Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18078 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-02
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Synopsis
A witty, sophisticated romantic comedy which explores the universal themes of love, loyalty and family. American Maggie Monroe is a journalist for New York's hard-hitting current affairs show Newsline. Independent and fearless, the more cutting-edge the story, the happier she is. But when her next assignment turns out to be an in-depth documentary on the decline of England's ruling classes, she's furious at being sent to cover a bloody tea party. Meet the Earl and Countess of Bevan, eccentric, maddening and with family secrets to hide. Meet Daniel Bevan - their eldest son. Funny, attractive and hopelessly alcoholic. Meet Daniel's responsible brother Rory - angry, self-mocking and strictly teetotal. When Maggie discovers Rory to be an uninvited chaperone on the first stop of her journey the two look set to clash. Maggie finds herself torn between her journalist ideals and coming to terms with a greater understanding. This unlikely romantic comedy paints an endearing portrait of a family, which like so many others, holds itself together despite its evident frailties.

Customer Reviews

It took a few chapters.....
It took me a few chapters to understand what was going on and get into this book - but after that I couldn't leave it down. In some places I laughed out loud and in others I almost cried. I loved the Bevan family - and even though we didn't hear from Rory himself, I didn't feel I knew him any less. Really enjoyed it!

Once it gets going, an enjoyable page-turner
I bought this book for my Mum, and she lent it to me once she had read it, giving it to me with glowing praise. After about 10 pages I wondered what she was talking about, having found it hard going up to that point. By 25 pages I was hooked, and enjoyed the rest of the book thoroughly. The story is a little disjointed at the start, but once it settles into a rhythm it is a humorous insight into the world of an upper class family struggling through life. Whether it is truly reflective of the real-life upper classes is irrelevant, because you can imagine it could all be true. Pollen has a real talent for comedy, with Alistair and Audrey being some of the most amusing characters I have ever met in a book. However, I don't consider the book to be primarily a comedy, or even a romantic comedy (having a predictable love story). It is just a great story about people, and specifically Families. It does only lightly touch on what are some very hard-hitting issues, but I would not want it to go into more depth with these issues, it isn't that sort of a book. An enjoyable page-turner.

Gone away...
A page-turner, this book, and thoroughly enjoyable, although it would have had far more impact if the inevitable romance between the young lord and the American girl had been thwarted. Much more poignant, and more like life actually is. From a promising start at an AA meeting and the death of the narrator, Hunting Unicorns ends up fulfilling all mushy prophecies with a happy ending worthy of a Julia Roberts movie.
Good fun though.