'Myself and Hugh . . . We're taking a break.'
'A city-with-fancy-food sort of break?'
'A city-with-fancy-food sort of break?'
If only. Amy's husband Hugh says he isn't leaving her. He still loves her, he's just taking a break - from their marriage, their children and, most of all, from their life together. Six months to lose himself in south-east Asia. And there is nothing Amy can say or do about it. Yes, it's a mid-life crisis, but let's be clear: a break isn't a break up - yet . . . However, for Amy it's enough to send her - along with her extended family of gossips, misfits and troublemakers - teetering over the edge. For a lot can happen in six-months. When Hugh returns if he returns, will he be the same man she married? And will Amy be the same woman? Because if Hugh is on a break from their marriage, then isn't she?
The Break isn't a story about falling in love but about staying in love. It is Marian Keyes at her funniest, wisest and brilliant best.
Review: Well this book had me in hysterics right from the word go and yet it deals with such a serious topic. I think I had forgotten just how witty Marian Keyes can be, even when dealing with the issue of a marriage coming to an end or not! The way she phrases things, the way her characters react to things, is just so funny and will definitely have you laughing out loud.
Now the issue of a marriage staying together or not. This really does sound like the kind of issue that would make for heavy reading, and yes the things that Amy goes through over the course of this book are very very real and I really loved that fact that every reaction and her life in every situation whilst she is on her break from Hugh is covered. And yet Amy is just the type of person that deals with things and deals with things in her own way. I think if this issue had been dealt with by another author, this book would have been much darker and much more 'issues' based. But i loved that fact that Amy was the vehicle for this story, she gets on with her life and deals with her grief in her own way. The book shows Amy at various points before and during her break and we get to count up the days it has been since the announcement. I think that was a great way of structuring it.
As I mentioned above, Amy is a great character to go on this journey with. She is strong, independent and she has great values, family values and work ethic. Her family are also great to get to know. Marian Keyes always writes great Irish families with slightly bonkers members and they make for great reading. I loved meeting Amy's daughters in this book. They are each so different and unique and I really think they add another layer of depth to the storyline. Hugh also plays a big role in this book even though he isn't always physically present and I think that his growth over the course of the book, has a big hand in Amy's growth and the growth of the girls too.
My one complaint with this book is that it is a little on the long side. It did take me a while to get through and I kind of regret saving it for a plane journey because I didn't manage to finish it on that journey. I think the length also made me forget some of Amy's friends and family a little too as the book progressed so I was having to try and dredge up relationships as they came and went in the story. Other than that though, this book was an absolute hoot. It deals with the issue of keeping a marriage working, or not working as the case may be. It deals with the issue of what family means to you and it also deals with the issue of self identity. Never does it shove any of these things down your throat though and it is a thoroughly entertaining read. I didn't realise how much I missed Marian Keyes's writing until I picked this book up and fell in love with it all over again!
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