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Suflete regăsite
Este oare posibil ca dispariția neașteptată partenerului de viață să reprezinte șansa unui nou început?
Când soțul lui Myrtle, Austin, moare subit în drum spre serviciu, lumea pare să se oprească în jurul ei. Cu toate astea însă, Myrtle și-a petrecut toți anii de căsnicie sub o calotă de gheață din punct de vedere emoțional. Fiicele ei sunt o enigmă pentru ea – una este irascibilă și agresivă, iar cealaltă ascunde cu înverșunare un secret. În plus, atitudinea distantă a lui Austin a împiedicat-o pe Myrtle să lege prietenii. Atunci de ce nu se simte eliberată? Cum își poate continua viața o văduvă nesigură pe locul ei în lume?
Myrtle nu poate merge mai departe până nu-și înfruntă propriul trecut și nu recunoaște motivele pentru care i-a arătat lui Austin un asemenea devotament. Adevărul trebuie să iasă la lumină, chiar dacă, pentru ea și fiicele ei, consecințele ar putea fi devastatoare...
Când soțul lui Myrtle, Austin, moare subit în drum spre serviciu, lumea pare să se oprească în jurul ei. Cu toate astea însă, Myrtle și-a petrecut toți anii de căsnicie sub o calotă de gheață din punct de vedere emoțional. Fiicele ei sunt o enigmă pentru ea – una este irascibilă și agresivă, iar cealaltă ascunde cu înverșunare un secret. În plus, atitudinea distantă a lui Austin a împiedicat-o pe Myrtle să lege prietenii. Atunci de ce nu se simte eliberată? Cum își poate continua viața o văduvă nesigură pe locul ei în lume?
Myrtle nu poate merge mai departe până nu-și înfruntă propriul trecut și nu recunoaște motivele pentru care i-a arătat lui Austin un asemenea devotament. Adevărul trebuie să iasă la lumină, chiar dacă, pentru ea și fiicele ei, consecințele ar putea fi devastatoare...
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 21, 2017
Aveam nevoie de o carte ușoară, cu o poveste care să mă ajute să îmi relaxez mintea. Cartea m-a surprins într-un mod plăcut. Nu vă așteptați la o capodoperă literară, nici autoarea nu cred să aibă această pretenție de la cartea ei. Are un stil curat, incisiv și extrem de punctual. Nu se pierde în detalii, alternează foarte frumos prezentul și trecutul și surprinde cu acuratețe diversitatea stărilor și a emoțiilor personajelor sale. Am simțit și furia și angoasa, disperarea și resemnarea.
https://ancasicartile.wordpress.com/2...
April 5, 2020
Aceasta carte ne spune povestea pierderii si totodata a regasirii familiei, dupa pierderea subita a unui membru al acesteia. O lectura relativ usoara, pe ici pe colo, plictisitoare. Nu e de neglijat totusi mesajul: importanta prietenilor in momentele dificile ale vietii, impactul asupra celor din jurul nostru a unei “minciuni” si, nu in ultimul rand, exista intotdeauna sansa unui nou inceput.
Am adorat coperta de prima data cand am vazut-o ! Atat de plina de culoare !
Am adorat coperta de prima data cand am vazut-o ! Atat de plina de culoare !
July 23, 2020
Suflete regăsite-Ulrika Jonsson
Atât de greu am trecut peste primele pagini, poate subiectul cărții cat si timpul limitat.....dar când cartea începe cu un deces,atunci când te astepti la o poveste de dragoste si dai peste o dramă, se citeste mai greu,nu?
Austin moare subit in autobuz,si astfel ajunge Gianni(cel care încercase sa ofere ajutor) sa le cunoasca pe Myrle, Beth si mai tarziu pe Gillian.
Decesul face sa se cutremure liniștea lui Myrle si un adevar nespus iese la suprafata, iar lucrurile se complică, in loc sa le unească decesul,aproape le separă. Cel care a fost un liant între ele -a fost Gianni, care a știut să fie un prieten adevarat.Myrle a fost genul de femeie docila, casnică, ce nu avea nici un cuvant de spus in alegeri privind familiai,Gillian este fata adorată de tată,dar care i-a copiat temperamentul , iar Beth -fata nedorită, neapreciată si nesustinuta (inclusiv de mamă).
Spre final lucrurile se îndreaptă...dar cartea per total am considetat-o tristă...atât Myrle a fost un copil neiubit (cel putin din partea mamei),un copil care a fost "aruncata" in bratele lui Austin...nici nu vreau sa ma gandesc ce se întâmplă dacă nu primea moștenirea...Beth este lesbi, relație defectuoasă cu parintii, abia după deces își recunoaște orientarea...Gillian fata vitregă, care nu este tipul de mama si sotie pe care sa o apreciez, dar care cu ajutor se schimba...
Atât de greu am trecut peste primele pagini, poate subiectul cărții cat si timpul limitat.....dar când cartea începe cu un deces,atunci când te astepti la o poveste de dragoste si dai peste o dramă, se citeste mai greu,nu?
Austin moare subit in autobuz,si astfel ajunge Gianni(cel care încercase sa ofere ajutor) sa le cunoasca pe Myrle, Beth si mai tarziu pe Gillian.
Decesul face sa se cutremure liniștea lui Myrle si un adevar nespus iese la suprafata, iar lucrurile se complică, in loc sa le unească decesul,aproape le separă. Cel care a fost un liant între ele -a fost Gianni, care a știut să fie un prieten adevarat.Myrle a fost genul de femeie docila, casnică, ce nu avea nici un cuvant de spus in alegeri privind familiai,Gillian este fata adorată de tată,dar care i-a copiat temperamentul , iar Beth -fata nedorită, neapreciată si nesustinuta (inclusiv de mamă).
Spre final lucrurile se îndreaptă...dar cartea per total am considetat-o tristă...atât Myrle a fost un copil neiubit (cel putin din partea mamei),un copil care a fost "aruncata" in bratele lui Austin...nici nu vreau sa ma gandesc ce se întâmplă dacă nu primea moștenirea...Beth este lesbi, relație defectuoasă cu parintii, abia după deces își recunoaște orientarea...Gillian fata vitregă, care nu este tipul de mama si sotie pe care sa o apreciez, dar care cu ajutor se schimba...
October 30, 2020
I loved the characters in this book so funny and real, could just imagine seeing them on the bus or the local cafe, or shopping in the supermarket.
The daughters were so different from each other as most often are, me and my sister are rather different in character and nature.
The shock of your father suddenly dying must be horrible.
A small find in the father's wallet produces devastating news which effects them all.
A good story of emotional happenings and family togetherness.
All rounded off with a good satisfactory ending.
The daughters were so different from each other as most often are, me and my sister are rather different in character and nature.
The shock of your father suddenly dying must be horrible.
A small find in the father's wallet produces devastating news which effects them all.
A good story of emotional happenings and family togetherness.
All rounded off with a good satisfactory ending.
December 18, 2018
This story was nice to listen to.
September 14, 2011
When Myrtle’s husband, Austin, dies on the bus one morning, everything seems to freeze. But in reality Myrtle has been frozen for nearly forty years, locked into an emotionless marriage. So if the barriers have been lifted, why does she still feel trapped?
Her daughters are a mystery to her – one prickly and defensive, the other with a closely guarded secret. And thanks to Austin’s cold presence, friends are a rarity. How is a widow supposed to find herself when she’s alone and unconfident of her place in the world?
But hope might rest with Gianni, the kind stranger in whose arms Austin died. And when nosy neighbour Dorothy discovers Myrtle’s sad news, she also refuses to let her wallow. But Myrtle will never move on until she’s dealt with her past and the reason for her devotion to Austin. The truth must out, even though the consequences might prove devastating for Myrtle and her daughters …
Celebrity novels are one of those types of books where it’s either really good (Sharon Osborne, Coleen Nolan), a bit middle-of-the-road, nothing to write home about (Fern Britton) or downright rubbish (Katie Price, Kay Burley). Therefore when I was offered the opportunity to receive a copy of Ulrika Jonsson’s new fiction title, I was a bit wary but decided to give it a go. I haven’t read her autobiography so don’t know anything of her writing style, but have been informed by the publishers that Ulrika has indeed written this herself, with no help from a ghost-writer at all. After hearing that, I was sold on giving it a go, despite the dreariness of the original cover. It’s since been updated with some pinks and yellows to brighten it slightly but it’s still nothing to write home about really!
I have to admit that overall, I found the book realy depressing and it was a bit of a struggle to pick it up and carry on reading as there seemed to be no end to misery and suffering of the characters within. It starts with the death of Myrtle’s husband Austin, a man who ruled with an iron fist and has Myrtle living to his every word. It’s a pretty sad existence that Myrtle has, and you can’t help but feel so sorry for the woman who hasn’t been allowed to think for herself for forty years, but also wonder why the heck she didn’t see what he was doing to her long ago. Then there are her two daughters, Beth and Gillian, two very different women and again, fairly depressing characters. Beth’s hiding a secret from her parents, but it’s obvious to the reader what it is – at least I guessed it straight away before it was revealed. Gillian is a bit of a tyrant, treating her husband Geoffrey and daughter Molly badly because she needs to have order and quiet around her. I found her so dislikeable, and really hated how she treated her husband. Beth was a bit more likeable, at least compared to her sister, but I couldn’t find myself really liking her at all either.
Gianni was probably the most likeable character of the lot. The Aussie-Italian is a bit of light relief compared to the rest of the book, the only character I remember reading about with a smile on his face. Thank goodness for him or it would have been complete misery. Overall, it’s a small but functional set of characters that aren’t exactly memorable, and after reading it, I really can’t at all understand the ‘importance of being Myrtle’, rather the importance of NOT being her is more likely! There are a few flashbacks in the book, back to Myrtle’s youth when she is introduced to Austin but also conducting an affair of her own which allows us to see the true Myrtle before she became bogged down with her marriage, and it’s quite heart-breaking for the most part, and just added to the miserable life that Myrtle has led, not being able to choose anything for her self, even then.
Jonsson’s writing is nothing overly impressive, but it’s not as bad as some celebrity novels I’ve had the misfortune to read lately. I found for me it was too narrative heavy – I would have liked to read more interactions between the characters, especially between Myrtle and her daughters as I felt these were too few and far between really. The narrative did tend to go on a bit and I found myself wanting to take a break from it a bit too often. I found the start was extremely slow as well, it was quite a while before I felt that the book really got going and it was a bit of a struggle to perservere with it further, although I wanted to see how it would progress. I think with a bit more focus and tighter editing, Jonsson could be a good novelist, but at the moment, there are many things she needs to improve before attempting a second outing. The story is good enough to keep up the pace of the book, unfolding secrets as the book progresses, but with unlikeable characters, a slow start and misery hanging over you throughout every page, it’s a book I am uncertain will be ranked high in the celebrity novelists lists.
Her daughters are a mystery to her – one prickly and defensive, the other with a closely guarded secret. And thanks to Austin’s cold presence, friends are a rarity. How is a widow supposed to find herself when she’s alone and unconfident of her place in the world?
But hope might rest with Gianni, the kind stranger in whose arms Austin died. And when nosy neighbour Dorothy discovers Myrtle’s sad news, she also refuses to let her wallow. But Myrtle will never move on until she’s dealt with her past and the reason for her devotion to Austin. The truth must out, even though the consequences might prove devastating for Myrtle and her daughters …
Celebrity novels are one of those types of books where it’s either really good (Sharon Osborne, Coleen Nolan), a bit middle-of-the-road, nothing to write home about (Fern Britton) or downright rubbish (Katie Price, Kay Burley). Therefore when I was offered the opportunity to receive a copy of Ulrika Jonsson’s new fiction title, I was a bit wary but decided to give it a go. I haven’t read her autobiography so don’t know anything of her writing style, but have been informed by the publishers that Ulrika has indeed written this herself, with no help from a ghost-writer at all. After hearing that, I was sold on giving it a go, despite the dreariness of the original cover. It’s since been updated with some pinks and yellows to brighten it slightly but it’s still nothing to write home about really!
I have to admit that overall, I found the book realy depressing and it was a bit of a struggle to pick it up and carry on reading as there seemed to be no end to misery and suffering of the characters within. It starts with the death of Myrtle’s husband Austin, a man who ruled with an iron fist and has Myrtle living to his every word. It’s a pretty sad existence that Myrtle has, and you can’t help but feel so sorry for the woman who hasn’t been allowed to think for herself for forty years, but also wonder why the heck she didn’t see what he was doing to her long ago. Then there are her two daughters, Beth and Gillian, two very different women and again, fairly depressing characters. Beth’s hiding a secret from her parents, but it’s obvious to the reader what it is – at least I guessed it straight away before it was revealed. Gillian is a bit of a tyrant, treating her husband Geoffrey and daughter Molly badly because she needs to have order and quiet around her. I found her so dislikeable, and really hated how she treated her husband. Beth was a bit more likeable, at least compared to her sister, but I couldn’t find myself really liking her at all either.
Gianni was probably the most likeable character of the lot. The Aussie-Italian is a bit of light relief compared to the rest of the book, the only character I remember reading about with a smile on his face. Thank goodness for him or it would have been complete misery. Overall, it’s a small but functional set of characters that aren’t exactly memorable, and after reading it, I really can’t at all understand the ‘importance of being Myrtle’, rather the importance of NOT being her is more likely! There are a few flashbacks in the book, back to Myrtle’s youth when she is introduced to Austin but also conducting an affair of her own which allows us to see the true Myrtle before she became bogged down with her marriage, and it’s quite heart-breaking for the most part, and just added to the miserable life that Myrtle has led, not being able to choose anything for her self, even then.
Jonsson’s writing is nothing overly impressive, but it’s not as bad as some celebrity novels I’ve had the misfortune to read lately. I found for me it was too narrative heavy – I would have liked to read more interactions between the characters, especially between Myrtle and her daughters as I felt these were too few and far between really. The narrative did tend to go on a bit and I found myself wanting to take a break from it a bit too often. I found the start was extremely slow as well, it was quite a while before I felt that the book really got going and it was a bit of a struggle to perservere with it further, although I wanted to see how it would progress. I think with a bit more focus and tighter editing, Jonsson could be a good novelist, but at the moment, there are many things she needs to improve before attempting a second outing. The story is good enough to keep up the pace of the book, unfolding secrets as the book progresses, but with unlikeable characters, a slow start and misery hanging over you throughout every page, it’s a book I am uncertain will be ranked high in the celebrity novelists lists.
July 25, 2022
This was an ok book for me. I didn't realise it was written by a celebrity when I picked it up in a charity shop but it's not a bad effort. (I sometimes feel books by celebrities get more publicity because of the author than if they'd been submitted under a pseudonym.) Myrtle is a sad character and her two daughters are not exactly likeable either. The book details the fallout after the sudden death of Myrtle's husband.
Forced to marry Austin at a young age, Myrtle hasn't had the easiest of lives and is very ill-equipped to cope as a widow. Thankfully she has Gianni, an Australian man who was with her husband when he died, and her neighbour Dorothy to drag her, albeit reluctantly, out of her shell.
I can't say I didn't enjoy the book and there probably are women like Myrtle in this world but I found it hard to accept that her daughters hadn't done more to alleviate her situation while her husband was alive.
Forced to marry Austin at a young age, Myrtle hasn't had the easiest of lives and is very ill-equipped to cope as a widow. Thankfully she has Gianni, an Australian man who was with her husband when he died, and her neighbour Dorothy to drag her, albeit reluctantly, out of her shell.
I can't say I didn't enjoy the book and there probably are women like Myrtle in this world but I found it hard to accept that her daughters hadn't done more to alleviate her situation while her husband was alive.
September 3, 2014
This book tells a story about the lost and finding of a whole family after a member passes away, suddenly, without any warning. Tangled with a past full of secret, the lives of the characters try to free themselves from the ties they have with the dead one.
I really love the cover! You can say whatever you want, but I am one of the persons who judge a book by its cover. The title in romanian, which would sound something like “Found souls”, seems more fitting for the story, than The importance of being Myrtle, because the book isn’t all about only this character.
It’s a short and easy read. I had some troubles following the action because it’s really boring at the beggining. The target age for this book would be somewhere around 40-50-60 years old, I definetely couldn’t taste it to the fullets at only 16.
The characters are the best part of this book. Every single one extremely interesting, they are a variety of personalities. It’s kind of impossible not to find a character to resonate with, because there’s such a big variety of them.
Myrtle is the one around all the action starts, after her husband, Austin, dies and leaves her unable to face even the simplest tasks of everyday life. But with his death, secrets are revealed, and all the members of her family, especially her daughters, have to suffer from it. Myrtle is a kindhearted person, easy to get along with and all she wishes for is peace and silence.
I wasn’t really expecting to like it, but maybe the period when I read it, this one full of confusion and uncertainties about my future, makes me see something more in this book. Behind the struggles of a family, the book tells you to just do what you want. It’s never too late for a change and it’s important to stay true to yourself, before putting other persons before you. It’s an impulse of life, there’s no such thing as too old, and important things always need to be said before it’s too late, because none of us is going to be in this world forever.
It’s a short book, pretty relaxing, and I recommend you in case you do not have anything else to read and you want a book that provides you an easy read.
I really love the cover! You can say whatever you want, but I am one of the persons who judge a book by its cover. The title in romanian, which would sound something like “Found souls”, seems more fitting for the story, than The importance of being Myrtle, because the book isn’t all about only this character.
It’s a short and easy read. I had some troubles following the action because it’s really boring at the beggining. The target age for this book would be somewhere around 40-50-60 years old, I definetely couldn’t taste it to the fullets at only 16.
The characters are the best part of this book. Every single one extremely interesting, they are a variety of personalities. It’s kind of impossible not to find a character to resonate with, because there’s such a big variety of them.
Myrtle is the one around all the action starts, after her husband, Austin, dies and leaves her unable to face even the simplest tasks of everyday life. But with his death, secrets are revealed, and all the members of her family, especially her daughters, have to suffer from it. Myrtle is a kindhearted person, easy to get along with and all she wishes for is peace and silence.
I wasn’t really expecting to like it, but maybe the period when I read it, this one full of confusion and uncertainties about my future, makes me see something more in this book. Behind the struggles of a family, the book tells you to just do what you want. It’s never too late for a change and it’s important to stay true to yourself, before putting other persons before you. It’s an impulse of life, there’s no such thing as too old, and important things always need to be said before it’s too late, because none of us is going to be in this world forever.
It’s a short book, pretty relaxing, and I recommend you in case you do not have anything else to read and you want a book that provides you an easy read.
May 24, 2014
I started reading this book a few weeks after the death of my partner and I wasn't sure whether it was the right book to read at that time of my life. I quickly realised that the author portrayed the effect of grief on individuals in a realistic way and I could empathise with both Myrtle herself as the grieving and shell shocked widow and with her two adult daughters, Gillian and Beth.
Austin Lewis was a controlling man who kept Myrtle where he wanted her and didn't allow her a life of her own. Because of the circumstances surrounding their marriage - revealed in flash backs - Myrtle didn't feel she should assert her own personality. As a consequence when Austin dies on a bus one morning going to work Myrtle finds herself adrift and at the mercy of control freak - daughter Gillian.
This is a well written and at times very funny story about what happens when there is a death in a family and how even those who think it won't change their lives find it has a huge effect on them. I liked the characters and some of the dialogue is absolutely brilliant. I particularly liked the party Myrtle's neighbour Dorothy throws and to which she invites Myrtle. I enjoyed reading it and found it helped me to understand what I am going through too.
Austin Lewis was a controlling man who kept Myrtle where he wanted her and didn't allow her a life of her own. Because of the circumstances surrounding their marriage - revealed in flash backs - Myrtle didn't feel she should assert her own personality. As a consequence when Austin dies on a bus one morning going to work Myrtle finds herself adrift and at the mercy of control freak - daughter Gillian.
This is a well written and at times very funny story about what happens when there is a death in a family and how even those who think it won't change their lives find it has a huge effect on them. I liked the characters and some of the dialogue is absolutely brilliant. I particularly liked the party Myrtle's neighbour Dorothy throws and to which she invites Myrtle. I enjoyed reading it and found it helped me to understand what I am going through too.
March 26, 2013
This was a very easy read. It wasn't the best written book I've ever read but it wasn't as bad as it might have been. The story is about Myrtle who becomes a widow following her husband's brain haemorrhage. As the story progresses we find out what sort of a life Myrtle had during her marriage to Austin. Secrets that have been kept for years often have a way of revealing themselves and at times it makes you wonder whether, the secrets should have been divulged. We all make our own decisions in life or are encouraged to behave in certain ways by others.
Myrtle becomes reawakened slowly and with no Austin to control her anymore, she is in the driving seat of her own destiny.
Myrtle becomes reawakened slowly and with no Austin to control her anymore, she is in the driving seat of her own destiny.
April 21, 2013
I enjoyed this story. It is a quiet little book which tells of the impact on the family after the death of their father/husband. During her marriage, Myrtle was never given the opportunity to be the person she was before her marriage to Austin. After his death we see her blossoming and finally telling her daughters the truth. A pleasant easy to read story, which by the end you really want Myrtle to find the happiness she deserves
March 15, 2012
I was passed this paperback, on loan from a friend who thought I would enjoy it. I did, but didn't love it. Rather predictable, but ok. A family deals with the death of Myrtle's husband, her daughters' father; learning a lot about themselves along 'the journey'.
I wouldn't rush to buy any other books by this author.
I wouldn't rush to buy any other books by this author.
May 12, 2014
I am not a fan of Ulrika, the tv personality and had low expectations of this book. However, it was really good, quite unusual, very intelligent and well written. You do find yourself getting a bit frustrated with the character of Myrtle, but that is because the characters are so well written that you believe them.
September 21, 2011
I found this book very hard to follow, I felt it was aimed at older
people, it was very boring, but I managed to hold out the end, I
wouldn’t recommend.
people, it was very boring, but I managed to hold out the end, I
wouldn’t recommend.
November 22, 2011
Very easy read. Read in 2 days
February 3, 2012
An easy read, predictable
October 20, 2012
Almost gave up on it but persevered. It was ok but not remarkable of particularly memorable. Sorry Ulrika!
December 23, 2012
Jag läste den här boken på svenska "Bara vara Martha" heter den. Detta, må jag skriva, är en fantastiskt söt julläsning ;) ... och alla borde nog ha en Dorothy som granne...
June 11, 2013
Quite a drag....
February 11, 2016
Läste visserligen denna på svenska och älskade omslaget. Men blev besviken. Tyckte den var för tråkig och seg. Kände inte heller mycket för Martha. Så synd...
March 9, 2016
Trevlig bok om mödrar och döttrar, könsroller och en massa olika känslor
September 22, 2022
Odd and interesting characters, though some of them extremely irritating, the grief process and reactions felt relatable, but the relationship with Gianni felt a bit forced.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews