Recent Reading

A Man Like Any Other: the Priest's Tale. Elaine of Random Jottings has recently reviewed this interesting second book by Mary Cavanagh and I agree that it is not for the faint-hearted/ maiden aunt. Mary is a brave and original writer, not afraid to tackle strong subjects and unsympathetic characters. She is also good at writing from the male point of view, as she did so successfully in The Crowded Bed, her debut novel.
A Man Like Any Other is a difficult book to review without giving away the complex plot, but here is an extract from the blurb: "Father McEwan, chaplain of a Cistercian Abbey, counsels the bereaved. Despite his priestly vows, he has, for most of his life, secretly enjoyed a devoted affair with Marina Proudfoot. When Marina dies, grief forces him to follow his own unique instruction: 'To know yourself is to understand yourself, and memory is the only key'. Thus, he tells his life story, from the mystery of his early childhood, his moral dilemmas as a young adult, and his present as a sinning priest. As Marina's own posthumous story is told....It soon becomes apparent she is not the refined Lady of the Manor she purports to be."
Best thing to do is acquire both of Mary's books and judge for yourself.
Before I starting Mary's, I was reading a long, long historical novel. I don't know the author but am not an expert in this genre so am reluctant to review it.