I was away but read it on holiday too

I really enjoyed it!!!

sorry - missed the discussion as was away on hols. took the book with me though! i absolutely loved it and completely agree about the tight writing and dialogue. some brilliant phrases. tis my favourite book so far too. was such a relief to read something that wasn't upsetting.

i'm about to vote for this month - i'll be the person who goes for the most upbeat book!

Late to the discussion, I did pick up the book in the library wanting to read it but didn't get to it sooner. Actually I've a few pages to read properly but have looked at the end anyway (I'm an impatient reader and often glance at the story and then I can go back and enjoy the how it gets there more slowly).

I didn't think Frances was going to "end up" with the vicar but that the two women found each other more amenable housemates than their husbands. It seems that Jay's role is to open up other possibilities, as she's not hooked on the family in the way that Frances' husband is, she can be dispassionate.

hi beforesunrise, sorry its taken me a while to get back - I'm also juggling 4 week old and a 2 year old, its like a tennis match, running to and fro between them.

I thought Claudia was awful, but I did believe in her - it seemed to me that we'd met the family at climax point, where all of their behaviour and character had devloped to such an extent that it couldn't go on any longer. So her extreme reactions and demands seemed to be the apex of years of family life, and then it all comes crashing down.

I think Claudia genuinely believed she was holding the family together by insisting on keeping up appearances - I don't think she realised how selfish it is to try and mould a family into a shape that you feel appropriate. Weirdly, although i didn't like her at all, I did feel a certain amound of respect for her, only because she wanted the best. She was mistaken, but at least she cared.

I agree with you about Norman's love of Frances playing a part. I also read that the author believes birth order to be highly important in developement of character and relatioships - so perhaps she was making a point that the second/middle child often gets overlooked/misunderstood? (Guilt settling in here as I realise we have taken no photos of our 4 week old, and have 6 albums worth of the 2 year old)

Have you got a question you'd like to put to the author? I'm emailing her now...

Hope you can join us for June's book - will announce the result on thursday.

have already voted :-) and really hope to join in.

anyway, i was wondering if i am the only one who thought Claudia was a monster? and borderline unbelievable? i don't quite believe that a mother can be so consistently awful to her children out of sheer narcissism- and deliberately try to screw up their lives for her own little satisfaction?

i thought her relationship with frances was so horrid- perhaps though it's because frances is the only one of her children who actually stands up to her and because Norman loves her so much (whereas he doesn't seem to care about the others, whcih i also found odd).

Hi beforesunrise - add away by all means, also look at June book of the month in book club topic and vote for nest months book.

hi, i have never joined these discussions- would love to in the future...

last night i couldnt log in as i am currently juggling a 12 days old baby girl with her insomniac and fairly jealous 2yo sister but have read this book (the day before giving birth to dd2!) and would have loved the chance to chat about it.

can i still post my impressions/thoughts?

thanks!

sorry Justine but that's too funny!

Ahem - that was my mum posting in my name on my computer by the way. I haven't read the book but she says I must - she loved it.

(note to self to LOG OUT in future)

Thank you all for this bookclub chat.

I will now be interested in the Orange prize too.

Will be voting for the June book.

Goodnight all