Hardcover Í False Pretences PDF/EPUB Ò
Langley's stories are beautifully crafted delicately linked and with a fascinating range of settings characters and ideas I can't understand why this book isn't widely known Having said that the title is a bit weak and doesn't do the stories justice It is as noted in the title story itself a tautology and a bit of an empty phrase The stories certainly are anything but empty though Wonderful observation a lovely light touch many of these characters really touched me Some of the stories are light and witty and some heartbreaking I'd call this kind of writing pretty English although the settings cover Japan Europe and Britain there's a slight hint of RP about the tone Anywya going to seek out work by this author My short comments from 2007 bookcrossingCollection of short stories set in the UK India Italy France and one in Tokyo featuring a particularly obnoxious and condescending husband Two women Josie and Susan feature in the stories sometimes one of them is the main character other times they fleetingly drift by in the background The characters in the stories are experiencing turning points and big decisions in their lives Interesting read Teasing out the extraordinary within the everyday False Pretences is a contemporary novel in mosaic Through the separate yet interlinked stories it traces the lives of two women as they deal with the complexities of love private terrors violence and most precarious of all hope There is mystery wry humour sometimes tragedy be neath the jaunty surfaces glimpsed through the years until by the end we have encompassed their lives
