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This Charming Man

by: Marian Keyes

April 30, 2008
I am a huge Marian Keyes fan but I am finding this book so depressing (am about half-way through) that I haven't been able to pick it up for about 2 weeks.
It is fair enough to deal with "gritty" subjects, but if I want to read a book like that I'll go and buy one. With Marian, you can normally rely on the storyline and topics, and you know what you're getting. With this one, you don't.
I actually like the Lola parts - they are the only funny bits I've found so far - it's the other parts I don't enjoy. It is also very long drawn-out and although I'm half-way through I am still not sure what the "secret" and the point of it is - either it is terrifically obvious and I have already guessed it, or it is something very unexpected and ... Read More:

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Angels

by: Marian Keyes

April 14, 2003
Like all of Marian Keyes's novels i couldn't put this down!I think this is my 2nd favourite Walsh sister book ( the first being the incredible Anybody out there).I would highly recommend anything by Marian Keyes but the books about the Walsh sisters have to be my favourites by her.The Walsh family are adorable and remind me of my relationship with my family.Plenty of laughs,lovable characters and a good plot make it classic Marian Keys.Fully recommend!

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Rachel's Holiday

by: Marian Keyes

January 29, 1998
This was one of the last Marian Keyes books I bought. I'd avoided it because it was about rehab and drugs and I found that a little too tedious to read. But I faced my fear and read this book and I couldn't have enjoyed it more if I tried. I loved how it didn't go into the really gritty moments of the rehab and how everything was set with humour. There's a really big moral to be learnt with this book. Marian Keyes should defiantly continue the lives of the Walsh family, they're too funny not to.

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Watermelon

by: Marian Keyes

July 07, 2005
A story of a woman's triumph through grief. As Claire is landed with a new born baby and a deserted husband, she's not quite sure what to do with herself. It seem's the only option is to go home to her quirky family. After she passes a few weeks of grief for her soon to be ex - husband, James, she meets her 18 year old sister's friend, Adam. He helps her through the worst time of her life and she finally comes to the decision that she doesn't need James anymore - that is until, he shows up. This book manages to capture the devestating and refreshing qualities of a broken marriage and how what may seem the worst thing in your life can also be the best.

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Under the Duvet

by: Marian Keyes

July 04, 2002
I have read this collection of short works by Marian Keyes so many times that I've lost count now. It's a great little book to keep by the bed so you can read a couple of pieces without wondering what's going to happen next, unlike most Keyes books which I find almost impossible to put down. Her writing is just so funny and observant. A lot of the pieces of journalism had already been published although I hadn't read them before, but some new ones were penned especially for this collection. I particularly liked Fear and Loathing in Los Angeles - a hilarious ancedote of Marian's trip to LA LA land. It had me in fits of laughter. Another winner!

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No Dress Rehearsal

by: Marian Keyes

2000-11
i think this book is part of a project to give those adults who are learning to read, interesting books. from an interview i heard on the radio, adult learners are often given children's books.

apart from being limiting, that could be very patronising. basically the book is short so as not to seem like an insurmountable challenge to a learner.

i know amazon give the book's no. of pages, but perhaps given that keyes' books are normally long, they could have made the shortness of the book clearer.

you can always return items to amazon if you don't like them

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Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married

by: Marian Keyes

July 07, 2005
I warmed to Lucy straight away, and her weird assortment of friends, I could have done with a little less of Gus though, the most annoying character in the book I was longing for her to dump him. Her efforts to take care of her alcoholic father were really touching, and you kind of knew the perfect man was right under her nose all along.

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Anybody Out There?

by: Marian Keyes

February 08, 2007
Deeply upsetting, deeply depressing. Absolutely hateful book. I too have only been married to my dream man for a short amount of time, and this book will give me nightmares for a time to come. It's one of the worst things I can think of come true and described in detail for hundreds of pages. Burning is too good for this - this horror.

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Last Chance Saloon

by: Marian Keyes

May 18, 2000
This book is about three best friends Tara,Katherine and Fintan.Tara's in a bad relationship but thinks she's too old and fat to find anyone else.After all she is in the last chance saloon.Katherine is fighting of Joe from work he's lovely and everyone keeps insisting she should go out with him so why does this seem like Katherine's worst nightmare? Then theres Fintan who seems to have it all until he finds out some news that changes his and his friends lives forever he has cancer.Fintan's illness makes his friends realize that life's to short.That maybe there not quiet in the last chance saloon after all and maybe they've still got time to change there lives around.Another brilliant book from Ms Keyes that i found hard to unglue from my fingers.I was up ... Read More:

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Sushi for Beginners

by: Marian Keyes

June 14, 2001
Ok, i wasnt sure about giving this book 3 or 4 stars, but i opted for 4 because the second half of the book was really good. The first half i wasnt sure of because i couldnt stand Lisa or Clodagh. And it was annoying reading their bits, although i loved Ashling all the way through! And Lisa improved greatly towards the end. But Clodagh was a vile pig of a woman. At least with Lisa you could sense a diferent, softer side to her even at her worst, but with Clodagh she was just out for what she could get, and i hated her.

Other brill characters are Joy and Ted, Jack Devine (lush lush!) Kelvin and Trix and Mrs Morley i think her name was, and the new character that came in when Mercedes left the office was hilarious, especially giving Mrs Morley ... Read More: