Product Description

'Oh I have all of this, John; money, men, beauty, fame, and still I am unhappy.' No one could tell you exactly why Misty Moore was famous, but everyone knew everything about her: the marriages, the plastic surgery, and now a baby. Nineteen-year-old John has been plucked out of a London sandwich bar to be Misty's nanny while she hides out - post pregnancy - in a crumbling mansion in Wychwood, in deepest Yorkshire. He is dazzled by his change of fortune, Misty's impossible breasts and most of all by the heartbreaking Hepsie Vine who is mysteriously bound to Misty. But there's more to his job than just glamour and decadence. For the village in Wychwood comes with a dank trace of secrets and Misty - of course - has plenty of her own. Helen Cross's new novel is a modern day morality tale. Written with a wild lyricism, it is brilliant, haunting and utterly original

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #767658 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
Praise for My Summer of Love:'A hand grenade of a novel Cross depicts a world every bit as shocking, and as violent, as the one Anthony Burgess created in A Clockwork Orange.' Daily Mail 'I think it's brilliant.' Julie Burchill 'A wonderful account of early adolescence.' Matt Thorne 'Sharp, disturbing and highly original.' Sunday Mirror

Cosmopolitan
‘For a girly read that’s deeper than chick lit, this haunting book is perfect’

Company
‘Dark and dramatic – a fab read’

Customer Reviews

dissapointing
although i really loved 'my summer of love' this proves very dissapointing. i baught it simply because of the author, the back blurb wouldn't have interested me otherwise.there is the odd powerful line, or short bit that strikes a cord, but the majority is dull, predictable, tedious and sadly dissapointing. as i am such a fan of Cross' other work, it is with reluctance that i condemn this book as simply rubbish, and give my copy to the charity shop.

Hmmm...great jacket graphics at least
Now, let's get this straight: I was blown away by My Summer of Love - it was haunting, beautiful, tragic. And in a way, The Secrets She Keeps is similarly haunting, beautiful and tragic. But it just doesn't quite work for me. The prose is consistently strong and at times magical, but I didn't feel the plot was substantial enough to intrigue me and I failed to relate to the characters. It's always going to be tricky if the narrator is (deliberately) someone for whom you have no sympathy.

Actually, I did love one character: Mouse - a seven (or 11?) year old American boy - abandoned, balaclavaed and with the wisdom of a cynical teen - who is stranded with some very glamourous fruitloops in the Yorkshire countryside. Mouse is absolutely inspired, even if he mainly serves as a device, but he can't hold the story together all on his own.

I recommend with caution.