This Charming Man: A Novel | 
| Author: Marian Keyes
Publisher: William Morrow
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.48
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Avg. Customer Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 1089
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 576
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9 x 5.9 x 1.6
ISBN: 0061124028
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780061124020
ASIN: 0061124028
Publication Date: June 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
With This Charming Man, Marian Keyes hits her stride as a novelist with her best novel yet, telling the stories of four women who are shaped by one man Paddy de Courcy is Ireland's debonair politician, the "John F. Kennedy Jr. of Dublin." His charm and charisma have taken hold of the country and the tabloids, not to mention our four heroines: Lola, Grace, Marnie, and Alicia. But though Paddy's winning smile is fooling Irish minds, the broken hearts he's left in his past offer a far more truthful look into his character. Narrated in turn by each woman, This Charming Man explores how their love for this one man has shaped their lives. But in true Marian Keyes fashion, this is more than a story of four love affairs. It's a testament to the strength women find in themselves through work, friendship, and family, no matter what demons may be haunting their lives. Depression, self-doubt, domestic abuse—each of these women has seen tough times in life, and it's through Keyes's wonderful storytelling ability that these subjects are approached with the appropriate tone and candor. Her deft touch provides a gripping story and, ultimately, a redemptive ending.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 love marian keyes July 24, 2008
I love her writting. I had to stop myself from reading it in one sitting so I could relish it.
 Borrow, Don't Buy July 21, 2008
I agree with some others who have given this book a middling review. I've never read any other Keyes books, so I can't speak to how this one compares.
My main comments are: 1) I agree with reviewers who say the story of the first narrator, Lola, is written in a very annoying way that seems to ape "Bridget Jones' Diary" for no good reason, even when she's quoting others. 2) This book is very Irish, meaning there are lots of references here that may seem foreign and a little puzzling to the American reader. And 3)It is too long and slow in many parts.
Having said that, I'm not sorry I read it...just glad that I borrowed it from the library rather than spending close to $20 for a very disposable summer read.
 Hoped for better July 20, 2008
Have enjoyed other books by Marian Keyes, and eagerly awaited this one but after reading, came away disappointed with the story. It took a long time for the storyline to actually get going and develop (I was over the 300 page mark before it did pick up).
One issue I did have was the writing of Lola's character (portrayed only in diary format, and so only real perspective we get on her life, is by Lola - reminds me of those books that are written only in email conversations - lacking in character depth). Apart from this, the other characters were more interesting and better portrayed to the reader.
Finally, a poor ending in which "the charming man" was not dealt with adequately or realistically (or idealistically??) left me feeling that the author wasn't quite sure how best to end this story and took an easy and disappointing ending to a 650 page book.
Loved it! July 16, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellent book! It is slightly darker than her other novels, but it is just as good as all her books. I read it in 2 days. I highly recommend it!
 Disappointment July 13, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I have liked almost all of Keyes' other books and was very excited to read her latest. However, I could barely get through the first chapter. It is such a disappointment; the women are not likable nor do they inspire empathy from the reader. Instead it seemed like whining and over-wrought behavior. Everyone has had bad breakups but for these women, their lives are over (in their minds anyway). It didn't bother me that Keyes addressed more serious topics than her lighter novels; rather, I just couldn't connect with the characters and stay with the story. The writing was in a style that was hard to follow and just was not a good read. Unfortunately, not worth the time.
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