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Edith & Oliver
From the author of Ghost Moth, one of the most acclaimed debuts of 2014, a stunning second novel which will put Michèle Forbes in the league of Colm Toíbín, Anne Enright and Sebastian Barry.
Edith was born into a different world. But her rebellious nature brought her to the seedy glamour of the music hall, where she plays the piano by night.
Oliver is an illusionist of moderate repute. But he is a man of ambition. He wants to tour the world, to pioneer ground-breaking illusions.
History and fate have other ideas.
When Edith and Oliver meet they fall headlong in love. But their children arrive as the world begins to change, as cinemas crowd the high street and the draw of the music hall wanes. What follows is a struggle: against the entropy of marriage, against the march of time, and against Oliver's flaws-flaws that may cost them everything.
Edith was born into a different world. But her rebellious nature brought her to the seedy glamour of the music hall, where she plays the piano by night.
Oliver is an illusionist of moderate repute. But he is a man of ambition. He wants to tour the world, to pioneer ground-breaking illusions.
History and fate have other ideas.
When Edith and Oliver meet they fall headlong in love. But their children arrive as the world begins to change, as cinemas crowd the high street and the draw of the music hall wanes. What follows is a struggle: against the entropy of marriage, against the march of time, and against Oliver's flaws-flaws that may cost them everything.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 23, 2017
14 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Michèle Forbes
7 books17 followersBorn in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Michèle Forbes is an award-winning theatre, television and film actress. She studied literature at Trinity College, Dublin and has worked as a literary reviewer for the IRISH TIMES. Her short stories have received both the BRYAN MACMAHON and the MICHAEL MCLAVERTY AWARDs. She lives near Dalkey, Dublin with her husband and two children. GHOST MOTH is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 28, 2017
Oliver is an illusionist. He has learnt his art from a master and believes that he too can become famous worldwide. In the meantime, he makes his own props and performs in Belfast theatres and on tour around England.
Oliver meets Edith, a theatre accompanist, they fall in love and marry. Oliver continues to try to make ends meet on the circuit, while Edith tries to adapt to a stay- at- home life when they have twins.
But this is the early 20th century, and Oliver’s ambition is compromised, first by the strictures of WWI, and then by a fall- off in the popularity of Variety Theatre which is being overtaken by cinema.
The novel starts in the middle, as Oliver and Edith meet. Oliver’s tragic upbringing, which has influenced who and where he is, takes some time to unfold. He struggles to avoid failure as father, husband and, most of all, a great performer, but the cards are stacked against him.
The theatre backdrop feels beautifully authentic with attention to detail, even details of Belfast in the 1920s. The characters are carefully drawn too, and while Oliver takes up most of the story, Edith’s forced abandonment of her career is dealt with sympathetically. There are many, many lyrical descriptions and down to earth dialogue.
But it just felt a little too long. Parts are so sad they are almost too difficult to bear, but this book did not make me care as much as I thought I should.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for this read.
Oliver meets Edith, a theatre accompanist, they fall in love and marry. Oliver continues to try to make ends meet on the circuit, while Edith tries to adapt to a stay- at- home life when they have twins.
But this is the early 20th century, and Oliver’s ambition is compromised, first by the strictures of WWI, and then by a fall- off in the popularity of Variety Theatre which is being overtaken by cinema.
The novel starts in the middle, as Oliver and Edith meet. Oliver’s tragic upbringing, which has influenced who and where he is, takes some time to unfold. He struggles to avoid failure as father, husband and, most of all, a great performer, but the cards are stacked against him.
The theatre backdrop feels beautifully authentic with attention to detail, even details of Belfast in the 1920s. The characters are carefully drawn too, and while Oliver takes up most of the story, Edith’s forced abandonment of her career is dealt with sympathetically. There are many, many lyrical descriptions and down to earth dialogue.
But it just felt a little too long. Parts are so sad they are almost too difficult to bear, but this book did not make me care as much as I thought I should.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for this read.
December 30, 2018
Between 3.5 stars and 4.
This is a beautiful (but sad story) about a family in the early years of the 20th century. Oliver is a very skilled illusionist during the birth of cinema, so you can probably guess where is livelihood is going.
This story isn't entirely what I was expecting, but all the same I kept wanting to turn the page and it is actually kind of suprising that this book doesn't have more ratings.
This is a beautiful (but sad story) about a family in the early years of the 20th century. Oliver is a very skilled illusionist during the birth of cinema, so you can probably guess where is livelihood is going.
This story isn't entirely what I was expecting, but all the same I kept wanting to turn the page and it is actually kind of suprising that this book doesn't have more ratings.
May 30, 2023
Incredible writing. Vivid and captivating. There's a special talent for authors who can show us the story, rather than simply telling us.
I can see what other reviewers mean when they say it's not a love story; but..it is. It's not a romantic story. It doesn't focus on a budding romance that ends in some sort of tragedy. It's exactly as described - a tragic love story. A very raw and real account of finding love and building a family, trying to follow your dreams and face childhood traumas while protecting and supporting your loved ones. It's tragic because there is no happy ending.
Now. The ending is disappointing. It left me unfulfilled. I didn't necessarily want a happy ending, but I didn't want what we got. It wasn't even a last ditch effort to tie up loose ends...it just became a bit messy. I think she wanted it to be a "ride off into the sunset" kind of conclusion, and instead I was left with a giant question mark. Not a cliffhanger. Just..."What?"
I wanted more of Edith, Agna, and Archie. Edith giving up her dreams to take care of the children while Oliver was touring (and stealing and drinking and anger and...). Agna finding her voice. Archie growing into this role of the "Man of the House." Even Edwin...I wanted more of him realising how his traumas affected him and his relationship with his family.
Granted, this is the 1910s/20s. Mental health wasn't exactly spoken about. But we get soooo much backstory and understanding of why Oliver is the way he is, only to grow to actually kind of hate him. I spent most of the book rooting for him and wanting him and his family to find peace and instead he ruins everything. And they still love him.
It IS a tragic love story.
Just not the love story that most people want to hear.
I can see what other reviewers mean when they say it's not a love story; but..it is. It's not a romantic story. It doesn't focus on a budding romance that ends in some sort of tragedy. It's exactly as described - a tragic love story. A very raw and real account of finding love and building a family, trying to follow your dreams and face childhood traumas while protecting and supporting your loved ones. It's tragic because there is no happy ending.
Now. The ending is disappointing. It left me unfulfilled. I didn't necessarily want a happy ending, but I didn't want what we got. It wasn't even a last ditch effort to tie up loose ends...it just became a bit messy. I think she wanted it to be a "ride off into the sunset" kind of conclusion, and instead I was left with a giant question mark. Not a cliffhanger. Just..."What?"
I wanted more of Edith, Agna, and Archie. Edith giving up her dreams to take care of the children while Oliver was touring (and stealing and drinking and anger and...). Agna finding her voice. Archie growing into this role of the "Man of the House." Even Edwin...I wanted more of him realising how his traumas affected him and his relationship with his family.
Granted, this is the 1910s/20s. Mental health wasn't exactly spoken about. But we get soooo much backstory and understanding of why Oliver is the way he is, only to grow to actually kind of hate him. I spent most of the book rooting for him and wanting him and his family to find peace and instead he ruins everything. And they still love him.
It IS a tragic love story.
Just not the love story that most people want to hear.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2021
“Because we cannot prove anything, then any number of truths are possible, any combination, a mixed state that we could exist in – there’s our lives and then there’s the version of our lives we tell ourselves and others.”
Edith & Oliver is bittersweet story of love and family. Oliver is an illusionist who’s trying to make ends meet for his family. His wife Edith, was a pianist who later turn into a stay-at-home mother nursing their two twins, Agna and Archie.
This book gives you a very realistic insight to the struggles of marriage, life, family and the struggles we often deal with as an individual. Though it wasn’t the best book, I still love how we get to see into the thoughts of the main characters, Edith and Oliver, as they deal with their struggles, trying to survive with whatever they have for their family, especially for their kids.
It was also a reflection of the struggles most people deal with these days I feel like, especially as we live in a pandemic and some people are out of jobs, and are just struggling to financially support their families.
The writing was lyrical and beautiful however like I said before, this wasn’t the best book but I still enjoyed reading it nevertheless.
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July 4, 2022
I loved this book. Atmospheric and most beautifully written. Definitely one of the most engaging opening chapters of any novel I have read. I quickly fell in love with the characters of both Edith and Oliver and was entranced by the description of the unconventional start to their romance.
The novel is set in the early 20th century when vaudeville is on the decline and Oliver as an illusionist faces an uncertain future, now with a wife and young twins to support. The novel becomes increasingly dark as the story unfolds and Oliver more difficult to sympathose with in his treatment of his wife and young children. In contrast Edith is stoic throughout, devoted to Oliver, resourceful and loyal to friends and family.
The novel explores the scars forged in early childhood on one's later life and the tendency for history to repeat itself. Family and friends create a backdrop to the novel and are increasingly important to Edith as Oliver descends into debt and alcoholism and does something so monstrous it will change everything for ever. After so much hope experienced in the early days of their realtionship the novel ends with an uncertain future for Edith and her daughter with Oliver's whereabouts still unknown. However In spite of all the terrible events that have unfolded you still feel the abiding love that Oliver and Edith have for each other.
The novel is set in the early 20th century when vaudeville is on the decline and Oliver as an illusionist faces an uncertain future, now with a wife and young twins to support. The novel becomes increasingly dark as the story unfolds and Oliver more difficult to sympathose with in his treatment of his wife and young children. In contrast Edith is stoic throughout, devoted to Oliver, resourceful and loyal to friends and family.
The novel explores the scars forged in early childhood on one's later life and the tendency for history to repeat itself. Family and friends create a backdrop to the novel and are increasingly important to Edith as Oliver descends into debt and alcoholism and does something so monstrous it will change everything for ever. After so much hope experienced in the early days of their realtionship the novel ends with an uncertain future for Edith and her daughter with Oliver's whereabouts still unknown. However In spite of all the terrible events that have unfolded you still feel the abiding love that Oliver and Edith have for each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2023
This book grabbed my attention in a charity bishop, and i'm so glad that i picked it up off the bookshelf.
it's a mighty read in the way the life of one family is so eventful . Oliver is such a interesting character, a illusionist who messes up continuously to
the chagrin of edith his wife , who often has to clear up his messes.
agna , silent with such a strength of character is probably my favourite character . Her strength is a joy to see in the book.
i felt the ending was a little rushed but all in
all a good read.
it's a mighty read in the way the life of one family is so eventful . Oliver is such a interesting character, a illusionist who messes up continuously to
the chagrin of edith his wife , who often has to clear up his messes.
agna , silent with such a strength of character is probably my favourite character . Her strength is a joy to see in the book.
i felt the ending was a little rushed but all in
all a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2017
Thanks Orion Publishing Group and netgalley for the ARC.
Real life, love, pain, failure, and endurance; we hear Edith and Oliver's musings, daydreams, and inner dialogue to themselves. This is a rare novel that gives a inner picture of our and others minds and hearts.
Real life, love, pain, failure, and endurance; we hear Edith and Oliver's musings, daydreams, and inner dialogue to themselves. This is a rare novel that gives a inner picture of our and others minds and hearts.
February 7, 2021
Book Review of 'Edith & Oliver' by Michele Forbes
Not my usual genre and so another book ticked off my reading challenge list, but my goodness, what a read! Set in Dublin in the early 1920's, it's described as a love story but crikey there are no hearts and flowers here. It is harsh, bleak even – definitely read with a furrowed brow for 80% of it but Michele Forbes is such an excellent storyteller, she manages to pepper the darkness with such brilliant humour, you're utterly riveted. This example made me beam throughout the whole chapter. Describing one of the acts appearing on the same show as Oliver himself... 'The Ted Lennard Five became four after a trampoline fiasco when Ted himself misjudged a double front somersault ending up in the orchestra pit'. Not sure if that's just my sense of humour and the fact I could picture every second of it, but what writing! Another joyous quote as Oliver was interviewing female assistants for his stage show and deciding on Peggy Taggart 'who has a jaunty gait and can play the trumpet'. Sounds like Peggy would be perfect to me. Poor Oliver. My heart hurt for him. His dream was to be the worlds best illusionist – sadly though, he was disillusioned....is that an oxymoron?
He tried, oh how he tried, but with a wife and twins to support, life was hard. So hard in fact, an evening of excitement for the family was meeting at their neighbours to sit round and marvel over the ownership of a second hand wash tub complete with mangle worshipped over as' it will halve the time it normally takes to do the laundry'. I highly recommend reading this book and consider yourself fortunate not to have lived the heart -wrenchingly sad life in 1920's Dublin that Oliver and Edith Fleck lived. Yes, I know it's only a story, but I got involved what can I say? Blessings counted.
Not my usual genre and so another book ticked off my reading challenge list, but my goodness, what a read! Set in Dublin in the early 1920's, it's described as a love story but crikey there are no hearts and flowers here. It is harsh, bleak even – definitely read with a furrowed brow for 80% of it but Michele Forbes is such an excellent storyteller, she manages to pepper the darkness with such brilliant humour, you're utterly riveted. This example made me beam throughout the whole chapter. Describing one of the acts appearing on the same show as Oliver himself... 'The Ted Lennard Five became four after a trampoline fiasco when Ted himself misjudged a double front somersault ending up in the orchestra pit'. Not sure if that's just my sense of humour and the fact I could picture every second of it, but what writing! Another joyous quote as Oliver was interviewing female assistants for his stage show and deciding on Peggy Taggart 'who has a jaunty gait and can play the trumpet'. Sounds like Peggy would be perfect to me. Poor Oliver. My heart hurt for him. His dream was to be the worlds best illusionist – sadly though, he was disillusioned....is that an oxymoron?
He tried, oh how he tried, but with a wife and twins to support, life was hard. So hard in fact, an evening of excitement for the family was meeting at their neighbours to sit round and marvel over the ownership of a second hand wash tub complete with mangle worshipped over as' it will halve the time it normally takes to do the laundry'. I highly recommend reading this book and consider yourself fortunate not to have lived the heart -wrenchingly sad life in 1920's Dublin that Oliver and Edith Fleck lived. Yes, I know it's only a story, but I got involved what can I say? Blessings counted.
November 29, 2017
Edith & Oliver is a beautifully told story about very little hope.
I was encouraged by the referral on the cover, announcing that Forbes is unafraid 'to address the s0-called ordinary lives of real human beings.' Thanks Mr Banville, but perhaps this applies better to Forbes' earlier work?
Edith and Oliver's lives are anchored in ordinary but possess a long chain - for they deviate far from what I expected as ordinary. Oliver and Edith meet as performers in Ireland's popular music halls in the early 20th century. This alone is an exciting space - it sets the pair apart from the mundane that circulated around them at the time. Perhaps it makes it all the more crippling when their dreams are dashed from exciting to mediocre, and from mediocre to dire.
Her research is incorporated almost seamlessly into her prose, and her characters (at least to me) function as fully believable human beings.
What deviated from believable was the story, as it seemed to me that Forbes' many strings were forcibly brought together at the climax, causing a literary cacophony equivalent to a crash of enormous cymbals, followed by the bleat of a small party horn with a hole in its paper funnel. The climax seemed far-fetched, given the gradual and psychological journey we had been on for so long with Oliver. Midway through the novel it was almost impossible to sympathize with Oliver, though by the end we were perceiving his reasons with clarity. There was no clarity involved at the moment of climax
I enjoyed Edith & Oliver despite it being entirely depressing, and the plain fact that things simply got from bad to worse, and worse again, over and over and over until it ended. Michele Forbes writes beautifully - however due to the story itself, I find it difficult to recommend.
I was encouraged by the referral on the cover, announcing that Forbes is unafraid 'to address the s0-called ordinary lives of real human beings.' Thanks Mr Banville, but perhaps this applies better to Forbes' earlier work?
Edith and Oliver's lives are anchored in ordinary but possess a long chain - for they deviate far from what I expected as ordinary. Oliver and Edith meet as performers in Ireland's popular music halls in the early 20th century. This alone is an exciting space - it sets the pair apart from the mundane that circulated around them at the time. Perhaps it makes it all the more crippling when their dreams are dashed from exciting to mediocre, and from mediocre to dire.
Her research is incorporated almost seamlessly into her prose, and her characters (at least to me) function as fully believable human beings.
What deviated from believable was the story, as it seemed to me that Forbes' many strings were forcibly brought together at the climax, causing a literary cacophony equivalent to a crash of enormous cymbals, followed by the bleat of a small party horn with a hole in its paper funnel. The climax seemed far-fetched, given the gradual and psychological journey we had been on for so long with Oliver. Midway through the novel it was almost impossible to sympathize with Oliver, though by the end we were perceiving his reasons with clarity. There was no clarity involved at the moment of climax
I enjoyed Edith & Oliver despite it being entirely depressing, and the plain fact that things simply got from bad to worse, and worse again, over and over and over until it ended. Michele Forbes writes beautifully - however due to the story itself, I find it difficult to recommend.
May 6, 2017
Goodness, what a desperately unhappy book this is! The tale of an illusionist, set in the world of Edwardian music halls - I thought it sounded just my cup of tea but it is so unrelentingly grim and depressing. The entire tale can be summed up in four words: Nothing good ever happens. Whenever things begin to go well for our poor, hapless characters, when my interest piqued and I began turning the pages in fresh hope, the hammer of doom came crashing down on them, again and again and again. I kept reading more from desperation than anything else, hoping for some miracle, some flash of light to turn this story of complete and utter misery around, but nothing ever did.
The writing is splendid - it really is the only good thing I can find to say about this book. The writing is superb and this is the only reason my review gets 2 stars not one. The story is just awful. I came to dread my bedtime reading. I struggled through until 27 pages before the end, when it really did become simply too much. I simply didn't have the stomach for any more and really couldn't be bothered with the sheer effort of reading it. I began to skip - dashing through in the (vain) hope that something good would finally happen to lift this horrible story. I skimmed quickly through to the end, knew the misery never let up, so I’m afraid I gave it up. It is about the most miserable reading experience I have ever had and sadly, cannot recommend to anyone.
The writing is splendid - it really is the only good thing I can find to say about this book. The writing is superb and this is the only reason my review gets 2 stars not one. The story is just awful. I came to dread my bedtime reading. I struggled through until 27 pages before the end, when it really did become simply too much. I simply didn't have the stomach for any more and really couldn't be bothered with the sheer effort of reading it. I began to skip - dashing through in the (vain) hope that something good would finally happen to lift this horrible story. I skimmed quickly through to the end, knew the misery never let up, so I’m afraid I gave it up. It is about the most miserable reading experience I have ever had and sadly, cannot recommend to anyone.
August 23, 2018
There's not a lot going for this book. The story idea was good & I thought it would be interesting being about an illusionist,in the days of the music halls.
The story starts off ok & Oliver goes all over the uk with his act, but he's never given the recognition, he thinks he deserves.
He gets married & has a twin boy & girl.
His family suffer because of Oliver, who is rarely around.
I felt sorry for Edith & their children & what they put up with.
Oliver was selfish & loved doing illusions & didn't want to do anything else, but his own life was going into a downward spiral, as he seemed to be going mad.
This could have been a good book, but personally I wouldn't bother wasting your time reading it. In the end, I skimmed the last few chapters, as I was getting bored with it.
The story starts off ok & Oliver goes all over the uk with his act, but he's never given the recognition, he thinks he deserves.
He gets married & has a twin boy & girl.
His family suffer because of Oliver, who is rarely around.
I felt sorry for Edith & their children & what they put up with.
Oliver was selfish & loved doing illusions & didn't want to do anything else, but his own life was going into a downward spiral, as he seemed to be going mad.
This could have been a good book, but personally I wouldn't bother wasting your time reading it. In the end, I skimmed the last few chapters, as I was getting bored with it.
May 8, 2017
This book was beautifully written and very descriptive mainly about the thoughts of the characters. You could get into their minds. Although Oliver featured much more than Edith. I felt that the theatre scene of that time was very well researched and the characters were interesting. The reason that I have only given two stars is because I found it so depressing. I kept waiting for something good to happen to the characters but it just got darker and darker all the way through. It took me a long time to read it for this reason as I didn't want to pick it up at night. This book was gifted to me for an honest review. Thankyou
October 24, 2017
Memorable Quotes
"There is an embarrassed silence. If neither of them remember him ramming his hand into her mouth and wrenching out her molar, what other heightened intimate encounter do they not remember?"
"Stepping out in front of an audience offered the possibility, each and every time, of a public transformation - the frightened, nervous boy becomes the man who is afraid of nothing."
January 14, 2018
A tragic love story is definitely right... but not a conventional love story. Oliver’s main love is his art, his majesty, his command of the stage and Forbes beautifully breaks down this relationship as Oliver quickly loses everything he loves to pursue fame and prestige. His family are a parallel plot, learning to live with a missing patriarch even when he’s not on tour. But it’s the minor characters I enjoyed most... Bertie, Edwin, Manger who provide texture to an otherwise depressing story.
June 14, 2018
This has been one of the most beautiful, enchanting and inspiring novels I have read in my lifetime. From start to finish I never wanted to put this down - hence why I took so long in reading it. This story beautifully displays the downfalls of life and the inner strength every one has. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs reminding that they aren’t alone when they feel the world is tough, and that everyone has bad days.
May 4, 2017
This was a quick read. Some parts are very sad but overall it was enjoyable. There was too much blasphemy in it for me which made it uncomfortable to read. I received this book from a Goodreads First reads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2018
I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second. I liked the interesting setting, the orignianlity and it was clearly well researched. However for me it was just a bit too bleak and tragic and I wasn't entirely convinced by the ending.
August 29, 2021
I could say that this book had brought so much anger to me. I can’t stand seeing Edith and her children paid the whole price of such a ridiculous dream of Oliver. The ending of Edith & Oliver has left me with a lot of questions and confusions. Did he actually went back to his family ?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2022
Personally, i really like this book as it contains realism in life in many aspects such as marriage, love, financial issues, but it was extremely slow at one point but somehow i kept on reading. The ending really made me numb and feel kind of empty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2018
Very good. Took a bit of time to get into but picked up pace as it went in. Very moving
January 25, 2019
Un couple d'artistes rêve de gloire et finit par se déchirer...
January 12, 2020
It was an ok read. I feel the ending was disappointing, as if the author had run out of steam!
Read
April 29, 2020I DNFed it 30% into my read. It was just not attracting me to know more about their lives, I found it pretty plain.
November 25, 2020
1.75 started so well, finished terribly
January 29, 2021
It took a while to get into it but once the pace picked up, I was hooked. The characters are well made. I went thro series of emotions with the character, sometimes loving them or having them.
March 14, 2021
Very poignant story. Loved the way it was written. Kept me interested throughout and wanting to read more.
August 14, 2021
I found this hard going , possibly because the print was very small and kept having to reread sections. It was a gift so I persevered to the end but struggled to do so.
February 23, 2025
Beautifully written, loved the prose in this.
Story was good and well worth reading.
Will look for some more MF novels :)
Story was good and well worth reading.
Will look for some more MF novels :)
March 7, 2017
Thank you to Goodreads, the author and publisher for providing me with a proof copy of Edith and Oliver, hence enhancing my reading experience.
This is an excellent book from beginning to end and one that I will remember for some time. The story is at times happy, funny, sad, profound and definitely memorable.
Michele Forbes takes the reader on a journey where they may not want to go. The reader will experience embarrassment, sadness, shame, guilt as the characters become larger than life as the story progresses.
Oliver and Edith meet, fall in love and start a family, however for this couple the journey through life is not smooth and as the world is changing rapidly they find themselves unable to keep up and adapt to changes which affect their future.
This is definitely a book worth reading and truly worthy of five stars.
I fully intend to read Ms Forbes first novel ‘Ghost Most’ in the near future.
This is an excellent book from beginning to end and one that I will remember for some time. The story is at times happy, funny, sad, profound and definitely memorable.
Michele Forbes takes the reader on a journey where they may not want to go. The reader will experience embarrassment, sadness, shame, guilt as the characters become larger than life as the story progresses.
Oliver and Edith meet, fall in love and start a family, however for this couple the journey through life is not smooth and as the world is changing rapidly they find themselves unable to keep up and adapt to changes which affect their future.
This is definitely a book worth reading and truly worthy of five stars.
I fully intend to read Ms Forbes first novel ‘Ghost Most’ in the near future.
June 26, 2023
Edith & Oliver was pitched as a tragic love story, that was sweet and tender. I found it to be none of that.
So, Edith & Oliver follows basically only Oliver in his plights as a theatre performer in an age where cinema is becoming much, much more popular and accepted by the general public.
This book should not have been pitched as a love story. To be completely honest, I bought the book because it reminded me of Nydia Hetherington’s A Girl Made Of Air. I found it in almost the SAME circumstances and absolutely was hyped.
However, the love story takes place during the first 40 pages, and the rest is abour Olivers descent into madness as he tries to gather money for his family. There was basically no love involved between the two of them, and I found myself CRIMINALLY bored.
Edith as a character was fun and spunky and she had so much potential to blossom, but after the children are born, she resigns to the role of a background character who is shown to be completely devoted to her husband. Oliver becomes her entire personality, and the Edith that I loved faded away into dust.
One thing I will give this book is the fact that it was truly faithful to the setting and time period. I truly felt as in I was in Edwardian-era Ireland. That aspect was especially well done.
Nothing much else was, to be fair. I was bored out of my mind half of the time and ended up skimming towards the end. This book was ridiculously depressing. Nothing good ever happened to the characters and it just became more and more of a slog to read.
Edith & Oliver was not a great time. The romance was barely there (and I say this as someone who generally loves books that feature little to no romance) and for someone literally IN THE TITLE, Edith took a backseat and the book focused to much on Oliver
⭐️⭐️
So, Edith & Oliver follows basically only Oliver in his plights as a theatre performer in an age where cinema is becoming much, much more popular and accepted by the general public.
This book should not have been pitched as a love story. To be completely honest, I bought the book because it reminded me of Nydia Hetherington’s A Girl Made Of Air. I found it in almost the SAME circumstances and absolutely was hyped.
However, the love story takes place during the first 40 pages, and the rest is abour Olivers descent into madness as he tries to gather money for his family. There was basically no love involved between the two of them, and I found myself CRIMINALLY bored.
Edith as a character was fun and spunky and she had so much potential to blossom, but after the children are born, she resigns to the role of a background character who is shown to be completely devoted to her husband. Oliver becomes her entire personality, and the Edith that I loved faded away into dust.
One thing I will give this book is the fact that it was truly faithful to the setting and time period. I truly felt as in I was in Edwardian-era Ireland. That aspect was especially well done.
Nothing much else was, to be fair. I was bored out of my mind half of the time and ended up skimming towards the end. This book was ridiculously depressing. Nothing good ever happened to the characters and it just became more and more of a slog to read.
Edith & Oliver was not a great time. The romance was barely there (and I say this as someone who generally loves books that feature little to no romance) and for someone literally IN THE TITLE, Edith took a backseat and the book focused to much on Oliver
⭐️⭐️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews