Getting Rid of Matthew: 01/04/13

Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon is her debut novel. It was recommended to me by my mother who thought it was like the book I was reading at the time (Busy Woman Seeks Wife by Annie Sanders). Turns out they aren't anything alike.

Helen who is now in her late thirties has been carrying on an affair with Matthew for four years. He used to be her boss and their relationship cost her a promotion. Now she's stuck in a one room flat in a dead end job and dull life. She finally (after years and years of whining to him to leave Sophie, his wife) decides to dump him and move on with her life.

But no, that would be too short of a book. Instead, Matthew decides to leave his wife and move in with her. All the way through Helen could have done the sensible thing and told him to bugger off, or changed the locks or gone to the police for help if the previous options didn't work. She doesn't.

And the fact that Helen doesn't take any control of her life is why I ended up skimming and then skipping to the end. Helen whines. She moans. She acts like an overwrought teenager. She isn't likable. Matthew is even more loathsome. And then there is Sophie, the wife, who isn't that far removed from Helen in emotional maturity.

One star

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