Gang of Four

by Liz Byrski

The ‘gang of four’, Isabel, Sally, Robin and Grace, are all fifty-something, successful … and restless. They have been close friends for almost two decades, supporting each other through personal and professional crises — parents dying, children leaving home, job changes, political activism, diets and really bad haircuts.Isabel makes the first move, taking a year away from her family to follow in her mother’s footsteps across Europe. Soon Sally is on her way to San Francisco, to come face to face with a guilty secret. Robin, in the wake of a clandestine relationship, heads for isolation in the country. And Grace? Well, Grace would never go away for an entire year, but she thinks she might take a short holiday in England. Once there, she bumps into someone she hardly knows — herself.Gang of Four is a story of four very different journeys and a celebration of women in the prime of life.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Book Club, Friendship, Australia

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Liz Byrski is a writer and broadcaster with more than 40 years experience in the British and Australian media. She is the author of eleven non-fiction books and five novels, and her work has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines.

In the nineties Liz was a broadcaster and executive producer with ABC Radio in Perth and later an advisor to a minister in the Western Australian State Government; she now lectures in Professional and Creative Writing at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, and has PhD in writing with a focus on feminist popular fiction.

Liz was born in London and spent most of her childhood in Sussex. As an only child she spent a lot of time alone, much of it buried in books. She began her working life as a secretary and later moved into journalism working as a reporter on a local newspaper until she took up freelance writing when her children were born. Before moving to Western Australia she also worked as an appeals organiser for Oxfam.

After moving to Perth with her family in 1981 she once again established a freelance career writing for Australian publications including The Australian, Homes and Living, Cosmopolitan and Weekend News.

Liz lives between Perth and Fremantle and in addition to enjoying the company of family and friends, she spends most of her time reading, writing and walking. She has two adult sons and twin grandsons.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable read about four friends who all reach a crisis in their lives at the same time. The story follows each of them as they make changes and follow different futures.
At times I felt a little weighed down by so much angst. Four people having mid life crises at the same time is a bit wearing, but the stories were good and the book moved from country to country as the characters made real as well as metaphorical journeys.
The greatest reward was in the last few chapters when a lot of tears were shed and the author dared to pull off a less than totally happy ending. It was well done.
Nothing new or earth shattering in this book but still a very worthwhile read.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gang of Four is the first novel by Australian author Liz Byrski. The Gang referred to is Isabel, Grace, Robin and Sally, all in their fifties (or close to it), professional, responsible, mature women with careers, some with families, who meet regularly for lunch. The status quo is upset by Isabel who, after her 34th traditional turkey and pudding Christmas catering for her extended family, decided she needs a year off. Despite a mixed reaction from the Gang of Four and her family, she determines to spend a year in Europe, retracing her mother’s footsteps. As the rest of the Gang examines their own situations, they too see a need to break out of their lives. This novel presents a refreshing perspective on life and will strike a chord with women of this age, women with dependant families and aging parents who are deteriorating both physically and mentally, women whose responsibilities seem, at times to be suffocating them. Byrski touches on many themes and topics: adultery and being the other woman; how emotion affects men differently to women; networking for women; keeping secrets; long-harboured guilt; needing to be needed; resistance to change; needing to be in control; the unpredictability of life; and parents with dementia. Byrski’s characters are familiar: people you meet at P&C meetings, at yoga; their dialogue is what you overhear in the supermarket or café. The plot is original, with plenty of twists, and has a bit of everything: tarot reading, sewing circles, bookshops, hip replacements, cancer, illegitimate babies, quilts, photography, dancing and a surprisingly open-minded priest. I loved Isabel’s theory on surprises: they are for the gratification of the surpriser rather than the surprisee. This novel is funny and thought-provoking: in places I was moved to tears and it has changed my outlook on certain aspects of my own life.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The “gang of four” - Isabel, Sally, Robin and Grace have been close friends for almost two decades. Now, they are all fifty-something, successful, and restless.

I’m not a fan of the” mid-life-journey-of-the successful-woman-to-discover-herself” genre, mainly because the whole concept seems so contrived. This particular novel has the usual ingredients:
• The women concerned are successful business and professional women;
• They have no financial worries;
• Their journey involves actually physically travelling. (This, is, in fact, one of my bugbears with such “rite of passage” books – everybody seems to have to go away to find themselves! What do you do if you’ve worked in a factory all your life and can’t afford to go anywhere?)

I didn’t find much character development. Apart from Isabel (and Robin, at the end) I had difficulty distinguishing one from another.

An issue that concerned me was the fact that although there was a lot of discussion about the women’s feelings, but not much consideration about the influence of those feelings on others. Discussion seemed to be narrow in that their feelings were not presented in context. For example, I felt quite sorry for Doug when he turned up on Christmas day to surprise Isabel, but there was a sense that I wasn’t supposed to, as the journey was all about Isabel’s feelings, not Doug’s!

Although this was a nice, easy read, I didn’t find it riveting. It was one of those books you could put down for weeks and re-enter with no problems at all!

[Claire Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The four women in this novel are all dealing with different things, but it takes Isabel making the decision to take a year for herself away from her husband and grown-up children, to make the other three women take a good look at their own lives and decide to make changes too.

These three women, Isabel, Grace, Sally and Robin are all so different, and my feelings towards each of them went through many changes through the course of the novel as I got to know them, their backgrounds and their dreams. They all changed a lot during the year they took to find themselves and discover what they needed to to live life more fully.

There was trauma, the loss of a child, the loss of self, family expectations, affairs, secrets,  growth, death, illness and love in its many shades. It was a really enjoyable tale that made me look at some of the things in my life and wonder.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to be another Belly Dancing for Beginners. Four women; Isabel, Sally Robin and Grace decide to do something different with their lives. However, each of them head off in a different direction and each chapter focuses on their progress. I couldn't put this book down. Each chapter made me want to immediately start reading the next one. An unexpected ending. Highly recommended.

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In an attempt to move some heafty books off my TBR pile, plus as this is a good tie in to Australian Women Writers Challenge, I plucked this off my bookshelf 2 days ago and plowed my way through the 400 pages.

Firstly I had two issues with the book:
- 280 or so pages in, the character "Lisa" is all of a sudden being called by the name "Sophie". I flicked back through the earlier chapters to see if I had missed something (it was 4am at the stage, so very likely that I had missed the reason for the name change) but couldn't find a reference anywhere. This was very confusing.
- I found that the choice of character to be the beer drinker / constant offerer of alcohol was a little odd. From my personal experinece, it is trail more common in Aussies than it is in Americans. Just found the characteristic a bit mis placed.

Overall I enjoyed the book. It was nice to read an 'older' coming of age, self discovery, mid life crisis story than the usual teen / YA one that mainly revolves around sexual discovery.
Parts of the story were a little predictable, but not annoyingly so, and on the whole the book threw up enough surprises to keep me entertained and eager to read on.
Thought the writing was tight, and a great effort for a debut novel.

I have Liz Byrski's 2nd novel in storage, so it'll probably be a while before I read any more of her work, but it is most certainly something I look forward to doing.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving Liz Byrski's books!

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My lovely daughter in law loaned me this book she'd noticed the author was in a pile of books I'd given her I finally picked it up as she was coming to stay it was fine but as it was about surrogacy I thought this wont end well but then I really got into it and couldn't put it down and found it really good loved the characters with all their faults the one thing that amazed me was the money women can make in the States just from having their eggs harvested I live in the wrong country and am rather ancient to think about doing it though

[Lesley Moseley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 probably. Easy reading, I didn't learn much.

[Leona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light read but not without some moments for thought especially around the price of ‘nice’ for women, the golden handcuffs of professional success and reconnecting with one’s sense of self. I don’t disagree with some of the critiques but I’d be pretty damned chuffed to have written this as my first novel.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

02/24/08
TITLE/AUTHOR: GANG OF FOUR by Liz Byrski
RATING: 5/A
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Women's Fiction/2004/426 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Stand-Alone
TIME/PLACE: Present/Australia
CHARACTERS: Four friends: Isabel, Sally, Robin & Grace
FIRST LINES: There was a moment when she first woke, a moment free of any sense of the day ahead; a moment before she opened her eyes & when all she could feel was the warmth of the early sunshine falling on her face through the open curtains, & the soft heaviness of her body releaxed after sleep.

COMMENTS: 01/24/08 rec via bookcrsossing/ring-ray. Four friends refer to themselves as the gang of four. They are in their later 40's/early 50's and each seems to be well established in their respective careers -- Isabel the mayor, Sally an art teacher, Robin the lawyer and Grace a nurse. Isabel's mother has recently passed and left her a small inheritance. She decides to use it to trace her mother's European travels when she was in a dance troupe in the early 1950's. At this time Isabel a young child was living w/ her grandparents. She decides she needs a year of her own. The others think this is a bit odd but soon each find a reason for transition. Sally has a secret she's been keeping for almost 30 yrs and decides to go to San Francisco come to terms w/ this. Robin decides it's time for some self discovery and to break away from a clandestine relationship she's been having w/ a married judge. Grace, always in control and caring for her family, finds herself facing a new phase when her son & family moves to Japan. She's now really on her own and travels to the UK for a quiliting arts seminar. I found Isabel's story the least compelling, nevertheless, I really enjoyed my time spent w/ the gang of four.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on 4 50 something female friends who each leave their regular life in search of retreat and adventure. Isobel the main charactor somehow persuades her husband to give his blessing for a solo backpack in Europe lasting 1 year. This provides the catayst for her friends to start their own journey. I doubt there would be many husbands so generous as Isobels, and this lets the book down.
Following the journey of four women spoiled the book for me as their were too many charactors, unrealstic plots with stories jumping about alot. At the end there is no definitive outcome so makes the whole thing a waste of time. Could have been told in half the pages

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Might have to wait for 10 or so years and read this again. This author has a huge following, but perhaps for women in a different phase of life than mine right now. That said. I read this immediately after finishing the amazing "A thousand splendid suns", so I found the gripes of this group of successful, free women fairly trivial and insignificant.

[Dightie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First timed I've cried while reading!!

[Kerri Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly the book I needed right now. I loved loved loved it. It resonated with me and now I want all my besties to read it.

[Adele H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is thought provoking and brings to life four women who are friends and all facing different situations in their lives.

[Jean Harding · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t get into it - no sympathy with the characters.

[Glenys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gang of four, 4 friends who know each other, but do they know each other well? Each has their secrets, their own obsessions, their own way of doing things... Isabel takes a year off to find herself and trace her mother's movements around Europe as a ballet dancer with an elite company. She hopes to find out more about her mother. Sally takes on a years study in USA as a photojournalist and to meet her daughter she gave up for adoption, on the way she finds a personal relationship with Steve which is complicate by his daughter Stacey. Robin breaks up an affair which is going nowhere and takes time out from her legal practise to find herself and what she wants out of life. Grace is a high powered Hospital administrator and Nurse.... a control freak who eagerly takes charge and finds solutions to problems. She takes some time off to pursue her hobby of quilting and books into a quilting retreat in the UK, which totally turns her life around. Everyone should have a group of friends like this....

[Felicity · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, my second by Liz Byrski. My own life had many unavoidable distractions while I tried to read the first half and I very nearly didn’t continue. So to be far, because it could have been my lack of attention causing the problem, I decided to read to the end. Managing to read the second half straight through, I finally engaged with these four women. The narrative reminded me a little of Mary Moody’s writing - women, over fifty, who feel they have to leave home to find themselves. What I found a little unrealistic was that all four left at pretty much the same time on their trip of self discovery! I doubt this would happen in real life but maybe I’m wrong and anyway, I didn’t write the story. It was interesting to see what happened to each of the women and what they got out of their time away.

[Eden High · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long time fan of Liz Byrski, I enjoyed Gang of Four.

As usual her writing technique and style appealed, was informative and tackled some issues of older women, which mainstream rarely addresses.

The older we get the more we value our friends and understand the situations each of us finds ourselves in. Life is not a bunch of roses, but how we handle situations is what gets us through.

Interestingly, I find the more I mature, the more patience I have for story lines such as Byrski has written in Gang of Four. When younger I think I would have been impatient with it.

Worth picking up of the bookshelves and reading.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many Liz Byrski books and when I read this I felt it was a little dated - and subsequently discovered it was the first book she’d written. It is probably not my favourite of her books (possibly not aided by the fact that I took too long to read it - not finding enough time to just sit and read), however, having said that, I would say it is one of the most important books I’ve read as somehow it has made me change the way I view some things in my own life - in a way that is healthier for me. I actually feel I’ve had a bit of an epiphany having read it. Well worth reading.

[Barbara Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do like Liz Byrski, she writes well, understand her social and political environment and deals with issues which impact women of a certain age.
She's never preachy and always interesting.

The interaction between women is a powerful place for an author to work, and I find her works thoroughly enjoyable.

[Lois Barnard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think most woman would be challenged by the content of this book, I certainly was.
Take away thought, " if you're too cold, too hungry or too tired" you are vulnerable to give in to weaknesses that you have, drugs, alcohol etc. My thought if you're angry about something or overwhelmed with too much to do you are also vulnerable to weaknesses you may have.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Definitely a book for women 40+. I loved reading about each woman's journey and the strength of the friendship. It posed questions to the reader without being overt about expectations and happiness.

[Louise Carmody · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep understanding of older women and of relationships

Another amazing book from this author. Her characters become the reader's friends as they each face changes and challenges within the framework of a strong friendship.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written novel about middle age women and their issues, but more importantly, friendships. Definitely true to life, with a few twists and turns. This is the second novel written by Ms. Byrski that I've read, and I like her style very much.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd time I've read Gang of Four and it draws me in each time. Liz Byrski's characters are totally believable and well written. Liz is one of my favourite authors. I haven't been disappointed yet.

[Karen Mellish-May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to dislike this book. But I enjoyed it. Liz Byrski, the author, knows her craft. The characters are believable, the plot intricately braided, the concepts are applicable to most women.

[Ingrid Self · Rating 4 out of 5]

yes, it's ok. But it's a bit chick-litty for me, even though the chicks are middle-aged. I did get really angry with one of them at one point and nearly abandoned it, but persevered onto the end. Well-rounded and tidily finished, but I feel the author has done better.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be easy from reading the blurb to dismiss this as an easy chick lit read, but the quality of the writing and the very accurate portrayal of the characters' mid life challenges elevated this novel for me