I had a hard time getting interested in this book and I never developed any real affection for the main characters. ( )

Despite the blisteringly bad reviews on Amazon, I enjoed this novel about a middle aged woman contending with life in the form of a suspected infidelty, aging parents, and a cancer scare of her own. Poor Jean - I realized about halfway through the book that she was surrounded by people but utterly friendless which could have been the source of some of her unhappiness.

I liked Fonseca's style and her attention to domestic detail. The novel was a pleasure to read, even when I felt my mind drifting awayfrom the plot. ( )

I chose not to finish this book. Boring! ( )

Fay Weldon recommends: "Isabel Fonseca's novel Attachment. An object lesson in how to compose a fluent, highly readable novel, sophisticated enough to please reviewers, yet sufficiently pertinent to real life to engage the reader. Take some beautiful self-assured people and exotic locations, stir in a dollop of email sex, difficult children and impossible men and bind with a real flair for language -- what a pleasure!" (Mslexia Calendar 2009)

Not recommended.

The 2 1/2 star average rating given for this book is a pretty accurate representation of the response of our book group who felt that the sexual content was rather too explicit and the story itself was a bit weak. In reward for our efforts to finish the book we weren't even sure whether the protagonist stayed with her husband or left him.

The central character is Jean, a forty-something journalist with a syndicated health column. Her husband of many years is an advertising excutive and together they decide to leave the rat race and move to the tropical island of St Jacques. This was one of the better parts of the book - the island was picturesque and vibrant, although only a handful of local characters appear.
When Jean picks up correspondence relating to Giovanna, Mark's 'bit-on-the-side', she starts to question their future together and all his actions are analysed in relation to this new discovery. However, rather than confront him with it, she impersonates him and corresponds with Giovana by e mail. Needless to say things get out of hand, ultimately threatening their future together.

I found Jean to be rather a sorry character, absorbed in herself and rather selfish. I was frustrated by her reasoning for not confronting Mark "because the moment had passed".
There are thousands of better books out there - I'd give this one a miss. ( )