The Other Side of the Story
by Marian Keyes
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Jojo Harvey is a dead ringer for Jessica Rabbit and the most ferocious literary agent in town. A former NYPD cop, she now lives in London making million-dollar book deals while trying to make partner at her firm . . . all the while sleeping with the boss man. Lily Wright is an author who believes in karma, and is waiting for the sky to fall after stealing her former best friend's man. Though her first book failed to sell, her life turns upside down when her most recent book becomes a huge show more bestseller. Gemma Hogan is an event designer extraordinaire, but her personal life is nonexistent after losing the love of her life and her best friend in one fell swoop. To make matters worse, her father has just left her mother. While taking care of her mother, she e-mails a close colleague about her frustrations, who in turn forwards the hilarious e-mails to a famous literary agent named Jojo Harvey, who just happens to represent her former friend, now enemy, Lily Wright. . . .Written in the charming and chatty voice that has become Marian Keyes's signature style, this hilarious and heartwarming novel proves there are three sides to every story . . . especially in the world of publishing!. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
Norabee The plots are different, both they are both stories of contemporary women in Ireland living their lives and facing challenges - a very good read!!
KayCliff Both novels deal with the publication of private family matters.
KayCliff In both novels, private emails are made the basis of a published book.
KayCliff Both are long novels featuring sex and publishing.
KayCliff Both are long novels featuring sex and publishing.
Member Reviews
I seem to have come of (a certain) age early - this was my first foray into the fluffy pink world of chick lit, all 600+ pages, and I enjoyed it! Marian Keyes is a witty, insightful writer, and her characters really come to life. Pure escapism, but not overly romantic or ridiculous.
The lives of three women are connected by books - Gemma and Lily, once best friends, are writing their first novels, and Jojo, a glamorous yet approachable literary agent, helps them to get their work published. The separate threads of the story are neatly woven together, with no trite happy endings or impossible coincidences. Life for all three does eventually work out for the best, but the reader is happy for good things to come to them. Gemma and Lily's show more narratives are given individual 'voices', whereas Jojo - perhaps because she would be too intimidating in first person - is presented via quick-fire dialogue and her interaction with the other characters. I loved them all - Gemma's fantasies and high-maintenance mother, Lily's distinctive appearance and wonderful boyfriend, and Jojo's spirit.
A very funny and engaging read from start to finish. I might have to read more from this author, now that my prejudiced opinion of chick lit has been challenged! show less
The lives of three women are connected by books - Gemma and Lily, once best friends, are writing their first novels, and Jojo, a glamorous yet approachable literary agent, helps them to get their work published. The separate threads of the story are neatly woven together, with no trite happy endings or impossible coincidences. Life for all three does eventually work out for the best, but the reader is happy for good things to come to them. Gemma and Lily's show more narratives are given individual 'voices', whereas Jojo - perhaps because she would be too intimidating in first person - is presented via quick-fire dialogue and her interaction with the other characters. I loved them all - Gemma's fantasies and high-maintenance mother, Lily's distinctive appearance and wonderful boyfriend, and Jojo's spirit.
A very funny and engaging read from start to finish. I might have to read more from this author, now that my prejudiced opinion of chick lit has been challenged! show less
This very funny book had me hooked from the beginning and I found it hard to put it down.
Nonetheless, I don't think it is a very good book. Firstly, the reactions of the characters were so intense and excessive as to make the them unbelievable. The events and coincidences necessary to move the plot along were also on the other side of believable. Finally, it was way too long, 647 pages is too much time to devote to fluff.
Did enjoy the irony in decrying product promotion in books and then going to it with the women's cosmetics. Also enjoyed the self-barbing on the penultimate page quoting the review of Gemma's book "This makes a mockery of the real situation of women who've been abandoned after years of loyal service," Yup.
Nonetheless, I don't think it is a very good book. Firstly, the reactions of the characters were so intense and excessive as to make the them unbelievable. The events and coincidences necessary to move the plot along were also on the other side of believable. Finally, it was way too long, 647 pages is too much time to devote to fluff.
Did enjoy the irony in decrying product promotion in books and then going to it with the women's cosmetics. Also enjoyed the self-barbing on the penultimate page quoting the review of Gemma's book "This makes a mockery of the real situation of women who've been abandoned after years of loyal service," Yup.
Okay, this was another audiobook which I listened to over a few long runs. I mention this because I find that books I can quite like as audiobooks are often books that I know I wouldn’t enjoy if I read them as a physical book and this is one of those. The reason is because when running, I want something to divert me and keep me occupied while exercising. When I’m reading a physical book I want it immerse myself in it; it’s not a diversion from something else I’m doing. For this reason I can listen to chick-lit audiobooks but I rarely actually read one. This was narrated by Gerri Halligan, who did a good job, although I did find her American accent slightly questionable (but not enough to annoy me).
The story is narrated in show more alternate chapters by three characters…
Gemma Hogan is still smarting from her ex-boyfriend Anton falling in love with her ex-friend Lily. Life only gets more complicated for her when her father leaves her mother after 35 years of marriage, causing her mother to go to pieces. Gemma finds herself having to babysit her mother at the age of 32.
Lily is blissfully happy with Anton and their daughter Emer, but she can’t help feeling guilty about Gemma, and is convinced that karma will catch up with her and Anton at some point. She writes a book which is a runaway success, but the publishing world is a fickle business.
Jojo is the literary agent who takes on Lily as a client. Jojo is a strong independent and successful woman – who just happens to be in a relationship with her married boss. She is in a cutthroat business and has a complicated love life. Will her career ambitions and her clandestine romance clash?
I found the story somewhat diverting and it did hold my attention for the most part (it seemed to drift along aimlessly for a little while in the middle, and I think the book would have been more effective if it had been shorter). There’s no doubt that Marian Keyes can write humour very well; however for me the main problem was that I didn’t like many of the characters. Gemma was my favourite out of the main three. She was funny and hapless but obviously intelligent. She was also, in my opinion, far too good for Anton and wasted way too much time feeling sad about him.
I didn’t really like Jojo or her boss Mark. I didn’t like that he was cheating on his perfectly lovely wife, and treated his children like a liability that stopped him from having fun with his bit on the side. I didn’t like that Jojo was complicit in that deception. She was portrayed as a tough woman who takes no s**t, but she was happy to wait around for her cheating boyfriend to let her down time after time.
And Lily!! Don’t get me started. She was supposed to be sweet and sensitive but she came across as such a wet weekend. I felt like shaking her and telling her to get a bloody grip. And Anton just annoyed the heck out of me. Feckless with money and generally irresponsible, he was full of pipe dreams, which Lily was expected to finance. I kept wanting her to find a backbone and chuck him out.
With all that said, there were things about this book that I enjoyed; I preferred the first third, which featured Gemma’s job a lot more than later, and there was a side character (Johnny) who I enjoyed hearing about.
I remember reading some of Marian Keyes’ other books many years ago – I loved them. This one was not as enjoyable, but whether that’s because of the book or because of my changing tastes, I’m not sure. I probably would give another book of hers a go, as it was pretty undemanding, but it wouldn’t be top of my list. show less
The story is narrated in show more alternate chapters by three characters…
Gemma Hogan is still smarting from her ex-boyfriend Anton falling in love with her ex-friend Lily. Life only gets more complicated for her when her father leaves her mother after 35 years of marriage, causing her mother to go to pieces. Gemma finds herself having to babysit her mother at the age of 32.
Lily is blissfully happy with Anton and their daughter Emer, but she can’t help feeling guilty about Gemma, and is convinced that karma will catch up with her and Anton at some point. She writes a book which is a runaway success, but the publishing world is a fickle business.
Jojo is the literary agent who takes on Lily as a client. Jojo is a strong independent and successful woman – who just happens to be in a relationship with her married boss. She is in a cutthroat business and has a complicated love life. Will her career ambitions and her clandestine romance clash?
I found the story somewhat diverting and it did hold my attention for the most part (it seemed to drift along aimlessly for a little while in the middle, and I think the book would have been more effective if it had been shorter). There’s no doubt that Marian Keyes can write humour very well; however for me the main problem was that I didn’t like many of the characters. Gemma was my favourite out of the main three. She was funny and hapless but obviously intelligent. She was also, in my opinion, far too good for Anton and wasted way too much time feeling sad about him.
I didn’t really like Jojo or her boss Mark. I didn’t like that he was cheating on his perfectly lovely wife, and treated his children like a liability that stopped him from having fun with his bit on the side. I didn’t like that Jojo was complicit in that deception. She was portrayed as a tough woman who takes no s**t, but she was happy to wait around for her cheating boyfriend to let her down time after time.
And Lily!! Don’t get me started. She was supposed to be sweet and sensitive but she came across as such a wet weekend. I felt like shaking her and telling her to get a bloody grip. And Anton just annoyed the heck out of me. Feckless with money and generally irresponsible, he was full of pipe dreams, which Lily was expected to finance. I kept wanting her to find a backbone and chuck him out.
With all that said, there were things about this book that I enjoyed; I preferred the first third, which featured Gemma’s job a lot more than later, and there was a side character (Johnny) who I enjoyed hearing about.
I remember reading some of Marian Keyes’ other books many years ago – I loved them. This one was not as enjoyable, but whether that’s because of the book or because of my changing tastes, I’m not sure. I probably would give another book of hers a go, as it was pretty undemanding, but it wouldn’t be top of my list. show less
This was a very enjoyable read. I feel like there a couple of other Keyes books lying around the house, but I can't remember ever reading one before. I should do that. This was a fun book, without being stupid.
I enjoyed the different characters and the ways their stories came together. I thought Lily and Anton were kind of pathetic, but that didn't turn me off the story. Gemma was my favorite. And I loved reading about the publishing industry. I also enjoyed the references to Irish culture. Very different from Nora Roberts' Lucky Charms portrayal of Ireland.
I enjoyed the different characters and the ways their stories came together. I thought Lily and Anton were kind of pathetic, but that didn't turn me off the story. Gemma was my favorite. And I loved reading about the publishing industry. I also enjoyed the references to Irish culture. Very different from Nora Roberts' Lucky Charms portrayal of Ireland.
Adultery/boyfriend stealing and the publishing world meet head on in The Other Side of the Story. Jojo is a fantastic literary agent, but she's sleeping with a married co-worker. Gemma is obsessed with the fact that her former best friend, Lily not only stole her boyfriend (sort of - he'd already broken up with Gemma before he even met Lily) but that Lily has had a book published. Gemma is also distracted by that fact that her father appears to have left her mother for that old cliche - his much younger secretary. Lily is convinced that having stolen Gemma's not-quite boyfriend and being ridiculously happy with him means that some sort of terrible karma is due to occur for her - especially when her book (agented by Jojo) hits the show more bestseller lists. When Gemma's e-mails to a friend about the happy ending she's imagined for her mother, sans father, land on Jojo's desk as a possible manuscript, the fun really begins.
I've enjoyed all three of Keyes' novels that I've read so far, but I always, undeservedly, seem to expect them to be lighter fare than they are. Not everyone ends up paired off happily and as expected. There's also usually a serious look at depression - in this case in the form of Gemma's mom who hits rock bottom when her husband leaves. I'd put these more in a category with Jennifer Weiner than Sophie Kinsella, let's say, for sure. show less
I've enjoyed all three of Keyes' novels that I've read so far, but I always, undeservedly, seem to expect them to be lighter fare than they are. Not everyone ends up paired off happily and as expected. There's also usually a serious look at depression - in this case in the form of Gemma's mom who hits rock bottom when her husband leaves. I'd put these more in a category with Jennifer Weiner than Sophie Kinsella, let's say, for sure. show less
Underbar! Jag brukar inte gilla böcker med lite kärlek och humor för det blir ofta att författaren överdriver det men här träffade Keyes mitt i prick
This is the first book I have read, from Marian Keyes, and I thoroughly enjoyd it, despite the fat volume of it.
Each of the three characters lives touched me deeply in some way. While it was absolutely hilairious throughout, it was achingly poignant inbetween and I'm glad that this is an excellent first read for me, from MK.
Each of the three characters lives touched me deeply in some way. While it was absolutely hilairious throughout, it was achingly poignant inbetween and I'm glad that this is an excellent first read for me, from MK.
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Marian Keyes was born in the West of Ireland on September 10, 1963. She was brought up in Dublin, and then she spent her twenties in London. She earned her law degree from Dublin University and then travelled to London where she worked in an administrative job in an accounts office. Keyes developed a drinking problem, and after a failed suicide show more attempt, entered a rehabilitation program. Keyes began writing short stories four months before she stopped drinking, in 1993, and when she left rehab, she sent them to a publisher. Included with her stories was a letter saying that she had also begun a novel, which she hadn't. The publisher liked the short stories so much that they wrote back and asked for the novel, and Keyes wrote the first four chapters of her novel Watermelon in a week, and was offered a three-book contract. Watermelon was published in 1995. Keyes gave up her job in 1996 to become a full time writer. Her books are published in 35 countries worldwide and have been translated into several different languages, such as Hebrew and Japanese. In 2009, She won the Irish Book Award for her fiction novel, This Charming Man. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Penguin Celebrations (24)
Heyne Allgemeine Reihe (58019)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Other Side of the Story
- Original title
- The other side of the story
- Original publication date
- 2004-05-20
- People/Characters*
- Jojo Harvey; Lily Wright; Gemma Hogan
- Important places*
- Londen, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk
- Epigraph*
- Wat doe je als de kans op wraak je in de schoot wordt geworpen?
- Dedication*
- Voor Niall, Ljiljana, Ema en Luka Keyes
- First words
- Susan, you wanted news.
- Quotations
- My bed is a lovely bed. It is not just any old bed. It is a bed I assembled myself and by that I don't mean it came in a flat pack from Ikea. I bought an expensive mattress ... Then the bedding. I have not one but two duvets.... (show all) The second one goes UNDER my sheet, so I lie on top of it. It's a trick my mother taught me and it's hard to convey the bliss of climbing in and being received by the fluffy, feathery envelope. The duvets seem to stroke me, murmuring, "You're okay now, we've got you, we've got you, let it go, it's all okay, you're safe now". Sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases: cotton, of course, and they are white, white, white. Unique feature: the headboard: Aka: the best bit. It's a headboard fit for a fifties movie star: big, padded and all curves and curlicues, upholstered in silk, it's a bit of a fairy tale.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Apart from the fact that I've had a book published and we have access to all the surgical gauze we can eat, you'd swear he'd never been away...
- Original language*
- Engels
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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