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Lifesaving for Beginners
An accident on the motorway. One woman dies. One woman lives. Nothing will ever be the same again. Kat Kavanagh works in Dublin as a technical writer. She has no children and is fond of her man-friend, Thomas. She never thinks about what happened when she was fifteen. That's Kat's story. None of it is true.
Milo is ten and lives in Brighton. He's pretty busy trying to keep things together. Lots of stuff is still the same. Like school. Lifesaving class. Library duty with Carla. Cutting worms in two with his bestfriend Damo. But some things are different. Like his mother not being around anymore. And his sister Faith, looking after him. Then Faith finds some of her mother's old papers and discovers a secret she was never meant to know. Suddenly everything changes. As Milo struggles to come to terms with what has happened to his family, Faith is determined to uncover the truth. Kat thinks the truth is overrated. But you can only run so far before your past catches up with you ...
Milo is ten and lives in Brighton. He's pretty busy trying to keep things together. Lots of stuff is still the same. Like school. Lifesaving class. Library duty with Carla. Cutting worms in two with his bestfriend Damo. But some things are different. Like his mother not being around anymore. And his sister Faith, looking after him. Then Faith finds some of her mother's old papers and discovers a secret she was never meant to know. Suddenly everything changes. As Milo struggles to come to terms with what has happened to his family, Faith is determined to uncover the truth. Kat thinks the truth is overrated. But you can only run so far before your past catches up with you ...
560 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
29 people are currently reading
645 people want to read
About the author
Ciara Geraghty
16 books199 followersCiara Geraghty is an Irish bestselling author. She lives in Dublin with one husband and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
October 8, 2012
Some of you may have read one of Ciara Geraghty’s books Finding Mr Flood, Saving Grace and Becoming Scarlett but for me Lifesaving For beginners is the first of this authors books which I have read. I usually always read the first chapter of a book that is sent to me to get a taster of the book but reading the first chapter of Lifesaving for Beginners just wasn’t enough I had to leave the current book I was struggling with and just had to carry on reading this book.
Kat Kavanagh has just had a miracle. After being involved in a car crash on a motorway and being cut out of her car she comes out of it barely touched which is not what could be said for little Milo’s mum who was in the same accident but lost her life.
Faith now has to look after her brother Milo but Faith soon finds some hidden papers which carry a hidden secret which turns Faiths life upside down. Milo having lost his mum doesn’t want to lose his sister to this secret.
Kat only wants life to go back to normal after her accident but it becomes clear this is not going to happen. Partner Thomas wants to take their relationship to the next level and settle down and have children but this is not the life Kat feels she wants.
I flew through the 438 pages of this book it was impossible to put down. Straight from the first chapter I was drawn into the storyline and the book held my attention from start to finish. The book is told alternately by both Kat and Milo’s points of view which I loved as with Milo being only ten and such a quirky little character, his side was a little more fun and fresh after reading Kats point of view which is more grown up and more serious but both of the characters brought very moving emotions to the storyline.
Milo was by far my favourite character he came across as one of those little boys who has an old head on his shoulders which I adore but another character whom I took to quickly was Ed who is Kat’s brother. Ed has Down’s Syndrome and Ed also has a big humorous character, I love that the author brings in a character with a disability and manages to write his character so well that you enjoy his character rather than feel sorry for him and just see the disability.
I loved the sudden twist that came in this story that eventually brings these characters together I had fallen right into the storyline and yet I didn’t even have the slightest clue that this twist was just around the corner so when it was revealed I was even more eager to turn the pages to see what happened next.
I love Ciara Geraghty’s easy style of writing and how she manages to create such a beautiful warm and moving storyline. I cannot wait to read one of her previous books I have definitely got on the Ciara Geraghty fan train!
Kat Kavanagh has just had a miracle. After being involved in a car crash on a motorway and being cut out of her car she comes out of it barely touched which is not what could be said for little Milo’s mum who was in the same accident but lost her life.
Faith now has to look after her brother Milo but Faith soon finds some hidden papers which carry a hidden secret which turns Faiths life upside down. Milo having lost his mum doesn’t want to lose his sister to this secret.
Kat only wants life to go back to normal after her accident but it becomes clear this is not going to happen. Partner Thomas wants to take their relationship to the next level and settle down and have children but this is not the life Kat feels she wants.
I flew through the 438 pages of this book it was impossible to put down. Straight from the first chapter I was drawn into the storyline and the book held my attention from start to finish. The book is told alternately by both Kat and Milo’s points of view which I loved as with Milo being only ten and such a quirky little character, his side was a little more fun and fresh after reading Kats point of view which is more grown up and more serious but both of the characters brought very moving emotions to the storyline.
Milo was by far my favourite character he came across as one of those little boys who has an old head on his shoulders which I adore but another character whom I took to quickly was Ed who is Kat’s brother. Ed has Down’s Syndrome and Ed also has a big humorous character, I love that the author brings in a character with a disability and manages to write his character so well that you enjoy his character rather than feel sorry for him and just see the disability.
I loved the sudden twist that came in this story that eventually brings these characters together I had fallen right into the storyline and yet I didn’t even have the slightest clue that this twist was just around the corner so when it was revealed I was even more eager to turn the pages to see what happened next.
I love Ciara Geraghty’s easy style of writing and how she manages to create such a beautiful warm and moving storyline. I cannot wait to read one of her previous books I have definitely got on the Ciara Geraghty fan train!
February 10, 2013
Lifesaving For Beginners was published by Hodder in September 2012 and is Ciara Geraghty's fourth novel. Why have I not read any of her books before now? Where have I been? Where has she been? Somehow, her novels have totally passed me by and until I saw the cover of Lifesaving For Beginners, I had honestly never heard her name before. Big slaps around the head for me!! On the positive side though, this does mean that I now have her first three novels to catch up on.
The story is just so wonderfully told - in two voices; that of nine-year-old (nearly ten) Milo and thirty-nine year old (nearly forty) Kat. The reader is enticed into the story when it begins with a car accident in Dublin. A lorry driver falls asleep and two cars are involved in the collision. One is driven by Beth, Milo's mother who is visiting Ireland from her home in Brighton, the other is driven by Kat. Kat's car is written-off but she escapes with just a fractured rib. Beth dies, she doesn't return home to Milo.
Alternate chapters are narrated by Milo and Kat. Two people connected by one tragic accident - or are they? As the story unfolds it becomes clear that there is far more to connect them than just the car accident.
Ciara Geraghty has created a story that is original, quirky and very emotional. She has also brought to life some stunning characters, not least the fabulous Milo. Milo is a typical nine-year-old boy who says what ever comes into his head, doesn't really understand what is happening to him, but is kind and good and wants everyone around him to be happy. Then there is Kat who at first seems to be a very insular, almost selfish character. She appears unable to care about anyone, and that includes herself. She's aloof, she's cold and she's very very alone. It's not until almost half-way through the story that the reader begins to understand just why Kat is like she is, and although she can be difficult, by the end of the novel I found myself cheering for her and desperately hoping that she would find the happiness that everyone deserves.
I was really impressed by this novel, the writing is engaging and very very funny in places. It's also heart-breakingly sad in others. The plot is fast-flowing, the characters are realistic and worth caring about.
A really great read that I would recommend to others, especially if you've enjoyed novels by Marian Keyes or Ella Griffin
The story is just so wonderfully told - in two voices; that of nine-year-old (nearly ten) Milo and thirty-nine year old (nearly forty) Kat. The reader is enticed into the story when it begins with a car accident in Dublin. A lorry driver falls asleep and two cars are involved in the collision. One is driven by Beth, Milo's mother who is visiting Ireland from her home in Brighton, the other is driven by Kat. Kat's car is written-off but she escapes with just a fractured rib. Beth dies, she doesn't return home to Milo.
Alternate chapters are narrated by Milo and Kat. Two people connected by one tragic accident - or are they? As the story unfolds it becomes clear that there is far more to connect them than just the car accident.
Ciara Geraghty has created a story that is original, quirky and very emotional. She has also brought to life some stunning characters, not least the fabulous Milo. Milo is a typical nine-year-old boy who says what ever comes into his head, doesn't really understand what is happening to him, but is kind and good and wants everyone around him to be happy. Then there is Kat who at first seems to be a very insular, almost selfish character. She appears unable to care about anyone, and that includes herself. She's aloof, she's cold and she's very very alone. It's not until almost half-way through the story that the reader begins to understand just why Kat is like she is, and although she can be difficult, by the end of the novel I found myself cheering for her and desperately hoping that she would find the happiness that everyone deserves.
I was really impressed by this novel, the writing is engaging and very very funny in places. It's also heart-breakingly sad in others. The plot is fast-flowing, the characters are realistic and worth caring about.
A really great read that I would recommend to others, especially if you've enjoyed novels by Marian Keyes or Ella Griffin
November 11, 2013
Questo romanzo si apre con un tragico prologo: in Irlanda, un camionista molto stanco provoca un incidente stradale che coinvolge due donne quasi coetanee, ciascuna alla guida della propria vettura. Una delle due donne si trova lì per caso: è irlandese, ma la sua famiglia abita a Brighton. L’altra ha sempre vissuto a Dublino e ha un comportamento a dir poco bizzarro a partire da quel fatale incidente. Un incidente che fa subito pensare a una coincidenza di quelle incredibili, che la vita vera a volte riserva e che sembrano frutto della fantasia di un romanziere dalla fervida immaginazione.
Kat Kavanagh è la donna che si è salvata quasi per miracolo. Kat ha vissuto un’esistenza mantenendo un profilo basso, nascondendo il suo passato, nascondendo il suo successo di giallista acclamata in tutto il mondo sotto lo pseudonimo di Killian Kobain e il suo investigatore Declan Darker e nascondendo persino a se stessa i sentimenti che prova verso Thomas, un rude giornalista che ama definirsi agricoltore.
Beth McIntyre è la donna che, invece, in quel tragico incidente ha perso la vita. Lei è la madre di Milo, un ragazzino di nove anni e mezzo (ne compirà 10 il giorno di Natale), di Faith e di Ant e Adrian, due gemelli che studiano a Londra all’università. Milo soffre per la morte della madre e teme di dover abbandonare il corso di nuoto di salvataggio, che frequenta assiduamente e che sembra essere l’unico punto fermo della sua vita, poiché il padre è andato via di casa da un po’ con una donna più giovane, tornando nella natia Scozia e Faith, la sorella maggiore che si prende cura di lui ora che la mamma non c’è più, ha appena scoperto di non essere la sua vera sorella, ma di essere stata adottata. Il corso di salvataggio è proprio la sua ancora di salvezza, dunque.
Forse Damo ha ragione. Sul fatto che Faith non è più mia sorella. Secondo me non è neanche la mia sorellastra. Non proprio, almeno. Vorrei che fosse ancora mia sorella. Lei dice di essere un disastro, ma non è vero. È solo difficile fare le cose bene quando sei quasi sempre triste.
Le vite di Milo e Kat sembrano essere a un punto di svolta: entrambi stanno per compiere quella cifra tonda (lui 10, lei 40) che sembra essere una boa da raggiungere e doppiare. Non si rendono conto che la boa l’hanno doppiata il giorno dell’incidente, che le loro esistenze sono cambiate definitivamente in quell’attimo. Le vite di Milo e di Kat sono destinate a incrociarsi ancora una volta, anzi, a intrecciarsi, nonostante le centinaia di chilometri di lontananza fra loro, in un triangolo Brighton-Dublino-Edimburgo con Londra, o meglio, l’aeroporto di Gatwick al centro.
Si tratta di una storia delicata, piena di sentimento e in cui le grandi sofferenze e le verità della vita vengono filtrate dagli occhi dell’innocenza, che siano quelli di Milo o quelli di Ed, il fratello amatissimo di Kat che ha la sindrome di Down. Questi filtri rendono tutto più semplice, smontando ogni artificiosità e andando dritto al cuore di ogni problema, che subito non sembra più tale.
Quell’incidente, quel miracolo che ha salvato Kat è come se l’avesse uccisa e poi fatta resuscitare diversa, più sensibile e più legata alla vita, come ormai non era più da anni.
Il romanzo è narrato in prima persona dalle voci di Kat e Milo, che sono nettamente discernibili, e non per merito della scelta della casa editrice di adottare font diversi per i due personaggi, ma per un’abilità della Geraghty di calarsi alternativamente nei panni di una quasi quarantenne scrittrice di successo e di un quasi decenne appena rimasto orfano di madre, con un’enorme capacità di donare e stimolare affetto e l’innocenza matura che arriva dritta al cuore.
Amore e altri casi d’emergenza è un romanzo che si legge tutto d’un fiato, pieno di bellissimi personaggi mirabilmente delineati. Oltre a Kat e Milo ci sono Thomas, Faith, Hamish (il padre di Milo), Celia (la sua nuova compagna, giovane, egoista e tremendamente incinta), Minnie Driver (l’amica di Kat che fa la contabile, non l’attrice), Brona (la sua assillante editor), i genitori di Kat, i fratelli gemelli di Milo, Damo, il suo amico del cuore e infine Ed, un bambino in un corpo di trentaduenne con un cuore malconcio.
Questa storia ci fa comprendere che vale la pena di salvare le cose importanti della vita, anche se questo volesse dire che la dobbiamo rivoluzionare quella vita, perché i cambiamenti arrivano repentini sia nel bene che nel male e allora l’unica àncora di salvataggio è l’amore.
Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI
Kat Kavanagh è la donna che si è salvata quasi per miracolo. Kat ha vissuto un’esistenza mantenendo un profilo basso, nascondendo il suo passato, nascondendo il suo successo di giallista acclamata in tutto il mondo sotto lo pseudonimo di Killian Kobain e il suo investigatore Declan Darker e nascondendo persino a se stessa i sentimenti che prova verso Thomas, un rude giornalista che ama definirsi agricoltore.
Beth McIntyre è la donna che, invece, in quel tragico incidente ha perso la vita. Lei è la madre di Milo, un ragazzino di nove anni e mezzo (ne compirà 10 il giorno di Natale), di Faith e di Ant e Adrian, due gemelli che studiano a Londra all’università. Milo soffre per la morte della madre e teme di dover abbandonare il corso di nuoto di salvataggio, che frequenta assiduamente e che sembra essere l’unico punto fermo della sua vita, poiché il padre è andato via di casa da un po’ con una donna più giovane, tornando nella natia Scozia e Faith, la sorella maggiore che si prende cura di lui ora che la mamma non c’è più, ha appena scoperto di non essere la sua vera sorella, ma di essere stata adottata. Il corso di salvataggio è proprio la sua ancora di salvezza, dunque.
Forse Damo ha ragione. Sul fatto che Faith non è più mia sorella. Secondo me non è neanche la mia sorellastra. Non proprio, almeno. Vorrei che fosse ancora mia sorella. Lei dice di essere un disastro, ma non è vero. È solo difficile fare le cose bene quando sei quasi sempre triste.
Le vite di Milo e Kat sembrano essere a un punto di svolta: entrambi stanno per compiere quella cifra tonda (lui 10, lei 40) che sembra essere una boa da raggiungere e doppiare. Non si rendono conto che la boa l’hanno doppiata il giorno dell’incidente, che le loro esistenze sono cambiate definitivamente in quell’attimo. Le vite di Milo e di Kat sono destinate a incrociarsi ancora una volta, anzi, a intrecciarsi, nonostante le centinaia di chilometri di lontananza fra loro, in un triangolo Brighton-Dublino-Edimburgo con Londra, o meglio, l’aeroporto di Gatwick al centro.
Si tratta di una storia delicata, piena di sentimento e in cui le grandi sofferenze e le verità della vita vengono filtrate dagli occhi dell’innocenza, che siano quelli di Milo o quelli di Ed, il fratello amatissimo di Kat che ha la sindrome di Down. Questi filtri rendono tutto più semplice, smontando ogni artificiosità e andando dritto al cuore di ogni problema, che subito non sembra più tale.
Quell’incidente, quel miracolo che ha salvato Kat è come se l’avesse uccisa e poi fatta resuscitare diversa, più sensibile e più legata alla vita, come ormai non era più da anni.
Il romanzo è narrato in prima persona dalle voci di Kat e Milo, che sono nettamente discernibili, e non per merito della scelta della casa editrice di adottare font diversi per i due personaggi, ma per un’abilità della Geraghty di calarsi alternativamente nei panni di una quasi quarantenne scrittrice di successo e di un quasi decenne appena rimasto orfano di madre, con un’enorme capacità di donare e stimolare affetto e l’innocenza matura che arriva dritta al cuore.
Amore e altri casi d’emergenza è un romanzo che si legge tutto d’un fiato, pieno di bellissimi personaggi mirabilmente delineati. Oltre a Kat e Milo ci sono Thomas, Faith, Hamish (il padre di Milo), Celia (la sua nuova compagna, giovane, egoista e tremendamente incinta), Minnie Driver (l’amica di Kat che fa la contabile, non l’attrice), Brona (la sua assillante editor), i genitori di Kat, i fratelli gemelli di Milo, Damo, il suo amico del cuore e infine Ed, un bambino in un corpo di trentaduenne con un cuore malconcio.
Questa storia ci fa comprendere che vale la pena di salvare le cose importanti della vita, anche se questo volesse dire che la dobbiamo rivoluzionare quella vita, perché i cambiamenti arrivano repentini sia nel bene che nel male e allora l’unica àncora di salvataggio è l’amore.
Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI
October 31, 2012
Told through the eyes of both a nine year old boy from Brighton and a 39 year old woman from Dublin, this looks at the aftermath of a road accident. The story works well and the characters are convincing. Would suit fans of One Moment One Morning. The story manages to be quite sentimental in places, while never becomming cloying, not as light a read as you might think from the child narrator.
February 24, 2013
I read this book in three parts for a readalong organised by the publisher. These are my thoughts.
Part 1 (pages 1-149)
Lifesaving for Beginners is Ciara Geraghty’s fourth book. Her first, Saving Grace, is one of my favourite Irish chick lit books. (You can also read my reviews of Becoming Scarlett and Finding Mr Flood by clicking on the hyperlinks). All her books all deal with serious topics in addition to being a lot of fun. I think that Lifesaving for Beginners is somewhat of a departure from the traditional chick lit format. Why? It starts with an accident on the motorway that changes a lot of lives – not really for the better. Then we have two characters telling their stories through the first person – Milo, a young boy who lost his mother in the accident, and Kat, who by a miracle survived.
I like the way that Geraghty writes Milo’s voice. He really does sound like a young boy, but the voice isn’t condescending or childish. Perhaps that’s because Milo has a number of issues to deal with that are distinctly grown up. Like his Mam dying, the arrival of a new half brother or sister, being brought up by his sister Faith (who it turns out isn’t biologically related to him) and everything changing crazily. I warmed to Milo instantly and found his adventures with Damo fun to read.
Kat is a mystery. I’m not finding her all that likeable at the moment. Is that because she pretty much poked and prodded her relationship until it broke down? She seems to have some good things going (such as being the mysterious Killian Kobain, highly successful author of the Declan Darker crime novels) but is also determined to break them down. It’s like she feels she doesn’t deserve happiness.
This then brings me to the mystery. I think it’s quite obvious what’s going to happen and how these characters are going to link up. The first hint (the letter) was pretty subtle, but the next conversation between Kat and Thomas (now ex-boyfriend) about motherhood is pretty blatant. I hope that there’s more to the mystery that I haven’t guessed!
I think the highlight for me so far has been the supporting characters. Brona, Kat’s agent, seems like fun (I think you’d have to be to meet your writer and swap suitcases anonymously in London bookshops). Ed, Kat’s brother, is also sweet – and has a good logic for why Kat should make food for him! The book for me is more about storyline that any gripping prose or quotable quotes, but that’s okay. Sometimes it’s nice to get caught up in the story rather than wondering about symbolism and definitions of words.
I hope to find out more about Kat’s parents in the next section as well as seeing if my prediction about Faith’s mother is true.
Part 2 (pages 150-296)
Note that there are spoilers in the below section.
So you’re happy to read on? Good. We open this section with Kat trying to write the next Declan Darker novel and erasing all of it. Just wondering for you writers out there, do you ‘properly’ delete scenes or chunks of writing or save them just in case they’re needed later on? (I did the latter for my thesis and it came in handy at the 11th draft!) I wished that Kat hadn’t deleted the scenes, but it’s rather reflective of her life really – if it doesn’t work out, backspace or delete.
Milo’s desperate to go to Ireland with Faith to meet her birth mother, but she’s refusing. I think by now we’re all pretty certain that Kat is her mother (which makes an interesting link with the accident – the birth mother and adoptive mother, complete strangers, being affected). And then it comes – yes, Kat is Faith’s mother, born when she was 15. Was this twist way too obvious or is there something Geraghty is going to twist in the plot? I’m hoping for the twist or something else completely head turning. What, I’m not sure. I’d like to see Kat being outed as Killian Kobain and all the media hype surrounding it. It would be interesting to see how she would cope – I think she could completely surprise us all.
Perhaps the twist in the next section will be the identity of Kat’s mystery blackmailer. Who could possibly know who she is and what’s their motivation? Given the number of coincidences in the book so far, could it be the truck driver? (I will laugh manically if I’m correct).
Ed continues to delight me as the sweetest character. Thinking of a gift for Faith, then giving it to her when he meets her was sniffle-worthy. It was lovely that Faith got to meet her birth grandparents and Ed, even though Kat was her usual stubborn self (warning: she’s starting to get dangerously unlikable) and refused to. What kind of message does that send to Faith? From what we know of her so far, she’s pretty stubborn, but I don’t know if she’ll come back for more. We know the scars left by hiding her pregnancy from everyone but Minnie, but it doesn’t give her the right to act so childishly!
Milo, who is a child, is again acting in such a more mature way than Kat. I loved his conversation with Kenneth/Leonard. So cute, yet the catalyst for the meeting with the family. It’s interesting that Milo is always talking about life saving, but we still haven’t seen him at a lesson yet! Will he be the one to use his skills on Kat and Faith’s non-existent relationship?
In terms of the language, it’s pretty simple to me (no looking up words in the dictionary so far) but it conveys the myriad of feelings everyone is feeling so well in addition to the difference between the characters. I love Milo’s voice!
Here’s hoping Kat will do something to redeem herself soon!
Part 3 (pages 297-438)
The third and final section of the book was definitely my favourite, not only because it ties up all the loose ends but because it shows Geraghty’s skill as a writer. As you would have read previously, I’ve been fairly ho-hum on Kat’s character so far – she’s selfish and ignorant, immature for her age. That all changes when Ed, her brother is rushed to hospital. (Just wondering if it’s normal for an ambulance to take 20 minutes for an emergency like that? It sounds like it would be rather a high priority!) Contacting Thomas was probably one of the best things she could have done as he gets to witness her life-changing, total turnaround in attitude when Kat is confronted with the potential loss of Ed. I thought the medicine was a little shonky there – angiogram and pacemaker in the one operation and it read like pacemakers are inserted through the groin – ouch! But I digress. The main point here was Kat needed something to shock her into the real world and this did it. It also stopped her whinging about turning 40, which I didn’t relate to at all (not being near it probably).
The change in Kat’s behaviour is astonishing – she’s smiling and being, well…nice. Human. Could it be that Milo and his phone call to her had a role? Maybe. Milo is an incredibly sweet, thoughtful young man wise beyond his years. When Kat has her press conference to reveal her status as Killian Kobain, the matter of the blackmailer is dealt with rapidly and never mentioned again. Given all the tension previously, to have only a couple of paragraphs mentioned was a letdown for me. The blackmailer should have been given his just desserts in a more detailed way in my opinion!
Kat’s mad dash to England to see Faith was fun – wouldn’t you like to eat at The Funky Banana? (I would, but then I really like bananas). I’m surprised that more wasn’t made about missing Christmas with Ed and her somewhat-closer family, but I guess this is because Kat is spending it with her recently rediscovered family. The character of Celia is a nice light point and I love the way she and Kat match and try to better each other’s statements when they first meet. The skipping over of Kat and Faith’s ‘big talk’ is interesting – I think it would have been an awkward discussion and a difficult one to write but the total absence of it was an anticlimax for me. Enter as enemies, leave as friends without seeing the change of heart.
It’s interesting that like Milo, Kat and Ed take up lifesaving. Is that because Milo’s been such a good lifesaver through the book in the relationship between Kat and Faith and Kat’s now redeemed, she can save lives too? Maybe. Perhaps it’s just another form of bonding.
Some may find it a bit lame, but I liked that Kat wrote her story and called it Lifesaving for Beginners, also published by Geraghty’s publisher, Hodder & Stoughton. It was a sweet way to pay tribute to what happened and the bonus with Thomas – a beginning, but no definite ending was what we’d been hoping for!
Overall, I found this book a little uneven in emotion relating to Kat, but it could be that I read it over the three weeks of the readalong. There’s not a great deal of surprises, but it’s a comforting read that is enjoyable.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Part 1 (pages 1-149)
Lifesaving for Beginners is Ciara Geraghty’s fourth book. Her first, Saving Grace, is one of my favourite Irish chick lit books. (You can also read my reviews of Becoming Scarlett and Finding Mr Flood by clicking on the hyperlinks). All her books all deal with serious topics in addition to being a lot of fun. I think that Lifesaving for Beginners is somewhat of a departure from the traditional chick lit format. Why? It starts with an accident on the motorway that changes a lot of lives – not really for the better. Then we have two characters telling their stories through the first person – Milo, a young boy who lost his mother in the accident, and Kat, who by a miracle survived.
I like the way that Geraghty writes Milo’s voice. He really does sound like a young boy, but the voice isn’t condescending or childish. Perhaps that’s because Milo has a number of issues to deal with that are distinctly grown up. Like his Mam dying, the arrival of a new half brother or sister, being brought up by his sister Faith (who it turns out isn’t biologically related to him) and everything changing crazily. I warmed to Milo instantly and found his adventures with Damo fun to read.
Kat is a mystery. I’m not finding her all that likeable at the moment. Is that because she pretty much poked and prodded her relationship until it broke down? She seems to have some good things going (such as being the mysterious Killian Kobain, highly successful author of the Declan Darker crime novels) but is also determined to break them down. It’s like she feels she doesn’t deserve happiness.
This then brings me to the mystery. I think it’s quite obvious what’s going to happen and how these characters are going to link up. The first hint (the letter) was pretty subtle, but the next conversation between Kat and Thomas (now ex-boyfriend) about motherhood is pretty blatant. I hope that there’s more to the mystery that I haven’t guessed!
I think the highlight for me so far has been the supporting characters. Brona, Kat’s agent, seems like fun (I think you’d have to be to meet your writer and swap suitcases anonymously in London bookshops). Ed, Kat’s brother, is also sweet – and has a good logic for why Kat should make food for him! The book for me is more about storyline that any gripping prose or quotable quotes, but that’s okay. Sometimes it’s nice to get caught up in the story rather than wondering about symbolism and definitions of words.
I hope to find out more about Kat’s parents in the next section as well as seeing if my prediction about Faith’s mother is true.
Part 2 (pages 150-296)
Note that there are spoilers in the below section.
So you’re happy to read on? Good. We open this section with Kat trying to write the next Declan Darker novel and erasing all of it. Just wondering for you writers out there, do you ‘properly’ delete scenes or chunks of writing or save them just in case they’re needed later on? (I did the latter for my thesis and it came in handy at the 11th draft!) I wished that Kat hadn’t deleted the scenes, but it’s rather reflective of her life really – if it doesn’t work out, backspace or delete.
Milo’s desperate to go to Ireland with Faith to meet her birth mother, but she’s refusing. I think by now we’re all pretty certain that Kat is her mother (which makes an interesting link with the accident – the birth mother and adoptive mother, complete strangers, being affected). And then it comes – yes, Kat is Faith’s mother, born when she was 15. Was this twist way too obvious or is there something Geraghty is going to twist in the plot? I’m hoping for the twist or something else completely head turning. What, I’m not sure. I’d like to see Kat being outed as Killian Kobain and all the media hype surrounding it. It would be interesting to see how she would cope – I think she could completely surprise us all.
Perhaps the twist in the next section will be the identity of Kat’s mystery blackmailer. Who could possibly know who she is and what’s their motivation? Given the number of coincidences in the book so far, could it be the truck driver? (I will laugh manically if I’m correct).
Ed continues to delight me as the sweetest character. Thinking of a gift for Faith, then giving it to her when he meets her was sniffle-worthy. It was lovely that Faith got to meet her birth grandparents and Ed, even though Kat was her usual stubborn self (warning: she’s starting to get dangerously unlikable) and refused to. What kind of message does that send to Faith? From what we know of her so far, she’s pretty stubborn, but I don’t know if she’ll come back for more. We know the scars left by hiding her pregnancy from everyone but Minnie, but it doesn’t give her the right to act so childishly!
Milo, who is a child, is again acting in such a more mature way than Kat. I loved his conversation with Kenneth/Leonard. So cute, yet the catalyst for the meeting with the family. It’s interesting that Milo is always talking about life saving, but we still haven’t seen him at a lesson yet! Will he be the one to use his skills on Kat and Faith’s non-existent relationship?
In terms of the language, it’s pretty simple to me (no looking up words in the dictionary so far) but it conveys the myriad of feelings everyone is feeling so well in addition to the difference between the characters. I love Milo’s voice!
Here’s hoping Kat will do something to redeem herself soon!
Part 3 (pages 297-438)
The third and final section of the book was definitely my favourite, not only because it ties up all the loose ends but because it shows Geraghty’s skill as a writer. As you would have read previously, I’ve been fairly ho-hum on Kat’s character so far – she’s selfish and ignorant, immature for her age. That all changes when Ed, her brother is rushed to hospital. (Just wondering if it’s normal for an ambulance to take 20 minutes for an emergency like that? It sounds like it would be rather a high priority!) Contacting Thomas was probably one of the best things she could have done as he gets to witness her life-changing, total turnaround in attitude when Kat is confronted with the potential loss of Ed. I thought the medicine was a little shonky there – angiogram and pacemaker in the one operation and it read like pacemakers are inserted through the groin – ouch! But I digress. The main point here was Kat needed something to shock her into the real world and this did it. It also stopped her whinging about turning 40, which I didn’t relate to at all (not being near it probably).
The change in Kat’s behaviour is astonishing – she’s smiling and being, well…nice. Human. Could it be that Milo and his phone call to her had a role? Maybe. Milo is an incredibly sweet, thoughtful young man wise beyond his years. When Kat has her press conference to reveal her status as Killian Kobain, the matter of the blackmailer is dealt with rapidly and never mentioned again. Given all the tension previously, to have only a couple of paragraphs mentioned was a letdown for me. The blackmailer should have been given his just desserts in a more detailed way in my opinion!
Kat’s mad dash to England to see Faith was fun – wouldn’t you like to eat at The Funky Banana? (I would, but then I really like bananas). I’m surprised that more wasn’t made about missing Christmas with Ed and her somewhat-closer family, but I guess this is because Kat is spending it with her recently rediscovered family. The character of Celia is a nice light point and I love the way she and Kat match and try to better each other’s statements when they first meet. The skipping over of Kat and Faith’s ‘big talk’ is interesting – I think it would have been an awkward discussion and a difficult one to write but the total absence of it was an anticlimax for me. Enter as enemies, leave as friends without seeing the change of heart.
It’s interesting that like Milo, Kat and Ed take up lifesaving. Is that because Milo’s been such a good lifesaver through the book in the relationship between Kat and Faith and Kat’s now redeemed, she can save lives too? Maybe. Perhaps it’s just another form of bonding.
Some may find it a bit lame, but I liked that Kat wrote her story and called it Lifesaving for Beginners, also published by Geraghty’s publisher, Hodder & Stoughton. It was a sweet way to pay tribute to what happened and the bonus with Thomas – a beginning, but no definite ending was what we’d been hoping for!
Overall, I found this book a little uneven in emotion relating to Kat, but it could be that I read it over the three weeks of the readalong. There’s not a great deal of surprises, but it’s a comforting read that is enjoyable.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
March 14, 2018
Das erste Buch seit langer Zeit, dass mich zum weinen gebracht hat. Es ist so eine tolle Geschichte und ich habe den kleinen Milo richtig ins Herz geschlossen.
October 27, 2012
Ciara Geraghty’s is an author who never writes the same book twice. You know how some authors have a unique writing style that you just KNOW by reading it? Like Paige Toon or Sophie Kinsella. How all their books all have that unique imprint? Ciara Geraghty just does not have that. Not one of her four novels are similar to the others. Which, it has to be said, is strange. Authors are meant to have writing styles, aren’t they? I’ve never known an author write such wide-ranging and different stories. I absolutely adored Saving Grace, haven’t yet read Becoming Scarlett, couldn’t really get to grips with Finding Mr Flood and so when I got a copy of her newest novel Lifesaving For Beginners I just had no idea what kind of book I would get. Would I really enjoy it like I had Saving Grace or would I struggle with it like I did Finding Mr Flood? I’m quite pleased to report that I thoroughly enjoyed Lifesaving For Beginners.
Lifesaving For Beginners tells the story of two very different people. First there’s Kat Kavanagh who doesn’t really know what the truth is any more. She’s keeping so many secrets, so many things the people around her don’t know, that it’s hard to keep up. After surviving a horrific car crash that killed another lady, she’s struggling. Struggling to do anything. She can’t write and she can’t understand why her boyfriend Thomas keeps going on about how miraculous it was that she escaped unharmed from the accident and she hates it. Then there’s Milo McIntyre, who lost his mother in the same crash Kat survived. He loves his life. He has his lifesaving classes, he has Damo, his best friend forever. Until his life changes and he no longer has his mam and he has to learn to survive without her. These two people don’t know each other, but when Milo’s sister Faith learns a secret about the McIntyre’s past, Kat and Milo find themselves meeting, as everyone must learn to deal with these new truths.
I really, really enjoyed Lifesaving For Beginners. My proof copy of the novel states that it is ‘so good you won’t want to put it down’ and boy, is that the understatement of the year. The novel is down from both Kat and Milo’s perspectives and the chapters alternate so we get a chapter from Kat, in Dublin, and a chapter from Milo, in Brighton. They’re two very different people who are more connected than they might ever imagine (though not in the way I thought, as I was quickly proven wrong) and the contrast between the two is both startling yet amazing. I can’t say whose perspective I preferred. Both were good in very different ways. Kat spent a lot of time trying to justify her life as it was now – sans her boyfriend and sans her writing since the accident, as she tries to get her best friend Minnie and brother Ed to spend as much time with her as they can as she seems to hate being alone. Then there’s the sweet and adorable Milo. Who is most definitely a tonic. I loved how this nine-year-old (almost ten!) boy looked after his older sister Faith after their mother died. How he very much wanted to become a lifesaver when he was older and just how important those classes are to him.
The novel was just spectacular. If this is Geraghty’s new writing style and this will continue into her next novels, I’ll be really pleased because I really became involved in the lives of Kat and Milo. This is the novel that can cement Geraghty’s place among the Chick Lit elite – as long as she gets the right publicity because her past two novels have sort of passed everyone by and Lifesaving For Beginners is a novel that needs to be seen and needs to be read. It not only has a beautiful, simplistic cover, but it also has a beautiful inside too, with two characters who you really feel you know. I wanted to go to Brighton to see Milo and then hop on an aeroplane to meet Ed, Kat’s brother, who was just so cool. Milo is one of my favourite child characters ever. He’s one of the wisest youngsters ever and I just found him so refreshing. It’s so lovely to get a non-tainted perspective on the world. Inevitably, as you become older the world doesn’t seem as simple as it once did but Milo’s view of the world just proved how innocent (yet switched on) kids can be. I really do recommend you pick up this book. Yes, it’s entirely different to Geraghty’s previous three, but it’s easily on par with Saving Grace, easily.
Lifesaving For Beginners tells the story of two very different people. First there’s Kat Kavanagh who doesn’t really know what the truth is any more. She’s keeping so many secrets, so many things the people around her don’t know, that it’s hard to keep up. After surviving a horrific car crash that killed another lady, she’s struggling. Struggling to do anything. She can’t write and she can’t understand why her boyfriend Thomas keeps going on about how miraculous it was that she escaped unharmed from the accident and she hates it. Then there’s Milo McIntyre, who lost his mother in the same crash Kat survived. He loves his life. He has his lifesaving classes, he has Damo, his best friend forever. Until his life changes and he no longer has his mam and he has to learn to survive without her. These two people don’t know each other, but when Milo’s sister Faith learns a secret about the McIntyre’s past, Kat and Milo find themselves meeting, as everyone must learn to deal with these new truths.
I really, really enjoyed Lifesaving For Beginners. My proof copy of the novel states that it is ‘so good you won’t want to put it down’ and boy, is that the understatement of the year. The novel is down from both Kat and Milo’s perspectives and the chapters alternate so we get a chapter from Kat, in Dublin, and a chapter from Milo, in Brighton. They’re two very different people who are more connected than they might ever imagine (though not in the way I thought, as I was quickly proven wrong) and the contrast between the two is both startling yet amazing. I can’t say whose perspective I preferred. Both were good in very different ways. Kat spent a lot of time trying to justify her life as it was now – sans her boyfriend and sans her writing since the accident, as she tries to get her best friend Minnie and brother Ed to spend as much time with her as they can as she seems to hate being alone. Then there’s the sweet and adorable Milo. Who is most definitely a tonic. I loved how this nine-year-old (almost ten!) boy looked after his older sister Faith after their mother died. How he very much wanted to become a lifesaver when he was older and just how important those classes are to him.
The novel was just spectacular. If this is Geraghty’s new writing style and this will continue into her next novels, I’ll be really pleased because I really became involved in the lives of Kat and Milo. This is the novel that can cement Geraghty’s place among the Chick Lit elite – as long as she gets the right publicity because her past two novels have sort of passed everyone by and Lifesaving For Beginners is a novel that needs to be seen and needs to be read. It not only has a beautiful, simplistic cover, but it also has a beautiful inside too, with two characters who you really feel you know. I wanted to go to Brighton to see Milo and then hop on an aeroplane to meet Ed, Kat’s brother, who was just so cool. Milo is one of my favourite child characters ever. He’s one of the wisest youngsters ever and I just found him so refreshing. It’s so lovely to get a non-tainted perspective on the world. Inevitably, as you become older the world doesn’t seem as simple as it once did but Milo’s view of the world just proved how innocent (yet switched on) kids can be. I really do recommend you pick up this book. Yes, it’s entirely different to Geraghty’s previous three, but it’s easily on par with Saving Grace, easily.
October 5, 2012
Originally reviewed at: http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/...
Ciara Geraghty’s books have been on my to-be-read list for quite a long time but I never actually got round to reading them. So when I received a copy of her fourth novel, Lifesaving for Beginners, I couldn’t wait to get started. But even though it sounded like something I would enjoy, I had no idea what to expect. All I can say is: three pages in I was already hooked and I’m not exaggerating when I say I loved this book from start to finish.
At the risk of sounding terribly morbid, I love the fact that Lifesaving for Beginners starts in such a dramatic way. A few pages in, two women are involved in a car crash in Ireland: Beth, a mother of four from Brighton and Kat, a thirty-nine year old writer from Dublin. Beth dies instantly, while Kat walks away without a scratch. The book tells the story of their families whose lives will never be the same again. Then, just when they think they’re starting to figure out how to move on and deal with the past, something comes along and once again, changes everything, bringing the two families together. The fact that the book starts with such tragic events means that you just cannot help being drawn to the story from the very beginning.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that the story is told from two different perspectives. There are books where this type of narration doesn’t work and I’ve read a few books where it would have worked but the author didn’t really nail it but in this case, it works perfectly well. Half of the book is told from Kat’s point of view, and half from Milo’s (who is Beth’s 9-year-old son). The two different perspectives definitely make the book more diverse – not only do we hear the story from both families’ point of view at the same time but it’s really interesting to hear a 9-year-old boy’s and an adult’s take on things. Milo is by far my favourite character from the book – he’s just adorable and the way he’s dealing with the situation is very moving. I loved how after the tragedy he’s the one who becomes the adult in the family and makes more reasonable decisions than her sister Faith or anyone else. He’s the one who adds some humour to the story and whose childish innocence and witty remarks will put a smile on your face while there’s a tear in your eye.
Geraghty’s novel reminded me a little bit of Marian Keyes’ books: their writing style is different but they’re similar in the sense that both of them deal with serious and difficult issues in an optimistic, heart-warming and quite humorous way. Lifesaving for Beginners is without a doubt one of my favourite books this year and Ciara Geraghty soon became one of my favourite authors. It’s one of those books where you can’t wait to see how the story ends but at the same time, you don’t want it to end. It’s a remarkable read that I’m not likely to forget anytime soon and I can’t recommend it enough. Trust me, it’ll blow you away.
Ciara Geraghty’s books have been on my to-be-read list for quite a long time but I never actually got round to reading them. So when I received a copy of her fourth novel, Lifesaving for Beginners, I couldn’t wait to get started. But even though it sounded like something I would enjoy, I had no idea what to expect. All I can say is: three pages in I was already hooked and I’m not exaggerating when I say I loved this book from start to finish.
At the risk of sounding terribly morbid, I love the fact that Lifesaving for Beginners starts in such a dramatic way. A few pages in, two women are involved in a car crash in Ireland: Beth, a mother of four from Brighton and Kat, a thirty-nine year old writer from Dublin. Beth dies instantly, while Kat walks away without a scratch. The book tells the story of their families whose lives will never be the same again. Then, just when they think they’re starting to figure out how to move on and deal with the past, something comes along and once again, changes everything, bringing the two families together. The fact that the book starts with such tragic events means that you just cannot help being drawn to the story from the very beginning.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that the story is told from two different perspectives. There are books where this type of narration doesn’t work and I’ve read a few books where it would have worked but the author didn’t really nail it but in this case, it works perfectly well. Half of the book is told from Kat’s point of view, and half from Milo’s (who is Beth’s 9-year-old son). The two different perspectives definitely make the book more diverse – not only do we hear the story from both families’ point of view at the same time but it’s really interesting to hear a 9-year-old boy’s and an adult’s take on things. Milo is by far my favourite character from the book – he’s just adorable and the way he’s dealing with the situation is very moving. I loved how after the tragedy he’s the one who becomes the adult in the family and makes more reasonable decisions than her sister Faith or anyone else. He’s the one who adds some humour to the story and whose childish innocence and witty remarks will put a smile on your face while there’s a tear in your eye.
Geraghty’s novel reminded me a little bit of Marian Keyes’ books: their writing style is different but they’re similar in the sense that both of them deal with serious and difficult issues in an optimistic, heart-warming and quite humorous way. Lifesaving for Beginners is without a doubt one of my favourite books this year and Ciara Geraghty soon became one of my favourite authors. It’s one of those books where you can’t wait to see how the story ends but at the same time, you don’t want it to end. It’s a remarkable read that I’m not likely to forget anytime soon and I can’t recommend it enough. Trust me, it’ll blow you away.
March 30, 2013
Review of Lifesaving for Beginners by Ciara Geraghty
About Lifesaving for Beginners -
Kat Kavanagh is not in love.
She has lots of friends, an ordinary job, and she never ever thinks about her past. This is Kat's story. None of it is true.
Milo McIntyre loves his mam, the peanut-butter-and-banana muffins at the Funky Banana cafe, and the lifesaving class he does after school. He never thinks about his future, until the day it changes forever. This is Milo's story. All of it is true.
And then there is the other story. The one with a twist of fate which somehow brings together a boy from Brighton and a woman in Dublin, and uncovers the truth once and for all.
This is the story that's just about to begin...
Lifesaving for Beginners has everything you want in a book. It has love, faith, humour, secrets and a story that will stay with you even after you have finished this amazing, touching story. The story revolves around Kat and Milo, two very different people, who live in two different countries but each have one thing that ties them, that being a secret Kat tries to hide and the life Milo is now forced to live with.
Kat Kavanagh lives in Dublin, Ireland. Everyone believes that she has a normal job, lives a normal life but none of it is true. Kat has many secrets, ones that she has tried to keep hidden from the eyes of everyone...but for how long?
Milo McIntyre lives in Brighton, England. Milo lives a normal life, with his mam, Beth and his older sister called Faith. Milo loves the lifesaving class that he does after school. Then, one day Milo's whole life changes dramatically and will never be the same again. Both lives thrown into turmoil and not knowing if their lives will ever seem normal again.
Suddenly, Kat and Milo have something in common without even knowing it. Both having to deal with their lives that have been changed. This book has two different points of views which make it even more unique, there are many secrets that will be unexpected and shocking when they are revealed.
Even though the book is sad, it is also funny and heart warming as well. Ciara Geraghty's books are normally the type of genre that I read but what makes this book different is that book has more depth and insight into how lives can be changed in a matter of seconds.
If I had to sum this book up in three words they would be lifechanging, powerful and emotional.
If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult then you will definitely love this book.
Ciara Geraghty's book is out now on amazon.
Is published by Hodder & Stoughton.
Thank you to Eleni Lawrence for giving me a copy of Ciara Geraghty's book.
Another day, another book,
Sophie Kate <3
You can also read this review at 23reviewstreet.blogspot.com
About Lifesaving for Beginners -
Kat Kavanagh is not in love.
She has lots of friends, an ordinary job, and she never ever thinks about her past. This is Kat's story. None of it is true.
Milo McIntyre loves his mam, the peanut-butter-and-banana muffins at the Funky Banana cafe, and the lifesaving class he does after school. He never thinks about his future, until the day it changes forever. This is Milo's story. All of it is true.
And then there is the other story. The one with a twist of fate which somehow brings together a boy from Brighton and a woman in Dublin, and uncovers the truth once and for all.
This is the story that's just about to begin...
Lifesaving for Beginners has everything you want in a book. It has love, faith, humour, secrets and a story that will stay with you even after you have finished this amazing, touching story. The story revolves around Kat and Milo, two very different people, who live in two different countries but each have one thing that ties them, that being a secret Kat tries to hide and the life Milo is now forced to live with.
Kat Kavanagh lives in Dublin, Ireland. Everyone believes that she has a normal job, lives a normal life but none of it is true. Kat has many secrets, ones that she has tried to keep hidden from the eyes of everyone...but for how long?
Milo McIntyre lives in Brighton, England. Milo lives a normal life, with his mam, Beth and his older sister called Faith. Milo loves the lifesaving class that he does after school. Then, one day Milo's whole life changes dramatically and will never be the same again. Both lives thrown into turmoil and not knowing if their lives will ever seem normal again.
Suddenly, Kat and Milo have something in common without even knowing it. Both having to deal with their lives that have been changed. This book has two different points of views which make it even more unique, there are many secrets that will be unexpected and shocking when they are revealed.
Even though the book is sad, it is also funny and heart warming as well. Ciara Geraghty's books are normally the type of genre that I read but what makes this book different is that book has more depth and insight into how lives can be changed in a matter of seconds.
If I had to sum this book up in three words they would be lifechanging, powerful and emotional.
If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult then you will definitely love this book.
Ciara Geraghty's book is out now on amazon.
Is published by Hodder & Stoughton.
Thank you to Eleni Lawrence for giving me a copy of Ciara Geraghty's book.
Another day, another book,
Sophie Kate <3
You can also read this review at 23reviewstreet.blogspot.com
March 2, 2013
See my full review here: http://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wor...
It’s the story of parallel lives – forty-in-a-few-months Kat who has just broken up with her partner (Thomas) and almost-ten Milo, whose mum has recently died. One lives in England, one lives in Ireland but a twist of fate brings these two together.
I really liked the dual narration – two distinct voices, both perfectly executed. Kat – well, you know her – she speaks directly to the audience I imagine this book was intended for. And Milo, with his factual, no-nonsense approach to life broke my heart (perhaps because I also have a ten-year-old son). Milo is so stoic and it’s the little details – for example having to cut his own toenails now that his mum is gone – that makes him such a lovely character.
“I go into the kitchen and put the kettle on anyway. If it were Wednesday and the ferry got cancelled, Mam would be here and we wouldn’t be eating leftover pizza and drinking Coke for our breakfast…”
“Adults always wonder how kids can eat ice cream in the wintertime, but it tastes exactly the same as it does in the summertime.”
It’s a funny book. Not side-splitting but I did have some laugh-out-loud moments, mostly when Kat’s best friend, Minnie, was on the scene. Of Minnie, Kat says -
“She couldn’t look at me the morning after she told me that she was cracked about Maurice and had signed up for an accountancy course. Too ashamed, I suppose. We were on holiday together at the time. I told her there were worse things to be but when she asked me to be more specific, it took me a while.”
“She and Maurice became foodies during the boom. A lot of people did. They know about things like celeriac and truffles. The old Minnie would have beaten any talk of celeriac and truffles out of anyone, especially an accountant like Maurice. And I mean actually physically beaten it out of him. With a branch of a tree.”
And it’s sad – not in a sobbing-with-snot kind of way but more that dull ache in a corner of your heart that you get for some characters. Suspect that feeling was again thanks to Milo and seeing life without a ‘mam’ through his eyes.
The premise of the book hinges around one almighty coincidence (which I won’t give away). Interestingly, Geraghty could have easily done without it. The story would have worked just as well with a more believable set of circumstances. Anyway, it didn’t impinge on my enjoyment of the story and there were a few other plot lines that kept things moving.
3.5/5 A lovely cast of memorable characters and a fun, light read.
It’s the story of parallel lives – forty-in-a-few-months Kat who has just broken up with her partner (Thomas) and almost-ten Milo, whose mum has recently died. One lives in England, one lives in Ireland but a twist of fate brings these two together.
I really liked the dual narration – two distinct voices, both perfectly executed. Kat – well, you know her – she speaks directly to the audience I imagine this book was intended for. And Milo, with his factual, no-nonsense approach to life broke my heart (perhaps because I also have a ten-year-old son). Milo is so stoic and it’s the little details – for example having to cut his own toenails now that his mum is gone – that makes him such a lovely character.
“I go into the kitchen and put the kettle on anyway. If it were Wednesday and the ferry got cancelled, Mam would be here and we wouldn’t be eating leftover pizza and drinking Coke for our breakfast…”
“Adults always wonder how kids can eat ice cream in the wintertime, but it tastes exactly the same as it does in the summertime.”
It’s a funny book. Not side-splitting but I did have some laugh-out-loud moments, mostly when Kat’s best friend, Minnie, was on the scene. Of Minnie, Kat says -
“She couldn’t look at me the morning after she told me that she was cracked about Maurice and had signed up for an accountancy course. Too ashamed, I suppose. We were on holiday together at the time. I told her there were worse things to be but when she asked me to be more specific, it took me a while.”
“She and Maurice became foodies during the boom. A lot of people did. They know about things like celeriac and truffles. The old Minnie would have beaten any talk of celeriac and truffles out of anyone, especially an accountant like Maurice. And I mean actually physically beaten it out of him. With a branch of a tree.”
And it’s sad – not in a sobbing-with-snot kind of way but more that dull ache in a corner of your heart that you get for some characters. Suspect that feeling was again thanks to Milo and seeing life without a ‘mam’ through his eyes.
The premise of the book hinges around one almighty coincidence (which I won’t give away). Interestingly, Geraghty could have easily done without it. The story would have worked just as well with a more believable set of circumstances. Anyway, it didn’t impinge on my enjoyment of the story and there were a few other plot lines that kept things moving.
3.5/5 A lovely cast of memorable characters and a fun, light read.
March 24, 2013
This is a charming novel with memorable characters and a plotline that is both moving and gently humorous. The book opens with a horrific car accident, one that leaves one woman dead while another woman miraculously survives. Living in Dublin, Kat Kavanagh is the survivor, but instead of feeling grateful to be alive this 39-year-old feels as though life is closing in on her. Her boyfriend Thomas wants to marry her – but she wants their relationship to go back to how it was and she feels suffocated by his constant care and consideration. An abrasive personality who leads a reclusive life, she has made a successful career writing crime novels under a pseudonym – her real identity hidden from nearly everyone in her life, and certainly the wider world. But after the accident she can’t write. The only person she can bear to see anymore is her brother Ed, a young man with Downs Syndrome.
Milo McIntrye is nearly ten and he counts his Mam, his best friend Damo, the muffins from the Funky Banana cafe and the lifesaving class he does after school as constants in his life. But then his mum dies in a car accident and his life changes forever. His older sister Faith is the only one left home to look after him, and things becoming bewildering for them all when she discovers documents in the attic that prove she was adopted, a surprising and shocking discovery that has her questioning her life.
This book captures the grief of losing a loved one, but also life’s possibilities of being open to change. Kat and Milo’s individual stories collide in a surprising and ultimately uplifting way. This is a book about family, relationships, love, and daring to believe in a better life
Milo McIntrye is nearly ten and he counts his Mam, his best friend Damo, the muffins from the Funky Banana cafe and the lifesaving class he does after school as constants in his life. But then his mum dies in a car accident and his life changes forever. His older sister Faith is the only one left home to look after him, and things becoming bewildering for them all when she discovers documents in the attic that prove she was adopted, a surprising and shocking discovery that has her questioning her life.
This book captures the grief of losing a loved one, but also life’s possibilities of being open to change. Kat and Milo’s individual stories collide in a surprising and ultimately uplifting way. This is a book about family, relationships, love, and daring to believe in a better life
April 8, 2015
2.5, 3; I don't know. mixed feelings for this one. a lil bit confusing at the early part, and I'm not a fan of the changing font. I thought it would be about the guy that caused the accident, but I realised that the accident is just the author's way to tell me that the two victims, of the car crash, somehow related, in a remarkable way.
I felt like I was reading a diary or something, one is a diary of a 39 years old woman, who I don't know why, but everytime I'm reading it, I felt like her mind seems out of place.
one is a diary of a 9 years old boy, whose despite being just a boy, is a very strong, charming, and funny person. I like him. Everytime I read his part, I felt like a 9 years old is telling me a story, you know how sometimes a kid would be like telling you stuff, lots and lots of stuff, they also like to ask questions, and when you less expected it, they can come up with a brainy solution sometimes.
I think it is an easy, light reading but it's not that moving for me. I felt like it's an ordinary family drama, where in the end, everyone gets their happy ending. even the plot twist is easily guessed. Not much going around, yes, that's how I would describe this.
I felt like I was reading a diary or something, one is a diary of a 39 years old woman, who I don't know why, but everytime I'm reading it, I felt like her mind seems out of place.
one is a diary of a 9 years old boy, whose despite being just a boy, is a very strong, charming, and funny person. I like him. Everytime I read his part, I felt like a 9 years old is telling me a story, you know how sometimes a kid would be like telling you stuff, lots and lots of stuff, they also like to ask questions, and when you less expected it, they can come up with a brainy solution sometimes.
I think it is an easy, light reading but it's not that moving for me. I felt like it's an ordinary family drama, where in the end, everyone gets their happy ending. even the plot twist is easily guessed. Not much going around, yes, that's how I would describe this.
May 9, 2015
This was an engaging, emotional story – a perfect balm to follow a couple of psychological thrillers! Ciara Geraghty's Irish heritage is evident in her style, which is lilting, warm and well laced with subtle humor. I liked it a lot, and I was moved to see Maeve Binchy mentioned in the author’s acknowledgements at the end. ‘Finally, to Maeve Binchy, who died this week. I will never hear your stories, on the page or the radio……….. I will miss that. I will miss you. You inspired me. You told me that I could do it too.’
January 1, 2015
I was completely engaged with story from the very first page. In my view Lifesaving for Beginners is one of Ciara Geraghty best novels.
A truck is going too fast with the driver falling asleep at the wheel. The truck hits an animal with the truck then crashing into a woman driving a Mazda.
A truck is going too fast with the driver falling asleep at the wheel. The truck hits an animal with the truck then crashing into a woman driving a Mazda.
April 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I'm glad that the ending was positive. It was a great read.
April 3, 2018
Ciara Geraghty has a lot of potential, but I felt that Lifesaving for Beginners fell a bit flat/was hitting a lot of off-key notes for me.
First, the title. It's mind-bendingly cloying and overly metaphorical. I could have maybe stomached it a little better IF it wasn't referenced constantly in the book as a sort of "ha ha ha ha these characters will save each other how beautiful is this metaphor?!" moment. Like, notice: HE NEVER ACTUALLY GOES TO LIFESAVING CLASS IN THE BOOK. He only mentions it to people after the fact or talks about going in the future. I think sometimes Geraghty is a little too reliant on relating things this way.
Moving on. Geraghty continues to write the same character over and over in every novel with a few things changed. And to some extent I can be understanding of this -- I'm wondering how much is loosely autobiographical, and "write what you know" makes sense for making a story feel authentic.
BUT, if you've read a few of her novels, they're similar to the point where prior novels *serve as spoilers* for her work, which isn't pleasant. Like... how many writers with writers block, who write some amazing thing at the conclusion of the novel as a result of the plot, can you possibly make into characters?! And because I read "This is Now," I correctly understood that the growing references to alcohol meant the characters was slipping into a bad habit, and that Cillian/Thomas, depending on the novel, would eventually return to her (even though she was the one to push them away) and reject the other woman they've replaced her with.
Sometimes the voice of the little kid, Milo, didn't feel quite as authentic as it could have been. My eyes almost rolled out of my head when he correctly remembered that "Dad used to like doing the books. He said it relaxed him. Mam said there were better ways to relax. She said it in a funny sort of voice and looked at him weird, and then they'd go for a nap, which is when you go to sleep in the middle of the day with no pajamas on." Like, come on. He must have been 7 at the time of the memory and recalled a FUNNY GLANCE they gave each other EVERY time his mom said something like that, and they don't wear pajamas, but he doesn't connect it to sex... but we do... and it's funny because kids don't get it hah ha? Ok, 1990s Sitcom
Thomas's Eyes Change Color Because Magical Eyes... one of my top hated tropes. Listen. Eyes don't change color. Why? There are little cells in your eyes, giving them a color. Yes, they will look kind of different depending on lighting and whether you're outside and things like that, just like your hair and skin will look separate, but we don't describe people's skin as "milky white in the sun, yet magically shadowy dark inside." these eyes were "grey from a distance" (how far away are you?!) "but they change to green the closer you get" "or blue sometimes" right. Purple too, or...?
Thomas in general I wasn't really feeling, but possibly because he's mostly in the book as a memory, rather than a present character.
Ehh... I keep saying it will be the last time I download one of these because I'm in a rush, but this time I hopefully mean it
First, the title. It's mind-bendingly cloying and overly metaphorical. I could have maybe stomached it a little better IF it wasn't referenced constantly in the book as a sort of "ha ha ha ha these characters will save each other how beautiful is this metaphor?!" moment. Like, notice: HE NEVER ACTUALLY GOES TO LIFESAVING CLASS IN THE BOOK. He only mentions it to people after the fact or talks about going in the future. I think sometimes Geraghty is a little too reliant on relating things this way.
Moving on. Geraghty continues to write the same character over and over in every novel with a few things changed. And to some extent I can be understanding of this -- I'm wondering how much is loosely autobiographical, and "write what you know" makes sense for making a story feel authentic.
BUT, if you've read a few of her novels, they're similar to the point where prior novels *serve as spoilers* for her work, which isn't pleasant. Like... how many writers with writers block, who write some amazing thing at the conclusion of the novel as a result of the plot, can you possibly make into characters?! And because I read "This is Now," I correctly understood that the growing references to alcohol meant the characters was slipping into a bad habit, and that Cillian/Thomas, depending on the novel, would eventually return to her (even though she was the one to push them away) and reject the other woman they've replaced her with.
Sometimes the voice of the little kid, Milo, didn't feel quite as authentic as it could have been. My eyes almost rolled out of my head when he correctly remembered that "Dad used to like doing the books. He said it relaxed him. Mam said there were better ways to relax. She said it in a funny sort of voice and looked at him weird, and then they'd go for a nap, which is when you go to sleep in the middle of the day with no pajamas on." Like, come on. He must have been 7 at the time of the memory and recalled a FUNNY GLANCE they gave each other EVERY time his mom said something like that, and they don't wear pajamas, but he doesn't connect it to sex... but we do... and it's funny because kids don't get it hah ha? Ok, 1990s Sitcom
Thomas's Eyes Change Color Because Magical Eyes... one of my top hated tropes. Listen. Eyes don't change color. Why? There are little cells in your eyes, giving them a color. Yes, they will look kind of different depending on lighting and whether you're outside and things like that, just like your hair and skin will look separate, but we don't describe people's skin as "milky white in the sun, yet magically shadowy dark inside." these eyes were "grey from a distance" (how far away are you?!) "but they change to green the closer you get" "or blue sometimes" right. Purple too, or...?
Thomas in general I wasn't really feeling, but possibly because he's mostly in the book as a memory, rather than a present character.
Ehh... I keep saying it will be the last time I download one of these because I'm in a rush, but this time I hopefully mean it
November 21, 2020
„Four months. That’s all it takes. Four months for everything to fall apart.” (Quotation Pos. 893)
Content
A brief moment of inattention of the truck driver, a deer on the road, two hitten cars, and after this first of June everything has changed. For Kat Kavanagh, the thirty-nine years old famous author, who publishes her crime novels under an alias, who was in one of the two cars, and whose friend Thomas told her that she were lucky. For Milo McIntyre, nine years old, whose Mam was in the other car and had no chance. Faith, Milo’s twenty-four years old sister, who still lives at home, does her best to look after Milo. One day in October, when she is searching for something in the attic, she finds old documents and a hidden family secret that again had changed and will change the life of the persons involved.
Theme and genre
This novel is about lies, trust, loss and grief, but most of all about family, friendship, love, courage and hope.
Characters
We meet likeable characters, most of all Milo, but also Faith and Kat’s brother Ed, and a main character, I have disliked for the major part of the story: Kat, selfish, egoistic, cold and sunken into self-pity.
Plot and writing
There are two main stories, alternately told by Kat or Milo, both first-person narrators, interspersed with some flashbacks. The plot is believable and a well-balanced mixture of romance, humor and substance with some interesting twists, until loose ends are tied together.
Conclusion
More than just another chick-lit novel, this is a delightful, cozy story with deepness.
Content
A brief moment of inattention of the truck driver, a deer on the road, two hitten cars, and after this first of June everything has changed. For Kat Kavanagh, the thirty-nine years old famous author, who publishes her crime novels under an alias, who was in one of the two cars, and whose friend Thomas told her that she were lucky. For Milo McIntyre, nine years old, whose Mam was in the other car and had no chance. Faith, Milo’s twenty-four years old sister, who still lives at home, does her best to look after Milo. One day in October, when she is searching for something in the attic, she finds old documents and a hidden family secret that again had changed and will change the life of the persons involved.
Theme and genre
This novel is about lies, trust, loss and grief, but most of all about family, friendship, love, courage and hope.
Characters
We meet likeable characters, most of all Milo, but also Faith and Kat’s brother Ed, and a main character, I have disliked for the major part of the story: Kat, selfish, egoistic, cold and sunken into self-pity.
Plot and writing
There are two main stories, alternately told by Kat or Milo, both first-person narrators, interspersed with some flashbacks. The plot is believable and a well-balanced mixture of romance, humor and substance with some interesting twists, until loose ends are tied together.
Conclusion
More than just another chick-lit novel, this is a delightful, cozy story with deepness.
September 14, 2017
Lifesaving for Beginners
By Ciara Geraghty
Two lives, one day, one car crash and a twist of fate brings 2 families together living in different countries.
Milo McIntyre is 9 (nearly 10) years old and lives in Brighton with his mum and elder sister. He loves his lifesaving class after school and going to the Funky Banana Café which his mum owns but one day everything changes.
Kat Kavanagh lives in Dublin, survives a fatal car crash and from that moment struggles to make sense of her life and why she survived. When the past catches up with her she realises that maybe that is why she survived the crash.
A really enjoyable read which will make you laugh and cry in equal measures, I just loved this book. Perfect for fans of Dani Atkins and David Nicholls (I love both of these authors). I have certainly found a new author that I LOVE!!
By Ciara Geraghty
Two lives, one day, one car crash and a twist of fate brings 2 families together living in different countries.
Milo McIntyre is 9 (nearly 10) years old and lives in Brighton with his mum and elder sister. He loves his lifesaving class after school and going to the Funky Banana Café which his mum owns but one day everything changes.
Kat Kavanagh lives in Dublin, survives a fatal car crash and from that moment struggles to make sense of her life and why she survived. When the past catches up with her she realises that maybe that is why she survived the crash.
A really enjoyable read which will make you laugh and cry in equal measures, I just loved this book. Perfect for fans of Dani Atkins and David Nicholls (I love both of these authors). I have certainly found a new author that I LOVE!!
March 13, 2019
Een ontspannend boek. Niets speciaals, maar ook niet slecht. Het verhaal is tweestemmig: de 39 jarige Kat, auteur, overlever van een auto-ongeluk, die maar niet begrijpt waarom iedereen dat een godswonder noemt en haar leven niet meer goed op orde krijgt. Anderzijds is er de 9 jarige Milo die zijn moeder verloren heeft in datzelfde ongeluk. Hij moet zijn leven ook verderzetten, met een vader die veraf woont, bij zijn nieuwe vrouw, zijn broers die in Londen studeren en zijn zus die probeert het leven verder te zetten.
De twee stemmen hebben elk een ander lettertype, wat een beetje overbodig is, het verschil tussen beide stemmen valt direct op.
Natuurlijk komen de 2 verhaallijnen samen. Niet ongelooflijk maar ook wel zeer toevallig.
Vlot geschreven, ik heb het graag gelezen maar het was ook niet overdonderend.
De twee stemmen hebben elk een ander lettertype, wat een beetje overbodig is, het verschil tussen beide stemmen valt direct op.
Natuurlijk komen de 2 verhaallijnen samen. Niet ongelooflijk maar ook wel zeer toevallig.
Vlot geschreven, ik heb het graag gelezen maar het was ook niet overdonderend.
October 18, 2023
Another very readable and well-crafted book by an excellent storyteller. Here we have, at its centre, a chance discovery that a woman's dead mother was not her biological mum. Around this the writer has crafted a series of family relationships, related from two viewpoints - 10-year-old Milo and the biological mum. The characterisation is the power behind the book here, both the main and fringe characters being acutely observed and adding to the overall drama. The writing is typically quirky and wryly humorous, and Geraghty puts herself in Milo's shoes with aplomb. A happy ending? Maybe, though that looks far off at one stage. Geraghty likes to include the odd surreal scene in her novels - I can imagine her grinning as she does so - but the Dublin paparazzi invasion overstayed its welcome. This title is 12 years old now but I enjoyed it very much.
November 13, 2018
Interesting memoir
This is an interesting story by Edlestein that shared a life experience, and brought to life the story. There were a lot of details and angst in the shared experiences. I found the writing style to be enjoyable, and with darkness there was a bit of life. The story seems to be written for the author's benefit, maybe seeking some healing or catharsis. It's interesting to see the experience of others, and how it may help them, and in some ways help the reader, too. I hope Edlestein continues to share more stories, not just for herself, but for readers as well.
This is an interesting story by Edlestein that shared a life experience, and brought to life the story. There were a lot of details and angst in the shared experiences. I found the writing style to be enjoyable, and with darkness there was a bit of life. The story seems to be written for the author's benefit, maybe seeking some healing or catharsis. It's interesting to see the experience of others, and how it may help them, and in some ways help the reader, too. I hope Edlestein continues to share more stories, not just for herself, but for readers as well.
November 28, 2019
I quite liked this book but it’s not my favourite Geraghty by any means. I found myself disliking Kat Kavanagh intensely and I thought the coincidence of the accident too contrived and, though I enjoyed actually reading this book, I found that I finished it with a huge sense of relief and a little distaste. I would recommend it but not above her other novels; it tried too hard, was too worthy in many places, and hugely annoying in others. And, for what it’s worth, I think she’s terrible when she writes in a child’s voice, I really really do.
March 12, 2013
Reading Lifesaving for Beginners as part of a bloggers’ read along didn’t work for me as it has in the past – while I loved the conversation, I just wanted to keep reading at my own pace rather than stop-start mode this time. I had so much else going on at the time, that I found it harder to pick up where I left off because my mind was jammed with so many other things. That said, I was sucked in with the first chapter of this book. It had a great hook worthy of “how to start a novel” writing classes: a tired truck driver in Ireland closes his eyes just for a second and opens them to see a deer in the middle of the road. And then, a bright yellow car tossed in the air “like a bag of feathers”. It’s a tragedy. One woman dies. It’s a miracle more weren’t killed. Like Kat, a thirty-nine-year-old woman who has to be cut from her car.
From the third-person narrative of the first chapter, the book switches to a dual first-person narrative. It took me a bit of getting used to at first, because I thought the story would include a focus on the truck driver – how he fared after that horrible night. Instead, the story is told by Kat (the survivor) and nine-year-old Milo, whose mother died in the accident. Somehow, through this tragic twist of fate, they are brought together.
Kat lives in Ireland, has an ordinary job as a technical writer, lots of friends, a boyfriend she’s not in love with, and she’s not at all hung up on her past. That’s what she tells people … and herself. It’s not true, of course. Kat writes the Declan Darker novels under the pseudonym Killian Kobain (but hasn’t even started the latest one her editor thinks she’s writing) and really does care about Thomas (unfortunately, she fails to tell him this when it matters). And there’s one more thing. Something that Kat did when she was just 15. Something she doesn’t want to think about ever again.
Milo lives in England. His mother was visiting her sister in Ireland when she was killed. Now his twenty-four-year-old sister Faith is looking after him because his dad lives with his pregnant girlfriend Celia in Scotland. Everything is different, but at least he still gets to go to his beginners’ lifesaving classes and hang out with his best friend Damo. When Faith finds some of her mother’s old papers and discovers a secret she was never meant to know, she wants to go to Ireland to get to the bottom of it. Milo doesn’t want to be left behind – after all, his mother never came back when she went to Ireland.
For me, one of the strengths of this novel is in the characterisation. Kat is the more dominant character in the novel – the one who goes through the most change, so a lot of our read-along discussions focused on her. Contrary and at times dismissive, she hides her past and true feelings behind a dual veneer of denial and indifference. I found myself reacting to her with frustration at times because she would push people away who clearly cared for her. It’s deeply ingrained behaviour – stemming at least from the incident when she was 15. After the accident, she starts to exhibit depressive symptoms, with some of her behaviour bordering on self-destructive. She was a hard character to like at first, but as I came to understand her more, I found myself caring more. Her development over the novel was believable. Milo, on the other hand, was a lovable young boy who I just wanted to wrap up in a big hug. I liked his ‘voice’. It added a much-needed sense of optimism to Kat’s darker, more self-centred voice. He, like Kat’s brother Ed, has a simplicity about him (partly because he is a child, but also I think within his character) that contrasts beautifully with the cynical Kat. If the catalyst for Kat’s growth was the accident, Milo is the glue that brings all the pieces together.
Lifesaving for Beginners is a novel about growth and change, loss and letting go, living and loving. These themes are explored in a variety of ways ranging from the loss of a parent to the fear of ageing, from letting yourself love someone to loving yourself. I particularly enjoyed how Geraghty gently explored what it means to be a woman – the pushes and pulls of careers, ageing, children (or no children), decisions made, regretted or left to stew, relationships with mothers and partners, and the fact that change is inevitable. I also enjoyed the reverse – the reminder of what it means to be a child, how it feels when a parent or parents are absent, the moments when you realise your parents don’t know everything – or kept things from you – and how children can be valuable teachers. One thing that still puzzles me though – Kat’s friend Minnie knows what happened to Kat all those years ago. Yet it was not talked about for nearly 25 years. I found that strange – I suppose it’s in keeping with Kat’s tendency to stick her head in the sand, but Minnie didn’t strike me that way.
I really enjoyed this book. There were no real surprises, and some of the of the ending had a Disney-like quality (other issues were left open-ended, which suited the novel well), but it still made me laugh and cry and not want to stop according to the read-along plan. There’s a lovely sense that all will be well and after reading two more confronting books between this one, that was refreshing. Will I read more of Ciara Geraghty’s backlist/her future novels? Sure will.
This copy was courtesy of Hachette as part of the bloggers’ read-along.
From the third-person narrative of the first chapter, the book switches to a dual first-person narrative. It took me a bit of getting used to at first, because I thought the story would include a focus on the truck driver – how he fared after that horrible night. Instead, the story is told by Kat (the survivor) and nine-year-old Milo, whose mother died in the accident. Somehow, through this tragic twist of fate, they are brought together.
Kat lives in Ireland, has an ordinary job as a technical writer, lots of friends, a boyfriend she’s not in love with, and she’s not at all hung up on her past. That’s what she tells people … and herself. It’s not true, of course. Kat writes the Declan Darker novels under the pseudonym Killian Kobain (but hasn’t even started the latest one her editor thinks she’s writing) and really does care about Thomas (unfortunately, she fails to tell him this when it matters). And there’s one more thing. Something that Kat did when she was just 15. Something she doesn’t want to think about ever again.
Milo lives in England. His mother was visiting her sister in Ireland when she was killed. Now his twenty-four-year-old sister Faith is looking after him because his dad lives with his pregnant girlfriend Celia in Scotland. Everything is different, but at least he still gets to go to his beginners’ lifesaving classes and hang out with his best friend Damo. When Faith finds some of her mother’s old papers and discovers a secret she was never meant to know, she wants to go to Ireland to get to the bottom of it. Milo doesn’t want to be left behind – after all, his mother never came back when she went to Ireland.
For me, one of the strengths of this novel is in the characterisation. Kat is the more dominant character in the novel – the one who goes through the most change, so a lot of our read-along discussions focused on her. Contrary and at times dismissive, she hides her past and true feelings behind a dual veneer of denial and indifference. I found myself reacting to her with frustration at times because she would push people away who clearly cared for her. It’s deeply ingrained behaviour – stemming at least from the incident when she was 15. After the accident, she starts to exhibit depressive symptoms, with some of her behaviour bordering on self-destructive. She was a hard character to like at first, but as I came to understand her more, I found myself caring more. Her development over the novel was believable. Milo, on the other hand, was a lovable young boy who I just wanted to wrap up in a big hug. I liked his ‘voice’. It added a much-needed sense of optimism to Kat’s darker, more self-centred voice. He, like Kat’s brother Ed, has a simplicity about him (partly because he is a child, but also I think within his character) that contrasts beautifully with the cynical Kat. If the catalyst for Kat’s growth was the accident, Milo is the glue that brings all the pieces together.
Lifesaving for Beginners is a novel about growth and change, loss and letting go, living and loving. These themes are explored in a variety of ways ranging from the loss of a parent to the fear of ageing, from letting yourself love someone to loving yourself. I particularly enjoyed how Geraghty gently explored what it means to be a woman – the pushes and pulls of careers, ageing, children (or no children), decisions made, regretted or left to stew, relationships with mothers and partners, and the fact that change is inevitable. I also enjoyed the reverse – the reminder of what it means to be a child, how it feels when a parent or parents are absent, the moments when you realise your parents don’t know everything – or kept things from you – and how children can be valuable teachers. One thing that still puzzles me though – Kat’s friend Minnie knows what happened to Kat all those years ago. Yet it was not talked about for nearly 25 years. I found that strange – I suppose it’s in keeping with Kat’s tendency to stick her head in the sand, but Minnie didn’t strike me that way.
I really enjoyed this book. There were no real surprises, and some of the of the ending had a Disney-like quality (other issues were left open-ended, which suited the novel well), but it still made me laugh and cry and not want to stop according to the read-along plan. There’s a lovely sense that all will be well and after reading two more confronting books between this one, that was refreshing. Will I read more of Ciara Geraghty’s backlist/her future novels? Sure will.
This copy was courtesy of Hachette as part of the bloggers’ read-along.
September 12, 2018
I didn't fathom this book at all.
It has got a very chaotic start where a lot of characters are suddenly introduced as the result of a car crash.
It's a multiple point of view book where instead of mentioning who is the point of view of the font changes, making the book look sloopy and unprofessional, if you ask me. It was a unusual and creativity way to do the POV changes but, at least for me, it didn't work.
It has got a very chaotic start where a lot of characters are suddenly introduced as the result of a car crash.
It's a multiple point of view book where instead of mentioning who is the point of view of the font changes, making the book look sloopy and unprofessional, if you ask me. It was a unusual and creativity way to do the POV changes but, at least for me, it didn't work.
September 30, 2019
3.5 stars
Extremely well written, good plot and interesting characters. Some very moving chapters, I especially thought 9yo Milo’s voice was excellent. Reminded me in parts of Lorrie Moore’s writing, but then towards the end it became somewhat more cliched and I think the neat tying up of the story let it down, otherwise this would have been a clear 4 stars.
Will definitely look for more by the author.
Extremely well written, good plot and interesting characters. Some very moving chapters, I especially thought 9yo Milo’s voice was excellent. Reminded me in parts of Lorrie Moore’s writing, but then towards the end it became somewhat more cliched and I think the neat tying up of the story let it down, otherwise this would have been a clear 4 stars.
Will definitely look for more by the author.
September 5, 2018
I did not like Kat for most of the book but then she changed. I missed what made her change her attitude but it could have been her parents, at last, talking about her daughter who she had at 15 and had put to the back of her mind or had she? The ending was good and for me that makes the book okay.
February 2, 2019
This is the kind of book to read on holiday, relaxing on the beach, sipping a colourful cocktail ... very pleasant reading. Liked the storytelling from two points of view though I must admit having a soft spot for Milo's point of view. Good one!
February 16, 2020
Took some time to get into it, but then it became worth it. I really like the perspective of the woman and the boy. You need the boy as a happy counter part for the woman if you want to read through it.
June 23, 2021
I have had this book on my shelf for more than 5 years. This was a very average story on my opinion. I was not interested at any point when reading it. It felt like the longest slog to get through. The characters were not built up very much. And both main characters and points of view annoyed me
September 13, 2024
I loved the way half the chapters are written from the POV of a 10 year old boy. The only criticism I have is the incorrect mentions of the lion from wizard of Oz....he was NOT looking for a heart in the film!
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