BB FANS

I don't know if anyone has read this but I've just finished it and thought it was wonderful. It is about a family in Belfast, Mum, Dad, very overweight teenage son and very bright 16 year old daughter. Something happens (don't want to give away the plot) which rips the family apart and this book shows how each of them deal with it. It is set after the Troubles are over but their effects are still felt by the family. The character of the Dad is wonderful. He just loves his family so much. It is beautifully written.

I have just ordered this from the library elli. I loved your other recommendation last year (Time travellers wife) and that is now down as my favourite book. Looking forward to this one too

HC I hope you enjoy it. I enjoyed it so much I am going to try to get some other books by the same author, although sometimes that can be disappointing.

Finished this today ellie and loved it. A very moving book with so much that you can see beyond what was written, especially about the dad's childhood.

I'm glad you enjoyed it HC. I thought it was very moving and wasn't the beginning heart breaking. I thought it was interesting that the dad seemed to live so much in the past. He could only relate to the items in the museum and what happened in his past but didn't seem to be able to deal with the present (until the tragedy). He loved his family but just couldn't show it. What do you think would have happened to him after he set the end museum piece up?

He seemed to me to be heading for a breakdown though not because of what happened but more that this was the straw that broke the camels back.

I would have liked to have had more insight into his relationship with his mother who 'looked on' but obviously seemed powerless to help. It would be interesting to find out more about his feelings towards her. A friend of mine grew up with a very abusive/mentaly ill father and while she loves her mother very much, she always felt a level of anger that her mother didn't step to help her children even though she could see what was going on and the result over many years. Family politics who'd have it?