My book choice: Daughters in Law by Joanna Trollope

I've read it - very good, I thought!

I will put it on my list to read after I have got through the Diane Chamberlain books I have picked up from library.

I love JT so will defintely get this one. My book club is reading The Postmistress at the moment havent started it yet - very small print. is it good - anyone read it?

susiecb - you need a Kindle, then you can increase to whatever makes it more readable for you!

I'm about 3/4 through reading this and fascinated to see how it all turns out.

I read a review on Amazon and borrowed it from the library. Loved it.

I liked it too; she creates superb characters and the MiL was infuriating but sad too.

I like J.Trollope..so must read it.
Reading 'One Day' ...but the print is SO small it puts me off reading it for long. My DH has a Kindle and uses large print..I think one will be on my Christmas present list !! (in other words ...I will probably buy myself one )!!!!!!

Does anyone here think Joanna Trollope's later books have really gone off a bit. I loved all her early ones, and thought she wrote wonderfully about the dynamics of family life particularly in Other People's Children, The Men and the Girls, The Rector's Wife (I think that's what it was called), A Village Affair, The Spanish Lover, all great. Lately however, I have read a couple of her books which I have found very disappointing, Friday Nights in particular. Should I try Mothers-in-Law and give her another go?

Definitely,*baNANA*! It certainly makes you think about the mistakes that we all may be capable of, while all the time just loving our children! Give it a go?

Yes! I didn't like later books so much, but this one is good.

I loved the earlier ones but haven't got into this one at all. felt she had lost her touch.

Hi, I must say I agree with you about JT's latest book. I was a bit dissapointed, the style of writing seemed changed somehow and at times a little irritating. I do normally enjoy her books which I get from my local library. But, I did finish it even so.

I have found JT's writing a bit irritating in the past, but I will give this a try.

Rather later than most, I have got round to reading Daughters-in-law and found it a dreadful warning about Mothers/Grandmothers who want to be at the centre of their family.
Not having read any sort of introduction I took the book at face value.
At first I envied Rachel and Anthony their rambling Suffolk house, the extended family returning to the nest with wives and children, the relaxed atmosphere and the love between the generations. Wouldn't we all like that?
And then of course as it all unravelled I saw how tempting it is as a Mother to want to "fix" things for your children long after you are in a position to have any right do it and how dangerous wanting to be at the centre of things can be.
As my Granny used to say "I stand corrected" or at least warned: - Not to meddle, not to try to control, not to alienate by over- possessive love.
My one quibble is with the title - the "daughters-in-law" may be the catalyst but it is the relationship with her sons that is at the heart of the book. I am too often tempted to "give advice" (= interfere) and see it as a need to be needed - it is a timely warning!

Joanna Trollope's LATEST book is The Soldier's Wife. She's back to her original form. This is a splendid read and she has researched her local colour well. It's about the reajustments familes and soldiers need to make in response to homecoming after a long tour and generally to the circumstances service life. A page turner. Lucky my library reservations are free! I think you'll find the dynamics of family life well explored this time baNANA

Oh, good, I thought I might be the only person who found the MIL really annoying and controlling.

I have also found JT a bit irritating, but will have a go at these ones. My book group wants to read The Soldier's Wife over the summer period when we skip a month.

I did like "Daughters in Law* but enjoyed "The Soldier's Wife" more. But then, I was one, so can empathise; in my case it was the return from Northern Ireland, though. But eGJ I agree, she's back on form.

Snap Ariadne! Mine was over the water too. I think it will open other people's eyes to some of the modern problems, families face which service families have always known about.

[eGJ] and [ Ariadne] me too. Read the sample chapter and it took me straight back. She has got it so right. I've got such a tottering To Read pile that I am waiting till it gets a bit cheaper, but it's definitely on my wish list.

You'll enjoy it when it comes ganja; I was lucky my library reservations are free and I was the top of the list!

I read Daughters in Law last year and found it good but not JT's best. As remarked 'Friday Nights' was really weak and I almost didn't finish it. Her old books are much better and I've just finished reading 'Next of Kin' for the second time after many years, and I really loved it. The descriptions of grieving and unhappiness really got to me. I must have been to young for it before!
I think JT tries to get under the skin of people who are now much younger than she is and it very often doesn't ring true, or it is difficult to distinguish one from the other. That's why the MIL in DILs is much better described and appears a really well rounded character - for we readers to disagree with and like or dislike.

I agree with those who weren't sure about Daughters in Law and who preferred some of JT's other novels. I think DiL comes over as a barely disguised lecture on the perils of interfering with children's relationships. It's almost as if Joanna has pounced on an "issue" (issues are hugely loved by women's fiction publishers at the moment) and milked it 'til we're bored to death with the subject.

So for me it was rather formulaic and why the MiL fantasised (at the end of the book) about turning the family home into a B&B is completely beyond me. Who'd want to take on all that hard and heavy work at a time in one's life when one's meant to be taking it easy and having fun?

Please write about a hedonist next time, Joanna!

The MiL is a woman who needs a 'project'. When her sons were out of the way, Petra was a project (could her name be shortened to 'pet'? That's how they seem to treat her). When they all asserted their independence, a B&B could be the next project!
I've posted my opinions on the 'What are you reading?' thread.