Although The Godmothers is Monica McInerney's twelfth novel, it was the first I've read and I know I'll be reading others. McInerney has a gift for creating endearing characters that are both entertaining and flawed, much like friends we'd like to have in real life.
Eliza Miller had a difficult upbringing with an alcoholic mother, Jeannie, who loved her daughter but had obvious problems keeping it together. The two moved a lot and Eliza counted on her relationship with her godmothers, Olivia and Maxie, to give her consistency and support. Olivia, an art buyer who works at her family's hotel and Maxie, a famous soap opera actress, have been friends with Jeannie since they were young and watched her tall tales and wild spirit evolve into addiction and mental health issues. In a combination of love and enabling, the women started the tradition of each taking Eliza on an annual holiday to "spoil" her and give her mom "a break." Sadly, Eliza returned from a holiday at the age of 17 to find her mother had suffered a tragic accident and her life is never the same.
Alone and not knowing who her father was, Eliza goes to university and builds a life for herself with much loneliness and many questions, but also with the support of her godmothers' frequent check-ins and the caring stability of her college friend, Rose. When Eliza finds herself in a transition with her job, she decides to spend time with her godmothers in Edinburgh and hopefully get some answers to questions she's held for too long. During her panic on the plane ride over, she meets Sullivan, a delightful boy, wise beyond his years, who makes a sweet addition to the story. She stays at the Montgomery, a hotel that Olivia and her husband own and reconnects with Olivia and her stepsons, as well as Maxie, who has come to Scotland to get married before moving to New York.
This is an interesting time in Eliza's life and makes for an intriguing storyline. She travels to Ireland to look for her father, which leads to more surprises. I enjoyed having a front-row seat in the pivotal moments of Eliza's life and getting to know the people who shaped it. One problem I had was Eliza's unflinchingly good view of her mother. I think that anyone who grew up with an unstable alcoholic single parent would have a far more complex relationship and view of that parent. But this book provides an escape from daily life and is a treat to read, so maybe some of the harsh realities are glossed over in favor of fantasy. While this is an accepted and even praised approach in the women's fiction or "chick-lit" genre, I feel it sacrifices some of the depth that could be reached by shining a more realistic light on the dark corners.
Overall, this story took me in and held me with its endearing characters, lovely settings and compelling storyline. Thank you to Bookish First and Welbeck Publishing for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. The addition of McInerney's autograph inside was an extra treat, as if my fairy godmother of books was smiling down on me.
Eliza Miller had a difficult upbringing with an alcoholic mother, Jeannie, who loved her daughter but had obvious problems keeping it together. The two moved a lot and Eliza counted on her relationship with her godmothers, Olivia and Maxie, to give her consistency and support. Olivia, an art buyer who works at her family's hotel and Maxie, a famous soap opera actress, have been friends with Jeannie since they were young and watched her tall tales and wild spirit evolve into addiction and mental health issues. In a combination of love and enabling, the women started the tradition of each taking Eliza on an annual holiday to "spoil" her and give her mom "a break." Sadly, Eliza returned from a holiday at the age of 17 to find her mother had suffered a tragic accident and her life is never the same.
Alone and not knowing who her father was, Eliza goes to university and builds a life for herself with much loneliness and many questions, but also with the support of her godmothers' frequent check-ins and the caring stability of her college friend, Rose. When Eliza finds herself in a transition with her job, she decides to spend time with her godmothers in Edinburgh and hopefully get some answers to questions she's held for too long. During her panic on the plane ride over, she meets Sullivan, a delightful boy, wise beyond his years, who makes a sweet addition to the story. She stays at the Montgomery, a hotel that Olivia and her husband own and reconnects with Olivia and her stepsons, as well as Maxie, who has come to Scotland to get married before moving to New York.
This is an interesting time in Eliza's life and makes for an intriguing storyline. She travels to Ireland to look for her father, which leads to more surprises. I enjoyed having a front-row seat in the pivotal moments of Eliza's life and getting to know the people who shaped it. One problem I had was Eliza's unflinchingly good view of her mother. I think that anyone who grew up with an unstable alcoholic single parent would have a far more complex relationship and view of that parent. But this book provides an escape from daily life and is a treat to read, so maybe some of the harsh realities are glossed over in favor of fantasy. While this is an accepted and even praised approach in the women's fiction or "chick-lit" genre, I feel it sacrifices some of the depth that could be reached by shining a more realistic light on the dark corners.
Overall, this story took me in and held me with its endearing characters, lovely settings and compelling storyline. Thank you to Bookish First and Welbeck Publishing for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. The addition of McInerney's autograph inside was an extra treat, as if my fairy godmother of books was smiling down on me.