So, who's read any of Zoe Heller's novels?

[thedolly]

I read The Believers and Notes on a Scandal back to back and loved them both. The Believer's is my book group read for the month.

read Notes on a Scandal, started the Believers and then it got shelved for some reason, don't know why as I was enjoying it though thought it would take a bit of getting into. Does it? It seemed a bit slow so should I go back and start again? I don't usually abandon books.

NoaS I did enjoy, seemed to evolve in a very quiet and tense way, lowkey yet full of depth.

I think she's fab - I used to love her Sunday Times magazine column from the 90s. Read both of the above - yes persist with The Believers - definitely worth it. And if you like her then try Curtis Sittenfeld. I think they are similar in that they both do brilliant page-turning social commentary (so frequently done in a worthy and pointed way that makes it anything but page-turning, imo).

I have read Notes On A Scandal. I thought it was absolute tosh, sorry.

I have read Notes on a Scandal and The Believers - far preferred the latter but it did take quite a while to get into.

She gets better with every book imo. Especially in terms of depicting utterly believable and interesting characters.

Her characters are so easily evoked and there are plenty of them in The Believers. It was a bit slow to start with but definitely worth another try Wheels.

daisyj - I never read her column although I wish I had. What sort of things did she write about?

oh yes I loved the columns and that's why I first bought Notes, had read it before it got Booker nominated I think. Her columns were about life in general but nicely observed, self deprecating and witty. Hannah Betts could learn a thing or two I reckon.

Her column spawned a thousand pale imitations. She was like a pre-Bridget Jones, girl about town, but with far more intelligence and street smarts and without the whingeing. Don't know if it would hold up now, but I thought it was great when I was 20-something.

x-post with Wheels - yes, better description than mine - to even invoke BJ was to do Zoe a disservice. They could all learn a thing or two. I still have a bit of a girl-crush on her!

I read Notes on a scandal. Not great.

Liked The Believers-think it got unfairly slated. (Lots of the reviews said all the characters were unlikeable).

LadyG - The mum was definitely unlikeable but I loved the daughters.

I see there has already been a movie of NoaS with Judy Dench in it (so it must be good).

They were quite unlikeable, but compelling despite (or because of) that. Funny what is considered a criticism - maybe those reviewers prefer bland homogenous, 'nice' characters...

Can't stand Judy Dench either!

I enjoyed Notes on a Scandal. It made me realise what a bitter old cow

Oops end of post got cut off - What a bitter old cow one could turn into if one wasn't careful! Made me make a mental note to be nicer in general, which can't be a bad thing for a book to do.

I had that thought many times when reading The Believers .

I need a good book. Thanks chums, I'm off to the library tomorrow!