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Ceci n'est pas un roman
Depuis quinze ans, Imogen refuse de croire que son frère Johnny est mort noyé. Depuis quinze ans, Imogen pense qu'il a préféré partir pour échapper à la pesanteur asphyxiante d'une famille prisonnière de ses secrets et de ses mensonges. Aujourd'hui, Imogen est décidée à explorer son passé pour comprendre ce qui, à force de non-dits, de désirs inavouables, de violence contenue, a conduit à une tragédie...
" Journal inachevé, enquête, introspection, la romancière effleure tous les registres littéraires, sans perdre de vue le bonheur de la lecture. Le résultat est magistral, d'une fluidité étonnante. L'élégance du désespoir. "
Christine Ferniot, Télérama
" Journal inachevé, enquête, introspection, la romancière effleure tous les registres littéraires, sans perdre de vue le bonheur de la lecture. Le résultat est magistral, d'une fluidité étonnante. L'élégance du désespoir. "
Christine Ferniot, Télérama
208 pages, Pocket Book
First published January 1, 2002
8 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Johnston
40 books100 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jennifer Johnston was an Irish novelist. She won a number of awards, including the Whitbread Book Award for The Old Jest in 1979 and a Lifetime Achievement from the Irish Book Awards (2012). The Old Jest, a novel about the Irish War of Independence, was later made into a film called The Dawning, starring Anthony Hopkins, produced by Sarah Lawson and directed by Robert Knights.
Jennifer Johnston was an Irish novelist. She won a number of awards, including the Whitbread Book Award for The Old Jest in 1979 and a Lifetime Achievement from the Irish Book Awards (2012). The Old Jest, a novel about the Irish War of Independence, was later made into a film called The Dawning, starring Anthony Hopkins, produced by Sarah Lawson and directed by Robert Knights.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
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April 25, 2021************************
*The Railway Station Man 4 stars
*The Captains and the Kings 4 stars
*Shadows on our Skin 4 stars
*This Is Not a Novel TBR
*The Old Jest TBR
*How Many Miles to Babylon? TBR
*The Gingerbread Woman TBR
*Foolish Mortals TBR
*Fool's Sanctuary TBR
*Grace And Truth TBR
*The Railway Station Man 4 stars
*The Captains and the Kings 4 stars
*Shadows on our Skin 4 stars
*This Is Not a Novel TBR
*The Old Jest TBR
*How Many Miles to Babylon? TBR
*The Gingerbread Woman TBR
*Foolish Mortals TBR
*Fool's Sanctuary TBR
*Grace And Truth TBR
dropped
October 1, 2011This Is Not a Novel is not some David Marksonlike mosaic of quotes, wisdom and fractured narrative, it is the exact polar opposite of such an approach: a directly emotional novel in the first-person intercut with letters and assorted correspondence. Nonlinear approach aside, there could not be two more opposing novels with the same title. Markson’s This is Not a Novel autopsies all fictional tropes and invites the reader to reassemble their components into a strange, original work. In Johnson’s novel her protagonist proclaims: “This is not a novel. I want to make that perfectly clear.” Thus establishing first-person character narration, a voice, a tone, and a style. Ergo: classic novel. I was attracted to this since it shared a title with Markson and expected something a little more original, seeing Review Press are the publishers. Instead, this is a tissue of scenes from a well-to-do Irish family with emphasis on tears, conflict, etc . . . mainstream fodder. Not for me. Lesson learned: be more choosy about reading material. Or go read the David Markson.
November 1, 2022
OKAY. 4.5 probably but this honestly slayed. This was assigned for my music and Irish novel class, and it is probably the best book we have read this semester. It’s got everything; mental illness, family trauma, and fruit. Fr one of those books I almost cried reading the last couple of pages ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ thanks jennifer I needed this
January 9, 2017
He will come, and still I wait
He whistles at another gate
Where angels listen. Ah, I know
He will not come, yet if I go
How shall I know he did not pass
Barefooted in the flowery grass
The moon leans on one silver horn
Above the silhouettes of morn,
And from their nest-sills finches whistle
Or stooping pluck the downy thistle
How is the morn so gay and fair
Without his whistling in the air?
The world is calling, I must go,
How shall I know he did not pass
Barefooted in the shining grass?
The main topic of this novel is loss and told by the narrator Imogen recalling her tale some 30 years after her brother Johnny disappeared in an apparent swimming accident. However, parallel to this she reads from her great-grandmother's diary and the despair that she felt after her son Harry failed to return from WWI.
For most of the novel Imogen is a young, vulnerable teenager overshadowed by her older brother Johnny, liked by her father, ignored by her mother, and loved by Mathilde, the family's housekeeper. Johnny is athletic, handsome, and intelligent, a swimming champion and possible Olympian. Imogen is largely over-looked by her wealthy parents has a normal brother and sister relationship with Johnny.
Johnny brings home a charming German friend with whom Imogen falls in "love" as do other members of the family all bar Mathilde. When Imogen is confronted by a shocking revelation she can't handle it and becomes mute. She is then sent to a sanatorium to recover her mental health. Whilst there she is informed by her father that Johnny has drowned. Imogen does not accept it believing instead that he left to start a new life. Therefore she hopes that Johnny will read the book and return, her parents having died.
Throughout lengthy pages of her grandmother's journal and letters from her father are included. However, most of the so-called family "secrets" I was able to guess them long before their were actually revealed. On the plus side this is a relatively quick read with some poignant passages and I enjoyed the author's spare writing style. I just found it fairly predictable.
He whistles at another gate
Where angels listen. Ah, I know
He will not come, yet if I go
How shall I know he did not pass
Barefooted in the flowery grass
The moon leans on one silver horn
Above the silhouettes of morn,
And from their nest-sills finches whistle
Or stooping pluck the downy thistle
How is the morn so gay and fair
Without his whistling in the air?
The world is calling, I must go,
How shall I know he did not pass
Barefooted in the shining grass?
The main topic of this novel is loss and told by the narrator Imogen recalling her tale some 30 years after her brother Johnny disappeared in an apparent swimming accident. However, parallel to this she reads from her great-grandmother's diary and the despair that she felt after her son Harry failed to return from WWI.
For most of the novel Imogen is a young, vulnerable teenager overshadowed by her older brother Johnny, liked by her father, ignored by her mother, and loved by Mathilde, the family's housekeeper. Johnny is athletic, handsome, and intelligent, a swimming champion and possible Olympian. Imogen is largely over-looked by her wealthy parents has a normal brother and sister relationship with Johnny.
Johnny brings home a charming German friend with whom Imogen falls in "love" as do other members of the family all bar Mathilde. When Imogen is confronted by a shocking revelation she can't handle it and becomes mute. She is then sent to a sanatorium to recover her mental health. Whilst there she is informed by her father that Johnny has drowned. Imogen does not accept it believing instead that he left to start a new life. Therefore she hopes that Johnny will read the book and return, her parents having died.
Throughout lengthy pages of her grandmother's journal and letters from her father are included. However, most of the so-called family "secrets" I was able to guess them long before their were actually revealed. On the plus side this is a relatively quick read with some poignant passages and I enjoyed the author's spare writing style. I just found it fairly predictable.
April 5, 2011
Beautifully written, and despite some negative reviews on Goodreads.com, I found I really enjoyed the book.
September 3, 2018
This is a novel and one that I think falls under the heading ‘literary novel’ with its symbolism and eloquent prose.
The story is mainly split between the 1970s with visits to World War I. Imogen Bailey’s brother Johnny is a champion swimmer. Their father is hoping that he will make the Olympic squad but maybe this is his dream and not Johnny’s. One day fifteen year old Johnny goes missing in the water in County Cork, no further sighting is ever made but Imogen never quite believes he drowned.
She therefore decides to write to Johnny, not as a story but as a way to sift through her memories and back them up with family documents; letters, school reports and diaries, hence the title of the book with premise that the result will be:
“a hopeful message sent out into the world, like a piece of paper in a bottle dropped into the sea”
Following Johnny’s disappearance Imogen stops speaking and is sent to a private hospital to recover. The real cause of her lack of voice is one strand of this fascinating story. The others concern Johnny’s disappearance and the links to the past with another family member sent to fight for his country.
Considering this is a fairly slim novel it is commendable that the writer has managed to condense a whole century of one family into its pages with no obvious bumps as she hurtles backwards and forwards giving the feeling of the natural echoes that her narrator finds in the trunk of old papers.
There are some absolutely fascinating characters within the book from Mathilde the housekeeper who converts religion as a way of fitting into country life following her move to Ireland after the war whose story sits next to that of the young German Bruno who makes such an impact on Johnny and Imogen. The stories of their trips to the cinema seemingly benign made this reader wince at the parts that both the youngsters were oblivious to.
This is a story told in layers, far more than is immediately apparent when reading the novel itself. I like and greatly admire authors who can allow you to read and enjoy but then give you the additional pleasure of uncovering some of the themes on reflection after that last page is turned. The trick of writing something that is seemingly uncomplicated but having hidden depths of course works well in conjunction of the narrator being absolutely convinced in the seemingly impossible, after all Johnny disappeared from the family some thirty years previously. A narrator unable to accept the inevitable after that length of time gives some doubt to her own memories whilst there can be no doubt in the written evidence provided.
Like so many other Irish writers the distinctiveness of the place of their birth is never far from the surface. The reader is well aware of Ireland’s ‘neutrality’ at the time of war so far in the distant past the bitterness of one mother for her son being sent needlessly to fight in the War has a different ‘flavour’ to those set in other parts of the UK. As with everything else in this novel though, the Irish hand is employed with a subtlety that is unusual.
The story is mainly split between the 1970s with visits to World War I. Imogen Bailey’s brother Johnny is a champion swimmer. Their father is hoping that he will make the Olympic squad but maybe this is his dream and not Johnny’s. One day fifteen year old Johnny goes missing in the water in County Cork, no further sighting is ever made but Imogen never quite believes he drowned.
She therefore decides to write to Johnny, not as a story but as a way to sift through her memories and back them up with family documents; letters, school reports and diaries, hence the title of the book with premise that the result will be:
“a hopeful message sent out into the world, like a piece of paper in a bottle dropped into the sea”
Following Johnny’s disappearance Imogen stops speaking and is sent to a private hospital to recover. The real cause of her lack of voice is one strand of this fascinating story. The others concern Johnny’s disappearance and the links to the past with another family member sent to fight for his country.
Considering this is a fairly slim novel it is commendable that the writer has managed to condense a whole century of one family into its pages with no obvious bumps as she hurtles backwards and forwards giving the feeling of the natural echoes that her narrator finds in the trunk of old papers.
There are some absolutely fascinating characters within the book from Mathilde the housekeeper who converts religion as a way of fitting into country life following her move to Ireland after the war whose story sits next to that of the young German Bruno who makes such an impact on Johnny and Imogen. The stories of their trips to the cinema seemingly benign made this reader wince at the parts that both the youngsters were oblivious to.
This is a story told in layers, far more than is immediately apparent when reading the novel itself. I like and greatly admire authors who can allow you to read and enjoy but then give you the additional pleasure of uncovering some of the themes on reflection after that last page is turned. The trick of writing something that is seemingly uncomplicated but having hidden depths of course works well in conjunction of the narrator being absolutely convinced in the seemingly impossible, after all Johnny disappeared from the family some thirty years previously. A narrator unable to accept the inevitable after that length of time gives some doubt to her own memories whilst there can be no doubt in the written evidence provided.
Like so many other Irish writers the distinctiveness of the place of their birth is never far from the surface. The reader is well aware of Ireland’s ‘neutrality’ at the time of war so far in the distant past the bitterness of one mother for her son being sent needlessly to fight in the War has a different ‘flavour’ to those set in other parts of the UK. As with everything else in this novel though, the Irish hand is employed with a subtlety that is unusual.
November 2, 2016
The things to like in this book are the serious subjects being handled by the narrator, Imogen. In most of the pages she is a young, vulnerable teenager overshadowed by her older brother Johnny, liked by her father, somewhat ignored by her mother, and loved by Mathilde, the family's housekeeper.
Johnny is one of those "golden boys" -athletic, handsome, and intelligent. To the wealthy family, he is The Future of the family, with a quick stop at being an Olympic champion swimmer for Ireland. Her parents are both doctors, over-educated and over-privileged. Imogen is lost in the mix, but she and Johnny have a normal brother and sister relationship.
Johnny brings home a friend from school, another champion swimmer, who is originally from Germany. His charm is irresistible. Imogen falls in "love" with him, and so do other members of the family.
When Imogen discovers the state of affairs, she can't handle it. She becomes mute. She is then sent to a "lovely" sanitarium to recover her mental health. While there, her father visits to tell her that Johnny has drowned. Imogen does not believe it. She believes he left them all to start a new life. This book is allegedly her call out to him, hoping he will read it and come back.
Imogen is telling this story 30 years after the events so most of it is in "flashback." Throughout the book, lengthy pages of her grandmother's journal, her grandfather's writings, and letters from her father are included. If the reader isn't reading the book quickly, a reminder of "who's who" or a mere date on an entry would be appreciated. For me, it was easy to get lost in the baggage of multiple threads, especially since there were some parallels between the epochs.
The "big secrets" of homosexual activity and infidelity were predictable. The perfidy of her mother was the bigger cross to bear, I think. Sylvia was the catalyst to all the problems. To me, the only likeable character, and the one best developed, was Mathilde.
There are some poignant passages here, but all in all I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.
Johnny is one of those "golden boys" -athletic, handsome, and intelligent. To the wealthy family, he is The Future of the family, with a quick stop at being an Olympic champion swimmer for Ireland. Her parents are both doctors, over-educated and over-privileged. Imogen is lost in the mix, but she and Johnny have a normal brother and sister relationship.
Johnny brings home a friend from school, another champion swimmer, who is originally from Germany. His charm is irresistible. Imogen falls in "love" with him, and so do other members of the family.
When Imogen discovers the state of affairs, she can't handle it. She becomes mute. She is then sent to a "lovely" sanitarium to recover her mental health. While there, her father visits to tell her that Johnny has drowned. Imogen does not believe it. She believes he left them all to start a new life. This book is allegedly her call out to him, hoping he will read it and come back.
Imogen is telling this story 30 years after the events so most of it is in "flashback." Throughout the book, lengthy pages of her grandmother's journal, her grandfather's writings, and letters from her father are included. If the reader isn't reading the book quickly, a reminder of "who's who" or a mere date on an entry would be appreciated. For me, it was easy to get lost in the baggage of multiple threads, especially since there were some parallels between the epochs.
The "big secrets" of homosexual activity and infidelity were predictable. The perfidy of her mother was the bigger cross to bear, I think. Sylvia was the catalyst to all the problems. To me, the only likeable character, and the one best developed, was Mathilde.
There are some poignant passages here, but all in all I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.
December 30, 2024
‘This is not a novel’ is both well written and very readable. Though I did find the title quite ironic given the book barely stretches to 200 pages and is really little more than a novella.
An intriguing book which induces much anger at the dreadful treatment the main character Imogen suffers at the hands of her awful parents, most especially her mother. Put into an institution to learn to conform to their wishes and not speak out Imogen quickly learns the art of deception. That to get out of there she must lie and say what is expected of her.
There are multiple themes running through the novel. The bonds of convention and their ills. The devastating effects of discrimination on the grounds of sexuality suffered by Imogen’s brother Johnny as well as her father Arthur. The vile behaviour of several characters especially the unpleasant attractive Bruno who seduces mother, daughter and son. A bit of a clichéd choice that Jennifer Johnston makes the villain Bruno a German.
But I loved the images of Rene Magritte to illustrate the themes that nothing is what it seems. The wonderful character of Jewish Mathilde who is Imogen’s substitute mother figure, but who chooses to become a Catholic so that the Irish amongst whom she now lives get what they are comfortable with, and she fits in.
The tragedy of Johnny’s being lost swimming out to sea. Imogen’s steadfast self-deception in believing that he isn’t really dead giving herself a hopeful mechanism to deal with her devastating loss. The fact that even for the reader that there is the slim hope always throughout the novel that just perhaps he isn’t.
A most beautiful if slight book exploring loss, discrimination and division whilst still managing to entertain and give hope.
An intriguing book which induces much anger at the dreadful treatment the main character Imogen suffers at the hands of her awful parents, most especially her mother. Put into an institution to learn to conform to their wishes and not speak out Imogen quickly learns the art of deception. That to get out of there she must lie and say what is expected of her.
There are multiple themes running through the novel. The bonds of convention and their ills. The devastating effects of discrimination on the grounds of sexuality suffered by Imogen’s brother Johnny as well as her father Arthur. The vile behaviour of several characters especially the unpleasant attractive Bruno who seduces mother, daughter and son. A bit of a clichéd choice that Jennifer Johnston makes the villain Bruno a German.
But I loved the images of Rene Magritte to illustrate the themes that nothing is what it seems. The wonderful character of Jewish Mathilde who is Imogen’s substitute mother figure, but who chooses to become a Catholic so that the Irish amongst whom she now lives get what they are comfortable with, and she fits in.
The tragedy of Johnny’s being lost swimming out to sea. Imogen’s steadfast self-deception in believing that he isn’t really dead giving herself a hopeful mechanism to deal with her devastating loss. The fact that even for the reader that there is the slim hope always throughout the novel that just perhaps he isn’t.
A most beautiful if slight book exploring loss, discrimination and division whilst still managing to entertain and give hope.
December 13, 2018
An awful title for a work of fiction. The story follows the lives of a Dublin family over the past century, focussing on the story of Imogen, the main narrator, looking back over the events of her teenage years. These are interspersed with memories of an older generation, with the present, or near-present, regularly echoing the past.
The blurb highlights the role of Johnny, a potential Olympic swimmer, and I was disappointed that we were not given more details of his daily life: perhaps this was not meant to be his story, but if so why highlight this fact?
The blurb highlights the role of Johnny, a potential Olympic swimmer, and I was disappointed that we were not given more details of his daily life: perhaps this was not meant to be his story, but if so why highlight this fact?
September 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this one from Jennifer Johnston. She's taken an interesting approach to the story, which is framed around fragments of memory, letters, press cuttings and diary entries, which explores the various 'mysteries' and secrets of a family. I'm a sucker for books that explore the way that the dysfunctions of parents can fuck up their kids in a myriad of ways, and Johnston has plenty of grist for the mill here!
October 16, 2017
wow very well written. you would nearly have to read it again to grasp everything. follows one women thorough a difficult period in her life where she stopped speaking. the story is about why this happened. the concept of family and family history traits are examined.
July 31, 2019
In the tradition of Edna O’Brien, followed by Frank McCourt......Twentieth century Irish literature at its best. The cheerful Ireland of St. Patrick’s Day parades is nowhere to be found. Reality through the lens of secrets, poetry, music, memory. Excellent.
January 15, 2021
Beautiful
I discovered Jennifer Johnstone quite recently and am slowly working my way through her outstanding beautiful books. This is a rich and rewarding novel although it is titled to be not a novel. Such amazing prose. One of my new favourites. Read it, you won't regret it.
I discovered Jennifer Johnstone quite recently and am slowly working my way through her outstanding beautiful books. This is a rich and rewarding novel although it is titled to be not a novel. Such amazing prose. One of my new favourites. Read it, you won't regret it.
April 30, 2022
Weird is what I would call this book. Quick read, bit confusing at times. Overall, not really my cup of tea, but I enjoyed reading it and discussing it in class. I don't really have a lot to say about it, honestly.
February 24, 2025
I won't tell the story as so many do! This novel was absorbing and well written. Actually it's very short, looks longer due to a fairly large font and wide line spacing. It would have been nice to have a conclusion about the missing brother, but I guess leaving it open is the whole theme.
May 20, 2020
It is a novel and I loved it.
June 30, 2020
This was a second listen, after I realised I couldn’t remember it. It is about a family corrupted by an interloper, and their individual delusions. Sad. It lost a star for being forgettable
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April 4, 2021Mon avis ici : https://leslecturesdecec.blogspot.com...
January 21, 2025
I want to read this again and underline it all, immediately
April 27, 2025
“I thought that grown up people were whole people and the process of growing up was the process of finding that wholeness”
November 16, 2010
I had to review this novel because of the clever title. Quite frankly, I wish I hadn’t. Johnston is correct. Her book is not a novel. It is self-indulgent drivel. It is 214 pages of large print prose. If I’d paid for the book, I would have felt cheated. mogen Bailey, the narrator is the "benignly neglected" daughter of cold, selfish parents. She tells us of the events leading to her brother's drowning and her own breakdown at 18.
The book is an appeal to her brother, a former champion swimmer, whom she believes is still alive. The antagonist is her brother's German schoolmate and lover, Bruno Shlegel.
The structure of the novel is weak. In order to tell her sad story, Imogen travels backwards and forwards in time. This is awkard.
Johnston touches on the obstacles facing homosexuals in the early 1900s, the plight of being Jewish in the wake of the Second World War, and the difficulty of defining madness. Letters, memoirs, fragments, poetry and music fill the novel. This could have been special but I was simply overwhelmed and bored.
The book is an appeal to her brother, a former champion swimmer, whom she believes is still alive. The antagonist is her brother's German schoolmate and lover, Bruno Shlegel.
The structure of the novel is weak. In order to tell her sad story, Imogen travels backwards and forwards in time. This is awkard.
Johnston touches on the obstacles facing homosexuals in the early 1900s, the plight of being Jewish in the wake of the Second World War, and the difficulty of defining madness. Letters, memoirs, fragments, poetry and music fill the novel. This could have been special but I was simply overwhelmed and bored.
June 1, 2011
Last night when I finished this book I was going to rate it three stars because it is incredibly well written. However, now that I am actually writing a review I can't go higher than two stars. It is written very well but the plot was absolutely blindingly unavoidably predictable. Some great novels are about the journey not the destination, but unfortunately this is not one of them. A major plot point of the book is the effect World War I had on the family, but then the book skips to the '70s (where most of the drama is set) without any mention of the World War II in relation to the family at all. The housekeeper was in a concentration camp, but that information doesn't really seem to register anywhere, it's just a random comment floating about in the book.
The book was very short. It took me about two hours to read, all the time hoping that the book would head somewhere other than where I thought it was going. It didn't.
The book was very short. It took me about two hours to read, all the time hoping that the book would head somewhere other than where I thought it was going. It didn't.
October 25, 2016
Jennifer Johnston is probably my favorite Irish author. Her books -- and this one is no exception -- are short, compact, understated, and filled with tight symbolism. Usually she even has a puzzle-like aspect to her novels, where you're waiting until the very last scene to figure out how all of the pieces fit together. However, it's surprisingly hard to find her work in the US.
This book was a real delight. I read it in one day. It follows a young woman who has been mysteriously stuck in a mental hospital by her family. We wonder why until the very end. In the meantime, the action jumps back two generations, and then forward in time, so that we are forced to wonder whether character traits are genetic.
It's not until the end, though, that you figure out what the novel was really about. And then you sit there amazed at the author's brilliance -- and her understanding of family dynamics.
This book was a real delight. I read it in one day. It follows a young woman who has been mysteriously stuck in a mental hospital by her family. We wonder why until the very end. In the meantime, the action jumps back two generations, and then forward in time, so that we are forced to wonder whether character traits are genetic.
It's not until the end, though, that you figure out what the novel was really about. And then you sit there amazed at the author's brilliance -- and her understanding of family dynamics.
February 18, 2013
A Johnston novel is a busy novel, and I think there's often a bit too much going on. She pushes her stories over the edge of the plausible--some, maybe even most, of the things in them could happen to a small group of people, but not all. I can't decide if it's my problem or hers. This is Not a Novel is not a long book, but it deals with generations of a family and their losses, secrets, betrayals, memories. There are diaries, letters, poems, and narrative. A few characters are gay, and a couple have breakdowns--there are champion swimmers and recalcitrant females. It's a very complex weaving, and it does hold together. I liked it, mostly because of the well-crafted entanglements involving Bruno. It took awhile to figure that all out, and it kept me in the book, that and Imogen's determined hope that Johnny was somewhere alive. But altogether, it ends up being rather thin.
July 23, 2016
I read this in a couple of hours (on Kindle) and was surprised when it ended so quickly and disappointed that there wasn't more to it. It tells the tale of Imogen, daughter of a well-to-do, professional, Irish couple whose adored older brother, an expert swimmer, disappears while swimming in the sea. The book uses first-person narrative from Imogen, old letters and other written items and is beautifully written. The structure of the work is at times confusing as it jumps between WWl and the present day also embracing events in Imogen's adolescence. I enjoyed this book until the end when I felt let down and that the ending had been rushed and was incomplete. That said, I would still recommend it for the issues it raises - if not in the depth I would have liked.
October 1, 2015
A beautifully written book with wonderful and enjoyable prose. It is quite predictable from early on what will happen and the characters secrets are, there is nothing intense about this book, but human nature and the effect of family and friends is caught very well.
The echo of the past and the reverberations actions in the present cause is in the written very well
The echo of the past and the reverberations actions in the present cause is in the written very well
June 24, 2011
Jennifer Johnston is a great Irish writer and such a wonderful person to hear talking about her books. I read this after hearing her talk at the Dun Laoghaire Literary Festival last year. This is a great novel - despite the title!
July 5, 2015
of course, it IS a novel. I really like Jennifer Johnston. She's under-rated, I think (at least by the general public, perhaps not by the critics), and is very good at observing human nature. Her books are frequently short, but always well-crafted and interesting.
August 23, 2016
As ever, Jennifer Johnston's writing imparts gentle delight. Beautifully structured, achingly described.
February 1, 2014
It is a novel but an interesting one- a look back at the past with the clarity of the present
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews