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The Confession

Jessie Burton

3.98 · Rating details · 9,388 ratings · 1,003 reviews

One winter's afternoon on Hampstead Heath in 1980, Elise Morceau meets Constance Holden and quickly falls under her spell. Connie is bold and alluring, a successful writer whose novel is being turned into a major Hollywood film. Elise follows Connie to LA, a city of strange dreams and swimming pools and late-night gatherings of glamorous people. But whilst Connie thrives o ...more

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Hardcover, 455 pages

Published September 24th 2019 by Picador (first published September 2019)

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Aug 27, 2019 Paromjit rated it really liked it

Shelves: family-drama, mystery, netgalley, contemporary-fiction, women-s-fiction

Jessie Burton's latest offering is an intimate, intelligent exploration of the complexity of women's lives and the depth nature of relationships in a narrative that goes back and forth in time as the lives of the three central protagonists are laid bare. In the 1980s, a young, beautiful and naive Elise Morceau meets the much older Constance Holden on Hampstead Heath. She falls for the confident and charismatic Constance, a writer whose novel is being turned into a big Hollywood movie, and follow Jessie Burton's latest offering is an intimate, intelligent exploration of the complexity of women's lives and the depth nature of relationships in a narrative that goes back and forth in time as the lives of the three central protagonists are laid bare. In the 1980s, a young, beautiful and naive Elise Morceau meets the much older Constance Holden on Hampstead Heath. She falls for the confident and charismatic Constance, a writer whose novel is being turned into a big Hollywood movie, and follows her to Los Angeles. Whilst Constance feels comfortable and at home in the city of illusions, ambitions, glamour and lies, Elise finds herself out of her depth and finds it more problematic. Their relationship becomes increasingly fraught with conflict as it slowly begins to disintegrate. Decades later in 2017, Rose Simmons is in her mid 30s, plagued by doubts and wondering about where her life is at with her long term boyfriend, Joe, and his failing business, although her best friend, Kelly is an invaluable support and anchor.

Rose has always felt a void in her life, her mother abandoned her as a baby, and she feels a abiding need to know more about her, convinced it will make her feel more whole as a human being and contribute to a greater sense of her identity. She finds out from her father that Elise had links with Constance, a woman who had withdrawn from public life at the height of her fame and lived a reclusive existence since then. Rose embarks on a quest to discover more about her elusive mother as she inveigles her way into Constance's life under false pretenses, securing a position as her carer. She goes on to develop a lively and critically important relationship with Constance that is to form the basis of her life changing decisions as she learns to become more of who she is. There are echoes of the past in the present as the ghost of Elise hangs over and haunts Constance and Rose.

This is a beautifully written novel from Burton, the characterisations are wonderfully vibrant in a immersive narrative and there is a great sense of the differing locations of LA and London. The women that inhabit the novel, their lives and relationships are depicted with great skill and expertise, outlining the challenges they face in a manner that feels authentic. This is a fabulously compelling read about love, loss, friendship, being a mother, secrets and a search for identity that had me completely engaged and absorbed. What struck me most about it was that what it had to say about women had a universality about it that I think will make many readers love it. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC. ...more

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Mar 30, 2020 Candi rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary-literary

"I have known happiness – but I feel as if I can taste other people’s happiness much more strongly than I can my own."

I suspect I’ve read Jessie Burton’s books in the wrong order. Although, I guess I’ve read them in the most ordinary way – beginning with her first and ending with her most recent. Unfortunately, I’ve found my interest in these stories waning with each consecutive one. Maybe it’s not fair to do so, but having really admired her debut, The Miniaturist, I walked into the next two wi "I have known happiness – but I feel as if I can taste other people’s happiness much more strongly than I can my own."

I suspect I’ve read Jessie Burton’s books in the wrong order. Although, I guess I’ve read them in the most ordinary way – beginning with her first and ending with her most recent. Unfortunately, I’ve found my interest in these stories waning with each consecutive one. Maybe it’s not fair to do so, but having really admired her debut, The Miniaturist, I walked into the next two with certain expectations. Another issue for me personally is that this last is solidly a contemporary piece compared to the other two; although The Confession, like The Muse which preceded it, makes use of a dual timeline. But the timelines in this novel are still recent enough (early 1980s and 2017) for me to consider this contemporary versus historical fiction. And there lies the problem, because I am perhaps overly critical of contemporary fiction. I look primarily for authentic characters and for something that really speaks to my heart. I can’t always say what exactly that ‘something’ is, but I recognize it when it happens! It makes me want to shout “Yes!” and share with you a gushing sort of a review so that we can share some empathetic connection with one another.

This is a story about three women linked in an extraordinary, intriguing manner. The problem is that I never could quite grab onto anything solid in their personalities, except for perhaps Constance Holden, the writer. Though not a generally likable character, she was the most believable and fascinating of the three. Much of what this story revolves around is one woman’s search for her biological mother. But it is also about relationships – between lovers as well as mothers-daughters, the search for one’s personal identity, and the process of novel-writing. Actually, this process of writing is what piqued my interest the most. Some good questions were asked and points made about what a writer puts of him or herself onto those pages. Where does the creative process come from? How does an author live within the framework of what he or she is writing about?

"I live in different temporal spaces. I live in a fabricated present, and I’m constantly making up a future as well – and reimagining the past."

If my review sounds negative, it’s really more of a reflection of what I had anticipated from this novel. The Miniaturist really sucked me in with the historical timeframe and its stifling atmosphere. I was hungry for more of the same. I never considered setting aside The Confession, however. Though I am growing somewhat weary of these alternating timelines, in this case it helped to hold my attention. I wanted to watch these characters learn and grow from their mistakes. However, I couldn’t always buy into their actions. They didn’t quite ring true with what I was told about them. It was as if they did and said things changeably in a way that helped to move the plot forward in a certain direction. I can’t quite place my finger on it. Don’t let my less than enthusiastic opinion turn you away though. It’s nevertheless quite readable.

"It came smoothly to me, this loosening the threads of my own identity, weaving a new one. How had it become this easy to let go of myself, to pour words and fantasy into these gaping holes?" ...more

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Jul 23, 2019 Emer (A Little Haze) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, contemporary, books-owned-all-formats, netgalley, 5stars, adult-fiction, read2019

The Confession is such a powerful novel. Not only does it have an incredible plot and interesting story...
But the women.
Wow!
These three main characters of Elise, Connie and Rose...
I am floored!
These women are so incredibly authentic. They are each so unique and so vital. Their stories are incredibly relatable to any reader. They speak to the spiritual autonomy of women. These women each in their own ways are on the same path, that of learning to trust yourself first and foremost. Learning to ...more

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Aug 04, 2019 Blair rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: past-and-present, ekphrasis, read-on-kindle, netgalley, 2019-release

I was glued to this. At over 400 pages, it's not quite a 'read it in one sitting' book, but I tore through it within a day. (Lovers of reading cliches will be delighted to hear I actually burned something I was cooking on the hob because I couldn't tear myself away from it.) The Confession is utterly engrossing; it took me on an emotional journey; at the end, I was sorry to leave its characters behind – but I also felt entirely satisfied with the endings they were given.

It's about two women: Eli I was glued to this. At over 400 pages, it's not quite a 'read it in one sitting' book, but I tore through it within a day. (Lovers of reading cliches will be delighted to hear I actually burned something I was cooking on the hob because I couldn't tear myself away from it.) The Confession is utterly engrossing; it took me on an emotional journey; at the end, I was sorry to leave its characters behind – but I also felt entirely satisfied with the endings they were given.

It's about two women: Elise in the early 1980s, and her daughter Rose in (approximately) the present day. In 1980, Elise meets and falls in love with Connie Holden, a successful writer. The two of them travel to LA to oversee the film adaptation of Connie's first novel; their relationship begins to falter. 30+ years later, Rose is at a crossroads – unsure whether to stay with her boyfriend, what to do about her career, and whether she wants children. Having been raised by her dad, she knows very little about her mother, who disappeared when she was still a baby. When she finds out about Elise's relationship with Connie, Rose is determined to track the writer down. And because of a series of flukes, she ends up... faking a new identity and becoming Connie's assistant.

Such an implausible situation could only arise in fiction, but I loved the book because of, not in spite of, this sort of thing. It's just so fun to read. The characters are so alive. I loved Connie; I defy anyone not to love Connie. I rooted for Rose all the way, and particularly liked the little world of friends and colleagues around her: her ineffectual boyfriend Joe and his doomed-to-fail burrito van business (saddled with the tragic name 'Joerritos'); her best friend Kelly, an Instagram influencer and mum-of-one who couldn't be more different from Rose but acts as a loving, stabilising presence. I disliked Elise, but that's partly because Burton is so successful at capturing the infuriating naivety of a 23-year-old who wonders: 'What was it that happened to a woman in the intervening decade between twenty and thirty – and did it happen to all women?'

This book has everything, really. It's about love, parenthood, friendship, art, freedom; it's entertaining, it asks big questions, it offers tension, mystery, pathos, and touches of comedy (again, 'Joerritos'). 1980s LA and late-2010s London are different enough that switching between them keeps the narrative fresh. Rose's journey is a joy (without being cloying), and I was both surprised and delighted by the conclusion of her story. I really didn't expect it to go in that direction, and I was so happy it did.

Although I thought The Miniaturist was okay, I got so sick of the hype around it a few years ago that, at one point, I thought I'd never read anything else by Burton. I'm so glad I took a chance on this. It's the perfect combination of smart/slick and cosy/reassuring, the perfect 'curl up on your sofa and read it long into the night' book. A treat.

I received an advance review copy of The Confession from the publisher through NetGalley.

TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr ...more

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Nov 14, 2019 Britta Böhler rated it did not like it

Shelves: one-star, 2019, kindle-scribd, 2019new-release, femlit, fiction

Nope. Not for me. The writing made me cringe, the characters were flimsy and the story was... well, just 'meh'. ...more

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Dec 08, 2019 Sharon rated it really liked it

Shelves: borrowed-from-library, contemporary, 5000-2019

I’m not sure how I found out about this author, but I’m so glad that I did. A beautiful and powerful story one in which I found I could not bare to put down. A truly moving tale of friendship, secrets, motherhood and so much more.

I throughly enjoyed this book and I also love the cover. This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last. Highly recommended.

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Oct 05, 2019 AnnaLuce rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: covers-i-love, ebooks-overdrive, 5-so-so-reads, lgbtqia, disappointing-reads, insufferable-protagonists, sapphic, 2019-reviews

★★★✰✰ 2.5 stars (rounded up to 3)

Although The Confession had a very promising start...I think I liked the book's cover more than its actual contents.

“It came smoothly to me, this loosening the threads of my own identity, weaving a new one. How had it become this easy to let go of myself, to pour words and fantasy into these gaping holes?”

The premise of The Confession is one that has been done time and again. A young-ish woman forms a bond with an older woman, the latter is often famous (she ...more

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Sep 13, 2019 Louise Wilson rated it really liked it

Rose Simmons has a dead end job and a relationship that's floundering. She's never k own her mother, Elise Morceau s she had disappeared when Rose was just a baby. He father gives her a book and tells Rose that the author knew her mother and might have some knowledge about what had happened to her. Intrigued, Rose secures herself as a companion to the now famous author, Constance Holden. Rose changes her name to "Laura Brown". She is desperate to find answers and she hope that Constance will hel ...more

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Jan 22, 2021 Kerri rated it it was amazing

This is a book that has a cover I adore -- I saw it and fell in love with it. I didn't really care what the book was about, I just wanted it! I love it even more that I have read the book --- it's so perfectly suited to the story.

This is the second book by Jessie Burton that I have read (the other being The Miniaturist) and I really seem to click with her way of writing. I hadn't expected to connect so deeply with the characters in this novel, but I did, especially Rose. I loved the balance of p ...more

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Jan 22, 2021 Alex rated it liked it

3.5*

Rose Simmons has always felt the loss of her mother deeply. All her life she wanted to know who Elise Morceau was and through her, wanted to discover herself. Rose, now in her mid thirties is lost in her life, trapped in an unhappy relationship without any children. Her questions about her mother has always been unanswered and she feels that any information about her mother would fill the gap in her life.

One day, her dad tells her that the last person to see her mother alive is the famous wr ...more

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Aug 02, 2019 Caroline Middleton rated it it was ok

I feel really icky about this book.

The things I liked: the writing is absolutely gorgeous, very distinctive and evocative. Burton has a visual writing style that showcases her drama background and I loved how easy it was to read. She also writes very convincing characters - it felt real.

The things I didn’t: the characters are not likeable at all and the bad choices they made really triggered me because Burton is THAT GOOD with creating characters, but also, I wasn’t rooting for any of them. Eli ...more

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Aug 06, 2019 karen marked it as to-read

how am i just hearing about this now? i feel very out of the loop, people!

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Sep 27, 2019 Abbie | ab_reads rated it really liked it

4.5 stars

Thank you so much @picadorbooks for my free copy of Jessie Burton’s The Confession! Once again I was spellbound by Burton’s masterful storytelling, this time focusing on books, what it means to be a mother and plenty of secrets.
.
Burton makes great use of the dual narrative in this one, jumping back and forth through time between the 80s and 2017/18. Usually I tend to prefer one narrative and find myself speeding through the other to get back to my favourite, but that wasn’t the case he ...more

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Aug 08, 2019 Ceecee rated it it was amazing

This is an absolutely superb book which is so well written. This story is told from the perspectives of Elise, Connie and Rosie and goes backwards and forwards fluidly from 1980-83 and 2017. Elise and Connie meet in London in 1980 and begin a relationship which is a very deep one. Elise believes that Connie ‘lured her in’ but thinks she doesn’t give her as much back as she gives to Connie. Connie can be silent and dismissive, perhaps partly due to age difference (Elise is much younger) and partl This is an absolutely superb book which is so well written. This story is told from the perspectives of Elise, Connie and Rosie and goes backwards and forwards fluidly from 1980-83 and 2017. Elise and Connie meet in London in 1980 and begin a relationship which is a very deep one. Elise believes that Connie ‘lured her in’ but thinks she doesn’t give her as much back as she gives to Connie. Connie can be silent and dismissive, perhaps partly due to age difference (Elise is much younger) and partly due to personality. Connie is a writer of two books that are very successful and one is turned into a Hollywood movie and it is while they are in LA that their relationship starts to flounder and the two separate acrimoniously.

Rosie is Elise’s daughter but she is not present in her life and when she was little Rosie created myths around her mother to make up for her loss. When she was 12 she decided she was dead and the loss of Elise to nearly teenage Rosie is beautifully and creatively described. As a thirty something Rosie decides to try to trace her mother and by a sort of comedy of errors she ends up working for Connie as her assistant. Connie and Rosie develop a wonderful relationship although initially Rosie hides her identity giving a false name. Connie is a terrific character- independent, clever, acerbic and some of their lively discussions are like verbal tennis and both of them realise that they are in love with the ghost of Elise. Through Connie, Rose is able to become whole, she sheds her vulnerability, becomes free and independent, accepts she will probably never find her mother, gains a huge amount of courage and instead of living a life anchored to inertia she is able to move forward and make something of her life. One of the most positive things that she did was to end the going nowhere relationship with a man who was going nowhere - she had been with Joe for 9 years but their relationship is stale.

This is a wonderfully crafted story of female and male relationships, of love and loss, the price of success especially in Connie’s case, abandonment and vulnerability but also of acceptance and moving forwards to a life not as shackled to the past. There are some well crafted characters some of whom are immensely likeable such as Rosie, Connie, Kelly and Zoe and even though Joe is not especially admirable he is easy to imagine. There are lovely descriptions of places - London, California, Mexico and NY. The author made me feel like I went on a journey with Rosie so I desperately wanted her to find what she was seeking. I love the fact that at the end of the story Rosie needed Connie as much as Connie needed Rosie so there is a growing equality in their blooming friendship. I loved this book from start to finish and I would like to express my thanks for the privilege of reading this ARC. ...more

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Aug 13, 2020 Dannii Elle rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-highness, adult-books-read, contemporary-cuteness

Elise Morceau is young and impressionable and enamoured with the suave and effortless grace of Constance Holden. Connie's allure allows Elise to find herself uprooted to hectic LA, the city of dreams. But it also proves one of nightmares when those same dreams fail to find their purchase.

Three decades later Rose Simmons is on a dogged hunt to unearth the secrets of her mother's disappearance, when she was a baby. Her close-lipped father has finally divulged some closely-guarded secrets and her s ...more

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Oct 27, 2019 Amanda rated it really liked it

In 1980 Elsie meets Constance on Hampstead Heath, she is a writer who is older and very charismatic, they begin a meaningful and intense relationship. When Constance takes them to L.A as her book is going to be turned into a film, Elsie feels like she has been abandoned, as Constance is too busy for her and expects her to wait on the sidelines.

The story jumps to 2017, Rosie has never known her mother,as she left when she was a child and was raised by her dad Matt. Matt gives her some books and s ...more

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Aug 09, 2019 Emily B rated it really liked it

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book.

I’ve read another book by the author and found this one very different. So don’t expect it to be similar.

I really enjoyed the characters, and felt my feelings towards them change all the time.
Yes some parts weren’t as interesting as others and it’s not a short book but the story is an interesting one without being too complicated.

The ending was a little frustrating as I like clear answers but that doesn’t a ...more

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Sep 02, 2019 Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ bookwormthoughts rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: women-s-fiction, bookclub, standalone

When I read a novel and it leaves me thinking about the themes, the characters and their life it's clear that the reading experience was totally worthwhile. I have been mulling over my thoughts and there is no doubt that this author writes a beautiful and compelling narrative.

The trajectory of the story toggles between the 1980s and three decades later where we see Rose drawn to the lady who influenced the life of her mother, Elise, a mother who mysteriously has not been any part of her life. Th ...more

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Nov 21, 2019 Michael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: best-of-2019, five-star-books, favourites

Ever since author Jessie Burton hit the big time in 2014 with the million-selling debut, The Miniaturist there has been an expectation from her fans with every future release. With her 2016 follow up The Muse we seen a story with Burton in a much happier place and fed my supposition of continued success. Thankfully this is something that has been proven right in what is a subtle masterpiece.

The story focusses on Rose Simmons who learns in her 30's that her mother abandoned her as a child and the ...more

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Jun 22, 2020 Ieva Andriuskeviciene rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio-books, feminism, books-about-books

This is the first Jessie Burton’s book I have read and I definitely want more!
Intimate and powerfully written family story. Rose is looking for answers where is her mother and what has happened. As the last person who saw her before disappearing is a famous writer Constance Holden. She just becomes her assistant and hopes to find out what has happened.
It is a beautiful story of love, depression, fame and loss.
I was walking in Hampstead Heath where books is set listening to it and crossing path ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 Brooke - One Woman's Brief Book Reviews rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-reviewed-2019

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr

**3.5 stars**

The Confession by Jessie Burton. (2019).

In 1980 Elise meets the alluring Constance, quickly falls under her spell and they head to L.A. where Constance's book is being turned into a movie. Connie thrives on the heat and electricity but Elise finds herself floundering. When she overhears a conversation at a party that devastates her, Elise makes an impulsive decision that will change her life forever.
Over 30 years later, ...more

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Jul 19, 2020 Roman Clodia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

So, did I enjoy this audio-book? The proof is that I cleaned the kitchen, the bathroom and sorted out my wardrobe just so that I could carry on listening to it!

I can't say, hand on heart, that this book is 'literary': for me, it's very superior soap opera that uses some well-worn premises (the daughter searching for her lost mother, the switched timelines, the acolyte and the older woman), requires an outrageous swallow-your-disbelief attitude (view spoiler) ...more

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Nov 07, 2019 Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-book, 2019-books, first-reads

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
With a million copies of The Miniaturist sold, Jessie Burton returns with her highly anticipated third novel, The Confession. A book punctuated by poised and powerful storytelling, The Confession is a rich examination of motherhood, friendship, love betrayal, secrets and identity.

By chance, in the year 1980, Elise Morceau falls into the company of Constance Holden, a highly regarded author. Sparks fly between the two women and this fateful meeting sets in mo *https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
With a million copies of The Miniaturist sold, Jessie Burton returns with her highly anticipated third novel, The Confession. A book punctuated by poised and powerful storytelling, The Confession is a rich examination of motherhood, friendship, love betrayal, secrets and identity.

By chance, in the year 1980, Elise Morceau falls into the company of Constance Holden, a highly regarded author. Sparks fly between the two women and this fateful meeting sets in motion a chain of events that will impact the two women and those they love for years to come. Elise is captivated by Connie’s charms and she follows her to L.A. where the two get caught up in the glitz, glamour, scandal and false pretences of Hollywood life. However, tension soon occurs between the two women when it is clear that Connie has fully embraced her new stylish life, while Elise struggles with the change of lifestyle. A shocking revelation is made, which causes Elise to make a life altering decision. It is a fateful decision which sends shockwaves for years to come. The Confession is a resplendent tale of the ails of female friendship, loyalty and motherhood. It also represents a rich and varied exploration into the depths of the human condition to survive setbacks in life.

The Confession is a book that reeled me in initially due to the exquisite cover. The motif of a rabbit, adorned with thorny roses, wrapped around the silhouette of a woman stripped to her core, is commanding. It was the rabbit that had me quite mesmerised and this image plays an important role in the proceedings of the book.

The Confession is the second novel I have read from British author Jessie Burton, who is best known for her debut novel, The Miniaturist, which was recently adapted into a television series. One day I hope to source this series, but until then I am happy to explore Burton’s written work. The Confession is a poignant, moving and emotional novel, that might just tip you over the edge. There are some hard going scenes and themes that circulate around The Confession. Burton explores motherhood, abandonment, identity crisis, betrayal, loss and sacrifice. Burton’s approach is never scaled back, it is direct, immersive and pervasive. The text style is lyrical, poised and refined. However, I did feel as though Burton needed me to read between the lines to decide what was happening in her novel. This is particularly on point for the ending of The Confession.

Burton’s characterisation is a feature element of this novel. We have three protagonists, directly involved in the events in the novel. The Confession reveals itself via a double narrative, which is told via alternating points of view. In Rose, we see a thirty something woman damaged by the absence of her mother. Rose is at a turning point in her life and due to her unfamiliar family roots, she is unable to make a connections, or commitments in her life. Rose’s inherent need to get to the bottom of the truth surrounding her mother is what drives the novel in a forward motion. It also connects the two time frames together, as Elise and Connie’s story is unveiled like a puzzle, little by little. My dealings with Elise were guttural, I genuinely felt sorrow and loss for her, despite her suspect decisions. Elise’s storyline incorporates a moving picture of postal natal depression, which I felt was covered sensitively by Burton. In Connie, we observe her rise to stardom, in Hollywood in the 1980’s. This sub strand was such a fascinating world, that I enjoyed being acquainted with.

When the storylines in The Confession converge, the characters face devastating truths. It sends clear ripples through both the reader and protagonists. An ambiguous closing sequence concludes The Confession. Burton clearly has her finger on the pulse and wishes that her readers to connect the dots when it comes to the final fate of those that form The Confession.

A desolate novel that intimately explores the ills of fate, decisions, love, friendship, family, ambition and time, The Confession is another beguiling novel from literary sensation Jessie Burton.

*I wish to thank Pan Macmillan for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

...more

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Nov 07, 2019 Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Confession by Jessie Burton is a dual narrative story about three women, Elise, Constance and Rose. Elise and Constance are lovers in the 1980s and in the present day, Rose seeks answers about her mother Elise, who left when she was a baby.

Constance is a successful author, and the reader is given an insight into her career during the 1980s and her life as a reclusive writer in the present day. Rose devises a ruse to meet Constance and drill her for answers about her mother.

The Confession is ...more

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Feb 18, 2020 Sadie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars-really-liked, ty-fiction, read-author-female-only, g-novel, read-in-english, medium-kindle, g-lgbt, t-health-medicine-mental, z-women-kicking-ass, z-a-family-full-of-secrets

ETA: [Dieses Buch haben wir auch im Papierstau Podcast besprochen (Folge 91: Frischfleisch)] /ETA

This book was a treat: A well told story with two timelines and wonderfully varied female characters.

One storyline is set in the early 80s. Together with Elise, a young woman in her early twenties, we meet Connie, an about 15 years older writer. Elise and Connie fall in love and become an item. Cut to two years later: Elise and Connie travel from London to L.A. where Connie's novel is being turned in ETA: [Dieses Buch haben wir auch im Papierstau Podcast besprochen (Folge 91: Frischfleisch)] /ETA

This book was a treat: A well told story with two timelines and wonderfully varied female characters.

One storyline is set in the early 80s. Together with Elise, a young woman in her early twenties, we meet Connie, an about 15 years older writer. Elise and Connie fall in love and become an item. Cut to two years later: Elise and Connie travel from London to L.A. where Connie's novel is being turned into a movie with full Hollywood glamour and glimmer. Connie feels right at home in this world of illusions and dreams. Elise, not so much: She begins to doubt everybody and everything. She starts to see herself as some kind of trophy wife to Connie's rising fame and fortune amongst Hollywood's finest. Elise's fears and insecurities grow until she acts upon them - with severe consequences for so many.

35 years later, Rosie sums up her life: A boyfriend with many dreams but little effort, a job that neither satisfies nor challenges her, a bunch of "what ifs" plus the biggest question mark of all: Her missing mother - Elise, who left her when Rosie was still a baby. Then destiny comes a-knocking and offers Rosie a chance to become the assistant of novelist Connie (yes, her), who is about to finish her first novel in decades. Using a fake identity, Rosie sneaks into Connie's world, trying to find answers about her mother's fate.

Even though this is a gentle, character driven story, there's a lot going on here. I enjoyed both storylines equally and also found all female characters equally interesting and intriguing. They're full of flaws but also love: They do mean things when they actually mean to do good but fail. It's about friendship, love, trust and betrayal - and the old, never tiring theme of mother-daughter relations.

A bunch of questions this book offers: What does it take to be a lover? Why are relationships so much work - and does it pay off? What does it take to be a mother - and is it really the right choice for every woman? What if it isn't? And when do you truly know yourself - not just a reflection of the image you want others to see? The messages of this book are, in a broader sense, empowerment of one's self. Learning from mistakes. And knowing when to (let) go.

I mentioned this is told in two timelines, but there are actually more storylines hidden in here: Those that concern Connie's books. Rosie uses them to look for clues for her mother, I found myself reading (about) them with as much interest as the actual stories. Plus, and this is a rare thing for me to do because I usually don't really care: The cover of the original version is genius. "The Green Rabbit" is not only the title of one of Connie's books (which makes it Connie's cover, actually...), its identity is also a central question of the story. This way, the cover fits on several levels - in contrast to the German edition's cover, which might be nice to look at but has no (double) meaning.

To sum it up: Wonderful characters, nice sense of place (London vs. L.A.) and brave choice of plot points (like - careful, HUGE PLOT SPOILERS (view spoiler)). Recommended! ...more

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Sep 02, 2019 SueLucie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

This is the most emotionally engaging book I’ve read for a long time, chock full with strong female characters, not all particularly likeable, told in parallel timelines between the 1980s and the present day. I did like Rose and hoped throughout that she would come through and find resolution to her lifelong yearning for her mother. (view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 22, 2019 Rebecca rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-via-netgalley, newbury-library, parenting-or-not, cover-love, writers-and-writing, 2019-second-half

A cut above Burton’s two previous novels, The Miniaturist and The Muse, and my favorite book cover* of the year. I just wish that she / her publisher hadn’t tried to stick to the pattern of a two-word title starting with ‘The’, as this title feels meaninglessly generic. Yes, there are a couple of important confessions in the book – one is about three-quarters of the way through, when Rose Simmons admits that she’s been masquerading as Laura Brown, an experienced personal assistant, to gain acces A cut above Burton’s two previous novels, The Miniaturist and The Muse, and my favorite book cover* of the year. I just wish that she / her publisher hadn’t tried to stick to the pattern of a two-word title starting with ‘The’, as this title feels meaninglessly generic. Yes, there are a couple of important confessions in the book – one is about three-quarters of the way through, when Rose Simmons admits that she’s been masquerading as Laura Brown, an experienced personal assistant, to gain access to Constance Holden, a reclusive writer and her mother Elise’s former lover; another is when Connie admits to Rose the role she played in Elise’s disappearance when Rose was a baby – but I still feel it’s not evocative enough as titles go.

In any case, Burton handles her two timelines very well. In the first few years of the 1980s, Elise and Connie meet and set up a tentative life together, with Elise even accompanying Connie to Los Angeles for the shoot of a film adaptation of her first novel, Wax Heart. But California is also where they fall apart, drifting off to be with other people; it’s where Elise meets Rose’s father.

In 2017–18, Rose feels lost. She’s 34 and still hasn’t figured out what she wants out of life in terms of a career, a partner and possible motherhood (“by thirty-five, you ought to have it sorted,” she feels). Looking for the mother she never knew seems to have sapped all of her creative energy. In burrowing into Connie’s life she’s looking not just for her mother, but for herself. The two choices she makes at the end of the book ((view spoiler)) struck me as wrong – wrong for me, at least – and yet I can see why in the world of the book that is how things had to be ((view spoiler)).

This is probably a longer book than it needs to be, yet I only felt myself chafing at the length in the last few chapters – I’d been perfectly happy to read 20 or 25 pages per day to get it back to the public library within the few-week deadline. So Burton kept me under her spell for pretty much the whole book, even if the story could have been dispatched in more like 300 pages than 450.

What will stick with me is the sense of societal pressure on both Elise and Rose, and how they both flout these expectations, for better or worse. I’ve felt Rose’s self-pity – shouldn’t I have more of a proper life by my mid-thirties? – and Elise’s temptation to just drop it all and leave, to not do what everyone else expects of me. Like Expectation, this is a book that will resonate for a lot of women, especially those in their twenties and thirties in this case.

*It is partially inspired by the title of Connie’s second novel, Green Rabbit. ...more

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Nov 09, 2020 Hally rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.5

A conflicting read. I'm rounding up my rating of this book mainly because I really couldn't put it down (which is apt in lockdown with little else to do). Where Jessie Burton excelled the most, I think, is the feeling of intrigue throughout the novel. I found it extremely absorbing, and I really enjoyed the musings about motherhood and identity throughout both narratives.

I found that many sentences in this book were beautifully crafted and some passages spoke to me deeply. There were also par 3.5

A conflicting read. I'm rounding up my rating of this book mainly because I really couldn't put it down (which is apt in lockdown with little else to do). Where Jessie Burton excelled the most, I think, is the feeling of intrigue throughout the novel. I found it extremely absorbing, and I really enjoyed the musings about motherhood and identity throughout both narratives.

I found that many sentences in this book were beautifully crafted and some passages spoke to me deeply. There were also parts that felt a little 'preachy' however, and moments of dialogue especially that made me cringe. I have read a lot of pitch-perfect 'millennial fiction' recently, and I felt that Burton's modern day chapters didn't quite compare.

The last quarter of the book was, I found, a strange mixture of impending melodrama and ultimate ordinariness. Connie's final 'confession' after all the build-up left me feeling a bit weird! I don't mind dislikeable characters and realise that Connie softened and redeemed herself in her relationship with Rose, but wow I felt uncomfortable about what she did to Elise. It turns out that my dislike of arguments and hurtful behaviour in real life matches my feeling around these things in fiction. I love realism but believe me I know about hurt-people hurting each other and I don't particularly need a book that builds up-and-up only to conclude that people can be cruel...so ordinarily cruel!

I did find the character of Rose comforting. She's the only thirty-something I've read about who's even more lost and directionless then I've ever felt in my lowest moments as a twenty-something. But she learns to find comfort and meaning in life without letting herself be debilitated by the pressures of society, which I found life-affirming. I took from her that it is ok to just 'be', and even when you feel like you're falling by the wayside you are still learning and growing more than you know. She made a big decision that I found refreshing and touching, with the feelings around it explained thoroughly and realistically. I love a broken cycle, because there's little more frustrating than the same mistakes being repeated both personally and intergenerationally.

All in all I think Burton's writing was hit-and-miss and the mystery and urgency throughout this book was at odds with the subtly of the ending which has left me feeling ambivalent! ...more

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Apr 19, 2020 Rachel rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 14, 2020 Shelli rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, ni-monthly-read

I admit that this kept me turning the pages....however, there wasn't one character that I liked. In fact, I strongly disliked the two main characters. I was really disappointed that every male character was a wet noodle too. It came off as having a "man-hating" feel to it which bothered me. I really enjoyed The Miniaturist so was looking forward to this. It wasn't nearly as good. The atmosphere and uniqueness were missing here. Connie was the most interesting character and fairly believable but ...more

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About Jessie Burton

Jessie Burton

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Jessie Burton studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she appeared in productions of The House of Bernarda Alba, Othello, Play and Macbeth. In April 2013 her first novel, The Miniaturist, was sold at an 11-publisher auction at the London Book Fair, and went on to sell in 29 other countries around the world. It was published by Picador in the UK and Holland in ...more

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“[...] And women are always like that.'
'What do you mean?'
'Well, all the women I know who've left long-term relationships in their thirties checked out of it long before they actually did. They went through all the grief when they were still together with the guy. Played through all the scenarios, processed their feelings - so when the split actually happened, they just felt light and free. Men take it worse. They pretend not to, but they do. They haven't laid any preparations.'
'Right. [...].” — 1 likes

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