Family Album
by Penelope Lively.
There was general agreement that the book was very well written – a nice evocation of childhood with some wonderful character studies and descriptions.
The author’s use of words is perceptive, entertaining and often amusing.
The characters are built up and developed gradually during the course of the novel but there is very little in the way of story or plot.
The exaggerated blurb which speaks of “family secrets” and “one particular devastating secret of which no one speaks…..” does the book no favours.
The “secret” is hinted at almost from the beginning and revealed quite early.
There is no devastating denouement.
Equally reviews which refer to “ghastly”, “dreadful” and “catastrophic” events don’t really reflect the lives of an only slightly dysfunctional family.
To some of us the book was beautifully written and very readable.
To others it was ultimately frustrating leaving a feeling of “So what?”
NS January 2010
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