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samstillreading's review against another edition
3.0
I saw Inheritance in the bookstore and was intrigued by the black and white cover (who says cover art doesn’t play a role?) and the blurb on the back looked pretty good too. What made me put it back was the price. Fortunately, the ebook version was much cheaper and I sacrificed the lovely cover art for more book-buying money.
Although the author is based in the UK, Inheritance has a link with Australians (and particularly West Australians). It opens to a young man searching for iron ore deposits out from Marble Bar and has several chapters describing Perth very realistically (although I hope the bushfire part doesn’t come true).
After the mysterious miner in the prologue, we meet Andy who has a dead end job at a self-help publishing house and who runs very late for his late teacher’s funeral. Unfortunately for Andy, he has the wrong funeral but doesn’t leave. Later, he finds that he is one of the people who inherit Christopher Madigan’s estate, simply because he attended the funeral. He is now a millionaire many times over.
Of course it goes to Andy’s head- women, cars, holidays- but he is increasingly intrigued to find out about his mysterious benefactor. We then move into Christopher’s backstory and find out about his life.
I found Christopher a more engaging character than Andy, who seems a bit driftless and lacking. The ending is a little ambiguous but I can’t think of any other conclusion.
Inheritance dragged for me at times (mainly Andy’s story- I felt the teacher and book link was a bit underdeveloped) but the backstory of Christopher was interesting, maybe because of the Australian link. Probably not the best book I’ve read, but interesting enough and I like the interweaving of stories.
Although the author is based in the UK, Inheritance has a link with Australians (and particularly West Australians). It opens to a young man searching for iron ore deposits out from Marble Bar and has several chapters describing Perth very realistically (although I hope the bushfire part doesn’t come true).
After the mysterious miner in the prologue, we meet Andy who has a dead end job at a self-help publishing house and who runs very late for his late teacher’s funeral. Unfortunately for Andy, he has the wrong funeral but doesn’t leave. Later, he finds that he is one of the people who inherit Christopher Madigan’s estate, simply because he attended the funeral. He is now a millionaire many times over.
Of course it goes to Andy’s head- women, cars, holidays- but he is increasingly intrigued to find out about his mysterious benefactor. We then move into Christopher’s backstory and find out about his life.
I found Christopher a more engaging character than Andy, who seems a bit driftless and lacking. The ending is a little ambiguous but I can’t think of any other conclusion.
Inheritance dragged for me at times (mainly Andy’s story- I felt the teacher and book link was a bit underdeveloped) but the backstory of Christopher was interesting, maybe because of the Australian link. Probably not the best book I’ve read, but interesting enough and I like the interweaving of stories.
jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
What would you do if you unexpectedly, randomly inherited a massive amount of money? That's what happens to Andy Larkham, a struggling publisher in a dead-end job, laden with debts and a fiancée who's ready to move on.
After toying with - and dismissing - the idea of donating it to charity, Andy spends up large. He buys a wonderful apartment and an expensive car, splurges on his (somewhat resentful) family and friends, travels the world, finds a new girlfriend. But gradually he realises that he's inherited more than just money. He's inherited the responsibility to understand the man who left him the inheritance, to "understand why it's [him] and not anyone else who's ended up with his money". Consequently a large part of the book is a story within the story, although the two connect in a very satisfying way.
Nicholas Shakespeare has a precise, almost pedantic writing style. Initially it's somewhat irritating to read, but then you get used to it. The story moves from 1950s Turkey though 1960s Australia to modern day London. It's a highly absorbing read with terrific characters.
After toying with - and dismissing - the idea of donating it to charity, Andy spends up large. He buys a wonderful apartment and an expensive car, splurges on his (somewhat resentful) family and friends, travels the world, finds a new girlfriend. But gradually he realises that he's inherited more than just money. He's inherited the responsibility to understand the man who left him the inheritance, to "understand why it's [him] and not anyone else who's ended up with his money". Consequently a large part of the book is a story within the story, although the two connect in a very satisfying way.
Nicholas Shakespeare has a precise, almost pedantic writing style. Initially it's somewhat irritating to read, but then you get used to it. The story moves from 1950s Turkey though 1960s Australia to modern day London. It's a highly absorbing read with terrific characters.
michellel123's review against another edition
4.0
Mistakenly turning up at the wrong funeral after being dumped by his materialistic girlfriend, Andy Larken finds he is heir to the dead man's fortune - 17 million pounds. At first he takes advantage of his good fortune, quitting his job in publishing and travelling through Europe. His best friend pesters him, though, and says he will never be fulfilled with the money until he learns the story of the man who left it to him. Through his friend's research and conversations with the man's housekeeper, Andy learns about an Armenian refugee, Marketich, who made a fortune in Western Australia but lost his daughter to his scheming and faithless wife, who fell victim to a scam. It was through Marketich's scheme to prevent his daughter from also falling victim to the scheming man who ruined his wife that Andy became beneficiary. After learning the story, he tells Marketich's daughter, and they begin a relationship. Two completely different stories, but charming, heartfelt, and a real novel about fortune's wheel, loss and living in the past.... Lovely.
eleganthedgehogs's review
We liked the way it started - Andy turns up at wrong funeral as a consequence inherits a fortune from deceased & led to some discussion about inheriting. Thread of current story and old deceased sometimes hard to follow. Not sure we liked Andy.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘It’s hard work being anyone.’
Andy Larkham is struggling: his employment at the self-help publisher Carpe Diem is going nowhere; his fiancée is about to move o; and he has debts but no money. Perhaps it comes as no surprise that he turns up late for the funeral of his favourite schoolteacher and mentor, Stuart Furnivall. Instead, Andy finds himself at the service for Christopher Madigan, a wealthy recluse who has decided to leave his estate to whoever turns up.
This chance attendance has unintended consequences for every aspect of Andy’s life. What would you do if you inherited £17 million from a complete stranger simply by attending the wrong funeral? While Andy loses himself in the pursuit of spending money at first, he eventually becomes interested in the story of Christopher Madigan. Who was Christopher Madigan, where did his money come from and why didn’t he leave it all to his only daughter Jeanine? In tracing Christopher Madigan’s life and identity Andy finds himself on a journey which started in early twentieth century Turkey. With the assistance of friends and Madigan’s former housekeeper, Andy finds out as much about himself as he does about Christopher Madigan.
‘In every man is the history of all men.’
I enjoyed this novel. With its triumphs, and its tragedies, with its opportunities and opportunism, it’s a reminder that character, like the iron ore that also appears in the story, frequently needs to be mined in order to be appreciated.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Andy Larkham is struggling: his employment at the self-help publisher Carpe Diem is going nowhere; his fiancée is about to move o; and he has debts but no money. Perhaps it comes as no surprise that he turns up late for the funeral of his favourite schoolteacher and mentor, Stuart Furnivall. Instead, Andy finds himself at the service for Christopher Madigan, a wealthy recluse who has decided to leave his estate to whoever turns up.
This chance attendance has unintended consequences for every aspect of Andy’s life. What would you do if you inherited £17 million from a complete stranger simply by attending the wrong funeral? While Andy loses himself in the pursuit of spending money at first, he eventually becomes interested in the story of Christopher Madigan. Who was Christopher Madigan, where did his money come from and why didn’t he leave it all to his only daughter Jeanine? In tracing Christopher Madigan’s life and identity Andy finds himself on a journey which started in early twentieth century Turkey. With the assistance of friends and Madigan’s former housekeeper, Andy finds out as much about himself as he does about Christopher Madigan.
‘In every man is the history of all men.’
I enjoyed this novel. With its triumphs, and its tragedies, with its opportunities and opportunism, it’s a reminder that character, like the iron ore that also appears in the story, frequently needs to be mined in order to be appreciated.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
apandasticworld's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
sanchwrites's review
3.0
Here's my review on the book: http://bondwithbooks.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/inheritance/
samstillreading's review against another edition
3.0
I saw Inheritance in the bookstore and was intrigued by the black and white cover (who says cover art doesn’t play a role?) and the blurb on the back looked pretty good too. What made me put it back was the price. Fortunately, the ebook version was much cheaper and I sacrificed the lovely cover art for more book-buying money.
Although the author is based in the UK, Inheritance has a link with Australians (and particularly West Australians). It opens to a young man searching for iron ore deposits out from Marble Bar and has several chapters describing Perth very realistically (although I hope the bushfire part doesn’t come true).
After the mysterious miner in the prologue, we meet Andy who has a dead end job at a self-help publishing house and who runs very late for his late teacher’s funeral. Unfortunately for Andy, he has the wrong funeral but doesn’t leave. Later, he finds that he is one of the people who inherit Christopher Madigan’s estate, simply because he attended the funeral. He is now a millionaire many times over.
Of course it goes to Andy’s head- women, cars, holidays- but he is increasingly intrigued to find out about his mysterious benefactor. We then move into Christopher’s backstory and find out about his life.
I found Christopher a more engaging character than Andy, who seems a bit driftless and lacking. The ending is a little ambiguous but I can’t think of any other conclusion.
Inheritance dragged for me at times (mainly Andy’s story- I felt the teacher and book link was a bit underdeveloped) but the backstory of Christopher was interesting, maybe because of the Australian link. Probably not the best book I’ve read, but interesting enough and I like the interweaving of stories.
Although the author is based in the UK, Inheritance has a link with Australians (and particularly West Australians). It opens to a young man searching for iron ore deposits out from Marble Bar and has several chapters describing Perth very realistically (although I hope the bushfire part doesn’t come true).
After the mysterious miner in the prologue, we meet Andy who has a dead end job at a self-help publishing house and who runs very late for his late teacher’s funeral. Unfortunately for Andy, he has the wrong funeral but doesn’t leave. Later, he finds that he is one of the people who inherit Christopher Madigan’s estate, simply because he attended the funeral. He is now a millionaire many times over.
Of course it goes to Andy’s head- women, cars, holidays- but he is increasingly intrigued to find out about his mysterious benefactor. We then move into Christopher’s backstory and find out about his life.
I found Christopher a more engaging character than Andy, who seems a bit driftless and lacking. The ending is a little ambiguous but I can’t think of any other conclusion.
Inheritance dragged for me at times (mainly Andy’s story- I felt the teacher and book link was a bit underdeveloped) but the backstory of Christopher was interesting, maybe because of the Australian link. Probably not the best book I’ve read, but interesting enough and I like the interweaving of stories.
doddyaboutbooks's review against another edition
2.0
Andy Larkham as a character is unsympathetic and two dimensional. I loved the story about the dead guy, but I could have done without having to wade through Andy's drudgery to get to it.
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