That Certain Age: Amazon.co.uk: Elizabeth Buchan: 9780141018065: Books

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Product Description

Daily Mail

"Deliciously told... I loved every page" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Sunday Times

"Despite surface differences Buchan skilfully suggests the struggle to hold onto their identities that makes Barbara and Siena sisters" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Inside This Book (Learn More)
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First Sentence
I have so many laments filed away. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

3.3 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enchanting read..., 9 Aug 2004

By

Nicola Boyd (London United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That Certain Age (Paperback)

'That Certain Age' is another wonderful novel from Elizabeth Buchan. As with her previous books, what really stand out are the beautifully sculpted characters which, over the course of the book, draw you in and entwine you in their lives. They evoke empathy, yet not necessarily sympathy, a balance difficult to achieve.

The novel centres on 2 juxtaposed female characters living 60 years apart, Sienna, in the present day, and Barbara, in the 1940's. The two are mirrored in terms of the emotional stage they are at in life, facing similar challenges and both struggling with the dilemma of the changing feelings of 'love' within marriage. One is particularly struck by the start contrast in the expectations impinged on the 2 women by society, and how this affects lives.

Momentum is maintained throughout the book - the pace and flow really grips the reader - ensuring you don't want to put it down! The book left me thinking and challenging the balance of my own life, questioning what makes us happy versus what we think makes us happy. Furthermore, I was left querying the merits of 21st century syndrome - always striving for the next thing to achieve, the next level, to be the best, to be perfect. The constant need to justify oneself.... is it justification to ourselves, those around us - friends, family, society...?

Buy it! It comes highly recommended.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not that good, 19 Jun 2007

By

Books for me (Cambridgeshire, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That Certain Age (Paperback)

I have enjoyed Elizabeth Buchan's other books but found this one a real disappointment. You were left with the impression at the end that the author had had 2 ideas for books but could not flesh either out into a full novel so decided to combine the 2, and that not very successfully.

The story lines are cliched - older woman (Barbara) attracted to younger man, set in the 50's; plus, set in the current day, should successful career woman (Siena) have baby?(definitely not, Siena, if you have to agonise about it for so long); and the link between the two women levered in at the end was so contrived I almost could not believe what I was reading.

The worst thing was that I feel the book could have been so much better if the sub-plots had been developed more, I wanted to know what happened to Amy (Barbara's daughter), to Sophie (does she get the job she interviewed for?), what finally happens to Jackie (the client Charlie is defending, don't want to give too much away), all these characters seem to be abandoned when their stories could be so much more. Not recommended.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Unusually Disappointing, 19 Nov 2009

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CGB, London - See all my reviews

This review is from: That Certain Age (Paperback)

I have read and enjoyed most of Elizabeth Buchan's books but I just could not get into this one. Even at the end of the book I couldn't really see how the two stories were linked. Aside from that, I found the tone throughout mostly dull and flat.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The perennnial problems of being female
The book follows the story of two women - Barbara and Sienna - both at a turning point in their lives. Read more

Published 15 months ago by Damaskcat

2.0 out of 5 stars At best a very light read
At worse superficial and rather a waste of time.
If you are looking for a magazine-type read which is not particularly challenging then this could be it. Read more

Published on 3 Feb 2009 by RH

5.0 out of 5 stars Synopsis from back cover
Barbara and Siena, two women living fifty years apart, Both constrained by choice; one has too little and one has too much. Read more