Gorgeous Lies

by Martha McPhee

In a sequel taking place twenty years after the events in Bright Angel Time, the family of dying therapist Anton Furey finds its precarious balance upset by their efforts to make peace with Anton and each other. 30,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2002

About the author

Martha McPhee graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine and received her M.F.A. from Columbia University.

She is the author of five novels: An Elegant Woman, Dear Money; L'America; Gorgeous Lies; and Bright Angel Time. Her work has been honored by a National Endowment for the Arts grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Gorgeous Lies was a finalist for a National Book Award. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children, and teaches at Hofstra University.

Reviews

[Kristin Runyon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book--multiple narrators and multiple timelines usually cannot miss. About 2/3 of the way through, I was frustrated. I didn't care that Anton was dying (not a spoiler--it's a fact from page one); he was an unsympathetic character. Of the nine children, some only appeared in references, so why include them at all? I couldn't remember who was who. And questions about what might have happened (was Kate molested, or have I watched too many Lifetime movies?) were unanswered. So, I went online to read what others thought--were they just as flustered by the lack of organization masquerading as post-modernism? In one review, I found pity that the the author lived this life, or some form of it. But the book was listed as fiction, not memoir. Hm. Martha McPhee is not forthcoming about the parallels between her life and her fiction. Now I'm left wondering what is true and what is fiction; if most of it is true, McPhee had a bizarre and troubling upbringing. If most of it is fiction, why include such specific and unique details? And why write about such miserable people, especially if they look like relatives but aren't? I skimmed the last two chapters because I didn't care anymore. If it was fiction, it was poorly written; an editor should have worked more closely with her. If it was a thinly veiled memoir, then I would never have chosen to read it because I don't like that type of nonfiction. I feel like I am a victim of false advertising. I only paid $2 for the book, and I will donate it back to the public library to sell it again to another unsuspecting schmuck.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Martha McPhee's Bright Angel Time, a fictionalized account of her family, I immediately moved on to Gorgeous Lies, which continues the saga 20 years later. Although I enjoyed the first book immensely, I was somehow convinced I would hate its sequel. Happily, I was wrong. Gorgeous Lies is a fascinating exploration of how even toxic relationships can deepen and grow over the years.

Patriarch Anton Furey learns he is dying of cancer. Upon hearing the news of their father's impending death, his nine children rush to his side to say goodbye. Although Anton is obviously a twisted guy, he's also a very seductive one. At the end of his life, the people he's hurt most -- his loved ones -- can't get away from the fact that he's had had a tremendous impact on all of their lives, and not all of it was bad. Wives, lovers, friends and children all agree that while he was a delusional, power-hungry bastard, he was also a visionary. His courage to lead an unconventional life cobbled his family in some ways, but liberated it in others.

In a feat of writerly genius, McPhee manages to make the reader feel sympathetic toward a pretty reprehensible character. I thought this book showed a lot of wisdom and maturity, and it made me feel a wee bit better about my own complicated familial relationships. At any rate, it's nice to read an account of somebody else who kept her sanity after growing up during a very tumultuous decade. Maybe there's hope for me yet!

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Martha McPhee’s Gorgeous Lies served as my “bus book” for the last month. It is terrible. Really, really, bad awful. I would have stopped reading it, but it fit so well in my backpack and I only had to stomach a few pages at a time.

The novel follow the “wacky” Fury family - a new age blended family - as the patriarch Anton dies of pancreatic cancer. There’s the suggestion that there is some big secret lingering at the heart of his life that will either be revealed on his death-bed or in the book he’d been working on before his death. Turns out it’s no secret at all, the narrator lets us know early on that he’s been having sex with his stepdaughter(s).

The plot is terrible, but more frustrating and impossibly distracting is the writing. Awkward transitions, incredibly banal metaphors, clumsy dialogue, weak attempts at poetic description.

Turns out the book is a sequel - something the back cover does a good job of avoiding - which might explain some of the plot failings, but certainly does not account for the formulaic writing. Future bus books will be chosen based on more than size.

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

horrid; didnt finish

[Marydawnschuck · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is rare for me to start a book and not force myself to finish it.
I tried. I really did, but I just couldn't make myself read it.
It was just bad.

[Pat Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, though not as much as Bright Angel Time and L'America, two of McPhee's other novels I've enjoyed very much. Her main character is difficult and while the other characters had fraught relationships with him, it was hard for me to relate to anyone having affecfion for him or wanting his approval. That so many did shows McPhee's ability to explore complex relationships. I related to those, but still found him abhorrent.

[Wendy Johansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always interested in family dynamics stories. This one was pretty good. I was at times confused by the multiple perspectives offered by the various family members, and there were many. Who is it now? I was expecting a startling reveal about Anton, which never came, thankfully. In the end it was really about death and the life and lives affected by it, preceding it. I'd like to read other works by this author.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had difficult time getting into it because I found Anton so repulsive.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just too fraught and overwrought for my taste.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Bright Angel Time, although I wanted to strangle the horribly self-absorbed "adults" who were hauling these kids all over the desert and neglecting them. This sequel is more of the same in many ways -- perhaps even more beautifully written, but less tightly plotted.

The therapist/sex guru stepfather of Kate, the girl protagonist of Bright Angel, is dying horribly of cancer and the family (or maybe that should be "family") rallies at his bedside to bicker and reminisce. The book skips backward and forward in time and shifts points of view. I would have liked it to be narrated by Kate again, but the central character (to the extent there is one) is Anton and Eve's last daughter, Alice, who was doted upon in the middle of that pack of neglected kids and thinks her father hung the moon. It succeeds in making Anton somewhat sympathetic, but I was mostly just impressed by how very lovely Mcphee's prose is. It's like reading someone's dream. And like a dream, I'm not sure how much will stick with me as time went on -- but I'm glad I read it all the same.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Follow-up novel to McPhee's Bright Angel Time, this installment takes place about 20 yrs later with the saga of the joining of two families. In this installment, the main character Anton is dying and we witness this event though the different eyes of his children and stepchildren. His is an interesting character, flawed, full of hope and inspiration, sometimes misguided, and multifaceted. I found this novel more well developed than part one, perhaps because instead of from the perspective of one character, this time the audience sees the viewpoint of many of the characters, including most of the children and Eve, the "stepmom". I felt McPhee was a little extreme with the character of Alice as I found her unrealistic but otherwise, a reasonably enjoyable novel.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Toni · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up after reading the jacket cover because it sounded like an interesting book. The story was good, but the writing style ruined it for me. What bothered me the most was the jumping back and forth in the timeline and changing the narrative. Sometimes I was lost as to who was telling the story. If I wasn't such a stickler about finishing books that I start, I think I would have put this book down and never returned about 1/4 into the book.

[Jordyn B · Rating 1 out of 5]

8/18/14


This book does NOT even deserve ONE star! It was tough just trying to get past page 2! I was bored already! I managed to get about 5 more pages in and I almost threw it. Stupid, stupid, stupid! It was almost a chore trying to keep reading. I'd be more upset if I had actually bought the book brand new, thankfully it was a quick pick at a yard sale. What a waste of $.50


Rant over.

[Jessie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Um. It was hard to get into because I had no clue that it was a sequel. I guess I should have read the back.... I have a feeling that I'm still going to be frustrated even when/if I read the first book

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the writing was really beautiful, but the change of perspective and lack of linear storytelling from chapter to chapter made it hard to read and follow at times. I didn't read the first book, but I didn't feel lost because of it.

[Susan Edge-Gumbel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book and the way it was written. Interesting relationships between the biological family, the blended family and each character with Anton. The only two who could bring everyone together were Anton and Eve and his daughter Alice.

[Ali · Rating 1 out of 5]

My friend Julie's list reminded me of this book. Ugh, super-boring.

[Cathie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy and interesting read but it went nowhere. In the end I didn't know anymore about Anton and his diverse family than I did on page 1.

[Deidre · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not as good as Bright Angel. Same messed up family, too weird for even me to follow. And that says alot.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED it.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

struggled to get to p. 150 and didn't care enough to want to finish it. An easy read, but I just couldn't get involved enough in the characters to see how it would end

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept thinking it would get better. It didn't.

[PHarrington · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twisted tale with lots of family members -- you never knew who was telling the truth and who wasn't. I found it very hard to keep up with what was going on.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful novel! I highly recommend reading the author's first book, Bright Angel Time, first as it features the same family and makes the second book richer. Highly recommend both books.