- Paperback
- Publisher: Michael Joseph (17 Feb 2010)
- Language French
- ISBN-10: 0718156803
- ISBN-13: 978-0718156800
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
Foursome
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Rebecca, Daniel. Alex, Isabel. Four best friends who met at university and end up married, having babies and living just streets away from each other. When Alex ends his marriage to Isabel, everything changes - and Rebecca is forced to acknowledge that life might never be the same again, especially when Alex gets together with Rebecca's hated colleague, Lorna.
Okay, here to start with is a comment on book covers. I'm used to my chick lit novels having pink or pastel or glittery covers. Foursome has a slightly more serious cover and I was fooled into thinking that Fallon might be covering weighty issues the way that Marian Keyes does in her books. Instead, we get a fluffy tale about a falling out between friends and how lying is BAD. And, yes, that message is hammered home.
Having got my head around the difference between cover and contents, I whipped through this soft confection of lies and lovers in less than a day. Fallon's prose is incredibly readable - she had me turning pages feverishly, even though I scoffed incredulously at most of the plot within the book.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book where the savage office relationship between Rebecca and Lorna is explored. Lorna is a hateful character, memorable, spiteful and with a fantastic turn in passive aggressive behaviour. I had the urge to throttle her, and, as far as I'm concerned, if an author makes you have a visceral reaction like that to a character then they are doing a fine job.
My problems came when Rebecca decided that, rather than tell her bosses that Lorna was going through big personal issues that kept her from work (the normal way to deal with a work issue), she decides to perform a series of lies and charades to pretend that everything is fine with Lorna's performance. This just wouldn't happen, and I could not suspend my disbelief. At all. I found myself rolling my eyes at the behaviour of many of the characters.
With that said, I think Fallon also has a deft touch when it comes to characterisation. She writes strong and real female characters, who are bitchy and loving by turn. Those that are mothers have warm and realistic relationships with their children, who are also written well.
With Fallon's ability to write these great characters, and her smooth prose, it made me even more disappointed at the ridiculous plot. I would really love to see what Fallon is capable of when she has a decent storyline to work with. I will be reading more novels by this author, for sure, but now I know that I shall be using them as light reads when I need fluffy escapism.
Okay, here to start with is a comment on book covers. I'm used to my chick lit novels having pink or pastel or glittery covers. Foursome has a slightly more serious cover and I was fooled into thinking that Fallon might be covering weighty issues the way that Marian Keyes does in her books. Instead, we get a fluffy tale about a falling out between friends and how lying is BAD. And, yes, that message is hammered home.
Having got my head around the difference between cover and contents, I whipped through this soft confection of lies and lovers in less than a day. Fallon's prose is incredibly readable - she had me turning pages feverishly, even though I scoffed incredulously at most of the plot within the book.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book where the savage office relationship between Rebecca and Lorna is explored. Lorna is a hateful character, memorable, spiteful and with a fantastic turn in passive aggressive behaviour. I had the urge to throttle her, and, as far as I'm concerned, if an author makes you have a visceral reaction like that to a character then they are doing a fine job.
My problems came when Rebecca decided that, rather than tell her bosses that Lorna was going through big personal issues that kept her from work (the normal way to deal with a work issue), she decides to perform a series of lies and charades to pretend that everything is fine with Lorna's performance. This just wouldn't happen, and I could not suspend my disbelief. At all. I found myself rolling my eyes at the behaviour of many of the characters.
With that said, I think Fallon also has a deft touch when it comes to characterisation. She writes strong and real female characters, who are bitchy and loving by turn. Those that are mothers have warm and realistic relationships with their children, who are also written well.
With Fallon's ability to write these great characters, and her smooth prose, it made me even more disappointed at the ridiculous plot. I would really love to see what Fallon is capable of when she has a decent storyline to work with. I will be reading more novels by this author, for sure, but now I know that I shall be using them as light reads when I need fluffy escapism.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I would have written Jane Fallon off as another Adele Parks/Sophie Kinsella copycat, but the truth is, Fallon has a keen eye for creating atmosphere. Not only that, but with her third novel "Foursome", she has crafted a well-rounded read that certainly won't take long to finish, and won't take too much much out of the old noggin, either.
In Lorna, Fallon has created a truly awful character, one that you will really despise. Though the rest of the cast is lacking, this little demon really keeps the pages turning, teasing the reader with her fiendish ways. There is a nice use of light and shade here, and overall (despite being written in present tense - and no, dear, that does not give a book like this a feel of urgency) the prose is good, funny, but nothing more. Certainly more mainstream than her first two revenge novels, "Foursome" is a light read that will please fans of the genre, and give others something to do for a day or so.
In Lorna, Fallon has created a truly awful character, one that you will really despise. Though the rest of the cast is lacking, this little demon really keeps the pages turning, teasing the reader with her fiendish ways. There is a nice use of light and shade here, and overall (despite being written in present tense - and no, dear, that does not give a book like this a feel of urgency) the prose is good, funny, but nothing more. Certainly more mainstream than her first two revenge novels, "Foursome" is a light read that will please fans of the genre, and give others something to do for a day or so.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Rebecca and Daniel, Alex and Isabel have been a foursome since they were at university. Twenty years later Alex suddenly breaks up the group by leaving Isabel and precipitates a whole dynamic of change which leaves Rebecca's life suddenly very unstable and full of little and not-so-little secrets.
I really enjoyed this book as it doesn't actually revolve around simply finding a man (although there's enough of that kind of plotline here to keep things interesting). Rebecca is an interestingly flawed character and Lorna, who we love to hate for large chunks of the book, is more vulnerable than we first expect.
Fallon is excellent at manipulating our emotions and does a fine job with Rebecca who, as narrator, we at first identify with. Later, however, we are led to see around her view of life and events and start to distrust her interpretations while never abandoning her completely.
My small niggle is that I could never picture Lorna as in her 40s: the eating issues, the unfulfilled ambition, all felt like the attributes of a much younger woman. But this is a small flaw in an entertaining read which is light and fun without being too frothy and familiar.
I really enjoyed this book as it doesn't actually revolve around simply finding a man (although there's enough of that kind of plotline here to keep things interesting). Rebecca is an interestingly flawed character and Lorna, who we love to hate for large chunks of the book, is more vulnerable than we first expect.
Fallon is excellent at manipulating our emotions and does a fine job with Rebecca who, as narrator, we at first identify with. Later, however, we are led to see around her view of life and events and start to distrust her interpretations while never abandoning her completely.
My small niggle is that I could never picture Lorna as in her 40s: the eating issues, the unfulfilled ambition, all felt like the attributes of a much younger woman. But this is a small flaw in an entertaining read which is light and fun without being too frothy and familiar.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An easy read
If you have ever worked with a lazy, manipulative and self centred person, this book is for you. Rebecca's life is turned upside down when long time close friends Alex and Isabel... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rossi
Starts well...that's about it (spoilers)
If you're thinking of reading this book because you're tempted by the cover and its suggestion that intrigue and escapism lie within, don't bother. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Bookworm
Enjoyable - but slightly dull
I've read all three of Jane Fallon's books and surprised myself by finding this one to be the least fulfilling. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jen Pringle
Don't Four-get to read this!
As usual with Jane's books, it centres around a strong female lead characters whose friends and family feature in the main storyline around them. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Chloe S "Chick Lit Chloe"
Disappointing
I really loved Getting Rid of Matthewand Got You Back but this was nowhere close to being a well written pacy story. Read more
Published 16 months ago by C. Bannister
Entertaining
A nice, entertaining, easy read (great for on holiday). Not the best book ever written (and not as good as Getting Rid of Matthew), but far from the worst!
Published 17 months ago by flipflop
Misleading title and cover
i bought this book on the premise that it would be a bit of a steamy read, a book called foursome with a woman undressing on the cover is quite misleading. Read more
Published 17 months ago by emmiemoo
GOOD READ
Not quite as good as her first two but still enjoyed it. Light-hearted and fun as all her books are.
Published 18 months ago by SANDRA MACLEAN
Another edgy read from Fallon
I took this on my holidays and it was fab! Jane Fallon always resists the obvious and places her characters in uncomfortable positions where difficult moral choices have to be... Read more
Published 21 months ago by A. Parks
First impressions are good
This was the first book I read by Jane Fallon and I was quite impressed. Storyline is good and most characters are likeable, give this a read
Published 22 months ago by DebzM
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