#Read Ireland Midwinter Break
- Author: Bernard MacLaverty
- Title: Midwinter Break (242 pages)
- Published: 2017
- Trivia: Nominated for Wellcome Prize
- Trivia: Irish Books 2017 – Irish Times Critics Choices
- List Reading Challenges 2018
- Monthly reading planning
- Reading Ireland Month
- Masterpost 746 Books (Cathy)
- #readireland18
- #begorrathon18
Introduction:
- This is a portrait of a marriage in the twilight years.
- During a long weekend in Amsterdam a couple
- …step back from their ‘married life’
- …and concentrate on what really matters.
- For her: prayer was like a visitation,
- …like checking her child in the light from the landing,
- …last thing at night.
- For him: a dram of whiskey and a drop of water
- …last thing at night.
- How could changes be made at their age?
Conclusion:
- MacLaverty writes a very touching story.
- Two people Gerry and Stella have been married for years.
- I’m sure the reader feels at some point
- ….what Stella is going through
- ….especially if the reader has been married for many years.
- You’ve reached the point when
- ….your partner’s habits begin to ‘grate’ !
- The couple visits Amsterdam
- ..and I could envisage the exact places they were visiting.
- This book was an entertaining quick read
- ….with a cup of tea and some chocolate.
13 Comments
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NancyElin.blog 
Perfect wintry reading then and part of the #readIreland18 challenge!
In the shift of space (England –> Amsterdam) lies the journey with personal/marriage implications. Stella by going somewhere else (midwinter break to confront husband) is the first choice she made to change her life.
Is Amsterdam a good choice in midwinter for this kind of reflection/change do you think? I’m not sure it’s where I’d think of to shift space. Maybe it’s the near but far element.
Amsterdam has a romantic feel with the canals, snow falling lights reflecting in the water. Yet Stella looks deeper…Anne Frank House and the Begijnenhof for moments of reflection.
I really did enjoy this book. Thought both main characters were interesting and the unravelling of the past and present in their relationship was beautifully done. I read it while I was on a Midwinter Break in Palma – fortunately we had better weather and less trauma than Stella and Gerry!!
Did you enjoy a dram of whisky….like Gerry?
I agree…this was a well crafted novel….I drifted effortlessly from present to past…and back.
I’ve got this, so now might be a good time to read it, if I can finish a couple of chunksters I’ve got on the go first…
This is a very easy read….start today…finished tomorrow.
Which chunksters are on the ‘currently reading’ list?