Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it, 7 Jun 2007
This was my second Dorothy Koomson novel. Whilst I didn't really enjoy My Best Friends Girl, I was very pleasantly surprised with this story.
Every single one of the characters in the book is so well written. Although some of them have serious flaws and problems, Koomson skilfully manages to avoid imposing stereotypical labels onto them. Therefore you read about them as people with problems, rather than some kind of pantomime villains.
Throughout the story Kendra remains a bit of an enigma and your made aware right away that there's something bad locked away deep in her past. However she also displays a warmth and vulnerability that makes you want to befriend her, and when the truth about what happened to her is revealed it's written so simply, and without even a touch of over dramatising that the impact of Koomson's words become even more powerful. During those parts I had to keep reminding myself that what I was reading wasn't real.
The twins, Summer and Jaxon are great, and are written with the natural curiosity, affection, humour and tantrum throwing skills that most six year olds possess.
It's hard to know what to say about the ending without giving anything away, even the last sentence tied in flawlessly with the style of the story and fitted the characters perfectly. In many ways this book reminded me of Ps: I Love You, it was able to make, me laugh, make me cry and make me feel deeply uncomfortable at times. Even after I'd finished, I still couldn't stop thinking about what I had just read. In my opinion that's the sign of a good book. And this was definitely one of those.
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed it!, 18 Sep 2007
Having loved 'My best Friend's Girl' last year, I couldn't wait to get hold of this one - and found it quite enjoyable. OK it's very light reading - but when you're on holiday, surely you need some of that. I know I do!
The book begins by focussing on Kendra who has returned to the UK after spending 2 years in Australia. She lodges in the 'granny flat' attached to a house belonging to recently separated father, Kyle, and his two young children. Before long, she is disturbed by the children who 'pop in' to visit her on return from their holiday in New York.
Like Kendra in the book, I found the children, Jaxson and Summer, quite endeering (even if their names WERE rather unusual - but they are unusual children in many ways!) - and I enjoyed the way that the main characters all learnt from each other, developing as people and learning to cope with their own problems and difficulties. Each one of them had been damaged by previous relationships - even the children, who had coped with alcoholism amongst other problems, and their combined recovery was well handled, I felt.
Many of the previous reviewers seemed to have been put off by the fact that two of the key characters were children - but children are people too, and as adults we need to appreciate how we can affect them; both in bad ways and also in good, and I felt that Dorothy Koomson dealt with this well. She also shows that good can come out of almost anything if we allow it to do so, rather than allowing the bad things to rule us - which, as she also shows in the book, is all too easy to do; and this is a theme that was strongly reflected in her other book, 'My Best friend's Girl, as well.
Although not quite as good as 'My Best Friend's Girl,' nonetheless I believe it to be a book that is well worth a try.
Relax and Enjoy!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
beautiful read, 10 Jul 2007
Not having read any of Dorothy Koomson's books before, I didn't have any expectations about Marshmallows... What I found was a beautifully-written, poignant page turner, both funny and heartbreaking by turns. Couched in the story of a family trying to keep themselves together in the aftermath of one of the parents leaving is an incredibly brave, honest and touching account of one woman's battle to overcome a horrific event in her past. There are elements of mystery and comedy entwined in the story too, giving it extra layers and dimensions beyond your average chick lit experience. I can't wait to read more
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