Anybody Out There?: A Novel
by Marian Keyes
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Book Summary Information
Author: Marian KeyesEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-05-01
ISBN: 0060731303
Number of pages: 464
Publisher: William Morrow
Book Reviews of Anybody Out There?: A Novel
Book Review: "Gee, thanks a heap, Mr. 'Game Theory' " or "This book is very good, but not great."
Summary: 3 Stars
I read these reviews the other night, right after I got the email that said my long advance-ordered and eagerly awaited copy of this book was on its way. Unfortunately, as I am a fast reader, I was well into the review by someone called "Game Theory something something" before I realized I'd been blindsided by a major spoiler. For crying out loud, warn a person first, eh? (I also notice that his review is no longer on the review page, good thing).
Having said all this, I'll insert what could be viewed as a spoiler of my own, but I'm warning you, if you haven't read this book, you might want to stop now, esp. if you have read "PS-I LOVE YOU" by Cecelia Ahearn. Because, and it deeply grieves me to criticize my beloved Ms. Keyes, this storyline has been done before by the aforementioned Ms. Ahearn.
From the time I read "Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married" I have adored Marian Keyes books, and at the risk of sounding like something from "Misery", I didn't see how anyone could be a bigger fan than I am. I own all her books, I re-read them each year (an honor I also reserve for "Jane Eyre" and "Gone With the Wind") and I read every word of her newsletter every month. But I was disappointed with this one, I'm sad to say. The storyline, as I said, was done sweetly and heartbreakingly in "PS-I LOVE YOU" and although Ms. Keyes also captures Anna's grief beautifully, it just felt like an echo of that book. I usually read Cecelia Ahearn's books with a feeling of "she's great, but she's not Marian...." but this time I felt "this is good but it's too Cecelia".
This just doesn't seem like Anna, either. The sweet, "off with the fairies" character in the earlier books seems too sharp and focused now, although she still rings true as a character if you didn't know her from the earlier books. And the things that annoy me in Ms. Keyes other books, but which I can live with (i.e. a seemingly constant stereotyping of Americans) seemed more grating now, even though there is less of it than in her other books. I loved hearing about the other members of the Walsh family, but making the hilarious Rachel so touchy-feely? And making the sharp Maggie so mumsy? And the cool Claire is just bitchy now. What happened to Rachel's friend Brigit? And Molly, Adam's daughter by his old girlfriend? I didn't like Jacqui, she is just a recycled Emily from "Angels" IMO. Ok, this book wasn't about them, but it wasn't about Helen, either. And it's full of her. She's funny, but she's so obnoxious and irritating, and every time I turned a page, there she was. Ugh.
Oh well, there is still very much to love and adore in this book, Ms. Keyes is just too talented not to please most of the time. But this is the first time I've ever not LOVED a book of hers.
(to grammar purists, I know book titles should be underlined, or italicized-I'm not igorant of that, just of computer fonts!)
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