Product Description

All her life, Amy Evans has struggled against that unkind gift of fate - ugliness. A squat nose stubbed like a plasticine afterthought on her face, a chin too long and eyes straining to meet each other, form a sad picture that dooms Amy to a life of solitude and lovelessness. Now in her fifties, Amy lives alone with her crippled brother, both prisoners of the hopes and aspirations of their youth. Then Amy makes a final bid for happiness, a last ditch attempt to meet someone she can love . who might love her. Suddenly her life takes on dizzying new dimensions as she explores untrodden paths of sexual awareness in an all-or-nothing gamble for dangerous and delicious success.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #555462 in Books
• Published on: 1991-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Review
'A remarkable novel' Auberon Waugh 'Perfect mastered skill . gentle and pungent style . compassion and humour to modulate her often steely-eyed observation' SUNDAY TIMES

About the Author
Bernice Rubens was born in Wales. Her novels include the Booker-Prize winning THE ELECTED MEMBER and A FIVE YEAR SENTENCE, which was shortlisted for the same award. NINE LIVES was published in HB in June 2002.

Customer Reviews

I Sent a Letter to My Love
I've read all Bernice Rubens' novels and they all contain very clever twists and are very readable. Disfunctional families brought to life on the page with their anger and tenderness laid bare but not judged. I Sent a Letter to My Love is no exception.

Sad and somewhat dispiriting
A sad book which leaves a somewhat unpleasant taste. The author doesn't seem to like her characters and perhaps even despises them. Yes, you feel very sorry for Amy and her brother but ultimately you wonder what the author wants you to feel. Is it sadness/sympathy or contempt?

Wonderful
Wonderfully sad, you want Amy (the main character) to succeed in life but know when reading that despite everything she's going to end up exactly as she does; fat and lonely, looking after her brother whom her mother loved more than her. Somehow avoids being depressing and remains a beautiful story. Worth a read!