Marika CobboldCríticas

Completed, but it took me longer than many books of a similar length......Perhaps if I was in a more upbeat/less tired place I could have gotten through this quicker.[return][return]Pleasant story where Linus and Esther grow up hearing about each other (their step/mothers are friends), they never actually meet until well into adult life where their respective jobs bring them into conflict. There are plenty of great characters, some great humour (one of the things that kept me reading to be honest) and a reasonable story

On Hampstead Heath may be a relatively short read at 248 pages but it's certainly a mighty one. Thorn Marsh is a journalist, a news editor at a London newspaper when she finds that all of a sudden her face no longer fits with the new managing editor. She's cast aside to a supplement focusing on cheery stories, not her thing at all. In a fit of pique and in the throes of a drunken haze she writes a piece that has only a vague semblance of truth to it. The repercussions of Thorn's deception ripple down through the book.

The plot of this novel is inspired, focusing on how much truth there is in the press (or lack thereof), the advent of the digital age slowly killing off the newspaper, and all that social media has to answer for in the current news climate. It's the writing and the characterisations that really stood out for me though. Marika Cobbold's narrative for Thorn is a work of genius, the dialogue sublimely sharp and her inner thoughts so astute and perfectly observed. I found it so darkly funny. There is one scene in particular where Thorn visits her mother whose old friend, Joan Pyke, is there. Thorn's acerbic thoughts on seeing Joan were thrown at me like knives from a knife-thrower, one after the other, never letting up, and I just couldn't stop laughing. I kept re-reading certain sections of the book as a whole, marvelling at the way they were written and the pointed scrutiny of everyday situations and human foibles.

Thorn is a brilliant creation but every character in this book is perfect, slotting into their places in Thorn's life, however large or small a part. Her relationships with her family, her friends and her colleagues all seem to be rather complicated but also very real, and I found them absolutely compelling.

I thought this was a fabulous read. It's wise and perceptive, honest and witty. I think that whenever I need a good laugh I will think about Joan Pyke! This is the sort of book that belongs on prize lists.½

I downloaded this audiobook on a whim, mainly because it was available and sounded fun. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was well-written, quirky, and clever. It also turned out to be a book that really had a lot to say about relationships, and I found myself mulling over much of the content for days after finishing the actual book. So it had a deeper side that I was not expecting.

I was a little disappointed in the ending, which seemed very abrupt and rushed, as if someone had told the author she should wind things up now. However, it still ended the way I hoped it would, so I can't complain too much. ;)

Amelia's relationship with her boyfriend is ending although she doesn't know it when the book opens. Meanwhile, her grandmother has been placed in a convalescent/nursing home. Her uncle has sold the grandmother's home and moved to Brazil but no one has told the grandmother that she will never go home again. And her mother is obsessed with cleanliness. It's a poignant novel descibing what life is like in a nursing home that it's almost depressing when one considers many people eventually go there. Amelia herself is rather flighty, thinking and planning but not acting upon her plans. Still, she promises her grandmother that she'll be home by Christmas. And sets out to accomplish this even though the house belongs to someone else now.

This is a first novel and I enjoyed the author's writing; I'll probably get some of her other books to read.

Superior romantic fiction of the Mavis Cheek variety

Esther and Linus have never met, but have known about each other since childhood through their mothers' letters. When they do meet, they are on opposite sides of a battle over the land for and art museum, but embark on a tentative romance just the same.

Another book by Marika Cobbold with so much heart it made my heart break in many places. The twin threads of a relationship breakdown and the deteriation of an elderly relative are painful topics, you can't read this without feeling. Saying that, there where lots of light comic touches and feel good moments throughout.½

Synopsis from Amazon:

This tale interweaves the lives of two unusual children: Esther, whose father walked out of her London home without a word; and Linus, bullied by his father, spoiled by his adoring but eccentric uncles and aunts, and growing up in Stockholm, longing to be an architect.

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Marika Cobbold wrote one of my favourite books, Shooting Butterflies, and since reading it, I have had it on my mind to find another of her novels. I have recently stumbled upon Frozen Music, written prior to the book above. I adored Shooting Butterflies, and Frozen Music didn’t disappoint, it was a very touching and rewarding read.

On the most part, the novel is written from the perspective of the main protagonist, Esther. Growing up in London, she had always been accused of taking life too seriously and had never understood what it is like to be in love. The novel also follows the life of Linus, a passionate architect from Sweden with a difficult history. Their lives have always touched owing to the friendship of their mothers; however their trajectory’s collide when Linus’ life’s dream comes up against Esther’s sensibilities.

Esther is not a traditional heroine, she is a complex character but one that is easy to understand and empathise with. The story is wholly engaging and pulls you through to the end, with enough drama and twists to keep you guessing right up to the last moment. I found myself reaching for the tissues on more than one occasion; however this is not an unhappy book and is in dispersed with light funny moments. It’s beautifully written, with descriptions that will stay with you long after the book is back on the shelf. I would recommend this book to anyone that’s likes a different take on a romantic story.

I have to say that I loved this book. I cannot say that it is a heart warming journey, every page filled with life affirming goodness that everyone should read, but I can say that I was truly touched by the words on the pages. Every time I turned the page I found something so inextricably true that I am, on this rare occasion, moved by the openness and honesty of a very brave author. It seems to me that Marika Cobbold has laid down some of her innermost thoughts and feelings that most of us would not be inclined to admit to even our closest friends, let alone put them in print for the world to read (it is hard enough admitting them to ourselves!). It is the unflinching reality of her words that make this book such an absorbing and refreshing read.

This contemporary novel tells the story of Grace Shield, a successful photographer who has given up on her career and now leads a quiet and uneventful life. That is until an unexpected package and a newspaper article written about her life, lead Grace down a pathway of remembrance of her own past, and the discovery of hidden histories.

The book is set during the here and now of Grace seeking answers about her untimely gift. Cobbold uses the journalist’s article as an original way of allowing flashbacks into Grace’s past, letting the reader ‘remember’ the events as Grace’s memories are triggered by the journalist’s words. This mechanism gives the book a very natural flow and creates a closeness with Grace and an insight into her internal responses to situations which may not have otherwise been achieved. We follow her through her difficult childhood, her first love affair, a marriage and plenty of heartache along the way (and there is a lot of heartache).

In order to find out more about her package, Grace seeks out an old acquaintance, Louisa Blackstaff, who reveals her own history to Grace. This discussions are written in Louisa’s own words as she tells her story to Grace. Again, this feels like incredibly natural way for the story to unfold and allows the reader a connection with Louisa and a much greater understanding of her character. She talks us through her unhappy marriage, stifled dreams and a forbidden love affair.

Shooting Butterflies is a great commentary on human relationships, from Grace’s bond with her Step Mother, Mrs Shield, to the attachment to her first love, Jefferson and the affection for her husband and in-laws. When Grace was having difficulties with her marriage, the excerpt ‘‘She pretended to be asleep and he pretended to believe her” really sums up to me what it is like to be living with someone when there is tension. It’s this kind of delicate observation of human nature that I admire in this book. Furthermore, when describing the thoughts of meeting an old friend that she hasn’t seen for a long time, she thinks “I don’t know if you are married, if you have children, I don’t know what you do for a living, how you decorate your home, yet I’ve hugged you when you cried. I know that shellfish makes you puke and once, when we were scared, we shared a bed”. This captures perfectly to me the bond between old friends and the unspoken knowledge that despite being out of touch, and no matter where you are in life you still share these things.

As I mentioned before, this is not a heart warming journey filled with tenderness; in places it is very dark and very bleak; “the worst thing is losing someone you love and I don’t have that worry any more; I’ve lost them already”. Cobbold’s words had me sobbing into my pillow for about ten solid minutes one night, so raw is the pain that is portrayed. But, for me, underlying everything in the book is romance and emotion. Not just romance between a man and a woman, but real romance of thought and of the soul; for example, when thinking of her miscarriages “She fervently hoped there was such a thing as reincarnation and that her incomplete babies had been able to return to base to be told, with a smile and a slap on the back, ‘Better luck next time’”. This to me is a romantic and hopeful way of looking at a terrible situation.

Overall this book to me is perfect (I mean it, I loved it!). As a main character, Grace is not a wishy washy romantic heroine, she is flawed and has a very black outlook, and this non-traditional characterisation really appeals to me (not being a fan of traditional romantic novels). The emotion is real and raw in places, but not over the top, enough that you can really ‘feel’ the heart of story. There is a dusting of witticisms to lighten the air, and there is enough of a mystery to make you want to find out what happens next. Having just picking this book at random from the shelves at my local charity shop, I am now a full supporter of judging a book by its cover! I will definitely be reading Marika Cobbold’s other books.

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Random discussion thoughts below... may contain spoilers... be warned!!

…and just as an aside, once I finished this book I was listening to Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes album, and two tracks really stuck out as capturing the two leading ladies, this makes me wonder if Marika Cobbold listens to Tori, or this is just some odd connection that my head made…

Grace: “From the shadows she finds away, clutching a faded photograph” Louisa: “She’s everybody else’s girl, maybe one day she’ll be her own”

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If anyone else reads this book, below are a few questions that have presented themselves to me whilst reading… what do you think?

The ghost of the Madonna: the only reference to timings that I could find was that ‘it hasn’t been seen for a while’. Could the vision of the long haired Madonna be the reason that Arthur was captivated by Louisa’s ‘unusual’ beauty? He called her ‘his Madonna’ – OR - Was the ghost actually Louisa on one of her night time escapades from the institution? (personally I’m leaning towards the latter at the moment)

Jane Dale: I was thinking that she had an affair with Arthur, it was certainly alluded to with what Louisa saw in the evenings, but it was never confirmed (not that I could see anyway). This thought was somewhat dispelled with the ease at which she was removed from the family; any thoughts? And why was she turning the children against their mother? Did she want Louisa’s place in the house? Was Jane the reason why Louisa was sent away, by Jane telling Arthur stories of what she had seen and heard Louisa do? Why did she have so much influence over Arthur?

Louisa’s continual manipulation by her husband: (and indirectly by Jane and the mother in law). Did her husband never really love her as he was so caught up in his own greatness?

Was Grace right to ‘get her shot’?: (how heartbreaking was that chapter!) How do you think Jefferson would have felt not having her ‘with him’ as he died or was he content knowing he was inspiring her work, her other love? The book talks about capturing the moments, but the moment she captured wasn’t a moment she lived as she was behind the lens, what do you think of this?

Fast! Funny! Poignant! Fresh! A likeable young heroine, whose own life is in disarray, manages her beloved grandmother's escape from a nursing home.

Clementine Hope comes from a family where all the women are named after dead heroines. She frets about this. She also frets about upsetting people and then also the more serious stuff – such as crime, disease and illness. All in all, she worries about everything. One of her sisters, Ophelia, is completely the opposite and following her Great Aunt Elvira leaving her a house; they both end up living together.

Along with the house, Clementine has been left a collection of fairy tales. Some of which are ones told in the tradition of Aunt Elvira’s family, others more recognisable tales. They help Clementine see life more clearly and realise that life is for living not for worrying about. Her fears threaten the love of her neighbour’s son and Clementine has to make choices and changes.

A novel full of messages and flashes of inspiration. It is told in a mix of flashback and present tense. The flashback is told as it is happening but at the beginning of each chapter are one or two short paragraphs from the present until almost at the end when the reader has caught up with Clementine’s life. This is an okay read, not one I’d rave about even though it’s enjoyable. The cover and title are excellent, once you’ve settled into the novel their appropriateness becomes evident. I would certainly be prepared to try out another of Cobbold’s novels.

A book about dealing with old age and the changes in relationships that happen with age. Interesting and poignant it echoes reality and should be standard reading for people working with and making policies for homes for the elderly. Although some of the characters were a bit cliched and overdrawn you could see the echo of reality in them.½

Clementine Hope is fortyish divorced with a very comfortable middle class provincial life and sleeps with a condom under her pillow in case a rapist breaks in. Her timidity leaves her a perpetual onlooker can she change and take the risks that simply loving requires? I enjoyed this amusing, wry and incredibly middle class story. Luckily The Guardian says she is a feminist writer so thats okay.

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