Book Review of Moving by Jenny Eclair
Jenny Eclair’s Moving is an unexpected treat read.
I probably chose this book because as a listener to the Older and Wider podcast, more than anything else, I was curious about the author, Jenny Eclair. I was doubtful whether a stand-up-comedian could really write good fiction and wondered whether Jenny Eclair was just cashing in on her name. Cynic that I am! The answer is that that Eclair is an excellent author and Moving is an excellent book.
I also guess I chose it because it was cheap – only 99p on Kindle!
I probably chose this book because as a listener to the Older and Wider podcast, more than anything else, I was curious about the author, Jenny Eclair. I was doubtful whether a stand-up-comedian could really write good fiction and wondered whether Jenny Eclair was just cashing in on her name. Cynic that I am! The answer is that that Eclair is an excellent author and Moving is an excellent book.
I also guess I chose it because it was cheap – only 99p on Kindle!
Moving was an excellent book, well written with a tightly plotted storyline. It addresses many of the social issues of late twentieth century UK with both warmth and humour. Addressing issues associated with ‘yuppiedom’, politics and the original ‘entitled’ generation, the story line moves towards a moderately hopeful yet pretty realistic conclusion.
The book does end quite abruptly, with me continuing to flick the pages on my kindle to check whether there was more to come, but the structure drew it effectively to its conclusion. It reminded me just a little bit of Barbara Kingsolver’s ‘Unsheltered’ as both books use houses and setting to evoke most of the atmosphere in their stories. Kingsolver, would, I guess, be viewed as a far more literary text (what makes a literary text anyway?), but which did I enjoy the most? I’d have to say, surprisingly, this one. Having said that I did admire Unsheltered too, and reviewed it on Goodreads. It was just a bit long and slow to get into!
Elcair’s novel Moving was immediately attention grabbing and a a page turner. All in all it’s an excellent read, not highbrow but accessible and full of merit. If you are looking for summer reads, I definitely recommend it.
For me, listening to the podcast and thus feeling I know a little something, at least about the author added positively to the reading experience. (“To what extent can an author ever be separated from their writing. Discuss?”) It’s time I stopped framing essay questions, left school behind and focused on something else. Oh Lordy, I sense a podcast on ‘if only we could all be podcasters’ coming on!
The book does end quite abruptly, with me continuing to flick the pages on my kindle to check whether there was more to come, but the structure drew it effectively to its conclusion. It reminded me just a little bit of Barbara Kingsolver’s ‘Unsheltered’ as both books use houses and setting to evoke most of the atmosphere in their stories. Kingsolver, would, I guess, be viewed as a far more literary text (what makes a literary text anyway?), but which did I enjoy the most? I’d have to say, surprisingly, this one. Having said that I did admire Unsheltered too, and reviewed it on Goodreads. It was just a bit long and slow to get into!
Elcair’s novel Moving was immediately attention grabbing and a a page turner. All in all it’s an excellent read, not highbrow but accessible and full of merit. If you are looking for summer reads, I definitely recommend it.
For me, listening to the podcast and thus feeling I know a little something, at least about the author added positively to the reading experience. (“To what extent can an author ever be separated from their writing. Discuss?”) It’s time I stopped framing essay questions, left school behind and focused on something else. Oh Lordy, I sense a podcast on ‘if only we could all be podcasters’ coming on!
