Being Emily [Paperback]

Anne Donovan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2008

Things are never dull in the O’Connell family. Still, Fiona, squeezed between her quiet brother and her mischievous line-dancing twin sisters, thinks life in their tenement flat is far less interesting than Emily Brontë's. But tragedy is not confined to Victorian novels, and life for Fiona in this happy domestic setup is about to change forever. Following the devastating events of a single day, her family can never be the same. But perhaps, new relationships will develop—built on a solid foundation of love.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

“No one in Wuthering Heights is nice. Good, bad, mad, but no nice.” Emily Brontë is the role model for teenage Fiona, a passionate artist growing up in a Glasgow working-class family. Anguished about the death of her mother, furious at her father (“I wish it was you that died”), trying to care for her younger siblings, she hitches up with Jas, a gorgeous Sikh guy, though they don’t have sex; then she betrays him with his brother, but then he loves her gay older brother. Fortunately there are no preachy parallels with her Brontë model. The resolution gets a bit heavy, but the fights are fun, and her turmoil grabs the reader. Its wicked, sad, and open: “I’d no idea whether he thought I didna want to or if he didna want to or what.” Caught by the “not nice” drama of love and grief in family, friends, sex, and art, readers will go along with the contemporary Glasgow narrative. And not only Brontë fans. The coming-of-age story is universal. --Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

"* "'An enchanting novel in which ordinary lives are illuminated with extraordinary charm.'" - DAILY TELEGRAPH on Buddha Da * "'A delightfully deadpan look at what happens when one family member decides that he's unlocked the secrets of the universe.'" - INDEPENDENT * "'Her deliciously corkscrewed tale flows with the sap of everyday life.'" - SUNDAY TIMES * "'Donovan's novel is an accomplished family drama which is quirky and endearing. Don't wait until your next life to read it.'" - SUNDAY HERALD"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184767044X
• ISBN-13: 978-1847670441
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,812,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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