Reading Between the Wines - Cunties Book

[Cunties]

It was a difficult choice for me as I'm a bit of a sheep reader - bestsellers, Waterstones buy one get one half price, prize winners, classics etc. So as all these were off the list I had to really comb my shelves and memory.

I chose this -and yes it IS a prize lister but not a recent one (phew) and as soon as I saw it again I remembered how much I enjoyed it.

It's about family and the complexities of it - much like many other books I guess however this one gives me a 'feeling' when I recall it, so in my mind that's a sign of a good book.

Enjoy [choc]

[TheImprobableGirl]

Hmm.... Chocolate was spot on! Book not so much for me! It just was a little dull imo (I'm of a mills and boon generation so no accounting for taste!!) I loved visualising the beginning with the party and adored the musical flow- but I felt that in the other situation: Helen just mused about things too much! I wanted to give her a good kick up the arse and tell her to just DO something without having a half hour inner monologue.

Sorry hope others enjoy!

[Hadmeathello]

I really enjoyed this book. I've never read any others from this author which surprises me as it's very much a style of book I seek out.

I really appreciated the slow pace and the exploration of complicated family dynamics. I would recommend and will look out for more from the same author.

[Hadmeathello]

Just re-read your review Improbable. I'm a bit of a muser myself and have a constant inner monologue going on so that may be why it appealed so much

[Cunties]

Well what a difference of opinion! That's exactly why I love book clubs.

Guess I'm a muser too

[luckiestgirl]

The musing thing didn't bother me. It WAS a bit slow for my liking- it took me a while to get into it. But the more I got to know the characters the more I enjoyed it.

It's an interesting insight into a broken family. I come from a very big, very close family, where we all like each other, so I couldn't relate to the relationships at all. Is there really that much hostility and guardedness between mothers/ daughters? Of course there must be but I've never experienced it, so reading about it first hand was eye opening.

[KeithLeMonde]

I loved this one! interesting that people have also found my choice of book "too slow" - obviously I like slow books :)

Clever, multi-layered book - as much about the changes in Ireland as it was about Helen's family. I liked the way that the author avoided cliché though - Paul and Helen seemed to me to be the most conservative characters despite being some of the youngest (and one of them gay). It was like he took your classic old-fashioned-Catholic-Ireland vs modern-Ireland scenario and turned it 90 degrees so you could see it from another, much more revealing, angle.

Thank you Cunties for introducing me to this book. Having read one of his more well-known recent ones (single word title, begins with B), and been underwhelmed, I'm glad I found this. I will read him again.

[aristocat]

Thanks for a lovely book, I am ashamed to say it is my first by this author but I will definitely look for more.

I agree that the story was a bit slow but I loved the setting, the plot and most of the characters. The gay characters were brilliant, Helen not so much. My favourite was Grandmother with her pocket knife and crumbling house.

My only negative was that I would have liked more pages. It seemed to me that the book ended too quickly. Can the mother/daughter relationship be saved, Declan's despair in hospital, husband and sons (almost aren't even in the story).

The bitterness and resentment between the women was awful. Having no experience of anything like this - it really makes you think about your own family.

Anyway, I could go on and on ........ thanks again. I enjoyed it very much

[RufusTheSpartacusReindeer]

I also found it a bit too slow and i was a bit at the "where has the rest of the book gone"

I liked the characters and i was hopeful that helen and her mum would reconcile

Well written but i wouldnt seek out another one