Pack Up the Moon

by Anna McPartlin

THERE'S A BIG LIFE AHEAD OF HER. CAN SHE FIND THE COURAGE TO LIVE IT?

Emma is twenty-six -- pretty, intelligent, and happily living with her childhood sweetheart John in a cute little Dublin apartment. Her biggest problem is that her mother won't stop nagging her to get married already. Emma and John feel like the perfect couple, their future alive with possibilities. But out of the blue, a tragedy throws her life into disarray -- and Emma is suddenly, incomprehensibly, alone.

As she emerges from grief, Emma has to find a whole new way of living, and her loyal friends rally round in an attempt to help. Clodagh, Emma's lifelong friend, with whom she's shared everything from mud pies to dating disasters. Anne and Richard, more-or-less happily married and debating a move to the country. Emma's brother Noel, the young Catholic priest, finding his own faith tested even as he tries to comfort Emma. Seán, the gorgeous bad boy of a thousand one-night stands, uncomfortably aware of his and Emma's growing connection. Witty, acerbic, and sometimes downright shocking, Emma documents the stories of her friends and her own recovery from grief with a candor that engages the reader from the very first page.

With an amazing insight into the power of friendship and a wry, irreverent humor that considers no subject off-limits, talented new Irish writer Anna McPartlin tells a heartwarming story of the courage it takes to move past loss and learn to live.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Ireland, Contemporary, Roman, Adult Fiction

374 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Anna McPartlin is an international best selling author, currently published in 15 languages across 18 countries. Pack Up The Moon and The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes were nominated for Irish book awards. Rabbit Hayes also won a silver readers book award in Germany. In the UK it was a Simon Mayo and Richard and Judy book club pick and in the USA it was a Barnes & Nobel Book of the Month.
In the last few years Anna has been honing her TV scriptwriting skills working on medical drama ‘Holby City’ for the BBC (UK), legal drama ‘Striking Out,’ for RTE (IRE) and historical adaptation Jesus His Life for History Channel (USA).
Anna was nominated for an Irish Film & Television Academy award for her one off bi-lingual drama ‘School Run,’ and is currently in development with Hot Drop Films / Treasure Entertainment and funded by Screen Ireland for the film adaptation of ‘Rabbit Hayes.’ She is also in development for a crime series ‘Serious Crimes,’ with Blinder Productions (Virgin Media) in IRE. A historical crime drama with Noho Film & TV (UK) and ‘Richter,’ an RTE/NZ TV co-production crime drama with Blinder Productions.
Anna’s first children’s book the ‘Fearless Five’ came out May 2019. Her next fiction novel ‘Below The Big Blue Sky,’ is on shelves in UK and IRE in April 2020 and she is currently working on her ninth commercial fiction title.
Anna started out briefly as an actress and stand-up comedian but although her heart wasn’t in performance, she revels in storytelling and shining a light in dark places. Anna’s USP is in tackling difficult subjects with understanding, empathy and humour that spills onto every page.

Reviews

[Lidia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sería 3,5 (y me siento un poco injusta, pero mi yo del futuro lo agradecerá)
Lo mejor:
- La manera de contar de esta autora. Mezclando partes más emotivas con otras más ligeras.
- Lectura muy rápida y engancha
- Buena sensación final. Es una novela que te deja buen sabor de boca.
Por lo que no le doy mayor nota:
- Es ese tipo de historia que sabes "que ya te han contando"
- Muchos de los sucesos lo ves venir. Aunque reconozco que también he pensado que no me importaba demasiado para este tipo de historia.
Creo que merece la pena darle una oportunidad.

[Consuelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowwwwww, Emma se queda en mi corazón para siempre, y Anna pasa a ser de mis favoritas, dos libros leídos de ella y dos joyas, creo que solo queda uno más de ella publicado en castellano y voy a buscarlo...en serio MARAVILLOSO

[littleprettybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

16/20

Anna McPartlin a une nouvelle fois réussi à faire émerger le rire et la joie dans les moments les plus sombres de l’existence avec cette ode à l’amitié et à la vie. Ce roman fait du bien, il est de ceux que l’on aimerait trouver lorsque la tristesse s’empare de nous afin de nous rappeler que le bonheur peut ressurgir à tout instant.

Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...

[Tempo de Ler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Por mais que planeemos…por muito que projectemos… uma simples sucessão de acontecimentos basta para que a nossa vida se altere para sempre. A forma como lutamos para avançar a partir daí, o modo como lidamos com a nossa dor e desespero é a base de Estarás Sempre Comigo.

A autora, Anna McPartlin, fez um extraordinário trabalho a difundir nestas páginas o sofrimento da sua protagonista, Emma, e o vazio que, de um momento para o outro, ameaça consumir a sua existência. Num registo muito puro e directo, McPartlin permite ao leitor aceder desde os pensamentos mais profundos até aos mais triviais de Emma… e fá-lo com uma intensidade inicial tão grande que mal consegui pousar o livro desde o seu primeiro capítulo.

Sabemos, e sentimos, que Estarás Sempre Comigo foi escrito com conhecimento de causa, o que permite que surjam, numa leitura que se classifica como «leve», algumas afirmações gritantemente profundas e perspicazmente sinceras sobre a vida e o que é realmente importante na mesma. Surpreendeu-me a forma simplificada como a autora abordou este nível de complexidade emocional, tornando-a bastante mais credível e muito pouco forçada. Acompanhamos bem de perto a grande luta de Emma, as suas pequenas conquistas, a forma como vai cambaleando entre dias ao início para depois passar a caminhar a uma passada mais regular e, por fim, mais decidida.

A acompanhar e a viabilizar esta magnífica história, temos personagens realistas, cheias de tantas qualidades quanto defeitos e unidas por uma amizade muito especial espelhando tanto a fragilidade e fugacidade da vida como a intensidade e alegria com que esta merece ser vivida.

O estilo de escrita da autora não é nenhum assombro, principalmente graças à proliferação de frases curtas e afirmações espontâneas mas quando colocada em contexto, como eu acredito que deve ser feito, o seu tom funciona muito bem para o que a autora planeou executar.
Pessoalmente, gostei em especial do nível realista deste livro, porque a vida é mesmo assim - como seres complexos que somos, tanto rimos como choramos, tanto perdemos como ganhamos…e, muitas vezes, temos que perder para poder ganhar. Paradoxalmente, conseguimos sentir-nos tão cheios de nada…


*~~~~~~*
Isto não tem nada a ver com a minha opinião sobre o livro mas, e porque conheço alguns microbiologistas que decepariam cabeças a esta menção, não posso deixar de dizer isto! Ao contrário do que é dito no livro, A VARICELA NÃO É PROVOCADA POR UMA BACTÉRIA! Ok…poderão surgir complicações devido a infecção bacteriana subjacente, mas a responsabilidade da varicela como doença cai toda sobre o pequenino VÍRUS zoster.
Pronto! E agora que tirei isto do meu espírito, posso afirmar, em absoluto, que adorei o livro!

[Margarida · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Este ganhei num passatempo (um cabaz de Natal)! Alguma sorte, finalmente! :D
E como já tinha lido outro da autora e não era mau de todo, resolvi começar por este. Não estou a desgostar, é uma escrita leve e descontraída, faz-me de certo modo lembrar Cecelia Ahern, mas não é nada por aí além. Isto na minha modesta opinião, porque tenho lido críticas muito boas. Lê-se bem, mas não vai ficar nos meus 10+ com toda a certeza..."

Este foi o meu primeiro comentário ao fim de 70 páginas. Enganei-me! Detesto quando isto me acontece, mas tenho de reconhecer que me precipitei na análise, porque à medida que foi avançando tornou-se uma leitura muito agradável e até difícil de largar. A escrita leve e descontraída ainda que profunda acabou por me agarrar à história que achei deliciosa, apesar do tema ser a morte e a perda! Consegui sentir a dor de cada uma das personagens, a forma como cada uma lidou com ela, os seus conflitos internos, os sentimentos de culpa, a oscilação entre o chorar e o rir e o seu mais pequeno esforço em tentar ultrapassá-la e seguir em frente! Aprendi que a morte não é necessariamente O Fim! "In the end of the day, Life wins"!

Mas não trata apenas de dor e perda, é acima de tudo uma homenagem ao Amor, à Amizade, à Vida!...

Não irá para os meus 10+, mas foi definitivamente uma boa leitura! Gostei!

[Clarabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waouh. J'ai tellement, tellement aimé cette histoire !
J'y allais pourtant avec une certaine appréhension en sachant qu'il serait question de perte et de deuil culpabilisant pour l'héroïne. Mais finalement la lecture a su me surprendre en m'embarquant dans une aventure humaine, amicale et rayonnante.

C'est donc l'histoire d'une bande de potes à Dublin dont on partage les rires, les larmes et les coups de cœur suite à une terrible épreuve. Emma a perdu son amoureux dans un accident de voiture. Soutenue par sa brigade qui se mobilise jour et nuit pour lui changer les idées, elle va avancer tant bien que mal et emprunter le chemin de la réparation à son rythme (doux et parfois farfelu).
Je ne sais pas l'expliquer, mais il se dégage de cette lecture une euphorie bienfaisante (énergie positive et tutti quanti). J'ai ressenti pleinement leurs coups de blues ou leurs états de grâce. D'ailleurs, on ne pleure quasiment jamais (juste à un moment vers la fin, j'ai eu la boule au ventre). C'est plutôt tout le contraire : on rit, on sourit, on s'esclaffe, on rouspète. C'est dingue !
L'entourage d'Emma est formidable : tous, sans exception. Anne et Richard : le couple pilier, Clodagh : la copine de longue date, Sean : le meilleur pote, Nigel : le frangin prêtre. Même la voisine et les parents sont adorables. Sans oublier les décors irlandais, à couper le souffle.

En comparaison des Derniers jours de Rabbit Hayes (roman lu dans un brouillard opaque tant j'étais malheureuse comme les pierres de subir mon propre deuil), j'ai ressenti un vif élan de tendresse et d'amour pour ce roman de l'auteure - lequel semble impopulaire auprès des fans. Ah bon ? Personnellement je l'adore ! 🥰

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a night that was supposed to be filled with laughter and celebration ends in the tragic death of her boyfriend John, Emma wonders how she will get her life back on track. Emma has friends and family to rally round to help her with her grief though. Trouble is, they all have problems too and the tragic death of John hurts each and every one of them in different ways. There’s Sean, John’s best friend who’s struggling big time with his guilt/grief and ends up hitting the bottle; Clodagh, Emma’s best friend can’t help feeling angry about what happens; Anne and Richard struggle to understand their loss but have each other to help them through their grief and Emma’s brother Noel questions his faith after the death of his friend. As the friends come to terms with their grief, Emma realises that the only way she’ll truly be able to love again is to lay John’s ghost to rest, but is that easier said than done?


Usually when I come across a new author it’s through searching on Amazon, but I actually came across Anna’s books when I was searching for a new background image. I happened upon a site of a book cover designer called Jenny Lloyd and on it, she had the cover for No Way To Say Goodbye by Anna and I loved it (the cover – yes, I judge books by their covers) so I went onto Amazon to see what else Anna had written. I had some spare money left on an Amazon voucher and bought Pack Up The Moon which also had a beautiful cover. It’s been sat on my shelf since August and I finally decided to give it a read.

The book starts with Emma worrying whether or not she’s pregnant and her relief is palpable when there’s no blue line on her pregnancy test. She then carries on her preparations for the night ahead – her friends Richard and Anne have come into some money and are having an inheritance party. It’s at that party where the drama unfolds and John ends up dying. It was such a shock to me as although I knew it was coming, it was still unexpected for me. We then see how the tragedy has affected not only Emma but her friends: Sean, Clo, Anne, Richard and even her brother Noel. It’s very powerful seeing how differently it affects all 6 of them. McPartlin captures the grief of all six friends perfectly and Clo’s in particular was incredibly powerful. It says at the front of the book that Anna lost her parents at a young age so the grief of her characters is undoubtedly real and must be taken from her own experience. Anna explores each friends grief that you can’t help but feel so sad for them all that such a tragic thing has happened to them.

McPartlin has created such a fantastic cast of characters in Pack Up The Moon and there wasn’t one character I disliked. The entire book is narrated by Emma and as it’s her boyfriend that dies, it’s understandable she’s our main character. I quickly warmed to Emma and her sadness over her loss really comes from the pages. As soon as Sean was introduced I loved him immediately. I knew right from the off that he had a soft spot of sorts for Emma and I wondered how long it would take Emma to realise this. Clo, Anne and Richard were all fantastic characters also. I thought Clo was hilarious and I hoped she would eventually find her Mr Right. I really felt for Anne and Richard, not only had they lost a friend but they also seemed to be having problems having a baby. Surprisingly one of my favourite characters was Father Noel, Emma’s priest brother. I’m in no way religious but I could feel the struggle Noel felt regarding the death of his young friend. Noel also appears to be falling in love which adds another dimension to his already confused mind. The only other characters in the book are Emma and Noel’s parents and Doreen, Emma’s neighbour and I loved them also. It truly is a well-rounded cast of characters and there wasn’t one character I disliked which is a rare occurrence.

For most of the book I felt Anna’s writing was a little off. I don’t mean that in a bad way, the sentences just seemed as if they were written in a different way to what I was used to reading – they were short, snappy sentences and it eventually clicked that it seemed as if Emma was writing to someone throughout the entire book. That was very cleverly done and when all was revealed, it all became clearer and I had the ‘ahhh’ moment where it all fell into place. McPartlin’s writing is hugely enjoyable and I felt that I was able to lose myself completely in the book. The ending of the book almost had me in tears. Because I’ve never read one of McPartlin’s books I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to get the happy ending I love to expect. It was touch and go for a while and I wanted to skip to the end of the book to see if it ended happily – I’m such a sucker for a happy ending.

Do not let the pretty cover fool you – Pack Up The Moon doesn’t half pack an emotional punch. It’s definitely an emotional rollercoaster of a read and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. Pack Up The Moon may not be a light or fluffy read but if you like chick lit that packs a punch as well as being heart-warming then this book is for you. Yes, it deals with grief but it also offers hope for loving again and moving past such heartache. Someone may well die at the beginning of the book but it’s an uplifting read and I hugely recommend it.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first I found the narrator's artless, conversational tone engaging. Then as the book dragged on ("progressed" would be inaccurate)I realized that there was nothing resembling a plot, just events following after each other with no dramatic tension or suspense. The love interest was blindingly obvious even for a chick-lit book. Also, the summaries of certain scenes(telling rather than showing) were amateurish and cliche-infested; they went like this: "They talked all night long. He realized that he would have to make a hard choice if he wanted to keep her. In the end they cried together and decided to make their marriage work." Yuck. It wasn't hard to read, though; that's the main reason I finished it.

[Ivonne. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Abril Camino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una novela preciosa, dulce y sencilla. Se nota (o yo he notado, al menos) que es la primera de su autora, de quien solo había leído las dos más recientes, que me parecieron más complejas y mejor escritas. Pero «Más allá del amor» es demasiado bonita como para desmerecerla. Una historia sobre la pérdida, el duelo y la superación, representados en Emma, que pierde a su novio, al amor de su vida, en un accidente y debe rehacerse. Pero también en un grupo de amigos en el que cada uno tiene sus inquietudes, sus miedos y sus sueños en el final de la veintena y el comienzo de la vida adulta "real". Cortita y una delicia.

[Gawelleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai un peu de mal à comprendre la folie autours de cette auteure.
Le livre était bien, un peu comme si Friends se déroulait à Dublin mais s'il était plaisant, c'était sans plus.

[Sol (unlibroparamii) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encantó!! Uno de esos libros que se leen solos, y que los terminas con una sonrisa en la cara.
Me gustó mucho el estilo de la autora (es el primer libro que leo de ella), adoré a todos los personajes (amé a Sean), además todo para en Irlanda y a mi eso siempre me atrapa (no veo la hora de estar ahi!!) , me hizo reir, me hizo llorar, en fin me hizo querer seguir leyendo hasta el final.
Me encantó, podría ser una serie de Netflix, o al menos así lo veía yo mientras lo leía (déjenme delirar un poco que así soy feliz). Seguramente volveré a leer mas libros de esta autora porque estoy segura que me van a gustar.

[Céline · Rating 4 out of 5]

17/20 - Un très joli roman, "feel good" à souhait comme je les aime! Et même s'il n'atteint pas la même puissance émotionnelle que "les derniers jours de Rabbit Hayes", j'ai pris un énorme plaisir à lire cette histoire et je me suis beaucoup attachée aux personnages… Vivement le prochain livre de cette auteure!!

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

oberflächlich, vorhersehbar, nett geschrieben

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a habit, I tend to research a book before I read it. Nothing serious, but I like to look the reviews up on Goodreads or Amazon (for my Kindle). This book was recommended to me by my local book store & I thought it could be a nice, light read so I bought it. I read some of the Goodreads reviews and I didn’t really see any rave reviews of this book, which is understandable because it is chick-lit, after all. (No offense to chick-lit. I admit that I am a chick-lit reader…. go figure.) Anyway, while the authors style of writing was shorter and to the point other than detailed or long-winded, it was nice and I still enjoyed the book.

The actual story was something you could visualize because it was either so relatable or you’ve seen a movie that is almost exactly like it. I swear there were times when I thought I could just turn on the TV and it would be playing out right in front of me.
It’s about a girl in her mid-twenties that has established a pretty good life & is very comfortable in it. She has a group of friends that has been together for what seems like their whole lives (for the most part) and they are all extremely close. This group includes her with 2 other girls and 3 guys, one of which is her long-time child-hood boyfriend. Their world is shattered when her boyfriend is killed in an accident and you journey with each of them through the grieving & re-building process. I especially liked how she summed the book up as a type of tell-all journal to her daughter. Sorry for the spoiler, but I had to mention it because it’s something I can relate to as I also have a journal(s) that I write in off & on for my own children. Life just goes by so quickly and it’s so easy to forget the things that make you smile, laugh, cry, etc. It saddens me to know that the moments that mean so much to me at this time will more than likely be forgotten.

And besides… they’re in Ireland and I loved that! I think Europeans are just cool in general. That was a seller of its own! :D

Oh! And it also reminded me of Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (which I HATED!!! and was a huge disappointment because I LOVE Sophie Kinsella). Pack Up the Moon was better written, making the story so much more enjoyable.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful heart warming tale about death, grieving, love, friendship, family and all the ups and downs of life. Laugh out loud funny at times and tear invoking at others.
Anna McPartlin has a gift for telling stories and making you love the characters she creates.

[Diana Barbosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ofereceram-me como prenda de aniversário atrasada :) tão bom :D

[Raquel Fernández · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ésta es la historia de Emma, una chica normal que lleva una vida normal: tiene un trabajo como profesora, buenos amigos y a John, su amor de la infancia, a su lado. Pero cuando John muere en un accidente, ella tendrá que afrontar la vida sola. Emma se sume en una pena de la que sólo sus amigos­­ podrán sacarla. Un día, un gato aparece sin invitación en la repisa de su ventana y será el precursor de una serie de increíbles acontecimientos que harán que Emma recupere las ganas de vivir.

Una lectura amena, donde tratamos la muerte, el duelo, la amistad, todo ello bañado de un humor ya característico en esta autora. Pese a que no ha sido una novela que me haya marcado, así como, desde mi punto de vista, es la más sencilla de esta autora, me ha gustado la historia y la sencilla escritura de esta escritora de una vez más me ha cautivado.

[Alissa Beaulieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un livre qui se lit bien, qui est simple et qui fait du bien. J’ai trouvé qu’il y avait certaines longueurs par moment, mais pas au point de me faire décrocher. J’ai ri et même été émue quelques fois.. c’est un livre qui représente bien la vie quotidienne de jeunes adultes, en sautant quelques mois/années entre les chapitres.

[Julia Granni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Anfang war sehr traurig und berührend. Allerdings wird die anfängliche Trauer recht schnell von anderen, oft nicht so interessanten Handlungen und einer vorhersehbaren Liebesgeschichte verdrängt. Insgesamt lässt sich das Buch schnell lesen und ich mochte die Charaktere.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is horrible. It has no plot and was slow and pointless from the second chapter. There is absolutely no character development. And the writing is no good. I don't think the author has ever heard of complex sentences, or even sentences that are longer than five words. Much of the book was like this (and I'm paraphrasing):

We met up. We ate. We watched TV. We laughed.

You know, they do a lot of laughing but very little of the book is actually funny. And the author is or was a comedienne! If only we could know what they were laughing about! The book also drags incredibly and should have ended at least 100 pages before it did This is definately not a book I will save.

[Joana Gonzalez (Elphaba) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma história extremamente bem escrita, Estarás Sempre Comigo, teve a capacidade de nas primeiras 50 páginas me fazer chorar e logo em seguida gargalhar, delicioso até à última linha esta é uma leitura que guardarei com imensa ternura. É, sem dúvida, uma excelente aposta de estreia de Anna McPartlin que conquistará muitos admiradores através da sua história mas também dos seus reais personagen

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Très beau et touchant mais avec un style d’écriture un peu atypique qui m’a surprise et m’a empêchée d’accrocher autant que je l’avais fait avec les derniers jours de Rabbit Hayes. Une belle lecture malgré tout !

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a tough few days, this book was the perfect thing for me. It made me laugh (in public!) and it made me cry. A light read but with extreme depth in its subjects. I highly recommend it!

[ａｎａ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this book, but I’ve finally made it!
This is an incredibly touching story about love, loss, grief and moving on with your life. There is a whole range of different emotions so don’t be surprised if you find yourself weeping and laughing out loud.
The writing style, as well as the humor is a m a z i n g, however, some parts of the book are too slow and predictable thus 4 -stars , though it's more like 3.5.

[Annika]

4,5 Sterne ⭐

[Carol Sandford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely read. Loved following the lives of this wonderful group of people, and I don't care that it got the ending I hoped for. And I don't care that it was kind of predictable. It was funny, honest and sweet. Loved it

[Jordana Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó, pero menos que sus otros libros, era lindo, tierno, pero no lloré.

[Delphine Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

un roman qui fait du bien à lire. tous les personnages de cette bande de copains sont intéressants. .. on finit toujours par se retour dans l histoire de l'un d'eux. On passe du rire au larmes de chapitre en chapitre et on sort de l'histoire avec une merveilleuse envie de vivre....

[Franzerli · Rating 1 out of 5]

INHALT Auf die Nacht folgt der Tag. Und auf den Tod das Leben. Emmas Leben ist einfach perfekt. Und seit sie mit John zusammenwohnt, scheint das Glück vollkommen. Aber dann passiert ein schrecklicher Unfall, und plötzlich ist Emma allein. Als wäre auch sie selbst gestorben, verkriecht sie sich im Schneckenhaus ihres Schmerzes. Doch dem sehen Emmas Freunde nicht lange tatenlos zu. Und irgendwie ist auch John immer noch für sie da. Bald wird Emma klar, dass sie von den Menschen, die sie liebt, gebraucht wird. Dass sie stark sein muss, wenn sie für andere da sein will. Und sie begreift, dass das Glück ganz nah sein kann, wenn man meint, es für immer verloren zu haben.

INFOS 8,99 Euro, 391 Seiten, Taschenbuch

COVER/GESTALTUNG Es war so ein halber Coverkauf bei diesem Buch. Es hat mich ein wenig an die Cecilia Ahern-Bücher erinnert, gerade mit diesem Blau und der Schriftart. Aber dennoch ist es auch wieder etwas anders. Das Blau ist hell, die Frau auf dem Cover streckt sich dem Wind entgegen. Es hat einen erfrischenden Eindruck bei mir hinterlassen.

HANDLUNG Die Handlung beginnt anfangs im normalen Alltag von Emma und John. Aus der Sicht von Emma lernt man ihr Umfeld kennen: ihre Eltern, ihre Freunde und vor allem auch John. Doch nicht bald nach dem Anfang kommt John bei einem Autounfall ums Leben und Emma muss sich allein durchkämpfen. Anfangs hatte ich starke Angst, dass es zu sehr “PS – Ich liebe dich” nahe kommt. Doch je mehr die Seiten dahinflossen, desto überraschender fand ich die Handlung. Es gibt verschiedene Handlungsstränge, denn Emmas Freunde nehmen einen großen Teil in ihrem Leben ein. Es geht um Liebe – klar -, aber auch um Probleme in der Ehe, Nachwuchswünsche und Trauerbewältigung. Die Handlung ist nicht allzu sehr mit der Trauer von Emma geprägt, dass hat mir sehr gefallen. Sie hat etwa mittig des Buches offen gesagt: “Ich bin glücklich” und hat es so gemeint, trotz dem Tod von John. Die Handlung ist sehr schön von der Autorin durchdacht worden, auch wenn man gerade Emmas Strang leicht hervorsehen konnte, war es schön mitanzusehen. Dass die Handlung nicht abrupt beim “Happy End” geendet hat, ist ein weiterer Pluspunkt. Hin und wieder taucht auch schon wieder auf – in Erinnerungen (die ich übrigens sehr süß fand) oder auch Träumen -, gibt Ratschläge und ist einfach nur da. Es ist schön, dass er nicht ganz abrupt aus der Handlung verschwand, denn er war ein sehr angenehmer Charakter. Das Ende war zwar recht Happy End-mäßig, aber auch nicht zuu dick aufgetragen, gerade, was Emmas Freunde betrifft. Der Abschluss, wie sie Joanne alles erzählt, ist schön und abgerundet.

CHARAKTERE Emma kam mir anfangs noch recht unsympathisch rüber. Ich fand sie weder lustig noch anderweitig toll. Doch im Laufe des Buches habe ich sie mögen gelernt, sie durchläuft eine große Veränderung und am Ende war sie mir eine der liebsten in dem Buch. John – Gott! ich liebe ihn – kam leider nur wenig in dem Buch vor, doch die Stellen, an denen er erschienen ist, musste ich immer ein paar Tränchen verdrücken, denn er wirkte so echt, irgendwie. Séan mochte ich nicht soo sonderlich, er war der beste von Freund von John und hatte so ein typisches Klischee abbekommen, dass ich im Laufe des Buches nicht wegdenken konnte, sehr zu meinem Leidwesen, da Séan eine sehr wichtige Rolle in dem Buch spielt. Clodagh und ihre Art gegenüber Menschen mochte ich sehr, genauso wie Anne und Richard. Jeder von ihnen hatte ihre Macken und Fehler, aber auch gute Seiten. Sie sind geprägt von Wünschen und Träumen, gequält von unausgesprochenen Worten und dem Denken, einzustecken bzw. zu bekommen, was man will. Dann gibt es noch Noel, Emmas Bruder. Er ist ein sehr spezieller, aber auch interessanter Charakter, der mir so noch nicht untergekommen ist. Ich mochte ihn sehr, seine Denkweise und seine Handlungen sowie Ratschläge und das Ende hat er sich einfach verdient.

SCHREIBSTIL McPartlins Schreibstil war recht einfach, sehr flüssig zu lesen und die Seiten flogen nur so dahin. Er hat einfach zu der Geschichte gepasst. Es gab nicht viele Beschreibungen, dafür aber recht große Zeitsprünge, sodass sich die Geschichte nicht unnötig gezogen hat. Sie hat jeden Charakter super mit eingebracht und gehandhabt.

FAZIT Das Buch sorgt für gute Unterhaltung, aber man darf nicht zu viel erwarten. Es überrascht einen in manchen Dingen, ist aber auch wiederum in vielerlei Hinsicht vorhersehbar. Ich mochte es, es war schnell zu lesen und die Charaktere waren vollkommen in Ordnungen. Ob der Titel so ganz passt, ist fraglich, aber in gewisser Weise ist er schon richtig am Platz.

1 von 5 auf Diät gesetzte Katzen