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?

My all time favourite is Watermelon. And Lucy Sullivan is getting married (old school!) - haven’t reread either of those in a long time, going to track them down and read them again actually.

I re-read Sushi For Beginners when my DC were about the same age as Clodagh's. When I was young I thought she was just a spoiled selfish cow, and to an extent she is, but I was far better able to sympathise with the crushing, soul destroying boredom of being stuck at home with small children. Brilliant bit of character writing.

Just finished "Again Rachel" and I am in bits, genuinely feeling very very emotional. Marion keyes is a goddess.

She is a bit irritating though isn’t she? That faux humble act on Twitter. And yes I know she’s a national treasure but also a bit too sweet to be wholesome.

Anyone else wanting to go and read some more Marian Keyes now? I always think Marian Keyes is a victim of misogyny actually, her writing occupies a similar space to Roddy Doyle but he was shortlisted for the Booker for The Van and won it with Paddy Clark Ha, Ha, Ha whereas she has been nominated for no major awards despite writing incredibly popular books.

There was a very good depiction of an emotionally abusive relationship in that book. The sort of relationship that slowly saps the life out of you.

Agreed on all fronts @JaninaDuszejko - I guess marketing her as 'chick lit' may have helped her reach a bigger audience (and thus boosted profits) but I bet she would have received greater critical interest if she'd been writing as Mario Keyes!

I don't think so

I’ve never read any Marian Keyes but her shows on radio 4 are a delight:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09zgv36/episodes/downloads

Must say I has assumed she was lowest common denominator chick lit but I think I need to give her books a try.

Marion Keyes is a misogynist??!!

Surely we have now reached the unbeatable pinnacle of the misappropriation of misogyny which now unfortunately renders it pointless in all contexts?

Marion Keyes writes women and their experience with such understanding, honesty, love, and humour in a way that only maybe Jane Austen dedicated herself to.

I avoided her for years as I thought she was chick lit, she should be held in much higher literary esteem than she is. The subtleties and empathy with flawed characters is superb.
(And yes women are flawed because we're people.)

Do you really want books with perfect women, or people?
I love the comment above: have you read a book before? 😁

I think Marian Keyes writing is desperately over rated although she herself is likeable. She seemed to become a very ardent feminist during the recent abortion referendum.

I am not sure why her writing is held in such higher esteem than other similar female writers but for some reason criticising her at all seems to equate you with being anti female authors. I read lots of female authors and she’s no Kate Atkinson - I went back and tried Grown Ups and it was woeful.

However OP she doesn’t hate women and seems a terribly nice person.

I’m not a fan of her writing (though the reveal of the unreliable narrator in Rachel’s Holiday is masterful) or her public persona, but, quite apart from her writing, she’s been frank about her own alcoholism, rehab, disabling clinical depression, sadness at her childlessness etc — I don’t think she’s a banal national treasure who oozes sweetness by any means.

There was once a book reviewer who described Rachel’s Holiday as “frivolous froth”. 😂

I absolutely love Marian Keyes

But I really didn't like Grown ups, just awful. and awful, unlikeable characters. When that drippy woman kept calling her kids "the bunnies" oh my god honestly even typing that gives me slight rage

My favourite one is the Brightest Star in the Sky, just magical

When i left my x at 37 with two dc under 3vqnd not a proverbial pot to piss in, Rachel's Holiday was such a comforting book. The idea of making a total mess of things and then starting again with nothing, as an adult not a young adult, it really resonated. But she made me feel that even though i was behind the start line at 37, that authenticity self compassion and wisdom would be enough. They were all i had at the time so i needed that.

Grown ups is the only one of her books I didn't finish.

the rest have usually had me in tears by the end. If grown ups is the only one you have tried try another.

I doubt anyone affected by addiction, either personally or through a loved one, would call Rachel's Holiday "frivolous froth".

Also, thank god Marian Keyes is no Kate Atkinson. We already have a Kate Atkinson, she's called Kate Atkinson! Who would it benefit for Marian Keyes to write more like Kate? Not people like me affected by issues that Marian deals with so perfectly.

Surely any healthy culture or library contains a multitude of voices from many backgrounds and experiences.

@TreePoser I found your post moving, well done you and I hope you're doing well now. Thank god for books for helping us get through hard times!

I doubt anyone affected by addiction, either personally or through a loved one, would call Rachel's Holiday "frivolous froth".

The (male) reviewer hadn’t bothered their arse to review it, and had written it off as ‘frivolous froth’ based on nothing more than the title.

Did he admit he hadn't read it?

@Cyberworrier thanks, yes, things are much better now! i wouldn't go back just to be younger! It was tough starting again.

I'm still waiting for an explanation of this:
was surprised at all the Irish characters at first, not that that's necessarily an issue
My copy of Rachel's holiday had something like flip flops as the cover picture. Literally nothing to do with the story at all!

My copy of Rachel's holiday had something like flip flops as the cover picture. Literally nothing to do with the story at all!

They’re not flip flops, they’re lime mules, and are referenced in the book (Rachel is tall and has large feet).

Which book is this please?

Last Chance Saloon.

I hate how fatphobic every single book is. There's always a fat miserable woman who desperately wants to be thin and who is obsessed with their weight. It's horrible to read