Circles revisited
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I first read Emily (originally called Circles), when it was serialised in a teenage magazine in the 70s. I kept the copies for many years, then lost them in a move. I was devastated, and unaware that Jilly had released it under another name. Thank goodness for the Internet! I have now ordered Emily and cannot wait till it's delivered on Friday of this week. I thought the humour was wonderful, the pathos was perfect, and although I am probably a little past it by now, Rory Balniel conjours up all sorts of naughties in my menopausal mind!!!
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Not a literary genius...
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Since Jilly Cooper is known as something of a Jackie Collins - for sleaze and glamour at least - I was a bit disappointed with this book. It felt as though it were written by an amateur. It was melodramatic and very unrealistic. I suppose if you're looking for something that's not especially intelligent or thought provoking - something to tick by an hour or so in the bath - then this would do the job. The author's note at the back said Emily was originally a set of short stories and had been rewritten to become a novel. I felt that there was a lot lacking and that it probably would have been better had it been left as it was.
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Good fun
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Like "Harriet and Octavia", these two stories contained within the one book are fun and witty. Bella is an actress with a secret past, and Emily is a toned-down version of Octavia (in my opinion anyway!). Both of them have some men of slightly dubious character in their lives, and some equally dodgy women! Both stories are very readable and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny!
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