Marion Keyes - always so misogynistic?

[squashyhat]

I am on holiday so decided on some light reading. I've started my first ever Marion Keyes book (Last Chance Saloon) because everyone says she is funny, insightful etc and I imagined it would be a fairly easy read. I didn't know she is Irish so was surprised at all the Irish characters at first, not that that's necessarily an issue, and it's quite well-written and humorous. But every single female character seems to be hanging on for dear life to a terrible and abusive relationship, mourning the loss of terrible and abusive relationship, or eyeing up useless, abusive men with whom it would be a disaster to have a relationship. Am I unlucky with this book or does she just hate women?

I didn't know she is Irish so was surprised at all the Irish characters at first, not that that's necessarily an issue

I didn’t know Toni Morrison was black so was surprised at all the black characters at first, not that it’s necessarily an issue.

Marian Keyes also won Author of the Year at the British Book Awards in May.

No she does not, she writes great stories centred around women.

I can’t remember that book. (I think Rachel’s holiday and The other side of the story are her best two, and Anybody out There and Angels also good.)

However, as a side note, a couple of her Heroines (Rachel and Lisa) are disturbingly passive in bed, which I have always thought was quite weird..

@squashyhat if you are going to slate someone's character based on one of her books, which you haven't even finished, you could at least do her the courtesy of spelling her name correctly

I have much love for Helen Walsh so my favourite is The Mystery of Mercy Close

I know other posters have already responded more eloquently than I can but @squashyhat I don't know which is more offensive - saying that Irish characters aren't necessarily an issue 😒 or calling Marian a misogynist 😤.

What is it with the anti Irish stuff here since yesterday 🙄

And just to add to the Marian love I coincidentally finished Again Rachel today. If anyone hasn't tried the audiobook with Marian narrating it's worth a listen just for Mammy Walsh 😂. Her research and insight into issues that face women is just fantastic.

Putting it down to the Tory leadership race.

I second reading This Charming Man next. I have read all MK's books and follow her on Twitter etc. She is a strong feminist and advocate for women's rights.

I don't understand the comments about it being set in Ireland. Do you read fiction set solely in the UK, containing only British characters?!

Are you conscious of the fact of fictionality or literary persona? It means writers can, ya know,.make stuff up to explore characters and themes. Not put an inner monologue on the page.

Maybe the op only likes to read books set in Engerland😀

Marian Keyes' Desert Island Discs was one of the most relatable things I've ever listened to.

Not relevant but thought I'd share.

Pps not Marian.
I'm Marian.
And so's my wife.

Last Chance Saloon actually is set in England! The three main characters are Irish.

Marian Keyes loves women! She's fantastic, she writes real characters with flaws like real people. In fact they're not even flaws, they're just who they are!

Very relevant I would say - and wonderful

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08hl8tr

Tara’s relationship is meant to be abusive. Over the course of the book she realises that it’s better to be happily single than in a relationship with a man who makes you miserable. Hardly a misogynist plot line.

The book descriptions mostly look like relationship rubbish. I love her vlog though.

Yes, I think you really really need to read the whole book - one of the things that makes her so wonderful to read is that she writes from the perspective of the character so well that it can be hard to spot the reality. Like a PP I didn't even realise Rachel was a drug addict until WAAAAAY into the book.

On that note, I've been putting off reading Again Rachel as I can't remember the details or Rachel's holiday. Do I need to re-read it or can I just go straight into Again Rachel?

I think you can go straight in to Again, Rachel. You'll have enough of the bare bones of the previous book for it to make sense.

Last Chance Saloon was published in 1999. It's very of its time but no way is it misogynistic! The whole point of Tara's boyfriend is that he's hideous.

Interesting so many people like This Charming Man. I love Marian Keyes, I've read them all and I've reread the Walsh sisters books more times that I can remember. The Other Side of the Story is also a huge favourite of mine. But I absolutely hated This Charming Man!

I adore Marian Keyes. And she’s very good at unreliable narrators.

Lisa is only passive in bed with Oliver, she says so in the book. She's very dominant with the male model with the mascara.

I bloody love Marian Keyes! She’s a strong feminist writer, keep reading.