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Original poster

Marian Keyes - my friends laugh at me for reading her books

60 replies

Go · 13/01/2008 21:37

But I love her writing. I think she writes fab, escapist, funny novels. What's the general consensus here?

OP posts:
lilolilmanchester · 13/01/2008 22:14

Go, look at it like this: busy Mums need great stories, told simply, to wind down to at the end of the day/ read on hols whilst keeping half an eye on the kids. I like more stimulating literature too, but my lifestyle doesn't always allow me to get into it. Read what you like, stretch yourself occasionally, and ignore the literary snobs. Life's too short for any other approach.

Ags · 13/01/2008 23:05

I love her books but find her really irritating. I am Irish but her accent really irritates me with all her 'Ah sure, now, it was great so it was'. I almost expect her to say 'Top of the morning'!

Having said that her books rate among the top chick lit books I have ever read. I think she gives great depth to her characters and her books are funny and touching.

Top light holiday choices. I hate trying to defend my choices to people and I would advise you not to even try. I recommended one of her books to my sister-in-law and really raved about it. But my sister-in-law hated it and didn't even get past the first couple of chapters. She didn't think it was bad but it was not her bag. Each to their own!

southeastastra · 13/01/2008 23:06

i've never read her books but will do.

she seems a nice enough person and funny

LazyLinePainterJane · 14/01/2008 08:27

But all that matters is that you like it.

leoleo · 14/01/2008 09:24

I like them. Earlier one's better I think. I agree about Cecelia Ahern but I did enjoy the book she wrote about the imaginary friend.. I need one of those

leoleo · 14/01/2008 09:24

I like them. Earlier one's better I think. I agree about Cecelia Ahern but I did enjoy the book she wrote about the imaginary friend.. I need one of those

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 14/01/2008 09:31

I love her books. Rachels Holiday has to be my favourite. It was the first book of hers I read and I laughed out loud.

You need to take it for what it is. If I fancy a thriller, I read a thriller. If I want a piece of easy reading fun, I read Marian.

Cappuccino · 14/01/2008 09:34

I have heard her on the radio and she is very intelligent

if she is good at what she does I can't see any problem

if you're going to read chick lit it might as well be decent

TillyScoutsmum · 14/01/2008 09:41

Great escapist holiday reading... Love it. Rachel's Holiday was brilliant

Also met her at a book reading night and she made me cry when she spoke about her alcoholism and not being able to have kids. She and her dh both seemed lovely

phlossie · 07/02/2008 14:27

I think she's fab for light reading and holiday reading. I also loved Rachel's Holiday, but Watermelon drove me mad because her baby never cried!

belgo · 07/02/2008 14:30

Her books are easy to read because they are well written, but I wouldn't call subjects such as miscarriage and bereavement 'light reading' and 'fluffy'

RipMacWinkle · 07/02/2008 14:38

Agree with Belgo but I enjoy her books because they're not 100% fluffy.

I am so sad I've been to see her at a Q&A session and she seemed genuinely lovely. Like a slightly crazed but lovely auntie. My first read was Rachel's Holiday. My copy is now seriously tattered from being re-read and passed round everyone I know.

WendyWeber · 07/02/2008 14:53

She's good enough for Penguin!

I know they have dumbed down a bit from the old days, but not too much - Pat Barker is in there too, and William Boyd, and various other modern-but-not-chicklit writers like Sue Townsend and Nick Hornby and Zadie Smith.

EffiePerine · 07/02/2008 14:56

If you enjoy her books, read them. And tell your friends to get stuffed

Repeat after me: I should not feel guilty about reading stuff I actually enjoy. I am passing my love of reading on to my DCs. And I am not a ponce

GrapefruitMoon · 07/02/2008 14:58

I think the books are ok for light reading - and she does often cover quite deep subjects within the novels - in Angels, I thought the way she wrote about the character suffering from infertility was spot on - I've never seen the affect it has on a person and a marriage written about in fiction that way before....

rookiemater · 07/02/2008 15:17

I loved the early ones, but the most recent one Anyone Out There was rubbish really formulaic, think she is churning them out now.
However I am a bit low brow as I also like Jane Green. Jennifer Weiner is a good compromise Little Earthquakes has page turn appeal but it feels like a step up from chick lit.

poppy34 · 08/02/2008 20:38

agree with grapefruit -it is chick lit but I do think she tackles subject/issues that others shy away from (grief, addiction, infertility etc).

notalone · 12/02/2008 20:01

Lilolil - you are so right. I happen to like chicklit because I ENJOY reading it. There is no point in forcing yourself to read something you don't enjoy as reading for me is all about enjoyment. Sod your friends and stick to your guns

I love Marian Keyes too - Rachels Holiday in particular was fantastic

theheadgirl · 12/02/2008 20:31

I enjoy her books too - she and Lisa Jewel are sold as "chick-lit" but I think their characterisation is done with some depth and with great warmth and humour. I always smile at those who are dismissive of these writers, as I suspect they are judging by the proverbial cover and want to appear well read! For what its worth I try to read widely and think that some writers can be bestsellers and still be good!

Tutter · 12/02/2008 20:33

what snobbery on this thread

hifi · 12/02/2008 20:36

take no notice of your friends, i personally think there are thousands of other worthier books to read though.

Heifer · 12/02/2008 21:00

I can't honestly tell you what I think of her! although I have read many of the books mentioned in this thread I can't remember anything about them - but I do know that I must have enjoyed reading them or I wouldn't have carried on buying her books!

So what if I can't remember and didn't learn anything - I had a few days enjoyement from reading them, tis all that matters to me some days..

Enjoy her books and ignore your friends...

vInTaGeVioLeT · 12/02/2008 21:15

well i really love her books - i've read them all - they are funny and sad and easy to read and give me a warm happy feeling . . . so two fingers up to the op's friends!!!! and a big fat raspberry

EffiePerine · 12/02/2008 21:16

the thought of only reading worthy books

ElfOnTheTopShelf · 12/02/2008 21:17

I read Rachel's Holiday when I was 16. I'm now 26, its battered to hell as I have read it so many times!
But my copy of Catcher in the Rye is the same, before anybody has a go at me for my naff book shelf