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Familieziek
Als familieleden zou je elkaar moeten steunen, maar de Jacksons kennen geen loyaliteit, alleen jaloezie en verraad. In hun wereld kun je niemand vertrouwen, zelfs je eigen familie niet...Martina Cole is de meest gelezen auteur in Britse gevangenissen en de meest gestolen auteur in Britse boekhandels. Vanwege haar realistische weergave van de Britse onderwereld wordt ze ook wel de vrouwelijke Mario Puzo genoemd.
478 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
196 people are currently reading
1709 people want to read
About the author
Martina Cole
112 books1,731 followersMartina Cole was born and brought up in Essex. She is the bestselling author of fourteen novels set in London's gangland, and her most recent three paperbacks have gone straight to No. 1 in the Sunday Times on first publication. Total sales of Martina's novels stand at over eight million copies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
August 19, 2018
Maybe a bit generous giving this 2 stars - it's getting the second star only because, like a terrible train wreck, you want to walk away, but you can't!
The whole basis of this book was, for me, awful. The characters were horrible in the extreme, the action violent and shocking, the storyline miserable and predictable, and the actual writing was poor. Cole seems to think that the readers of her book are stupid, as she explains things in the greatest detail, over and over again. We get it!! We really don't need everything spelled out for us!! She also has a very limited vocabulary (other than swearing which she uses in ways I'd never heard before!!) - she needs a thesaurus to find some alternatives for the word 'stunning' for a start ...
As I said, I read this just to finish, and to see if my unhappy predictions came to pass (they did). I skimmed through a lot of it, but if you like stories about violent thugs and people with hopless, unhappy, self-destructive lives, you might like this book!
The whole basis of this book was, for me, awful. The characters were horrible in the extreme, the action violent and shocking, the storyline miserable and predictable, and the actual writing was poor. Cole seems to think that the readers of her book are stupid, as she explains things in the greatest detail, over and over again. We get it!! We really don't need everything spelled out for us!! She also has a very limited vocabulary (other than swearing which she uses in ways I'd never heard before!!) - she needs a thesaurus to find some alternatives for the word 'stunning' for a start ...
As I said, I read this just to finish, and to see if my unhappy predictions came to pass (they did). I skimmed through a lot of it, but if you like stories about violent thugs and people with hopless, unhappy, self-destructive lives, you might like this book!
May 8, 2021
It's been years since I last read a Martian Cole novel and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed this dark gritty readable gangster thrillers.
There's such an authentic feel to the characters as they explodes from the page, it's so easy to picture this criminal underworld of East London.
It's true that the novel is a little too long in places but with tgid spanning three decades and the inclusion of additional references from Thatcher's government to New Labour under Gordon Brown it really helps highlight the passage of time.
The main plot focuses on Freddie Jackson who is fresh out of prision (1984) dotting wife Jackie alongside her sister Maggie and Jimmy (Freddie's cousin).
There's plenty of East End drama with these distinctive characters!
The story takes a little while to get going but once the dynamics have been established it helps make the final third much more impactful.
With the story taking place within a certain era there's some outdated misogynist language used throughout.
So proceed with caution if your not familiar with Cole's extensive back catalogue.
There's such an authentic feel to the characters as they explodes from the page, it's so easy to picture this criminal underworld of East London.
It's true that the novel is a little too long in places but with tgid spanning three decades and the inclusion of additional references from Thatcher's government to New Labour under Gordon Brown it really helps highlight the passage of time.
The main plot focuses on Freddie Jackson who is fresh out of prision (1984) dotting wife Jackie alongside her sister Maggie and Jimmy (Freddie's cousin).
There's plenty of East End drama with these distinctive characters!
The story takes a little while to get going but once the dynamics have been established it helps make the final third much more impactful.
With the story taking place within a certain era there's some outdated misogynist language used throughout.
So proceed with caution if your not familiar with Cole's extensive back catalogue.
March 23, 2014
I actually had a really hard time getting into this novel. I'd seen the BBC film version starring Tom Hardy and was intrigued with the characters so I picked up the book. Despite taking awhile to get into once I did I couldn't put this book down. The film and book couldn't have been more different and I actually preferred the novels ending. Freddie Jackson is that quintessential character that you love to hate. He's a drug snorting beer guzzling philandering murdered but you can't help turning the page to see what he'll do next. Jimmy is sort of the stereotypical straight man to begin with but of all the characters I think he has the largest change in the novel. The rest of the assorted characters Maggie, Jackie, Ozzy, Pat, little Freddie are all such large personalities themselves it makes for a very engaging book that I would highly recommend.
July 10, 2020
After reading for this for the second time the moral of the story is don't mix business and family it doesn't work.
Could have been a bit shorter as it got a bit repetitive.
Similar formula to many of MC's other books.
First read 4/5
Second read 3.5/5
Could have been a bit shorter as it got a bit repetitive.
Similar formula to many of MC's other books.
First read 4/5
Second read 3.5/5
January 23, 2018
I have very mixed feelings about this, so let's be positive and start with the good things.
Good things-
The author really understands her characters and spends a lot of time in their heads. This allows us to understand their motivations, simple as they may be.
This is a strong family drama that focuses entirely on relationships, and some of those are quite interesting.
Bad things -
Constant head hopping and multiple POV's in the same paragraph or page. Lots of time is spent re-reading passages to work out whose head you are in. NB: A decent editor should have pointed this out to the author.
The dialogue is excruciatingly unrealistic. The author doesn't use contractions, so the sentences sound completely false. This is the same as Lynda La Plante. I suspect that Martina may have used Prime Suspect as her template for writing and thought that that was how to write dialogue. Again, where was the editor?
There is no real plot, so if you aren't interested in lots of swearing and EastEnders type family rows, it's not for you.
An interesting point to note is the huge amount of misogyny in the book. If it was only from the male characters who are meant to be misogynists then that would be fine. But the narrator describes every woman in totally sexual and demeaning terms. "Cracking little bird", "bit of strange", "good tits" and it never stops. Of course the author is a woman so maybe it's allowed, like black people using the N word.
Essentially, this is a screenplay that has been written as a novel. But it held my attention long enough to read over 500 pages.
However, I won't be reading any more, because I suspect that all of the books will be the same.
Good things-
The author really understands her characters and spends a lot of time in their heads. This allows us to understand their motivations, simple as they may be.
This is a strong family drama that focuses entirely on relationships, and some of those are quite interesting.
Bad things -
Constant head hopping and multiple POV's in the same paragraph or page. Lots of time is spent re-reading passages to work out whose head you are in. NB: A decent editor should have pointed this out to the author.
The dialogue is excruciatingly unrealistic. The author doesn't use contractions, so the sentences sound completely false. This is the same as Lynda La Plante. I suspect that Martina may have used Prime Suspect as her template for writing and thought that that was how to write dialogue. Again, where was the editor?
There is no real plot, so if you aren't interested in lots of swearing and EastEnders type family rows, it's not for you.
An interesting point to note is the huge amount of misogyny in the book. If it was only from the male characters who are meant to be misogynists then that would be fine. But the narrator describes every woman in totally sexual and demeaning terms. "Cracking little bird", "bit of strange", "good tits" and it never stops. Of course the author is a woman so maybe it's allowed, like black people using the N word.
Essentially, this is a screenplay that has been written as a novel. But it held my attention long enough to read over 500 pages.
However, I won't be reading any more, because I suspect that all of the books will be the same.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2010
I had a love hate relationship with this book, sometimes I could not put it down and and then I would find myself scan reading passages. This occured when the author to me seemed to repeat herself at length on describing characters and relationships and this caused me to think "I know all that, just get on with it.' Otherwise not a bad read.
April 18, 2023
A opção escolhida pela autora Martina Cole para retratar a vida no mundo do crime foi escolher dois personagens antagônicos nesse mesmo ambiente de contravenção: tal qual nos conta a história de Hilel e Shammai, Freddie Jackson é impulsivo e irritadiço, enquanto seu primo Jimmy é calmo e paciente.
Freddie conheceu o importante Ozzy no período em que esteve preso tornando-se seu protegido; e assim que saiu em liberdade assumiu o papel de líder dos negócios escusos que Ozzy comandava da cadeia. Uma pessoa extremamente violenta e pouco racional, que negligencia sua mulher e filhas, preferindo passar seu tempo livre bebendo, se drogando e tendo relações com a maior quantidade de mulheres possível.
Por sua vez, Jimmy é o primo mais novo de Freddie e sempre o teve como modelo, de forma que abraçar a carreira no crime não foi uma escolha muito surpreendente. Só que ele é o oposto do primo, e só usa a violência em último caso. Apaixonado pela irmã menor da mulher de Freddie, Jimmy é um homem que valoriza a família, e aos poucos o seu jeito correto e pragmático de tratar os negócios e as pessoas vai seduzindo Ozzy, que naturalmente o coloca à frente da operação.
Essa rixa que surge entre os primos e seus núcleos familiares completamente antagônicos é o que sustenta grande parte de "Ganância". Apesar de ter gostado do livro e dele ter alguns momentos marcantes, a narrativa é muito linear em suas quase 530 páginas. Esperava-se, inclusive, que a ascensão de Jimmy e a queda de Freddie levariam a um clímax de violência e tensão da narrativa, mas o encontro decisivo entre os dois ficou devendo.
Avaliação Final: 7,5/10
Leitura Concluída: 14º livro de 2023
Próxima Leitura: "O Palácio de Inverno" (John Boyne)
Freddie conheceu o importante Ozzy no período em que esteve preso tornando-se seu protegido; e assim que saiu em liberdade assumiu o papel de líder dos negócios escusos que Ozzy comandava da cadeia. Uma pessoa extremamente violenta e pouco racional, que negligencia sua mulher e filhas, preferindo passar seu tempo livre bebendo, se drogando e tendo relações com a maior quantidade de mulheres possível.
Por sua vez, Jimmy é o primo mais novo de Freddie e sempre o teve como modelo, de forma que abraçar a carreira no crime não foi uma escolha muito surpreendente. Só que ele é o oposto do primo, e só usa a violência em último caso. Apaixonado pela irmã menor da mulher de Freddie, Jimmy é um homem que valoriza a família, e aos poucos o seu jeito correto e pragmático de tratar os negócios e as pessoas vai seduzindo Ozzy, que naturalmente o coloca à frente da operação.
Essa rixa que surge entre os primos e seus núcleos familiares completamente antagônicos é o que sustenta grande parte de "Ganância". Apesar de ter gostado do livro e dele ter alguns momentos marcantes, a narrativa é muito linear em suas quase 530 páginas. Esperava-se, inclusive, que a ascensão de Jimmy e a queda de Freddie levariam a um clímax de violência e tensão da narrativa, mas o encontro decisivo entre os dois ficou devendo.
Avaliação Final: 7,5/10
Leitura Concluída: 14º livro de 2023
Próxima Leitura: "O Palácio de Inverno" (John Boyne)
April 1, 2019
Sexism, even if it's deliberate sexism as I presume it is in this book, is fucking irritating. Women are constantly insulted and abused. A prostitute is raped and murdered? Oh who cares? She basically begged for it! Maggie is raped by her sociopath brother-in-law? Guess who's to blame there! Wives are expected to get beaten, get cheated on and do nothing but keep their mouths shut. A man can sleep around all he wants, father as many 'outside' children as he wants but if a women even looks at another man she can expect to be murdered. I know this was all mostly intentional; giving us an insight into how these sort of men actually think but it still made me sick to my stomach reading it.
None of these characters are likeable at all, except for maybe Maggie. She has flaws like the rest of them but her flaws aren't as serious, sociopathic or destructive and she has the shittiest luck on the planet. Rape, death of her child, destructive family; I felt so sorry for her. The less said about the characters of Freddie, Jackie and Freddie Jackson Jr. the better. All three characters are vile, despicable human beings. I tried to feel some sympathy for Jackie but I just really couldn't. It's also annoying that every single female character revolves around her husband or boyfriend. They're nothing without them and have no lives of their own. This is the 21st century. This book was written in 2006 for fucks sake, not the 70s.
Cole is one of the worst writers I've read in a while. The only style she has to speak of is a tendency to repeat herself and treat the reader like an idiot. Yes, Ms. Cole, I can remember what happened two chapters ago, thank you; there's no need to keep reminding me. She has no idea what characterisation or character development are. Her characters don't learn or grow; they're the same from start to finish.
That said, I did actually like the plot and this book would have probably gotten a higher rating if written by a better writer; someone who can develop characters better and leave out an obscene amount of sexist bullshit.
2.5 / 5 (generously rounded to 3)
None of these characters are likeable at all, except for maybe Maggie. She has flaws like the rest of them but her flaws aren't as serious, sociopathic or destructive and she has the shittiest luck on the planet. Rape, death of her child, destructive family; I felt so sorry for her. The less said about the characters of Freddie, Jackie and Freddie Jackson Jr. the better. All three characters are vile, despicable human beings. I tried to feel some sympathy for Jackie but I just really couldn't. It's also annoying that every single female character revolves around her husband or boyfriend. They're nothing without them and have no lives of their own. This is the 21st century. This book was written in 2006 for fucks sake, not the 70s.
Cole is one of the worst writers I've read in a while. The only style she has to speak of is a tendency to repeat herself and treat the reader like an idiot. Yes, Ms. Cole, I can remember what happened two chapters ago, thank you; there's no need to keep reminding me. She has no idea what characterisation or character development are. Her characters don't learn or grow; they're the same from start to finish.
That said, I did actually like the plot and this book would have probably gotten a higher rating if written by a better writer; someone who can develop characters better and leave out an obscene amount of sexist bullshit.
2.5 / 5 (generously rounded to 3)
January 16, 2013
Another of my favourite Martina Coles ok I may seem weird for saying it but I love the ones that shock you, the ones that deal with issues you don't want to face up to in the real world. The things we brush aside and pretend like they don't happen. The take has all of this and more if it was a film it would have the tag line 'some viewers may find some scenes upsetting'
March 24, 2009
Not as good as others she has written, tends to repeat herself in places.
January 27, 2016
The cover of this book describes it as a cross between Eastenders and the Sopranos. It kind of is like a 10-hour long episode of Eastenders, just darker and more violent without some comedy gingers for light relief.
This book is 608 pages of unrelenting misery.
The book starts on the day that Freddie Jackson is released from prison in 1984 after a six year stint. He is immediately portrayed as a c**t. Then we spend the rest of the book watching him destroy everything and everyone around him.
He lives where he was raised, on a council estate in East London, where it seems everyone is involved in crime. We meet his younger, less mentally-unstable cousin Jimmy, Freddie’s wife Jackie and Jackie’s sister (and Jimmy’s love interest), Maggie. These four are the main characters - though there is almost a dickensian list of characters popping up. I struggled at points to remember who was who. Maggie and Jimmy are the ‘good guys’ and Freddie and Jackie are the ‘bad guys’, though Jackie is mainly a tragic character destroyed by her addiction to Freddie and drugs.
In the novel’s opening pages, Cole has chosen a quote from Mary Leapor’s An Essay on Woman about how women are treated like shit once they have had their first flush of youth, and are generally seen as weak, and this theme echoes throughout. The women put up with an unimaginable amount of crap. They are raped, beaten and murdered. Whilst it became over-stated, I appreciated the message that society often sees prostitutes as not-quite-human and therefore not subject to the same respect and rules as the rest of us (like not being murdered). Once you begin paying for women’s bodies, their bodies become someone else’s property and are thus treated as an object or status symbol. However, one question I found myself asking was about the portrayal of the women who were ‘good’ characters you were meant to root for, and the ‘bad’ women who caused mayhem and trouble. The good women (particularly Maggie) were always drawn as pretty, well-put together, slim, nice hair and keeping a tidy home. The women who didn’t conform were big, fat, angry, untidy, lazy and drawn in a disgusting, nasty way. My question is, if this is a novel that claims to be on the side of women, why is it subscribing to the belief that in order for a woman to be a success, she must be pretty, thin and good at cooking and cleaning? Any other state is to be a deviant.
I thought there was a skillful creation of the world of 80s and 90s crime. Cole used vernacular without explaining it - it was only through its regular use that it would suddenly click and you would go ‘oooh I see’. There were some parts of this book that built up pace and tension before darting through another door and giving you a shock twist. I gasped out loud in a coffee shop, and was far too engrossed to care.
It was a bit too long, and too miserable, for my taste. But I could see that it was a strong contender in its genre. If you like crime, grit, Eastenders and thrills - this would be a great book for you.
This book is 608 pages of unrelenting misery.
The book starts on the day that Freddie Jackson is released from prison in 1984 after a six year stint. He is immediately portrayed as a c**t. Then we spend the rest of the book watching him destroy everything and everyone around him.
He lives where he was raised, on a council estate in East London, where it seems everyone is involved in crime. We meet his younger, less mentally-unstable cousin Jimmy, Freddie’s wife Jackie and Jackie’s sister (and Jimmy’s love interest), Maggie. These four are the main characters - though there is almost a dickensian list of characters popping up. I struggled at points to remember who was who. Maggie and Jimmy are the ‘good guys’ and Freddie and Jackie are the ‘bad guys’, though Jackie is mainly a tragic character destroyed by her addiction to Freddie and drugs.
In the novel’s opening pages, Cole has chosen a quote from Mary Leapor’s An Essay on Woman about how women are treated like shit once they have had their first flush of youth, and are generally seen as weak, and this theme echoes throughout. The women put up with an unimaginable amount of crap. They are raped, beaten and murdered. Whilst it became over-stated, I appreciated the message that society often sees prostitutes as not-quite-human and therefore not subject to the same respect and rules as the rest of us (like not being murdered). Once you begin paying for women’s bodies, their bodies become someone else’s property and are thus treated as an object or status symbol. However, one question I found myself asking was about the portrayal of the women who were ‘good’ characters you were meant to root for, and the ‘bad’ women who caused mayhem and trouble. The good women (particularly Maggie) were always drawn as pretty, well-put together, slim, nice hair and keeping a tidy home. The women who didn’t conform were big, fat, angry, untidy, lazy and drawn in a disgusting, nasty way. My question is, if this is a novel that claims to be on the side of women, why is it subscribing to the belief that in order for a woman to be a success, she must be pretty, thin and good at cooking and cleaning? Any other state is to be a deviant.
I thought there was a skillful creation of the world of 80s and 90s crime. Cole used vernacular without explaining it - it was only through its regular use that it would suddenly click and you would go ‘oooh I see’. There were some parts of this book that built up pace and tension before darting through another door and giving you a shock twist. I gasped out loud in a coffee shop, and was far too engrossed to care.
It was a bit too long, and too miserable, for my taste. But I could see that it was a strong contender in its genre. If you like crime, grit, Eastenders and thrills - this would be a great book for you.
November 25, 2014
The Take is a page turner from the onset. Freddie Jackson is the kind of antagonist who keeps the reader guessing. You never truly know what this insatiably unstable character that Martina Cole created will do next. At one step, you realize what the character is capable of, yet, his debauchery, knowing no bounds, becomes more and more surprising as you read. You’re left in awe of the power of Cole’s scenes as the flawed characters make their way through the story, causing unending debris in their wake. Starting in 1984, this is a story of the London underworld, filled with violence, lewd language, and an overall excess of depravity. The world is foreign to all but a few readers; it’s so graphic and pulling in nature, that despite my best efforts to do so, I found I could not put this 600 page novel down (I read it within 4 days).
Freddie’s wife is Jackie, an alcoholic wreck, who the reader quickly learns is incapable of stability. The stable existence and likability that Jackie lacks is ingrained in the character of her sister, protagonist, Maggie. Jackie is yin to Maggie’s yang. In much the same way, Cole carves a place for Freddie’s counterpart -- his cousin Jimmy. As a couple, Maggie & Jimmy accomplish what Freddie and Jackie cannot, and the resentment that comes from that fact is the force that keeps this book in motion. The story was even made into a compelling British miniseries staring Tom Hardy & Charlotte Riley.
Maggie & Jimmy are connected to the same underworld dealings that Freddie & Jackie are, but they’re able to stay above the fray of what that world is capable of internally doing to people of weaker and less charitable natures. Because Martina Cole paints Maggie & Jimmy with more tender attention, readers may find themselves forgiving them for benefiting and being a part of such a base world.
I loved this book despite it not being the type of novel I generally gravitate towards. The only complaint I had was toward the end of the story when Jimmy’s reaction to a revelation appeared out of line for his character. In fact, Maggie’s response was about as frustrating. I wanted the characters to respond as I had come to expect them to, not as Cole chose them to. Despite this, the book was a raucous romp into an exciting world -- not one I would ever wish to be a part of personally, but certainly one entertaining enough to visit.
Freddie’s wife is Jackie, an alcoholic wreck, who the reader quickly learns is incapable of stability. The stable existence and likability that Jackie lacks is ingrained in the character of her sister, protagonist, Maggie. Jackie is yin to Maggie’s yang. In much the same way, Cole carves a place for Freddie’s counterpart -- his cousin Jimmy. As a couple, Maggie & Jimmy accomplish what Freddie and Jackie cannot, and the resentment that comes from that fact is the force that keeps this book in motion. The story was even made into a compelling British miniseries staring Tom Hardy & Charlotte Riley.
Maggie & Jimmy are connected to the same underworld dealings that Freddie & Jackie are, but they’re able to stay above the fray of what that world is capable of internally doing to people of weaker and less charitable natures. Because Martina Cole paints Maggie & Jimmy with more tender attention, readers may find themselves forgiving them for benefiting and being a part of such a base world.
I loved this book despite it not being the type of novel I generally gravitate towards. The only complaint I had was toward the end of the story when Jimmy’s reaction to a revelation appeared out of line for his character. In fact, Maggie’s response was about as frustrating. I wanted the characters to respond as I had come to expect them to, not as Cole chose them to. Despite this, the book was a raucous romp into an exciting world -- not one I would ever wish to be a part of personally, but certainly one entertaining enough to visit.
January 4, 2013
I was instantly scavenging for anything with actor Tom Hardy in it after seeing his extraordinary performance in "Bronson" and his scene-stealing part in Christopher Nolan's "Inception". So soon after finding out about the four-part mini-series called "The Take" starring him, I immediately sought out to watch it. I loved every episode, and was blown away by Hardy's performance in it. I couldn't help but read the novel of the same name. It pretty much had the same effect on me as the mini-series, it was very intense and I couldn't put the book down for long periods of time. I actually didn't want it to end, but when it eventually did, I couldn't have been more satisfied. Martina Cole's writing was incredibly gripping and fast-paced, I couldn't get enough of it. Highly recommended for anyone into great crime novels and I would definitely check out the TV series soon after reading it.
August 31, 2016
Hmmmm * sigh *.
I seem to be going through a spell of trying new authors and really wishing I hadn't. And this turned out to be another that I gave up reading.
I don't mind reading about violence and mayhem. I don't mind cruel, vicious characters. I don't even mind reading prose written in 'accents'. What I do mind is being introduced to a huge cast of characters within a short time and trying to piece together who they are. And I want to have something to like about them. Five chapters in and I was slightly confused, reading on automatic and found myself barely interested in what happened next. A shame, because I really wanted to like this and was in the mood for a crime thriller.
Never mind - so much to read and so little time - on to the next!
I seem to be going through a spell of trying new authors and really wishing I hadn't. And this turned out to be another that I gave up reading.
I don't mind reading about violence and mayhem. I don't mind cruel, vicious characters. I don't even mind reading prose written in 'accents'. What I do mind is being introduced to a huge cast of characters within a short time and trying to piece together who they are. And I want to have something to like about them. Five chapters in and I was slightly confused, reading on automatic and found myself barely interested in what happened next. A shame, because I really wanted to like this and was in the mood for a crime thriller.
Never mind - so much to read and so little time - on to the next!
May 25, 2011
Awful, just awful. Written in the vernacular of a fifteen year old illiterate. The first book i've tried of hers and the last.
Read
August 2, 2011Not one her best books, i found it quite boring in most parts and very nearly gave up on it.
May 29, 2020
In the beginning, I had mixed feeling about the book, but as I caried on reading, I realised it was the characters that were causing those feeling. The book is great and so are the characters. My initial problem was that their world is so different to my world. I find it easier to identify myself with Star Wars characters, wizard or time travellers than with gangsters and all their habits.
But I persevered. The book was gripping and it showed how good Martina Cole is at analysing human behaviour. Yes, she uses the criminal world as an example and as a metaphor, but shows how we are all guilty, to some extent, of justifying our hardships, finding excuses for our bad habits, frustrations, deflecting, assigning blame etc.
Some of the events in the book were predictable, but that was more due to hints well placed by the author and when they came to happen, they fitted well.
But I persevered. The book was gripping and it showed how good Martina Cole is at analysing human behaviour. Yes, she uses the criminal world as an example and as a metaphor, but shows how we are all guilty, to some extent, of justifying our hardships, finding excuses for our bad habits, frustrations, deflecting, assigning blame etc.
Some of the events in the book were predictable, but that was more due to hints well placed by the author and when they came to happen, they fitted well.
March 30, 2020
I enjoyed this book very much, it was 600 pages and I felt like it could maybe have been a few less. But enjoyed it none the less. I’m now going to watch the series online to compare but I know the book is always better :)
December 16, 2023
An interesting look into a sector of society, and the mindset of the women and men caught up in a world that lives through crime. The action story line is simply a thread to enable the sharing of how the characters view their lives. However, I found it went on too long with more and more of the same thing. I skimmed the middle part just in order to see what that story thread was, and then read the last few chapters to see how it resolved both the story and the character development.
May 12, 2019
Beeem bom.
April 13, 2020
Brilliant different out outcome to the take on dvd. It's really good.
Very good different outcome to the take dvd. I watch dvd of these it was very outcome compare to book.
Very good different outcome to the take dvd. I watch dvd of these it was very outcome compare to book.
August 10, 2023
First book I have read from Martina Cole and I loved it. Can't wait to read more of her books. Easy read with a good story that kept my interest.
October 4, 2024
Found this a very slow read, not one for me !
October 3, 2019
Be prepared!
This book follows the life of one family making a name for themselves.
In a way they experienced the same ups and downs as any family. There was great times, some even funny. But there are always sad times.
This book will make you laugh and cry. Sometimes both together. It will also make you think of your own family. Love them or hate them they are your family.
Enjoy!
This book follows the life of one family making a name for themselves.
In a way they experienced the same ups and downs as any family. There was great times, some even funny. But there are always sad times.
This book will make you laugh and cry. Sometimes both together. It will also make you think of your own family. Love them or hate them they are your family.
Enjoy!
February 5, 2011
A good read about sibling rivalry set in the criminal underclass of East London. Freddie Jackson leaves prison having made contact with a major criminal Ozzy who runs his empire from within the gaol. Acting as Ozzy's lieutenant Freddie chooses his young cousin Jimmy to act as a go-between because Jimmy has no criminal record. But over time Jimmy gains Ozzy's respect and trust.
The two gangsters are married to sisters. Freddie's wife is dependant upon drink and drugs and very jealous of her sister. While the world they live in has a strong moral code - loyalty - care for families - honesty in dealings with superiors (not the general public), retribution is swift and violent. Jealousy and betrayal erode the family bonds with severe consequences.
This is a violent world and the language is authentic - the rhyming slang is used appriately and naturally. I only wish I had used a notebook at the start to collect all the phrases.
Reading an interview with Martina Cole in the Guardian, this is a culture she knows well.
The two gangsters are married to sisters. Freddie's wife is dependant upon drink and drugs and very jealous of her sister. While the world they live in has a strong moral code - loyalty - care for families - honesty in dealings with superiors (not the general public), retribution is swift and violent. Jealousy and betrayal erode the family bonds with severe consequences.
This is a violent world and the language is authentic - the rhyming slang is used appriately and naturally. I only wish I had used a notebook at the start to collect all the phrases.
Reading an interview with Martina Cole in the Guardian, this is a culture she knows well.
November 13, 2014
Freddie Jackson thinks he owns the underworld when he gets out of prison. He’s done his time, made the right connections, and now he’s ready to use them. His wife Jackie just wants her husband home, but she’s forgotten the rows, the violence, and the girls Freddie can’t leave alone. Bitter, resentful, and increasingly unstable, Jackie watches her life crumble while her little sister Maggie’s star rises. In love with Freddie’s cousin Jimmy, Maggie is determined not to end up like her sister. Families should stick together, but behind closed doors, jealousy and betrayal can fester until everyone’s life is infected. And for the Jacksons, loyalty cannot win out. Because in their world you can trust no one. In their world everyone is on the take.
August 24, 2012
I have read all of Martina Cole's novels. There is no point reviewing them all because they follow a similar plot. However The Take is with out doubt my favourite. As gritty as grit could ever be. Characters you despise. Characters you should despise. Women you love, Women you pity. Women you recognise. But the men are always responsible for the carnage. Freddy and Jimmy Jackson are two of Cole's best characters. Tom Hardy played Freddy to a tea in Sky One's version. However son't watch it before you read the book as they change the ending.
June 24, 2016
A reasonable story fairly well expressed, but spoilt by:
Excessive repetition, do we need to be told twenty plus times that she is a drunken alcoholic who loves her husband (who hates her) and hates her sister (who loves her) – skimmed over sections as these had been covered numerous times before.
Profanity is so extreme that it loses the shock effect, numbed by constant expletives, eventually one ends up not being aware of them.
If you have read a number of Martina Cole books, they all follow a similar thread and this one almost adheres to the template.
Excessive repetition, do we need to be told twenty plus times that she is a drunken alcoholic who loves her husband (who hates her) and hates her sister (who loves her) – skimmed over sections as these had been covered numerous times before.
Profanity is so extreme that it loses the shock effect, numbed by constant expletives, eventually one ends up not being aware of them.
If you have read a number of Martina Cole books, they all follow a similar thread and this one almost adheres to the template.
May 16, 2012
I read this as part of World Book Night. I found it quite hard going and it took a long time before the characters captured my interest. I found the constant crude language a distraction and it took a while to ignore it and flow with the story . I am pleased that World Book Night made me try something new, but am not sure I will be rushing out to get the next Martina Cole book.
August 29, 2013
This book has been adapted for tv, the tv version is second 2 none if u've read the book& watched the 4 part drama currently gettin screened on freeview part 3 is tonite or morro, if u can watch it, as per Tom hardy(Freddie Jackson) steals the show with his amazing performance!!!!!!!!
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