Book 3 - The bad with the good

Eloise - Judy Finnegan

I always knew embarking on the read a 100 books in a year game that +Daniel set us upon would include some clunkers and I have hit the first one on the third try. Thirds a charm is an old aphorism but in this case the charm is understanding that celebrity will get you further than the average human when it comes to publishing your writing. Books chosen for their popularity by the masses are bound to include some terrible choices and it is no surprise that this is by an author who was well known and loved by the masses.

Judy Finnegan is known in the UK as one half of the husband and wife team, Richard and Judy. They have had a long career in TV presenting. The sort of shows that cater to a gentler and less enquiring mind. Full of celebrity interviews and self-help ideas that are saccharine filled bursts of positivity. Judy also a darker side that is one of those terribly kept secrets in London that no-one mention for fear of a libel case. While I agree the personal life of humans should be sacrosanct, especially when it comes to private libations, it is a bit rich when you make your life pouring over other’s banal details.

Richard and Judy have done well for themselves and were clever enough to emulate Oprah in the USA and start a book club that has a huge sway over the UK book buying public. Like Oprah a recommendation from them sees even the worst books shoot up the best-seller list. They also have a wine club but enough of her dark side.

I mention their history in such detail to provide an understanding as to how such a terribly written book ever made it up the UK best-seller lists. If you go on to their book club website this trite little tome is shamelessly highlighted and advertised as if it is the must read of the year. It is a vanity project, which I do not mind at all, but with their wealth and connections she could have afforded a harsher editor or at least a ghost writer to turn her idea into a proper novel.

Judy has aspirations of following in the footsteps of her heroine, Daphne Du Maurier and happily she makes no pretence at being anything like her. While I concede there is a tale within the story it is so badly presented and written as to appear like a first draft from a squirming teenager rather than a worldly middle-aged woman. I even get the sense that her editor gave up a bit as in the first third there are clunker words placed inappropriately to give an illusion of a more impressive vocabulary. Sadly they are out of place and the efforts stop, allowing the simplicity of the writing to truly take hold.

When reading a book described as a page turning thriller you hope for some twist to the narrative or plot but A leads to B and then C as succinctly as a child drawing a straight line on a connect the dots drawing. Any drama is raised to the crescendo of a soap opera with character connections to make Virginia Andrews hide her dead face in horror. The story lurches from one dramatic moment to the next with long traits of arduous dialogue exposing the story in a horrendous manner. As I said before a ghost writer should have helped because there is an idea here that is a nod to her favourite Victorian writers and she genuinely loves her Cornish setting but oh so trite.

The crux of the story is that Cathy’s best friend, Eloise has died of cancer after going into remission leaving Cathy bereft. Having suffered from depression after the loss of her mother, her psychiatrist husband is overly concerned about his wife’s mental health and then Cathy begins to experience the ghost of Eloise first in dreams and then in real life. Eloise is demanding that Cathy help her save her children from a supposed unknown threat that is flagged up with the subtlety of a red balloon in a field of sunflowers. Of course everyone thinks she is mad, except for the priest willing to do a faux exorcism after a cup of tea!!

The dialogue between Cathy and her husband is some of the worst making him out to be an utter bastard and Cathy to be a pathetic woman too afraid to argue with him in case he leaves her and she loses her privileged middle class life. Rather than acknowledge he is a bully who treats her like a child. In the end he says sorry and they kiss and cuddle and all is well. Not even Bronte or Du Marier treated their females with such contempt or provide them with such stupidity.

The only time I connected with Judy’s laments was when she talked about depression. She has obviously experienced the dark spaces and spoke of such areas with the voice of a survivor. As a fellow sufferer of the dark chasm I could fully relate to her description of the aftermath and how those around you treat you as if you are almost a lesser being. The rest of the novel was a poor attempt to destroy what could have been a good idea.

I could go on but I believe I have drawn the picture enough. Some books are page-turners for their gripping prose and a desire to find out what happens next. I read this in 24 hours as I needed to remove it from my to do list as quickly as possible. You may already have guessed that I do not recommend this unless you wish to test the veracity of my opinion.