August book club - The Cactus. Leave your questions and reviews here

I mentioned the "mom" issue earlier as it was interfering with my enjoyment of an otherwise great book.

I've just begun reading Everyone by Jess Phillips MP. On p12 she's put a footnote -

"Every time I write about being a mother, I receive comments about my use of the term 'mom'. Just so you know, it's not only the Americans who use it; in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands we say 'mom' too."

( Mapleleaf posted a similar explanation at the time.) Maybe The Cactus could have something inserted in future editions?

have not finished yet.

Not reading comments as I have finished yet- have been finishing two others. Halfway through and enjoying very much.

Thank you gransnet for a copy of this book. First of all I have to say,what an attractive cover it would definitely catch my eye in a bookshop. A really good debut book for Sarah Haywood. Susan is quite a complex character and her personality is shown in how formal the writing is. I think Susan became like that to protect herself from what was going on a home with her father and also her brother.
Kate her neighbour,never took offense at anything Susan said to her and eventually managed to break through her hard outer surface.
This turned out to be a lovely story and I throughly enjoyed it. There's a few secrets exposed along the way but I don't like to say too much in case this is being read by someone who hasn't read the book. I want to ask the author if a sequel is planned as I would love to know how Susan copes with the new relationships in her life and if she keeps changing.
I also have to say I love the title and it's a bit different from all those little shop books in seaside towns that are all the style now.

Candelle earlier in the thread, it is explained that Mom is often used in the Birmingham area with which the author is familiar. So thankfully it isn’t a nod to transatlantic sales! ?

I can't add much more to the above reviews except to say that I enjoyed the book and was sorry when it came to the end. Susan is such an unusual character for a story and I started off thinking that she's not someone that I would like to be friends with, but did warm to her as the story progressed. The reasons for her prickliness become apparent as the story evolves and it is well written.
I have now passed this on to another Gransnetter who I exchange books with, even though we live 500 miles apart!

Thanks again to Gransnet and to Sarah Haywood. Another happy reader here
First of all, as others have already said, while you can’t judge a book by its cover, this one certainly deserves a mention: a beautifully produced hardback, a joy to hold and read. I love the blooming cactus artwork and the attractive calligraphy. Well done, Two Roads.
As for the story, I didn’t immediately take to Susan: she comes over, at least initially, as judgemental, intolerant of others’ failings and apparently lacking in any warmth or humour, although I did like her independence and determination. As the story continues however, I was drawn in and, eventually, warmed to her and grew to care that all should turn out well for her.
Overall, I found The Cactus to be a funny and insightful story, well written, imagined and observed. It is also a deep, sometimes dark depiction of sibling rivalry, changes in society’s acceptance of teenage pregnancy/unmarried motherhood and the hopelessness of thinking you can control everything in your life.
The supporting cast is well written too: Kate the neighbour, who had a lot more to her than Susan suspected; Rob the gardener, whose persistence was admirable; the awful Aunt Sylvia; Richard, a male version of Susan.....but for whom I did feel a pang of sympathy, as he was so effortlessly replaced by Rob.
One niggle: others have already commented on the use of the word Mom. It jarred a bit with me too. And, while I was almost persuaded by Mapleleaf’s explanation (Birmingham pronunciation), the first time it was used was by Tom (p.7), a new admin assistant in Susan’s London office....?
Finally, quite a few similarly impressive debut novels have featured in the Gransnet Bookclub of late. Many of them, as with this, arose out of Creative Writing courses.
So...I’d like to ask Sarah what prompted her to decide to quit a legal career and write a novel?
And what impact(s) did her Masters have on her writing?
I'd also quite like to find out how Susan copes with motherhood so hoping there might be a sequel at some point?

Before my short review I have to have a moan about the use of the word ‘Mom’ (a central character to the narrative) which is used throughout the book. Unless this is a local dialect, ‘Mom’ is used in America and I am not familiar with its usage in the UK. Although the book may be for dual-circulation, if it were possible, please please change the Moms to Mums for British readers as it really grated.
Later….. I have just looked up the usage of ‘Mom’ and understand that it is indeed used in the Midlands where it can be considered the norm. I still felt irked by its use throughout the book (not being from the Midlands!) and would prefer the usual British word, ‘Mum’ as is general for the UK’. The author must have made a decision that ‘Mom’ was the word she wanted to use – perhaps a note somewhere to explain its Brummie usage – would be helpful for other readers?
It was very refreshing to have the opportunity to meet such a character and see the foibles of a prickly lady such as Susan. Often, women’s fiction (sexist alert…?) can be a little wishy-washy but Susan knows her mind and is not afraid to use it. Very slowly, one warms to her character and although I didn’t see the denouement coming, on reflection there was the odd signpost (Susan, petite and trim; Auntie Sylvia,’ looked after herself’; Sylvia’s Christmas outburst….. and unsmiling in Susan’s Christening photographs…) which should have alerted this reader but failed to do so until almost the last minute! I think perhaps I was enjoying the characterisations so much I was not on ‘alert’ to the actual plot.
The other characters, the long-suffering boyfriend to be, Rob, and Susan’s annoying brother, Edward together with other relatives also played their part in concocting and setting the scene of sibling rivalry and family life. Kate, Susan’s first real friend was a breath of fresh-air and she showed Susan that one did not have to be quite so insular.
I wonder if the many references to life today will date the book (Facebook, Netflix, etc.)? On the other hand it does anchor the story firmly in this part of the twenty-first century and a glossary could always be added later!
I really loved Susan’s stance on childbirth and relished the chapter when she gave birth. One can safely say that the author has, herself, been through the birthing process! The transformation from a woman wholly in control to that of a deranged woman in pain, was very believable (take all the pain relief that one is offered, ladies!).
I would thoroughly recommend The Cactus as a well-written book which slowly develops and builds until the climax which is a ‘gasping’ moment (well it was for this reader!).
I very much look forward to reading further novels from the pen of Sarah Haywood. .
Thank you Gransnet for the opportunity to know of this author and enjoy her book.
PS The Cactus has a very attractive cover, too!

I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I loved the design, great looking book!

I really enjoyed the content too. Susan was such an interesting character, likeable and prickly at the same time (just like a cactus) and made an unusual narrator because for once the reader is actually one step ahead. Very enjoyable read, thanks for my free copy.

This was a page turner for me, so for once I've managed to get it read and reviewed early(ish) in the month. The characters were well drawn, and the story had enough twists and turns to hold my interest throughout. Susan was an entertaining individual, with vague hints in some respects of Eleanor Oliphant. And I like the way the cactus theme runs throughout the book. Susan’s prickly disposition, her references to her adolescent self as a plant to be nurtured, the slow bloom, the little one she’s cultivating, even the author’s acknowledgements at the end, from the seed which was planted and which germinated, grew through the rocky patches and flourished after a little pruning and careful tending!

Susan’s own blossoming into a much more likeable person was shown by small steps and subtle shifts. I wasn’t as convinced by her brother’s rather sudden character change at the time of her baby’s birth, from feckless and self-absorbed deadbeat to a caring and interested brother/uncle, but hey, it all added to a very satisfying happy ending. Oh, and the cover is beautiful.

I could see The Cactus as a mini-series or a one off drama, and would be interested to know whether there’s anything in the pipeline?

Thank you for a very entertaining and absorbing read.

Came home from holiday to rain and this book! Perfect combination as I sat down and read it in one go. I feel sad to have finished it and want to know what happens next! Suze is so prickly and touchy that you start off wanting to shake her and end up loving the strong character and doting mother she has become. Even the feckless brother improves during the 9 months we hear about him! Wonderful read. Thankyou

Enjoying THE CACTUS immensely I grew to like the character after thinking what a hard person to get to know , which of course what the author wanted . Hope Susan as another book in the pipeline .

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish and I loved the characters especially Susan and Rob. It left me feeling happy that they got together in the end , although I also feel wuite lost now that it is finished. I shall definitely be looking out for more of her books.

A fantastic read, I could not put it down. The characters are so well described and lifelike. For all her hard outer shell you felt you warmed to Susan and really wanted her to be happy and find love. Even Edward was almost likeable towards the end.
I really hope Sarah has some more books in the pipeline. She is a wonderful talented new writer, I have already passed my copy on to a friend and will spread the word.

I will post review when finished but I'm not going to hurry it as the writing so lovely I just want to savour it.Chapter seven tonight.

I loved all the characters in this book,even Edward who lightened up as the narrative progressed and brought in some humour.I felt a bit sorry for Richard and his mum and hope they would have some contact with the baby as a result of Rob's experience. It was interesting to see how Susan 's world was turned upside down and how she handled it.She was a fascinating character and I wonder if she was based on anyone Sarah knew.
Why did Susan not have a driving license or a passport? I would have thought that such an organised and intelligent person would at least be able to drive as well as have been abroad.
I liked the way she was never called Sue.That would have made her seem a more familiar and friendly kind of person.
All together a very good read. Thank you.

I really loved this book and couldn’t put it down . The well drawn characters carry you through the ups and downs of Susan Green’s life. She has always lived her life with complete control over every aspect. Her job involves facts and figures and she’s not averse to telling others how to do their jobs. She tends to base her assumptions about people on their appearance and is quite dismissive of people who look like they aren’t as educated as her.
When she becomes pregnant she finds that she can’t control things any more. Revelations about her past cause her to re assess the foundations upon which she has lived her whole life.
Pregnancy makes her accept friendships that she would previously reject. . Her upstairs neighbour becomes a helpful friend and Rob the landscaper becomes more than just a friend!
I like the title as it not only covers the fact that Susan grows cactus but also her very prickly personality developed to keep everyone at arms length.
A really excellent debut novel and I’m really looking forward to more from Sarah Haywood.
I’d be interested to know where Sarah got the idea for making her central character so hard to like at first?

I haven't finish the book yet, but love the intimate style of writing in the first person. The language is believable and the characters well drawn. Wills can be the most bone of contention in families so I will be interested to read the outcome of this story. Thank you for a very good read.

Well, I've got to the end of this book and thoroughly enjoyed it, so thank you once again, GN, for another excellent read.
I loved the way the characters evolved as the story progressed, especially Susan, and I think that Sarah has demonstrated a good grasp of human nature, frailties and relationships in this book.
I look forward to future novels, and would like to ask Sarah if she has any in the pipeline already?

Hi Mapleleaf,

Thanks for your explanation. That would make much more sense, given the attention to detail Sarah Haywood has shown everywhere else in the book.

Because the term is all over the internet, and I loathe it, I probably put two and two together without using my abacus!

Hi Happiyogi.
I'm not sure that it has been written as Mom for the American market, but rather that that is the way Mum is pronounced in the Birmingham area? I may be wrong, but I worked with a colleague who was from West Bromwich, and she always said Mom when talking about her Mum.

I have very much enjoyed reading The Cactus, mostly when sitting out in the garden. Thank you for my copy.

I've loved Sarah's writing style. It is engaging and keeps the story moving along with a deft, light touch. The only fly in the ointment for me was the inexplicable and relentless use by every character of the American "Mom" instead of "Mum". Can I ask why? Is this version of the book intended for the US market? It particularly grated when older characters like Aunt Sylvia and the neighbour, Margaret, used it. I'd like to think that this was just some sort of error and that the English word will have been substituted in future editions!

I'm now very much looking forward to Sarah's next novel.

Have read my book the Cactus by Sarah Haywood. What a wonderful novel. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Found it hard to put down. Had me "with it" from page 1. I will look out for her next novel. Sure we will be seeing more of her. I might just add that the cover is spectacular. That alone would make me want to pick it up. Thank you for the chance to read it.

Like annep, returned from a week away to find a book-shsped parcel from GN Thank you! Have read 3 chapters and enjoying it a lot. Will post review when finished.