October book club - Cousins

Just out of interest, have the lucky winners had emails this month?

I finished up downloading Cousinsbecause I have always been a big fan of Salley Vickers. .
But I am finding it VERY slow going and frankly, am a bit bored at the endless back story.
Perhaps things will pick up but I am not sure I can be bothered!

Has anyone received the October book yet?

No. But then I haven’t read September’s yet.

Looks like the books have all moved to the next month. Maybe we could miss a month so that we could catch up!

October book received today, thank you.

Received this morning. Thank you. I've enjoyed Sally Vicker's previous books so hopefully this will be a good read. I can't remember the last time I read a paper book- probably the last tine I got a GN book club book!

Just received Cousins ,Thank you.
I hope we have more than a few days to read and review.

I have just received a free copy which was a lovely surprise as I never win anything and I had forgotten I'd entered the draw. I had better get reading very quickly so i can contribute! I have never read any of her books so all new to me. I'm looking forward to it.

Thank you for my copy, postman just been. Not much chance of me reading it by the end of the month, sorry.

Just got home to my copy. Will read and review as soon as possible.

Just received my copy of 'Cousins' I've got three other books by Sally Vickers, so I was very pleased to be given it! Start on it tonight!

My copy of Cousins arrived at lunchtime, thank you. I didn`t get an email though.

Just got mine today. Thank you. I thought it was an early November choice, but will do my best to read in the next few days. No hardship at first look! ?

I just received my copy (26th Oct). It doesn't give me much time to read it. I will put aside the book I'm reading and do my best.

Thank you for sending me a copy of 'Cousins', which arrived yesterday (25th October). Looking forward to reading it and will post a comment as soon as I finish the book.

I'd also forgotten about 'Cousins' till my copy arrived yesterday. Can't see me getting it read before Tuesday so hope we can have some leeway for responses please GN

Had a lovely surprise when I returned home from holiday today, a copy of Cousins. Thank you very much. (I hadn’t had an email, should I have?)

Have just finished reading "Cousins", which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you again for sending me a copy.

Being interested in my own family history, having researched it for some years now and being aware of family "secrets", which have come back to affect the current generation, how could I not "devour" this book.

So many quotes - "history repeating itself", "the sins of the father", "blood is thicker than water" etc all come to mind and all ring true.

Salley, do you have a favourite character in your book and, if so, why? Thank you.

I am having the same thoughts as Mawbroon and am finding the early chapters slow going.

I`m about halfway through, and must admit to not liking this book as much as The Cleaner of Chartreause, the only other book of Salley Vickers that I`ve read. Maybe things will improve soon, I hope.

I’ll be honest -I didn’t find the whole rationale of the book (“sins of the father’s” if that is it) either obvious or particularly convincing.
The reaction to having a Jewish mother seemed odd to me -who was Nat/Jack blaming? Or was it collective guilt? Or “survivor guilt”?
I found the selfish male behaviour in more than one character both annoying and irritating but most of all my simple brain got totally confused by people being called different names to the ones they were given. Granted, I am easily confused.
I will read this book again if only because there were elements (like the names) which complicated it for me, but deep down I am not sure the rotation of narrators worked or the jumping from one generation to another.
Even the end (I won’t spoil it for those still to reach it) was a bit of a damp squib - no revelations, dramatic denouement, just a bit of an anti climax.
Not vintage Salley Vickers for me

I too am only half way through. I will try and speed up and post a full review soon. I haven't read anything by this author yet so didn't really know what to expect. So far I am intrigued by the relationships of the family and the similarities between Will/Ceal and Betsy/Fred, family, history repeating itself and the different perceptions of all the characters.. I haven't yet decided whether I like the book I don't feel that urge to keep reading as I do with a book I love but I do want to find out what really happened to Will and why.