Sadie Jones

While The Outcast is a depressing story, I found the book to be suspenseful and beautifully written. It is a tale of devatating pain and childhood grief and disintegration behind the stilted walls of British upper-class hypocracy and dysfunction. I couldn't put it down and was completely absorbed by the key characters and the plot. The reviewer references to both Catcher in the Rye and Atonement are authentic in terms of subject matter. Sadie Jones' talent takes my breath away and left me in tears.… (plus d'informations)

I loved this book. Mainly set in occupied Cyprus in the late 1950’s, its subject is a young couple: Hal, a bright young officer who hasn’t been taught to have any kind of real emotional life, and Clara, his young and dutiful wife.

The book divides itself between looking at Hal, appalled and yet brutalised by the conflict he is a part of, and Clara, bored, frightened and powerless. As Hal's military involvement increases, the couple become increasingly unable to communicate. Cyprus itself is beautifully evoked, but it casts no spell over the protagonists.

I was unconvinced by the faltering reconciliation at the end of the book, but as an examination of Englishness, and the effects of war on everyone involved, as well as a portrait of a country I’ve never visited, it was a gripping and involving read.… (plus d'informations)

A very enjoyable story about class, family, and doing whats right. None of these people are what you would call good, but they are doing what they think is right. From Charlotte, the matriarch of the family, to neglected Smudge, wanting to finish her "Great Undertaking". As the family and guests come together, realizing what their uninvited guests needs, they rediscover what is important to them.

The book is funny and tragic, with Smudge's Great Undertaking tying it all together - Its funny, witty, and gently says something about humanity, and that everyone needs kindness in their life.… (plus d'informations)

Kurze Inhaltsangabe
1945 kehrt Gilbert Aldridge aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg zurück zu seiner Familie. Während er die beschauliche Routine des Kleinstadtlebens genießt, durchstreift sein Sohn Lewis mit seiner schönen, rastlosen Mutter die Wälder - bis an einem Sommertag unten am Fluss ein schreckliches Unglück geschieht. Lewis bleibt allein und verstört zurück. Wenige Monate später wird ihm die junge Alice als neue Stiefmutter vorgestellt. Lewis lebt fortan als Fremder im eigenen Haus; er sucht Zuflucht im Alkohol und in heimlichen Exzessen in einem Londoner Nachtclub. Seine Trauer und Wut entladen sich schließlich in einer weiteren Katastrophe. 1957 kehrt der 19-jährige Lewis nach zweijähriger Haft aus dem Gefängnis zurück. Ehemalige Freunde und Nachbarn begegnen ihm mit Misstrauen: Wer nicht ist wie die anderen, muss zum Außenseiter werden. Immer wieder versucht Lewis einen neuen Anfang zu finden; immer tiefer gerät er in einen Strudel aus Gewalt, Verzweiflung und enttäuschter Hoffnung.… (plus d'informations)