Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
| Three Days in June by Anne Tyler | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: A short, life-affirming novel which provided me with a luxurious afternoon spend it the company of characters I could empathise with. A good, uplifting read. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 176 | Date: February 2025 |
| Publisher: Chatto & Windus | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1784745752 | |
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The day before your daughter's wedding will always be busy but Gail Baines got far more than she asked for. First, it was her job as assistant head at the local school. There was a moment when she hoped that she would be promoted to head but the discussion moved into the subject of 'people skills' and before she knew what was happening Gail had been sacked or resigned, depending on who was explaining the situation. When she got home (in the middle of the day: who would have thought that could happen?) her ex-husband was there with a cat. He thinks that he'll be staying and that Gail will be adopting the cat. And that's before Gail discovers that the groom hasn't been entirely honest about his personal life.
I'm a big fan of Anne Tyler. You get characters you can empathise with, whom you understand. Their problems are ones you've encountered and their pleasures give you joy. You recognise how they live their lives. Max Baines hasn't changed much over the years: he can still be annoying. Who doesn't bring a suit to their daughter's wedding? Max thought his olive sports jacket would be fine if Gail ironed it. He's also a 'sort of vegan' who eats salmon and prime rib. He does bring nostalgia, understanding and a lot of shared memories though. Even the cat can become endearing.
Debbie Baines is, perhaps, the most shadowy of the characters. Her prospective mother-in-law is the organiser of the wedding, which Debbie and Kenneth would have liked to be more understated but it's Kenneth's parents who are footing most of the bill. Debbie's quietly firm though: there is something in Kenneth's past that needs explaining but she's going to sort it out and make her own decisions - no matter what Gail says.
For me, the highlight of the story was the gradual uncovering of the reason why Gail and Max are divorced - and it wasn't at all what I was expecting. That is Tyler's genius.
In addition to reading the book, I also listened to an audio download, which I bought myself. The narrator is J Smith Cameron and there's an excellent range of voices which I quickly settled into. I'd be happy to listen to more. I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.
My favourite Tyler is possibly Vinegar Girl, a reworking of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Three Days in June by Anne Tyler at Amazon.com.
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