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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Delightful Tragicomedy Of A Modern Day Fairy Tale!,
By
This review is from: The Hearts and Lives of Men (Mass Market Paperback)
Fay Weldon gives new meaning to irony in "The Hearts And Lives Of Men." This is a satiric love story, peopled with some of the most original characters I have met in years. Weldon gets right to the guts of the love-hate contradiction, that exists in all of us, and turns it into grand comedy, and sometimes, grand guignol. She also parodies the art world, and the lives of the rich, famous, and talented, as well as a few plain ordinary folks, back in the 1960s, "when everybody wanted everything, and thought they could have it, and what's more had a right to it!" It was a time when it was possible to have, "Sex without babies. Revolution without poverty. Careers without selfishness. Art without effort." Her writing is elegant, and her wit, delightfully malicious. She takes her readers into her intimate confidence. We become her Dear Readers, and priveleged to travel with her into the realm of her insights, and very wicked they are."This is the story of Clifford, Helen and little Nell." We are once upon a time, in London, in the glorious mid-1960s. Clifford, a wealthy, up and coming art aficionado, who is soon to give Sotheby's a run for their money with his establishment, Leonardo's, and Helen, the much younger, lovely daughter of an eccentric, impoverished artist, fall in love at first sight. They gaze across a crowded room into each other's eyes, (just like in the song), and immediately know that fate has touched them. Nell is conceived that night. And, as with most fairy tales, and sadly with life also, all is not happily ever after. Clifford and Helen fight as passionately as they love. He is too often busy at work, buying, appraising, and selling art to spend much time with his new wife and daughter. "Telling the good from the bad is what the Art World is all about, and a sizable chunk of the world's resources is devoted to just this end." And Clifford wants part of that chunk. A very wicked witch enters the picture, at about this time. Actually she was there from the beginning, in the person of Angie, Clifford's super wealthy, scheming, ex-fiancee. The new husband was just too busy to pay much attention to Angie's vicious mischief-making before. And mischief-make she does. Helen and Clifford divorce as a result, and in the nastiness that accompanies such dissolution of relationships, little Nell becomes lost to both of her parents. Nell, miraculously survives a kidnapping, plane crash, various foster parents and many harrowing adventures. Her parents grieve, blame each other for their loss, and move on with their lives. They must live many years, and learn much in that time -enough to deserve Nell. And then she will return to them. In this adult fable, true love will finally triumph over hate, lust and greed. Good will ultimately prevail. It is the process of reaching the story's finale that makes this tale so fascinating and funny. The characters will change, grow and mature. And those few who do not, will find their just reward. A hilarious read! You'll want to applaud at the novel's end.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant. I return to this book again and again.,
By
This review is from: The Hearts and Lives of Men (Mass Market Paperback)
I don't know if I can add much to Jana's excellent review, other than to say that this is a book unlike any other I have read. It is one of the few in my collection I wouldn't part with. Really well done and entertaining!
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