Hannah Massey

by Catherine Cookson

HANNAH Proud and canny, ignorant and intensely ambitious, Hannah Massey is a born ruler. Her kingdom may be only a working class household in County Durham, but within its walls her iron will governs a predominantly male family and her word is unchallengeable law. The apple of Hannah’s eye is her pretty younger daughter, Rosie,who has just returned home after a spell in London. Her return is shrouded in mystery and evasions, and when the truth does come out, Hannah’s world is torn apart.THE FIFTEEN Life in the Fifteen Streets was tough — a continual struggle for survival. Some families gave up and descended into a dismal state of grinding poverty. Others, like the O’Briens — and especially John O’Brien — fought grimly for a world they were only rarely allowed to glimpse. When John O’Brien fell in love with Mary Llewellyn,he knew there was a gulf between them that nothing could bridge — it was the gulf of the Fifteen Streets.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 28, 1972

About the author

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.

Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.

For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one could spin a tale quite like Catherine Cookson. I had so much pleasure over the years reading her stories. Recommended.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah Massey is the head of a large roman catholic family. She is a very strange character as she tries to control the lives of each of the family members. Her youngest daughter returns home one night from London under mysterious circumstances only to be smothered by her mothers overpowering love and placed back on the pedestal where her mother has put her. Hannah is full of her own sense of importance and feels each step that her family takes should be step to make herself more important and respectable in other peoples eyes. A series of events is started off by Rosie's return that brings about the collapse of Hannah's empire. An excellent novel even though Hannah's personality is rather disturbing at times. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

[P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath all the tomfoolery (narrated in the first part of the book), there lies something deep, dark and disturbing. Perhaps, it is the flaws of the characters that makes you squirm with repulsion. Hannah Massey is a strange woman. Headstrong and irrational, she has distorted notions of respectability. Her cruelty is quite shocking and her obsession with her daughter, Rosie, is, frankly, disturbing.
A good read, nevertheless; it is one of those rare books that manages to portray the dynamics of personal relationships admirably.

[Louise Culmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rosie Massey returns home after spending two years working in London. Her mother, Hannah, is thrilled to have her adored daughter back. Hannah for some reason dotes on Rosie and has little interest in her numerous sons. But there is some mystery about Rosie’s return. There are several other mysteries simmering away too. The trouble with this book is that the main character, the domineering matriarch Hannah Massey, is extremely unpleasant, and all the other characters are a bit colourless. There is nobody here to really interest me.

[Emma W · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Hannah and her daughter Rosie who have a fragile relationship as a result of some deep flaws in Hannah's personality.

Rosie comes home after a couple of years in London in suspicious circumstances. She immediately finds herself suffocated by her mother's warped mothering.

But Rosie's home coming will set of chain of events that could destroy the Massey Family.

I found this book to be a very typical Cookson except I found all the characters unlikeable and unsympathetic. .. But Hannah as the book's anti hero is veey well written.

[Winnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read this book because a friend loaned it to me and talked about the awards the author had received. The friend has mentioned books before and I knew we didn't read the same kinds of books; I read it anyway. I didn't like the characters. I didn't like the writing. It was a fast read, thankfully.

[Sheridan Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.
Not something I would've picked for myself, it was a gift, but I liked the story itself, I enjoyed the way it escalated quite quickly towards the end and the ending itself left me feeling satisfied.
I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:
Hannah Massey's favourite child returns from London with a shattering secret.

MOTHER
HANNAH MASSEY, fiercely ambitious, willing to do anything and sacrifice anyone--husband, sons, her illegitimate grandchild, even herself--to win the social position she lusted for and to enthrone there the one daughter she loved.
& DAUGHTER
ROSIE MASSEY, torn between her feeling for her mother and the passion that would destroy her mother's faith and dreams, and finding heaven and hell in her lover's arms.

This is a gripping story of a family divided by overpowering love, driving ambition, and shameful secrets.
Hannah Massey herself is a strange woman. Headstrong and irrational, she has distorted notions of respectability. Her cruelty is quite shocking and her obsession with her daughter, Rosie, is, frankly, disturbing. She is not a likeable character but this is not done in a one-dimensional way. A reader is challenged to discover this for themselves as one does in everyday life.

A very good read, nevertheless; it is one of those rare books that manages to portray the dynamics of personal relationships admirably.

[Tuija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olen lukenut monen monta Cooksonia, niistä yleensä saa mitä tilaa:helppolukuista ja sujuvaa kerrontaa englantilaisesta työväenluokasta ja ihmisten tarinoita monesti tyyliin "rääsyistä rikkauksiin". Tämäkin oli samaa luokkaa, nyt vain oli hiukan tavallista enemmän särmää. Kirjan päähenkilöt ovat tytär Rosie ja äiti joka on hyvin ylpeä tyttärestään. Lukuisa määrä poikia asuu kotona ja käy töissä kaivoksessa. Äiti on huippuluokan kiipijä, joka ei kaihda keinoja pyrkiessään päämääräänsä; asumaan erääseen tiettyyn taloon kaupungin hienommassa osassa. Rosie palaa kotiin oltuaan jonkin aikaa Lontoossa, mutta ei halua kertoa miksi tuli takaisin.
Tarinassa päästään lopulta selville kaikista valheista ja salaisuuksista ja pahakin saa palkkansa. Myös loppu on arvattava. Silti tykkäsin.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyrannical mother and her daughter.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star rating for Hannah Massey.

[Janet Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favourite. Read more than once and will read again.