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The Family Way
It should be the most natural thing in the world. But in Tony Parsons' latest bestseller, three couples discover that Mother Nature can be one hell of a bitch. Paulo loves Jessica. He thinks that together they are complete -- a family of two. But Jessica can't be happy until she has a baby, and the baby stubbornly refuses to come. Can a man and a woman ever really be a family of two? Megan doesn't love her boyriend anymore. After a one-night stand with an Australian beach bum, she finds that even a trainee doctor can slip up on the family planning. Should you bring a child into the world if you don't love its father? Cat loves her life. After bringing up her two youngest sisters, all she craves is freedom. Her older boyfriend has done the family thing before and is in no rush to do it all again. But can a modern woman really find true happiness without ever being in the family way? Three sisters. Three couples. Two pregnancies. Six men and women struggling with love, sex, fertility and the meaning of family. And one more bitter-sweet bestseller from the author of MAN AND BOY.
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
45 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
About the author
Tony Parsons
66 books890 followersThere is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Tony Parsons (born 6 November 1953) is a British journalist broadcaster and author. He began his career as a music journalist on the NME, writing about punk music. Later, he wrote for The Daily Telegraph, before going on to write his current column for the Daily Mirror. Parsons was for a time a regular guest on the BBC Two arts review programme The Late Show, and still appears infrequently on the successor Newsnight Review; he also briefly hosted a series on Channel 4 called Big Mouth.
He is the author of the multi-million selling novel, Man and Boy (1999). Parsons had written a number of novels including The Kids (1976), Platinum Logic (1981) and Limelight Blues (1983), before he found mainstream success by focussing on the tribulations of thirty-something men. Parsons has since published a series of best-selling novels – One For My Baby (2001), Man and Wife (2003), The Family Way (2004), Stories We Could Tell (2006), My Favourite Wife (2007), Starting Over (2009) and Men From the Boys (2010). His novels typically deal with relationship problems, emotional dramas and the traumas of men and women in our time. He describes his writing as 'Men Lit', as opposed to the rising popularity of 'Chick Lit'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Par...
Tony Parsons (born 6 November 1953) is a British journalist broadcaster and author. He began his career as a music journalist on the NME, writing about punk music. Later, he wrote for The Daily Telegraph, before going on to write his current column for the Daily Mirror. Parsons was for a time a regular guest on the BBC Two arts review programme The Late Show, and still appears infrequently on the successor Newsnight Review; he also briefly hosted a series on Channel 4 called Big Mouth.
He is the author of the multi-million selling novel, Man and Boy (1999). Parsons had written a number of novels including The Kids (1976), Platinum Logic (1981) and Limelight Blues (1983), before he found mainstream success by focussing on the tribulations of thirty-something men. Parsons has since published a series of best-selling novels – One For My Baby (2001), Man and Wife (2003), The Family Way (2004), Stories We Could Tell (2006), My Favourite Wife (2007), Starting Over (2009) and Men From the Boys (2010). His novels typically deal with relationship problems, emotional dramas and the traumas of men and women in our time. He describes his writing as 'Men Lit', as opposed to the rising popularity of 'Chick Lit'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Par...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
June 1, 2013
Osim "Čoveka i dečaka" ovo je zapravo jedina Tonijeva knjiga koja mi se dopala... Bila sam mu urednik, prvi put sam ga ja dovela u Srbiju (za samo pet minuta telefonskog razgovora s njegovim agentom) i time spasla obraz Britaniji koja je u poslednji čas dobila da bude zemlja gost beogradskog sajma knjiga i u tako kratkom roku (bio je avgust mesec) nisu mogli da obezbede uglednog britanskog autora koji bi otvorio sajam (svi pisci obično moraju da budu pozvani dosta meseci ranije da ne kažem i po godinu dana unapred zbog svojih raznoraznih obaveza)... Toni je došao, desilo se neviđeno čudo u Beogradu, redovi od po 200 ljudi koji čekaju da im autor potpiše knjigu... A Toni je to bio profi i ispoštovao je svakoga, stojećki... Oduševio se Srbijom, sprijateljio se s nama i obećao da će dolazi u Srbiju kad god ga pozovemo... i ispunio je obećanje jer je od tada dolazio nekoliko puta... i uvek se obradujem kad se sretnemo, bilo na sajmu u Londonu ili u Beogradu... divan je čovek iako sam prestala dalje da čitam njegove knjige... :) Srbija spada u jednu od pet zemalja u svetu u kojima je najčitaniji...
June 23, 2023
This novel about babies and is set mainly in a London, a city where everyone apparently goes through the motions of having jobs, relationships and going on holiday, but in reality are only really interested in babies, spending all their time either thinking or talking about babies even if they've no interested in actually having one.
The book centres around three sisters whose mother walked out on them when they were young girls; each seemingly have a baby obsession of one form or other. Jessica, is desperate to get pregnant, but can't. Megan, in her last year as a trainee doctor, isn't "ready" to have a baby, but gets pregnant after a one-night stand. She contemplates having an abortion but as the foetus develops, so does her maternal instinct. Cat, the eldest sister, is happy with her life enjoying her job and has no desire to be a mother at all. But Parsons doesn't really believe that any real woman could possibly think that way. He seems to despise career women who have no maternal instinct and Cat is suddenly convinced that she's incomplete without one: "Without children all you had was now, and reminders of the past."
The men are obsessed about babies as well. Rather than going down the pub or at a football match they seem to spend their days talking about women wanting babies, about the women's body-clocks; "Their bodies were in extra time, their eggs were still hopeful of a penalty shoot-out." or about being fathers. Some of their dialogue is quite laddish as exampled above whilst some of it is more reflective " what would he tell his daughter about men? How could he prepare her for their lies, their tricks, and their black hearts? Our black hearts."
Thankfully in Parsons's world everything turns all right in the end. Jessica and Cat fall pregnant against all the odds, Megan successfully completes her training and is able to move from the vicious NHS to genteel private practice, and as an extra reward for the sisters their faithful father finds new love whilst the absconding mother has MS and her latter years will rapidly go down the drain.
I must confess that this is my first book by the author and whilst there were a few parts that made me smile, when I finished it I was left with absolutely no desire to read another book that featured a pregnancy for quite a while.
The book centres around three sisters whose mother walked out on them when they were young girls; each seemingly have a baby obsession of one form or other. Jessica, is desperate to get pregnant, but can't. Megan, in her last year as a trainee doctor, isn't "ready" to have a baby, but gets pregnant after a one-night stand. She contemplates having an abortion but as the foetus develops, so does her maternal instinct. Cat, the eldest sister, is happy with her life enjoying her job and has no desire to be a mother at all. But Parsons doesn't really believe that any real woman could possibly think that way. He seems to despise career women who have no maternal instinct and Cat is suddenly convinced that she's incomplete without one: "Without children all you had was now, and reminders of the past."
The men are obsessed about babies as well. Rather than going down the pub or at a football match they seem to spend their days talking about women wanting babies, about the women's body-clocks; "Their bodies were in extra time, their eggs were still hopeful of a penalty shoot-out." or about being fathers. Some of their dialogue is quite laddish as exampled above whilst some of it is more reflective " what would he tell his daughter about men? How could he prepare her for their lies, their tricks, and their black hearts? Our black hearts."
Thankfully in Parsons's world everything turns all right in the end. Jessica and Cat fall pregnant against all the odds, Megan successfully completes her training and is able to move from the vicious NHS to genteel private practice, and as an extra reward for the sisters their faithful father finds new love whilst the absconding mother has MS and her latter years will rapidly go down the drain.
I must confess that this is my first book by the author and whilst there were a few parts that made me smile, when I finished it I was left with absolutely no desire to read another book that featured a pregnancy for quite a while.
June 9, 2016
Приятно удивлена. Невероятно насыщенная, душевная и увлекательная история о трех сестрах, которые пытаются найти свое место в этом мире и обрести свое счастье. Браво автору!
January 14, 2014
No self respecting charity shop would be without at least one Tony Parsons novel, which means that even if nothing else on their shelf grabs me, I can be assured of an enjoyable read, even if it comes with a slightly guilty feeling as when one eats a donut while on a diet.
This was his best so far, as far as I’m concerned – hard-wired into the emotional circuitry of its characters, this novel explores issues surrounding pregnancy and parenthood. The main characters are all female which means delving into some subject matter that would have the average bloke diving for cover in the nearest conversation about football, but Tony Parsons is not to be put off by such trifles. And I can say from personal experience that his portrayal of a particular pregnancy complication and resulting medical procedure is highly accurate.
There are blokes in the novel too – and given that some of them engage in deep and meaningful conversations about lurrrve and actually kiss eachother, the author has the good sense to make them Italian. Let’s face it, British men don’t do that. There were a few stereotypes on view, though- not least the feckless dole merchants on the Sunny View Estate (where nobody ventured unless “buying drugs, selling drugs or making a concerned documentary” (!!)). They were the sort of people the liberal establishment insist don’t exist while the Daily Mail insists they do. They are used to good effect here, though I was never too sure whether I should be feeling indignant about the demonization of the working classes.
The only thing that annoyed me – as with all his other novels – was the tendency towards single line paragraphs used to emphasise some point or other. Only the fact they weren’t in bold type could distinguish them from tabloid editorials. It was like a constant reminder that i wasn’t reading serious literature. But on the other hand, this was never as predictable as it threatened to be, and for its humour alone it was worth a read. The laughs kept coming. I loved the way Kirk’s parents, who stayed together despite constantly rowing, “made you believe in the sanctity of divorce”. A book that was always a pleasure to take up, never easy to put down. You can’t ask for much more.
This was his best so far, as far as I’m concerned – hard-wired into the emotional circuitry of its characters, this novel explores issues surrounding pregnancy and parenthood. The main characters are all female which means delving into some subject matter that would have the average bloke diving for cover in the nearest conversation about football, but Tony Parsons is not to be put off by such trifles. And I can say from personal experience that his portrayal of a particular pregnancy complication and resulting medical procedure is highly accurate.
There are blokes in the novel too – and given that some of them engage in deep and meaningful conversations about lurrrve and actually kiss eachother, the author has the good sense to make them Italian. Let’s face it, British men don’t do that. There were a few stereotypes on view, though- not least the feckless dole merchants on the Sunny View Estate (where nobody ventured unless “buying drugs, selling drugs or making a concerned documentary” (!!)). They were the sort of people the liberal establishment insist don’t exist while the Daily Mail insists they do. They are used to good effect here, though I was never too sure whether I should be feeling indignant about the demonization of the working classes.
The only thing that annoyed me – as with all his other novels – was the tendency towards single line paragraphs used to emphasise some point or other. Only the fact they weren’t in bold type could distinguish them from tabloid editorials. It was like a constant reminder that i wasn’t reading serious literature. But on the other hand, this was never as predictable as it threatened to be, and for its humour alone it was worth a read. The laughs kept coming. I loved the way Kirk’s parents, who stayed together despite constantly rowing, “made you believe in the sanctity of divorce”. A book that was always a pleasure to take up, never easy to put down. You can’t ask for much more.
August 12, 2009
"One For My Baby" was the first book of Tony Parsons' which I had read, and I enjoyed it so much that I approached this one with trepidation - surely I couldn't enjoy it quite as much; what if it was a let down.
Ah, it was no let down. "The Family Way" tells the story of three sisters whose mother abandoned them as children but who now, as adults, have to discover the meaning of family. Don't for one moment think that this is some sacharine, jammy unrealistic tale with everybody baking muffins and drinking tea. It is a tremendous read - making you chuckle at times and feel a bit teary at others. It's a fantastic modern-feeling book where the places and the characters seem so familiar, as if you really do know them, know where they live, where they work, the music the listen to, the food they eat - almost as if you are a minor character in the book.
Highly recommended reading - can't wait to try another of his works
Ah, it was no let down. "The Family Way" tells the story of three sisters whose mother abandoned them as children but who now, as adults, have to discover the meaning of family. Don't for one moment think that this is some sacharine, jammy unrealistic tale with everybody baking muffins and drinking tea. It is a tremendous read - making you chuckle at times and feel a bit teary at others. It's a fantastic modern-feeling book where the places and the characters seem so familiar, as if you really do know them, know where they live, where they work, the music the listen to, the food they eat - almost as if you are a minor character in the book.
Highly recommended reading - can't wait to try another of his works
April 1, 2013
Read this book coz i was curious about the writer ...and found it pretty average! Women and their family issues have been done to death by authors ... and this book offered nothing unique to that story !!!I am going to still give Parsons one more chance assuming that Family Way isn't his best (or most recognized) work ...
January 15, 2012
Parsons does chick lit! Didn't find characters all that believable and while he managed to avoid the most obvious mawkish excesses the final paragraphs were a big let down. Why not just write "They all lived happily ever after"?
October 22, 2015
Didn't get far....poorly written and not worthy of his earlier work.
August 23, 2020
Owned a copy, couldn't get rid of it fast enough. The theme of this diatribe- sorry novel: you are not a real woman unless you've had babies. Nothing else equals parenthood in terms of fulfillment. Those without rug-munchers are sad creatures, possibly evil. I was a fan of Parsons other man-lit novels, until this.
April 28, 2020
Another brilliant book from my own collection. This has been on there for years and I remember actually getting this through BookMooch website, which I used alongside Read It Swap It.
I have never read books by Tony Parsons but I will do now. This is a very truthful, poignant story of three sisters, abandoned by their own mother and left in care of eldest sister Cat, who was only twelve at the time. It is a story of their own need for a family unit and realisation that their ideas of family might not be how life will eventually play out.
Cat has a successful job, older boyfriend who doesn’t want children. Meghan is in her last year of medicine before being qualified as a GP and Jessica is happily married and seems to have it all. Except the baby she is longing to bring into the world.
Their worlds and relationships start falling apart when Meghan finds out she is pregnant. After a one night stand. All three sisters find that they have some growing up to do, facing their past and looking into the future and what they want it to look like.
It’s a brilliant, real-life-like story and as a mum I found it very touching and emotional.
I have never read books by Tony Parsons but I will do now. This is a very truthful, poignant story of three sisters, abandoned by their own mother and left in care of eldest sister Cat, who was only twelve at the time. It is a story of their own need for a family unit and realisation that their ideas of family might not be how life will eventually play out.
Cat has a successful job, older boyfriend who doesn’t want children. Meghan is in her last year of medicine before being qualified as a GP and Jessica is happily married and seems to have it all. Except the baby she is longing to bring into the world.
Their worlds and relationships start falling apart when Meghan finds out she is pregnant. After a one night stand. All three sisters find that they have some growing up to do, facing their past and looking into the future and what they want it to look like.
It’s a brilliant, real-life-like story and as a mum I found it very touching and emotional.
September 8, 2025
Mam dziwną relację z tą książką- z jednej strony podobała mi się, postacie wzbudzały we mnie sympatię, zostały nakreślone dość realistycznie, a całość czytało się niezwykle szybko i lekko. ALE z drugiej strony nie spodobało mi się podejście autora, że absolutnie każda kobieta chce mieć dzieci (nawet jeśli nie chce). I rozumiem, że autor chciał pokazać tu zawiłą psychikę jednej z bohaterek, która po odejściu matki musiała zajmować się domem co zaskutkowało tym że jako osoba dorosła przez długi czas nie chciała zakładać własnej rodziny. Ale tu dosłownie każda postać która nie pragnie mieć dzieci jest nakreślona jako zła.
No ale mimo wszystko, nie uważam żeby ta książka była szkodliwa. Opisane są tu różne wzorce, różne portrety psychologiczne, różne sytuacje, różne klasy społeczne i uważam, że z tym autor poradził sobie świetnie i „Kroniki rodzinne” dobrze opisują życie londyńczyków, którzy borykają się ze zróżnicowanymi problemami rodzinnymi.
No ale mimo wszystko, nie uważam żeby ta książka była szkodliwa. Opisane są tu różne wzorce, różne portrety psychologiczne, różne sytuacje, różne klasy społeczne i uważam, że z tym autor poradził sobie świetnie i „Kroniki rodzinne” dobrze opisują życie londyńczyków, którzy borykają się ze zróżnicowanymi problemami rodzinnymi.
August 27, 2023
This book is choc a block full of stereotypes, particularly about women who should apparently only be judged by their appearance and who are only truly happy when they have a baby. Also lots of gross generalisations about teenagers and people who live on council estates. The whole book reads as very old fashioned and massively misogynistic. Would not recommend.
November 1, 2018
Loved it! Will be looking for more books from Tony.
May 3, 2025
The book is about 3 sisters - one who always wanted to be a mother but finds she can't, one who finds herself pregnant at a bad time to a one night stand, and one who never wanted children but suddenly finds her biological clock ticking.
It is an ok read. A few unexpected occurrences that keep the story moving.
It is an ok read. A few unexpected occurrences that keep the story moving.
June 4, 2014
Tony Parsons knows what to do, but not exactly how to do it.
Some reviewers branded this as chick-lit. I don't know exactly how chick-lit reads, but I know that almost all good literature is made by characters. Character-driven stories, where the characters are not heroes and villains but full-fleshed human beings who drive the story with their needs and wants are the best. The Family Way is one such story. It's not the best example, but it's what it's aiming for.
It's the story of three sisters and how each of them tries to set up a family, which by their definition includes a baby, and all the other issues that follow - miscarriage, infidelity, poverty, working with child, etc. etc. That's a lot of issues, and thankfully Parsons understands that these issues are not a sun lives revolve around, but rather they're just parts of life and that's how how he treats them and avoids turning this into a soap opera. The issues, instead of sticking out in every page, come and go whenever they're relevant. Also, nobody acts like it's One Hundred Years of Solitude. Nobody does extreme bullshit like locking themselves up because they're in love.
Although Parsons avoid mining these issues for cheap emotional effect, he can't help but make the whole book revolve around Making a Baby. I think the word 'baby' appears more than any other word in this novel. It's sad, because the cast is great and believable. The three sisters aren't emotionless Strong Female Characters and aren't damsels who need men to do everything for them, but it seems like their whole lives are about Making a Baby. Parsons showed enough of their lives to convince me they want and care about things, but there wasn't enough. Almost all of the conversations are about Making a Baby, with little glimpses into the women's lives.
Some would scream misogyny, but it's more of a case of an author who's not that good at writing characters. Although the male characters come off like they've got a bit more in their lives, in terms of morality most of them are weaker. In fact, by the end of the novel it's the women who look strong and celebrate their success, and the guys were merely lucky enough to be invited to the party.
Really, it's the writing that brings down the work. Parsons has been compared to Hornby, but doesn't have enough of his imagination and creativity and probably won't write something like A Long Way Down. Like him, though, he's more interested in his characters and how they work than a thrilling plot or starting up drama. Again, it's not great, and he doesn't managew to fully flesh out the charactgers but he tries and the result is an easy, pleasant read that doesn't feel like a chucked airplane novel. If you are looking for an easy read but at the same time don't want a thriller you'll forget while you're halfway through, it's a pretty good choice.
Some reviewers branded this as chick-lit. I don't know exactly how chick-lit reads, but I know that almost all good literature is made by characters. Character-driven stories, where the characters are not heroes and villains but full-fleshed human beings who drive the story with their needs and wants are the best. The Family Way is one such story. It's not the best example, but it's what it's aiming for.
It's the story of three sisters and how each of them tries to set up a family, which by their definition includes a baby, and all the other issues that follow - miscarriage, infidelity, poverty, working with child, etc. etc. That's a lot of issues, and thankfully Parsons understands that these issues are not a sun lives revolve around, but rather they're just parts of life and that's how how he treats them and avoids turning this into a soap opera. The issues, instead of sticking out in every page, come and go whenever they're relevant. Also, nobody acts like it's One Hundred Years of Solitude. Nobody does extreme bullshit like locking themselves up because they're in love.
Although Parsons avoid mining these issues for cheap emotional effect, he can't help but make the whole book revolve around Making a Baby. I think the word 'baby' appears more than any other word in this novel. It's sad, because the cast is great and believable. The three sisters aren't emotionless Strong Female Characters and aren't damsels who need men to do everything for them, but it seems like their whole lives are about Making a Baby. Parsons showed enough of their lives to convince me they want and care about things, but there wasn't enough. Almost all of the conversations are about Making a Baby, with little glimpses into the women's lives.
Some would scream misogyny, but it's more of a case of an author who's not that good at writing characters. Although the male characters come off like they've got a bit more in their lives, in terms of morality most of them are weaker. In fact, by the end of the novel it's the women who look strong and celebrate their success, and the guys were merely lucky enough to be invited to the party.
Really, it's the writing that brings down the work. Parsons has been compared to Hornby, but doesn't have enough of his imagination and creativity and probably won't write something like A Long Way Down. Like him, though, he's more interested in his characters and how they work than a thrilling plot or starting up drama. Again, it's not great, and he doesn't managew to fully flesh out the charactgers but he tries and the result is an easy, pleasant read that doesn't feel like a chucked airplane novel. If you are looking for an easy read but at the same time don't want a thriller you'll forget while you're halfway through, it's a pretty good choice.
July 15, 2012
It is unusual to read novels about such emotional issues as families and parenthood that are written by men. Tony Parsons does it amazingly well and with The Family Way he has produced another story of love and fulfilment with great emotion and humour.
Cat , Jessica and Megan three sisters whose mother deserted them when they were eleven, seven and three respectively. The day she left was the day Cat’s childhood ended and she was left with her father and a series of au-pairs and nannies to help her sisters grow up. They are now all grown up with partners, struggling to cope with work, sex, love and the real meaning of family.
The issues are all sensitively dealt with and one feels able to empathise with all the characters. Basically a story about love and parenthood it all seems to come right in the end. Well for most of the characters anyway!
Cat , Jessica and Megan three sisters whose mother deserted them when they were eleven, seven and three respectively. The day she left was the day Cat’s childhood ended and she was left with her father and a series of au-pairs and nannies to help her sisters grow up. They are now all grown up with partners, struggling to cope with work, sex, love and the real meaning of family.
The issues are all sensitively dealt with and one feels able to empathise with all the characters. Basically a story about love and parenthood it all seems to come right in the end. Well for most of the characters anyway!
March 30, 2025
I only give it 3 stars because I genuinely enjoyed the fast-paced, well-written narrative. BUT! And this is a huge "but" that cannot be ignored. There is a huge elephant in the room with this book and it has everything to do with the unbelievable, completely obsolete and outdated stereotypes that it reproduces. Well-hidden patriarchy is all over the storyline. Apparently, according to the author, all women want kids even when they don't want kids and while they say they don't want kids they are actually confused, weak, still immature and, of course, incomplete. At the same time, all men are understanding, patient, faithful, loyal, calm and excellent husband/father material.
Oh, and let's not forget the reference to women under forty who still looked good for their age. Yes, that was mentioned more than once.
Oh, and let's not forget the reference to women under forty who still looked good for their age. Yes, that was mentioned more than once.
February 27, 2021
Tai pirmoji šio rašytojo skaityta knyga. Gana įdomi. Norėsiu perskaityti ir kitas knygas. Šioje knygoje telpa tiek daug, viskas sukasi apie šeimą, artimųjų santykius, išgyvenimus, jausmus. Trys seserys, trys gyvenimai. Skirtingi. Bet turintys ir panašumų. Vaikai užima didelę dalį gyvenime. Tai ir suvienija visas sesės, nors jos augo tik su tėvu, mama jas paliko... Ketė, vyresnioji, besirūpinanti sesuo, neskubanti kurti šeimos. Megė, neplanuotai pastojus ir abejojusi randa laimę susilaukdama dukrytės Popės. Ir Džesika, kuri be proto nori vaikelio, tačiau vis nesiseka jo turėti.. Iš tikro šiuolaikinė knyga, priverčia to ir nusijuokti, ir nusistebeti, ir net ašarą nubraukti. Gyvenimo, meilės ir kovos už šeimyninę laimę istorijos...
August 20, 2010
I love Parsons' writing style because it fits perfectly into his novels. And l love how his characters are always ordinary people, just like the ones you meet every day, with all their problems, vices, happiness, tears and smiles filled with hope or with malice, depending on the situation.
I liked the book and there were things that made me laugh out loud. Another thing that l like about Parsons is that there is always a man that doesn't fit the stereotype that most books create. This time it was Paulo.
It wasn't one of those books that take my breath away, but it was a really enjoyable read nonetheless!
I liked the book and there were things that made me laugh out loud. Another thing that l like about Parsons is that there is always a man that doesn't fit the stereotype that most books create. This time it was Paulo.
It wasn't one of those books that take my breath away, but it was a really enjoyable read nonetheless!
June 15, 2019
2019/
Калейдоскоп от човешки съдби, преплетени и повлияни една от друга.
Тони Парсънс е един от малкото автори мъже(поне от тези , които съм чела), толкова добре разбиращ и представящ , това което се случва в ума на жените и в техните души.
На места ми звучеше като ехо на много от мислите , които витаят в главата ми.
"Когато най-накрая разбереш, че не се умира от разбито сърце,тогава си стигнал средната възраст."
2014/
Не мога да повярвам, че тази книга е написана от мъж. Много добре представя и женската и мъжката гледна точка в различните връзки.Прочетох я на един дъх.Това е най-добрата му книга от всичките , които прочетох досега.
Калейдоскоп от човешки съдби, преплетени и повлияни една от друга.
Тони Парсънс е един от малкото автори мъже(поне от тези , които съм чела), толкова добре разбиращ и представящ , това което се случва в ума на жените и в техните души.
На места ми звучеше като ехо на много от мислите , които витаят в главата ми.
"Когато най-накрая разбереш, че не се умира от разбито сърце,тогава си стигнал средната възраст."
2014/
Не мога да повярвам, че тази книга е написана от мъж. Много добре представя и женската и мъжката гледна точка в различните връзки.Прочетох я на един дъх.Това е най-добрата му книга от всичките , които прочетох досега.
September 8, 2007
this is the second book i've read by this popular british author. funny, a good storyteller, easy reading. his novels are about family, divorce, bringing up children... hmm there's something about him that discomforts me. is he conservative? ewan...
by the way, this book has several pages set in the philippines - in "p.borgos" st. (uy bisaya si dudung) in cebu's "here here pussy bar".
by the way, this book has several pages set in the philippines - in "p.borgos" st. (uy bisaya si dudung) in cebu's "here here pussy bar".
March 12, 2014
Nick Hornby is a great writer who can characterize ordinary people in their struggles with the modern world.
June 23, 2015
I really liked the story of the three sisters, but I couldn't give this 5**** as I feel I only got to know one sister Megan.
January 4, 2018
Nowhere near his past success of 'Man and boy'. Full to the brim of tired stereotypes about both sexes. At best, predictable and at worse, boring. Not one to recommend.
February 17, 2018
I found "The family way" pretty mediocre and disappointing. It's full of stereotypes and cliches. Boring, boring, boring...
December 15, 2020
3,5 ⭐️I really liked this book because it showed realities and complexities of life. Family, marriage, children, love and career etc.
Three sisters were left behind by their mother when they were children, the oldest had to take care ofher two little sisters aince their father worked as an actor and had a difficult time to be the strong parent they needed.
Their mother was horrible, from beginning to end. Not physical but her outlook on children was still perplexing to read and eye-opening. She basically got what she wanted her whole life and got sick and old but the oldest sister would not take care of her.
The sisters struggle individually with the notion of family, all wanting their version.
Cat- independent, a man but no children ( that does not work because she realises that she want children pushing 40)
Jessica- only wants a baby but misscarriages, they ahe and Paulo go to china and there visit or are tricked into visiting an orphanage where the kids of the one-kid rule does not fit in and must be put here. They adopt a girl, and later on Jessica finally becomes pregnant.
Megan- is the youngest and is a doctor who has been a bright student and now doctor. She becomes pregnant with a guy from (Australia or NZ) on a one night stand. It shakes up all her plans, she thinks about abortion can not stand it really. Kirk comes for them, a womaniser who thinks megan is the one. He does not like England and they move to Au/NZ but Megan is not happy, she is treating tourists and spoiled people, her daughter is taken care by a nanny who does not listen and Kirk cheats on her. She moves back to England with her sister Cat who is now pregnant and left Rory. He comes around somehow.
One character or two I disliked alot were the mother and Jessica’s brother in law Michael, a cheater, irresponsible person who got too many chances. I would have wanted more reactions to their way of life and thoughts and opinions because I would not have accepted their bullshit.
In the end the sisters had their own versions of family and while their upbringing and family was dysfunctional, it still was family.
Three sisters were left behind by their mother when they were children, the oldest had to take care ofher two little sisters aince their father worked as an actor and had a difficult time to be the strong parent they needed.
Their mother was horrible, from beginning to end. Not physical but her outlook on children was still perplexing to read and eye-opening. She basically got what she wanted her whole life and got sick and old but the oldest sister would not take care of her.
The sisters struggle individually with the notion of family, all wanting their version.
Cat- independent, a man but no children ( that does not work because she realises that she want children pushing 40)
Jessica- only wants a baby but misscarriages, they ahe and Paulo go to china and there visit or are tricked into visiting an orphanage where the kids of the one-kid rule does not fit in and must be put here. They adopt a girl, and later on Jessica finally becomes pregnant.
Megan- is the youngest and is a doctor who has been a bright student and now doctor. She becomes pregnant with a guy from (Australia or NZ) on a one night stand. It shakes up all her plans, she thinks about abortion can not stand it really. Kirk comes for them, a womaniser who thinks megan is the one. He does not like England and they move to Au/NZ but Megan is not happy, she is treating tourists and spoiled people, her daughter is taken care by a nanny who does not listen and Kirk cheats on her. She moves back to England with her sister Cat who is now pregnant and left Rory. He comes around somehow.
One character or two I disliked alot were the mother and Jessica’s brother in law Michael, a cheater, irresponsible person who got too many chances. I would have wanted more reactions to their way of life and thoughts and opinions because I would not have accepted their bullshit.
In the end the sisters had their own versions of family and while their upbringing and family was dysfunctional, it still was family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2020
Its intense to discover books that are composed delicately to such an extent that we get stricken by the composition just as the characters simultaneously. Tony Parsons did a generally excellent employment at portraying the feelings of the characters. I like it when the creator can communicate such hard feelings with such a beauty. It covers all the parts of life, regardless of whether it is the multifaceted nature of a relationship or the difficult exercise to do nurturing alongside working. In spite of the fact that at focuses, I felt that the creator was making a decent attempt to pass on certain feelings. Other than that, it is a book which you may take a stab at perusing to see some profound parts of being a working parent.
September 14, 2025
Tony Parson's characterisation is second-to-none. This family saga is compelling and so involving you come to believe you know each and every character inside out. In fact, by the end of the book, you're left knowing the family will continue on without you, which isn't something I often feel with novels.
November 26, 2025
4.75/5
I looked up more of this author’s works the moment I finished the book. I love his writing for 2 major reasons- His insights into relationships and adulthood were spot on. Also, he writes likeable characters even when they mess up in morally questionable ways.
---> A few scenes really got to me, but not in a full-on sobbing way. I just can’t handle when authors turn heartbreaking scenes into misery overload and slip into trauma-bait territory.
---> Overall, the book is really a slice-of-life look at 3 grown women , exploring how they navigate work, relationships and all the messy -in- betweens.
I looked up more of this author’s works the moment I finished the book. I love his writing for 2 major reasons- His insights into relationships and adulthood were spot on. Also, he writes likeable characters even when they mess up in morally questionable ways.
---> A few scenes really got to me, but not in a full-on sobbing way. I just can’t handle when authors turn heartbreaking scenes into misery overload and slip into trauma-bait territory.
---> Overall, the book is really a slice-of-life look at 3 grown women , exploring how they navigate work, relationships and all the messy -in- betweens.
April 19, 2020
This was readable though not particularly memorable. A story of three sisters grappling with different aspects of starting a family, which was unexpectedly depressing in a lot of places, and didn't really end with much of a feeling of hope - it felt like most of the characters ended up much worse off, even as some small things changed for them. Also disappointed that one of the storylines backed off sticking with a more interesting stance, though this is pretty typical I guess, especially for something created over a decade ago.
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