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The Bradshaw Variations
The Bradshaw Variations: A Novel | Rachel Cusk
7 posts | 5 read | 1 to read
Since quitting work to look after his eight-year-old daughter, Alexa, Thomas Bradshaw has found solace and grace in his daily piano study. His pursuit of a more artistic way of life shocks and irritates his parents and in-laws. Why has he swapped roles with Tonie Swann, his intense, intellectual wife, who has accepted a demanding full-time job? How can this be good for Alexa? Tonie is increasingly seduced away from domestic life by the harder, headier world of work, where long-forgotten memories of ambition are awakened. She soon finds herself outside their tight family circle, alive to previously unimaginable possibilities. Over the course of a year full of crisis and revelation, we follow the fortunes of Tonie, Thomas, and his brothers and their families: Howard, the successful, indulgent brother, and his gregarious wife, Claudia; and Leo, lacking in confidence and propped up by Susie, his sharp-tongued, heavy-drinking wife. At the head of the family, the aging Bradshaw parents descend on their children to question and undermine them. The Bradshaw Variations reveals how our choices, our loves, and the family life we build will always be an echoa variationof a theme played out in our own childhood. This masterful and often shockingly funny novel, Rachel Cusk's seventh, shows a prizewinning writer at the height of her powers.
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BarbaraBB
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#BookReport 25/21

Enjoyed the tagged one, both others were so-so for me. Not my best month, this.

TrishB It‘s nearly over! 3y
Cinfhen Crazy, it‘s gonna be July 🔜 3y
48 likes3 comments
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BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

Like no other Cusk knows how to write about life. Just living life. In the Bradshaw family everyone deals with life in their own way. They are adults and know how it works and yet they all are looking for something more. Or for something to make aging bearable at least.

#bookspin

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
68 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BarbaraBB
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#WeeklyForecast 25/21

I am in the midst of Lolly Willowes for the #NYRBBookClub. The tagged book is my #bookspin and the Maldives book a #ReadingAsia2021 gift by the wonderful @squirrelbrain Let‘s see how far I get with these this week!

vivastory I hope you like Lolly Willowes! 3y
BarbaraBB @vivastory I hoped so too after your and @batsy reviews but I‘m afraid I‘m in the @Reviewsbylola and @Kalalalatja camp: I mostly find it boring 🤷🏻‍♀️😴 3y
BarbaraBB @vivastory However I have a hundred pages more to read and hopefully change my mind 3y
See All 16 Comments
Reviewsbylola I truly hated Lolly. 😬 3y
vivastory It does veer off into strange territory in the last 100 pages 3y
vivastory @Reviewsbylola This was a reread for me... I don't remember it taking as long to get to the witch parts 3y
BarbaraBB @Reviewsbylola I had to laugh so hard when I read your review! 3y
BarbaraBB @vivastory Getting there right now. But it took a long time! 3y
Reviewsbylola I can‘t even attempt a reread. 😂 @vivastory 3y
Reviewsbylola I just went back to read my review. I wasn‘t surprised by my review. My intense dislike for this book has not faded in the years since I read it. 🤣 @BarbaraBB 3y
Cinfhen I remember @Reviewsbylola intense dislike of Lolly!! Did you demand your credit back, steph???? 3y
Cinfhen I need a Maldives book…Let me know what you think 3y
BarbaraBB I‘ll send it to you afterwards! @Cinfhen 3y
Cinfhen Thanks so much, barbara xx BTW: there was a notice in my mail box 🥳🥳🥳so excited!!! Do I need to wait until my birthday to open it??? 3y
BarbaraBB Open It whenever you want 🤍 3y
Reviewsbylola I did not. I‘m sure I reviewed it negatively on my shelf but no free credit. 😂 @Cinfhen 3y
55 likes16 comments
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AnneCecilie
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Mehso-so

I‘m not really sure what this is. On the Norwegian translation the blurb focuses on a stay at home dad. And even though that‘s right for one of the characters, that‘s not the focus of the novel (at least not for me).

We meet the Bradshaw family, parents, grown children and their kids again. We meet them in every day life, and except towards the end, nothing much happens. And that‘s probably the point.

I just didn‘t get this story.

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AnneCecilie
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The newest Oksanen hasn‘t hit the stores jet, so I‘m starting this instead.

I‘m going to a talk with Cusk later in the month, and even though I‘ve read her Outline trilogy I want to read more by her, and this sounded interesting.

BarbaraBB You‘re having a talk with her? That‘s cool. I have this one on my shelves too so am looking forward to your thoughts. 4y
AnneCecilie @BarbaraBB Not me personally, but I‘m going to an event where some will talk to her next Wednesday. I‘m just hoping it doesn‘t get canceled 4y
BarbaraBB Fingers crossed indeed. So many events are being cancelled now. 🤷🏻‍♀️😘 4y
59 likes3 comments
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TheCuriousHousecat
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Pickpick

I‘m not sure about this book. It seemed a bit “try hard” in the beginning. Long winding sentences were uncalled for and too confusing. And then suddenly the spewing of bloated sentences ended and the author settled down into the story. Definitely the funniest part was when Claudia kept blaming everyone and everything for not getting to her studio to create. Admitting that art was probably behind her was too confronting. I‘m giving this ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌜.

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merelybookish
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Today's #bookmail! Yay for Bookoutlet for facilitating my new Rachel Cusk obsession.