Now that her third and last child has left the nest, Edie Boyd's life turns suddenly and uncomfortably silent. She begins to yearn for the maternal...
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Sep 03, 2010
Xanthe
rated it: 
None of the reviewers I read mentioned The Ghosts by Ibsen. Since the play and her success as an actor liberates Edie - it's worth reading either a synopsis or all of the play - as it adds to the fabric of the story.
It's Ibsen, so it's all sturm and drang and dark, dark, dark.
Joanna's novel is not dark and it is contemporary in its family's strands and reweaving.
But there's a reason why Trollope uses an Ibsen play - in such contrast to what is really a rathe More...
It's Ibsen, so it's all sturm and drang and dark, dark, dark.
Joanna's novel is not dark and it is contemporary in its family's strands and reweaving.
But there's a reason why Trollope uses an Ibsen play - in such contrast to what is really a rathe More...
Sep 29, 2011
Bettie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Mar 13, 2011
Shane
rated it: 
I picked up this novel because of its very relevant theme (to me) of young people of today moving back to live with their empty nester parents—30% of those between 24-35 years of age, is mentioned within the pages of the book. To my generation who “went west” as young people and never returned to the family nest but created our own nests instead, this is a social tragedy that is often overlooked because one does not know where the cause lies: globalization and the lowering of entry level wages,
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Dec 27, 2010
Kirsty
rated it:
Joanna Trollope's one of those authors I enjoy whilst finding their books a bit much sometimes. In her case it's usually because I find the characters a bit too posh to be feel real to me. But I usually end up enjoying things. I liked this more than I remembered enjoying the last couple of her books.
Here we have a couple who have just waved their youngest child off and have the empty nest to deal with. Edie, mother of the family wants the children back, whilst, Russell, father of the family,
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Aug 20, 2010
Shelagh
rated it: 
Yet another Joanna Trollope book I have enjoyed immensely this summer. She's so right on the nail when dealing with a family now making that transition from a full house to the empty nest. Or so they suppose. But what happens if these grown children run into some of life's very typical problems with relationships, career, unemployment, and so on? They want to come back home of course. Just for a while, just to get over the hump, etc. But changes have already happened in what was once indispu
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Jun 13, 2009
Barbara
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 26, 2009
Laura
rated it:
This was an enjoyable and thought provoking read.
This book is about a woman whose youngest child has finally left home. Edie has defined herself as a mother for so long that she has no desire to be anything else. Her husband has his vision of how life will be now, and is eager for her to conform to his view.
Edie half-heartedly auditions for a role in a production of an Ibsen play, and (to her great surprise) gets the part. Just as she is rediscovering the actress in he More...
This book is about a woman whose youngest child has finally left home. Edie has defined herself as a mother for so long that she has no desire to be anything else. Her husband has his vision of how life will be now, and is eager for her to conform to his view.
Edie half-heartedly auditions for a role in a production of an Ibsen play, and (to her great surprise) gets the part. Just as she is rediscovering the actress in he More...
Dec 13, 2007
Beth
rated it: 
I think this is supposed to be a domestic comedy. Edie, mother of three and wife of Russell, has managed throughout the years of her children's growing up not only to be an exemplary mum (never uptight about laundry on the floor) but also to continue her acting career (not very believable but then this is fiction). Now her last child has left and she is devastated since her REAL purpose in life gone. With a lot of moaning and chest-beating, Edie finally drags herself to an audition and is imm
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Jul 11, 2007
Carol
rated it:
Another great Joanna Trollope novel, filled with a great sense of place (Greater London), memorable characters and a relevant story. This novel tackles midlife crisis-hood through a middle class British family. Mom and Dad, married 25-plus years have been thrust into empty nest syndrome after the baby of the family leaves home. While the husband is anxious to explore their new life as a couple, the Mom misses her full house, although she is able to branch out and revive her acting career, which
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Apr 15, 2007
Phyl
rated it:
I think one can safely say that nothing much ever "happens" in Joanna Trollope's novels about modern-day people. (I haven't read any of her historical novels.) And yet, I absolutely love them, and gobble up a new one enthusiastically whenever I find it.
This book is no different. It deals with the issues around the "empty nest," when a couple's third and last child finally leaves home. There are all sorts of threads dealing with motherhood and fatherhood, and what More...
This book is no different. It deals with the issues around the "empty nest," when a couple's third and last child finally leaves home. There are all sorts of threads dealing with motherhood and fatherhood, and what More...
Apr 15, 2007
marg
rated it:
I think that part of what makes Trollope so popular is actually something I find quite irritating, which is her syntax, but despite this, I found the book sort of charming and surprisingly thought provoking. It's initially really annoying, in that a mother has watched her last son leave the house and she totally falls apart (obviously I'm like, get a grip woman, enjoy your freedom and appreciate the fact that your kids are independent) but it raises some interesting issues:
1 - What do you More...
1 - What do you More...
Jan 04, 2010
Jane
rated it:
I like all of Joanna Trollope's books, but this one wasn't quite up to the standard of Brothers and Sisters. The main character, mom of three young adults, isn't ready for her kids to not be dependent on her, but her husband wants them gone so the two of them can have some time together. Meanwhile, as her career as an actress takes off, her kids all move home. Chaos and confusion, then a denouement. . .. I'm waiting for Trollope's next one, out this spring.
Sep 29, 2007
Lynecia
rated it:
I liked Joanna Trollope's book about a British family dealing with the "empty-nestedness" that comes when the last of the children move out on their own.
Edie, mother of 3, practically falls to pieces, when Ben, her youngest child, packs up and moves in with his girlfriend, Naomi. Her poor husband Russell isn't pleased at his wife's unwilligness to let go; he's thrilled they have the house to themselves again and is looking forward to "just being married" again. More...
Edie, mother of 3, practically falls to pieces, when Ben, her youngest child, packs up and moves in with his girlfriend, Naomi. Her poor husband Russell isn't pleased at his wife's unwilligness to let go; he's thrilled they have the house to themselves again and is looking forward to "just being married" again. More...
Mar 29, 2009
Karschtl
rated it:
The story started a bit slow. I wasn't really motivated to read on after the first 20-30 pages. But I did nevertheless, and the book turned out to be ok but no real superstar.
On the one hand I can understand the husband wanting to have a 'marriage' again and no kids around. On the other hand I couldn't imagine this happening in my own family - my parents turning their back on me or my brother if we would need to live back home temporarily.
On the one hand I can understand the husband wanting to have a 'marriage' again and no kids around. On the other hand I couldn't imagine this happening in my own family - my parents turning their back on me or my brother if we would need to live back home temporarily.
Apr 15, 2009
Jane
rated it:
When Edie and Russell's third and youngest child leaves home, Russell hopes they will return to the halcyon days of their early marriage, but things don't go according to plan. Joanna Trollope writes elegantly about ordinary people's lives and trials, not a lot happens and yet the story carries you along to a satisfying end.
Edie: "You can't let go of being a parent. Not ever. It's the one relationship you're stuck with, besides yourself."
Edie: "You can't let go of being a parent. Not ever. It's the one relationship you're stuck with, besides yourself."
Oct 11, 2007
Cecilia
rated it:
Never having read Trollope before, I wasn’t sure what to think…the paragraph on the front cover flap provided me with almost no information. Almost immediately though, I was hooked. I can’t say this is the best book I’ve read ever but it is a strong, well-written read with good characters and reasonable, believable situations. Set in London, this is basically the story of a family going a few rough patches. The book starts off with the last child leaving the “nest,” and towards the end of the st
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Dec 29, 2008
Bea
rated it:
I always enjoy the family dynamics in Trollope's books. This one involves a family with 3 grown children and how they all need to learn to cope with each other as their lives fall apart. I did find the mother a bit selfish/whiny. I enjoyed the character of the girlfriend of the older son, she always felt so guilty for her successes and having a boyfriend "not as successful" as her.
Feb 01, 2009
Anna
rated it:
Joanna Trollope is one of my favourite authors & this felt more current than her older aga sagas. I engaged with all the characters, though less so with Russell, Edie's husband. It tells the story of Edie & how she feels after her youngest child leaves home. Very poignant.
Read in bed, while recovering from 'flu.
Read in bed, while recovering from 'flu.
Jan 02, 2010
Melanie
rated it:
Much better read than I thought it would be. The last I read of hers was a bit 'girly'. I liked this North London family much better than I liked the family in Anne Tyler's 'Back When We Were Grownups' which I had just read and which explored similar themes (middle aged women whose families are grown).
Aug 10, 2011
Jan
rated it:
I enjoyed it. I certainly related to the feeling of adult children leaving home. It did seem to end too soon. Things were wrapped up to a certain extent but there could have been more. As always I feel I know the characters as Joanna Trollope has a gift for making her people real.
Jul 28, 2011
I really didn't like any of the characters in this book, with the exception of the husband/father. It's about empty nesters who deal with the loss in different ways and their kids who don't have stable relationships either. Kind of a sad commentary on the way people live.
Oct 24, 2010
Mary
rated it:
This read seemed endless. Hopefully, I never get so down about my kids moving on to their own lives as to not know what to do. The mom in this book drove my crazy with her idea of the house being "empty." I only kept reading because I was hoping she'd snap out of it.
Oct 02, 2011
Joy
rated it:
About 85 pages in I have given up on reading this book. I only bought it (for 50 cents at a used book sale) because I was amused by a book written by someone named Trollope. I figure either she had the sense of humor to choose that as a pen name or it was really her name and she didn't have the sense to choose something more sensible to use as a pen name.
Anyhow, I gave up for two reasons. One, after reading 85 pages I found that there was nothing happening in the book that made me want to More...
Anyhow, I gave up for two reasons. One, after reading 85 pages I found that there was nothing happening in the book that made me want to More...
Jul 31, 2010
Clare
rated it:
Haven't read any Joanna Trollope for years - this was given to me to read when I was stuck at home with a bad leg. Not a bad read, as usual Trollope is very insightful of human emotion.
Jul 16, 2010
Debbie
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I can't wait to read more of Joanna Trollope's books. I picked this title because the story line is of the empty nest which I can relate to. Due to that, I really enjoyed the story.
Jul 19, 2011
Sophie
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An unchallenging but enjoyable train read (London to Truro takes 4.5 hours - the perfect length of time for this sort of novel). Lots of generally likeable people dealing with mildly difficult situations.
Jul 20, 2010
Maria
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Did not enjoy this - wanted to shake the mother HARD, kept darting around so you only got so much of each character, and what was the sister for. Not good.
Feb 03, 2011
Jane
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I could relate to this story of the "empty-nesters" and then they move back and move out again and all the emotions and up and downs.
Jul 30, 2011
Rachel
rated it:
It was ok, no more than that. Maybe people who have been in the situation would be more drawn into the theme of the book?
