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The Darlings
A controversial new novel from the winner of the Edinburgh International Book Festival First Book Award. When Mark Darling is 15 years old, he is the golden boy, captain of the school soccer team, admired by all who know him. Until he kills his best friend in a freak accident. He spends the next decade drifting between the therapy couch and dead-end pursuits. Then along comes Sadie. A mender by nature, she tries her best to fix him and has enough energy to carry them both through the next few years. One evening, Mark bumps into an old schoolfriend, Ruby. She saw the accident first hand. He is pulled towards her by a force stronger than the universal need to reconcile one's childhood wounds. This is his chance to, once again, feel the enveloping warmth of unconditional love. But can he leave behind the woman who rescued him from the pit of despair, the wife he loves? His unborn child? This is a story about how childhood experiences can profoundly impact how we behave as adults. It's a story about betrayal, infidelity, and how we often blinker ourselves to see a version of the truth that is more palatable to us.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 24, 2021
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Lovebookstours.
The Darlings is a very thought provoking read.
Mark is married to Sadie who gave Mark comfort, normality and a light in times of darkness however when Mark runs in to an old flame Ruby who was at school with him when an accident caused him to kill his best friend.
Ruby offers Mark a normality that Sadie can't give him.
My heart went out to Sadie being cheated on by her husband after all she did to help and support him, but the more you read the more you start to sympathise with Mark and the dilemma he's got himself in to.
Sadie is pregnant and Ruby is care free and single.
What will Mark choose?!
This book really had me questioning what I would do if I was each character. I felt a range of emotions reading this - happiness, anger, frustration and sadness.
This book really shows how childhood trauma can affect you as an adult and ways this can manifest in you as you grow older.
A fantastic, well written book!
The Darlings is a very thought provoking read.
Mark is married to Sadie who gave Mark comfort, normality and a light in times of darkness however when Mark runs in to an old flame Ruby who was at school with him when an accident caused him to kill his best friend.
Ruby offers Mark a normality that Sadie can't give him.
My heart went out to Sadie being cheated on by her husband after all she did to help and support him, but the more you read the more you start to sympathise with Mark and the dilemma he's got himself in to.
Sadie is pregnant and Ruby is care free and single.
What will Mark choose?!
This book really had me questioning what I would do if I was each character. I felt a range of emotions reading this - happiness, anger, frustration and sadness.
This book really shows how childhood trauma can affect you as an adult and ways this can manifest in you as you grow older.
A fantastic, well written book!
June 18, 2021
Every once in a while I read a book whereby I am so engrossed that real life becomes an irritation. It intrudes upon the fictional world that I have become so completely absorbed by.
For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
June 28, 2021
This was my first read by Angela Jackson, I loved the way she has written these characters. I love Sadie and her family and found them really relatable. The story touches on childhood trauma and how traumatic events in childhood can still have a big impact on decisions in adulthood.
June 19, 2021
Mark writes advertising blurb for a sofa company but aspires to be a famous comedian, writing routines, honing his act on lukewarm audiences. He was once in a very dark place however since meeting and marrying Sadie, life has improved considerably but that horrific childhood accident still haunts him and the ongoing therapy is having little success against the panic attacks and the scarfing of jelly beans.
He loves his wife Sadie but it’s an old schoolfriend Ruby who he meets by chance, that can give him something that Sadie can’t. Sadie provides comfort but Ruby provides normality – Ruby was there at the time of the accident and can see something of the person he used to be. Before everything changed.
When I first started reading this, I fully expected to dislike Mark – a cheating husband. Get out. There was something childlike and immature about him – and I felt quite sorry for Sadie having to be the grown up in the relationship. However nothing is black and white and the more you learn about the characters, the greyer those lines become. There is still no excuse but I did find find myself feeling some sympathy for him at times. And then there is Ruby – with her expectations and own future plans.
The author does an excellent job in creating fully rounded characters with flaws and complexities and shows how complicated relationships are and the consequences of actions. The writing has a lightness and humour to it which makes it extremely readable. Even the supporting characters like Sadie’s family – particularly her sister Ava and her father, Mark’s best mate Jonny, and Don – Mark’s nemesis at work, bring an extra edge to the story.
I really enjoyed this – the writing is sharp and perceptive, and has characters that made me feel anger, sadness and frustration, as well as making me laugh. Highly recommended.
He loves his wife Sadie but it’s an old schoolfriend Ruby who he meets by chance, that can give him something that Sadie can’t. Sadie provides comfort but Ruby provides normality – Ruby was there at the time of the accident and can see something of the person he used to be. Before everything changed.
When I first started reading this, I fully expected to dislike Mark – a cheating husband. Get out. There was something childlike and immature about him – and I felt quite sorry for Sadie having to be the grown up in the relationship. However nothing is black and white and the more you learn about the characters, the greyer those lines become. There is still no excuse but I did find find myself feeling some sympathy for him at times. And then there is Ruby – with her expectations and own future plans.
The author does an excellent job in creating fully rounded characters with flaws and complexities and shows how complicated relationships are and the consequences of actions. The writing has a lightness and humour to it which makes it extremely readable. Even the supporting characters like Sadie’s family – particularly her sister Ava and her father, Mark’s best mate Jonny, and Don – Mark’s nemesis at work, bring an extra edge to the story.
I really enjoyed this – the writing is sharp and perceptive, and has characters that made me feel anger, sadness and frustration, as well as making me laugh. Highly recommended.
June 25, 2021
It’s a particularly brave move to write a book that focuses on adultery and its consequences – even braver to tell the story from the point of view of the adulterer – but I really have to say that this was a book I entirely loved.
Mark feels his developing affair with Ruby is justified by the ongoing impact of a devastating incident when he was fifteen – a freak accident when he was responsible for the death of a friend, an event that’s haunted him and blighted his life ever since. His wife Sadie is heavily pregnant with an eagerly anticipated child, the product of an extended IVF journey that’s drained their finances and put some strain on their outwardly solid relationship – but it’s amply clear that they do still love each other. But Ruby is able to offer one important thing that Sadie can’t: she was there on the day of the accident, knew the young and untroubled Mark that he used to be, and he believes she can understand him and help heal his wounds.
One of the big surprises about this book is that the author really does succeed in making Mark a sympathetic character – well, perhaps not entirely, but he’s certainly likeable, however unconvinced you might be by his reasons (or maybe that should be “excuses”) for his behaviour. By day, he half-heartedly writes marketing material for a sofa company, doing the bare minimum and wrestling with office politics – by night he’s a stand-up comedian, hoping for a big break, but content to simply make his audience laugh in the right places.
The childhood accident had far-reaching consequences – Sadie rescued him from a particularly dark place, and still treats him like a rather incapable child at times, managing his life, giving him jobs to do (then doing them herself). He’s essentially weak, a bit damaged, and extraordinarily naive in his belief that he can keep both parts of his life – his marriage and his affair – entirely separate.
Ruby’s a fascinating character too – she knows he’s married from the outset, and enters the relationship fairly lightly, but things certainly don’t stay that way. There’s something uncomfortably obsessive about the way her passion for him develops – her art is particularly disturbing – as he finds himself increasingly torn between his marriage and her growing belief that he will ultimately be hers. And as Mark’s two lives begin to collide, it’s rather like watching the approach of a car accident – you can see what’s going to happen, there’s nothing you can do to prevent it, but there’s no way you can look away.
With all that guilt and the growing tension – it’s no great surprise when Mark starts to feel the strain and experience panic attacks – you might be rather expecting a heavy read, but it most certainly isn’t. There’s an enormous amount of lightness and humour, sometimes gentle, sometimes really laugh-out-loud – it never seeks to excuse or trivialise the seriousness of his actions, and there are certainly times when you wonder if you’re laughing with the characters or at them.
The chapters are often quite short – something I always rather like, and it gives real pace to the story telling. There’s a really well-developed wider cast of characters too – Sadie’s straight-talking younger sister Ava, their wonderful parents with their glut of garden produce and particularly memorable interventions, Mark’s friends, his nemesis Don in the workplace, plus Ruby’s group of female friends who act as something of a Greek chorus – all very real and believable, all playing their parts in adding depth and other dimensions to the story.
It’s a book with a multiplicity of themes, not least the way that events of the past can impact on behaviour in the present – but it’s also immensely engaging, poignant and emotionally affecting, thoroughly entertaining and entirely absorbing from beginning to end. And I haven’t even mentioned the sheer perfection of the writing – it’s a story crafted with immense care and attention to detail, an absolute joy to read. I really can’t recommend it highly enough – I thought it was quite wonderful. Without question, this will be one of my books of the year.
Mark feels his developing affair with Ruby is justified by the ongoing impact of a devastating incident when he was fifteen – a freak accident when he was responsible for the death of a friend, an event that’s haunted him and blighted his life ever since. His wife Sadie is heavily pregnant with an eagerly anticipated child, the product of an extended IVF journey that’s drained their finances and put some strain on their outwardly solid relationship – but it’s amply clear that they do still love each other. But Ruby is able to offer one important thing that Sadie can’t: she was there on the day of the accident, knew the young and untroubled Mark that he used to be, and he believes she can understand him and help heal his wounds.
One of the big surprises about this book is that the author really does succeed in making Mark a sympathetic character – well, perhaps not entirely, but he’s certainly likeable, however unconvinced you might be by his reasons (or maybe that should be “excuses”) for his behaviour. By day, he half-heartedly writes marketing material for a sofa company, doing the bare minimum and wrestling with office politics – by night he’s a stand-up comedian, hoping for a big break, but content to simply make his audience laugh in the right places.
The childhood accident had far-reaching consequences – Sadie rescued him from a particularly dark place, and still treats him like a rather incapable child at times, managing his life, giving him jobs to do (then doing them herself). He’s essentially weak, a bit damaged, and extraordinarily naive in his belief that he can keep both parts of his life – his marriage and his affair – entirely separate.
Ruby’s a fascinating character too – she knows he’s married from the outset, and enters the relationship fairly lightly, but things certainly don’t stay that way. There’s something uncomfortably obsessive about the way her passion for him develops – her art is particularly disturbing – as he finds himself increasingly torn between his marriage and her growing belief that he will ultimately be hers. And as Mark’s two lives begin to collide, it’s rather like watching the approach of a car accident – you can see what’s going to happen, there’s nothing you can do to prevent it, but there’s no way you can look away.
With all that guilt and the growing tension – it’s no great surprise when Mark starts to feel the strain and experience panic attacks – you might be rather expecting a heavy read, but it most certainly isn’t. There’s an enormous amount of lightness and humour, sometimes gentle, sometimes really laugh-out-loud – it never seeks to excuse or trivialise the seriousness of his actions, and there are certainly times when you wonder if you’re laughing with the characters or at them.
The chapters are often quite short – something I always rather like, and it gives real pace to the story telling. There’s a really well-developed wider cast of characters too – Sadie’s straight-talking younger sister Ava, their wonderful parents with their glut of garden produce and particularly memorable interventions, Mark’s friends, his nemesis Don in the workplace, plus Ruby’s group of female friends who act as something of a Greek chorus – all very real and believable, all playing their parts in adding depth and other dimensions to the story.
It’s a book with a multiplicity of themes, not least the way that events of the past can impact on behaviour in the present – but it’s also immensely engaging, poignant and emotionally affecting, thoroughly entertaining and entirely absorbing from beginning to end. And I haven’t even mentioned the sheer perfection of the writing – it’s a story crafted with immense care and attention to detail, an absolute joy to read. I really can’t recommend it highly enough – I thought it was quite wonderful. Without question, this will be one of my books of the year.
June 25, 2021
MY GOD this book was refreshing!!!
*
Firstly, thank you so, so much to @angelaedinburgh for sending me this amazing book with a signed card to boot! (SWIPE) I was literally so thrilled to recieve it and may have screamed and jumped about a bit😁🤗🤗🤗 and thanks to @lovebookstours for having me on the tour!
*
Mark Darling had it all. A beautiful wife and a baby on the way after struggles through IVF. But he could never get over killing his best friend in a freak accident when he was young. Enter Ruby, a stunning friend from school who helps Mark through his trauma and makes him feel alive again. One thing leads to another and Mark has a difficult choice to make.
*
Right, what I love about this story was the imperfections of humans that'sshown in every character. Not every story has the perfect happy ending. Real life doesn't stop after people declare love for eachother and start a budding romance...cue end of romance novel. In real life, people make mistakes, people are greedy but they're also kind but they're also selfish but they also love deeply.
*
Angela portrays reality perfectly through The Darlings. Her writing is witty and actually hilarious. I believed in every character and saw myself in so many of them. Chapters were just the right amount and I couldn't put it down and I could easily pick it up and read it again! I will definitely be reading more of Angela's stuff!
*
Firstly, thank you so, so much to @angelaedinburgh for sending me this amazing book with a signed card to boot! (SWIPE) I was literally so thrilled to recieve it and may have screamed and jumped about a bit😁🤗🤗🤗 and thanks to @lovebookstours for having me on the tour!
*
Mark Darling had it all. A beautiful wife and a baby on the way after struggles through IVF. But he could never get over killing his best friend in a freak accident when he was young. Enter Ruby, a stunning friend from school who helps Mark through his trauma and makes him feel alive again. One thing leads to another and Mark has a difficult choice to make.
*
Right, what I love about this story was the imperfections of humans that'sshown in every character. Not every story has the perfect happy ending. Real life doesn't stop after people declare love for eachother and start a budding romance...cue end of romance novel. In real life, people make mistakes, people are greedy but they're also kind but they're also selfish but they also love deeply.
*
Angela portrays reality perfectly through The Darlings. Her writing is witty and actually hilarious. I believed in every character and saw myself in so many of them. Chapters were just the right amount and I couldn't put it down and I could easily pick it up and read it again! I will definitely be reading more of Angela's stuff!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2021
How would you justify infidelity? Would you even attempt to justify it? How would you react if you found out your spouse was having an affair?
Mark Darling, plagued by the tragic events of his past, found salvation in his wife Sadie. But it appears she wasn’t successful in filling in the hole in his heart because Mark is inexplicably drawn to his childhood friend, Ruby, who was present when the tragic event had occurred. Does this justify Mark’s actions?
The Darlings chooses to see things in shades of grey–just like real life is. It passes no judgement nor does it condone wrongdoing. Nobody is painted as an angel with no flaws or a hopeless person incapable of redemption. Each character has flaws and quirks that makes him or her unique.
The story realistically portrays the myriad emotions people go through when faced with tough choices, mental trauma, and a promise of something shinier and better.
The author is adept at describing scenes in a fluid, effortless manner. Something as small as painting a picture is elevated to a pleasurable reading experience. Mark’s ineptitude and denial, Sadie’s hopefulness, Ruby’s desperation — it’s all so vividly shown that you can’t help but feel present in the story.
The characterization of Ava and Michael as 15-year-olds who are beginning to explore relationships while navigating the minefield of school peer pressure and bullying is spot on.
The Darlings is at once gritty and dreamy, if that’s even possible. What struck me was how cleanly the author was able to demarcate the stories of Sadie, Ruby, and Mark even though their lives are intertwined.
I felt myself respond with anger and disappointment at the choices the characters made, especially Mark, and I think only an excellent author has the ability to do that. It’s also amazing that she was able to prevent her personal opinions from influencing the path the characters in the book take.
The Darlings is a refreshing change from the stories that attempt to deliver a moralistic judgment. Although the author has offered a concrete ending to the story, it seemed to me that there was still space for things to change in the future. It has a “We’ll see how it goes” vibe and I like that very much!
(I received an e-copy of the book from Damp Pebbles Blog Tours with a request for an honest review.)
Mark Darling, plagued by the tragic events of his past, found salvation in his wife Sadie. But it appears she wasn’t successful in filling in the hole in his heart because Mark is inexplicably drawn to his childhood friend, Ruby, who was present when the tragic event had occurred. Does this justify Mark’s actions?
The Darlings chooses to see things in shades of grey–just like real life is. It passes no judgement nor does it condone wrongdoing. Nobody is painted as an angel with no flaws or a hopeless person incapable of redemption. Each character has flaws and quirks that makes him or her unique.
The story realistically portrays the myriad emotions people go through when faced with tough choices, mental trauma, and a promise of something shinier and better.
The author is adept at describing scenes in a fluid, effortless manner. Something as small as painting a picture is elevated to a pleasurable reading experience. Mark’s ineptitude and denial, Sadie’s hopefulness, Ruby’s desperation — it’s all so vividly shown that you can’t help but feel present in the story.
The characterization of Ava and Michael as 15-year-olds who are beginning to explore relationships while navigating the minefield of school peer pressure and bullying is spot on.
The Darlings is at once gritty and dreamy, if that’s even possible. What struck me was how cleanly the author was able to demarcate the stories of Sadie, Ruby, and Mark even though their lives are intertwined.
I felt myself respond with anger and disappointment at the choices the characters made, especially Mark, and I think only an excellent author has the ability to do that. It’s also amazing that she was able to prevent her personal opinions from influencing the path the characters in the book take.
The Darlings is a refreshing change from the stories that attempt to deliver a moralistic judgment. Although the author has offered a concrete ending to the story, it seemed to me that there was still space for things to change in the future. It has a “We’ll see how it goes” vibe and I like that very much!
(I received an e-copy of the book from Damp Pebbles Blog Tours with a request for an honest review.)
August 16, 2021
Wow wow wow. This book has *everything*. Sentiment without being sentimental. Familial familiarity without being cliched. Love, trauma and confusion. What more could you want? How about stand up comedy? Plus totally believable characters - I was hooked from the first page. I read this story in pretty much one sitting. I don’t want to spoil this for anyone, so I’m being careful about the words I choose to describe this book, but it’s definitely a must read. It’s contemporary. The story unfolds and flows beautifully, it’s not stilted or twee. There are no filler pages. The writing is so nuanced and precise, it really gets under your skin - in a good way! There is so much emotion running though the pages and the various relationships are portrayed with realism and honesty. This is my first time reading anything by Angela Jackson but I will make sure it’s not the last. Massively recommended.
June 26, 2021
I’m going to come right out and say it. I detested every one of these characters. There are no redeeming qualities in any of them. Mark is a complete jerk who refuses to accept responsibility for his actions. Ruby is selfish and wimpy, living only for what the man can give her. Sadie, the so-called victim in this story is a condescending harpy.
However, the novel drew me in and made me want to keep reading. Jackson wrote an engaging story that another author could make a depressing mess. However, Jackson uses the dark material to provide an exciting backdrop for readers. With the repetitive theme of guilt in varying degrees, I thought I would find it annoying.
It pleases me to award The Darlings 4 out of 5 stars. I’m not sure I read this book in the way the author meant readers to react, but in the end, I enjoyed it in my own way. If you are looking for a great contemporary piece of fiction, I recommend picking up The Darlings.
Angela Jackson provided me with a digital copy of The Darlings with a request for an honest review.
However, the novel drew me in and made me want to keep reading. Jackson wrote an engaging story that another author could make a depressing mess. However, Jackson uses the dark material to provide an exciting backdrop for readers. With the repetitive theme of guilt in varying degrees, I thought I would find it annoying.
It pleases me to award The Darlings 4 out of 5 stars. I’m not sure I read this book in the way the author meant readers to react, but in the end, I enjoyed it in my own way. If you are looking for a great contemporary piece of fiction, I recommend picking up The Darlings.
Angela Jackson provided me with a digital copy of The Darlings with a request for an honest review.
May 18, 2021
Angela, first of all I would like to say thank you so much for this book.
I could not put it down. Every time I came to a chapter, I kept saying one more, one more......... I really enjoyed this book specially because it’s set in Edinburgh. You could place yourself in the moment, watch and feel the story. Wow, brilliant and amazing. Can’t wait to read you next future book.
I could not put it down. Every time I came to a chapter, I kept saying one more, one more......... I really enjoyed this book specially because it’s set in Edinburgh. You could place yourself in the moment, watch and feel the story. Wow, brilliant and amazing. Can’t wait to read you next future book.
June 30, 2021
Way back in 2013, I read Angela Jackson's first novel; The Emergence of Judy Taylor. I remember being really impressed by the strength of the writing and the wise and witty insights into a relationship.
The author is back with another look at domestic living, but this time it is told from the male perspective. Not only is this a bloke's voice, but he is also cheating on his wife. A pretty tough topic to deal with, and especially for female readers. None of us want to sympathise with a cheater, do we?
Mark Darling is a complex character, he is drifting through life. By day he writes marketing blurb for a furnishing company, whilst at night he tries to make people laugh as a stand up comedian. It's said that many comedians are depressive by nature, and it's certainly true in this case. Mark is damaged by his past. When he was just a teenager, he killed his best friend in a tragic accident and he has never got over it. Despite therapy and time moving on, it's the thing that will always haunt him. Mark's wife Sadie has nurtured him and cared for him. She often treats him more like her child than her husband, but has always protected him. After years of trying, and difficult IVF treatment, and a loads of money, Sadie is finally pregnant, and really, Mark should be content.
When Mark bumps into Ruby, an old schoolfriend who was actually a witness to that terrible accident, he feels as though he has found someone who knows the real him. A person who remembers him before the trauma, a person who he can be open with. Their affair begins and moves quickly. Ruby has many plans for them.
I have to admit that I did find it very difficult to like Mark as a character, but I could see how he was swayed by Ruby's utter devotion to him. There were so many time when I wanted to put the breaks on sharply and urge them to STOP!
Whilst this is a deep and layered story that is sometimes emotionally draining, it is also a story that will make the reader smile. There are some hilarious moments, especially from the supporting characters who really enhance the story and give a lightness of touch to what could be just a little too much.
Angela Jackson is a perceptive author who is not afraid to take a risk. It has paid off here and The Darlings is a novel that I would recommend.
The author is back with another look at domestic living, but this time it is told from the male perspective. Not only is this a bloke's voice, but he is also cheating on his wife. A pretty tough topic to deal with, and especially for female readers. None of us want to sympathise with a cheater, do we?
Mark Darling is a complex character, he is drifting through life. By day he writes marketing blurb for a furnishing company, whilst at night he tries to make people laugh as a stand up comedian. It's said that many comedians are depressive by nature, and it's certainly true in this case. Mark is damaged by his past. When he was just a teenager, he killed his best friend in a tragic accident and he has never got over it. Despite therapy and time moving on, it's the thing that will always haunt him. Mark's wife Sadie has nurtured him and cared for him. She often treats him more like her child than her husband, but has always protected him. After years of trying, and difficult IVF treatment, and a loads of money, Sadie is finally pregnant, and really, Mark should be content.
When Mark bumps into Ruby, an old schoolfriend who was actually a witness to that terrible accident, he feels as though he has found someone who knows the real him. A person who remembers him before the trauma, a person who he can be open with. Their affair begins and moves quickly. Ruby has many plans for them.
I have to admit that I did find it very difficult to like Mark as a character, but I could see how he was swayed by Ruby's utter devotion to him. There were so many time when I wanted to put the breaks on sharply and urge them to STOP!
Whilst this is a deep and layered story that is sometimes emotionally draining, it is also a story that will make the reader smile. There are some hilarious moments, especially from the supporting characters who really enhance the story and give a lightness of touch to what could be just a little too much.
Angela Jackson is a perceptive author who is not afraid to take a risk. It has paid off here and The Darlings is a novel that I would recommend.
July 3, 2021
Thank you Hannah Hargrave at Lightning Books for my copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.
The book has a shocking start in which Mark briefly explains his back story. We then join Mark, who is trying to be a comedian, married to Sadie, working full time to pay for expensive IVF treatment and living in a house that is falling down around them.
Mark does not appear to be happy with his lot, he is struggling with ageing and the burdens of adulthood, when he bumps into an old friend from school Ruby. This immediately transports him back to school and the accident that killed his best friend as she was there.
I was not sure whether I liked Mark or not. I thought he seemed quite immature and unfulfilled, his friends are still single and he does appear to be very uncontent with his life. Although he has been through a lot and keeps a lot hidden. I really felt for Sadie and I was worried about her and the pregnancy. He made me really angry at times.
This is a detailed look at life and all the baggage that we carry throughout it and how that impacts on the decisions that we sometimes make. This book evoked a lot of feelings in me from empathy for him, not having his own family, his losses and anger when he starts to cheat on Sadie.
His job begins to suffer and as Sadie approaches the end of her pregnancy she is still unaware of his cheating. He becomes more and more dragged into his deception and he begins to feel the effects in more ways than one.
This is an interesting read about relationships and a really close up look at the effects that events in life can have on a person. It was my first book by the author but I really enjoyed the writing style and how up close and personal you get to the characters and their lives.
One I will be recommending if you like a strong character based story which will evoke many feelings as you progress into the story. It is compelling and honest I really enjoyed it.
4.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The book has a shocking start in which Mark briefly explains his back story. We then join Mark, who is trying to be a comedian, married to Sadie, working full time to pay for expensive IVF treatment and living in a house that is falling down around them.
Mark does not appear to be happy with his lot, he is struggling with ageing and the burdens of adulthood, when he bumps into an old friend from school Ruby. This immediately transports him back to school and the accident that killed his best friend as she was there.
I was not sure whether I liked Mark or not. I thought he seemed quite immature and unfulfilled, his friends are still single and he does appear to be very uncontent with his life. Although he has been through a lot and keeps a lot hidden. I really felt for Sadie and I was worried about her and the pregnancy. He made me really angry at times.
This is a detailed look at life and all the baggage that we carry throughout it and how that impacts on the decisions that we sometimes make. This book evoked a lot of feelings in me from empathy for him, not having his own family, his losses and anger when he starts to cheat on Sadie.
His job begins to suffer and as Sadie approaches the end of her pregnancy she is still unaware of his cheating. He becomes more and more dragged into his deception and he begins to feel the effects in more ways than one.
This is an interesting read about relationships and a really close up look at the effects that events in life can have on a person. It was my first book by the author but I really enjoyed the writing style and how up close and personal you get to the characters and their lives.
One I will be recommending if you like a strong character based story which will evoke many feelings as you progress into the story. It is compelling and honest I really enjoyed it.
4.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
June 28, 2021
The Darlings by Angela Jackson is a story that is such a deep and thought provoking one. Angela Jackson has portrayed the frailty and reality of people and their lives with such meaning in this book. She has turned the usual infidelity story on its head and told it from the adulterer's point of view.
Mark Darling has everything. A baby on the way with his beautiful wife, after having IVF due to troubles getting pregnant. As we discover not everything is as it seems. When Mark was fifteen due to a freak accident he killed his best friend. This has haunted him since that day. Sadie, his wife has been his comfort, hope and the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Then he reconnects with Ruby, a woman that was at school with him and remembers the Mark he was. This gives him a sense of normality that Sadie is unable to. I really felt for Sadie, the woman who got him through ,has done her utmost to help and support him and he goes cheating on her. As the story developed and I understood more and more, I began to sympathis a teeny tiny bit with Mark and the big problem he now has.
His wife, Sadie pregnant with his child or Ruby, who knows the 'real' Mark...who will he chose? What will he do?
Angela Jackson has done an excellwent job in creating these characters. They are so developed and real my empathy was overflowing for them all! She has given us a portrait of life and relationships that highlights just how complicated they are. She shows that actions and decisions taken all have consequences, some more than others. With the seriousness of this story you wouldn't expect the humour she has injected throughout, but Angela has managed it. Making it a sharp, heartwrenching, funny and entertaining read that I would recommend.
Thanks to Emma Welton at Damp Pebbles Blog Tours and Angela Jackson for the copy of the book.
Mark Darling has everything. A baby on the way with his beautiful wife, after having IVF due to troubles getting pregnant. As we discover not everything is as it seems. When Mark was fifteen due to a freak accident he killed his best friend. This has haunted him since that day. Sadie, his wife has been his comfort, hope and the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Then he reconnects with Ruby, a woman that was at school with him and remembers the Mark he was. This gives him a sense of normality that Sadie is unable to. I really felt for Sadie, the woman who got him through ,has done her utmost to help and support him and he goes cheating on her. As the story developed and I understood more and more, I began to sympathis a teeny tiny bit with Mark and the big problem he now has.
His wife, Sadie pregnant with his child or Ruby, who knows the 'real' Mark...who will he chose? What will he do?
Angela Jackson has done an excellwent job in creating these characters. They are so developed and real my empathy was overflowing for them all! She has given us a portrait of life and relationships that highlights just how complicated they are. She shows that actions and decisions taken all have consequences, some more than others. With the seriousness of this story you wouldn't expect the humour she has injected throughout, but Angela has managed it. Making it a sharp, heartwrenching, funny and entertaining read that I would recommend.
Thanks to Emma Welton at Damp Pebbles Blog Tours and Angela Jackson for the copy of the book.
July 27, 2021
This was my first read by Angela Jackson, and it most certainly won’t be the last. I loved the way she has written these characters.
When Mark Darling is fifteen years old, he is the golden boy, captain of the school football team, admired by all who know him. Until he kills his best friend in a freak accident.
He spends the next decade drifting between the therapy couch and dead-end pursuits. Then along comes Sadie. A mender by nature, she tries her best to fix him, and has enough energy to carry them both through the next few years
The book is both extremely funny and desperately sad. The author skilfully portrays Mark’s complicated relationships, exploring how a childhood trauma continues to haunt him. It also shows that love isn’t always straightforward and it’s great to read a book that tackles that head on.
I found myself completely invested in every single one of the characters in this book, I really cared about what happened to each of them in this tangle of relationships and extended family.
I would highly recommend this book. I could not put it down. It is the first book that I have read in a very long time that manages to be funny, entertaining, heart-rending and poignant all at once.
This was a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
When Mark Darling is fifteen years old, he is the golden boy, captain of the school football team, admired by all who know him. Until he kills his best friend in a freak accident.
He spends the next decade drifting between the therapy couch and dead-end pursuits. Then along comes Sadie. A mender by nature, she tries her best to fix him, and has enough energy to carry them both through the next few years
The book is both extremely funny and desperately sad. The author skilfully portrays Mark’s complicated relationships, exploring how a childhood trauma continues to haunt him. It also shows that love isn’t always straightforward and it’s great to read a book that tackles that head on.
I found myself completely invested in every single one of the characters in this book, I really cared about what happened to each of them in this tangle of relationships and extended family.
I would highly recommend this book. I could not put it down. It is the first book that I have read in a very long time that manages to be funny, entertaining, heart-rending and poignant all at once.
This was a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2021
I do love a book when the opening sentence grasps your attention straight away. ‘Mark Darling was 15 years old when he killed his best friend’. You instantly feel the pain for Mark and with him losing his parents.
I laughed so much at the start with the honesty of parents lies towards their children to avoid hurting their feelings. It was extremely witty. You soon to come to realise Mark is 38 years old now and trying to make his way into the industry by being a comedian and a writer. His pregnant wife Sadie is a massive part of this story as it gives you an insight into their relationship. Additionally, how hard the process they went through to achieve fertility. I loved reading about Ava and her progression into tennis it was extremely easy to warm to her character and also her own little mini romance.
I didn’t like when some hidden secrets start taking place it made me dislike Mark. But I guess it was this dislike that hooked me into still wanting to read. I couldn’t put it down and I completed it in a day. You really feel for Sadie along the way she’s so trusting and caring and you hate the thought of her getting hurt. This is a wonderful read, I really enjoyed every single paragraph.
I laughed so much at the start with the honesty of parents lies towards their children to avoid hurting their feelings. It was extremely witty. You soon to come to realise Mark is 38 years old now and trying to make his way into the industry by being a comedian and a writer. His pregnant wife Sadie is a massive part of this story as it gives you an insight into their relationship. Additionally, how hard the process they went through to achieve fertility. I loved reading about Ava and her progression into tennis it was extremely easy to warm to her character and also her own little mini romance.
I didn’t like when some hidden secrets start taking place it made me dislike Mark. But I guess it was this dislike that hooked me into still wanting to read. I couldn’t put it down and I completed it in a day. You really feel for Sadie along the way she’s so trusting and caring and you hate the thought of her getting hurt. This is a wonderful read, I really enjoyed every single paragraph.
July 2, 2021
Enjoyable easy read - read it in 24 hours
June 26, 2021
I really enjoyed this literary fiction and the detailed portrayal of a family who are all yearning for their own “something more.” The intricacies of some long term relationships and the gradual conformity to a mould, even if it isn’t an easy fit, was beautifully written and I loved the cast of characters who all came to life for me in their own unique ways. At first Mark seemed quite hapless and affable, an extra in his own life, but then the fateful meeting occurs which awakens a part of him which has been buried for a long time. The storyline flows naturally and I spent most of the book with a furtive feeling, as if looking over my shoulder, waiting for someone to find out about the protagonist’s secrets. I’d highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys characterisation over thrillers.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Love Books Tours for the gifted digital copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Love Books Tours for the gifted digital copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.
June 25, 2021
First of all I just want to say ... how gorgeous is this cover! I know you aren't meant to judge a book by its cover but this one certainly attracts attention!
Right on to my thoughts of the book ! I absolutely loved this book , the writing style of Angela Jackson just made me not want to leave the book . The characters of Mark and Sadie were wonderful and I found certain aspects really easy to identify with. The way the book touches on childhood trauma is done expertly , and the way that childhood trauma can influence your adult years.
I would definitely recommend this book, the storyline hooks you , the characters hook you and the cover hooks you.. what more could you want?
Big thank you to LoveBooksTours for the chance to read and review this book
Right on to my thoughts of the book ! I absolutely loved this book , the writing style of Angela Jackson just made me not want to leave the book . The characters of Mark and Sadie were wonderful and I found certain aspects really easy to identify with. The way the book touches on childhood trauma is done expertly , and the way that childhood trauma can influence your adult years.
I would definitely recommend this book, the storyline hooks you , the characters hook you and the cover hooks you.. what more could you want?
Big thank you to LoveBooksTours for the chance to read and review this book
June 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, it was a brilliant read.
More often than not if there’s marriage infidelity as part of a plot then the protagonist is usually the one who’s been cheated on. We, the reader, won’t have an awful lot of sympathy for the adulterer and they, more often than not won’t play a big part in the book.
Not so in this book. Mark is the protagonist here and it is mainly Mark’s side of things that we hear about with Mark being the one playing away from home. Yet you can’t help but feel, I don’t know, perhaps not sympathy, but certainly have an understanding of how he got himself into such an unforgivable situation.
His wife Sadie is pregnant. It’s taken a lot of time, heartache, not to mention money after having IVF treatment, but now she is finally pregnant and very happy. Mark was reasonably happy up to this point. As it says in the blurb, while still at school he killed his best friend by accident on the sports field and Mark has never forgiven himself for that even though it was a freak accident and not his fault. He still suffers tremendous guilt and doesn’t think very highly of himself.
On a chance encounter he meets Ruby. Ruby went to the same school as Mark and she witnessed the accident. From here on in we watch what is a car crash set of circumstances that lead Mark further and further into an impossible situation. It’s often funny, albeit a somewhat dark humour, but with a deep underlying feeling of sadness. You end up feeling sad for Mark, for his wife Sadie and to a certain extent Ruby, after all you can’t help falling in love. Though I did think at times that Ruby’s love verged on stalkerish.
I’ll say no more. It’s a fantastic plot with some great characters and brilliant writing. I liked Sadie’s younger 15 year old sister Ava who adds a lot of humour to the narrative. There’s Mark’s friends who try to make him see sense and Sadie’s Mum and Dad have a part to play later on in the book.
I would definitely read more by this author as I do like her style of writing and the humour. Definitely worthy of 5 stars, it kept me entertained from beginning to end.
More often than not if there’s marriage infidelity as part of a plot then the protagonist is usually the one who’s been cheated on. We, the reader, won’t have an awful lot of sympathy for the adulterer and they, more often than not won’t play a big part in the book.
Not so in this book. Mark is the protagonist here and it is mainly Mark’s side of things that we hear about with Mark being the one playing away from home. Yet you can’t help but feel, I don’t know, perhaps not sympathy, but certainly have an understanding of how he got himself into such an unforgivable situation.
His wife Sadie is pregnant. It’s taken a lot of time, heartache, not to mention money after having IVF treatment, but now she is finally pregnant and very happy. Mark was reasonably happy up to this point. As it says in the blurb, while still at school he killed his best friend by accident on the sports field and Mark has never forgiven himself for that even though it was a freak accident and not his fault. He still suffers tremendous guilt and doesn’t think very highly of himself.
On a chance encounter he meets Ruby. Ruby went to the same school as Mark and she witnessed the accident. From here on in we watch what is a car crash set of circumstances that lead Mark further and further into an impossible situation. It’s often funny, albeit a somewhat dark humour, but with a deep underlying feeling of sadness. You end up feeling sad for Mark, for his wife Sadie and to a certain extent Ruby, after all you can’t help falling in love. Though I did think at times that Ruby’s love verged on stalkerish.
I’ll say no more. It’s a fantastic plot with some great characters and brilliant writing. I liked Sadie’s younger 15 year old sister Ava who adds a lot of humour to the narrative. There’s Mark’s friends who try to make him see sense and Sadie’s Mum and Dad have a part to play later on in the book.
I would definitely read more by this author as I do like her style of writing and the humour. Definitely worthy of 5 stars, it kept me entertained from beginning to end.
June 22, 2021
I feel like I have been familiar with the characters from The Darlings for some time even though the book is just out this week. Quite a few years back now, I heard Angela Jackson read some extracts from the book at a Blackwell's Writers at the Fringe event. Then four years ago, Angela put on a fabulous and witty one woman show in Waterstones as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It was called The Darling Monologues and in it she played three women, Sadie and Ruby who we meet in this book, and Lily from her debut award winning novel, The Emergence of Judy Taylor. The three characters all gave us their perspective on Mark Darling, the protagonist of this book, but we didn't get to hear from him. Now we have!
And do you know, it turns out that I don't like Mark Darling very much. Mark has been haunted by a childhood accident when he killed his best friend. This has led him to having all kinds of insecurities and guilt throughout his life. Although his wife, Sadie, has done so much to reassure him and encourage him, when he meets an old friend from school, Ruby, he feels that she alone understands him, having actually been present when the accident took place. They begin a relationship and Mark convinces himself that he is not hurting anyone, despite his wife being pregnant with a much wanted baby. If he can just keep the two parts of his life separate, all will be well...
Despite not having an awful lot of sympathy for Mark and his predicament, I did very much enjoy this book. Angela Jackson writes very insightfully about human dilemmas and frailties and certainly doesn't shy away from showing all the flaws in her characters. Through some of the other characters, notably Sadie's young sister Ava, some lighter moments are introduced into the book. With themes of betrayal and guilt, this could be quite a dark book but with the author's deft touch it is a compelling read as she brings her characters to life. I may not have liked Mark much, but I'm glad to finally have had the chance to read his story.
And do you know, it turns out that I don't like Mark Darling very much. Mark has been haunted by a childhood accident when he killed his best friend. This has led him to having all kinds of insecurities and guilt throughout his life. Although his wife, Sadie, has done so much to reassure him and encourage him, when he meets an old friend from school, Ruby, he feels that she alone understands him, having actually been present when the accident took place. They begin a relationship and Mark convinces himself that he is not hurting anyone, despite his wife being pregnant with a much wanted baby. If he can just keep the two parts of his life separate, all will be well...
Despite not having an awful lot of sympathy for Mark and his predicament, I did very much enjoy this book. Angela Jackson writes very insightfully about human dilemmas and frailties and certainly doesn't shy away from showing all the flaws in her characters. Through some of the other characters, notably Sadie's young sister Ava, some lighter moments are introduced into the book. With themes of betrayal and guilt, this could be quite a dark book but with the author's deft touch it is a compelling read as she brings her characters to life. I may not have liked Mark much, but I'm glad to finally have had the chance to read his story.
July 26, 2021
‘The Darlings’ is unflinching look at life, love and basically who we are as humans. How we manage situations, the psychology and reasoning behind our actions. It doesn’t portray people in the best light but shows us them as real as possible. Everyone has made mistakes buts it how we deal with them that makes us human.
When Mark is 15 years old his ends up killing a school friend by swinging and losing control over a bat. This is his ‘pivotal’ moment in life where things take a dark turn and then when his parents die two years later he doesn’t emerge from his drinking and drug taking for years until he meets Sadie. Sadie has worked hard to ‘fix him’. He has a marketing job, has a side line of being a stand up comic and everything in life in good. Oh yeah and there is a baby on the way! Why then when he bumps into Ruby, an old school friend, does he embark on an affair?
I honestly thought I would hate Mark and yes he is weak and spineless but there are reasons behind his actions. They might not be good ones but they are real ones. But then I thought back at the situations my friend circles have found themselves in and gone huh cheating is more prevalent than you think. I have one old friend who has cheated on every boyfriend including her now husband. Another who had an emotional affair with their partner’s best friend. Drunken kisses and fumbles on nights out. Etc etc etc. What makes us human is how we err and how we come back from that.
I really love the character of Ava, Sadie’s younger sister. She was just spunky and full of life and dreams. Sadie’s whole family was great. I know how if feels to be adopted by an inlaw family and I think the author may be in the same situation as it felt very much like my experience!
The author has done an amazing job of creating ‘real’ characters and depicting life in general and it’s a testament to the power of her writing that I didn’t hate Mark! The narrative is sharp and punchy, and is very funny at times. Just like life!
Also, you have to love that cover!
When Mark is 15 years old his ends up killing a school friend by swinging and losing control over a bat. This is his ‘pivotal’ moment in life where things take a dark turn and then when his parents die two years later he doesn’t emerge from his drinking and drug taking for years until he meets Sadie. Sadie has worked hard to ‘fix him’. He has a marketing job, has a side line of being a stand up comic and everything in life in good. Oh yeah and there is a baby on the way! Why then when he bumps into Ruby, an old school friend, does he embark on an affair?
I honestly thought I would hate Mark and yes he is weak and spineless but there are reasons behind his actions. They might not be good ones but they are real ones. But then I thought back at the situations my friend circles have found themselves in and gone huh cheating is more prevalent than you think. I have one old friend who has cheated on every boyfriend including her now husband. Another who had an emotional affair with their partner’s best friend. Drunken kisses and fumbles on nights out. Etc etc etc. What makes us human is how we err and how we come back from that.
I really love the character of Ava, Sadie’s younger sister. She was just spunky and full of life and dreams. Sadie’s whole family was great. I know how if feels to be adopted by an inlaw family and I think the author may be in the same situation as it felt very much like my experience!
The author has done an amazing job of creating ‘real’ characters and depicting life in general and it’s a testament to the power of her writing that I didn’t hate Mark! The narrative is sharp and punchy, and is very funny at times. Just like life!
Also, you have to love that cover!
June 25, 2021
This book is such an interesting one and I was intrigued right from the very beginning.
Fifteen year old Mark Darling accidentally killed best friend Fergus during a cricket game at school. The bat flew from his hand, hitting Fergus on the head. A few years later, Mark's mother and father die in a car accident so he is truly alone in the world.
In the present day, Mark is married to Sadie and they have a baby on the way; they had gone down the IVF route. Mark credits Sadie with saving his life. He was in a bad place when they met and now he is on medication and going to counseling. She turned his life around.
Mark bumps into an old school acquaintance, Ruby, and there is a connection there. Sadie saved his life but Ruby knows him from a different time. She knows who he was before the accident. They begin an illicit affair. I felt the urgency in this because affairs are always discovered so there was an element of excitement to it.
On paper, I shouldn't like this book. I do not condone cheating in any form but the story and the way this book is written really carries it. It explores infidelity and betrayal not just on the surface but in a deeper way.
Mark carries a lot of self hatred and I felt like there was a bit of a juxtaposition with the fact that he was desperate to be a popular comedian with fans who love him and his act.
You can feel the change in Mark's feelings towards Sadie as the book goes on and the author has made it flow effortlessly.
I loved it!
Fifteen year old Mark Darling accidentally killed best friend Fergus during a cricket game at school. The bat flew from his hand, hitting Fergus on the head. A few years later, Mark's mother and father die in a car accident so he is truly alone in the world.
In the present day, Mark is married to Sadie and they have a baby on the way; they had gone down the IVF route. Mark credits Sadie with saving his life. He was in a bad place when they met and now he is on medication and going to counseling. She turned his life around.
Mark bumps into an old school acquaintance, Ruby, and there is a connection there. Sadie saved his life but Ruby knows him from a different time. She knows who he was before the accident. They begin an illicit affair. I felt the urgency in this because affairs are always discovered so there was an element of excitement to it.
On paper, I shouldn't like this book. I do not condone cheating in any form but the story and the way this book is written really carries it. It explores infidelity and betrayal not just on the surface but in a deeper way.
Mark carries a lot of self hatred and I felt like there was a bit of a juxtaposition with the fact that he was desperate to be a popular comedian with fans who love him and his act.
You can feel the change in Mark's feelings towards Sadie as the book goes on and the author has made it flow effortlessly.
I loved it!
June 26, 2021
Ever read a book that takes you completely by surprise? The Darlings by Angela Jackson was a quick and gripping read. The style in which this book was written made it impossible to put down. Mark is textbook antihero but yet I was continually hoping things worked out in his favor. I loved Jackson’s approach writing about trauma and it’s aftermath. She dealt with such heavy subject matter yet repeatedly made me laugh, no easy feat. I love finding new to me authors, and The Darlings by Angela Jackson did not disappoint!
April 23, 2021
I pre-ordered this and got it this week - it is out in the world!
Loved this gem of a book. It manages to be both extremely funny and desperately sad. The author skilfully portrays Mark’s complicated relationships, exploring how a childhood trauma continues to haunt him. Love isn’t always straightforward and it’s great to read a book that tackles that head on. Sharp writing and a fast-paced, I couldn’t put it down.
Loved this gem of a book. It manages to be both extremely funny and desperately sad. The author skilfully portrays Mark’s complicated relationships, exploring how a childhood trauma continues to haunt him. Love isn’t always straightforward and it’s great to read a book that tackles that head on. Sharp writing and a fast-paced, I couldn’t put it down.
May 20, 2021
The Darlings- Angela Jackson
When Mark Darling was fifteen, he killed his best friend Fergus in a freak accident at school. He drifts between therapy and dead end pursuits for a decade until he meets Sadie.
Mark feels like a bit of a massive man baby, struggling to cope with the thought of becoming a father. Has everything done for him by Sadie his wife who has held him together, organised him and supported him, literally picked him up after he spiralled downwards.
Then he meets Ruby who he knew at school and witnessed the death of his best friend. They start an affair. Mark thinks that Ruby understands him and that he has found unconditional love.
Mark displaces his panic attacks and memories of what happened to Fergus with his passion and illicit texts to Ruby. But he has to make a decision and as everything comes to a head, who will he choose?
‘𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕜, 𝕚𝕗 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕠𝕟𝕖- 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀’𝕞 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝕚𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦...𝕀’𝕕 𝕕𝕠 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕡𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕝 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕤 𝕀 𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕕.’
Wow, that first Chapter, a single page, it was so clear and succinct and really caught my attention. This was not really what I was expecting at all, it was a very interesting portrayal of an affair and felt real and true.
‘𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕞 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕞, 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕊𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕨, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 ℝ𝕦𝕓𝕪 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖, 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖.’
I just felt Mark needed to grow up a lot and I did find him quite irritating. Mark keeps trying to justify to himself that what he is doing is ok which I totally disagree with so I had no sympathy for him as a character at all!
He just digs himself further and further into a hole.
The narrative builds until the betrayal is revealed. I felt sorry for Sadie who was unaware of what was going on.
‘𝔾𝕣𝕠𝕨 𝕦𝕡, 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕜,’ 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕁𝕠𝕟𝕟𝕪
The discovery and the fall out, was brilliantly done, very raw. It all built to this and I found this aspect of the book quite difficult to read. It made me think and almost reinforced my own beliefs about infidelity which is probably why I found it tough in places.
A really good exploration of infidelity and how our childhood shapes us.
✩✩✩✩
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Thanks to damp pebbles tours and eye lightning books for my early e-copy
When Mark Darling was fifteen, he killed his best friend Fergus in a freak accident at school. He drifts between therapy and dead end pursuits for a decade until he meets Sadie.
Mark feels like a bit of a massive man baby, struggling to cope with the thought of becoming a father. Has everything done for him by Sadie his wife who has held him together, organised him and supported him, literally picked him up after he spiralled downwards.
Then he meets Ruby who he knew at school and witnessed the death of his best friend. They start an affair. Mark thinks that Ruby understands him and that he has found unconditional love.
Mark displaces his panic attacks and memories of what happened to Fergus with his passion and illicit texts to Ruby. But he has to make a decision and as everything comes to a head, who will he choose?
‘𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕜, 𝕚𝕗 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕠𝕟𝕖- 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀’𝕞 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝕚𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦...𝕀’𝕕 𝕕𝕠 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕡𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕝 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕤 𝕀 𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕕.’
Wow, that first Chapter, a single page, it was so clear and succinct and really caught my attention. This was not really what I was expecting at all, it was a very interesting portrayal of an affair and felt real and true.
‘𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕞 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕞, 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕊𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕨, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 ℝ𝕦𝕓𝕪 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖, 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖.’
I just felt Mark needed to grow up a lot and I did find him quite irritating. Mark keeps trying to justify to himself that what he is doing is ok which I totally disagree with so I had no sympathy for him as a character at all!
He just digs himself further and further into a hole.
The narrative builds until the betrayal is revealed. I felt sorry for Sadie who was unaware of what was going on.
‘𝔾𝕣𝕠𝕨 𝕦𝕡, 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕜,’ 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕁𝕠𝕟𝕟𝕪
The discovery and the fall out, was brilliantly done, very raw. It all built to this and I found this aspect of the book quite difficult to read. It made me think and almost reinforced my own beliefs about infidelity which is probably why I found it tough in places.
A really good exploration of infidelity and how our childhood shapes us.
✩✩✩✩
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Thanks to damp pebbles tours and eye lightning books for my early e-copy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2021
#AD
Mark Darling has never recovered from the trauma of accidentally killing his best friend during a school cricket match. He is married to Sadie, who offers him love and support, encouraging him to go to therapy and to learn to forgive himself. They are expecting their first child, conceived through IVF. Then one evening Mark bumps into Ruby an old school friend who witnessed the accident all those years ago.
Although I felt sympathy for Mark because of his horrific experience, I found him hard to like. He only seems concerned with his own pain and when he drifts into an affair with Ruby, it's the effect the stress of it all is having on him that concerns him. Not the effect his actions might have on the two women in his life.
This is a well observed, nicely written novel. Angela Jackson makes the characters and events really come alive. This is not the kind of book I usually read but I have to say I'm glad I chose to. Even the supporting characters are well drawn. I particularly liked Ava, Sadie's younger sister. I felt invested in the story as I watched Mark unravel under the stress of his affair. He really seems to believe that Ruby can heal him because she was there when the accident happened and because she knew him before when he was the schools sporting hero. Ruby elicits some sympathy even though she is the other woman and somewhat obsessive.
A good, thoughtful read that deals with human emotions and the long term effect of childhood trauma in an interesting and sensitive way.
My thanks to Love Books Tours for my e-copy of this book given in return for a fair and honest review.
Mark Darling has never recovered from the trauma of accidentally killing his best friend during a school cricket match. He is married to Sadie, who offers him love and support, encouraging him to go to therapy and to learn to forgive himself. They are expecting their first child, conceived through IVF. Then one evening Mark bumps into Ruby an old school friend who witnessed the accident all those years ago.
Although I felt sympathy for Mark because of his horrific experience, I found him hard to like. He only seems concerned with his own pain and when he drifts into an affair with Ruby, it's the effect the stress of it all is having on him that concerns him. Not the effect his actions might have on the two women in his life.
This is a well observed, nicely written novel. Angela Jackson makes the characters and events really come alive. This is not the kind of book I usually read but I have to say I'm glad I chose to. Even the supporting characters are well drawn. I particularly liked Ava, Sadie's younger sister. I felt invested in the story as I watched Mark unravel under the stress of his affair. He really seems to believe that Ruby can heal him because she was there when the accident happened and because she knew him before when he was the schools sporting hero. Ruby elicits some sympathy even though she is the other woman and somewhat obsessive.
A good, thoughtful read that deals with human emotions and the long term effect of childhood trauma in an interesting and sensitive way.
My thanks to Love Books Tours for my e-copy of this book given in return for a fair and honest review.
July 27, 2022
The Darlings is a multi-faceted and in-depth exploration of an affair, the reasons people cheat, and the impact it has on every one involved; knowingly or unknowingly, complicit or victim.
A novel truly unique in its ability to elicit sympathy for its unfaithful main character whilst at the same time not excusing or romanticising his actions, that eschews the temptation to paint any character as two dimensional. There are no inexcusably selfish or evil characters here, no perfect flawless ones either, just as in life.
Where The Darlings truly shines though is in Jackson’s power to observe the minutiae of modern life and paint entire scenes or characters through one well placed turn of phrase; they say a picture is worth a thousand words, a sentence of Angela Jackson’s is worth a gallery of pictures.
There is a depth and truth to every character Jackson writes, a comedian’s subtle wit to her prose, and a familiarity and ease to the book’s tone that makes reading it feel like catching up with a friend you don’t see often enough.
A novel truly unique in its ability to elicit sympathy for its unfaithful main character whilst at the same time not excusing or romanticising his actions, that eschews the temptation to paint any character as two dimensional. There are no inexcusably selfish or evil characters here, no perfect flawless ones either, just as in life.
Where The Darlings truly shines though is in Jackson’s power to observe the minutiae of modern life and paint entire scenes or characters through one well placed turn of phrase; they say a picture is worth a thousand words, a sentence of Angela Jackson’s is worth a gallery of pictures.
There is a depth and truth to every character Jackson writes, a comedian’s subtle wit to her prose, and a familiarity and ease to the book’s tone that makes reading it feel like catching up with a friend you don’t see often enough.
June 22, 2021
I was intrigued by this story because of the subject matter, I wanted to know how such a traumatic childhood event could potentially shape a person and lead them to make the decisions they make in later life. I wondered whether or not I would have sympathy for Mark or whether I would dislike him due to his actions with both Sadie and Ruth.
I honestly thought I would dislike Mark due to his actions in the story, infidelity is one thing that really upsets me, however as I read the story I surprisingly found myself beginning to feel a little sorry for him which completely took me by surprise! Although I still found him weak willed and easily manipulated and wished he would just 'man up' on more than one occasion!
The side characters were a fantastic addition, if you read this only to meet his sister in law Ava it will be worth it. She was just fabulous!
Definitely worth a read, Angela writes a refreshing and stark portrayal of a deeply traumatised individual whose past experience shape his life and decisions in the future.
I honestly thought I would dislike Mark due to his actions in the story, infidelity is one thing that really upsets me, however as I read the story I surprisingly found myself beginning to feel a little sorry for him which completely took me by surprise! Although I still found him weak willed and easily manipulated and wished he would just 'man up' on more than one occasion!
The side characters were a fantastic addition, if you read this only to meet his sister in law Ava it will be worth it. She was just fabulous!
Definitely worth a read, Angela writes a refreshing and stark portrayal of a deeply traumatised individual whose past experience shape his life and decisions in the future.
June 21, 2021
Angela Jackson has created a very believable and grounded set of characters in The Darlings; they may not always do the nicest of things to one another, but this gives them a realness and a grittiness.
The story is told mainly from Mark's perspective, so we get to know and understand his inner thoughts and feelings. In Mark's eyes, Ruby, an old school friend, holds all of the answers and can shed light for him on the day that he accidentally killed his best friend - something that Sadie, his wife, can't do - and this seems to be a big motivation for starting an affair with Ruby.
I thought Ruby was an interesting character; when we first meet her, she's independent and strong. She's working in a job she enjoys and isn't yet married, she has an aura of empowerment around her which I quite liked. But the way she developed as a character was quite unexpected for me. She really falls for Mark and I was never quite sure if he truly felt the same way about her.
Out of all the characters, my favourite was Ava, Sadie's younger sister, a future tennis star. Again, I like her realness and no-bullshit attitude to her life. I also liked her relationship with Mark; the two seem to have an understanding that Mark lacks with the rest of Sadie's family. Their unspoken agreement around the Wii console and tennis game at Mark and Sadie's house was quite touching - they didn't need to say much to one another but you can feel their bond.
I think Angela Jackson has created a captivating story that deals with the difficulties and struggles that some people face in their everyday lives (a sort of warts and all approach). But this difficult topic has allowed her to truly dig under the skin of the characters, especially Mark and Ruby, and helps the reader understand the decisions that they've made.
While it's not a fast-paced story, you still get the kick of adrenaline around what will happen to Mark and Ruby's relationship and whether Sadie will ever find out...
The story is told mainly from Mark's perspective, so we get to know and understand his inner thoughts and feelings. In Mark's eyes, Ruby, an old school friend, holds all of the answers and can shed light for him on the day that he accidentally killed his best friend - something that Sadie, his wife, can't do - and this seems to be a big motivation for starting an affair with Ruby.
I thought Ruby was an interesting character; when we first meet her, she's independent and strong. She's working in a job she enjoys and isn't yet married, she has an aura of empowerment around her which I quite liked. But the way she developed as a character was quite unexpected for me. She really falls for Mark and I was never quite sure if he truly felt the same way about her.
Out of all the characters, my favourite was Ava, Sadie's younger sister, a future tennis star. Again, I like her realness and no-bullshit attitude to her life. I also liked her relationship with Mark; the two seem to have an understanding that Mark lacks with the rest of Sadie's family. Their unspoken agreement around the Wii console and tennis game at Mark and Sadie's house was quite touching - they didn't need to say much to one another but you can feel their bond.
I think Angela Jackson has created a captivating story that deals with the difficulties and struggles that some people face in their everyday lives (a sort of warts and all approach). But this difficult topic has allowed her to truly dig under the skin of the characters, especially Mark and Ruby, and helps the reader understand the decisions that they've made.
While it's not a fast-paced story, you still get the kick of adrenaline around what will happen to Mark and Ruby's relationship and whether Sadie will ever find out...
June 27, 2021
This book was not what I was expecting at all, I'm not even sure what I was expecting after reading the blurb but it wasn't this!
This book is about Mark who in a freak accident when he was a child killed his best friend. We follow Mark and Sadie as they are growing their family and learn how Mark copes with his past.
This is written in such a real way that you can fully imagine all of this happening in real life. Their mannerisms together are so true to how you would really deal with life you can't help but be drawn into the plot.
For me, I was always expecting something bigger to happen. I really enjoyed the book but I was left wanting more. I also felt there was another plot going on with Ava, I was disappointed this wasn't discussed more.
This book is about Mark who in a freak accident when he was a child killed his best friend. We follow Mark and Sadie as they are growing their family and learn how Mark copes with his past.
This is written in such a real way that you can fully imagine all of this happening in real life. Their mannerisms together are so true to how you would really deal with life you can't help but be drawn into the plot.
For me, I was always expecting something bigger to happen. I really enjoyed the book but I was left wanting more. I also felt there was another plot going on with Ava, I was disappointed this wasn't discussed more.
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