The Age of Discretion

by Virginia Duigan

When the sex in Vivien Quarry’s thirty-two-year marriage dwindles to nothing, her husband Geoff finally gives her a reason: ‘Men are hardwired to not find older women attractive’.

This unforgivable statement, uttered by a man long past his Adonis years, prompts Vivien to take drastic action. At sixty-seven, she most definitely doesn’t feel ‘past it’, and so enlists the services of the enigmatic Martin Glover from The Discretion Agency.

Under the sardonic eye of her oldest friend Jules, a world-famous operatic soprano facing the closing years of a brilliant career, Viv embarks on a series of wildly unpredictable, and sometimes hilariously cringeworthy dates – with wholly unexpected consequences.

Told with great humour and heart, the accomplished Virginia Duigan delivers a provocative and profoundly relatable story that proves living is not reserved for the young.

Praise for Virginia’s past novels

‘Highly recommended.’ ABC’s The Book Show

‘Captivating’ The Australian

‘Duigan is a wonderful writer’ The Sunday Telegraph

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit

342 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2019

About the author

Virginia Duigan wrote the screenplay of the 1998 movie The Leading Man, starring Jon Bon Jovi, Thandie Newton and Barry Humphries. Before becoming a novelist, Duigan worked as a journalist, broadcaster, editor and TV scriptwriter. She was a regular feature writer on The National Times, and contributed documentaries to ABC radio. She was a freelance contributor to The Bulletin, The Age, The Australian, The Financial Review, Cinema Papers, and in London to the The Observer and The Times. She was Literary Editor of The National Times, and a theatre, book, film and restaurant reviewer.

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe]

Sometimes you try to read something different and you encounter a really good book that is outside your usual reading genre, And sometimes it just doesn't work. That is the case here for me. I started this and felt very sorry for Vivien Quarry initially. I was also sucked in by the positive comments on the back cover from Liz Byrski, an author I like. But whatever she and others saw in it, I did not. What thought might be a mildy amusing read became predictable, silly and just plain boring. It became a chore to pick it up again which is why I gave up. Also why I am not going to give a rating. There will be people who will enjoy it and find it funny. I was not one of them. I did sneak a look at the end and it made me even more convinced that I was glad I had not wasted my time further.
I also had a paperback version not the kindle version.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The protagonist of this story is a 67 year-old woman whose husband has just told her "men are not hard-wired to find older women attractive" to excuse the fact they haven't had sex in two years. That's a situation bound to attract the over-sixty female audience! Rather than dumping him, she just signs up with a service for people in a committed relationship who are just looking for someone to have sex with. Her encounters with would-be suitors are fairly amusing, and run the gamut from a guy looking for a sugar mama to a movie producer who really doesn't have time. In the end I predicted who she would end up with, but it was still a rather nice romantic solution, although the fact that she stays with her husband in a separate bedroom and brings her lover home with her occasionally isn't really my thing. And then there's her 39 year old daughter who wants to have a baby badly enough to have it with her gay best friend (much to her father's horror), and her 91 year-old mother who had several affairs in her younger days and is very supportive of her daughter's efforts to find sexual satisfaction. And finally, it's also the story of her long-time friend, who is a famous opera singer who is facing her own aging issues, although as it turns out, she's not out for the count yet. I can't imagine younger women or men would find this book very much in their wheelhouse, but for women of a certain age, it certainly hits some familiar notes, even for those lucky enough to still have a good long term relationship.

[Mara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like the story to be honest, so that may have put me off to start with, if after all those years together you can't discuss how your partner hurt your feelings or worse still, he didn't know he had... I finished it a while ago now and would need to be reminded of the 'humour' because I don't think it stuck with me, .. ok maybe the end result with Dev but I was initially worried for her, walking into a strange house where there is a mattress on the floor, I would have run for the hills, that says I was engaged doesn't it. I did finish it so there's a positive and it wasn't difficult to read, I just simply couldn't relate to some aspects of the story. It hasn't put me off reading this author in the future.

[Lesley Moseley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading, a bit obvious, but interesting idea... I would be too scared!!

[Jess Theworddegree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read The Age of Discretion by Virginia Duigan, when I should have been studying 😂 I honestly did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I so enjoyed Duigan writing style, it’s overindulgent and flashy. I know that sounds negative but it’s not; read it and you’ll see what I mean 😏. I loved falling down the Discretion agency’s rabbit hole with Viv and honestly did not know what was going to happen from one chapter to the next but it was so real! This was just the type of light hearted read I needed during this intense study period. I was sent this book to review by the publisher.

[Brooklyn Tayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 50%. Thank you Ventura Press for the review copy, I was definitely curious to read this book, and I definitely feel like I gave it more than ample chance, but I really couldn't bring myself to read the second half, as I found myself disagreeing with every character's actions. I mean, the main character herself was perfectly lovely - I just felt so bad for her, after her husband of well over 30 years, told her that "men aren't wired to find older women attractive". I mean, really? *raises eyebrows*. Then the poor woman goes on a downward spiral and the results, well, I can't stick around to see where the mess goes.

[Miki · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Some of the writing is just beautiful. First book I've read in ages that is NOT a psychological thriller. Yet still held my attention.

[Anastasya Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a satisfying ending. This book suits bohemian well-to-do folk.

The story with the big spoilers: a retired man is no longer attracted to wife because she is as old as him🚩. So, behind his wife's back 🚩, he gets into a relationship with his mentee 🚩 who is dependent on him🚩 in multiple ways 🚩 and half his age🚩. The wife eventually accepts it and goes to find her affair candidate. The book is about her meeting and judging men who she wants as casual lovers.

But the main couple don't get divorced. Nope. They stay married, living together as housemates with separate bedrooms while continuing their other relationships, after they finally share their affairs with one another. Well, she shares hers while she deduces his.

Toss the book away. Two stars because it's not terribly written otherwise it deserves one star.

[Robin Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. Good use of semicolons and parentheses. Chapters have names as well as numbers. Typeface makes "g" stand out!

Not quite enough commas. More serious proofreader quibbles:
p 3 "he has" should be "he had"
p 6, p 107, p 252 bad word order with "either"
p 63 "self-deprecation" should have "i" after the "c"; similarly p 114
p 109 "bought" should precede "not" (to match the "but" at the end)
p 138 "may" should be "might"
p 238 misuse of "ilk"

[Ron Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it but could tell early on where the book was heading. I think I would have preferred the book to not keep diving off to the Jules character. The main story line would have been fine on it's own
Anyway it is a good 4 stars and I will add the author to my list of people to read.

[Susan Griffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat predictable but also implausible in parts. I finished the book but found myself not really liking the characters and not really believing them or their situations.

[Georgina Nielssen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why did I bother. It's full of stereotypical dull ness.

[dangerous at every speed · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. The idea (ageing woman and their lives, especially romantic lives) is timely and necessary, and was why I was so drawn to it.
However.
This was probably 200 pages of the most pretentious, upper-middle class insufferable snobbery I've ever read.
I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed.

[Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this quirky, extremely humorous book. As one of the 'Invisibles' I appreciated Vivian's position to rebel against the misogynistic remark her husband made.
The relationship with her friend Jules was a great comfort to her. Also, her free-thinking daughter was priceless.
I would imagine that many women of older age would be appalled by Vivian's behaviour and lifestyle choices. However, I totally agree with the way she reacted to that horrible remark her husband made.
I highly recommend this book.

[Sarah Jones]

2/5 I think I’m simply the wrong audience for this book. I loved the bits with her mum, and with the American director. I am flat out confused by the story of Jules and her brother and there seems to be absolutely no comment about it anywhere online.