Scan barcode
A review by kate66
On Hampstead Heath by Marika Cobbold
5.0
The last time I read anything by Marika Cobbold was "Guppies for Tea" which had made it onto the BBC's Top 100 Reads (back in the very early noughties). I couldn't now tell you anything about the book but looking at notes I gave it 5 stars so it must have been enjoyable.
I was lucky enough to get On Hampstead Heath on approval from Netgalley as an audio book. It is read by Tracey-Ann Oberman who I've never really rated as an actress. However her narration is superb. She strikes the perfect balance between the characters voices so you're never confused about who you are listening to. So narrator gets a big star.
The next 4 stars are purely for the story. It's a sort of love story but nothing soppy (I loathe soppy). The characters of Thorn/Rose, Nick, Lottie and Rufus are wonderfully drawn. Just enough detail to give you a flavour of who they are but still some left back for your imagination.
The story centres mainly on Thorn (also known as Rose) who is a journalist. Her newspaper is turning into a tabloid style celebration of the mediocre celebrity and Thorn is a serious journalist. She is told to change or lose her job but what fluffy feel good story can she write? The answer comes during a drunken meeting with her ex-husband, Nick. Nick shows her a picture of an angel he had taken that morning on the heath.
The day after Thorn wakes up to her worst nightmare - a happy editor, pleased that she has embraced the notion of an optimistic news story. But what does he mean? What has she done? With fear in her heart she takes a look at the front page. There is Nick's "angel" but with her words ... and the story she has made up.
We then follow Thorn as she tries to make things right with the angel, her next door neighbour, her estranged mother and her ex-husband.
I laughed out loud. I cried. I shouted at the characters. I had my heart in my mouth. It was a wonderful ride. Marika Cobbold is back on my to read list. I really enjoyed this. It won't change the world but it will most definitely entertain you. It does delve into some interesting subjects not least of which is the use of fake news and the OTT knee-jerk reactions of people who don't do their homework into how true any story really is.
I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys a smart rom-com style novel. It is head and shoulders above quite a lot of so-called rom-coms I've read. That Marika Cobbold can write beautifully is not in doubt and if you're lucky enough to get the audio then Tracey-Ann Oberman does not disappoint as a narrator.
I was lucky enough to get On Hampstead Heath on approval from Netgalley as an audio book. It is read by Tracey-Ann Oberman who I've never really rated as an actress. However her narration is superb. She strikes the perfect balance between the characters voices so you're never confused about who you are listening to. So narrator gets a big star.
The next 4 stars are purely for the story. It's a sort of love story but nothing soppy (I loathe soppy). The characters of Thorn/Rose, Nick, Lottie and Rufus are wonderfully drawn. Just enough detail to give you a flavour of who they are but still some left back for your imagination.
The story centres mainly on Thorn (also known as Rose) who is a journalist. Her newspaper is turning into a tabloid style celebration of the mediocre celebrity and Thorn is a serious journalist. She is told to change or lose her job but what fluffy feel good story can she write? The answer comes during a drunken meeting with her ex-husband, Nick. Nick shows her a picture of an angel he had taken that morning on the heath.
The day after Thorn wakes up to her worst nightmare - a happy editor, pleased that she has embraced the notion of an optimistic news story. But what does he mean? What has she done? With fear in her heart she takes a look at the front page. There is Nick's "angel" but with her words ... and the story she has made up.
We then follow Thorn as she tries to make things right with the angel, her next door neighbour, her estranged mother and her ex-husband.
I laughed out loud. I cried. I shouted at the characters. I had my heart in my mouth. It was a wonderful ride. Marika Cobbold is back on my to read list. I really enjoyed this. It won't change the world but it will most definitely entertain you. It does delve into some interesting subjects not least of which is the use of fake news and the OTT knee-jerk reactions of people who don't do their homework into how true any story really is.
I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys a smart rom-com style novel. It is head and shoulders above quite a lot of so-called rom-coms I've read. That Marika Cobbold can write beautifully is not in doubt and if you're lucky enough to get the audio then Tracey-Ann Oberman does not disappoint as a narrator.