Genre: Domestic Fiction
Paperback; MP3 CD; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781611099553; 9781536690415
Lake Union Publishing
288 Pages
$8.56; $14.97 Amazon
August 22, 2017
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Nina McCarrick lives the perfect life, until her husband, Finn, is killed in a car accident and everything Nina thought she could rely on unravels.
Alone, bereft and faced with a mountain of debt, Nina quickly loses her life of luxury and she begins to question whether she ever really knew the man she married. Forced to move out of her family home, Nina returns to the rundown Southampton council estate - and her sister - she thought she had left far behind.
But Nina can't let herself be overwhelmed - her boys need her. To save them, and herself, she will have to do what her husband discouraged for so long: pursue a career of her own. Torn between the life she thought she knew and the reality she now faces, Nina finally must learn what it means to take control of her life.
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I really hate giving books bad reviews, but I wouldn't be a decent reviewer if I didn't give an honest review. So, here it is: The title of the book, The Art of Hiding, is appropriate - I'm sure there was a cohesive plot hidden somewhere, but I couldn't find it. Don't get me wrong - I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't.
In the first chapter Nina's husband Finn is killed in a car accident. Without preamble of any sort, we're supposed to feel sorry for her and her over-the-top wonderful life. We're told the boys go to a prestigious school, they have a fantastic home and everything money can buy; but we're not shown anything of their life together. Without that, it's really hard to feel compassion for Nina and her family.
Especially since she's apparently a complete idiot. There - I've said it. She reminds me of those long ago films where the man marries a featherhead and tells her: "don't you worry your pretty little head about it, I'll take care of everything." Apparently, this is how Finn treated Nina, and she believed it. And where did it get her? ￡8 million in debt. How? How can anyone be that far in debt and be so stupid as to not know it? Finn must have been a master of controlling his emotions, because Nina. Had. No. Clue. None whatsoever. No idea they owed anything.
So now she's out on her ear, no home, no prestigious school, and begging his family for a place to stay. Of course, they have no room for her. What kind of people are they? They basically tell her to go live on the street with their nephews; their brother's children - one has to wonder about the kind of relationship they had with him in the first place. They didn't care that their sister-in-law and her sons were thrown into the street. Didn't try and find a place for them anywhere. It was just, 'sorry, you're on your own!' I'm surprised they even showed up for the funeral.
I also thought that it didn’t ring true that balliffs would enter a house with only a minor present. I’m pretty sure there are laws against that. But even this scene was, again, over the top. A blender? Really? How much could they get for that? ￡10? What's next, shampoo? I get that the author was trying to show us how truly destitute Nina was, but I have a hard time believing that a man who supposedly loved his family wouldn't have hidden money somewhere, or that Nina, having grown up in poverty, wouldn't have done so herself. Also, I don't know how it works in the UK, but in the USA creditors cannot take life insurance policies (they can try, but the funds cannot be diverted unless they're specifically written for the purpose of debt payments - so Nina should have at least had something from the life insurance. (Now, if she were on the lien, maybe - but since everything was in Finn's name, probably not).
I also thought that it didn’t ring true that balliffs would enter a house with only a minor present. I’m pretty sure there are laws against that. But even this scene was, again, over the top. A blender? Really? How much could they get for that? ￡10? What's next, shampoo? I get that the author was trying to show us how truly destitute Nina was, but I have a hard time believing that a man who supposedly loved his family wouldn't have hidden money somewhere, or that Nina, having grown up in poverty, wouldn't have done so herself. Also, I don't know how it works in the UK, but in the USA creditors cannot take life insurance policies (they can try, but the funds cannot be diverted unless they're specifically written for the purpose of debt payments - so Nina should have at least had something from the life insurance. (Now, if she were on the lien, maybe - but since everything was in Finn's name, probably not).
This had to be one of the most depressing books I’ve ever read. I slogged (literally) through it and just couldn’t like Finn or Nina. Finn because he seemed like a royal ass - keeping things from her and not even trying to provide for her in the event something happened (as it did) - and Nina because she seemed a total idiot. The boys seemed to bounce back unreasonably quick from the loss of their father and the only life they’ve ever known. They went from being rich to poor and it was like, ‘Whatever. What’s for supper?’ Most kids having gone through this would be rebellious or in therapy. These kids went from being rich to poor with barely a problem between them. It just didn't seem realistic.
I never felt a connection with Nina, Finn or the boys, and unfortunately, the book never seemed to touch me in any way, and that's the sad thing. All it really did was ensure that I will never read another book by this author. Two stars for the writing.
I never felt a connection with Nina, Finn or the boys, and unfortunately, the book never seemed to touch me in any way, and that's the sad thing. All it really did was ensure that I will never read another book by this author. Two stars for the writing.
More on Amanda Prowse's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/amanda-prowse/
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