"Tara Road" by Maeve Binchy - anyone read this?

[septbride2002]

I just recently finished this book after 2 women at work told me how they cried over it and how good it was. I've read one other Maeve Binchy book it was "Scarlet Feather" which I totally hated, but I figured every author has a bad book.

Anyway, I read "Tara Road" and I have decided that I just don't like Binchy's style. There are way to many characters to keep track of, and it is hard to follow what is going on when she keeps switching the focus from one character to the next. Not to mention I thought the ending of this book was REALLY bad.

Any other reviews?

~Amanda

 

[Toby'sFriend]

it isn't one of my favorite books by her. I couldn't understand why Cathy was so willing to just give up on her marriage. It didn't seem right. I honestly think some of her earlier work is much better.

I really liked The Glass Lake and of course Circle of Friends which was made into a movie. I liked Echoes, but hated the ending of that book.

 

[swilphil]

I've read several of Maeve Binchy's books, but most of them were her older ones (like Circle of Friends). Like many prolific authors, she seems to be writing the same book over and over again, just changing the names and settings. The ending of her books are usually fairly predictable. I do find her characters somewhat likable, though a little one-dimensional.

 

[bsnyder]

I've read every book she's written, and I liked them all. But Tara Road wasn't one of my favorites.

The earlier books tend to be my favorites, Light a Penny Candle, Circle of Friiends, Firefly Summer and Echos.

 

[septbride2002]

it isn't one of my favorite books by her. I couldn't understand why Cathy was so willing to just give up on her marriage. It didn't seem right. I honestly think some of her earlier work is much better.

I really liked The Glass Lake and of course Circle of Friends which was made into a movie. I liked Echoes, but hated the ending of that book.

Okay - which one was Cathy?
See what I mean about to many characters?

 

[septbride2002]

I've read every book she's written, and I liked them all. But Tara Road wasn't one of my favorites.

The earlier books tend to be my favorites, Light a Penny Candle, Circle of Friiends, Firefly Summer and Echos.

I hear great things about Circle of Friends - but I'm almost afraid to try and read it for fear I will waste a week on another book I dislike.

~Amanda

 

[bsnyder]

I hear great things about Circle of Friends - but I'm almost afraid to try and read it for fear I will waste a week on another book I dislike.

~Amanda

It's a much shorter book than Scarlett Feather or Tara Road.

It's a very easy read!

 

[nuke]

I've read all of her books and enjoyed them all. I think Circle of Friends was her best work though.

 

[SandraM]

I went to the same school as Maeve Binchy - mind you, she'd left well before I started there

I liked Tara Road (btw, Cathy's marriage broke up in "Scarlett Feather", she was just kind of a peripheral character in Tara Road, Maeve Binchy brought many of her characters into that book, and I enjoyed seeing how they were doing!), but I think Maeve Binchy's writing style is very relaxed and chatty, rather like herself, and there are times that is exactly the sort of book I feel like reading.

Tara Road has just been made into a movie, with Olivia Williams as "Ria" and Andie McDowell as "Marilyn". My DH worked on it, and as the part set in the US was filmed in South Africa (they needed sunny weather!), myself and our DD & DS went there for a holiday just before last Christmas. I brought Night of Rain and Stars with me which I enjoyed, but not as much as Tara Road.

 

[Crankyshank]

Sandra, that's very cool

I really enjoy Maeve Binchy's books and have them all. They're soothing for me - kind of like comfort food. Tara Road wasn't one of my favorites and neither was Scarlet Feather (although I did like how she used the same characters in Quentins). My absolute favorite of her books was The Glass Lake, as well as Light a Penny Candle.
I was disappointed with the end of Echoes as well. Great story but what a let down!

 

[phillybeth]

I've read most of her books and enjoyed them- they are not fine literature but usually they are good entertaining stories. And what is funny is I was in Ireland last year and recognized so many sights around Dublin just from her books. And I dined at a restaurant that 'claims' they were the inspiration for Quentins- don't know how true that is, but it was fun hearing it (and a great meal too).

 

[septbride2002]

Okay I've read both books (although scarlet feather was a long time ago) there were characters in the same book? Please elaborate for me because me being a doofus didn't recognize any of them.

~Amanda

 

[Crankyshank]

Cathy and Tom were mentioned briefly in Tara Road, but their story was the central story in Scarlet Feather. A lot of the same characters in Tara Road were also in Scarlet Feather (Ria, Colm, Quentins, etc...) because it takes place in the same neighborhood at a similar time frame. Tara Road is the 1st book, Scarlet Feather the 2nd, and Quentins the 3rd- all revolving mainly around the same neighborhood.

Think of it like a TV show about a neighborhood with certain episodes revolving mostly on certain characters (like Desperate Housewives)

 

[Toby'sFriend]

ok, you are right the characters are all the same because I am mixing them up.

Cathy was the catering lady who was married to the Civil Rights Lawyer. I guess that would have been in Scarlett Feather. I think she reappeared again in Quentins, by then she was divorced and pregnant by her partner in the business. I can't remember his name.

I never liked the Ria and her kids and her cheating husband storyline from Tara Road. Too many of those people just needed a good smack and to be told to behave and/or grow up, whatever the case may be. It is nice to hear about a movie though - I hope they did a better job than they did with Circle of Friends.

 

[septbride2002]

For those who have read Quintin's - if Ria is in there - is she happy? did her and Danny work things out or is she all alone?

 

[Crankyshank]

Ria hooked up with colm

 

[Toby'sFriend]

IIRC, she's with the guy who opened the restaurant and used the vegetables from her garden.

I can't remember if they are married or not, or whether or not she got to keep the restored house on Tara Road.

 

[septbride2002]

Oh Good Lord! Of all people to end up with - I liked the guy in America better, Andrew I think his name was.

That was what I hated about Tara Road the most - it just ended. Like Binchy got tired of writing about it. There was no ending in that you didn't really know if any of the characters (except Marilyn) were going to be okay.

~Amanda

 

[Snowysmom]

I like most of Maeve Binchy's books but I do agree that her older ones are better, like Circle of Friends.