I always find it dangerous when publishers say things like "If you liked that, then you'll love this", because invariably it's not actually true and they're obviously just trying to push their new title. I've mentioned this in other blogs, where a thriller has been dubbed 'the new Gone Girl' or 'if you loved Girl on a train', etc. With this book, it was 'for fans of Eleanor Oliphant'. Now, I absolutely loved Eleanor Oliphant, I mean, the whole world loved her. She was the first of her kind and that was why we loved it. Just because another book is about a single woman with a few problems, does not make her Eleanor. The publisher may even try to copy the title style by using the character's name in the title, but come on. Give your author the individuality they deserve.
This is one reason I didn't like this book. I felt let down and slightly cross by the comparison. The main reason though is that I just didn't like Grace. She's having an affair with a married man, and she thinks he's going to give it all up to be with her. Her whole life seems to revolve around him (aside from her other passion - her cello, and her job as crafting and mending broken string instruments). By the way, why is there not a cello on the cover? That is a bigger passion for her than her life in Paris with her lover. I didn't like David the lover, I didn't like Nadia her assistant - how can such a classicist have such an awful temperament and rowdy social life? I got bored with the details of the cello making. The only person I liked was Mr Williams, the elderly customer who had become a friend. He seemed to be the only normal person in the story. I understand the comparison of her cello with her love life, how she cared for it and took love and attention over crafting a beautiful thing - it's how she dreamt of her life with David. Then when things went wrong with the relationship, so it was duplicated with the incident with the instruments.
The outcome is obvious, the story rather dull. Gosh, I've been rather awful here, but I just didn't like it.
I blow hot and cold with novels by Julian Barnes. I just loved 'Arthur & George', but was left dulled by 'The Sense of an Ending' and 'The Noise of Time'. But I wanted to give him another chance (aren't I kind!), so tried this one. I loved it - well, most of it. The book is split into 3 parts, and I think Part 3 could have been edited much more thoroughly. There was much repetition, and I was a little bored, but not enough to put me off the book.
The story is set in the 1960s in Surrey. Paul Casey is a 19 year-old student who is told by his parents to join the local tennis club. There he meets Susan Macleod, 48, married, mother of 2 children the same age as Paul. They fall madly in love and start an affair. Part one of the book is narrated by Paul as an older man, looking back at the start of the affair, and describing their feelings, and the reactions of those around them. Part two recounts their running away and starting a new life together, but the slow breakdown of their relationship as Susan becomes depressed, turns to alcohol, and starts to lose her mind. Part three is set in the present day with Paul describing his feelings now, and whether he feels guilt about what happened to Susan.
It's such an emotional read. It shows that love can jump out at anyone at anytime, and how strongly it can affect us. But also when it goes wrong, it affects us just as strongly - we can be scarred for life. There is so much of life that Paul/Julian is commenting on, you start to question whether he is right. What is the meaning of love? There is one thing for sure though - your first love stays with you for the rest of your life.
