You will laugh and cry (Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes)

Member Name: funagogo

Product:	Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes
Date:	06/12/07 (124 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great characters, very funny and moving

Disadvantages: Won't be able to put it down

Background
I am not a great reader - I generally have the attention span of a toddler, but I have seen Marian Keyes on a variety of spin-off shows such as BBLB and It takes two and always thought she was incredibly funny and witty, so thought I would give one of her books a go.
I got this is Asda for £3.50 and I think that is about as cheap as I have seen it anywhere.

This is Keyes' fourth insight into the Walsh sisters following Watermelon (Claire), Rachel's holiday (Rachel - obviously) and Angels (Maggie.) Anybody out there follows the fortunes of Anna Walsh.
I haven't read the other books so don't know too much about them, but this did not hinder my understanding of the story.

Published
Paperback - Penguin 2007
Pages
593

RRP
£7.99
Authors website
www.mariankeyes.com

Brief outline
Anna is in her parents Good Front Room in Dublin. She is staying there because of a dislocated kneecap, ripped off fingernails and a scar that makes the local kids call her Frankenstein.

Her mum is force feeding her painkillers and vitamins but all Anna wants is to get back to her amazing job (as a PR girl for kooky make-up firm Candy Grrl) in New York, and back to her man Aidan.
For some reason he is not so keen to return her calls, so there is only one thing for it. She has to persuade her family to let her go back to New York.

All this along a backdrop of her younger sister Helen (a private investigator who gets involved with the Irish mob), a scandalous case of an old lady and some dog poo and the goings on of Anna's friends in New York.
Overview

Keyes' characterization is brilliant - you get emotionally invested in all the characters and can believe they are all real people. Except maybe Aidan who just seems ridiculously perfect.
The storyline does jump around quite a bit, but this adds to the readability (is that a real word - I may have just made it up.) You have to know why she is injured, what is going on with Aidan and how will her life be when she finally gets back to New York.

Keyes' writing style is very warm and readable although is definitely aimed at women. By the time you finish reading this the terms feathery stroker, Treakil and Jolly Boy will just bring a smile.
But this book isn't a laugh a minute, it is also really upsetting and if you don't have a tear in your eye by half way you are made of stone.

It deals with some quite heavy going issues without the reader ever having to stop and work things out.
I think most women will be able to identify with Anna on some level and be routing for her by the end - I know I stayed up until 4am to find out how it ended!

If the trend is anything to go by I will definitely be reading the book about Helen Walsh as she just seems hilarious.
People I know who have read the other books say this is the best work Keyes has done to date - be warned though there is some swearing and sex in here so if you don't like that kind of thing you might want to give it a miss

Summary: A very good chick-lit read