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andintothetrees's review against another edition
4.0
Complex, well-written novel with believable, multi-faceted characters that addresses issues of race, class, family breakdown, industrial decline & much more in 1970s/80s Northern England.
Click here to read my full review, on my book blog.
Click here to read my full review, on my book blog.
33p3barpercent's review against another edition
2.0
If you ever want to be ridiculously depressed, read this.
floraltiger's review against another edition
3.0
Well-written, gut-wrenching, infuriating.
I can only agree with the other reviews in that this is a very slow story and a very sad story. So much could be resolved through conversation alone. The first 150 pages were difficult to focus on, there is no real plot or progression in the story, the reader simply gets to know the characters more deeply.
The book is divided into three parts and the story jumps ahead a few years in between them. I felt like I was deprived of the real story by it being interrupted and continued at the most interesting and pivotal moments.
The characters were well-rounded but the only emotion conjured up by all of them was pity. I pitied Sheila for not understanding her children and not being able to live her truth. I pitied Robbie for not choosing not to follow his dream and then not succeeding in what he gave it up for. I pitied Vincent for being targeted and for seeking to drown his sorrows. I pitied Ellie for her naïveté.
This book made me feel sad but there is a poetic peacefulness that made me carry on reading.
I am relieved to have finished this book but I am glad I did.
I can only agree with the other reviews in that this is a very slow story and a very sad story. So much could be resolved through conversation alone. The first 150 pages were difficult to focus on, there is no real plot or progression in the story, the reader simply gets to know the characters more deeply.
The book is divided into three parts and the story jumps ahead a few years in between them. I felt like I was deprived of the real story by it being interrupted and continued at the most interesting and pivotal moments.
The characters were well-rounded but the only emotion conjured up by all of them was pity. I pitied Sheila for not understanding her children and not being able to live her truth. I pitied Robbie for not choosing not to follow his dream and then not succeeding in what he gave it up for. I pitied Vincent for being targeted and for seeking to drown his sorrows. I pitied Ellie for her naïveté.
This book made me feel sad but there is a poetic peacefulness that made me carry on reading.
I am relieved to have finished this book but I am glad I did.
maylingkuo's review against another edition
3.0
a good book, but not memorable. i don't really love stories about a couple hopelessly in love that can't communicate...and then you watch their relationship unravel. if it was a movie, you'd want to scream at the screen, "just talk to each other, dammit!" and it would solve their problems.
i did like the unique perspective of what it was like culturally to be pakistani in england at a time when racism is so open and dangerously violent - it's not something i'm familar with and walsh does an excellent job of portraying the cultural insecurities and difficulties one would encounter during the time period.
a book about a musician, you almost wish this one came with a CD so you could actually hear the fiery red-haired man belt out a tune.
i did like the unique perspective of what it was like culturally to be pakistani in england at a time when racism is so open and dangerously violent - it's not something i'm familar with and walsh does an excellent job of portraying the cultural insecurities and difficulties one would encounter during the time period.
a book about a musician, you almost wish this one came with a CD so you could actually hear the fiery red-haired man belt out a tune.
whatkatyreads's review
5.0
When I first picked this book up, I didn't realise it was based in Warrington which is where I live. I have read Brass by Helen Walsh when it first came out and I really enjoyed and have read it several times since. When I opened the book and came across "Orford, Warrington" which is exactly the place I grew up I became half excited and half apprehensive. Just like I thought, she painted Orford to be a horrible place that's full of danger and somewhere you wouldn't walk about in the daytime never mind the evening. The part of Orford where they are living isn't that nice but its not as bad as it was presented. To be honest, the first part of the book I was quite annoyed by the whole example that Orford had been given.
I carried on with the book because I was intrigued by what would happen next and I couldn't put it down. I loved every part of it and even overcame the little annoyance I had with the first part of the book. I loved the switch between each character - the children Ellie and Vincent becoming a big part in the story. The childhood bullying of Vincent was quite uncomfortable for me to read but that was the point of it. It was supposed to be not very nice and she really brought it across well.
I can't wait for her next book. I do prefer this to Brass but I'll be re-reading Brass again soon as its brought back my love for it since reading this. Definitely one I'll be buying soon and I don't know why I didn't buy it in the first place.
I carried on with the book because I was intrigued by what would happen next and I couldn't put it down. I loved every part of it and even overcame the little annoyance I had with the first part of the book. I loved the switch between each character - the children Ellie and Vincent becoming a big part in the story. The childhood bullying of Vincent was quite uncomfortable for me to read but that was the point of it. It was supposed to be not very nice and she really brought it across well.
I can't wait for her next book. I do prefer this to Brass but I'll be re-reading Brass again soon as its brought back my love for it since reading this. Definitely one I'll be buying soon and I don't know why I didn't buy it in the first place.
stephend81d5's review
4.0
this is quite a grim novel detailing the story of the fitzgerald family growing up in 1970/80's warrington and facing racism and detailing their hard life from the start when the parents met a mixed race marriage and how the dreams webbed away , well worth reading
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