Quentins

Reading a Maeve Binchy is like putting on a comfy pair of slippers and having a cuppa with a good friend and this book is no exception!
Quentins is a leading restaurant in Dublin and here we meet several characters, some new and some we've met in previous books. Ella is recovering from a relationship and puts her energy into the making of a documentary about the restaurant but there are many twists and turns along the way. With great humour and pathos interspersed the stories of the ordinary folk who work and eat there are told.

3.5***

From the book jacket: Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. After all, the restaurant … has a thousand stories to tell: tales of love, and betrayal, of revenge; of times when it looked ready for success and of times when it seemed as if it must close in failure.

My reactions
I came late to the Binchy fan club, but better late than never. I really like her style of every-day drama – the kinds of ups and downs we all experience in life. Reading a Binchy novel is a bit like visiting with old friends. Many of her books feature the show more same ensemble cast of characters, but they don’t have to be read in any particular order.

In this story Ella Brady takes the central role, supported by Brenda and Patrick who run Quentins, her best friend Deirdre, her parents Tom and Barbara, and filmmakers Nick and Sandy. I loved Maude and Simon, who’s grandparents hire Ella to tutor them in math; every scene they are in made me chuckle.

The main plot focuses on Ella and her lover, Don Richardson – a snake if ever there was one. I confess that I was very frustrated with Ella and wanted to slap her silly more than once. Deirdre was the epitome of a supportive friend, never judging or chastising, but simply being there for Ella through all her bad choices and delusional thinking re this “great love.” Made me doubly glad for the many other stories being highlighted for inclusion in the documentary, which gave me a break from this relationship.

I definitely got the feeling of being in Dublin during this period: the economic struggles which led many Irish to seek employment elsewhere, or had them working multiple small jobs to make ends meet. show less

Sometimes life can be a bit much, and I keep hoping feel-good books will help me through it. So far, my experience has been very mixed. Or, actually, to be completely honest with you, it has mostly been very disappointing.

This book, however, was actually quite nice! It lost it's coherence a few times, trying to cram in too many endearing tales, and Ella, our protagonist, was rather daft at times.
But, you know, endearing tales are nice, even if they don't make much sense in the bigger story. And Ella was having some Pretty Big Emotions, and we all know those don't go together with logic and/or reason.

I really liked some of the characters, and some of the scenery. I don't think my feelings reached quite the intensity Mrs Binchy was show more aiming for, but I stayed in bath an hour longer than intended while reading, so there's that.

I won't be reading this again, but I wouldn't advise against reading it. I might even pick up something else by her! show less

Quentins is a Dublin restaurant that has a thousand stories to tell. Ella Brady thinks that a documentary about Quentins is just the thing to interest people, but as she researches these stories she discovers that not all stories should be told. I really liked this story but the plot was a bit too contrived. I give it an A!

Maeve Binchy is an Irish novelist who tells interesting stories about ordinary people caught up in their trials, tribulations and triumphs. Quentins is the name of a restaurant in Dublin. The book tells the story of the people who work there and the customers who dine there. I defy you not to get hooked by at least one of the plot lines. I first read Ms. Binchy's work when I was vacationing in Ireland and I was thrilled to discover her. Since then she has come to the attention of the North American book buying public and her books are always on the best seller lists. I think her earlier work was slightly better than the later novels. So if you like this book try some of her early stuff like The Lilac Bus.

My second book by this author, a great feel good story about various people associated with a restaurant in Dublin. The only downside was the main character was not smart at all, and became a bit tedious.

I don't think anyone has any illusions about Maeve Binchy being a _good_ author, and yet, she's not a very bad one. The people in her stories are all so kind and nice to one another, with interesting backstories, and everyone always gets precisely what they deserve. Having never been to Ireland, I also appreciate the local character. It's fun to virtually visit places. This one is focused around a restaurant - its managers and a group of people who are doing a documentary about it. There's a central story involving a crook and his jilted lover, but it reads like a series of interconnected vignettes - a hundred little lives, all tied together by this restaurant, and the film-to-be. Nice people, nice story. Maeve Binchy is the literary show more equivalent of watching When Harry Met Sally. You could do worse. show less