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The Square
A comic romp featuring the bored, overprivileged and vain London bourgeoisie. Full of controversy, gossip, affairs and drama, this book is a fantastic summer read.
Jane has the ideal life: loving husband, beautiful house and delightful son. Her fashionable dinner parties are perfect - and so are her secret assignations with her neighbour's husband, Jay.
From Tracey and her ‘New Money’ lottery winnings to eccentric artist Philip and his pornographic portraits, the residents of North London's most privileged enclave The Square are a very satisfied bunch.
To raise money for communal fencing, the Residents' Association decides to hold a Talent Show, produced by Jane and hosted by TV celebrity Alan Makin. But when the show lurches into public disarray, reputations are shattered and everyone has to learn to live with a far less glossy reality than before.
…hilariously observed… a much-welcomed comedy of manners.
Jane Green, New York Times Bestselling author
A waspish portrait shot through with wit, insight and buckets of glorious bonking. Jonathan Maitland
…quirky and a keenly observant novel… and real fun too!
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, The Independent
…worthy of Trollope, Austen and Arnold Bennett… the author has painted all her characters with humour and honesty.
Tina Foster, Mature Times
Pin-sharp and wickedly funny… a very timely satire…
Adam Foulds, Granta Best of Young British Novelists
Jane has the ideal life: loving husband, beautiful house and delightful son. Her fashionable dinner parties are perfect - and so are her secret assignations with her neighbour's husband, Jay.
From Tracey and her ‘New Money’ lottery winnings to eccentric artist Philip and his pornographic portraits, the residents of North London's most privileged enclave The Square are a very satisfied bunch.
To raise money for communal fencing, the Residents' Association decides to hold a Talent Show, produced by Jane and hosted by TV celebrity Alan Makin. But when the show lurches into public disarray, reputations are shattered and everyone has to learn to live with a far less glossy reality than before.
…hilariously observed… a much-welcomed comedy of manners.
Jane Green, New York Times Bestselling author
A waspish portrait shot through with wit, insight and buckets of glorious bonking. Jonathan Maitland
…quirky and a keenly observant novel… and real fun too!
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, The Independent
…worthy of Trollope, Austen and Arnold Bennett… the author has painted all her characters with humour and honesty.
Tina Foster, Mature Times
Pin-sharp and wickedly funny… a very timely satire…
Adam Foulds, Granta Best of Young British Novelists
- GenresContemporaryFiction
304 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
July 4, 2015
If you like Desperate Housewives, then you are going to love The Square!
The Square takes place in an upscale neighborhood in London. Behind the closed doors of the seemingly perfect manicured houses that comprise the square, affairs take place, children are ignored, and the monotony of everyday life takes its toll.
The Square is a juicy summer read! I highly recommend for a bit of fun!
The Square takes place in an upscale neighborhood in London. Behind the closed doors of the seemingly perfect manicured houses that comprise the square, affairs take place, children are ignored, and the monotony of everyday life takes its toll.
The Square is a juicy summer read! I highly recommend for a bit of fun!
August 16, 2018
If you like Rachel Johnson's Notting Hell, Gill Hornby's The Hive and India Knights Mutton you will like The Square by Rosie Millard.
Rosie Millard is a journalist and broadcaster. She has also been a profile writer at the Sunday Times News Review, arts editor of the New Statsman, theature writer. She attendedthe UEA/Guardian Novel Writing Masterclass in 2013 where she wrote The Square, a modern comedy of manners.
In The Square Jane has a perfect life and a loving husband. Even though Tracey has won the lottery she doesn't want to grapple with the idea of people spending the equivalent of a year's school fees on a sculpture of a golf course.
This is a highly-commercial female fiction novel, a comic romp featuring the bored, overprivileged and vain London bourgeisie. Full of controvesy, gossip, affairs and drama.
Rosie Millard is a journalist and broadcaster. She has also been a profile writer at the Sunday Times News Review, arts editor of the New Statsman, theature writer. She attendedthe UEA/Guardian Novel Writing Masterclass in 2013 where she wrote The Square, a modern comedy of manners.
In The Square Jane has a perfect life and a loving husband. Even though Tracey has won the lottery she doesn't want to grapple with the idea of people spending the equivalent of a year's school fees on a sculpture of a golf course.
This is a highly-commercial female fiction novel, a comic romp featuring the bored, overprivileged and vain London bourgeisie. Full of controvesy, gossip, affairs and drama.
July 26, 2015
I read this on vacation and it was the perfect diversion even though it felt a bit dreary with all the cheating going on. In The Square, this closed residential enclave of privilege, the marital cheating take on complicated geometric shapes while the frienemy situations are overlapping venn diagrams making the whole a dizzying disaster of a group. I can't even begin to go into detail about it all but I will say that while I didn't like most of these people, I did want to know how things turned out for them. Most of all I was glad that Jane was losing her side screw to a house sell up & Tracey who thinks she's home free, isn't, if that last look in at Alan is any indication. Those were both satisfying ends. I liked Roberta, the piano instructor and also her best little student, George (Jane & Patrick's son). The other children in The Square weren't as well rendered as George but I didn't mind. This was definitely a good look in at a group of people who don't genuinely like one another but who go to great lengths to pretend they're friends, pretend they're more successful & together than others and are expert at telling themselves they're superior to some while seeking approval from others they perceive best them. It was distressing to me the financial & personal risk they put themselves through for a facade for people they didn't much like. It made me uncomfortable, felt real and I felt that was worthy. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a weekend, vacation read or loves women's fiction & brit chick lit.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
December 2, 2015
Thank you Netgalley!!!3.5 stars. A cutesy story about a neighborhood of families and one is involved with the other and the other and so on. I liked the lightness of it- easy to breeze through but it felt more like a play than a novel.
We have our piano teacher who comes to "the square" to teach the children of this well to do neighborhood to play. She teaches George, who is the young son of a couple Jane and Patrick. Jane is having an affair with Jay (of Jay and Harriet) Jane is a cold nasty bitch with an au pair who turns out to be a fabulous pianist herself. Then we have Tracy and Larry who are new to the neighborhood because they recently won the lottery. but they spent most of it and are in financial troubles. We have a tv personality who is a financial guru (like the dr. phil of money) and Tracy goes to see him and.....
I hate when i read reviews of people who just go and summarize the whole story. I will stop right there and say it's a cute British story but because it wasn't an in depth book I felt it lacking, but not so much I didn't want to keep reading because i really liked the characters no matter how shallow they came across.
We have our piano teacher who comes to "the square" to teach the children of this well to do neighborhood to play. She teaches George, who is the young son of a couple Jane and Patrick. Jane is having an affair with Jay (of Jay and Harriet) Jane is a cold nasty bitch with an au pair who turns out to be a fabulous pianist herself. Then we have Tracy and Larry who are new to the neighborhood because they recently won the lottery. but they spent most of it and are in financial troubles. We have a tv personality who is a financial guru (like the dr. phil of money) and Tracy goes to see him and.....
I hate when i read reviews of people who just go and summarize the whole story. I will stop right there and say it's a cute British story but because it wasn't an in depth book I felt it lacking, but not so much I didn't want to keep reading because i really liked the characters no matter how shallow they came across.
October 18, 2019
This was a book which, by the time I got round to reading, I wondered why the heck I'd picked up in the first place. Apparently it was supposed to be funny but I don't remember laughing at a single bit in it.
Most of the characters were thoroughly unlikeable (some were downright offensive), and not at any point did I feel a connection, or empathy, or even sympathy for any of them. Except George, anyway, who was the saving grace of the story.
As others have said, it reads like a TV soap and has as much of an ending. Did I mention I don't watch soaps? Well I did now.
Almost went in the Did Not Finish section but for the fact that it's an easy read and I'm behind on my reading challenge. Definitely not a book I'd care to revisit. Ever.
Most of the characters were thoroughly unlikeable (some were downright offensive), and not at any point did I feel a connection, or empathy, or even sympathy for any of them. Except George, anyway, who was the saving grace of the story.
As others have said, it reads like a TV soap and has as much of an ending. Did I mention I don't watch soaps? Well I did now.
Almost went in the Did Not Finish section but for the fact that it's an easy read and I'm behind on my reading challenge. Definitely not a book I'd care to revisit. Ever.
September 23, 2015
Originally reviewed on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/2...
Well, this was fantastic. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but once I'd had a gander at the blurb on NetGalley, and marvelled at how fabulous the cover image was, I just had to request it because it sounded brilliant and, thankfully, my assumptions turned out to be right. The Square by Rosie Millard was such fun, humorous and entertaining novel, and one which I read rather rapidly due to my sheer enjoyment of it.
In The Square by Rosie Millard, we're introduced to a handful of characters who are completely different to each other in their circumstances, as well as their characteristics. I think that's where the fun began for me, and I also think it's fair to say that Rosie opened her novel with a rather naughty bang too, quite literally! *giggle* As the first couple of chapters went by, Rosie brought forward a single character for the reader to focus on for the duration of said chapter. Despite there being quite a few characters to get to grips with, I found it fantastically easy to set each one apart from the other, and as the different lives of these characters began to take shape and form in front of me, I found myself incredibly eager to get back to each one, each time a chapter change took me away from them.
The Square, as the novel is so aptly titled, focuses on a small community gated away from the rest of humanity (okay, slight exaggeration on my part), but the people within the square appear to set themselves apart from the surrounding council estates and so on. It's a very tight-knit community, some living very luxurious lives with au pairs and children who take piano lessons, with one family having gained entry into The Square due to a lottery win! I adored the diversity of Rosie's characters, who each brought something different and unique to the cluster of people within The Square. What really gets the wheels spinning on this novel though, is the problem of the gate surrounding the square. It's in a state of disrepair and because of this, the inhabitants of The Square need to raise money to have it replaced. And so, during a meeting where everyone from The Square is present, the idea of holding a talent show is brought forward and begins to take place as the novel progresses.
Although the build-up to the talent show provided the plot with some thickness, it was the inhabitants of The Square that held my interest the most. There was so much going on within The Square, and I loved how the appearance of the place hid what went on behind closed doors so well! The houses on The Square were all so neat and proper, yet behind those pretty doors, disaster was taking place and there was nothing that could stop it. Affairs, deceit, lies and upcoming fame. Rosie Millard displayed her characters and their lives so fantastically to me, I felt like I was not just a reader, but a participant in the plot too. The author's choice of words and descriptions were witty and humorous to say the least, commenting on the snobbery and the battle of the classes. Rosie Millard put such a hilarious turn onto everything she wrote, it was a pure pleasure and joy to read. I was dying to see where each character would be by the end of the novel, and couldn't wait to reach that point! There were so many secrets, so much hidden from the other inhabitants of The Square that I was waiting for that moment of reveal with baited breath. Behind each closed door, a different story was waiting to unfold and it was truly brilliant, so unique and fresh and a fantastically enjoyable way to tell a story like this one.
Becca's Books is awarding The Square by Rosie Millard with four gorgeous cupcakes! A refreshingly different telling of a cluster of homes and families that reeled me in right in and had me racing through the pages with delight. A thoroughly enjoyable novel which I'd recommend to everyone who loves a good giggle!
Well, this was fantastic. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but once I'd had a gander at the blurb on NetGalley, and marvelled at how fabulous the cover image was, I just had to request it because it sounded brilliant and, thankfully, my assumptions turned out to be right. The Square by Rosie Millard was such fun, humorous and entertaining novel, and one which I read rather rapidly due to my sheer enjoyment of it.
In The Square by Rosie Millard, we're introduced to a handful of characters who are completely different to each other in their circumstances, as well as their characteristics. I think that's where the fun began for me, and I also think it's fair to say that Rosie opened her novel with a rather naughty bang too, quite literally! *giggle* As the first couple of chapters went by, Rosie brought forward a single character for the reader to focus on for the duration of said chapter. Despite there being quite a few characters to get to grips with, I found it fantastically easy to set each one apart from the other, and as the different lives of these characters began to take shape and form in front of me, I found myself incredibly eager to get back to each one, each time a chapter change took me away from them.
The Square, as the novel is so aptly titled, focuses on a small community gated away from the rest of humanity (okay, slight exaggeration on my part), but the people within the square appear to set themselves apart from the surrounding council estates and so on. It's a very tight-knit community, some living very luxurious lives with au pairs and children who take piano lessons, with one family having gained entry into The Square due to a lottery win! I adored the diversity of Rosie's characters, who each brought something different and unique to the cluster of people within The Square. What really gets the wheels spinning on this novel though, is the problem of the gate surrounding the square. It's in a state of disrepair and because of this, the inhabitants of The Square need to raise money to have it replaced. And so, during a meeting where everyone from The Square is present, the idea of holding a talent show is brought forward and begins to take place as the novel progresses.
Although the build-up to the talent show provided the plot with some thickness, it was the inhabitants of The Square that held my interest the most. There was so much going on within The Square, and I loved how the appearance of the place hid what went on behind closed doors so well! The houses on The Square were all so neat and proper, yet behind those pretty doors, disaster was taking place and there was nothing that could stop it. Affairs, deceit, lies and upcoming fame. Rosie Millard displayed her characters and their lives so fantastically to me, I felt like I was not just a reader, but a participant in the plot too. The author's choice of words and descriptions were witty and humorous to say the least, commenting on the snobbery and the battle of the classes. Rosie Millard put such a hilarious turn onto everything she wrote, it was a pure pleasure and joy to read. I was dying to see where each character would be by the end of the novel, and couldn't wait to reach that point! There were so many secrets, so much hidden from the other inhabitants of The Square that I was waiting for that moment of reveal with baited breath. Behind each closed door, a different story was waiting to unfold and it was truly brilliant, so unique and fresh and a fantastically enjoyable way to tell a story like this one.
Becca's Books is awarding The Square by Rosie Millard with four gorgeous cupcakes! A refreshingly different telling of a cluster of homes and families that reeled me in right in and had me racing through the pages with delight. A thoroughly enjoyable novel which I'd recommend to everyone who loves a good giggle!
September 3, 2015
Really enjoyed this fun read, effortlessly readable, full of both ordinary and quirky characters who live on an up market square of town houses in London. From the new monied lottery winners to resident eccentric artist Philip and his once rather risqué Russian born wife Gilda, the square gives up its' secrets and dramas.
Rosie Millard introduces us to the 'players' via Roberts who is the music teacher tutoring pupils on the square. Without giving too much away, things start to unravel for several residents when a talent show is organised to raise money to repair/restore railings round the square.
In addition to the planned talent show one of the residents, Harriet, takes lottery winner and new resident Tracey to a talk given by Alan Makin on how to manage debt. Alan Makin is a celebrity expert who hosts television chat shows on financial management and is appearing locally. Tracey is worried their lottery money won't last forever and although she runs a beauty business it is not doing as well as it should. She has watched Alan Makin on the television and when her neighbour Harriet says she is going to see him at a talk he is giving Tracey is enthusiastic to go along. At the talk Tracey finds herself speaking out in defence of the poor 'victim Alan Makin she using as an example of someone who has got himself into debt. Later Alan Makin asks to meet Tracey and once he knows her lottery story he asks her to appear on one of his shows and in return she provides a kind of 'counselling' service for him. Having said he would pay her she agrees.
We discover secrets and assignations, hidden jealousies and dramas with the residents of The Square as the story unfolds. It's a lovely frivolous read, like being a voyeur being able to see into the residents lives and learn their innermost secrets, witty and although predictable it was great fun to follow the characters.
I loved the young boy George and his one liners, priceless. This book gets a well deserved 4 stars from me, I sincerely hope she does a sequel and I will definitely read it.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
Rosie Millard introduces us to the 'players' via Roberts who is the music teacher tutoring pupils on the square. Without giving too much away, things start to unravel for several residents when a talent show is organised to raise money to repair/restore railings round the square.
In addition to the planned talent show one of the residents, Harriet, takes lottery winner and new resident Tracey to a talk given by Alan Makin on how to manage debt. Alan Makin is a celebrity expert who hosts television chat shows on financial management and is appearing locally. Tracey is worried their lottery money won't last forever and although she runs a beauty business it is not doing as well as it should. She has watched Alan Makin on the television and when her neighbour Harriet says she is going to see him at a talk he is giving Tracey is enthusiastic to go along. At the talk Tracey finds herself speaking out in defence of the poor 'victim Alan Makin she using as an example of someone who has got himself into debt. Later Alan Makin asks to meet Tracey and once he knows her lottery story he asks her to appear on one of his shows and in return she provides a kind of 'counselling' service for him. Having said he would pay her she agrees.
We discover secrets and assignations, hidden jealousies and dramas with the residents of The Square as the story unfolds. It's a lovely frivolous read, like being a voyeur being able to see into the residents lives and learn their innermost secrets, witty and although predictable it was great fun to follow the characters.
I loved the young boy George and his one liners, priceless. This book gets a well deserved 4 stars from me, I sincerely hope she does a sequel and I will definitely read it.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2015
The Square is an exclusive group of houses where the rich and not so rich live. Gradually over the first few chapters we get a snapshot of some of their lives. There's Larry and Tracy - lottery winners who are now feeling the pinch money-wise. They have two children - teenager Belle and younger Grace as well as a Polish au pair, Anya. Then there's Patrick and Jane and their son George and Jay and Harriet and their son Brian.
Jane and Jay are having an affair. Philip and Gilda are sort of the odd ones out as they are regarded as eccentric. He is an artist/sculptor and builds models of golf holes for people who can afford their hefty price tag. He lives with Gilda, who has an eclectic taste in dress.
The Residents' Association have decided that they need new railings round the garden in the square and decide to try and raise the money for them. This leads to all sorts of upsets in the status quo. There isn't much of a plot as you might expect from this type of book as it is mainly about the lives of the people in the square and the way they are all changed by the fund raising activity and the organisation of a talent show.
I did enjoy this book - it was good light reading and reminded me of Rachel Johnson's 'Notting Hell'. I think the author writes well about the women in the story as they come to life but the men never really seemed real to me. I didn't get any order of what they were like with the possible exception of Patrick. I did like the small boy, George, who is charming and funny and really steals the show.
If you want something not too taxing to read about a group of people who rub along together fairly well until things change then you could do worse than read this. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
Jane and Jay are having an affair. Philip and Gilda are sort of the odd ones out as they are regarded as eccentric. He is an artist/sculptor and builds models of golf holes for people who can afford their hefty price tag. He lives with Gilda, who has an eclectic taste in dress.
The Residents' Association have decided that they need new railings round the garden in the square and decide to try and raise the money for them. This leads to all sorts of upsets in the status quo. There isn't much of a plot as you might expect from this type of book as it is mainly about the lives of the people in the square and the way they are all changed by the fund raising activity and the organisation of a talent show.
I did enjoy this book - it was good light reading and reminded me of Rachel Johnson's 'Notting Hell'. I think the author writes well about the women in the story as they come to life but the men never really seemed real to me. I didn't get any order of what they were like with the possible exception of Patrick. I did like the small boy, George, who is charming and funny and really steals the show.
If you want something not too taxing to read about a group of people who rub along together fairly well until things change then you could do worse than read this. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
December 22, 2015
I'm not quite sure how much I enjoyed this book. I was thinking about three stars but settled on four as the story is well written and quite entertaining. However I did not like any of the characters and there were a few to choose from. They were all middle class neighbours snobbish, conceited and arrogant. They all live around The Square in very large expensive town houses. The main storyline is that the residents decide to have a talent show, as the garden in The Square needs new railings, with dramas and disasters ensuing.
July 13, 2015
A wonderfully observed, soap opera style slice of life centered among residents of a well-to-do street in London. The Square is a highly entertaining read.
Chapters focus in turn on the main characters and the shenanigans currently happening in their lives, which includes a lot of adultery! It's a good read with plenty going on among the residents to hold your interest.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Chapters focus in turn on the main characters and the shenanigans currently happening in their lives, which includes a lot of adultery! It's a good read with plenty going on among the residents to hold your interest.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
November 30, 2016
Thoroughly not entertaining or fun or nice.
July 6, 2020
I’m really confused as to why or even how I came to purchase this book... (I think it was in a Waterstones online sale and I now understand why). Having read fellow reviews, I had to double check I’d picked the right book on goodreads because I cannot relate in any way 🤔
Aside from the minimum 3 typos I noticed, this book was entirely pointless. I’m all for a lighthearted bit of fiction that has no impact on your life, it’s just a fun read, but I’m honestly baffled as to why this has been published because isn’t very good at all?
Almost all the characters are unlovable (particularly Jane. Fuck you, Jane) and the story doesn’t actually seem to go anywhere other than down the toilet...
Don’t bother 🤷🏻♀️
Aside from the minimum 3 typos I noticed, this book was entirely pointless. I’m all for a lighthearted bit of fiction that has no impact on your life, it’s just a fun read, but I’m honestly baffled as to why this has been published because isn’t very good at all?
Almost all the characters are unlovable (particularly Jane. Fuck you, Jane) and the story doesn’t actually seem to go anywhere other than down the toilet...
Don’t bother 🤷🏻♀️
July 20, 2018
This story could have gone on for another few chapters.
November 6, 2018
Abandoned..... One or two very funny interjections but complacent Islington trash......
July 3, 2025
This kept me entertained for 4 hours in a minor injury waiting room, but I didn't feel the story went anywhere.
August 31, 2015
Review first posted on my blog: http://spoonfulofhappyendings.blogspo...
'The Square' tells the entertaining story of a group of residents who all live in the same upscale neighbourhood in the north of London. There's the always perfect Jane, who has it all: the beautiful house, a loving husband and son, and her neighbour Harriet's husband as her secret lover. Only a few houses down we have eccentric artist couple Philip and Glinda, who are known for the pornographic photos displayed around their home, and there's Tracy and Larry, who unexpectedly won the lottery which resulted in them being able to suddenly send their kids to private school and move to the Square. In order to raise some money for new communal fencing, the residents of the Square decide to organise a talent show; an event that will not only lead to some of them showcasing their talents, but perhaps also a secret or two...
I really flew through the pages of 'The Square' and finished it within just two sittings, while having thoroughly enjoyed each chapter. It's clear author Rosie Millard knows her way around the English language, resulting in quite a specific writing style which fit the idea of a modern comedy of manners perfectly and which I personally really liked. Each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the residents of the Square, making it possible for the reader to climb into the mind of several characters. There's a diverse collection of characters in the novel, including ones I instantly warmed to (such as lottery-winner Tracy, piano teacher Rebecca, and young George) and a few I loved to hate (such as the snobby Jane).
The novel reminded me a bit of a soap opera with its different storylines to focus on, and more than enough to keep the reader entertained: from a cheating housewife to celebrity financial wizards to eccentric artists and young romance... I'm sure there's something to please everyone, hidden within 'The Square.' I have to admit I personally thought the ending of the novel was a bit sudden and it feels like there are still some unanswered questions. However, who knows, perhaps we can expect a sequel one day...? Overall, 'The Square' was a highly entertaining, quick and juicy read that had me captivated from start to finish, and a book that once again shows that you never know what goes on behind closed doors!
'The Square' tells the entertaining story of a group of residents who all live in the same upscale neighbourhood in the north of London. There's the always perfect Jane, who has it all: the beautiful house, a loving husband and son, and her neighbour Harriet's husband as her secret lover. Only a few houses down we have eccentric artist couple Philip and Glinda, who are known for the pornographic photos displayed around their home, and there's Tracy and Larry, who unexpectedly won the lottery which resulted in them being able to suddenly send their kids to private school and move to the Square. In order to raise some money for new communal fencing, the residents of the Square decide to organise a talent show; an event that will not only lead to some of them showcasing their talents, but perhaps also a secret or two...
I really flew through the pages of 'The Square' and finished it within just two sittings, while having thoroughly enjoyed each chapter. It's clear author Rosie Millard knows her way around the English language, resulting in quite a specific writing style which fit the idea of a modern comedy of manners perfectly and which I personally really liked. Each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the residents of the Square, making it possible for the reader to climb into the mind of several characters. There's a diverse collection of characters in the novel, including ones I instantly warmed to (such as lottery-winner Tracy, piano teacher Rebecca, and young George) and a few I loved to hate (such as the snobby Jane).
The novel reminded me a bit of a soap opera with its different storylines to focus on, and more than enough to keep the reader entertained: from a cheating housewife to celebrity financial wizards to eccentric artists and young romance... I'm sure there's something to please everyone, hidden within 'The Square.' I have to admit I personally thought the ending of the novel was a bit sudden and it feels like there are still some unanswered questions. However, who knows, perhaps we can expect a sequel one day...? Overall, 'The Square' was a highly entertaining, quick and juicy read that had me captivated from start to finish, and a book that once again shows that you never know what goes on behind closed doors!
September 11, 2015
This was 2.5 stars for me (no half star option!)
I was quite intrigued by the blurb on this book as I definitely think there is a lot more of life not being exactly what meets the eye happening in life, especially with the rise of social media. Those people with a life that looks so glossy on Instagram, with 50,000 avid twitter followers following their every move? Are their lives as perfect as we imagine? Probably not is my guess.
For me I felt that sadly this book didn’t live up to my expectations, it felt very much like a British Soap Opera to me, which I don’t watch. This is not to say the book is badly written because it’s not, I found the way that Rosie made it seem like I was entering a different house in each chapter interesting, especially with all the goings on within this book.
I am a reader who has to embrace the characters if I am going to fall for a novel and in the case of the occupants of The Square I really didn’t. I know that for the most part the characters are supposed to be the type of people you dislike, but I genuinely didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters which hurt this books chances with me.
There is definitely a lot going on in The Square and I am telling you there is at times more drama than an episode of Corrie, especially when the day of the long awaited talent show fundraiser arrives and with it more than one secret is revealed.
Whether it’s secret affairs, dalliances with the au pair, children who seem far older than their years or the every present rivalry between the women of The Square.
As much as I didn’t love this book, I did find that there was something there that kept me reading, mainly because I really wanted to know what the fall out would be if all the secret goings on in the lives of those in The Square were really revealed to not only their loved ones but also their neighbours.
The main winner being the aspect of seeing into each person’s home and the way people longed to know what was happening behind their neighbour’s closed doors. For anyone who has looked at someone’s home and ever wondered what really goes on inside – and let’s be fair who hasn’t at one point or another? The Square will definitely keep you turning the pages!
If you like your books with a splash of Desperate Housewives style raunchiness and keeping up with the neighbour’s then this could be just the book for yo
I was quite intrigued by the blurb on this book as I definitely think there is a lot more of life not being exactly what meets the eye happening in life, especially with the rise of social media. Those people with a life that looks so glossy on Instagram, with 50,000 avid twitter followers following their every move? Are their lives as perfect as we imagine? Probably not is my guess.
For me I felt that sadly this book didn’t live up to my expectations, it felt very much like a British Soap Opera to me, which I don’t watch. This is not to say the book is badly written because it’s not, I found the way that Rosie made it seem like I was entering a different house in each chapter interesting, especially with all the goings on within this book.
I am a reader who has to embrace the characters if I am going to fall for a novel and in the case of the occupants of The Square I really didn’t. I know that for the most part the characters are supposed to be the type of people you dislike, but I genuinely didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters which hurt this books chances with me.
There is definitely a lot going on in The Square and I am telling you there is at times more drama than an episode of Corrie, especially when the day of the long awaited talent show fundraiser arrives and with it more than one secret is revealed.
Whether it’s secret affairs, dalliances with the au pair, children who seem far older than their years or the every present rivalry between the women of The Square.
As much as I didn’t love this book, I did find that there was something there that kept me reading, mainly because I really wanted to know what the fall out would be if all the secret goings on in the lives of those in The Square were really revealed to not only their loved ones but also their neighbours.
The main winner being the aspect of seeing into each person’s home and the way people longed to know what was happening behind their neighbour’s closed doors. For anyone who has looked at someone’s home and ever wondered what really goes on inside – and let’s be fair who hasn’t at one point or another? The Square will definitely keep you turning the pages!
If you like your books with a splash of Desperate Housewives style raunchiness and keeping up with the neighbour’s then this could be just the book for yo
November 6, 2015
The Square is a fun read based on a mythical North London Square, peopled by characters that stereo-type the chattering classes.
Jane is living the perfect life, loving husband, beautiful house and delightful son George. A not insignificant fly in the ointment is her ongoing affair with her neighbour's husband. Tracey and her lottery winning family are outwardly living the dream, but in reality struggling to cope and aging eccentric artist Philip and his equally aging Russian ex model wife. Their normally quite private lives are exposed when Jane decides to hold a Talent Show to raise money for communal fencing. As things spiral out of control the inhabitants of this privileged enclave are treated to a dose of reality.
This was a fun read, pretty much like an upmarket soap opera, think Albert Square meets Desperate Housewives. The plot lines alternates with the differing families and the activity leading up to the highly anticipated Talent Show. Some of the characters are more likeable than others, but one character stands out above all - George. He is a delight and reminds me of a male Joyce Grenfell, who has the naivety of an 8 year old and at the same time the turn of phrase of an Ealing Comedy Grand Dame.
The plot such as it is, is really designed as a vehicle to throw up the foibles of the assembled cast and to that end it works well. For anyone prudish there is quite a lot of romping and although it's largely of the "Carry On" variety, this might not be the book to buy Gran for Christmas.
If you want a fun read that takes a poke at those we we'd all like to see deflated, then this is for you.
I received a review copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Jane is living the perfect life, loving husband, beautiful house and delightful son George. A not insignificant fly in the ointment is her ongoing affair with her neighbour's husband. Tracey and her lottery winning family are outwardly living the dream, but in reality struggling to cope and aging eccentric artist Philip and his equally aging Russian ex model wife. Their normally quite private lives are exposed when Jane decides to hold a Talent Show to raise money for communal fencing. As things spiral out of control the inhabitants of this privileged enclave are treated to a dose of reality.
This was a fun read, pretty much like an upmarket soap opera, think Albert Square meets Desperate Housewives. The plot lines alternates with the differing families and the activity leading up to the highly anticipated Talent Show. Some of the characters are more likeable than others, but one character stands out above all - George. He is a delight and reminds me of a male Joyce Grenfell, who has the naivety of an 8 year old and at the same time the turn of phrase of an Ealing Comedy Grand Dame.
The plot such as it is, is really designed as a vehicle to throw up the foibles of the assembled cast and to that end it works well. For anyone prudish there is quite a lot of romping and although it's largely of the "Carry On" variety, this might not be the book to buy Gran for Christmas.
If you want a fun read that takes a poke at those we we'd all like to see deflated, then this is for you.
I received a review copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
August 7, 2015
This book gives us a snapshot into the lives of a few families who live round a square in a "posh" area of London. We follow them over the course of a couple of months as they endeavour to raise a bit of cash for some new railings by holding a Talent Show.
There are a whole host of characters to be found in this book and they are all very cleverly observed reflections and so all come across as perfectly real. There are some I warmed to more than others but on the whole, I actually can't say I liked any of them really, Maybe at a push George but at times I also wanted to slap him! But as I have said many times, I don't need to like the characters to enjoy reading about them!
For me, this was quite an easy read as there wasn't much about anything in it apart from the general observation of life in the square, even the shenanigans around the Talent Show itself didn't really pique my interest too high. I just didn't feel that enough happened to make me go wow and, for me, I like that in a book.
But, all that said, I did enjoy this book. I found it to be a good solid read that, although not blowing me out of the water, I found enjoyable and never boring. This is probably a "me thing" rather than a "book thing" as my penchant is for this type of book to be a bit more on the gritty side than I found this one to be.
I did find the writing and language to be very easy to read and the narrative followed well so I would be open to reading more from this author but I would definitely cherry-pick.
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review
There are a whole host of characters to be found in this book and they are all very cleverly observed reflections and so all come across as perfectly real. There are some I warmed to more than others but on the whole, I actually can't say I liked any of them really, Maybe at a push George but at times I also wanted to slap him! But as I have said many times, I don't need to like the characters to enjoy reading about them!
For me, this was quite an easy read as there wasn't much about anything in it apart from the general observation of life in the square, even the shenanigans around the Talent Show itself didn't really pique my interest too high. I just didn't feel that enough happened to make me go wow and, for me, I like that in a book.
But, all that said, I did enjoy this book. I found it to be a good solid read that, although not blowing me out of the water, I found enjoyable and never boring. This is probably a "me thing" rather than a "book thing" as my penchant is for this type of book to be a bit more on the gritty side than I found this one to be.
I did find the writing and language to be very easy to read and the narrative followed well so I would be open to reading more from this author but I would definitely cherry-pick.
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review
July 19, 2015
Like the cover indicates this is a story about houses in a square and all the inhabitants who occupy these houses and their separate life styles. It also shows that however open we are, there are hidden facets that we do not want everyone to see and know!
There is one couple who have won a lottery and who have upgraded themselves to a higher lifestyle. This proves worrying in different ways. They have moved their children to private schools, they must remember that now being richer they should be more "polished" in their speech - all this can get stressful. They have also lived beyond their means and credit card debts are piling up. We have another couple - the wife is having a rip roaring affair with the next door gentleman, on both sides its just an affair but many people could get hurt. We have a music teacher who is an onlooker and an au pair who is treated as part of the furniture. We have a television personality who enters the scene and finally takes over the whole show and there are two famous artists in the Square who keep to themselves but who are the talking point for everyone in the Square (porn on the walls and porn in the toilets!).
A Talent Show is organised by the residents to raise funds to erect a railing around the Square. Everyone has to rally around and this forms the climax of the story. It is the end of life in the Square as they know it. Hilarious and introspective at the same time, this was a very fun read.
There is one couple who have won a lottery and who have upgraded themselves to a higher lifestyle. This proves worrying in different ways. They have moved their children to private schools, they must remember that now being richer they should be more "polished" in their speech - all this can get stressful. They have also lived beyond their means and credit card debts are piling up. We have another couple - the wife is having a rip roaring affair with the next door gentleman, on both sides its just an affair but many people could get hurt. We have a music teacher who is an onlooker and an au pair who is treated as part of the furniture. We have a television personality who enters the scene and finally takes over the whole show and there are two famous artists in the Square who keep to themselves but who are the talking point for everyone in the Square (porn on the walls and porn in the toilets!).
A Talent Show is organised by the residents to raise funds to erect a railing around the Square. Everyone has to rally around and this forms the climax of the story. It is the end of life in the Square as they know it. Hilarious and introspective at the same time, this was a very fun read.
June 24, 2015
The blurb of the book sounded really good and I had high hopes. Unfortunately, after reading it, I didn't love it as much as I had hoped.
The Square is a neighborhood in which the residents are well-to-do (or used to be). A few couples are mentioned to be having financial problems but you really don't get into how it's really affecting them aside from a mention here and there about having to buy cheap salmon or possibly cancel piano lessons. Tracey and Larry who won the lottery, are having financial issues that lead her to asking for a financial makeover from Alan Makin, a tv guru. He is described as devising a plan but you never really find out what it entails or if it'll really work.
While I did like a few of the characters, some were just totally unlikable. And everyone is an adulterer. I found it outside the realm of possibility that out of three couples, each had at least one cheater and one had both of them cheating.
The relationship between George (a young boy) and his piano teacher Roberta was the best part of the whole book.
I felt like the book was shooting for a similar tone to that of a Liane Moriarty book but didn't quite make it.
*I received a free copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Square is a neighborhood in which the residents are well-to-do (or used to be). A few couples are mentioned to be having financial problems but you really don't get into how it's really affecting them aside from a mention here and there about having to buy cheap salmon or possibly cancel piano lessons. Tracey and Larry who won the lottery, are having financial issues that lead her to asking for a financial makeover from Alan Makin, a tv guru. He is described as devising a plan but you never really find out what it entails or if it'll really work.
While I did like a few of the characters, some were just totally unlikable. And everyone is an adulterer. I found it outside the realm of possibility that out of three couples, each had at least one cheater and one had both of them cheating.
The relationship between George (a young boy) and his piano teacher Roberta was the best part of the whole book.
I felt like the book was shooting for a similar tone to that of a Liane Moriarty book but didn't quite make it.
*I received a free copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2015
Like a British soap opera, or any soap opera, the book has core characters whose lives we get an intimate look at. In this case, they all live in a rather well-to-do neighborhood called The Square where all the houses look the same as though life inside were neat and orderly. However, as you quickly realize while reading the book, their lives are just as messy (actually messier) than ours: infidelity, money problems, etc. A wonderfully eclectic cast of characters that only put up with each other because they are neighbors with appearances to keep. My favorite character is the young boy George who is refreshing in his apparent innocence. I want a sequel to find out if he really was as innocent as you are lead to believe. I would normally suggest a book with this level of humor and fluff as a beach read, but the narration varies from chapter to chapter. And, while I love this treatment, casually reading with frequent and long breaks might confuse the reader. So, make sure to use extra suntan lotion!
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an objective review.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an objective review.
June 25, 2015
I received an ARC digital copy of this book through NetGallery.com in exchange for my fair and honest review.
I truly enjoy novels where each chapter is written through the eyes of a different character. The Square by Rosie Millard is written this way and the different participants’ stories criss-cross again and again as they live life in their ritzy neighborhood while planning a fundraising talent show. It was reminiscent of a soap opera where all of the characters come together for one great reason and then go back to their ordinary lives the very next day. The connections between some of the characters were a little odd, and I’m not sure why some excessive background was given about seemingly minor characters.
What I loved: There was nothing that I truly loved about the book – it is a good, satisfying read.
What I didn’t love: I questioned why some of the characters’ actions – there seemed to be no explanation of why they were acting the way they were.
What I learned: Only you know what goes on in your own house.
Overall Grade: B
I truly enjoy novels where each chapter is written through the eyes of a different character. The Square by Rosie Millard is written this way and the different participants’ stories criss-cross again and again as they live life in their ritzy neighborhood while planning a fundraising talent show. It was reminiscent of a soap opera where all of the characters come together for one great reason and then go back to their ordinary lives the very next day. The connections between some of the characters were a little odd, and I’m not sure why some excessive background was given about seemingly minor characters.
What I loved: There was nothing that I truly loved about the book – it is a good, satisfying read.
What I didn’t love: I questioned why some of the characters’ actions – there seemed to be no explanation of why they were acting the way they were.
What I learned: Only you know what goes on in your own house.
Overall Grade: B
July 2, 2015
This story took a little time to get going, but after it started it was kind of funny. The best part was the preparation for and the actual talent show. That actually got a few laugh out chuckles from me.
The whole thing is pretty much making fun of suburbia and everyone in everyone else's business. There is hardly a thing that goes on in the Square that someone doesn't know about. Of course, the reader knows it all so it's kinda of funny that people think they are getting away with things that they are not.
You also may need a spreadsheet to keep track of who is sleeping with who. Ha! Just kidding, but there is a lot of adultery going on. Like I said, it starts off a little slow, but worth getting through to get to the end.
I want to thank Legend Press and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
The whole thing is pretty much making fun of suburbia and everyone in everyone else's business. There is hardly a thing that goes on in the Square that someone doesn't know about. Of course, the reader knows it all so it's kinda of funny that people think they are getting away with things that they are not.
You also may need a spreadsheet to keep track of who is sleeping with who. Ha! Just kidding, but there is a lot of adultery going on. Like I said, it starts off a little slow, but worth getting through to get to the end.
I want to thank Legend Press and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2015
The Square tells the story of several families who live on an upper middle class Square in England. The characters are interesting and well drawn out. Not only do we learn about the owners of the homes in the Square, but we learn about some of the "servants" as well. There is a piano teacher, an au pair and an artist's assistant from the other side of the tracks. One set of homeowners are lottery winners.
The reader is taken into the lives of these people, their secret longings, their goals, their financial troubles and more. There are enough secrets to keep the reader interested. There is also sex, but it is not the explicit kind that runs rampant in so many novels today.
I was taken into life on the Square and I believe you will be as well.
I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads.
The reader is taken into the lives of these people, their secret longings, their goals, their financial troubles and more. There are enough secrets to keep the reader interested. There is also sex, but it is not the explicit kind that runs rampant in so many novels today.
I was taken into life on the Square and I believe you will be as well.
I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads.
July 3, 2015
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book - it was an easy read and I've always liked books that show POV from many different characters. However I just couldn't get my head around it - I found it hard to believe (not to mention depressing) that out of all of the couples featured only one (the crazy eccentrics) weren't having extra-marital affairs. I didn't like any of the characters apart from Roberta the music teacher and George her student. It was quite an uncomfortable read for me and, like I said before, left me feeling quite depressed. As much as I am nosy and would like to see how 'the other half' live - I'm left wishing I hadn't...
I really wanted to like this book - it was an easy read and I've always liked books that show POV from many different characters. However I just couldn't get my head around it - I found it hard to believe (not to mention depressing) that out of all of the couples featured only one (the crazy eccentrics) weren't having extra-marital affairs. I didn't like any of the characters apart from Roberta the music teacher and George her student. It was quite an uncomfortable read for me and, like I said before, left me feeling quite depressed. As much as I am nosy and would like to see how 'the other half' live - I'm left wishing I hadn't...
March 24, 2016
The Square is a desirable location to live and behind the pristine doors different families cope with different issues. The lottery winners who bought the house but can't afford to keep living there, the eccentric artist and his muse, the bankers and their trophy wives plus an assortment of children and the obligatory au pair. Over the course of a few months the lives of the residents are laid bare.
Sometimes all one wants to read is a simple lightweight amusing book and this book fits the bill perfectly. Drawing on some of the ideas of 'Capital', Millard tells an entertaining tale but without looking much beyond the superficial, however that book isn't marketed as high literature so that isn't really a problem. It's a frothy, lightweight but fun read.
Sometimes all one wants to read is a simple lightweight amusing book and this book fits the bill perfectly. Drawing on some of the ideas of 'Capital', Millard tells an entertaining tale but without looking much beyond the superficial, however that book isn't marketed as high literature so that isn't really a problem. It's a frothy, lightweight but fun read.
August 24, 2015
The square is a group of exclusive London residences where everything is not quite as it first seems.
Jane appears to have everything, a great husband, child and lifestyle...... and her neighbour's husband. Larry and Tracy won the lottery and feel that they have to live up to the standards of the other residents in the Square.
Gradually we get to learn a bit about all of the residents and when the Residents Association decide that they need new railings around the square they decide to have a fund raising talent show, and then the secrets start to come out.
This is a good lighthearted romp that is ideal for reading on the beach
Jane appears to have everything, a great husband, child and lifestyle...... and her neighbour's husband. Larry and Tracy won the lottery and feel that they have to live up to the standards of the other residents in the Square.
Gradually we get to learn a bit about all of the residents and when the Residents Association decide that they need new railings around the square they decide to have a fund raising talent show, and then the secrets start to come out.
This is a good lighthearted romp that is ideal for reading on the beach
March 14, 2016
After seeing the cover for this book on netgalley and how cute it was I just had to request to read this little gem!
The Square by Rosie Millard was such a happy, fun and entertaining read.
I loved everything about this book it was such an easy light hearted read.
The square tells the story of several different families who live in the north London square.
You are taken into the lives of the characters in the book and gradually you get to learn all about them.
The plot alternates between the different families throughout the book.
I received a review copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Square by Rosie Millard was such a happy, fun and entertaining read.
I loved everything about this book it was such an easy light hearted read.
The square tells the story of several different families who live in the north London square.
You are taken into the lives of the characters in the book and gradually you get to learn all about them.
The plot alternates between the different families throughout the book.
I received a review copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2015
Welcome to The Square - nice houses, shame about the people who live in them. You certainly wouldn't want any of them as your neighbours or at least I wouldn't! All had something to hide in one way or another, all were shallow and none had any likeable traits. It raced between the various characters, had it's comical moments and was an easy bed time or holiday read. I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would nor did I care very much about the people who live in these houses. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
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