Customer Reviews

The Return Journey

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I usually don't like short stories as much as novels, but this book was a wonderful surprise. I loved The Return Journey and highly recommend it! Often short stories seem unsatisfying to me; if I like them, I am frustrated by their stopping too soon. That didn't happen with this book. I found these glimpses into the lives of the various characters to be intriguing and thought-provoking--and just the right length. Somehow Maeve Binchy has provided just enough for the stories to be absolutely satisfying and complete--although you may find yourself lost in your own thoughts afterwards! Each story deals with a journey. If you've ever wondered what human tale lies behind the sad or excited face of a stranger met on the road, or been curious about an unlikely pair of travel companions--you may enjoy this set of stories. I think the book would be just perfect to tuck in a suitcase for a vacation. The stories would also do well on your nighttable to read before bedtime--and then dream of your own trip! If you're the type of person who likes to sit with a cup of tea and daydream next to a sea with "twenty different shades of green and blue"--and wonders about that person over there who is sitting on a rock doing the same: try this book!

When I first started reading this book, I never realized it was one of short stories. As usual Maeve Binchy fleshes out the characters and you can understand very quickly what is going on.

What I like about each of these stories, is that it shows a point of view, of a character at a pin point of time. That pin point of time, is a crossroads. They can opt to continue on, in their well worn rut or they can make decisions that change their lives. These are not earthshattering choices, but ones that define their character.

If you don't want to settle into a book that will take a while to read, and you've never read Maeve Binchy, here is a good taste. I liked it especially well, as when I read it, I had little time available to read, it gave me just enough story to ponder on, each time I read.

Excellent bunch of stories.

I had never read a collection of short stories before, by Maeve Binchy or any other author. What a pleasant surprise! The short story format made for a quick read, which is a nice change after reading The Glass Lake! The stories themselves oozed with Maeve Binchy's creative and imaginative style that I have come to enjoy after reading five of her books. Definitely a winner!

I enjoyed Binchy's "Tara Road"; but "The Return Journey" is a mostly faceless collection of short stories that fade from memory as quickly as they are read. I finished this book less than a week ago and cannot recall "The Apprentice" at all. "Holiday Weather" about a botched affair is like watching a firecracker whose fuse fizzles before it pops. "Victor & St. Valentine" & "Crosslines" are forgettable. I did like "Miss Vogel's Vacation" about an unassuming woman who finds a little romance after being alive for 50 years. "The Home Sitter" was well told, but was frustrating since Allie who comes to their home and has a sparkling personality and gypsy-like appeal almost steals Mara's husband and leaves Mara feeling even more inadequate than when the story began. There is no lesson learned. My favorite story here is "The Women in Hats." It has a progression with the narrator, Helen, meeting a trio (Charlotte, Bonnie & Charlie) on a cruise liner and assuming that the man was with the thinner woman rather than the heavy-set Bonnie. Binchy makes a comparison about how people's judgments about gay people parallel their prejudice about fat people. "Excitement" was not. Unfortunately, Binchy has not mastered the short story form in this collection. She simply doesn't have many stories to tell. This is like reading writing exercises more than short stories. Taxi!

New York Times-bestselling author of Evening Class and This Year It Will Be Different once again reveals her incomparable understanding of matters of the heart. In The Return Journey, Maeve Binchy brings us sons and lovers, daughters and strangers, husbands and wives in their infinite variety--powerfully compelling stories of love, loss, revelation, and reconciliation.A secretarys silent passion for her boss meets the acid test on a business trip....A man and a womans mutual disdain at first sight shows how deceptive appearances can be....An insecure wife clings to the illusion of order, only to discover chaos at the hands of a house sitter who opens the wrong doors....A pair of star-crossed travelers take each others bags, and then learn that when you unlock a strangers suitcase, you enter a stranger's life. In their company are many more, whose poignant, ironic, often humorous stories--unforgettable slices of life--make up The Return Journey, a spellbinding trip into the human heart.Maeve Binchy was born and educated in Dublin. She is the author of the bestselling books Evening Class, This Year It Will Be Different, The Glass Lake, The Copper Beech, The Lilac Bus, Circle of Friends, Silver Wedding, Firefly Summer, Echoes, Light a Penny Candle, and London Transports, three volumes of short stories, two plays, and a teleplay that won three awards at the Prague Film Festival. She has been writing for The Irish Times since 1969 and lives with her husband, Gordon Snell, in Dublin. Maeve Binchy captured the imagination of the world with her spellbinding tales of the Irish people. With her trademark charm, wit, and sheer storytelling genius, she tells stories that are at once universal yet uniquely Irish. Now in this delightful little book, she spins a collection of all-new yarns--stories of sadness and joy, warmth and humor. I'd also recommend, if you missed Tino Georgiou's novel--The Fates, getting a copy--absolutely fab..

Suprisingly this book seems to come up short. It is not one of Binchy's better books. If you're looking for a light read in a doctor's office this may be your book but if you're looking for a substantive read pick another one of Binchy's books like Tara Road or Echoes.

I have to admit that I don't read Binchy's novels because I prefer to listen to them on audio book. Her books translate SO marvelously to tape! This unabridged tape set is wonderfully read and the short story is a perfect format for listening. Each story could be turned into a novel. I was instantly involved with the characters and the situations. Even if you don't usually read short stories, if you like Binchy don't miss this collection.

Whenever I pick up a Maeve Binchy story, I feel I am visiting an old friend. Although The Return Journey is no exception, it is different from her other books as it contains ten short stories. These 10 little nuggets are enjoyable in an easy reading sort of way. Each story revolves around a trip and lessons people learn about others and themselves when travelling. This book will appeal mainly to women. It would be a good book to take to the beach or for someone who has time for only a little reading in one sitting.

As I finished the first few stories in The Return Journey, I was again reminded of why Maeve Binchy is my favorite author, and why I eagerly await her novels. I have to say that I normally avoid collections of stories. They are usually unsatisfying and leave me wanting more. But, I've read her story collections before and know that she makes the characters memorable and the story meaningful, no matter how short the story. I'm about 2/3 of the way through this book and am thoroughly enjoying it!

I am an avid reader and tend to be very picky about the books I read. I have to be captivated by the story, the characters and the author's writing style early in the book, or it will be abandoned. Often I wish that all authors had your gift for making the characters come alive and be real to me. Some authors spend paragraphs on end describing the characters' physical features, clothing, etc., but they are never "real." Maeve Binchy doesn't have to say a word about the appearance of her characters. . .I can picture them from her prose. I admire her ability to paint pictures with words, make the people come alive and tell such meaningful stories.

Typically, Maeve Binchy unravels her characters lives in such a way that the reader is practically forced to enter the story. With this sad collection of short stories centered around the many facets of travel, the frequent Binchy reader may well be disappointed. It is hard to "feel" a character in a 6-7 page story, though some writers have the gift that allows this to happen. Unfortunately, Maeve fails at this feat and I find myself finishing the book simply on principal. Binchy fans should stick to her old standbys like Glass Lake, Firefly Summer and Circle of Friends.