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m_welham_64's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
An easy novel to pick up and read - ultimately a tail of love and loss.
pinklemon254's review
5.0
The story of loss caused by the misogynistic oppression of the Catholic Church in Ireland, across generations of women. Very educational, with well written characters. Most of all, very emotional.
nias90's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I didn’t quite get the rhythm of this book with it going between stories and timelines. I lost track and had to re read a number of different paragraphs to understand what was going on.
It’s heartbreakingly sad in parts and as a mother felt difficult to read.
Emotional read that is trying to tell a story of 3 women I just found it hard to understand the story in parts.
It’s heartbreakingly sad in parts and as a mother felt difficult to read.
Emotional read that is trying to tell a story of 3 women I just found it hard to understand the story in parts.
pearlbrwr's review
4.0
Difficult to get into at first but by the end, I didn't want to let the characters go. I loved all three women at the centre of the story, and the girls branching off from them. Beautiful writing and a captivating plot.
annaisjoyful's review against another edition
3.0
The first half was wildly confusing - too much jumping about between the three timelines. I managed to catch up and understand it and the second half was enjoyable. A good story, heart breaking with ounces of hope scattered throughout. I liked the way the story ended.
dhughes10's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
ridgewaygirl's review
5.0
This novel entwines the stories of three Irish women living in London. Aiofe leaves rural Ireland for London in the forties, and meets a pub owner who only wants to return and run a farm. They persevere and save through the war and its aftermath, sending their daughters to the safety of an Irish boarding school. Rosaleen flees to London in the sixties, falling deeply in love with a much older Jewish artist. And then there's Kate, also an artist, but forced to put her own ambitions on hold as her daughter is young and her partner prioritizes his music and his drinking over childcare.
At first, the book feels like three unconnected stories woven together, but Freud slowly reveals connections and parallels that unify the novel. The novel looks at the choices that women have been allowed to make over the years and how those choices, or lack of choice, form them. Freud is such a fine writer and has so fully developed each of her three protagonists, that I never felt frustrated when the novel switched from one to another. As each woman's story is told, it deepens the other stories as well, and in the end, all was pulled together into a single cohesive whole. I was impressed with Freud's writing and her skill in both telling a story and how well she developed her characters. I'll certainly be reading more by this author.
At first, the book feels like three unconnected stories woven together, but Freud slowly reveals connections and parallels that unify the novel. The novel looks at the choices that women have been allowed to make over the years and how those choices, or lack of choice, form them. Freud is such a fine writer and has so fully developed each of her three protagonists, that I never felt frustrated when the novel switched from one to another. As each woman's story is told, it deepens the other stories as well, and in the end, all was pulled together into a single cohesive whole. I was impressed with Freud's writing and her skill in both telling a story and how well she developed her characters. I'll certainly be reading more by this author.
bonnie_reader's review
4.5
mothers and daughters, and how patriarchy and religion are so effectively used to control women - argh! heartbreaking and thought-provoking book.
machadofam8's review
4.0
I Couldn’t Love You More by Esther Freud is a wonderful, lush, moving book. It was a little hard to follow at first, but once I got into the rhythm it was hard to put it down. It tells the story of Aoife, her daughter Rosaleen and her daughter Kate. Aoife lives on a farm in Ireland with her husband Cash after having been the managers of a pub in London.
Their daughter, Rosaleen goes off and is seduced by and falls in love with an artist, Felix, who gets her pregnant and after a stroke, abandons her. Her fuller body is his muse and he sculpts her likeness for an upcoming gallery show. When he has a stroke, Rosaleen goes to the hospital and finds out that not only is he married but he has a son.
With nowhere else to turn, Rosaleen goes to a convent where she will give birth and her baby be given up for adoption. This is a struggle as obviously sex and pregnancy outside of marriage is a sin so the nuns are not kind to the young women who have come there in their desperation. Rosaleen hopes to leave with her child but when she gives birth the child is adopted 10 days later. She names her child Isabelle Felicia after her own grandmother and Felix. Rosaleen writes to her father and he sends money so she can leave the convent but she knows she can never see her parents again.
We meet Kate, Rosaleen’s daughter. She lives in London and has a young daughter of her own. She works with people with disabilities doing art projects; clearly the talent of her father has been passed down. Her husband Matt is an alcoholic and Kate decides to search for her birth mother. The rest of the story is the outcome.
I felt that it has a slow buildup but was really good overall. It was a little tough getting to know the different characters. I think the beginning had years associated with the different chapters and that would have helped further along in the book.
I received this ARC from #Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Their daughter, Rosaleen goes off and is seduced by and falls in love with an artist, Felix, who gets her pregnant and after a stroke, abandons her. Her fuller body is his muse and he sculpts her likeness for an upcoming gallery show. When he has a stroke, Rosaleen goes to the hospital and finds out that not only is he married but he has a son.
With nowhere else to turn, Rosaleen goes to a convent where she will give birth and her baby be given up for adoption. This is a struggle as obviously sex and pregnancy outside of marriage is a sin so the nuns are not kind to the young women who have come there in their desperation. Rosaleen hopes to leave with her child but when she gives birth the child is adopted 10 days later. She names her child Isabelle Felicia after her own grandmother and Felix. Rosaleen writes to her father and he sends money so she can leave the convent but she knows she can never see her parents again.
We meet Kate, Rosaleen’s daughter. She lives in London and has a young daughter of her own. She works with people with disabilities doing art projects; clearly the talent of her father has been passed down. Her husband Matt is an alcoholic and Kate decides to search for her birth mother. The rest of the story is the outcome.
I felt that it has a slow buildup but was really good overall. It was a little tough getting to know the different characters. I think the beginning had years associated with the different chapters and that would have helped further along in the book.
I received this ARC from #Netgalley in return for an honest review.
elsiefry's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0