emdowd's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not sure I like O'Brien's style. Very bare bones, too much like actually hearing Kate and Baba's internal monologue. it would have been fine, were it not the entire book. I much preferred the third person omniscient sections. Interesting to see the ways the life of a girl/woman has and has not changed.
schnauzermum's review against another edition
5.0
‘She would have liked me to be a nun, it was better than marrying.’
Denounced by the clergy and banned, the trilogy portrays the repression of women in 1950s Ireland, while highlighting the humour and resilience required to survive. The books do become progressively sadder but the humour doesn’t entirely depart from the scene. I want to read some more O’Brien.
Denounced by the clergy and banned, the trilogy portrays the repression of women in 1950s Ireland, while highlighting the humour and resilience required to survive. The books do become progressively sadder but the humour doesn’t entirely depart from the scene. I want to read some more O’Brien.
scc's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, I enjoyed this. The first book, The Country Girls was great. It’s not a dramatic read, it’s following the lives of two friends from childhood to adulthood, which is my sorta thing. A lot of moping about men as they grew up, which is probably why I liked the latter two less. The epilogue, however, was a shock (compared to the rest of the book) and incredibly dated and racist. It felt jarring against the rest of the book, was it supposed to say something about the character or just a product of it’s time, it’s not clear.
technomage's review against another edition
3.0
The country girls: I can see how this caused such furore at first publication and although it now seems a bit tame, it is still a good read.
The other two books in this series didn't grab me quite as much as there seemed an air of grim inevitably about the path the characters are taking. That said it make useful bit of light relief while working my way through the gulag archipelago.
The other two books in this series didn't grab me quite as much as there seemed an air of grim inevitably about the path the characters are taking. That said it make useful bit of light relief while working my way through the gulag archipelago.
sonia_reppe's review against another edition
5.0
I love this (out of print!) book about Kate and Baba, two country girls from a small Irish town, who get themselves kicked out of boarding school and move to Dublin.
I admire the way Baba is authentically written--she's the sharp-tongued, doesn't-give-a-crap girl friend, more worldly-wise and sophisticated to Kate's callowness and inexperience. This trope is common, and can become stereotypical, but here it is done really well. The characters are so real, they can't help but move the story along and get into all sorts of trouble.
It's three books in one: The first two, "Country Girls" and "Lonely Girl," are told in 1st person Kate's view. The last one, misleadingly titled "Girls in their Married Bliss" is told alternately through Baba's 1st person and Kate's 3rd person. This last book turns a little darker, although the characters are just as entertaining and humorous at times. The trouble they get into is more serious, but they turn to each other in need.
I admire the way Baba is authentically written--she's the sharp-tongued, doesn't-give-a-crap girl friend, more worldly-wise and sophisticated to Kate's callowness and inexperience. This trope is common, and can become stereotypical, but here it is done really well. The characters are so real, they can't help but move the story along and get into all sorts of trouble.
It's three books in one: The first two, "Country Girls" and "Lonely Girl," are told in 1st person Kate's view. The last one, misleadingly titled "Girls in their Married Bliss" is told alternately through Baba's 1st person and Kate's 3rd person. This last book turns a little darker, although the characters are just as entertaining and humorous at times. The trouble they get into is more serious, but they turn to each other in need.
redroofcolleen's review against another edition
3.0
Compelling, intimate, a bit overwrought, and painfully detailed story of young Irish women's lives post WWII. I could not put it down yet was equally glad to be finished.
debbiecuddy's review
3.0
This trilogy is made up of three short novels, The Country Girls (1960), The Lonely Girl/The Girl with Green Eyes (1962), and Girls In their Married Bliss (1964); this edition also included an Epilogue that was written in 1986.
The first two novels were narrated by Caithleen and third was narrated by Ba Ba and a 3rd person omniscient narrator. I enjoyed the first two novels, however found myself frustrated about the poor choices made over and over again-I grew to care about these girls. That's the tragedy of being female and born into a rigidly repressive society, they had no one to offer them sound advice, no one to care for them as human beings. They were treated as objects and they thought of themselves that way.
I was really put off by the narration of the third novel and had difficulty engaging with it, but at the end, I had a pretty good idea of what the future held for these young women, that said, I didn't care for the epilogue at all.
Worth reading? Yes, and the writing was very well done.
The first two novels were narrated by Caithleen and third was narrated by Ba Ba and a 3rd person omniscient narrator. I enjoyed the first two novels, however found myself frustrated about the poor choices made over and over again-I grew to care about these girls. That's the tragedy of being female and born into a rigidly repressive society, they had no one to offer them sound advice, no one to care for them as human beings. They were treated as objects and they thought of themselves that way.
I was really put off by the narration of the third novel and had difficulty engaging with it, but at the end, I had a pretty good idea of what the future held for these young women, that said, I didn't care for the epilogue at all.
Worth reading? Yes, and the writing was very well done.
marthaos's review
4.0
I had heard so much about Edna O’Brien’s ‘Country Girls’ trilogy and has been meaning to read it for so long. I picked up the third book of the trilogy ‘Girls in their Married Bliss’ in the library and thought I’d start there. Even the title is ironic and sets the tone for this book which surprised me and exceeded my expectations.
The main characters, Kate and Baba, are both settled but dissatisfied in marriage, Kate to cold-hearted Eugene and with a young son Cash, Baba to Frank, wealthy, bombastic and uneducated. Both seek fulfilment elsewhere, both with costly consequences.
Baba has the first-person voice in this book and is so witty, irreverent and quick that the story never becomes too heavy and sad. Examples of this include her deprecating thoughts on her husband:
“I wrote down the details and told him to take care, which was strange coming from me. Normally I’m praying he’ll fall off a scaffold.”
And later: “God help the roof, I thought. He could do a good thousand pounds’ worth of damage in five minutes.”
Yet, this doesn’t take from the emotion of the book and the author skilfully depicts the bleakness and gloom of Kate’s life as she is banished from the family home. Her beautiful relationship with Cash is very poignantly depicted and the way she is punished for her infidelity is so cruel and calculated that by the end, I really abhorred Eugene.
There was so much to admire in this book, the characters so well-developed and fleshed out, the portrayal of varying scenes ranging from extravagant dinners, to empty, mildew-smelling and grotty bedsits, the dialogue and timing, and through it all the unwavering and sustaining friendship of Kate and Baba.
I really enjoyed this book, can completely understand how it garnered such admiration and popularity and will definitely be seeing out the first two books of this classic ‘Country Girls’ trilogy.
The main characters, Kate and Baba, are both settled but dissatisfied in marriage, Kate to cold-hearted Eugene and with a young son Cash, Baba to Frank, wealthy, bombastic and uneducated. Both seek fulfilment elsewhere, both with costly consequences.
Baba has the first-person voice in this book and is so witty, irreverent and quick that the story never becomes too heavy and sad. Examples of this include her deprecating thoughts on her husband:
“I wrote down the details and told him to take care, which was strange coming from me. Normally I’m praying he’ll fall off a scaffold.”
And later: “God help the roof, I thought. He could do a good thousand pounds’ worth of damage in five minutes.”
Yet, this doesn’t take from the emotion of the book and the author skilfully depicts the bleakness and gloom of Kate’s life as she is banished from the family home. Her beautiful relationship with Cash is very poignantly depicted and the way she is punished for her infidelity is so cruel and calculated that by the end, I really abhorred Eugene.
There was so much to admire in this book, the characters so well-developed and fleshed out, the portrayal of varying scenes ranging from extravagant dinners, to empty, mildew-smelling and grotty bedsits, the dialogue and timing, and through it all the unwavering and sustaining friendship of Kate and Baba.
I really enjoyed this book, can completely understand how it garnered such admiration and popularity and will definitely be seeing out the first two books of this classic ‘Country Girls’ trilogy.
alisonp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wordsofclover's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5