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A review by allieeveryday
Amongst Women by John McGahern
2.0
I've always thought of myself as someone who doesn't need to like characters to like a book, and this is the first time in a while I've questioned whether that's really true for me. Because every time I set this book down to go do something else, basically my last thought would be that Moran was such a schmuck, knowing schmuck was not the right adjective but not having a better one. He's, at the very least, verbally abusive to his children; his wife and daughters tiptoe around him as to avoid unleashing his frustration and anger, and still declare that their lives and worlds revolve around him and he can't help it, it's just the way Daddy is, etc. etc. Which historically has made me roll my eyes and bump down the star rating.
As I was reading this though, I started thinking about what other people would think of this book. I can think of a few GR friends that would probably love this (Bonnie, probably you, though I can't quite figure out WHY I think so, other than you usually like the things that make me roll my eyes and then have much better insight than I do about it). For the languid Irish farm setting, at the very least, and the relationships between the grown children, all of whom eventually leave home and some of whom don't mind returning to the gilded cage, and others who outright refuse to let their father have any power over them once they're gone.
Could I like a book despite the main character - and yes, Moran is obviously the main character in a book called Amongst Women EYEROLL - being pretty frustrating and despicable even in his interiority? Sure. Once I started thinking about it beyond just Moran, I liked certain elements about Amongst Women (the aforementioned environment, the relationship between the daughters and their stepmother), but also there were several times when the author made the same observation only a page or two apart, and I wished for an editor.
So ultimately - it was fine. Didn't love it, didn't hate it.
As I was reading this though, I started thinking about what other people would think of this book. I can think of a few GR friends that would probably love this (Bonnie, probably you, though I can't quite figure out WHY I think so, other than you usually like the things that make me roll my eyes and then have much better insight than I do about it). For the languid Irish farm setting, at the very least, and the relationships between the grown children, all of whom eventually leave home and some of whom don't mind returning to the gilded cage, and others who outright refuse to let their father have any power over them once they're gone.
Could I like a book despite the main character - and yes, Moran is obviously the main character in a book called Amongst Women EYEROLL - being pretty frustrating and despicable even in his interiority? Sure. Once I started thinking about it beyond just Moran, I liked certain elements about Amongst Women (the aforementioned environment, the relationship between the daughters and their stepmother), but also there were several times when the author made the same observation only a page or two apart, and I wished for an editor.
So ultimately - it was fine. Didn't love it, didn't hate it.