maeve binchy nights of rain and stars

[eleanor2]

i am going to take this book with me to daughters and do a book review.anyone joining me.

[eleanor2]

havnt managed to start the book yet.hoping to soon as.

[eleanor2]

well i have started this book today.it is easy reading.i am finding it thought provoking and interesting.she has thrown some strangers together on the top of a steep hill in a greek taverna.they all witness a tragedy and it throws them together.they become intimate and emotional.sharing there deep sorrows.the next day they meet up to help each other out and so the story begins.it is good because there is a mix of nationalities,ages and problems.i am finding it easy to be ther amongst them.

[souter girl]

I find Maeve Binchy very comforting like a nice cup of hot chocolate or tea when you are stressed and as you say an easy read which we all need from time to time. She is always known in our family as "Mauve Bunchy" as middle daughter used to get her reading muddled up when little - having recently seen a picture of her in a purple dress I think daughter was right all along!

[Crocus]

By what you described Eleanor, this seems to be a very interesting book. I must have a look whether our library has this book. x

[eleanor2]

this book is a really good read.it is written to include different nationalities and different ways.each person is mostly described by there livlihood.but because of this you can put a physical description to them.the American university lecturer,divorced,young son.done a runner to get away from the stress of the situation.i have a picture of him in my mind. David young,shy unconfident,puts himself down.under achiever of his family.wears glasses.then elsa the beautiful German ex t.v commentator.she has chosen David to be a friend.to help her with a spot of bother.she knows she will never be attracted to david other than as a friend.so she feels confident sharing her heart and troubles with him.trouble is because she has given him so much attention.i am getting the feeling he is starting to have hopes .the irish girl pretty not beautiful,modern but not stylish.subjective and brow beaten.i have the physical picture.of a smallish,happy faced pretty girl.medium wavy hair.pretty dress sort of girl.her yobbo boyfreind.who likes his drink and knocking her about.shaved hair,football shirt,shorts and trainers.good looking in a rough yobby sort of way.this is how i see them.i am enjoying the read and looking forward to the next installment.phew they are in hot Greece eating nice Greek food allthe time.....jealous or what.

[eleanor2]

well souter you are write.a very comforting book.especially when we really meet vonni.she is quite a heroine.quietly helping everyone out.a angel behind the scenes lady.she rents out her apartment when she can and then she sleeps in a shed.she is extremely,kind,caring and observant of everyones needs.i got elsa a bit wrong.she has short blonde hair not long.she does a surprising thing.her partner has obviously been unfaithfull.but what hurts her the most is that he has a 9 year old daughter he has never bothered to have any contact with.as her father walked out on her as a child.she finds this unforgivable.even tho she loves this dieter very very much.she loses all respect for him.cant include here what she does (censored) but if you read it i wonder if you would understand her actions cus i certainly dont. another thought provoking bit. david the English(jewish)rich parents under achiever.who appears quite boring even tho he is friendly and caring. Elsa sees him doing a great kindness for a newly widowed lady.she remarks to Fiona what a good kind soul he would make som-one a good husband.Fiona in all kindness as she likes david replies"yes isnt it a trajedy that we cant in a million years fall for people like that"they both laugh ........arrrrrr poor David.i hope he does find love........Fiona has no need to talk.she has just had a miscarraige .the father her drunken boyfriend who takes drugs and beats her up,she sure doesnt go for the right men.she is still in love with this yob even tho he has deserted her.her family back home in Ireland cant stand her boyfriend (shane) and they have all fallen out. the whole story really is about each person in the group having unhappiness with loved ones they have left behind.

[buecherwurm]

Hi eleanor, I'm just re-reading the book so will talk about it later...

[Crocus]

.......will be off to the library tomorrow....... . Eleanor you really have a lovely way of describing the books you read! Perhaps I will rather follow your story telling. xx

[eleanor2]

beuch would love to hear from you.it is quite interesting having different nationalities in the story.Elsa is such an interesting character.crocus it is a very good comfortable read.
Elsa i said i didnt understand her motives for her last meeting with dieter.i honestly believed she was never going to see dieter again after their liason.i really am nieve you know.it turns out she was playing games.she is beatiful,inteligent ,confident and used to getting what she wants.obviously dieter not wanting to have an open relationship with her was her problem.even tho she says she too decided on this sort of relationship.all along i think she was hoping she was to good to resist.but no. so she rocked the boat.dieter genuinely sounds madly passionatly in love with her.yes she tempted him to see what he was missing .so he has offered her marraige.but i just cant think if it is all love or lust.now this fantastic vonni the angel to all.it seems had a bad past.she lost her son due to becoming a drunkard after she found her husband having an affair.she has spent 30 years spending each day trying to make up for being a bad mother.hoping her good turns will make her feel better.Fiona at last has had her eyes opened and realised her boyfriend was just using her.why do nice girls fall for such louts?this book is making me want to sample Greece has an holiday destination.you know the getting away from it all feeling.

[fife]

Ooh Eleanor2 Maeve Binchy is one of my most favourite authors being half irish myself i love the humour and warmth and the friend for life that you recieve. Would love to join in but read this book a while ago, if i am not too late i will start reading it again.

Actually maybe someone on here can help me does anyone ever recolect reading a series of books in the 1990's it was set in Ireland and was about teenagers one being catholic and one being church of england (sadie and i think his name was brian?) they fell in love when in Ireland the troubles were rife. So they ran away. Sorry to go off the subject but would love to read these books again.

Fife x

[Crocus]

Hi Fife, I did a bit of research - don't know if this is the book you're searching for, but here's a link. (Scroll down to "Across the Barricades". Hope it's what you're looking for! )

http://www.studentshelp.de/p/referate/02/5927.htm

[fife]

Ohh my crocus you have found it thank you so much!!!!! it wasn't Brian his name was Kevin as soon as i read it i knew that was the one- thanks a million will now google it to see if i can still bye it xx

[Crocus]

My pleasure Fife! Hope you can manage to still buy this book. Let us know if you did eh? xx

[eleanor2]

hi fife it would be great if you could put your thoughts of the characters innights of rain and stars.they are all really nice people.the only baddy is shane and he is got rid of quite early on.Elsa is racking my brain.she is in and out of love with dieter like fun.it is seeming they both just fell for each other for the glamour of it all.now dieter has begged and begged she is deciding against him.vonni and thomas both dont think he loves Elsa really.yet he has promised to do anything to put things right.even marry her.now she decides she's not madly in love with him after all.at the moment Elsa is walking around holding thomas hand.he is the middle aged university lecturer.i know love is strange and does strange things to a person.

[eleanor2]

i am starting to get the point.the storyy unfolding is about parents ,failures and regrets.childrens misunderstandings of parents words and actions.i think nearly every form of love is involved.the shaping of these loves and the realisation of what is love and what isnt.then there are mistakes made years ago that never let go of you. a story of regrets and finding oneself.vonni due to her own mistakes,regrets and older age.comes over as loving,caring and wise.she seems to be able to sense other peoples pain,she is psychologically astute.an ex alcoholic who keeps herself very busy filling her life with other peoples families.to help fill the pain of losing her own family.

[eleanor2]

Elsa ...her father left home when she was young.it doesnt seem like she had a close relationship with her mother.her relationship with dieter wich she thought was love.it unfolds their relationship was more of a physical relationship.two very handsome rich people.drawn together by the glamour of their lives.when Elsa takes time apart to assess her life.she starts to realise there are no deep foundations to their love.in a way they dont move on from the physical attraction stage.she proves this by her desire to to sleep with dieter just one more time,just to prove a point.they didnt sit and hold hands,look in each others eyes.share their love and talk about missing each other.they just jumped into bed.i think her attraction to thomas comes from his fathiliness.his gentle friendly attentions making her feel special.thinking of her as a whole person body,soul and mind.taking time to be a friend and confidente.then his gentle approach at a deeper friendship before they make love.to assess it if Elsa had a car crash and was disfigured who would stick around dieter or thomas.she found unconditional love in thomas.that love is stronger than the first initial physical attraction love.

[Crocus]

I've been searching for the book in our library, can't find it though. Perhaps someone has the book at the moment. But reading your posts on the book, it's not necessary Eleanor as you give such good descriptions of people and events. xx

[eleanor2]

crocus i would have sent it you but i left it in France.thought it would be a good read for daughter this summer.

[TIGGYWINKLE]

Just thought I would mention something about Maeve Binchy. She lives near here, and is such a bubbly lovely jolly person, in spite of suffering from Arthritis. She was originally a teacher, then a journalist, before becoming such a successful writer. She has amazing powers of observation. Enjoy her books.

[Crocus]

Hi Eleanor, thanks but I'll ask at the library to get it for me. xx

[buecherwurm]

Hi eleanor, sorry for being such a procrastinator. Finished the book some time ago. Will write down a few of my thoughts pretty soon. Promise!
I just read one of Maeve Binchy's short stories (from her web site)with my class.

[eleanor2]

thanks tiggi.beuch it will be interesting to hear your views on the story.

fiona and David become good friends.there is not enough physical attraction for it to get deeper.saying that a good friend is worth its weight in Gold.better protect the friendship than turn a good freiendship into a broken love affair.they travel back to England together.fiona supports David with his family problems.they even cry when they part.but it is all shared grief and trials that bond them.i dont think they will ever progress deeper than friends.especially when fiona gets back to Irleand and in with her friends there.i could see a reunion of all of them in Aghia anna one day.

[eleanor2]

this book is portraying different forms of love.parental hurts that never heal.childrens conceptions of parents.physical love that moves on.friendship ove that keeps growing.
i cant help thinking of Andreas statement to vonni.he should have married her 25 years ago.she had the sense to see a good friendship, doesnt necesarily mean a good marraige can be made from it.better stay friends for ever ,than marry and slowly drift apart.
definately a good portrayal of off the beaten track life of a greek village.the friendliness andacceptance of the greek people.