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kellygoesgeocaching's review against another edition
1.0
My brother found this book at an op-shop and picked it up for me since he knows I'm a fan of Philippa Gregory's. Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy this book. 40 pages in and I didn't like any of the characters, had no interest in the story and could predict where it was going (I read the last chapter and wasn't wrong). I'll go back to reading only Philippa's historical novels now.
sony08's review against another edition
2.0
Well - I love Phillipa Gregory, but this was rubbish. It's do disappointing to read such a bad novel when her historical novels are so great.
I wanted to give up after first twenty pages but only kept reading for the fact it's Phillipa's book.
I wanted to give up after first twenty pages but only kept reading for the fact it's Phillipa's book.
apple_pie_'s review against another edition
Hated it from the beginning, had to quit at the murder of a cat.
loubraryoftheforest's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up in a charity shop, intrigued by a book I’d never heard of from an author I love. If I didn’t know it was by Philippa Gregory I would not have guessed! A bawdy satirical comedy, that makes fun of itself along the way, we are introduced to bored housewife Alice, whose professor husband no longer finds her satisfying, and whom is no longer satisfied herself. When an opportunity presents itself to escape and live the life she dreams of she grabs it literally with 2 hands and her whole body, setting off a chain of unexpected events that change the lives of all involved, even if for a brief moment. But can her new found happiness last? Or will the constraints of men and husbands, who do not understand the power of women, shackle her once more to a life she no longer wants to live, forced into her expected role In polite society. Comedic moments, free spirited, sometimes a little far fetched, and dated, but I would love to see this adapted into a tv series. Loved it. Great little read, comes with a warning of sex, drugs, and attempted murder.. oh, and dolphins!
oldenglishrose's review
3.0
Alice Hartley is the plump, middle aged wife of a university professor, has a penchant for new age theories, floaty scarves and lots of sex. When she finds out that her husband is having an affair with one of his students, Alice decides that what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander (or vice versa) and promptly drives off in a removal van with one of her husband’s students who has come to collect a desk that he promised to lend the drama group for a play. Not only do they take the desk, but also every other scrap of furniture in the house. They are left with nowhere to put it until Michael’s Aunt Sarah dies, leaving him with her country house. And so begins the establishment of Alice’s growth centre, an alternative, disorganised establishment where sex is free and people are happy.
With the exception of the fact that it still inclused quite a bit of sex, Alice Hartley’s Happiness could not be more different from the usual Philippa Gregory fare. It’s setting is modern, the characters are all unknowns and the tone is light and amusing. The plot is utterly absurd, encompassing everything from unexpected resurrections to dolphin assisted births in the local aquarium, but Gregory acknowledges this and runs with it, resulting in a novel which is not afraid to laugh at itself and have fun while doing so.
For all that her historical novels are light, easy reading, I’ve never found Gregory to be an author who exhibits a particularly pronounced sense of humour, so the wry, detached tone of Alice Hartley’s Happiness is rather surprising. However, it is definitely a welcome surprise; it’s always pleasant to learn that an author suspected of being something of a one trick pony (however enjoyable those tricks may be) is actually rather good at other things too. Take, for instance, the way she introduces Alice’s husband, Professor Hartley: "Professor Hartley was at that time in his life when a man demands of himself what is the meaning of life, asking: ‘For what was I born? And is this all there is? And what of the great quests which have motivated men through the ages? Where am I going? And what is the Nature of Individualism? Or, more simply: Who am I?’ Like all men who courageously confront great questions of identity and truth, Professor Hartley came to one conclusion. Unerringly, untiringly he struggled through his boredom and his despair until he found the source of his discontent, the spring of his angst, his own private darkness. It was all the fault of his wife."
Instantly she conveys how pompous and self-absorbed Professor Hartley is, and the bathos of that last sentence is superb. The humour is all the more enjoyable because it is so unexpected. This surprising change of tone is also apparent in her treatment of sex, which is just as abundant as in her historical novels. However, in this book the sex scenes are silly, improbable and downright funny at times.
If you pick this book up looking for a typical Philippa Gregory novel you are bound to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you turn to it looking for an entertaining and somewhat ridiculous read then it’s actually rather good, and Philippa Gregory continues to fulfil her role as the author of some perfect guilty pleasure reading.
With the exception of the fact that it still inclused quite a bit of sex, Alice Hartley’s Happiness could not be more different from the usual Philippa Gregory fare. It’s setting is modern, the characters are all unknowns and the tone is light and amusing. The plot is utterly absurd, encompassing everything from unexpected resurrections to dolphin assisted births in the local aquarium, but Gregory acknowledges this and runs with it, resulting in a novel which is not afraid to laugh at itself and have fun while doing so.
For all that her historical novels are light, easy reading, I’ve never found Gregory to be an author who exhibits a particularly pronounced sense of humour, so the wry, detached tone of Alice Hartley’s Happiness is rather surprising. However, it is definitely a welcome surprise; it’s always pleasant to learn that an author suspected of being something of a one trick pony (however enjoyable those tricks may be) is actually rather good at other things too. Take, for instance, the way she introduces Alice’s husband, Professor Hartley: "Professor Hartley was at that time in his life when a man demands of himself what is the meaning of life, asking: ‘For what was I born? And is this all there is? And what of the great quests which have motivated men through the ages? Where am I going? And what is the Nature of Individualism? Or, more simply: Who am I?’ Like all men who courageously confront great questions of identity and truth, Professor Hartley came to one conclusion. Unerringly, untiringly he struggled through his boredom and his despair until he found the source of his discontent, the spring of his angst, his own private darkness. It was all the fault of his wife."
Instantly she conveys how pompous and self-absorbed Professor Hartley is, and the bathos of that last sentence is superb. The humour is all the more enjoyable because it is so unexpected. This surprising change of tone is also apparent in her treatment of sex, which is just as abundant as in her historical novels. However, in this book the sex scenes are silly, improbable and downright funny at times.
If you pick this book up looking for a typical Philippa Gregory novel you are bound to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you turn to it looking for an entertaining and somewhat ridiculous read then it’s actually rather good, and Philippa Gregory continues to fulfil her role as the author of some perfect guilty pleasure reading.
rmctagg's review against another edition
1.0
Oh goodness this book was so awful within the first twenty pages that returned it for a refund the same day I bought it.
mouthy_books's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
This was my first experience of the author's work and I have to say I'm not impressed, I know of her other historical well researched works but this is ridiculous.
It's supposed to be witty but it doesn't come across that way. It's random with the MC poisoning an old lady than messing up and then continuing to then use that old lady to her advantage for some sexual spiritual retreat BS.
It's supposed to be witty but it doesn't come across that way. It's random with the MC poisoning an old lady than messing up and then continuing to then use that old lady to her advantage for some sexual spiritual retreat BS.
cleaper's review against another edition
1.0
Found this to be a boring read. The story wasn't compelling and the main character is ridiculous.
_becksbooks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Absolute madness, start to finish. Nothing even close to what I’ve previously read by Philippa Gregory, but hilarious and ridiculous the whole way through. A great satire of romance novels and rediscovery, with a main character you love to hate, you somehow find yourself rooting for her even though you know she’s kind of awful.
tkat's review against another edition
1.0
Holy moly. Gregory really steps out of her realm of normalcy for this book. It's about a woman who's husband plans to leave her for a younger woman, only she leaves him for a younger man first, in a form of advanced vengeance. I love how she does it too. Hubby takes some sleeping pills, and she moves all the furniture out of the house while he's sleeping. This was the best part of the book.
After that though it kinda goes downhill. Alice sets up a new age retreat in the house of the young man's aunt who can't decide if she's dead or not, and her idea of holisitc new age medicine is holding marijuana induced love ins and orgies in the house the centre is based.
I see a lot of feminism, women's rights, female empowerment, and the like. But I'm not quite sure if it was put together in the right way. I mean, Kudos to Alice for pulling that one over on her hubby and trying to make her own way in the world by helping other women realize their full potential in a variety of ways. However she seems to go off her rocker a bit and takes things just a tad too far with trying to kill off the aunt who won't stay dead and hosting those late night multiple peopled activities.
I'm not sure if this is a serious attempt at all these female issues or a spoof of them. And because of that I'm not quite sure how to feel about this book. It certainly does have some good and entertaining moments, but...yeah...all that...
After that though it kinda goes downhill. Alice sets up a new age retreat in the house of the young man's aunt who can't decide if she's dead or not, and her idea of holisitc new age medicine is holding marijuana induced love ins and orgies in the house the centre is based.
I see a lot of feminism, women's rights, female empowerment, and the like. But I'm not quite sure if it was put together in the right way. I mean, Kudos to Alice for pulling that one over on her hubby and trying to make her own way in the world by helping other women realize their full potential in a variety of ways. However she seems to go off her rocker a bit and takes things just a tad too far with trying to kill off the aunt who won't stay dead and hosting those late night multiple peopled activities.
I'm not sure if this is a serious attempt at all these female issues or a spoof of them. And because of that I'm not quite sure how to feel about this book. It certainly does have some good and entertaining moments, but...yeah...all that...