Smother (Diva Books) [Paperback]

Linda Innes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2001 | Series: Diva Books

Mary has an obsession: to prove her love for Tanya. She will persist no matter what abuse she gets in return. But sooner or later, the worm has to turn

As this skilfully told story unfolds, we see how, each woman's relationship with her own mother has shaped her adult love affairs. And so we discover the "root" of all evil. Drawing on the universal theme of how childhood pain can last a lifetime, this highly readable debut novel is intelligent and packed with sharp humour.

Linda Innes was born Liverpool and now lives in Saltburn (North East England). She contributed to the Diva Book of Short Stories.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Linda Innes was born in Liverpool in 1961 and now lives on the north-east coast of England. She is a contributor to the Diva Book of Short Stories and has been a performance poet, stand-up comedian, writing tutor and arts administrator. This is her first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Diva Books (December 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1873741618
• ISBN-13: 978-1873741610
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,527,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely brilliant- read it and weep!, January 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Smother (Diva Books) (Paperback)

Excellent! I couldn't put it down!
It is a great book. Poetic, humorous, dramatic, heartbreaking, beautifully written and structured, it absolutely involved the reader.
The characters and dialogue sparkle with life. The plot is an emotional rollercoaster of laughs and tears, and its twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat.
It's the story of Mary and Tanya,the dynamics of their relationships, how their past has affected them,interwoven with memories of mothers...
It's both lyrically and wittily told, charming and chilling at the same time.
Buy this for everyone you know - it has echoes for us all.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best At Describing the Worst..., November 10, 2003

By 

Redoxon (london, GB) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smother (Diva Books) (Paperback)

It takes a real talent to take such a painful subject as this and turn it into a masterpiece of a novel.

I won't give too much away regarding the plot.

But. It had me laughing out loud and also wondering HOW a stand-up commedienne had managed to find this entire book in her mind?

Beautifully crafted. Unforgetable. And, if you've had anything other than a mildly disfunctional childhood, I would send a small Public Health Warning along with this.

I will read anything else this woman publishes.

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, March 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Smother (Diva Books) (Paperback)

This is Linda Innes' first novel - and, without doubt, it heralds the debut of a major new writing talent.
This is a powerful story of two women; a dark comedy about the pains and pleasures of an ongoing love affair and the effect that each of their mothers has had on their lives and on that relationship. A common enough theme perhaps, but in Innes' hands Mary and Tanya almost walk off the pages... into your own mind, like people you know, people that matter to you personally.
Alternating the two voices, chapter by chapter, a story riven by conflict develops, with the shadows of the two mothers ever looming over them, and with friendship and illicit affairs on the side adding an extra depth.
Linda Innes has tackled a difficult subject with a rare eye for detail and considerable flair. And, as a result, she gives us a remarkable insight into the generational behaviour that affects us all to greater and lesser extents. What we do to each other and, perhaps, why we do it.
It is a simply brilliant novel and a privilege - as well as a joy - to read.