Customer Reviews

Going Topless

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was an excellent book, marketed as fluff, but actually sophisticated and witty, with characters you care about.

As the cover art implies, this book is quite similar to Diane Johnson's work, but more readable. This is the story of four sisters with two different fathers. They all gather with their father's third wife, a Frenchwoman named Odette, to hold a memorial for their late father on the fictitious Mediterranean island of Santerre.

They spend the whole summer on the island, and learn a lot about each other. Relationships shift and alliances form and dissolve as various interesting secrets are revealed. The author also comments on the differences between Americans, the English and the French.

Aside from a goofy organized crime subplot, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which was more intelligent and multifaceted than the cover and title implied.

My god what a surprise -- a marvelously entertaining book (yes, you may safely drag it to the beach and abuse it with sand and lotion) that also happens to be incredibly wise and just beautifully written with great skill, wit and grace. And it all happens under the Mediterranean sun. What more could you ask for?

When family patriarch Ross Wright died in a plane crash, he left behind plenty of debts for his extended families to cope with. Still, the gathering of his female offspring from several marriages arrives at the Mediterranean island of Santerre to pay tribute to him in a special memorial.

Constance hopes that her boyfriend makes her look good with her family though she doubts she will attain the bar of Isabelle, her older sister. Isabelle is filled with resentment since her famous spouse dumped her for a younger model. Stepsister Lucy still competes with Isabelle for the role of departed dad's favorite by insisting that Ross was the greatest father and would never harm them. Isabelle only half fights to keep her throne because she is seeking a new stud, preferable the guy next door. He seems shockingly interested in Constance. Lucy's younger sister Jane hurts from the end of a relationship, but that and her dad's death do not color her reality as she sees that he left them to clean up his mess. Ross' four adult children pay their respects by arguing, fussing, and fighting with some comforting as only sisters can do.

Though the plot meanders, the strength of author Megan McAndrew lies in her ability to have the reader believe that all the male swaps, brawls, and hugs are normal family relationships. The sisters and key supporting players including dear departed dad seem so real that readers will believe that they are there to pay respect to Ross. This is a fabulous debut from a writer who has created a powerfully interesting character study of four ferocious females fighting at their father's funeral.

Harriet Klausner

This book wasn't about a single character, but was a family ensemble that included a unique mix of characters. Although there really is no `main' character, the story is mostly about Constance, and she introduces us to her close and extended family when she travels to Europe for her father's memorial. The extended family is comprised of sisters, boyfriends and girlfriends, neighbors, ex-wives, and even a political leader. The reason the family/friends have all gathered is for the memorial, and in the weeks leading to this we are afforded a glimpse into their lives. Their lives are messy and complicated, to say the least- it creates tension and conflict within the summer house they are all staying at. As it turns out, the dead father also led a rather messy and complicated life, and his misdeeds continue to come to light even after his death. There was a lot of bickering (I felt) between the characters and I was disappointed with how slow the book was - it just never involved me overly much. There was also a point in the last ¾ of the book where a new character (Jojo) was introduced and the father's past was revealed - the action and about 6 chapters in the later half just didn't seem to gel with the rest of the story. I would marginally recommend this book - it's not a romance or even a `happy' book, but is about family drama.

Great story! Perfect summer 'beach' book! What better material for reading 'au natural' on the Cote d'azur?