Reviews

Aikalisä by Marian Keyes

Only show reviews with written explanations

sikonat's review against another edition

4.0

What happens when you’re in a long term relationship and too busy in the every day of life that don’t stop to communicate with each other ? You have a mid-life crisis which manifests in ways to destabilise your relationship. In “The Break” it’s Amy’s husband of 17 years Hugh who tells her he is off for six months to backpack Asia to deal with the death of his father and friend. Oh and it’s a break so they can do whatever the want. Needless to say this book explores Amy’s devastation and the fallout of how this impacts on their three daughters.

Throigh time jumps we can see her own part to play in the growing chasm between the two. While Amy doesn’t deserve Hugh’s abandonment, it’s clear she’s no angel either, and also needs to take responsibility for her part. Which is amazing in a way that Hugh doesn’t call her out on her shit while she’s upset about him, calling him a cheater (to quote Ross from friends “we were on a break!”).

It’s a long book, the audiobook clocked in at 19 hours, and some parts can be slow going, but I’m glad this book is much more in-depth so it doesn’t gloss over their story. The other highlights are Amy’s family, especially her mother, who, towards the end, dispenses some of the best advice.

omgitswinnie's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

There's every emotion going in this book!

The story follows Amy, who's family is extremely complex. She hasn't had it easy, but she's content with how things are. Her first marriage broke down when she came home to find her husband cheating and he walked out on her, leaving her a young single mum. It took her a long time to build up the strength to find it in herself to trust another man. Hugh, her second husband, was that man.

Suddenly, Amy's life gets flipped upside down when Hugh announces he is taking a break from the family for 6 months where he can do what he likes as he travels the globe. Anything goes. But he will be back, he promises.

Amy is left devastated. Is history repeating itself? Even if Hugh does come back, will their relationship be the same? Will everything be able to go back to how it was?

Join Amy in this one heck of a roller coaster ride to find out.