So this was our second helping of Moriaty having read the most excellent The Husbands Secret last year. We were dead on for the Witherspoon/Kidman tv series as well which was receiving rave reviews so I was really looking forward to reading this months book of the month.
In some ways it was similar to The Husbands Secret - set in Australia, with all women lead characters whose stories interlace along that of their children. Yet it was very different to THS. There was a murder mystery element for a start that kept you guessing throughout the whole book.
Moriaty really has her finger on the pulse when it comes to school parenting politics. I loved reading about the blonde bobs, the class stuffed toy and the etiquette when handing out party invites. Her observations about Facebook, teenage angst and step families were spot on and I loved the 'forgot the family tree assignment moment' (although similar to The Easter bonnet moment in THS?).
I really like how Celestes story unfolded, and how, unusually, she fought back and wasn't just a 'little under the thumb' woman. She was intelligent (previously a lawyer before having the twins) beautiful and rich and to start with gave as good as she got. The counselling sessions she had in which she realised what her husband was doing to her was not ok were really well written as she came to the realisation that he could very well kill her in one of his rages.
I loved Madeline's character and whilst some found her annoying I would happily welcome her as a friend. You know she would have your back and lets face it who would want her as an enemy? In some ways it was Madeline I felt the most sorry for. She seemed to be the happiest at the start yet by the end her marriage seemed to be slightly broken (with Ed being devastated that she would lie and make him lie to protect her ex husband). There is a paragraph on page 440 (I checked) about how she chose to never forgive her ex husband 'he would drive her to distraction for the rest of her life and one day he would walk Abigail down the aisle and Madeline would be grinding her teeth the whole way' I loved that paragraph, perhaps my favourite in the book as I think that is exactly how I would feel if it were me.
I also liked the Abigail/Madeline storyline. I really hoped as I was reading the book that Moriaty didn't give them a happy ending as that just wouldn't have been true to life. They almost did but I think Moriaty pulled it off, just.
I guessed the Saxon Banks twist quite early on. One of the dad's (was it Ed?) mentioned how he hadn't met Perry before and that sealed it for me. I didn't however guess the murderer and whilst I thought the explanation was perhaps the weakest part of the book I wasn't disappointed.
The group really liked the book, all of us which is unusual for us all to agree and most seemed to prefer BLL to THS (sorry but I'm typing on a tablet and its doing my head in). I'm still in the THS camp but I really enjoyed BLL and will happily look out for other Moriatys in the future. We scored it an 8.3
Next book is Nocturnal Animals by Austin Wright
Question of the month Moriaty or Witherspoon, do you prefer the book or the TV series? I've deliberately not watched the series until after the meeting so I can't answer yet but will let you know.
In some ways it was similar to The Husbands Secret - set in Australia, with all women lead characters whose stories interlace along that of their children. Yet it was very different to THS. There was a murder mystery element for a start that kept you guessing throughout the whole book.
Moriaty really has her finger on the pulse when it comes to school parenting politics. I loved reading about the blonde bobs, the class stuffed toy and the etiquette when handing out party invites. Her observations about Facebook, teenage angst and step families were spot on and I loved the 'forgot the family tree assignment moment' (although similar to The Easter bonnet moment in THS?).
I really like how Celestes story unfolded, and how, unusually, she fought back and wasn't just a 'little under the thumb' woman. She was intelligent (previously a lawyer before having the twins) beautiful and rich and to start with gave as good as she got. The counselling sessions she had in which she realised what her husband was doing to her was not ok were really well written as she came to the realisation that he could very well kill her in one of his rages.
I loved Madeline's character and whilst some found her annoying I would happily welcome her as a friend. You know she would have your back and lets face it who would want her as an enemy? In some ways it was Madeline I felt the most sorry for. She seemed to be the happiest at the start yet by the end her marriage seemed to be slightly broken (with Ed being devastated that she would lie and make him lie to protect her ex husband). There is a paragraph on page 440 (I checked) about how she chose to never forgive her ex husband 'he would drive her to distraction for the rest of her life and one day he would walk Abigail down the aisle and Madeline would be grinding her teeth the whole way' I loved that paragraph, perhaps my favourite in the book as I think that is exactly how I would feel if it were me.
I also liked the Abigail/Madeline storyline. I really hoped as I was reading the book that Moriaty didn't give them a happy ending as that just wouldn't have been true to life. They almost did but I think Moriaty pulled it off, just.
I guessed the Saxon Banks twist quite early on. One of the dad's (was it Ed?) mentioned how he hadn't met Perry before and that sealed it for me. I didn't however guess the murderer and whilst I thought the explanation was perhaps the weakest part of the book I wasn't disappointed.
The group really liked the book, all of us which is unusual for us all to agree and most seemed to prefer BLL to THS (sorry but I'm typing on a tablet and its doing my head in). I'm still in the THS camp but I really enjoyed BLL and will happily look out for other Moriatys in the future. We scored it an 8.3
Next book is Nocturnal Animals by Austin Wright
Question of the month Moriaty or Witherspoon, do you prefer the book or the TV series? I've deliberately not watched the series until after the meeting so I can't answer yet but will let you know.
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