cynicalnovas's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
katiebhastings's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
factandfables's review
3.0
The first of these stories is classic Binchy and really tight. Told from multiple perspectives, it is about a wife who decides to put on a dinner party for her husband, their friends, and her husband's mistress. It if full of tension, misunderstood motivations and it actually quite riveting.
The middle two seem to end before the narrative arc is complete, which is unsatisfying, and the final one, about an recovering alcoholic is mostly sad and depressing.
The middle two seem to end before the narrative arc is complete, which is unsatisfying, and the final one, about an recovering alcoholic is mostly sad and depressing.
singlecrow's review
4.0
Enjoyable collection of early short stories, one of which is more a novella than a short. It's interesting that unlike the stories from the 2000s, these eighties ones are much more hard-edged; things mostly don't resolve nicely, with sinister undercurrents often throughout. This isn't a criticism of either these stories or the later, happier ones; just an observation that either Binchy's writing mellowed with age, or her opinion of the human race improved.
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