It's been a little while since I read this book. I read most of it on the way home from my holiday in Geneva (which, fyi, was absolutely gorgeous), but what with going back to work and having a zillion commitments, I'm only now getting round to writing this post.
I remember the story, but I don't remember the ins and outs as well as I thought I would. I've found that this tends to happen for one of two reasons:
1) The book is so easy to read that you race through it so fast that you can't remember the details - it's all more of a general blur.
2) There isn't an awful lot to the story, and you struggle to remember the significant plot points.
Which one is true of this book, you ask?
Actually, the answer is both of them.
The Story
Ellen thinks she's finally met the man of her dreams in widower, Patrick. He's handsome, kind, assertive, and a good father to his son, Jack.
There's just one downside: Patrick has a stalker.
His ex-girlfriend, Saskia, to be exact. Saskia follows the new couple everywhere, and it starts to put a strain on the relationship.
Meanwhile, Ellen's business as a hypnotherapist continues as normal. Until she thinks one of her clients may be more than just that...
There's just one downside: Patrick has a stalker.
His ex-girlfriend, Saskia, to be exact. Saskia follows the new couple everywhere, and it starts to put a strain on the relationship.
Meanwhile, Ellen's business as a hypnotherapist continues as normal. Until she thinks one of her clients may be more than just that...
*spoiler alert*
Style and Tone
I've said it before and I'll say it again: one thing I can always rely on with Moriarty's novels is a satisfyingly easy-to-read book. This definitely delivered, and I near enough finished it in one sitting.
Shifting perspectives is always something I enjoy in a book, as I think it stops the narrative being too tedious, and I think this was done to great effect in this story. In this case, it was also easy to work out who we were with at any given moment, which isn't the case with all books who do this. I find that it usually takes a while to get into the rhythm of the different characters, but I found this pretty much instantaneous on this occasion.
I also really enjoyed the little titbits and quotes at the beginning of each chapter. From leaflets written by Ellen, Flynn and Danny, to quotes from various speeches given by Ellen, and countless other excerpts from various emails, etc., I thought there was a great variety. I often found myself so engrossed with the story that I skimmed over them (not great, I know), but I actually thoroughly enjoyed going back over them at the end, and picking up on the little ironies included in them. They made the structure of the book a lot more interesting, and they were very carefully placed to reflect what was happening in the story. Would I have missed them if they hadn't been there? No, but I think they are a nice addition to the gentle humour of Moriarty's work.
The Plot
Let me just start this section by saying that I had absolutely no idea what to expect from the title. What I found within the first couple of chapters was actually a really interesting premise, which was established immediately. There was no hanging around; no period of getting into the story gently like I've experienced with some of Moriarty's other books (for example, The Last Anniversary). This jumped straight into the story and I think this was one of the things that really kept me gripped throughout. There was no time to be bored, because the plot began immediately and was sustained well.
I also thought it was very clever how we didn't know which client was Saskia. You think you know, but then you find out that maybe you don't. It could be Mary-Kate, or Rosie - then it seemed like it was definitely Luisa. Just when I've finally realised that I don't actually have a clue, it's revealed to be Deborah. Or, should I say, 'Deborah'. This had just the right amount of build-up and suspense. It could so easily have been overdone, and as a reader I think it might have been so tedious waiting for longer to find out who it was. In reality, I think the balance was just right.
However, as you spend the first chunk of the novel waiting to find out which of Ellen's patients Saskia was masquerading as, I must confess that I was a little concerned that after this was revealed, the plot was going to become very dull. I had no idea where exactly it was going to go, and I'm still actually kind of wondering. I was glad to see a few sub-plots come into their own in the latter half of the story. Ellen's potential professional ruin, for example, and Rosie's unsuccessful marriage really add a bit of much-needed depth. I fear the story will have run a bit dry if not for these additions, so I think Moriarty was clever to insert them. I don't think they make up for the lack of events towards the end, but they keep the story interesting enough so that I didn't feel bored.
However, as you spend the first chunk of the novel waiting to find out which of Ellen's patients Saskia was masquerading as, I must confess that I was a little concerned that after this was revealed, the plot was going to become very dull. I had no idea where exactly it was going to go, and I'm still actually kind of wondering. I was glad to see a few sub-plots come into their own in the latter half of the story. Ellen's potential professional ruin, for example, and Rosie's unsuccessful marriage really add a bit of much-needed depth. I fear the story will have run a bit dry if not for these additions, so I think Moriarty was clever to insert them. I don't think they make up for the lack of events towards the end, but they keep the story interesting enough so that I didn't feel bored.
Apart from what I've already touched upon, I don't have masses to say about the plot. It was good, and I definitely enjoyed it, but it just wasn't anything special. It was a beautifully simple plot, and I appreciate the amount of depth that came from this one storyline, especially during the first half. However looking back I can see a real lack of detail coming back to me. This being said, the book does have a lot to suggest about modern relationships and their everyday struggles, something which I think would appeal to a wide variety of different readers. It did make me consider the importance of human interaction for personal wellbeing, and I think the general themes are what makes the book unique, rather than the specific details.
Themes
Relationships and Family
"You think love is black and white. All women think that. And they're wrong."
The first obvious theme is about the different relationships that we see in the book. Ellen and Patrick's relationship is the one we follow most closely in this story, but there's also the relationship between Patrick and Saskia to consider, and Jack's relationship with them all. Then we have Patrick's family, Ellen's parents, and their respective friends. It's normal for chick lit to focus really heavily on relationships, but Moriarty does a good job of making them significant in new ways. In The Hypnotist's Love Story, there are relationships everywhere, but the focus is on the imperfect as well as the perfect ones, and how they impact on everybody around them.
Second Chances
"It's amazing how friends can slip through your fingers, how your social network can vanish like it never existed."
What strikes me the most about the different relationships in this book are how they are really all sending the same message: second chances happen. Ellen and Patrick struggle not only because of Saskia, but also because of Colleen's memory. This is Patrick's second chance at happiness, but it can only be grabbed when he's totally ready for it. Ellen gets a second chance with her father, but this only happened when she was prepared to take it. She also has to let go of ex-boyfriend Jon if she can really be happy with Patrick. Second chances are everywhere in this book, but they aren't obviously so. I like that this is a major theme. It's so easy to focus on new relationships for young adults who are uncomplicated and easy to write. This takes the more complicated relationships and studies how they may pan out. And the beauty of it is, they don't all work out. Ellen's parents decide to bring their relationship to an end, for example. This felt a lot more real to me than a lot of other chick lit novels out there.
Loneliness
"Do not dwell on the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate your mind on the present moment.
Equally as important in my mind is that, as well as Ellen and Patrick getting their second chances, Saskia also gets a second chance; a second chance with herself. Fundamentally, this only happens when she finally lets go of her past, and embraces her future. Loneliness is one of the most emotional themes of this story, and as a reader I felt this more and more with every glance into Saskia's world. At first, we find her unreasonable and a bit unhinged, yet more and more, we discover that it is actually her loneliness that leads her to her pursuit of Patrick. It is, significantly, only when she has nobody and nothing to occupy her that she succumbs to her sorrow and bothers Ellen and Patrick. I, as I imagine many others did, originally disliked Saskia. But the more I learnt about her, the more I felt sympathetic to her situation. I was glad when she got some closure at the end of the book. When she finally found herself ready to confess her struggle, and was lucky enough to find those willing to listen. Loneliness can be overpowering, as we see in Saskia's story, and human interaction did wonders for her wellbeing. I think it's very brave to tackle this theme, as it can so often be overdone, cliché, or insensitive. This was beautifully balanced, and I think Saskia's ending was very poignant.
"You think love is black and white. All women think that. And they're wrong."
The first obvious theme is about the different relationships that we see in the book. Ellen and Patrick's relationship is the one we follow most closely in this story, but there's also the relationship between Patrick and Saskia to consider, and Jack's relationship with them all. Then we have Patrick's family, Ellen's parents, and their respective friends. It's normal for chick lit to focus really heavily on relationships, but Moriarty does a good job of making them significant in new ways. In The Hypnotist's Love Story, there are relationships everywhere, but the focus is on the imperfect as well as the perfect ones, and how they impact on everybody around them.
Second Chances
"It's amazing how friends can slip through your fingers, how your social network can vanish like it never existed."
What strikes me the most about the different relationships in this book are how they are really all sending the same message: second chances happen. Ellen and Patrick struggle not only because of Saskia, but also because of Colleen's memory. This is Patrick's second chance at happiness, but it can only be grabbed when he's totally ready for it. Ellen gets a second chance with her father, but this only happened when she was prepared to take it. She also has to let go of ex-boyfriend Jon if she can really be happy with Patrick. Second chances are everywhere in this book, but they aren't obviously so. I like that this is a major theme. It's so easy to focus on new relationships for young adults who are uncomplicated and easy to write. This takes the more complicated relationships and studies how they may pan out. And the beauty of it is, they don't all work out. Ellen's parents decide to bring their relationship to an end, for example. This felt a lot more real to me than a lot of other chick lit novels out there.
Loneliness
"Do not dwell on the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate your mind on the present moment.
Equally as important in my mind is that, as well as Ellen and Patrick getting their second chances, Saskia also gets a second chance; a second chance with herself. Fundamentally, this only happens when she finally lets go of her past, and embraces her future. Loneliness is one of the most emotional themes of this story, and as a reader I felt this more and more with every glance into Saskia's world. At first, we find her unreasonable and a bit unhinged, yet more and more, we discover that it is actually her loneliness that leads her to her pursuit of Patrick. It is, significantly, only when she has nobody and nothing to occupy her that she succumbs to her sorrow and bothers Ellen and Patrick. I, as I imagine many others did, originally disliked Saskia. But the more I learnt about her, the more I felt sympathetic to her situation. I was glad when she got some closure at the end of the book. When she finally found herself ready to confess her struggle, and was lucky enough to find those willing to listen. Loneliness can be overpowering, as we see in Saskia's story, and human interaction did wonders for her wellbeing. I think it's very brave to tackle this theme, as it can so often be overdone, cliché, or insensitive. This was beautifully balanced, and I think Saskia's ending was very poignant.
The Characters
This was a really strange array of characters that we were introduced to in this book, and I think I would struggle to find one that I liked, wholeheartedly.
Ellen was a very nice character. Her personality was nice. She was a nice person. But she just didn't seem to have much substance to me. I liked her at first, but I often found her to be too sickly sweet. I prefer my protagonists with a bit of fire, and she just lacked that. I know that along with her line of work, that kind of personality probably fitted quite well, but she just didn't appeal to me. Her strange fascination with Patrick's stalker was also a bit weird, and her hypocrisy of thinking about her ex while disliking Patrick for doing the same didn't sit well with me. I'm not sold, unfortunately, although I know that's more personal taste than anything else.
Patrick was also one that was fine, but didn't really appeal to me. I often found that he was a bit of an arse, but I guess he was very stressed and that makes a lot of sense. He also did redeem himself towards the end. But it was the same problem with Patrick as with Ellen. He was fine. He had great attributes, and he had flaws. He was just a bit boring for the most part.
I've already touched on Saskia a little. She's a very complicated character, which was nice to see. It added another element to the story to see someone totally different, and I think it gave the whole thing a bit of a lift. She was troubled and very unlikeable at the beginning, but she also became more endearing as the book went on. Her struggles made me a lot more empathetic than I would have expected, and I think it's her character development that I really took away from this story. In a plot where not an awful lot is happening, Saskia's story was very much needed. It made a book that I may have just shelved that little bit more thought-provoking, and I thank Moriarty for that.
There so many other minor characters in this story who we don't really get to meet. Ellen's parents are interesting, but we don't really get to know them. Patrick's family are very warm whenever they appear on the page, but again, there isn't a massive amount done with them. Ellen's best friend could have brought a lively energy to the book if she had been brought to the foreground more, but again, sadly, that fell a bit flat. The only minor character who was made something of was Jack, who had the wonderful innocence of being able to speak and act as he truly feels. He's an interesting one, especially as we see his relationships through Saskia's eyes as well. Other than that, I would say the cast of characters is heavily dependent on it's main three, as the rest don't appear enough to be particularly noteworthy.
The Verdict
Overall, this was an enjoyable book, with an interesting premise. As with Moriarty's other books, it was gentle, addictive, and interesting. However, when I found myself reflecting on this story, I really found very little to say.
The plot is fine, the characters are nice enough, and style makes it very easy to read. But that's it. It's just good. There isn't an awful lot of depth to the story, so I struggle to find major events to discuss.
The thing I think that brings this book to life is the way it uses the ongoing themes to make the reader think. Relationships are obviously heavily emphasised, but I like that these relationships focus on second chances. It adds more dimensions to the story when you introduce Jack, Colleen, and various other details, and I fear the book would have fallen terribly flat without them.
All in all, I did enjoy this book, just as I've always enjoyed Moriarty's work. However it isn't one of my favourites, as I think so much more could have been done with different sub-plots, the minor characters, and the events leading up to the book's climax.
I'd recommend Moriarty's work, but I would perhaps suggest starting with this one. It's a shame to read her other books, which are so much better, and then be slightly disappointed by this one. Perhaps that's why I'm continuing to be so very critical of an author that I actually very much like...
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