- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson; Export/Airport/Ireland ed edition (10 Feb 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0297848402
- ISBN-13: 978-0297848400
- Product Dimensions: 21 x 13.4 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,546,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Praise for Joan Barfoot's previous novel,
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Amanda Craig, Independent on Sunday
'Like the cult television series Desperate Housewives, Luck is a sustained, sardonic satire on mortality…Barfoot is both harrowing and hilarious.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
I haven't read anything by this author before, but having read some of the blurb, had high hopes. Indeed, the beginning was promising - three women in the aftermath of the death of the man in whose household they live. But somehow it didn't really work for me. The novel has a very short time span - just three days - and this in itself is hard to pull off. Ian McEwan's Saturday was a superb example, but I don't think many people can do as well as he did, and I felt as though this novel was being padded out in order to make it fill in the limited time span. Hence, the story drags, and I found my attention wandering. Also, I didn't feel particularly involved with any of the characters, so I didn't really mind what happened to them. However, the novel is well-written, hence the three stars (although two and a half might have been nearer the mark).
Format:Paperback
My reading group was divided over this book. Some found it a good read, and thought provoking. Personally, I found it had some good bits and some nice black humour but the characters didn't grip and the promising premise didn't really deliver. But quite diverting - could be a holiday read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
Dark and Memorable
14 Jan 2007
Format:Paperback
I really loved this book. Barfoot's prose really captivated me from the first sentence. I found her rhythm and cleverness continually engaging. I also liked how she treated each of the three women individually as characters, so that I got to fully experience each.
If the first sentence draws you in as much as it did me, I hope you read this satisfying novel.
If the first sentence draws you in as much as it did me, I hope you read this satisfying novel.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
I really wanted to like this book
13 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback
I wanted to like this book, but I didn't. It was just too tedious. There was far too much attention to the colour of someone's skin and not enough attention to establishing a depth of character in the 3 women and 1 man that make up the main characters in the book. The women seemed shallow and the plot was flat and unexciting. Right from the start, the book seems poised to distance the reader from the character of Philip which is unusual. The distance and borderline dislike I felt for Philip was problematic because since I didn't relate to him or care for his character all that much, I also didn't understand why any woman would want to share a life with him and I lacked sympathy towarads his grieving wife. The 2 females that were employed by Philip and his wife were portrayed as simple cardboard cut-outs of people and also lacked emotional depth. The observations all 3 women made always seemed selfish or petty.
The ending seemed wrong too, although I won't go into detail about that because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who still wants to read this book.
Maybe the next one she writes will be more enjoyable. The potential is there in the writing, so I'll check in later and see what Joan Barfoot comes out with next.
The ending seemed wrong too, although I won't go into detail about that because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who still wants to read this book.
Maybe the next one she writes will be more enjoyable. The potential is there in the writing, so I'll check in later and see what Joan Barfoot comes out with next.
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