A review by hjrey
Giant's Bread by Mary Westmacott

lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

We're none of us very happy, are we? 

About: Vernon Deyre has always had an overactive imagination. He believes in the fairytales and wants his life to be one. He wants to write music, to live in his rich, ancestral home, to be married to the women he loves... but he can't have it all. Not without sacrifice, and the cost of each may prove too high.

Thoughts
I love Agatha Christie books but I'm definitely not reading another Mary Westmacott one. Although Giant's Bread does start off interestingly. I liked the mystery of this genius composer and being teased about his unusual life. Then being thrown deep into a child's early years was another interesting beginning. Vernon as a young child were my favourite sections of the story as he was actually likeable in those moments. His parents marriage was complicated, his imagination wild and his friendships deep and meaningful. I could believe this child would grow up to be a genius.

Then he becomes a young man and Vernon stops being a believable character. The way he talks to Nell (who he falls instantly in love with) is infuriating. Gone is the insightful child. He doesn't understand Nell, expects her to give up everything for him time and time again, and never listens to her. When he meets Jane she points out his flaws, especially in relation to Nell, and yet nothing changes. He doesn't grow as a person and Jane ends up falling in love with him too.

And his talent for music just happens one day because things just happen to him. He doesn't have to work at them. He's endlessly encouraged and nurtured but never seems grateful for this, despite it being something he lacked in his childhood. The child Vernon and the adult Vernon are so drastically different that I don't really understand why we're given the childhood years.

The story itself revolves entirely around Vernon, the characters revolve entirely around Vernon, and I hated Vernon. Nell, Jane, Sebastian, Joe... they were all so much more interesting to me. Vernon's entitlement, his blindness to others and ungrateful attitude made his story both infuriating and boring. It's boring to follow a character that continues to make the same mistakes over and over again. His ending is a slap in the face but I suppose it was to prove that the Deyres are 'neither happy or successful. And they can't make good.'

Also Sebastian's descriptions and characterisations were horrendously bad. I liked the character very much and suspect Agatha Christie liked him too, but her stereotyping was relentless.