Knit Two [Paperback]

My main problem with this book was that it just wasn't as good as its predecessor. Infact, it left me feeling rather disappointed and wishing that I hadn't bothered reading it, because, in comparison to `The Friday Night Knitting Club' this is a real let down.

I hate to say it, because I loved book one and the ending had me in tears and I was really looking forward to reading the follow up. This book however feels like a poor relation and it was hard to feel any real empathy for anyone or even that you could relate to them in any way. The characters now seem much weaker, the plot line shoddy (not really much of a plot to be honest) and ultimately, all the characters still seem completely living in the past. It's been five years since Georgia's heart wrenching death, yet still none of her friends appear to have moved on in any real way and can't accept she's gone. Out of all of them, Dakota, her daughter, seems to be coping the best.

This is ultimately supposed to be a story of female friendships and knitting. Alas, there was not too much knitting involved, unlike in book one. Fair enough, the circumstances of the knitting club are the ties that bind them together, but that's about it, unfortunately. As for `friendship?' I found myself a bit irritated by more than a few characters this time around. Lucie in particular, was one of my favourite characters in book one, yet single motherhood appears to have turned her into a real bitch for some reason. I'm at a loss as to how thoughtless she was in this book towards both her friends and family- a complete personality transplant that just didn't seem true to life. I was however, glad to see Catherine back, plus Darwin- who are two brilliant characters and just about saved this book from being a complete travesty... but only just. Without them, I hate to say it, but this probably would have been one star. Appalling!

A summary: it's been five years since Georgia Walker died from ovarian cancer and her knitting store is still running in Manhattan. Peri is now in charge; the store feels a bit like its lingering in the past, but how well will Georgia's friends (and daughter) respond to any new changes... in anything? The friends are still there for each other (supposedly) and there are births, marriages and new challenges for each of them afoot...

If you like your chick lit slushy and sentimental then you will most certainly like book one which I would not hesitate in recommending to anyone. If you can ignore the tedious writing style and decline in character development then you will probably even enjoy this one though not much actually happens.

There is also a `Christmas' book of the Friday Night Knitting Club series. Will I be reading it? Put it this way: I certainly won't be paying full price for it. If it's a charity shop bargain then I'm sure I'd probably pick it up, but running the risk of expending good money on another poorly written book like this one...? Er, no thanks. I'll pass.

I hate to say it: but *not* recommended.

I quite enjoyed the 1st novel, Friday Night Knitting Club-maybe because the characters were new and I could associate with the varying stages of knitting expertise within them and a strong lead character Georgia to bring them together. Unlike in many novels I thought Kate Jacobs was brave to allow this main character to die, so was suprised that Knit 2 has been written. All I can say is that this book just dragged out the fact that Georgia died 5 years ago and no-one can get over it and move on(in life 1 or 2 of the characters maybe, but not all of them). Disappointed and don't think I will be in a hurry to read Kate Jacobs again (Comfort Food was hard work as well)

This is a lovely book to read & I was glad there was a sequel to The Friday Night Knitting Club. I must confess that i didn't enjoy it quite as much, but it was great to learn what happened to the characters several years on from the first novel.