Ivy Brown and others

I did enjoy The Reinvention of Ivy Brown by Roberta Taylor and I shall be looking out for more of her fiction. The plot revolved round the relationship of three women to Brian - or Arthur as Ivy refers to him. It is well written though perhaps the last few chapters are a little rushed. The writing was understated with many happenings left very much to the reader's imagination. I thought the book was all the better for that. The characters are interesting though some are not pleasant people. The flamboyant Pandora stuck in my mind even though she played very little part in the story. The tragic ending is foreshadowed in the beginning so it is not a total surprise though nonetheless chilling. Well worth reading in my opinion.

I've also been reading A Spring Affair by Milly Johnson. Lou Winter - unreconstructed Stepford Wife - is starting to come out of her chrysalis when she reads a magazine article about de-cluttering. From this small beginning stems major upheaval in her life, and the lives of those about her. Will she give smarmy devious husband Phil the boot? What about hunky skip company boss Tom and estranged best friend Deb? Light women's fiction with some good points to make about fulfilling the expectations of others.

The Reinvention of Ivy Brown

It seemed like a good title for a blog post and is actually the title of a novel by Roberta Taylor - better known as an actress who has played characters in The Bill and Eastenders. The Reinvention of Ivy Brown is set partly in the early part of 1963 and all those people who remember that year will recall there was snow on the ground in March. Reading the book - which is a little strange - reminded me vividly of that era.

Smoking allowed almost anywhere - including public transport. Women almost always wearing skirts and stockings and not going into pubs on their own. Leaving work when they got married and not admitting to having illegitimate children but pretending they were a younger brother or sister. How times have changed! I'll write a more thorough review of it when I've finished - probably later in the week.