Bookends

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Jane Green

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Pages: 400 (Paperback)

ISBN: 0140276521

Pub: Penguin Books Ltd

Pub date: 2000-06-01

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 62291

Editorial Review:

After working on her career at a top London advertising agency for the best part of a decade, Cath yearns to leave and open her own bookshop. Lucy, married to Cath's old Uni buddy, Josh, longs to run a cafe. So when a suitable site comes up, the girls combine their dreams and Bookends is born. However, opening a trendy book café (as opposed to cybercafé) is a fairly minor sub-plot in Bookends. This is a novel about the lives, hopes and dreams of a group of thirtysomethings, living in West Hampstead, who (mostly) met at University and have moved on, for better or worse: Cath is disenchanted and has long-since stopped trying to (a) manage her Michael-Jackson-circa-1973 hair (b)wear anything other than black that she hasn't owned for more than five years, and (c) find a suitable beau. Luckily, Si--desperate to find the man of his dreams and an expert at applying haircare products and shopping at designer stores--makes a perfect best friend. Apart from improving her appearance, he's great for those awkward social occasions that, even in our postmodernist world, still require a male escort. Then, out of the blue, a former member of the old University gang turns up and, hey presto, things start to change. Beautiful, elegant, clever Portia appears to have it all; it takes a couple of hundred pages to discover what she's been looking for. The strange thing about Bookends is that Portia turns out to be merely a sub-plot.

Jane Green's latest novel is about the love and trust and enduring friendships of a bunch of young hopefuls whose lives take the usual twists and turns and ups and downs as they mature into thoughtful, rounded adults. Green is an author whose readers either love or hate her, If you love her, you'll want to read her fourth novel; if you don't, you might be surprised by Bookends. --Carey Green

Reader Reviews:

Lacks depth (0/0 people found this helpful)

I have read a few Jane Green books before and must say I was disappointed witht this one, I did not see the point in the Portia character and all the others lacked the depth to tackle the shocking subject that came up later in the book. All in all not a very good read with quite a bad ending

Good quick read but the same as lots of others (0/0 people found this helpful)

This was an enjoyable book to read and was not as predictable as many others of its type. That said the "single woman with diverse friends from college" story has been done too many times and the continual drama became a bit dull. It felt like I had read it before.
I have always had a dream to work in a book shop though and that part of the book really appealled and more detail about that would have been good for me.
The main problem with the book is that lots of serious issues are introduced but nothing is explored in any depth making a fairly shallow read. Lots of potential and good plot lines but she could have done more with it.

Fabulous Easy Read (1/2 people found this helpful)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, this is the 2nd book of Jane Greens that I've read and I've found them both to be nice easy reads, the type of book that you can put down and go back to without losing your place or having to re-read the last page because you've forgotten what happenned last.

I don't agree with some of the comments that Si should be the main character, it would totally change the aspect of the story, and lets face it what could you possibly say about Cath.

I'll definately be reading more.

Bookended (3/3 people found this helpful)

Jane Green presents a flawed look at love in all its forms in "Bookends," a tale of friendship and relationships. It's an entertaining light read, written in a brisk fashion with some interesting character conflicts, but the lead character never develops any spark of life.

They were all pals at college: glamourous Portia, mousy Cath, lovable gay Simon, and low-key Simon (whom Portia seduced to keep him "in her thrall"). Except for Portia, they have all stayed friends. But now Cath has been burned by a bad relationship and shies away from men. Josh is married to everywoman Lucy and has a hellspawn child and an icy nanny. And Si is desperately seeking his soulmate, only to ensnare himself with a vicious philanderer.

Reenter Portia, more glamourous and beautiful than ever, and a successful TV producer... of a soap that closely mirrors her pals' lives. An elaborate dance of suspicion begins, as Cath and Simon believe that Lucy and Sim's marriage hits a rough spot, and that Simon is straying back to Portia. When Si is diagnosed with HIV, friendships are strained and secrets come unravelled -- with surprising results.

There's nothing new or unexpected about "Bookends," except for a throwaway subplot that Green tacks in late in the book. Perhaps the most intriguing thing is Portia's true nature -- is she a heartless manipulator? A glamorous slut? A sweet woman with devilish allure? Green keeps you guessing right up to the end.

Her writing is pretty snappy and quick, and she weaves the subplots together without a lot of fuss or plot holes. Cath's sort-of-romance is underdeveloped, though, the identity of Portia's lover is obvious, and the HIV story feels contrived. But it is pretty entertaining to watch what is essentially a small-scale soap opera unfold, complete with marital strife, unfaithful lovers, bratty kids, sexy nannies and a Dark Exotic Mystery Woman.

The one flaw in an otherwise good cast is Cath herself -- she's too timid and annoying to be likable. Si is an excellent character though, and adds extra depth and poignancy to the cliched lovable gay pal. His struggles and longing for true love make you want to hug him. Josh and Lucy are good as the ideal marrieds who hit a rough patch.

An almost-perfect cast redeems a by-the-numbers novel about friendship and relationships. Not to mention a veiled lesson about not jumping to conclusions. "Bookends" is a fun guilty pleasure, if a lightweight one.

Brilliant read (0/1 people found this helpful)

It's a very girlie chick lit read but highly worthwhile. I have loved all of Jane Green's books that I have read but probably more so this one than any other. The charaters are loveable and I just kept wanting to read until I got to the end as I just couldn't put it down which for me is a real first! I would recommend this to anyone who wanted a good book to read. Be warned a small part in it is sad but it doesn't spoil the overall story at all!

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