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This Charming Man is about Paddy De Courcy, and the women whose lives he tried to wreck. The book begins with an announcement that he is to be married. This causes shock and amazement from his girlfriend, Lola, as it isn’t her that he is intending to wed. Lola is a young woman, who ... Read review
Lola has just found out that her boyfriend - charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy - is ... more
getting married. To someone else. Heartbroken Lola flees the city for a cottage by the sea. But will Lola's retreat prove as idyllic as she hopes? Journalist Grac...
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Advantages: Excellent exploration of different relationships Disadvantages: None, but was daunting to start reading such a long book.
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This Charming Man is about Paddy De Courcy, and the women whose lives he tried to wreck. The book begins with an announcement that he is to be married. This causes shock and amazement from his girlfriend, Lola, as it isn’t her that he is intending to wed. Lola is a young woman, who admits to being somewhat shallow, but who has her own business as a stylist to the rich. She has an eye for clothes and designers, and can’t understand ... ...to a gay man, so this is her second chance at happiness and she is determined to take it.
Marian Keyes has written this book in large sections. Each section is seen through the eyes of one of the characters above, apart from Marnie (third person). We dip through each of their stories, and only after half the book has been read do we start to find they are beginning to interweave.
To Charm, according to the dictionary, means: - to act upon, with or as with a compelling or magical force; to charm a bird from a tree. - To endow with or protect by supernatural powers; - To gain or influence through personal charm: he charmed a raise of of his boss.
Paddy De Courcy was a charmer; he aimed to please. A fifty-something politician, with an eye for the ladies, and knowing that he could have any woman he wanted as he had a certain charisma. He wasn’t attractive, and was rather a bulky man, but nevertheless, once his sight was set on something or someone, he would single-mindedly aim to attain it.
This Charming Man is about Paddy De Courcy, and the women whose lives he tried to wreck. The book begins with an announcement that he is to be married. This causes shock and amazement from his girlfriend, Lola, as it isn’t her that he is intending to wed. Lola is a young woman, who admits to being somewhat shallow, but who has her own business as a stylist to the rich. She has an eye for clothes and designers, and can’t understand anyone who doesn’t make the best of themselves. She would have preferred to have been a top designer, but unfortunately she was not good enough, so contents herself with accepting that her ‘eye’ for fashion is where her skills lie.
Lola's mum died when she was a child, and she misses her. Her father has moved from Dublin (where the story is set) to Birmingham, and she has little contact with him, in or out of his presence. She has always felt her mother's presence, and will always ask her for advice, and one way or another, the answer will be given. It is during a time while talking to her mother’s grave that she notices a middle aged man at his own mother’s graveside. The man is Paddy, and he encourages her to meet him, although he really isn’t her type, and then begins a torrid affair.
Paddy has a long history of ‘passionate’ liasons. Marnie, now married and with children, has never got over her teenage love affair with Paddy. He was the man she was supposed to have spent the rest of her life with, but their love was ‘too strong’ and they were in self destruct mode for most of their time together. She was let down badly, and was never able to fully give herself to another man after that, not even her husband. The only one who didn’t condemn her was the Vodka bottle.
Grace Gildee, a young journalist, knows Paddy de Courcy. She has been following his political career and at one time was writing his biography. They come from the same town, and worked together when young. She has no time for him, but recognises that he has qualities that no woman could resist, but that they hold a darkness.
Then there is Alicia. Alicia is a fairly unattractive woman, but she is ‘the one’ The one that Paddy has asked to marry him, and she is jumping at the chance. She has already had a disastrous marriage to a gay man, so this is her second chance at happiness and she is determined to take it.
Marian Keyes has written this book in large sections. Each section is seen through the eyes of one of the characters above, apart from Marnie (third person). We dip through each of their stories, and only after half the book has been read do we start to find they are beginning to interweave.
Marian deals with difficult subject matters, but she does them respectfully and carefully. Extra marital affairs; domestic violence; cross dressing; alcoholism; benefit fraud; cancer – and general skulduggery! Over all, too, has been Irish politics and what a politician will do to gain power. Marian has done her research, on all the above, and it shows in this book.
The characters in this book are very well explored, and they are all so different. Marian has given each heroine a different part to play, and they all come with a believable background. Paddy recognises a common thread of low self esteem, even if it isn’t that obvious on the surface, he can spot it and uses this to wield his power.
I was bought this for mother’s day (in common with most Mother's Days as regular readers to my reviews will recognise) and I was initially daunted by the length. 885 pages long. I thought it would be like reading War and Peace, and to be honest, I was referring to it as that. However, and is often the case, after a rather slow start where I was having difficulty remembering all the characters, and also, frustrated by the change of styles between the characters, I soon got well into it, and it was an absolute page turner of a book.
The list above may make a prospective reader feel that the subject matter is too dark and gloomy, but Marian has an uncanny way of bringing such humour into her books, that it is not gloomy, well, only a little bit. There are so many other story lines interwoven, that it is a fun read, and did find me chuckling whilst reading it.
For such a long book, this is a rather short review. The reason is that I really don’t want to give too much away, and by telling any more most definitely would!
I am not sure that many men would enjoy this read, despite the fact that is isn’t an attack on men at all. But, from experience, these books tend to be mostly enjoyed amongst woman.Marian Keyes lives in Dublin. She is a journalist and author. Her website is www.mariankeyes.com for further information.
So…. Now out in paperback from most good bookstores.
Advantages: Very easy to read, excellent story, wonderfully written Disadvantages: A bit slow to start
...journal like form. I found this was quite difficult to read at first as some of the sentences are written in a quite abbreviated form. I appreciate correct grammar so this annoyed me a little bit at first, even though it did make sense. After reading a couple of pages though I quickly got into it, but it took a couple of pages every time I picked the booked back up. I do think that this is an interesting writing technique and possibly a clever way ... ...Opinion ~
I thought this book was absolutely fantastic. It started off quite slow but I’m really glad that I stuck with it as it soon picks up pace and doesn’t lose it for the rest of the book. As the story began, it was like reading four separate stories with some of the same characters in each one. As the book progressed the reader begins to see the relevance in all the different characters and how their lives are connected. The main connection ...
bluejules 05.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Charming Man - Marian Keyes
Advantages: Modern-day theme and issues, some funny bits Disadvantages: Heavy-going read, lots of characters
This Charming Man is the latest release from Marian Keyes. Her other works include Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, Watermelon, Rachel's Holiday, Sushi for Beginners, Angels and Is Anybody Out There, to name a few. Marian Keyes' style is that of a chick-lit novel that deals with some quite hefty issues, but usually have an 'against-the-odds' love story thrown in for good measure. In previous books we have seen elements of alcholism, drug abuse, ... ...main characters. This book differs from the others in that it is written in the first person, but by four different characters. They are Lola, Grace, Marnie and Alicia. They all know, or have known the Charming Man of the title, Paddy de Courcy, who is a well known politician in an Irish political party. He has a very smooth and deceptive public face and uses his looks (and yes, charm) to make his way through life. The book gradually reveals the ...
Vixterbelle 06.05.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Charming Man - Marian Keyes
Advantages: Easy to read. Disadvantages: Lola's diary takes a while to get used to.
...of the others. I think this is initial what puts people off the book. But I found Lola's parts the best, once I was used to writing set-out, I found her funny and looked forward to her parts.
===Grace===: A journalist who wants the who story on Paddy, but was closer than people think to him. She's in a long term relationship with Damien and thinks take a turn for the worst. With her sister an Alcohol and her Aunt going though cancer, life couldn't ... ...with it, her knowledge of politics, journalism, fashion and domestic violence really does well for this book.
It's quite cheap on Amazon, but you can get a copy from the library or friend.
A great read, recommended. Publisher: Penguin
First Published 2008
Pages:886
ISBN: 978-0-141-02675-6 ...
supermumtochloe 29.10.2009 (10.11.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Charming Man - Marian Keyes
Advantages: From each character's perspective, funny and honest Disadvantages: Didn't find Paddy at all charming, not much from Alicia
...a dark secret all surrounding this charming man. ~ My opinion ~ The book is split up into chapters which alternate through the different girls. Each is written in a different style and a different font for each character which makes it much more interesting. Lola's story is written in the form of a diary; Grace's is written in the first person; whilst Marnie's and Alicia's were in the third person. The description on the back of the book makes out ... ...why the book is titled This Charming Man because I didn't find Paddy de Courcy to be charming in the slightest. Yes he was good looking and successful but I never found him to be charming. I was expecting him to be charm-personified which was the reason he had both men and women falling at his feet, but I never saw the slightest bit of charm from him. I actually thought he was more of a perv and very mean and I don't have a clue why all these women ...
frankiefromings13 30.10.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Charming Man - Marian Keyes
Advantages: focuses on some big issues Disadvantages: diary entrys mean stilted read, poor charactors , deep book not funny or light as suggested
...3 women are surprised by this one being his girlfriend! The story is told by the 3 women and you can see how they are linked together throughout the story. It deals with the tough issue of alcohol quite well which is one thing I will say for it. it is a depressing book, The charactors are poor. There is Lola the ex girlfriend who has been dumped and moved away to get over him, her story is told by diary extracts, it is stilted and the writing dosnt ... ...funny through Lola because the writing is so poor the jokes dont shine through. The drunk ex girlfirend who loses her family due to drink and her sister Grace who was my favorite as she was trying to fight for everyone but in the end even she kind of gives up! Throughout the book i really wanted there to be a heroin somone to connect with but you just end up either feeling sorry for everyone or that they are made out to look weak and useless and ...
xClairebarnesx 20.07.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of This Charming Man - Marian Keyes
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Reviews which might be of interest for "This Charming Man - Marian Keyes"
Advantages: An interesting story, told with empathy. Some very well-developed characters, and hilarious in par Disadvantages: A long book, some disturbing images and themes.
ThisCharmingMan is the latest offering from MarianKeyes (released a few months ago now, in 2008). I have always loved Marian's books for the unique way they deal with real issues - sometimes dark and distressing, but always peppered with humour - and ThisCharmingMan is no different. You would think that a book covering domestic abuse and alcoholism might be a depressing read, but thanks to Marian's talent it really isn't. Yes, it might make you cry - but it will also make you laugh until your sides hurt, and give you a real sense that justice has been done at the end. I don't know about anyone else, but when I settle down to read a good novel that is exactly the list of ingredients I look for; ThisCharmingMan ticks all the boxes.
The storyline kicks off with the news of the engagement of charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy ...
Advantages: Great characters Disadvantages: Irritating diary style
My most recent book reviews were on genocide in Rwanda and the moral degeneration of the ex-pat community in Cambodia. So if I told you that I've just read a 676-page novel about Irish politics, corruption, domestic violence and alcoholism you could be forgiven for thinking that it sounds like this will be another depressing review. You wouldn't immediately think 'Aha, that sounds like just the perfect thing to read on the sun-bed on my summer holidays'. And I might agree - but only because it's just out in hard-back and probably weighs more than two pairs of shoes. However, 'ThisCharmingMan' is a great, fun read and is the ideal book to hook you in and make you incapable of doing anything other than rushing home, microwaving the cat, stroking the ready meal and neglecting your ironing until you've finished it. MarianKeyes' most ...
Advantages: GREAT READ FROM A GREAT AUTHOR Disadvantages: NON THAT I CAN SEE
As with all MarianKeyes books I found it a compelling read. It's
portrayal of domestic violence is excellant. As is the portrayal of alcaholism in one of the characters.There are some twists in
the plot that keep you reading.
The author writes this in sections about each character. She gives each one a past, a present and a future. This is, in my opinian, is a great way of keeping the interest going.
The story tackles, not only life in a violant relationship, but the aftermath of such and how different that can be for everyone.
I felt that the characters in the book were very realistic as were their circumstances. MarianKeyes is the kind of writer who really makes you feel that you know each person and they become very real.
Though I didn't think it was as funny as her other books it did make me laugh out loud a few ...
Product Information for "This Charming Man - Marian Keyes" »
Product details
EAN
9780141026756
Type
Fiction
Genre
Modern Fiction
Title
This Charming Man
Author
Marian Keyes
Release Date
03-06-13
ISBN
141026758
Manufacturer's product description
Lola has just found out that her boyfriend - charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy - is getting married. To someone else. Heartbroken, Lola flees the city for a cottage by the sea. But will Lola's retreat prove as idyllic as she hopes? Journalist Grace wants the inside story on Paddy de Courcy's engagement and thinks Lola holds the key to it. Grace knew Paddy a long time ago. But why can't she forget him? Grace's sister, Marnie, might have the answer but she also has issues with the past. Her loving loving husband and beautiful daughters are wonderful, but they can't take away memories of her first love: a certain Paddy de Courcy. What will it take for Marnie to be able to move on? Alicia Thornton is Paddy's wife-to-be. Determined to be the perfect wife, Alicia would do anything for her fiancé. But does she know the real Paddy? Four very different women. One awfully charming man. And the dark secret that binds them all... About the AuthorMarian Keyes' international bestselling novels include Rachel's Holiday, Last Chance Saloon, Sushi for Beginners, Angels, The Other Side of the Story and Anybody Out There, a number one bestseller. Two collections of her journalism, Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet, are also available from Penguin. Marian lives in Dublin with her husband.
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