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MN book swap clubs

Join our Book Swap forum to share and exchange your favourite books.

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Original poster

Of Mice and Maltesers - MrsMuddle's book

16 replies

MrsMuddle · 31/05/2009 14:37

I chose this book because I read it a long time ago on holiday, and I got totally absorbed in it. It took a while to get into, and then I couldn't put it down. It's not an uplifting book at all - it's quite sad and poignant.

OP posts:

LolaLadybird · 10/06/2009 23:03

Hi MrsMuddle. I've only read the first few pages of your book as I've been frantically trying to finish re-reading my own choice! However, from the first few pages it's something that I want to carry on reading which is a good start.

I haven't read anything else by the author and have v little knowledge of his books but I mentioned the book to my neighbour who was really positive about both the book and the author so I'm looking forward to getting properly stuck in!

I'm off on holiday on Friday and will definitely be taking it with me (first on my list of holiday reading, if DC's are considerate enough to let me read more than one!) but won't be able to post/discuss until I'm back in 2 weeks.

By the way, v good chocolate. It's DH's favourite so I made sure it wasn't around long enough for him to pilfer it!

Original poster

MrsMuddle · 11/06/2009 15:42

Enjoy your holiday! Hope you get lots of time to read. I often occasionally tell DH and the DC that I'm going to the supermarket, and then find a nice quiet cafe to sit and read in.

Look forward to hearing your views.

OP posts:

LolaLadybird · 11/06/2009 16:01

Love the idea of sneaking of to a cafe for a clandestine read - can't believe I haven't come up with that ruse in nearly 4 years of parenthood!

Holiday preparations underway - so far, no-one has anything to wear but holiday reading safely stowed!

LolaLadybird · 07/07/2009 21:53

Hi Mrs Muddle - I know you're on holiday now so it'll be a week or so before you can respond. Apologies for taking so long to post - I read the book on holiday and have been really tardy about discussing it since I got back. However, I thought I'd better get on with it before Itsjustafleshwound posts now that she has the book!

It was an interesting book. It was probably quite different to anything I'd normally read and certainly v gentle in the way it was written. I found the author's writing style quite gentle and quite subtle. In parts it was almost a bit too subtle for me and I had to re-read the section to make sure I'd understood. I usually go for a more direct writing style so it was interesting to read something different.

The story itself was a good one, though very tragic. It had a v sad air about it and just interesting how a couple of twists of fate could have such a momentous effect on the rest of the lives of Lucy and her family. I felt a little frustrated by Lucy by the end of it and her refusal to allow herself to be happy until she was reunited with her parents. Also, I had a little difficulty with how quickly the time seemed to pass in the latter stages on the book and in imagining a middle-aged Lucy.

All that said though, it was a really interesting book that I'm glad I read. I'd like to read something else by the author to see how his style comes across in another book.

Will be interested to see what others have to say about it ...

Itsjustafleshwound · 17/07/2009 20:22

Hi Mrsmuddle - thank you for the book choice

it was an interesting read and not the type of book that I would choose.

The story was an incredibly tragic one and at times (I agree with Lolaladybird) I just wanted to shake some sense into Lucy and make her stop being a victim of her circumstances ....

pooter · 02/09/2009 17:48

SPOILER ALERT

yes, can i join the queue to give lucy a slap?

i enjoyed the first bit, until all the tragic happenings - i just wanted to scream "shes alive you morons - she wasnt even wearing that dress or those shoes - what are you thinking!!" but i dont think it would have done any good. There was an unrelenting misery to the story and it left me feeling pretty sad. Still - it was interesting to be placed in the past and to realise what restrictions and difficulties people had to face without decent lines of communication. There is no way that could have happened now - can you imagine!

artifarti · 13/11/2009 13:38

bump to get back on active thread page

FlyingMonkey · 14/11/2009 10:48

An interesting choice. I'd never heard of the author before reading this book (DH looked shocked and appalled when I admitted this). I found the style of writing very Irish although I can't really say why. It reminded me of The Secret Scripture in that respect. Anyway, I felt quite depressed after finishing it, possibly exacerbated by the fact it was a horrible day outside and I was alone in the house with DS at the time. I think the sadness came not only from Lucy giving up her relationship with Ralph and then being disappointed with the return of her father but also from the fact that the world continued to evolve around her whereas she seemed fixed in time. As Lolaladybird says, it's difficult to imagine Lucy as a middle-aged woman. I had to keep flicking back through the book to try and work out how old Lucy was as the story progressed. At one point she says she should have died as a child and it seemed to me that she was almost like a ghost in her own story because she was so passive and accepting of her lot. A very melancholic read.

Original poster

MrsMuddle · 23/12/2009 17:16

I've just come back here to see what you all thought of my book - I did warn you that it wasn't uplifting in any way! Believe it or not, I'm actually a really cheerful positive person.

And if you think my taste in books is maudlin, wait till I tell you about my taste in films!

If we carry on after we've all read the 12 books, I promise I'll pick something cheerier next time.

OP posts:

artifarti · 22/02/2010 16:45

I quite enjoyed this but agree with those who wanted to shake Lucy out of it! I think part of the problem is that what with mobiles, internet etc. these days it's just so hard to imagine a recent past in which they couldn't track down the parents somehow. But of course that would have been the case then (and could still be now, I guess).

I found it interesting how a lot of people judged Lucy for running away - she was just a child! Sometimes it felt like people thought it was her own fault wich I thought was so harsh. All in all, very sad and as a mother you can't help but feel devastated for her mother - who then dies without ever knowing Lucy was alive .

Beautiful writing (I read Felicia's Journey by the same author years ago but only seem to remember that it was a bit creepy...)

aristocat · 27/02/2010 15:06

i have this book now and will post again when finished

aristocat · 12/03/2010 22:37

hello .

well, i am sorry mrsmuddle but this wasn't the book for me.
it is the first book by this author that i have read and i was expecting to enjoy it after reading the 'blurb' on the back cover.

the first part of the story was riveting and then i thought that the pace slowed right down.
even writing this now i am still amazed that so little was done to find their beloved Lucy .

it is not the easiest book to read either, and because of the writing style i too (like LolaLadyBird) found myself re-reading sentances to make sure i had understood correctly.

since finishing the book i see it has had mixed reviews on here.
i am looking forward to the next book in our circle .

aristocat · 24/03/2010 22:02

it is on the shortlist for MN book of the month 2010

see mumsnet latest

Itsjustafleshwound · 25/03/2010 15:53

aristocat - noticed this as well

PistachioLemon · 29/06/2010 14:10

I'm just making the page while I decide what to put properly. Having said that, I loved it, even though it was melancholy and sad.

stickylittlefingers · 25/07/2010 21:04

hello - Don't know if anyone's looking over here any more (it's just so round one darling!), but I loved this one. A real contender for favourite for me. Took me straight back to Ireland. I had to read some Irish novels in Irish back when I was living there, and it really reminded me of them in style, a real intertwining of description of person and landscape, and a feeling for history (not that it's always a great thing in Ireland, but it is inescapable). I think I said on the main thread, the style of John McGahern is very similar. And I really like that too.

Thanks AP!! I had a lovely time with it. And I get to keep it which is nice..!

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