The Other Side of the Story: A writer’s and publisher’s tale

Lately I’ve been really into reading again.  I’ve reread a lot of my ultimate favorite authors.  Marian Keyes would definitely be one.  I adore her books and have read a many of them.  If you ever get a chance my favorites are Watermelon, Angels and Sushi for Beginners but most of them are great, engaging and fun reads.  But there are still a few of her books that I have either not bought or not gotten a chance to read yet.  The Other Side of the Story is one of those books. 

 

I bought this book years ago when it first came out and it sat on my shelf unloved.  As any avid reader knows sometimes we overbuy on books and never actually read them.  During one of my collegiate purges I gave away this book to my parish flea market.  And then more recently I’ve joined a website called https://www.scribd.com/ which is a monthly pay service that lets you read as many books as you want.  Its only 9 bucks and they are literally at your fingertips.  So now I read off of my iPhone, Kindle and laptop anywhere I am.  I read every day on my break at work.  It’s a good way to spend an office break if the weather isn’t particularly inviting. 

 

This is a story about three women who are somehow connected.  They all become involved in the publishing world and there is a bit of back story on each one.  Marian does a great job bouncing from character to character to build up the story.  So onto the main players on this book:

 

 

Gemma Hogan

Gemma Hogan is an Irish party planner but not any party planner. She plans epic events!  Often her career life is full of designers, castles and bolts of fabric every shade of gold.  But her personal life is definitely less glittering.  Her ex-best friend stole her ex and the love of her life.  Her father left her mother for someone near her age.  And her mother is completely dependent on her to give up everything to live with her and help her deal with her depression. 

Jojo Harvey:

Jojo Harvey is an American (they don’t often get main appearences in Marian’s predominately British and Irish literature).  She is an ex cop and comes from one of those large boisterious families.  She also just so happens to be Jessica Rabbit’s look alike which can cause her more trouble than its worth.  She is now a top agent at a British publishing agency working her way to partner.  Oh and the last thing I forgot to tell you is that she is sleeping with her married hunk of a boss, who just so happens to be a partner at the agency. 

Lily Wright:

Lily Wright is your average good girl with a guilt complex.  One thing different about her is she unmeaningfully fell in love with her best friend’s ex thus estranging herself from her friend forever.  If that’s not a reason to have a guilty complex she isn’t sure what else is.  She is a new mom to a beautiful daughter and author to a best selling book with a cult following.  Despite her success she seems to be forever waiting for her luck to run out. 

 

Without giving away all of Marian Keyes sercrets in this book, I want you to know that this isn’t my favorite book by her nor is it a book I want back in my collection.  I am not upset that I read it but it was definitely lacking that spark that a lot of Marian’s books have.  I felt myself saying ‘so what?’ after reading this book.  Her book was engaging and interesting but it lead up to a point where I was so done with the characters and what they were gonna do.  Instead of having her characters make a choice, this time things just sort of happened to them.  They ignored the problem until the inevitable happened. 

 

Also my other really big problem with this book was character growth.  Usually Marian’s characters go through some sort of problem or issue and it helps them grow and become a better version of themselves.  More strong, independent, more ready to love, more accepting of their past, working through addiction, death and/or abandonment.  This book had none of that.  I felt that all these characters were more monochromoatic than usual.  They did not grow, in fact, I spent most of the book being annoyed with the way they talked, acted and treated everyone around them.  They just didn’t seem real. 

 

As a teen, I loved writing and would often write short stories for fun.  This book reminded me of my first story.  The characters were simple and talked in a way that I didn’t find believable. 

 

I would have improved on this book by having one of the following happening. Gemma really reflect on her parents relationship and the relationships she was involving herself in.  She would have had a moment of clairty about Lily and her ex.  Jojo would have done something.  How could such a strong character become so weak because of one man.  And how would she put her career either on hold for him or just be happy with whatever she was given.  She would have fought and she would have won.  Or at least she would have tried.  She would have really thought more about the moral implication of separating a married man from his family.  Lily would have grown up a little and stopped being so ungrateful for what she had.  She would have moved forward because her love was strong. 

 

BUT . . . what I really loved about this book was its insight to the publishing world and what its really like to be a writer.  I’ve always wanted to write a book and get it published but its easy to forget that its not easy.  There are stressful deadlines and problems with getting your book bought to being “out in the public’s eye” enough.  And then there is the problems associated with the public as far as reviews and what were to happen if the book were to not do well. 

 

It was interesting watching a book go from someone’s computer to a reader to an agent to a publishing house. 

 

 

 

Overall, this book is a good engaging read.  Its good for a vacation or a beach because you can pick it up and stop without dying to know what is going on.  But to me, that only makes it an average book.  I enjoyed reading it but the characters just aren’t as developed or as good as in her other books.  If you have ever thought of getting published though I would recommend you read this book.  It will both inspire you to write more and to moan that you suck at writing.  (It somewhat inspired my blog).  But otherwise I would recommend the following:

Watermelon

Angels

Rachel’s Holiday

Sushi for Beginniners

Last Chance Saloon

Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married

If anyone would like to hear a review on any of these books please comment below.  And I’ll be happy to write one for those books.  Its always a good reason to reread a favorite.