
Entrambi sognano, aspirando ad una vita diversa.
E diversa lo sarà veramente...
Una storia dolce, quasi una favola, che pian piano viene ricostruita tramite incursioni nel passato. Alcuni passi in cui l'ironia della sorte si abbatte sui più deboli, creando situazioni assurde, mi hanno fatto sorridere...
Forse rasenta la banalità, forse è una storia scontata, ma mi sono piaciuti la semplicità e l'ingenuità, la debolezza e la forza, la bontà e l'altruismo dei personaggi base.
Lettura leggera, ma gradevole.
🌍 Europa Tour con un libro sotto il braccio: 🇬🇧 UK/Irlanda del Nord 🇬🇧
Lydia e Jamie: due cuori solitari, maturi, in cerca di compagnia per ragioni diverse.
Una breve vacanza al mare fa incrociare le loro strade prima ancora che si arrivi all'incontro fatidico, il naturale evolversi dell'inserzione.
Jamie è stato Ottantasei, un bimbo cresciuto in un'orfanotrofio; un bimbo per il quale un adulto che sorrideva nella lunga e deprimente giornata era una vera rarità, un dono.; nonostante abbia subito le angherie più dure, è riuscito a sopravvivere, ma soprattutto a vivere, trovando finalmente la serenità in una famiglia adottiva umana.
Lydia invece ha vissuto sempre in famiglia; la sua vita è stata però dominata da un padre oppressivo prima, e da una madre egoista poi.
Ma anche a lei la vita riserva delle sorprese che comportano dolore e felicità insieme.
Entrambi sognano, aspirando ad una vita diversa.
E diversa lo sarà veramente...
Una storia dolce, quasi una favola, che pian piano viene ricostruita tramite incursioni nel passato. Alcuni passi in cui l'ironia della sorte si abbatte sui più deboli, creando situazioni assurde, mi hanno fatto sorridere...
Forse rasenta la banalità, forse è una storia scontata, ma mi sono piaciuti la semplicità e l'ingenuità, la debolezza e la forza, la bontà e l'altruismo dei personaggi base.
Lettura leggera, ma gradevole.
🌍 Europa Tour con un libro sotto il braccio: 🇬🇧 UK/Irlanda del Nord 🇬🇧
December 19, 2011
This book is an excellent read.
Ms. McKenna does a wonderful job defining her characters. I know them as well as I might know my neighbors. I can see the Irish setting, hear the lilting speech patterns, visualize even the minor characters...all from her writing.
There were terrible parts of the story I didn't enjoy. Such places as the horrific orphanages actually existed, and the ugliness of that reality isn't easy to read about. But to balance out, there were times I laughed out loud.
When farmer Jamie becomes depressed after being left alone with his farm and its animals to care for, his friends decide he needs a good woman.
When schoolteacher Lydia gets out for the summer, her friend gives her something to look forward to besides remaining at the beck and call of her widowed, ailing mother.
This is not a romance, even though it sounds like the beginnings of one. It's a reminder of how inhumane caretakers of children can warp lives. It's also a portrait of how hope is an integral part of the human character. It's also a story of how strange life can sometimes be.
Great book.
Ms. McKenna does a wonderful job defining her characters. I know them as well as I might know my neighbors. I can see the Irish setting, hear the lilting speech patterns, visualize even the minor characters...all from her writing.
There were terrible parts of the story I didn't enjoy. Such places as the horrific orphanages actually existed, and the ugliness of that reality isn't easy to read about. But to balance out, there were times I laughed out loud.
When farmer Jamie becomes depressed after being left alone with his farm and its animals to care for, his friends decide he needs a good woman.
When schoolteacher Lydia gets out for the summer, her friend gives her something to look forward to besides remaining at the beck and call of her widowed, ailing mother.
This is not a romance, even though it sounds like the beginnings of one. It's a reminder of how inhumane caretakers of children can warp lives. It's also a portrait of how hope is an integral part of the human character. It's also a story of how strange life can sometimes be.
Great book.
August 16, 2015
This was a pleasant read and nice slice of Irish life, but could have been better. The ending felt VERY rushed and I was disappointed with that. After reading all the lead up, I felt cheated at the end as the author does not let us see the second meeting of Lydia and Jamie. Waffled between two and three stars so rounded up, but would have given 2.5 stars if I could. I think the author has a lot of potential and nice talent for writing and character development here.
June 30, 2023
This is the debut novel of Northern Irish author Christina McKenna, the first in the Tailorstown series. It is a literary historical fiction that shifts between the 1930s and 1970s in Northern Ireland. The two main characters, awkward farmer Jamie McCloone and prim, repressed school teacher Lydia Devine, are in their 40s and looking for some companionship. Lydia is trying to escape the authoritarian clutches of her mother and to find a date for a wedding. Jamie is egged on by his hilarious, supportive neighbours to embark on a date.
The chapters alternate between the comical present and Jamie’s grim, traumatic and dark upbringing in a 1930s Catholic orphanage, abused and mistreated by the nuns and priests. These chapters were a harrowing read and not for the faint-hearted and probably too much for me. It was at times a sharp juxtaposition between the humorous brogue of Jamie’s neighbours, and then the dank, fetid evil of the orphanage.
This was a well-written read which captures the lilt of rural Northern Irish dialogue brilliantly, but be prepared for the heavier themes, and don’t go in expecting a gentle romance, it is not a romance novel at all. 4 stars.
The chapters alternate between the comical present and Jamie’s grim, traumatic and dark upbringing in a 1930s Catholic orphanage, abused and mistreated by the nuns and priests. These chapters were a harrowing read and not for the faint-hearted and probably too much for me. It was at times a sharp juxtaposition between the humorous brogue of Jamie’s neighbours, and then the dank, fetid evil of the orphanage.
This was a well-written read which captures the lilt of rural Northern Irish dialogue brilliantly, but be prepared for the heavier themes, and don’t go in expecting a gentle romance, it is not a romance novel at all. 4 stars.
May 31, 2017
This was one of the first Kindle books I purchased, sometime back in 2011. I lost track of it, burying it in my Kindle Fire Carousel in an orgy of downloaded free books (back when they used to have Top Free Book listings, by genre).
I tried multiple times to search for it, but could never remember the right keyword to make it surface (having long forgotten the title, which was funny in a way, once I did locate it again (The Misremembered Man, heh)).
The story starts slow, and seems depressing, but compelling, at first, but becomes wholly engrossing not long in. Glad I found it again. I quickly read all three Tailorstown books in succession, after reading this one to the end, finally. Interesting the way the author returns to Tailorstown, for three very different stories. All good. Now I want to read about her mother wearing a Yellow Dress (a memoir she wrote), but it will wait, I'm immersed in multiple other stories now.
I tried multiple times to search for it, but could never remember the right keyword to make it surface (having long forgotten the title, which was funny in a way, once I did locate it again (The Misremembered Man, heh)).
The story starts slow, and seems depressing, but compelling, at first, but becomes wholly engrossing not long in. Glad I found it again. I quickly read all three Tailorstown books in succession, after reading this one to the end, finally. Interesting the way the author returns to Tailorstown, for three very different stories. All good. Now I want to read about her mother wearing a Yellow Dress (a memoir she wrote), but it will wait, I'm immersed in multiple other stories now.
February 12, 2020
Bauer Jamie ist ein sehr einfacher Mann. Keiner weiß, dass seine Unordnung eine Rebellion gegen die Rituale aus seiner Kindheit ist. Auch durch kurze Vergnügen wie rauchen, trinken und zu viel Kuchen, lenkt er sich von den schrecklichen Erinnerungen und Träumen ab.
Lydia, die ordentliche, fromme Lehrerin könnte gegenteiliger nicht sein und ihre Mutter macht deutlich, dass der Mann an ihrer Seite ein gewisses Niveau haben muss.
Aber als die beiden einsamen Seelen über eine Annonce in der Zeitung Partner suchen, ahnen sie nicht wie viel mehr sie bekommen können.
Eine sehr besondere Geschichte. Das Abenteuer Partnersuche hat mich bei beiden auflachen lassen, während furchtbare Erinnerungen und ihre Umgebung mich abwechselnd traurig gemacht oder geärgert haben.
Ich konnte beiden in ihrer jeweiligen Situation gut folgen und mitfühlen, vor allem bei Jamie ging mir Vieles sehr nah - auch wenn ich länger gebraucht habe um richtig in die Geschichte einzutauchen.
Die Autorin lässt in die Gedanken der verschiedenen Figuren, nicht nur der Hauptprotagonisten blicken, was total interessant, oft erschreckend aber auch oft menschlich und selten sympathisch ist.
Jamie ist wirklich eine besondere Figur. Geprägt durch den Missbrauch der Nonnen im Waisenhaus und wegen seines Äußeren gehänselt hat er mir die meiste Zeit einfach nur Leid getan. Auch die Darstellung seiner Hygiene - oder des Mangels daran - war zwar seltsam aber das trägt nur zum Gesamtbild seines tragischen Lebens bei. Wirklich jede Szene in der er es schwer hatte, wie er fertig gemacht, gemieden oder belächelt wird, hat mir zu Schaffen gemacht. Und wie süß er sich bemüht um ansprechender zu werden. Dann war die ganze Sache mit dem Toupet so tragisch-komisch, dass man gar nicht anders kann als ihn zu mögen.
Lydia war ganz anders, aber auch bei ihr konnte ich mitfühlen und habe mich aufgeregt über über ihre Tante, die "dem Lumpenpack" höhere Preise für schlechteres Essen berechnet. Die ist richtig mies. Und auch über ihre furchtbare Freundin Daphne.
Dafür waren Jamie's Freunde toll.
Das Ende hab ich überhaupt nicht kommen sehen.
Da ist zwar auch alles schön angedeutet, das geht genau so weiter, wie man es gerne hätte. Aber ein paar Seiten mehr hätte ich gerne gehabt, die Reunion zu verpassen, nach der Reise mit den beiden, war enttäuschend.
Lydia, die ordentliche, fromme Lehrerin könnte gegenteiliger nicht sein und ihre Mutter macht deutlich, dass der Mann an ihrer Seite ein gewisses Niveau haben muss.
Aber als die beiden einsamen Seelen über eine Annonce in der Zeitung Partner suchen, ahnen sie nicht wie viel mehr sie bekommen können.
Eine sehr besondere Geschichte. Das Abenteuer Partnersuche hat mich bei beiden auflachen lassen, während furchtbare Erinnerungen und ihre Umgebung mich abwechselnd traurig gemacht oder geärgert haben.
Ich konnte beiden in ihrer jeweiligen Situation gut folgen und mitfühlen, vor allem bei Jamie ging mir Vieles sehr nah - auch wenn ich länger gebraucht habe um richtig in die Geschichte einzutauchen.
Die Autorin lässt in die Gedanken der verschiedenen Figuren, nicht nur der Hauptprotagonisten blicken, was total interessant, oft erschreckend aber auch oft menschlich und selten sympathisch ist.
Jamie ist wirklich eine besondere Figur. Geprägt durch den Missbrauch der Nonnen im Waisenhaus und wegen seines Äußeren gehänselt hat er mir die meiste Zeit einfach nur Leid getan. Auch die Darstellung seiner Hygiene - oder des Mangels daran - war zwar seltsam aber das trägt nur zum Gesamtbild seines tragischen Lebens bei. Wirklich jede Szene in der er es schwer hatte, wie er fertig gemacht, gemieden oder belächelt wird, hat mir zu Schaffen gemacht. Und wie süß er sich bemüht um ansprechender zu werden. Dann war die ganze Sache mit dem Toupet so tragisch-komisch, dass man gar nicht anders kann als ihn zu mögen.
Lydia war ganz anders, aber auch bei ihr konnte ich mitfühlen und habe mich aufgeregt über über ihre Tante, die "dem Lumpenpack" höhere Preise für schlechteres Essen berechnet. Die ist richtig mies. Und auch über ihre furchtbare Freundin Daphne.
Dafür waren Jamie's Freunde toll.
Das Ende hab ich überhaupt nicht kommen sehen.
Da ist zwar auch alles schön angedeutet, das geht genau so weiter, wie man es gerne hätte. Aber ein paar Seiten mehr hätte ich gerne gehabt, die Reunion zu verpassen, nach der Reise mit den beiden, war enttäuschend.
August 26, 2016
I am not from Ireland, and have never been there. I am sure this novel is not representative of rural Ireland. I am sure that there were wonderful orphanges which sheltered Irish children.
But that is not the point of this story.
Yes, the orphanage portrayed in the book was cruel and inhumane. However, it is a sad reality of life that places like this exist up to now for children around the world. It is a sad reality of life that the adults in the story still look at unwanted children in the same way the nuns viewed the orphans in their care. And it is a sad reality of life that there are some adults around us now who grew up in such a situation, whether they were a James or a Lydia.
But the sadness or downbeat tone of the story is not the point of this review.
I just loved the way Ms. McKenna wrote it. This is a story with lush description of the characters: the way they lived as rural folk; the insights you get from the clothes they wore, what was in their minds; the sheer terror of the children in such a dehumanizing institution; Lydia whose own parents trapped her with their rigidity and suspicion.
This was a great way to spend the Christmas holidays: after the holiday partying and excesses, to have a few hours to contemplate another kind of life--the starkness of life for some people, to analyze how Ms McKenna could structure the paragraphs and words into such poignant moments and insights, was a great Christmas present in itself.
Thank You, Christina McKenna!
But that is not the point of this story.
Yes, the orphanage portrayed in the book was cruel and inhumane. However, it is a sad reality of life that places like this exist up to now for children around the world. It is a sad reality of life that the adults in the story still look at unwanted children in the same way the nuns viewed the orphans in their care. And it is a sad reality of life that there are some adults around us now who grew up in such a situation, whether they were a James or a Lydia.
But the sadness or downbeat tone of the story is not the point of this review.
I just loved the way Ms. McKenna wrote it. This is a story with lush description of the characters: the way they lived as rural folk; the insights you get from the clothes they wore, what was in their minds; the sheer terror of the children in such a dehumanizing institution; Lydia whose own parents trapped her with their rigidity and suspicion.
This was a great way to spend the Christmas holidays: after the holiday partying and excesses, to have a few hours to contemplate another kind of life--the starkness of life for some people, to analyze how Ms McKenna could structure the paragraphs and words into such poignant moments and insights, was a great Christmas present in itself.
Thank You, Christina McKenna!
May 15, 2012
This is a harsh story of abuse in the Catholic orphanages of mid-century Ireland. But the delightfully and sympathetically depicted characters of 1970 "present" time soften the difficult subject matter and pull the reader into the lives of the lonelyhearts at the core of the story. Jaimie leads a careful life, set in a secure pattern where he minimizes interactions with others. He is recovering from the death of his loving, adoptive father, and even at the age of 40, carries the deepest wounds of abandonment and abuse from his childhood in an orphanage. Lydia has lead a sheltered life under the iron rule of her minister-father and conformist mother. Each at a crisis point of loneliness, they connect through a newspaper personal ad. The novel works in part because the harsh flashbacks of Jaimie's childhood are tempered with the delightful, loving interactions of Jaimie's caring neighbors, an older couple who coax him through his tentative dating venture, the humorous depictions of Lydia's aunt.
What looks like a simple romance has some surprising twists, and the company of the delightful and earnest characters keep the reader happily following along in the small-town milieu.
What looks like a simple romance has some surprising twists, and the company of the delightful and earnest characters keep the reader happily following along in the small-town milieu.
March 18, 2013
I feel a kinship with the Irish for no known reason, so I am always looking at books set in Ireland. This is what attracted me to the book in the first instance. The plot sounded very interesting. And I am not disappointed.
It is a beautifully written book full of pathos and heartache, but also moments which made my laugh out loud.
This is a book of fiction but the parts describing the main character's incarceration in a Catholic orphanage are based on the accounts of real orphans. And those accounts are harrowing. I can't believe the things that were done to these poor children in the name of religion! However, I do not wish to add spoilers. Suffice it to say that despite the desperation and heartache there is, in the end, hope for a better life.
Well worth the read.
It is a beautifully written book full of pathos and heartache, but also moments which made my laugh out loud.
This is a book of fiction but the parts describing the main character's incarceration in a Catholic orphanage are based on the accounts of real orphans. And those accounts are harrowing. I can't believe the things that were done to these poor children in the name of religion! However, I do not wish to add spoilers. Suffice it to say that despite the desperation and heartache there is, in the end, hope for a better life.
Well worth the read.
September 25, 2013
The entire book was overly detailed with unimportant facts -- from the brand and shade of Lydia's face powder to Rose's tchotchkes. McKenna TELLS about her characters, instead of SHOWING us. By page 200, the presumed future lovers had still not met, and I still didn't care about them.
April 6, 2017
The Misremembered Man was Remebered in the end.
This is an intriguing tale of an Irish caricature named Jamie McCloone, colorfully painted with words, descriptions, and the clever usage of old Irish dialect. Furthermore, this is the heartbreaking story of this man who subconsciously desires to overcome the dark past of his orphanhood and goes in search of someone who will help him overcome this oppressive heartache.
In the beginning, the grown Jamie McCloone is resigned to a life of miserable loneliness while living on a rural farm he's recently inherited from his family in Ireland. But some hope remains for Jamie when a respected family friend stops by his farm "one fine class of a morning" to offer some good advice -- that he should need a wife and that he could find one in the personal want-ads in the local newspaper. "Och now, nobody would look at the like of me!" Jamie says, when his friend makes the suggestion, but his friend's wife goes on to encourage Jamie, who later, capitulates and writes an ad with further assistance and encouragement from her . . .
Thus, the book entails a rich contrast of Jamie's rugged rural life and the woman he eventually meets, Lydia Devine, and her cultured city life of cleanliness and refinement. "The Misremembered Man" is the story of two opposites. One of the disheveled Jamie and one of Lydia who lives under an oppressive mother and the moral compass instilled in her by her deceased father. They meet and an intriguing romance begins to bud in this touching story of companionship set in rural Ireland's darker times. The story holds both tragedy and humor, family love and the cold hearted cruelties suffered by children in earlier English orphanages. The reader senses a predictable ending but this story has twists and turns and unexpected moments that are both surprising and conclusive. What a sad life he has until he finally finds happiness. This is a good book for those seeking a heartwarming story in a period setting. Recommended. Courtney Allen, author of Down From the Mountain and Orange Moon
This is an intriguing tale of an Irish caricature named Jamie McCloone, colorfully painted with words, descriptions, and the clever usage of old Irish dialect. Furthermore, this is the heartbreaking story of this man who subconsciously desires to overcome the dark past of his orphanhood and goes in search of someone who will help him overcome this oppressive heartache.
In the beginning, the grown Jamie McCloone is resigned to a life of miserable loneliness while living on a rural farm he's recently inherited from his family in Ireland. But some hope remains for Jamie when a respected family friend stops by his farm "one fine class of a morning" to offer some good advice -- that he should need a wife and that he could find one in the personal want-ads in the local newspaper. "Och now, nobody would look at the like of me!" Jamie says, when his friend makes the suggestion, but his friend's wife goes on to encourage Jamie, who later, capitulates and writes an ad with further assistance and encouragement from her . . .
Thus, the book entails a rich contrast of Jamie's rugged rural life and the woman he eventually meets, Lydia Devine, and her cultured city life of cleanliness and refinement. "The Misremembered Man" is the story of two opposites. One of the disheveled Jamie and one of Lydia who lives under an oppressive mother and the moral compass instilled in her by her deceased father. They meet and an intriguing romance begins to bud in this touching story of companionship set in rural Ireland's darker times. The story holds both tragedy and humor, family love and the cold hearted cruelties suffered by children in earlier English orphanages. The reader senses a predictable ending but this story has twists and turns and unexpected moments that are both surprising and conclusive. What a sad life he has until he finally finds happiness. This is a good book for those seeking a heartwarming story in a period setting. Recommended. Courtney Allen, author of Down From the Mountain and Orange Moon
January 16, 2013
Set in 1970s rural Ireland, The Misremembered Man is an insightful tale of two lonely hearts looking for love. Jamie McCloone, is 41 and a bachelor farmer, still mourning the death of his adoptive parents but his neighbours Paddy and Rose convince him that all he needs is the love of a good woman. Forty year old teacher Lydia Devine feels stifled looking after her cantankerous elderly mother and longs to be happily wed. Their courtship is filled with comic moments as Rose imparts her pearls of wisdom on love and romance to the shy and socially awkward Jamie. However the comedy is balanced perfectly by Jamie’s memories of his traumatic upbringing in an orphanage run by the clergy.
Christina McKenna captures the lilting tones of the Irish idiom perfectly with fleshed out, realistic characters who will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Despite his dreadful childhood, the gentle giant, Jamie, never complains and simply wants some love and affection in his life. On the surface, Lydia seems to come from a much more privileged background but her upbringing in a strict Presbyterian home was arid and joyless. In today’s supposedly “sophisticated” technological age, it might be hard to imagine such a simple world where folk are rather naive and less street-wise than their modern counterparts but, coming from a rural Irish background myself, it all seems very true to life.
A compelling, heartfelt, moving read which would make a wonderful film.
Christina McKenna captures the lilting tones of the Irish idiom perfectly with fleshed out, realistic characters who will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Despite his dreadful childhood, the gentle giant, Jamie, never complains and simply wants some love and affection in his life. On the surface, Lydia seems to come from a much more privileged background but her upbringing in a strict Presbyterian home was arid and joyless. In today’s supposedly “sophisticated” technological age, it might be hard to imagine such a simple world where folk are rather naive and less street-wise than their modern counterparts but, coming from a rural Irish background myself, it all seems very true to life.
A compelling, heartfelt, moving read which would make a wonderful film.
January 9, 2014
The a charming and at time horrific and heartbreaking little story about loneliness and grief and find your way. Jamie is a lonely bachelor in 70's Ireland, grieving over the recent loss of his Aunt and Uncle. Lydia is a single woman entering her 40's single and still living at home caring for her aging mother. How their lives intersect in endearing. The story also covers the extreme abuse Jamie suffered in an orphanage (along the lines of the Magdeline Laundries). This is a quaint story, though is covers difficult topics. However, the author works way too hard at being picaresque and folksy. The language seems at times stilted and a bit too cutesy. The plot is a bit predictable and the end is drawn out in an irritating made-for-television sort of way. It's a bit like reading the first story of a new creative writing student. It tries too hard. That being said, I like the characters, who are warm and tender. Sort of a mixed bag, good story, extremely flowery, over-stated writing.
May 29, 2018
Why did I finish this silly simple book? I guess I wanted to see where the characters would "go."
The story is told through three perspectives: Jamie McCloone, the wobegone farmer mourning the loss of his uncle with whom he shared the farm where he lives; Lydia is a stereotypical "spinster;" and through Jamie's eyes some 30 years before, when he lived in a Dickensian inspired orphanage for poor women to dump their babies.
The plot lines are contrived, the characters are unintentional parodies, and the writing is so insipid that I hated myself for drudging on to see what happens.
And what happens is so maudlin that I wanted to throw the book across the room. Except I was reading it on my laptop.
The story is told through three perspectives: Jamie McCloone, the wobegone farmer mourning the loss of his uncle with whom he shared the farm where he lives; Lydia is a stereotypical "spinster;" and through Jamie's eyes some 30 years before, when he lived in a Dickensian inspired orphanage for poor women to dump their babies.
The plot lines are contrived, the characters are unintentional parodies, and the writing is so insipid that I hated myself for drudging on to see what happens.
And what happens is so maudlin that I wanted to throw the book across the room. Except I was reading it on my laptop.
August 19, 2013
This book was delightfully Irish in every way and brought a warm chuckle at many a silly twist. Yet it had a very harsh and sad tale that wove it's way in and under the central story. The experiences that poor Jamie constantly had to deal with though he probably didn't truly understand why they made him the way they did. However along side his story was another story of a very different life that only at the end do you find out how dissimilar their paths took them though they started at the same place. I would highly recommend this book as a light summer read that surprisingly has a very poignant way of bringing two lives together.
April 27, 2015
I chose this as my April prime-member pick from Amazon. I had been eyeing this book for months and on a whim finally decided to give it a chance after reading mixed reviews. I'm so glad to have read this story that took place in rural Ireland. It was sweet, sad, and I actually learned a lot. Just a great story and now I'm anxious to check out her other two related books.
March 30, 2018
Lovely book that covers Irish culture and language. The author sculptures her words and paints scenes that draw the readers into the Irish lifestyle. Additionally, the twists in plot keep the reader's attention.
March 31, 2025
This is a story of a lonely man, Jamie, who I couldn't help but cheer on because he is so sweet and humble. His first ten years, spent in a Catholic orphanage, were horrible beyond what I want to even think about, yet he is optimistic and seems to bear no ill will toward anyone. Rose, I just love Rose, is his friend who is eager to help him figure out and fulfill his life. She is kind, has a lot to say, and Jamie is happy to listen to her and take her advice (I like this about him).
This is also a story about Lydia, who is not so optimistic, but has a friend, Daphne, who is and wants only the best for Lydia. Thankfully Lydia is willing, with a bit of argument, to take her friends advice.
And so the story goes.
The bothersome areas for me were the chapters about living in the hell of the orphanage being sandwiched in between chapters about current life stuff which are rather lighthearted and sometimes comical. It was difficult to make that transition. Also bothersome is the fact that the story is extremely wordy and could have been just as interesting with half the words.
And this is just for my personal taste, I was hoping for a little bit of revenge. Actually, if truth be told, a LOT of revenge.
This is also a story about Lydia, who is not so optimistic, but has a friend, Daphne, who is and wants only the best for Lydia. Thankfully Lydia is willing, with a bit of argument, to take her friends advice.
And so the story goes.
The bothersome areas for me were the chapters about living in the hell of the orphanage being sandwiched in between chapters about current life stuff which are rather lighthearted and sometimes comical. It was difficult to make that transition. Also bothersome is the fact that the story is extremely wordy and could have been just as interesting with half the words.
And this is just for my personal taste, I was hoping for a little bit of revenge. Actually, if truth be told, a LOT of revenge.
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