You cannot imagine the thrill I experienced when I
finally got my hands on a new book by one of my all-time
favourite writers and so beloved by many, many fans
around the world. When I eagerly opened and read the
introduction to Maeve Binchy's A FEW OF THE GIRLS, it
was as if she had died twice. Of course, I immediately
recalled reading the newspaper about the passing of this
so famous Irish author in 2012, but in my haste to read
anything by her, I had forgotten. Thankfully, loving
hands have pulled together and edited this wonderful
collection of short stories Binchy had written but
had not published during her lifetime, as her focus was
on her wonderful books.
A FEW OF THE GIRLS definitely does not disappoint, and I
relished reading the various stories; some totally new
and some that reminded me of settings and typical
characters in her many wonderful books of friendship,
love and life in Ireland.
Binchy has this peerless ability to bring to vivid life a
slice of Irish life, which is so authentic and realistic,
yet, totally universal in bringing to light the emotions
that
colour each unique situation so we all feel it in
our own hearts. The stories in this wonderful collection
in A FEW OF THE GIRLS reflect back our own feelings and
concerns. For example, just read "The Mirror" to see what
and who gets reflected in life.
While I do love novels much more than short stories, I
reveled in these intriguing stories. Sometimes, I read
for hours at a time and others just one at a time as I
savoured the message. To find out how kids gather and
make their own assessments is piquantly noted in
"Afterthought" and "The Custardy Case". To hear their
wisdom, read about Martin, a young teen, in "Be
Prepared".
Many of Binchy's stories seem sweet on the surface, but
most often there is a bitterness or sadness underneath.
This is so well done in "The Consultant Aunt" and
"Audrey".
I definitely would recommend A FEW OF THE GIRLS to anyone
who loves a good human story featuring love, life, or
just getting on. Some will zing to heart and all have a
message. Binchy has a tendency to favour a few names for
characters and in different short
stories they are not always connected, so just treat each
story on its own. As an ardent Binchy fan, I loved this
book and relished getting to read more of her wonderful
writings. I am sure many of her worldwide fans will feel
the same. If you are new to Binchy, you are blessed with
reading A FEW OF THE GIRLS; now, you have her wonderful
novels to read! A FEW OF THE GIRLS is a reading
treasure! Enjoy!
A new collection of stories previously unpublished in the
United States by beloved and best-selling author Maeve
Binchy
From Maeve Binchy’s earliest writings to the most recent,
her work is filled with wisdom and common sense and also a
sharp, often witty voice that is insightful and reaches out
to her readers around the world and of all ages. Whether it
is one of her best-selling novels or a short story, Maeve
shows us that times may have changed, but people often
remain the same: they fall in love, sometimes unsuitably;
they have hopes and dreams; they have deep, long-standing
friends whose secrets are shared; they go on holidays and
celebrate new jobs . . .
A Few of the Girls is a glorious collection of the
very best of her short story writing, stories that were
written over the decades—some published in magazines, others
for friends as gifts, many for charity benefits. The stories
are all filled with the signature warmth and humor that have
always been an essential part of Maeve’s appeal.
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