Reviews

Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo

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harrisontown's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

mercapto's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An unflinching portrayal of what it means to live a lie. Is easy to see how it affects the one keeping secrets, but the fallout is so much bigger.

And yet, despite the outdated views of the protagonists, the homophobia (both outward and internalised), the misogyny… they’re so human. So understandable. Who hasn’t met older people who say the wrong things, but from ignorance rather than hate? I wanted so badly for Barry and Morris to be happy together, but at the same time could see they didn’t think how their wives actually feel, that they are their own people with their own lives.

Carmel’s chapters remind us that we all live in a world made from our own perceptions, it’s not black and white. Who Carmel is as a person is so different to who Barry sees, the same with the children and their views of their father. I’m glad it was Carmel who initiated the divorce - she needed that, she needed to let go, to free herself.

And while he makes excuses the whole book, by the end he acknowledges that. He feels guilt, he really processes that just because he was hurting doesn’t mean other people weren’t too. I’m glad that Maxine showed him the world like he’d never seen it, educated him, and that he changed. That he wrote the letter even if he knew she wouldn’t accept it.

I really did enjoy this, and think it was a very nuanced and sensitive portrayal of a deeply complicated topic.

hannahclare44's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jarvvis's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wonderful! A delight! Nothing I loved more than following this OAP lovable bastard around for 300 pages and seeing his life laid bare for me. Realistic and charming and filled with great complications. This book is relatively quick, both in terms of page count and actual time covered in the novel (a little under a month with the occasional time skip) - and yet there’s so much packed in here, a whole life and family and community. The climax comes to a head quite fast, but it’s obvious it’s over 40 years in the making.

thefantasticalworldofsara's review against another edition

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3.0

I've heard amazing things about Bernardine Evaristo's writing so I wanted to give one of her books a try!

Mr. Loverman felt like little slices of life of the main character Barrington and his family as he decides he's going to divorce his wife and finally announce his lifelong love/partnership with his male best friend, Morris. Some parts made me laugh out loud and others broke my heart a little. Ultimately though, I didn't feel like there was enough overarching plot/narrative and while I liked the interspersed chapters told from his wife Caramel's perspective it didn't really feel connected to anything (other then to further emphasize her unhappiness). Also, Very happy that all the characters got the happy endings they deserved but it all felt wrapped up a bit too neat.

Overall, the writing itself was lovely and interesting but I wished there was a bit more connecting everything together.

ps. The views express in this review are my own and do not reflect the views of Indigo Books & Music Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. #IndigoEmployee