Leaving the World
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Review
Almost invariably - and courageously - Douglas Kennedy chooses women for his central characters. They tend to be both stylish and troubled and, in Jane Howard's case... tried and tested by more than their fair share of tragedy ... the narrative zips along and has moments of great poignancy Daily Mail An emotionally intense and totally compelling read Woman & Home Having vowed at the age of 13 never to have children, years later Jane falls pregnant only to suffer a turn of events which compels to destroy her world. Brilliant.' 5 star review. Daily Mirror Douglas Kennedy ... is famous for two things: writing insightfully about women's lives, and crafting narratives so utterly gripping as to redefine the concept of unputdownable. In Leaving the World, his ninth novel, these strengths combine to make an unforgettable reading experience ... Don't get on a long-haul flight without it, I say. The Times
Review
`In a novel remarkably devoid of mawkishness, Kennedy has pulled off another classy page-turner that engages, entertains and consoles... he once more delivers the message that whatever hole you dig for yourself, you're probably not alone.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
58 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I would advise you not to bother reading the inside flap of this book, as it doesn't give a very helpful idea of what the story is about and it reveals spoilers that don't eventuate until very late in the piece. Leaving The World is narrated by Jane Howard, an English professor whose life has been characterised by being betrayed or let down by almost every significant person that she has been close to. Finally events drive her to a point where she can take no more and she makes a dramatic decision to "leave the world" by fleeing everything and everyone that she knows. But this in many ways becomes the beginning of her life rather than the end of it.
This is a long book and it takes a while to come together. For the first hundred pages or so I was interested enough to keep reading but not so gripped that I couldn't put it down. Jane was not very likeable and I also got tired of the way that every relationship she had was so dramatic, every character so unbelievably larger than life: her mother, her father, her first boyfriend, her second boyfriend, her boss, her husband, his business partner...
Having said that, as I read on I felt more and more caught up in Jane's story and I find myself liking her more and more. Douglas Kennedy has always had a talent for creating complex female characters and for communicating the misery of intense depression without getting bogged down in it. The momentum keeps building with some quite unexpected twists. I was riveted by the book's final third which I read without stopping, unable to put the book down. In many ways this book picks up pieces from all the best of Kennedy's novels - there are segments that are reminiscent of The Job, A Special Relationship, The Pursuit of Happiness and The State of the Union. It's a great read, well worth your time.
This is a long book and it takes a while to come together. For the first hundred pages or so I was interested enough to keep reading but not so gripped that I couldn't put it down. Jane was not very likeable and I also got tired of the way that every relationship she had was so dramatic, every character so unbelievably larger than life: her mother, her father, her first boyfriend, her second boyfriend, her boss, her husband, his business partner...
Having said that, as I read on I felt more and more caught up in Jane's story and I find myself liking her more and more. Douglas Kennedy has always had a talent for creating complex female characters and for communicating the misery of intense depression without getting bogged down in it. The momentum keeps building with some quite unexpected twists. I was riveted by the book's final third which I read without stopping, unable to put the book down. In many ways this book picks up pieces from all the best of Kennedy's novels - there are segments that are reminiscent of The Job, A Special Relationship, The Pursuit of Happiness and The State of the Union. It's a great read, well worth your time.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As usual with Douglas Kennedy's books I was so looking forward to Leaving the World. I have to agree with the other reviewers comment that the first 200 pages are a bit slow, but also have to state if the book had not been by Kennedy I would have given up by page 100. Agreeably it did pick up pace in the second section, but I found the storyline when Jane moved to Canada and suddenly became involved with finding the missing girl totally unbelievable - I know the book is a work of fiction but please give me a break!
I fear Douglas Kennedy has become a victim of his own success following the brilliant story lines in Pursuit of Happiness; A Special Relationship; The Job and The Big Picture. His subsequent books all lack the same spark and seem to be written to please publisher's deadlines rather than entertain the reader. I will continue to read any future offerings in the hope that he can recapture that old magic, but Douglas Kennedy is no longer top of my favourite author list.
I fear Douglas Kennedy has become a victim of his own success following the brilliant story lines in Pursuit of Happiness; A Special Relationship; The Job and The Big Picture. His subsequent books all lack the same spark and seem to be written to please publisher's deadlines rather than entertain the reader. I will continue to read any future offerings in the hope that he can recapture that old magic, but Douglas Kennedy is no longer top of my favourite author list.
37 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have been a big fan of Douglas Kennedy for a few years now, The Pursuit Of Happiness and A Special Relationship were fabulous books, with great punchy storylines, good lead characters and all round good writing.
I truly have awaited the release of his novels with great anticipation - however - The Woman In The Fifth was such a huge departure from his normal writing that I really did not understand why he had written it. I swallowed hard though and immediately requested Leaving The World in the hope that the last books reviews had persuaded him to return to his normal writing style.
Instead Leaving The World is very slow - by page 250 - 300 I was still waiting for the storyline to pick up. The story of Jane, the university professor whose life seems to go into freefall is so unbelievably slow and the character melancholy and self indulgent. You just long for her to deal with at least something in her life constructively. Many people on this site have written that the last third of the book redeemed it for them. For me it just left me confused about what exactly I was reading. It turned into some sort of detective novel with the lead character getting involved in the hunt for a missing teenager.
After two poor novels I'm not sure how I feel about reading another Kennedy novel - if you are thinking of reading this author then please don't make this your first book by him. He is an awesome writer when he gets it spot on and unfortunately this book fails to deliver the things I love about him.
I truly have awaited the release of his novels with great anticipation - however - The Woman In The Fifth was such a huge departure from his normal writing that I really did not understand why he had written it. I swallowed hard though and immediately requested Leaving The World in the hope that the last books reviews had persuaded him to return to his normal writing style.
Instead Leaving The World is very slow - by page 250 - 300 I was still waiting for the storyline to pick up. The story of Jane, the university professor whose life seems to go into freefall is so unbelievably slow and the character melancholy and self indulgent. You just long for her to deal with at least something in her life constructively. Many people on this site have written that the last third of the book redeemed it for them. For me it just left me confused about what exactly I was reading. It turned into some sort of detective novel with the lead character getting involved in the hunt for a missing teenager.
After two poor novels I'm not sure how I feel about reading another Kennedy novel - if you are thinking of reading this author then please don't make this your first book by him. He is an awesome writer when he gets it spot on and unfortunately this book fails to deliver the things I love about him.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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A novel whose heroine's tribulations make those of Hardy's Jude the Obscure or Tess of the d'Urbevilles seem as tame as an episode of 'Andy Pandy'! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kate Hopkins
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Where to start ...? Like other reviewers, I've read Douglas Kennedy in the past and have always insisted he is one of my Top 10 authors. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Kindle Junkie
who writes the blurbs?
The blurb promises redemption for the protagonist through becoming involved in the hunt for a missing girl. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Lindy
Leaving The World asap.
I have to agree with many of the reviews here. This book was a total disappointment. I was engaged at the very beginning, during the affair with the university lecturer but after... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Jen
Is our 'heroine' a man in disguise?
A friend passed on this book to me and said it was an ok read, so I thought I'd give it a go. I'd never heard of Douglas Kennedy before - even though I'm an avid reader. Read more
Published 9 months ago by LynneF
Wow!
This novel is rare in its excellence. The plot grips you from the first page, it moves along at a pace that makes you not want to put it down, and it appeals to every shred of... Read more
Published 12 months ago by G. E. La Haye
Not the Douglas Kennedy I know and love
If this had been my introduction to the work of Douglas Kennedy, then I am afraid I would never have picked up another of his books. The story line lacks credibility. Read more
Published 15 months ago by J. R. Saunders
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I plump for DK when I want a bit of escapism - on a long journey or when my mind is too tired to want anything more than 'comfort food' and in this respect, this novel gave me... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Alison McVey
Leaving the World by Douglas Kennedy
This was one of the best books I have read and I could hardly put it down, sometimes reading till the early hours of the morning. Read more
Published 17 months ago by William J. Stewart
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I must disagree with the reviewers who are disappointed with this book. I look out for every new Kennedy book and agree that some are better than others; but I found this to be one... Read more
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