The Gatecrasher

Written by none other than my favourite author, Sophie Kinsella, The Gatecrasher is a light, involving tale of ‘the gatecrasher’ and the people she involves herself with. Written in Sophie Kinsella’s usual style, I found this book to be a can’t-put-down. The magic of SK’s books are such that even as the plot thickens slowly, the description of characters, surroundings and situations is so delightful that the reader has no time to get bored.

Beautiful, ageless Fleur is the gatecrasher. No one knows her age or where she comes from; whether she is a divorcee or widow. All they know is that you succumb to her charm without knowing it. Fleur’s profession? Gate crashing into funerals / memorial services and charming rich, heartbroken, lonely, grieving fresh widowers, winning their trust and enjoying life with their money before taking off to the next nest. Not for Fleur, but Richard Favour and his family’s life changes when Fleur enters their life with the impious intentions not known to them. Richard, mourning over a wife he barely ‘knew’, is a rich and a good human. Disposition, past, secrets, intentions and dreams of each character are revealed as the story moves ahead, not only surprising the reader, but also sucking him into the Favour family’s life. While the Favour family is savouring the changes happening within and around them, Fleur is getting more desperate to extort money or move out to a better option.

Villains are thrown out. Old painful shackles are broken. Walls are brought down. People are changed – all by Fleur’s magic. Secrets are revealed, including Fleur’s. Does she do to Richard what she did to the haughty, rough, Greek Saki? Does Richard discover her dark past and cruel intentions? Does Fleur change? What are her secrets?

The brilliance of Sophie Kinsella’s writing lies in the simplicity. Simple words woven beautifully into melodious sentences. Her simple stories involve the reader without coming across as casual, half hearted or boring. SK has the ability to etch humour into sentences with great ease (like the Shopaholic series) and does equally good at sentimental, touchy stuff (like, Remember Me?).

I was disappointed that I had finished all of Sophie Kinsella’s novels. I am glad I caught hold of The Gatecrasher. Madeline Wickham is equally charming!

I would give this book a generous rating of 3 / 5.

Matilda is missing

…by Caroline Overington.

Barry Harrison has been left with a box of files and tapes by his friend Frank Brooks. Frank was a judge in the Family Court who passed away from terminal cancer. And he manages to tell Barry that he stuffed up and hopes Barry can help him make things right. Problem is Barry doesn’t know what Frank wants from him. All he has are court documents and transcripts of a couple who went through the Family Law Court and their counselling session tapes. Amidst all this, he is also dealing with his own son’s divorce and his wife’s reaction over-reaction to not being able to have access to her grandchildren. Barry then listens to the tapes at hand. They are of Softie Monaghan and Garry Hartshorn. The couple fighting for the custody of their daughter Matilda. The couple had nothing in common when they got together. Softie was a sophisticated career-woman while Garry was in his own words, a bogan, with several jobs under his belt. It appears that the only thing that made Softie continue with the relationship was that his adoptive mother Jean and her second husband Rick Hartshorn, a well-known car dealer were sophisticated enough leading her to believe she could change Garry. Plus there was her ticking body clock at the age of thirty-nine. While both parents believe they have Matilda’s best interest at heart and are hence entitled to her custody, it is little Matilda who gets lost in the process.

This is now the third book I’ve read by the author Caroline Overington and she reminds me a bit of an Aussie Jodi Picoult in that she deals with issues that are probably on everyone’s minds but which no one likes to talk about. Add to that a bit of mystery to keep the reader intrigued. In this book, Overington tackles the issue of Family Courts and how ridiculous the laws have become where in the end, the child loses. While the child may not lose their parents, being dragged through the process is hard on some kids. She also appears to make comments on how women give so much importance to the whole ticking of their body clocks that they are willing to have a child with just about anyone. Without thinking about the consequences. Add to that the idea that you can change your partner and just how wrong that can be! Neither Garry nor Softie are particularly likeable but I think that was the point…so as a reader, you really wouldn’t side with one over the other. All in all, it has been yet another book I thoroughly enjoyed. I am definitely going to be looking forward to her books in the future.

My rating would be a 5.

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

Note: This has been cross-posted on my personal blog

Ghost Child

…by Caroline Overington.

When 5 year old Jacob Cashman is found unconscious by police and paramedics in a housing commission estate in Melbourne, his single mother and her partner are the suspects. The police don’t believe the mother’s story that a stranger bashed her son when he and his younger brother Harley went to buy her cigarettes. While she and her partner are eventually convicted, rumours still swirl in the neighbourhood about Lauren Cashman, the 6 year old sister, possibly being responsible for Jake’s death. The story narrated by Lauren, Harley, Hayley (another sister, just 18 months at Jake’s death) and other individuals who become part of their lives and the investigation explore the past and the present. The three surviving children are sent to different foster homes through the Department of Community Services and each has their own struggle. Currently, 27 year old Lauren is being hounded by the media in Sydney. Why? What is it that they have found? And did she really have a part to play in the death of her brother?

This is Overington’s debut novel and looks at the child welfare system in the country. The manner in which cases are dealt with in order to tick boxes is very interesting to read, especially for someone who has had their gripes about the same system. Moreover, she looks at issues such as class and the paths we choose. I guess in some way she shows that not everyone who goes through the foster care system ends up being a junkie or a no-good. All of this mixed with some mystery makes an interesting read and one that you could possibly finish in one sitting.

I give it a rating of 4.

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

Note: This has been cross-posted on my personal blog.