Jumping The Queue
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More About the Author
Product Description
Book Description
Her celebrated first novel
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
Matilda Poliport, recently widowed, has decided to End It All. But her meticulously planned bid for graceful oblivion is foiled, and when later she foils the suicide attempt of another lost soul - Hugh Warner, on the run from the police - life begins again for both.
But life also begins to throw up nasty secrets and awkward questions: just what was Matilda's husband Tom doing in Paris? How is the soon-to-be-knighted John (or Piers as he likes to be called) involved? Was Louise more than just a lovely daughter? And why did Hugh choose Matilda as his saviour?
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Mary Wesley's first novel is different from her subsequent books; there is a smaller cast of characters and the central pivot of the story is a genuinely chilling life-or-death decision taken in the depths of loss of the loved one. It is a situation which perhaps you need to be older and to have some experience of loss to understand and appreciate. Given that, this is a most life-affirming and elevating read. It stands equally with her other books.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
On the whole I really enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and easy to picture in your mind. In fact after reading the book I discovered that the story had been made into a TV drama and Shelia Hancock played the part of Matilda. This matched my idea of Matilda perfectly. My only critisim is that the last few chapters and the eventual outcome left me feeling quite low. A more bitter sweet conclusion would have given the story a more balanced ending.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mary Wesley famously had her first novel published at the age of seventy - and what a novel it is. When we meet Matilda Poliport, she is in her fifties, widowed and with little contact with her children. Her dog and cat are both dead and she has re-homed her goose, Gus. Free of all ties, she is about to commit suicide, but events conspire against her. That evening she has aquired another dog and also a runaway, the 'matricide' Hugh Warner. Even Gus the goose returns home!
This then is a story that will be understood by many women. No longer needed in their childrens lives, their future appearing lonely and unwanted, Matilda is a darkly funny and tragic character. As her and Hugh come to terms with each other, they probe each others wounds. For little in Matilda's life is how it appears - neither her marriage nor the staid, conventional background she appears to have. Some have called this book depressing, but ultimately it is, in many ways, uplifting. It also about love - from Mr Jones hankering after his neighbour, to Matilda's staid refusal to see her husband in a bad light, to Hugh's feelings towards his rescuer. This is a rewarding, intelligent and deeply compassionate novel and I recommend it highly.
This then is a story that will be understood by many women. No longer needed in their childrens lives, their future appearing lonely and unwanted, Matilda is a darkly funny and tragic character. As her and Hugh come to terms with each other, they probe each others wounds. For little in Matilda's life is how it appears - neither her marriage nor the staid, conventional background she appears to have. Some have called this book depressing, but ultimately it is, in many ways, uplifting. It also about love - from Mr Jones hankering after his neighbour, to Matilda's staid refusal to see her husband in a bad light, to Hugh's feelings towards his rescuer. This is a rewarding, intelligent and deeply compassionate novel and I recommend it highly.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
depressing
I've read a few Mary Wesley books and enjoyed them very much, so I was really looking forward to read Jumping the queue. Read more
Published on 24 Aug 2005
An unconventional heroine and a great read
This was the first Mary Wesley I read and I have since read others. The heroine, Matilda, has made a huge decision about her life but is thwarted from carrying this out by a... Read more
Published on 20 Sep 2001
Excellent book, that manages to touch on all human emotions
This is a book that all women will empathise with. It manages to reach all aspects of human emotion, and even in the depths of despair brings a touch of humour and levity to the... Read more
Published on 9 Oct 1999
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