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Life Class
LIFE CLASS
A story about art, life, love and learning lessons
The class meets once a week to draw the human figure. For four of its members, life hasn’t lived up to expectations. All have failed to achieve what they thought they wanted in life. They gradually come to realise that it’s not just the naked model they need to study and understand. Their stories are very different, but they all have secrets they hide from the world and from themselves. By uncovering and coming to terms with the past, maybe they can move on to a different and unimagined future.
Dory says she works in the sex trade, the clean-up end. She deals with the damage sex can cause. Her job has given her a jaundiced view of men, an attitude confirmed by the disintegration of her own relationship. The time seems right to pursue what she really wants in life, if she can work out what that is. Love doesn’t figure in her view of the future – she’s always been a clear eyed realist – yet she finds herself chasing a dream.
Stefan is a single-minded loner, whose sole and overriding ambition is to make a living from his sculpture. So how the hell did he find himself facing a class of adults who want their old teacher back? Although love is an emotion he long ago closed off - it only leads to regret and shame - it creeps up on him from more than one direction. Is it time to admit that letting others into his life is not defeat?
Fran - Dory’s older sister - is a wife and a stay-at-home mother without enough to keep her occupied. On a collision course with her mid-life crisis, Fran craves the romance and excitement of her youth. An on-line flirtation with an old boyfriend becomes scarily obsessive, putting everything she really loves at risk.
Dominic - has lived his life knowing all about sex but nothing about love. If he can only find his mother perhaps he can make sense of his past. But perhaps it is a doomed quest and it’s time to look to the future? By accepting the help and love that’s on offer here and now, he has a chance to transform his life.
A story about art, life, love and learning lessons
The class meets once a week to draw the human figure. For four of its members, life hasn’t lived up to expectations. All have failed to achieve what they thought they wanted in life. They gradually come to realise that it’s not just the naked model they need to study and understand. Their stories are very different, but they all have secrets they hide from the world and from themselves. By uncovering and coming to terms with the past, maybe they can move on to a different and unimagined future.
Dory says she works in the sex trade, the clean-up end. She deals with the damage sex can cause. Her job has given her a jaundiced view of men, an attitude confirmed by the disintegration of her own relationship. The time seems right to pursue what she really wants in life, if she can work out what that is. Love doesn’t figure in her view of the future – she’s always been a clear eyed realist – yet she finds herself chasing a dream.
Stefan is a single-minded loner, whose sole and overriding ambition is to make a living from his sculpture. So how the hell did he find himself facing a class of adults who want their old teacher back? Although love is an emotion he long ago closed off - it only leads to regret and shame - it creeps up on him from more than one direction. Is it time to admit that letting others into his life is not defeat?
Fran - Dory’s older sister - is a wife and a stay-at-home mother without enough to keep her occupied. On a collision course with her mid-life crisis, Fran craves the romance and excitement of her youth. An on-line flirtation with an old boyfriend becomes scarily obsessive, putting everything she really loves at risk.
Dominic - has lived his life knowing all about sex but nothing about love. If he can only find his mother perhaps he can make sense of his past. But perhaps it is a doomed quest and it’s time to look to the future? By accepting the help and love that’s on offer here and now, he has a chance to transform his life.
ebook
First published April 25, 2012
14 people want to read
About the author
Gilli Allan
6 books16 followers I write award winning contemporary romantic fiction with an edge. I refuse to prettify or romanticise the tricky business of relationships and love. My philosophy is that life is not a fairy tale. It can be confusing and difficult. Sex is not always awesome; it can be awkward and embarrassing, and it has consequences. You don't always fall for Mr Right, even if he falls for you. And realising you're in love is not always good news. It can make the future look daunting.
All three of my recent books, published by Accent Press - TORN, LIFE CLASS and FLY OR FALL - have received Chill with a Book AWARDS.
I went to art school and originally worked as an illustrator in advertising. I began writing when my son was small and was published immediately. But those early books were not successful - maybe I was ahead of my time? - and there was a long interval before I was published again.
I now live in a beautiful valley in the Cotswold Hills. I wouldn't be able to live the life I do without the support (emotional and financial) of my husband. Our son, Tom, is also an author. His popular history, the Vikings in Britain (by Thomas Williams) will be published by Harper Collins in summer 2017.
All three of my recent books, published by Accent Press - TORN, LIFE CLASS and FLY OR FALL - have received Chill with a Book AWARDS.
I went to art school and originally worked as an illustrator in advertising. I began writing when my son was small and was published immediately. But those early books were not successful - maybe I was ahead of my time? - and there was a long interval before I was published again.
I now live in a beautiful valley in the Cotswold Hills. I wouldn't be able to live the life I do without the support (emotional and financial) of my husband. Our son, Tom, is also an author. His popular history, the Vikings in Britain (by Thomas Williams) will be published by Harper Collins in summer 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 25, 2013
Having read and enjoyed 'Torn' by the same author, I think 'Life Class' is far superior. What makes Gilli Allan's stories unique is their sense of honesty, of gritty realism mixed with a little twist of magic. They take me out of my comfort zone and make me face up to aspects of life it's usually easier to ignore.
Her rural settings also provide a powerful backdrop to her stories - everyday places we recognise on a basic level, but don't always appreciate as we should. The landscapes of both 'Torn' and 'Life Class' are at risk of destruction by societal greed or demands and this makes them fragile and somehow magical.
Life Class concerns a group of people who seem to have few illusions about life, but they do all harbour secret dreams and the author dips in and out of their lives and taps into these dreams in ways that are sometimes painful, shocking and even uncomfortable, but always very true to life.
I did find the story a little slow to start with and the meandering back and forth between characters was sometimes distracting, but as their stories gained momentum, I became completely hooked.
Dory and Fran are two sisters with completely different agendas in life. After Dory's personal and business relationship breaks down she comes 'home' to be near her older sister - and embarks on a journey of self-discovery that makes her gradually start to question everything about her life since childhood. Older sister Fran's life, on the surface, seems perfect, but underneath her public façade runs a deep and private river of dissatisfaction and yearning, which she tries to solve by cultivating a dangerous internet relationship. Added to these complications are the new Life Class teacher, the aloof Stefan - a ghost from the sisters' past - and Dom, a vulnerable young student, new to the class, whose life seems to have been destroyed before it has properly begun.
This powerful mix of complex characters and their problems seem to leap out of the story and almost physically suck you into it - pulling and tugging this way and that as their stories unfold. They are almost frighteningly realistic. And Ms Allan's masterful control of the narrative pace kept me spellbound, unable to find a place to stop reading and therefore carrying on long into the night. I love it when a story does that for me and that's why it has to have five stars. Read it - you will not be disappointed.
Her rural settings also provide a powerful backdrop to her stories - everyday places we recognise on a basic level, but don't always appreciate as we should. The landscapes of both 'Torn' and 'Life Class' are at risk of destruction by societal greed or demands and this makes them fragile and somehow magical.
Life Class concerns a group of people who seem to have few illusions about life, but they do all harbour secret dreams and the author dips in and out of their lives and taps into these dreams in ways that are sometimes painful, shocking and even uncomfortable, but always very true to life.
I did find the story a little slow to start with and the meandering back and forth between characters was sometimes distracting, but as their stories gained momentum, I became completely hooked.
Dory and Fran are two sisters with completely different agendas in life. After Dory's personal and business relationship breaks down she comes 'home' to be near her older sister - and embarks on a journey of self-discovery that makes her gradually start to question everything about her life since childhood. Older sister Fran's life, on the surface, seems perfect, but underneath her public façade runs a deep and private river of dissatisfaction and yearning, which she tries to solve by cultivating a dangerous internet relationship. Added to these complications are the new Life Class teacher, the aloof Stefan - a ghost from the sisters' past - and Dom, a vulnerable young student, new to the class, whose life seems to have been destroyed before it has properly begun.
This powerful mix of complex characters and their problems seem to leap out of the story and almost physically suck you into it - pulling and tugging this way and that as their stories unfold. They are almost frighteningly realistic. And Ms Allan's masterful control of the narrative pace kept me spellbound, unable to find a place to stop reading and therefore carrying on long into the night. I love it when a story does that for me and that's why it has to have five stars. Read it - you will not be disappointed.
May 22, 2013
Huge props to Gilli Allan for her writing. Life Class is about regular people finding their place in the world. Life is tricky, but can be boring in the minutia. Not in the hands of a skilled writer, however. Gilli executes flawlessly with her use of language and her mastery of writing prose. I very much enjoyed the lyrical beauty of her description of life in small town England.
That said, there were a few stumbling blocks throughout the book. The biggest was the loose approach to timeline. The book starts out of sequence by six months, then promptly backtracks to fill in the details. Later, we revisit the opening scenes again. There are genre’s where this style of writing works to build intrigue, but it didn’t fit with Life Class. All it did was add a layer of confusion early on that made it hard for this reader to continue turning pages.
If you are looking for beautiful prose and an in depth look at the complexities of normal, every day life, then you must, must, must pick up a copy of Life Class. Stick with it. The initial “what the hell is going on” will soon subside and by the time you hit chapter five, you’ll be fully committed. It’s worth it. I promise.
I would have gone with 4.5 stars if halves were allowed. Since they're not, I rounded up.
That said, there were a few stumbling blocks throughout the book. The biggest was the loose approach to timeline. The book starts out of sequence by six months, then promptly backtracks to fill in the details. Later, we revisit the opening scenes again. There are genre’s where this style of writing works to build intrigue, but it didn’t fit with Life Class. All it did was add a layer of confusion early on that made it hard for this reader to continue turning pages.
If you are looking for beautiful prose and an in depth look at the complexities of normal, every day life, then you must, must, must pick up a copy of Life Class. Stick with it. The initial “what the hell is going on” will soon subside and by the time you hit chapter five, you’ll be fully committed. It’s worth it. I promise.
I would have gone with 4.5 stars if halves were allowed. Since they're not, I rounded up.
January 18, 2016
I interviewed author Gilli Allan for my blog last November, and when she talked about "the kind of story I would like to read", she immediately had my attention. And I was delighted to find that she delivered exactly what she promised - a satisfying feel-good book I really wanted to read, that spoke directly to me and that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The story was beautifully constructed around a group of people attending a life drawing class. There are four main characters - sisters Dory and Fran, new class tutor Stefan, and young Dom. Dory has returned to her home town of Strouley after the break-up of her marriage, living on her own in her first floor modern maisonette that suits her perfectly, ticking over nicely, working part-time in an NHS sexual health clinic. Her sister Fran is trying to adapt to having her husband under her feet all day after his recent retirement - she's wonderfully drawn as the bored housewife, yearning after more excitement than lunch dates and walking the dog, getting involved in something that provides it but that soon gets out of hand. The relationship between the sisters is so well handled - Fran is the bossy one, trying to sort out her sister's life when it's her own that needs attention. Their interactions are so authentic, so real, that I felt I knew them so well - I loved the way those niggles and resentments that affect families came to the surface with the inevitable explosions that sometimes happen. The sisters are very different - but both are eminently likeable, sometimes frustrating, making the wrong decisions, stumbling along the way, just as we all do.
Stefan begins as remote and not in the least likeable, seeking to make a go of his teaching but passionate about his art: we slowly get to know his story, what makes him as he is, complex and fascinating, and to see him begin to smile. Young Dom, strange and alien, fascinates Fran, and fascinated me equally - and he has an unexpectedly tragic story that proves quite uncomfortable to read.
The author adds a few more perfectly drawn characters - family members, others at the life class, a few life models who don't behave quite as they should, then sits back and allows her characters to play the story out. And it's quite a story - one with themes and developments that I never expected, but with love at its heart. It's a story about people and their relationships, character driven fiction at its best, the grown-up love story I'd hoped for. But it also manages to be a real page turner - I really wanted to see how things turned out for a group of real people I felt I knew so well, with all their faults and failings.
The writing is flowing and natural, shot through with gentle humour - easy to read in some ways, but appropriately difficult in other ways when the themes unexpectedly become rather darker. The art-based detail adds to the story immensely - I was fascinated by the drawing exercises, the materials they used, the construction of the sculptures, the process behind the bronzes. The settings are vividly described with the detail needed to bring it to life - the classroom, the woods around Kitesnest House (past and present), the house itself, the studio at Wyvern Mill, Dory's exploration of Michael's garden. And the pace of the whole is quite perfect - the way the characters were slowly revealed and unfolded mesmerised me.
I'm going on a bit, aren't I? But I hope I'm also managing to tell you why I enjoyed it so much - without telling you the full story, which would be quite unforgivable. I loved Gilli Allan's writing and wish I'd discovered her sooner - I can't believe her books have languished on my kindle for so long. With Life Class, she most certainly has written a story I loved to read - and one that so many others would undoubtedly love equally.
The story was beautifully constructed around a group of people attending a life drawing class. There are four main characters - sisters Dory and Fran, new class tutor Stefan, and young Dom. Dory has returned to her home town of Strouley after the break-up of her marriage, living on her own in her first floor modern maisonette that suits her perfectly, ticking over nicely, working part-time in an NHS sexual health clinic. Her sister Fran is trying to adapt to having her husband under her feet all day after his recent retirement - she's wonderfully drawn as the bored housewife, yearning after more excitement than lunch dates and walking the dog, getting involved in something that provides it but that soon gets out of hand. The relationship between the sisters is so well handled - Fran is the bossy one, trying to sort out her sister's life when it's her own that needs attention. Their interactions are so authentic, so real, that I felt I knew them so well - I loved the way those niggles and resentments that affect families came to the surface with the inevitable explosions that sometimes happen. The sisters are very different - but both are eminently likeable, sometimes frustrating, making the wrong decisions, stumbling along the way, just as we all do.
Stefan begins as remote and not in the least likeable, seeking to make a go of his teaching but passionate about his art: we slowly get to know his story, what makes him as he is, complex and fascinating, and to see him begin to smile. Young Dom, strange and alien, fascinates Fran, and fascinated me equally - and he has an unexpectedly tragic story that proves quite uncomfortable to read.
The author adds a few more perfectly drawn characters - family members, others at the life class, a few life models who don't behave quite as they should, then sits back and allows her characters to play the story out. And it's quite a story - one with themes and developments that I never expected, but with love at its heart. It's a story about people and their relationships, character driven fiction at its best, the grown-up love story I'd hoped for. But it also manages to be a real page turner - I really wanted to see how things turned out for a group of real people I felt I knew so well, with all their faults and failings.
The writing is flowing and natural, shot through with gentle humour - easy to read in some ways, but appropriately difficult in other ways when the themes unexpectedly become rather darker. The art-based detail adds to the story immensely - I was fascinated by the drawing exercises, the materials they used, the construction of the sculptures, the process behind the bronzes. The settings are vividly described with the detail needed to bring it to life - the classroom, the woods around Kitesnest House (past and present), the house itself, the studio at Wyvern Mill, Dory's exploration of Michael's garden. And the pace of the whole is quite perfect - the way the characters were slowly revealed and unfolded mesmerised me.
I'm going on a bit, aren't I? But I hope I'm also managing to tell you why I enjoyed it so much - without telling you the full story, which would be quite unforgivable. I loved Gilli Allan's writing and wish I'd discovered her sooner - I can't believe her books have languished on my kindle for so long. With Life Class, she most certainly has written a story I loved to read - and one that so many others would undoubtedly love equally.
March 26, 2013
Life Class is about 4 individuals coming together for an art class. More specifically a Life Class. There is Stefan, the enigmatic and moody tutor of the class. This is his first teaching class and he is met with more resistance than he had bargained on. The class doesn't want to be taught new skills. They simply want to have fun. And, if Stefan was totally honest, he doesn't want to be a teacher! But, just what are his ambitions?
Then there is Dory, looking for a new start and a new future. In a career working in a sexual health clinic it is a less than conventional job giving her a jaded view of men and relationships in general. She is uncertain what path to take in her career and indeed her life. She's had her heart broken and her life disrupted. Needing to find some direction and a distraction she is talked into going to the life class by her bossy sister Fran.
Fran is on the wrong side of 30 and is is feeling the beginnings of a midlife crisis looming on the horizon and her life spiralling out of control as she hurtles towards her forties. She makes a completely out of character decision and soon begins to regret it, along with the decisions of the past. Trying to find an old boyfriend via the Internet takes her into a place darker than she could have imagined and threatens to destroy the life she settled on. Could things have been different for her if she'd have been brave enough to follow her dreams when she was younger? Is it too late for her?
And lastly, there is the skinny, pale and mysterious teenager Dom, taken in by Stefan, but for what reason? Dom's life has not been easy. A street kid who has seen and been exposed to too much and now fears for his life. Yet, he finds it hard to pull away from the lifestyle that threatens to destroy him in more ways than one. Why has Stefan attached himself to this kid? And why have they been to Dory's clinic?
This is a fabulously well written book and explores the complexities around relationships, the need to be accepted, and the desire for love and family. It examines the choices that are made and the regrets that follow those decisions. Each one of the characters created by Gilli Allan is interesting, and multifaceted. Each of their lives is so different from the other yet connected by their circumstances and an art class. They are all caught in the idiosyncrasy that is human nature and the uncertainty of who to trust in a world that has not been kind. At the heart of the story is love.
But, this is not a conventional hearts and flowers type of love story. It gets caught up in the nitty gritty of life examining difficult subject matter in a tasteful and compassionate manner. We gain an insight into the not so nice side of life and human nature. Can love overcome all of this? You'll have to read the book to find out! This is a great read and I look forward to reading more by this talented author.
Then there is Dory, looking for a new start and a new future. In a career working in a sexual health clinic it is a less than conventional job giving her a jaded view of men and relationships in general. She is uncertain what path to take in her career and indeed her life. She's had her heart broken and her life disrupted. Needing to find some direction and a distraction she is talked into going to the life class by her bossy sister Fran.
Fran is on the wrong side of 30 and is is feeling the beginnings of a midlife crisis looming on the horizon and her life spiralling out of control as she hurtles towards her forties. She makes a completely out of character decision and soon begins to regret it, along with the decisions of the past. Trying to find an old boyfriend via the Internet takes her into a place darker than she could have imagined and threatens to destroy the life she settled on. Could things have been different for her if she'd have been brave enough to follow her dreams when she was younger? Is it too late for her?
And lastly, there is the skinny, pale and mysterious teenager Dom, taken in by Stefan, but for what reason? Dom's life has not been easy. A street kid who has seen and been exposed to too much and now fears for his life. Yet, he finds it hard to pull away from the lifestyle that threatens to destroy him in more ways than one. Why has Stefan attached himself to this kid? And why have they been to Dory's clinic?
This is a fabulously well written book and explores the complexities around relationships, the need to be accepted, and the desire for love and family. It examines the choices that are made and the regrets that follow those decisions. Each one of the characters created by Gilli Allan is interesting, and multifaceted. Each of their lives is so different from the other yet connected by their circumstances and an art class. They are all caught in the idiosyncrasy that is human nature and the uncertainty of who to trust in a world that has not been kind. At the heart of the story is love.
But, this is not a conventional hearts and flowers type of love story. It gets caught up in the nitty gritty of life examining difficult subject matter in a tasteful and compassionate manner. We gain an insight into the not so nice side of life and human nature. Can love overcome all of this? You'll have to read the book to find out! This is a great read and I look forward to reading more by this talented author.
January 27, 2013
Life class opens on Christmas Eve with a boy in hospital. I wanted to know what had happened? Who is the man in the car outside?
The previous September, Dory had moved into a rented maisonette. Her sister Fran has persuaded her to study art at the life class.
Art teacher Stefan Novak is a teacher who is battling against prejudices in relation to this group of people attending the life class. Used to their old tutor and signing on at the end of the summer term, they’re shocked to find they will have to follow a curriculum that could lead to a qualification to enable them to go further with a degree (instead of the unstructured lessons they are used to). Regulars in this class, they have no desire for anything other than using the medium they want and not that prescribed by Stefan. Stefan hadn’t envisioned this life for himself.
Dominic’s life has changed since he met Stefan. He should be in school but isn’t. He has a wad of money … what did he do to receive that amount of cash?
Fran is younger than her husband Peter and with him taking early retirement, she’s suffocating …
Dora has left a long-term partnership and business behind in London and is on the look-out for a new path in life.
Once our four main characters are in place, we journey with them through trauma and change as they face their own fears. The life class is a place where they all come together but their stories also unfold away from the classes.
I enjoyed the sibling relationship between Dora and Fran. Childhood perceptions and adult guilt play a subtle part underweaving their closeness. Fran is quite militant in her belief and advocacy in the causes she supports, which does cause friction between them. I thought it was great how the author created a childhood experience that had significance in Dora’s present life.
The art itself was really enjoyable. I love to look at life from different perceptions (rather than my usual narrow-mindedness!) and Stefan’s instructions, to get the class to look away from the surface and to experiment with different mediums, could also apply to life! It is obvious that the author knows her art in all its shades.
The part of the story that caused me the most intrigue was Dominic and where he fitted in. A teenaged boy who obviously had some awful role models during early childhood but what was his relationship with Stefan? Son? Lover?
Allan deals with sexual health, fertility, dysfunctional families, fostering and internet stalking with realism but sensitivity.
I’ve enjoyed being a part of these characters lives as they deal with their insecurities and etch a life for themselves.
I would like to thank the author for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
The previous September, Dory had moved into a rented maisonette. Her sister Fran has persuaded her to study art at the life class.
Art teacher Stefan Novak is a teacher who is battling against prejudices in relation to this group of people attending the life class. Used to their old tutor and signing on at the end of the summer term, they’re shocked to find they will have to follow a curriculum that could lead to a qualification to enable them to go further with a degree (instead of the unstructured lessons they are used to). Regulars in this class, they have no desire for anything other than using the medium they want and not that prescribed by Stefan. Stefan hadn’t envisioned this life for himself.
Dominic’s life has changed since he met Stefan. He should be in school but isn’t. He has a wad of money … what did he do to receive that amount of cash?
Fran is younger than her husband Peter and with him taking early retirement, she’s suffocating …
Dora has left a long-term partnership and business behind in London and is on the look-out for a new path in life.
Once our four main characters are in place, we journey with them through trauma and change as they face their own fears. The life class is a place where they all come together but their stories also unfold away from the classes.
I enjoyed the sibling relationship between Dora and Fran. Childhood perceptions and adult guilt play a subtle part underweaving their closeness. Fran is quite militant in her belief and advocacy in the causes she supports, which does cause friction between them. I thought it was great how the author created a childhood experience that had significance in Dora’s present life.
The art itself was really enjoyable. I love to look at life from different perceptions (rather than my usual narrow-mindedness!) and Stefan’s instructions, to get the class to look away from the surface and to experiment with different mediums, could also apply to life! It is obvious that the author knows her art in all its shades.
The part of the story that caused me the most intrigue was Dominic and where he fitted in. A teenaged boy who obviously had some awful role models during early childhood but what was his relationship with Stefan? Son? Lover?
Allan deals with sexual health, fertility, dysfunctional families, fostering and internet stalking with realism but sensitivity.
I’ve enjoyed being a part of these characters lives as they deal with their insecurities and etch a life for themselves.
I would like to thank the author for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 14, 2015
Having already read, enjoyed and reviewed Torn by this author, I was expecting Life Class to be a good read too. And it was. As in Torn, the setting and characters are the main strengths of the story.
The descriptions of places are subtle but just detailed enough for the reader to draw up their own pictures of the area, homes, classroom and studio where most of the action takes place.
This time we have four main characters, sisters Dory and Fran, artist, Stefan and teenager, Dom. The first three are slightly older but no wiser than characters in more conventional romances and they're all the more interesting for that. They all have their own very human flaws but it's to the author's credit that they all still remain sympathetic and likeable. The reader wants Fran to find peace, Dory and Stefan to find love and companionship and Dom to get a bit of a break in his difficult young life.
The plot plays out from each of their points of view in turn. This could get tricky and a lot the narrative is introspective, but Gilli Allan is well up to the job of keeping it all flowing and easy to follow.
There's always enough going on to keep you turning the pages. What is the relationship between Stefan and Dom? Will Fran be able to find a way back from the difficulties she gets herself into? Can Dory recover from past troubles and get her life back together again? And, of course, there's the will they /won't they potential for romance.
My only slight nit-pick is the editing. The author has obviously done lots of research into artistic and medical techniques, but there was way too much technical information included in the story. This could have been cut considerably without detracting from the novel or the reader's understanding in any way. However, it's a sign how good the book actually is that it remains a page turner in spite of that.
All in all Life Class is a very good read. Like Torn it's much more complex and layered than chick-lit, definitely Romance-plus, and it's all the more satisfying for that.
The descriptions of places are subtle but just detailed enough for the reader to draw up their own pictures of the area, homes, classroom and studio where most of the action takes place.
This time we have four main characters, sisters Dory and Fran, artist, Stefan and teenager, Dom. The first three are slightly older but no wiser than characters in more conventional romances and they're all the more interesting for that. They all have their own very human flaws but it's to the author's credit that they all still remain sympathetic and likeable. The reader wants Fran to find peace, Dory and Stefan to find love and companionship and Dom to get a bit of a break in his difficult young life.
The plot plays out from each of their points of view in turn. This could get tricky and a lot the narrative is introspective, but Gilli Allan is well up to the job of keeping it all flowing and easy to follow.
There's always enough going on to keep you turning the pages. What is the relationship between Stefan and Dom? Will Fran be able to find a way back from the difficulties she gets herself into? Can Dory recover from past troubles and get her life back together again? And, of course, there's the will they /won't they potential for romance.
My only slight nit-pick is the editing. The author has obviously done lots of research into artistic and medical techniques, but there was way too much technical information included in the story. This could have been cut considerably without detracting from the novel or the reader's understanding in any way. However, it's a sign how good the book actually is that it remains a page turner in spite of that.
All in all Life Class is a very good read. Like Torn it's much more complex and layered than chick-lit, definitely Romance-plus, and it's all the more satisfying for that.
August 23, 2013
'Life Class' is a fast-paced, engaging read. I was drawn to each of the well-drawn characters and Gilli Allan could always make me appreciate where they were coming from, even when I wanted to shout at them. This is also an involving account about the creative arts and the creative process, which I found equally intriguing. The hero is warm and appealing, but very human - he does something which I found hard to forgive, even though I understood. And he is such a rounded character that I could appreciate why the heroine remained with him. By the end I was cheering Dory and Stefan on to their deserved HEA.
September 2, 2012
This is a lovely story exploring a group of people who are all from different walks of life but all joined together through their mutual interest in art.
Lovely sub-story lines between the characters and I enjoyed how each of the chapters focused on one of the leading characters yet you were not leaving the others behind. It is clear that each person is on a journey, whilst most don’t even realise it.
Well written with humour, emotion and is a lovely gentle read. This book will engage you and you’ll want to turn the pages to reach the very satisfying ending.
Lovely sub-story lines between the characters and I enjoyed how each of the chapters focused on one of the leading characters yet you were not leaving the others behind. It is clear that each person is on a journey, whilst most don’t even realise it.
Well written with humour, emotion and is a lovely gentle read. This book will engage you and you’ll want to turn the pages to reach the very satisfying ending.
November 12, 2014
What can I say? As with Torn I got totally hooked. I love the way Gilli writes - although it is a love story, she uses 'grown up' words unlike some 'romantic' novelists who seem to think you have a brain made of mush! (I have to admit that I'm glad my Kindle has a dictionary in it, as I had to use it a couple of times!) I found the characters engaging and believable and really didn't want to finish reading it. Well done Gilli!
December 26, 2013
An emotive, gentle read about several characters who meet once a week at an art class. They have a new teacher who challenges them and their ability which gives cause for tensions to rise. Allan creates lots of sub-plots relating to all the characters which gives the reader plenty to enjoy. On-Off relationship between two characters a tad predictable but otherwise very enjoyable read.
January 14, 2015
I loved this book. The undercurrents that can run between sisters ... misunderstandings that can arise when people make assumptions ... but, of course, a love story. Didn't want it to end.
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