Nights of Rain and Stars
by Maeve Binchy
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Book Reviews of Nights of Rain and Stars
Book Review: So it's not about Ireland; get over it!
Summary: 4 Stars
I love Maeve Binchey's books & I've read them all. This one is a departure from what her fans may have come to expect, but it's still a wonderful story. If anyone has ever suffered an estrangement, an abandonment, disappointment in another, or blindness to another's flaws, and who hasn't; this book is for you. You will be able to relate to these characters and empathize with them.
The story begins on an tiny idyllic island off the coast of Greece. Five tourists in search of answers to problems in their own lives and who do not know one another share a night of tragedy in a small taverna.
The owner of the taverna, Andreas, who was born on the island and has lived there all of his life, is also scarred by the long ago loss of his only son after a bitter argument drove them apart and the son left for Chicago.
As they all start to eat & drink in the taverna high on a hill, a tragedy begins to unfold in the sea below them. A boat that takes tourists out for evening sight-seeing cruises around the island, burns and then explodes. They watch through borrowed binoculars, helpless, as the horrific scene plays itself out. They see people struggling in the water, they see the rescue attempts, they see it all. They are all the more mesmerized by the terrible event knowing that it could have been any of them on that boat that night too.
The owner of the boat ,Manos, is a friend of Andreas' since his childhood. He and other life-long residents of the island die that night along with many of the tourists.
The island and it's people will be changed forever by the accident and their loss, along with an Irish expatriate, Vonnie, who has lived there most her life seeking redemption for her past.
The tourists in the taverna, want to try to find some way to share in their grief and help in the aftermath. What they do then, and the gesture they make creates a bond between them and the island's inhabitants.
The scope of the tragedy makes it newsworthy and the next day, TV news crews from around the world converge on the tiny island in the sea to report the grim story.
Those of the tourists who fear their families might think that they too were on the boat that fateful night, reach out and contact their homes. This small act and other acts of reaching out, combined with their desire to be a part of the days of mourning on the island that follow, change the dynamic of their lives and the lives if the islanders.
What follows is a satisfactory and engaging story of how that change plays out in the lives of the tourists and the islanders as they learn more and more about one another and become bonded by their shared grief and the circumstances of their individual lives. They all become friends to not just themselves but to the people of the island; no longer just tourists from different continents. By bonding and sharing, they are able to set in motion far reaching changes in the lives of themselves and others.
Book Review: Wait for a used copy ...
Summary: 2 Stars
I seemed to remember that Maeve Binchy said she was giving up writing novels after 'Scarlet Feather' - so far two novels have appeared under her name but to be fair, both appear to have been written by a computer. I can imagine a lot of her fans will gush over NOR&S as it does keep MB's trademark feelgood factor but what it dispenses with is strong well-written characters you can identify with and an intricate and compelling plot. Please don't be hooked into buying this in hardback as I did just because of the Binchy name - this is her worst effort yet (if indeed she DID write it). The plot is completely unoriginal and predictable (in fact there's barely enough material for a short story) and the characters two-dimensional and impossible to identify with. For example it was easy to see why Ria in "Tara Road" fell for loveable rogue Danny, yet impossible to see why Fiona is attracted to her violent boyfried Sean who is simply a charmless oaf. The way the four main characters get together and the attachment they feel for each other I found simply unbelievable - the 'tragedy' which brings them together doesn't affect any of them directly and has only a minor role in the book. Sorry to sound hard-hearted but in reality they would probably have forgotten about it pretty quickly and gotten on with their lives. The only possibly interesting character has her life story told only in flashback (which actually would have made a better story line) while the book focuses on the boring lives and predictable romances of four dreary people who for the most part are totally responsible for their own problems. To make matters worse some of the Non-Irish characters have Irish speech patterns (did no-one edit the book?), at one point a Greek character describes someone as a 'pup'. I found this book deeply frustrating as it DID have the trademark Binchy warmth and I kept waiting for the plot to kick in only to be disappointed. All in all her weakest yet. Buy a used copy or better still borrow from the library ...Book Review: Will The Real Maeve Binchy Please Stand Up?
Summary: 3 Stars
No, not the person who wrote this book. You couldn't possibly be my beloved Maeve Binchy. Maeve has always given us original Irish tales told with classic twists, memorable characters, and heart-stopping moments. Maeve always left us with something to reflect on and a deep yearning for her next release.
Maeve has obviously been the victim of identity theft and that person has written a contrived situation with paper-thin characters who are not very likeable and whose problems are strictly of their own making. Maeve's characters were always more deeply developed, were good people with a tragic flaw perhaps, but after much soul-searching and a lot of Irish pluck managed to land butter-side up and delight the reader. Not so with this book.
Not only are we given one-dimensional characters, but they are bonded by a situation so far-fetched that I am questioning myself for continuing with this drivel. Only because the cover claims Maeve Binchy wrote this do I proceed. It's entertaining enough for a beach read or an otherwise boring flight. There are moments when I think, "Oh, Maeve did write that part." And there is one character, Vonni, who has a striking resemblance to the unforgettable Signora from EVENING CLASS. But, for the most part, this highly predictable novel falls far short of what Maeve Binchy is capable of.
Four tourists representing the US, England, Ireland, and Germany being thrown together in the Greek isles and mixing with the locals seems a wonderful idea. But perhaps Maeve's greatest strength lies deep in the Dublin she has written about with such love and insight. I hope she takes us back there soon.
If you are new to Maeve Binchy's work, please don't judge her by this one. Read Circle of Friends, Light A Penny Candle, anything else she has written. I love all her other novels and short stories and consider this just a minor blip on the radar screen of a wonderful writing career.
Book Review: Pleasant but Strained
Summary: 3 Stars
Maeve Binchy's latest offering takes us away from her beloved Ireland to a charming village on the Greek coast. It is there that the lives of several strangers become woven together as they witness a tragedy in this town. As they come together, they begin to talk and bond with one another. It soon becomes apparent that each person in this little group has a life circumstance for which they long to find an answer. For one, it is to escape from a past love. For another, it is to find elusive freedom from overbearing parents. Each person soon shares their own dilemma, and the rest of the story sets out to bring healing and resolution for each of these characters.
I am a huge Maeve Binchy fan, but this is not one of her better efforts. The way the characters meet and bond in such short order stretches credibility. It also is strained when each person conveniently has a problem that another in their cozy little group may be able to help solve, even though they are not able to solve their own problems. And it just doesn't seem plausible for perfect strangers to become such intimate confidants so quickly.
Complicating the story is the presence of Vonni, a worldly wise village woman who dispenses excellent advice to each person, but is strangely unable to manage her own life. While Binchy has always been able to effectively create very human characters, full of both life and frailities, Vonni seems to be extreme in both these characteristics. As a result, the presence of this character just does not seem to fit.
Still, this book is in many ways what we have come to expect from Maeve Binchy. It is a pleasant read, jetting us to an idyllic setting, perfect for an afternoon immersion in another world. But if you are looking for the nuanced craftmanship of Binchy's pervious novels, you will likely be disapppointed.
Book Review: Not the Best of Binchy
Summary: 4 Stars
Maeve Binchy is a master storyteller. She has a knack for creating entire worlds that her readers are loath to leave. Her characters are real people, whose lives we are involved with; we know each of her creations intimately. We struggle alongside each of them, and rejoice in their successes.
Binchy's latest novel, "Nights of Rain and Stars", takes place on the small Greek island of Aghia Anna. Four travelers are thrown together with the local people, when tragedy strikes the island. Each one finds comfort in the others, and all of them are running away from something. Thomas, the American literature professor, is fearful of his son's relationship with his new stepdad. Elsa, the beautiful German, has run away from the man she loves after learning something dreadful about his past. David, the quiet English boy, has run away from having to take over his father's business. And Fiona, an Irish nurse, has run off to be with her no-good boyfriend, blinded by love and unwilling to listen to anyone's advice. All of them converge on the island of Aghia Anna, and are inseparable friends within days. They tear each other apart, and build one another up at the same time.
Yet "Night of Rain and Stars" is not Binchy's best. The characters seem a little too familiar, as if we've read about them in past books. Gone are the meandering chapters and vivid minor characters who populate Binchy's other novels. The entire book has the feel of a collection of short stories sewn together with some fragile thread. I have read every novel Maeve Binchy has written and buy them as soon as they come out, even in hardcover. Although an enjoyable read for any fan, I feel that I could've waited for this book to come out as a paperback.