Peacocks

[Cinnamon]

Chat here about Fly in the ointment' by Anne Fine

 

I read this & thought it was an interesting read. I liked the gossipy prose & the way it had humor despite the subject matter.

It made me think.

 

 

 

The next book is the fab 'No 1 Ladies Detective Agency' by Alexander McCall Smith

[Willow]

I read this whilst we were away at half term.

 

Initially I couldn't work out where the book was going, no idea if that was deliberate on the part of the author or not. Then it started drawing me in more and more. I thought the description of how she realises her husband had left was such great black humour especially when she runs down to bolt the door

 

As a mother with children that have been bullied at school the description of how that could lead to drugs was very uncomfortable reading (and very well done by the author). Despite going to the school several times all I seem to achieve is a temporary improvement in the situation never a stop. Thank-fully my eldest is happy and confident in his secondary school and I just have to hope my youngest gets to the same school as he wouldn't stand out as different there.

 

The book does a good job of making you feel for any child being badly looked after. It's one reason I wouldn't teach, I used to work in a play scheme centre when I was doing my a-levels and I worried about some of those kids for ages after.

 

Felt the hooking in of the young man (can't remember his name) to look after the child too implasible but not sure what other character the author could have created to do that role.

 

Loved the end.

 

Overall a very good read.

 

BTW Is this the Anne Fine that writes childrens fiction ?

 

Edited to correct multiple typos

Edited June 3, 2009 by Guest

[Nicola H]

Yes it is Anne Fine the childrens writer and this was the main reason that i picked it, my son and daughter have both enjoyed her childrens books and i enjoyed reading them to the children when they were smaller.

 

I enjoyed the book as it was easy to read and i skipped through it in a couple of days whilst on holiday. I read it with interest and could particularly sympathise with her despair at her son becoming a drug addict and how easily he was hooked and ended up on a down ward spiral. I think she felt quilty about not helping him more with his addiction and tried to compensate by looking after his child, I also thought the bit about hooking Guy in to look after Larry a bit implausible but like you say Patricia the author needed a character to look after Larry when Lois murdered Janie Gay.

 

All in all I thought it was a very good read and would give it 8/10.....

[Seagazer]

I quite enjoyed (if thats the right word) reading this book. I like the way the author writes but was it me or were we supposed to feel sorry for Lois? I really couldn't. I couldn't understand her reaction to her son's death or the way she went to the funeral. I can understand that she would want to try to do her best for Larry but it all seemed a bit far fetched. So although I enjoyed the book it left me a bit puzzled.

[MedusA]

I really enjoyed this book and read it in a couple of sittings.

 

Strangely, I have friends who have a cute 3 year old called Malachy, so it was slightly weird to think of the character instead of him.

 

I have to admit that I actually liked Lois (what does that say about me? ) and really felt for poor little "Lar-eee". I was glad there was a happy ending for him, at least, however implausible.