Product Description

Maggie moves to Brighton after splitting up with her long-term boyfriend, and, unable to find a job, starts work as a lapdancer. Failing to make any new friends, she writes letters compulsively, and the highlight of her day is the sound of the morning post being delivered. Maggie gradually becomes obsessed with the married couple, Libby and David, living next door. Libby has given up work after having a baby, and is finding life as a full-time mother very difficult. Just as she persuades David that she should return to work, he is asked to take a sabbatical from his management-consultant job. He’s always longed to travel, and convinces Libby that they should spend six months in Cuba, learning Spanish. Maggie, deciding she too wants to travel, follows them to Havana, where the horrors of her past – in particular her young sister’s violent death – begin to haunt her. And as Maggie starts to break down, she tries to take over Libby’s life…

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #369923 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Synopsis
Maggie moves to Brighton after splitting up with her long-term boyfriend, and, unable to find a job, starts work as a lapdancer. Failing to make any new friends, she writes letters compulsively, and the highlight of her day is the sound of the morning post being delivered. Maggie gradually becomes obsessed with the married couple, Libby and David, living next door. Libby has given up work after having a baby, and is finding life as a full-time mother very difficult. Just as she persuades David that she should return to work, he is asked to take a sabbatical from his management-consultant job. He's always longed to travel, and convinces Libby that they should spend six months in Cuba, learning Spanish. Maggie, deciding she too wants to travel, follows them to Havana, where the horrors of her past -- in particular her young sister's violent death -- begin to haunt her. And as Maggie starts to break down, she tries to take over Libby's life!

About the Author
Emily Barr has written columns and travel pieces for the Observer and the Guardian for several years, and her previous novels Backpack and Baggage were critically acclaimed. She lives in the south of France with her husband and two sons.

Customer Reviews

Entertaining book with a twist at the end...
It usually takes me ages to read books but I couldn't put this down. It kept me interested from start to finish. I was a bit unsure of how the writer would end the book but it had an unexpected but brilliant twist at the end. I'm already looking forward to reading another book by the same writer.

Ending of the 'big let-down variety'
I'd picked up this book thinking 'hey, a fun summer read that'll keep me entertained for a couple of days' and started reading it with high hopes (I'd heard the author was a very talented travel writer)

The story starts off a little slow, but quite a few novels do, so I ignored the fact and read on. Also, instead of feeling sorry for Maggie, the main charecter, I disliked her, feeling she was too wet and annoying, boardering on whiney.

During the middle of the book, it starts to pick up a bit and I started to feel that maybe the book would start to be a little less ... well, depressing ... but towards the third quater of the book, I just started to pretty much dislike all the charecters: they well all too self-absorbed and arragont.

I also felt that the ending was the worst let-down. Maggie had no reason to do what she did (I won't say what because I hate people who put in spoilers) and I put down the book at the end feeling thoroughly depressed.

I've seen alot of other people have liked this book, so maybe this is just my opinion, but if you're looking for a book that'll lift your spirits and put a smile on your face, then this is not the one for you.

a unique chick-lit
This is now one of my favourite books. I'm a very slow reader but it only took me a week to read this book. The melancholy life of the main character, Maggie, grabs your attention, mostly due to sympathy and once that's happened there's no going back. Emily writes beautifully and I could really feel Maggie's emotions throughout the book. This is a truely enthralling read and so different to the chick-lit's i've read perviously - read it now!!!