I've given this book 3 stars because I love Marian Keyes, but this was, in my opinion, her weakest novel yet. I probably would rate this lower if this had been the first book of hers that I read. It was entertaining, and I didn't stop wanting to find out what happened, but it just didn't have the same gravitas that her other books have. Her other books deal with much more serious issues than this one does, and that's what I like most about her work. It's light and funny, but also deep. This book just wasn't that deep. That's not to say I didn't enjoy reading it, but ultimately I was disappointed. I was lucky enough to receive a proof of this book to review from Waterstones and was very pleased as I've loved most of her previous books. A very long flight to New Zealand was made considerably easier by reading Anybody Out There, and I've had similarly positive experiences with her earlier books. I struggled a bit with The Brightest Star In The Sky, and as a result didn't read The Mystery of Mercy Close.I was hoping that The Woman Who Stole My Life would be a return to the glory days, but though I found lots to enjoy it, I can't say that it matched up to the standard of the earlier books I so loved. As ever with her books, I found it funny, moving, and raced through it, but felt unsatisfied at the end. I felt that the structure of the book (flashbacks, sections in the present etc) made it harder to get involved with the characters and meant that I felt a bit distanced from them. I also felt that the ending was a bit rushed which rendered it a bit unbelievable - this meant that my last memory of the book was negative one.There's lots in the novel that's great, but it all felt a bit too raw - as if it needed a final edit and a bit of restructuring. I felt that it was a good book with an excellent one struggling to be set free.
Do You like book Kvinnan Som Stal Mitt Liv (2000)?
Absolutely loved this book- could not put it down. Humorous and yet humbling at the same time!
—trevertracto
Loved it. First Marian Keyes book for me and cannot wait to read more.
—Jennhill
'FABLISS'! She had me with the wall of jaffa cakes.
—TUHIN
Loved this book - didn't want it to end!
—jolierancher
