The Fiction Class

Okay, full disclosure. I thought the book looked interesting, but I ended up buying it because of the bargain price. I ended up loving it because it's just damn good writing and a real 'feel good' kinda story. Breen's premise here is pretty straightforward: a single woman, Arabella (named for a Georgette Heyer heroine) Hicks, making a living by teaching adult ed classes in writing, specifically how to write fiction. At the same time she's saddened by the gradual decline of her mother, who is in a nursing home and with whom she's always had a rather prickly relationship. And she's been trying to finish a novel for seven years and has suffered a few failed relationships too. She's lonely and unhappy. But it's the pattern of the story that show more makes this book different, and places it several cuts above the normal run-of-the-mill 'chick lit' stuff. She divides her story up into the weeks of when the class meets. And after each Wednesday class she goes to visit her mom. You meet and get to know her eleven students and you can even try the weekly assignments and exercises she assigns. It's all in here, and they are useful realistic assignments too. Breen takes her troubled protagonist's sensible advice about writing fiction, and by God it works! That's why this is such a good book. Several unique characters in the class, and a proud and indomitable character in Vera, the mother, make it hard to put this book down. And oh yeah, there is a love story here too. Arabella falls for one of her students, despite his being thrice divorced and nearly too good-looking to be true - and about 15 years older than she. Somehow though he comes across as a very sympathetic character - a nice guy, ya know? And I'm an 'older man' myself, so I often find myself rooting for the old guys. Strangely, the author named this guy Chuck Jones. An innocuous enough sounding name, I suppose. Unless you know that Chuck Jones is the creator of Bugs Bunny, which I had a hard time getting out of my head as I was reading this. I mean, "What's up, Doc?" Did she mean something by this? Because there is a bunny in the story. Was I missing some deep symbolism here? ... Naahh! I don't think so. Sometimes a name is just a name, right?

My wife read this book first, several weeks ago, and she'd been urging me to read it ever since. I'm glad I did. I am a guy, but I will admit to enjoying the occasional Elizabeth Berg or LaVyrle Spencer book. So does that make me less of a 'real man' or just a sensitive guy in touch with his feminine side. Aah, who the helll cares. This is a great read. Try it; if you've ever been in love, or had 'issues' with a parent - or even wanted to try writing some fiction - you'll like THE FICTION CLASS. I guarantee it. This Susan Breen person knows what she's doing. She's a writer! show less

What I loved most about this book was that all along the way I'd have these little moments where Ms. Breen revealed just the right information at the right time that illuminated another facet of Arabella's relationship with her mother. As I got to know Arabella, I understood better the choices she makes and also the ways in which she comes to terms with her mother and the history they shared. This novel has funny moments and there is a clever twist on the "receipe-novel" genre but instead of recipes, each chapter ends with a writing assignment for all us aspiring writers out here.

I loved this book. It was a quick easy read and it flowed wonderfully. I thought the character development was great and there were some many different characters. Watching the relationship between Arabella and her mother was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I highly recommend this book!!

I needed something to read on the train, and this was literally the only thing I could find in Smiths on Marylebone Station that looked bearable. As it was, it was only just. The concept of the writing class was interesting, and the author gets bonus points for admiration of Georgette Heyer but, to be unkind, it reads rather like a writing exercise itself: the characters are shallow, and the plot is nothing new.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is wonderfully ... constructed. I struggle here because I don't want to say that it is well-written, because I don't really think it is...It is however, beautifully put together. The sentences are composed so that I smiled often as I read them. The paragraphs are descriptive and full of body. The story, though, left me wanting.

I think Breen wants me to see Arabella as a flawed heroine. Someone who has struggled her entire life with who she is and what her relationship is with her mother means. Instead, she is sophomoric, neurotic and a little pathetic. The relationship with Chuck is completely unbelievable in that it happens much too fast. She pushes him away, she runs into his embrace, she goes home show more with him, where "he prepares to love her". Very immature and underdeveloped to be the kind of romance that I think Breen is after: a life that Arabella's mother and father never had. Instead, it feels shallow and superficial.

The crux of the book is Arabella's relationship with her mother, who became bitter and distant after her husband (Arabella's father) dies. As Arabella reads her mother's story, she is irritated by the character of Annie, but doesn't seem to see that she IS Annie and is every bit as needy, neurotic, self-serving and one-dimensional as the character. In the end of the story, Arabella finds that the mother understands the daughter and the daughter is somehow redeemed because she is shoving her dying father's fish dinner into her mouth. [sigh] See what I mean?

Breen did not pull me into this ride. Instead, I stood on the road and admired the vehicle. The craft of the writing redeems this book for me, and I will read another by this author, in the hopes that her writing matures as Arabella never did.

Recommended, but don't rush to it. show less

Breen pretty well takes the easy way out in this by-the-numbers novel about a young woman struggling with her unfinished novel and an unresolved relationship with her mother. It's no surprise that she finds the answers to both as she teaches a fiction class for adults.

This is not a handbook for wannabe writers, but rather a short novel about a writing teacher and one writing class she'll never forget. Adult education instructor Arabella Hicks (named after a heroine in a romance novel) is struggling to cope with a dying mother, a longing for love, and a frustration with both life and writing. The writing exercises after each chapter are completely optional, and you do not have to read what you've written if you don't want to. Read this book instead.