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My Phantoms
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
Helen Grant is a mystery to her daughter. An extrovert with few friends who has sought intimacy in the wrong places; a twice-divorced mother-of-two now living alone surrounded by her memories, Helen (known to her acquaintances as 'Hen') has always haunted Bridget. Now, Bridget is an academic in her forties. She sees Helen once a year, and considers the problem to be contained. As she looks back on their tumultuous relationship - the performances and small deceptions - she tries to reckon with the cruelties inflicted on both sides. But when Helen makes it clear that she wants more, it seems an old struggle will have to be replayed. From the prize-winning author of First Love, My Phantoms is a bold, heart-stopping portrayal of a failed familial bond, which brings humour, subtlety and new life to the difficult terrain of mothers and daughters.
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Tamra
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Pickpick

To sum up this story of mother daughter estrangement: bleak. 😕

LeahBergen Your review made me laugh. 😆 7d
sisilia Oh no, definitely not after Bleak House 😝 6d
lazydaizee This sounds like a sad story. 6d
49 likes3 comments
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The_Penniless_Author
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Pickpick

Glad I listened to the recommendations, because I really enjoyed this one. The writing felt both contemporary and timeless, somehow. The themes are evergreen, I suppose - mother/daughter relationships and the difficulty of truly knowing another person, even someone as central to one's own life as a parent. Riley has a keen eye for detail, and her style is lean and biting in the best possible way.

The_Penniless_Author @Yuki_Onna I'm going to say this counts for #6 for the #tprc, since the MC drinks quite a bit of coffee. ☕️😋 1w
Aimeesue Nice review! 1w
Yuki_Onna It totally does! 👏🧐😊 1w
31 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Vansa
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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#WONDROUSWEDNESDAY @eggs
1.No,my name was picked because my parents wanted an unusual name!Which means it's constantly mispronounced,I don't mind that though.
2.No siblings
3.These 2 amazing books by very underrated writers and tagged book, who should be as famous as John Updike and Philip ROth but aren't.

Karons1 Two excellent 👌 books just finished the camomile lawn and loved 🥰 it . Enjoy ☺️ 2mo
Eggs It‘s a beautiful name🩷 Thanks for playing🥳 2mo
Vansa @Karons1 it's really good, right? And I hadn't even heard of it. It should be more famous, specially now, when everyone thinks polyamory has just been discovered-people were trying out alternative lifestyles and partner choices since human beings probably invented marriage! 2mo
Karons1 So true 😆but it does seem at one point everyone is jumping into bed 🛌 together , maybe we all did when we were young 😆 anyway in times of war it was well noted - read to bed with grand music a fantastic Persephone book 📖 😀 2mo
16 likes4 comments
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Leniverse
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Pickpick

A severely dysfunctional family, with focus on mother and one of the daughters. Simultaneously sad and funny and extremely awkward. If I have one complaint it is that I would have liked to know why the sisters stopped speaking to each other. It seems a bit like it was just so the author could focus on just the two characters, without the other sister's input.
Thank you to @sarahbarnes for putting this on my radar.

sarahbarnes I‘m so glad you liked it! 💙 10mo
39 likes1 comment
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sarahbarnes
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Pickpick

I seem to be on a kick of reading books about mothers (am I working through something? 😂) and this was another great read. The MC‘s mother is one of the most bizarre characters I‘ve encountered in awhile. The awkwardness and discomfort in their relationship was so palpable that I often felt like I wished I could intervene in these scenes.

Leniverse Ooh, this sounds interesting. I like to read about dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships (or dysfunctional families overall), but only once in a while. I'll bear this one in mind. 11mo
sarahbarnes @Leniverse that is totally fair. I‘ll be interested to hear your thoughts on this one when you get to it. 11mo
Reggie Dysfunctional mothers-one of my jams. Stacked, nice review. 11mo
See All 10 Comments
Leniverse I'll check if the library has it. But next up in dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships for me is 11mo
sarahbarnes Yes @Leniverse it‘s so good! 11mo
sarahbarnes @reggie it really is one of mine as well. Thank you! (edited) 11mo
batsy Nice review. I love the "mother issues" novels too but I need to make sure I don't read them all at once. I'm really looking forward to reading Riley. 11mo
sarahbarnes @batsy I hear you on that. I think I probably need to take a break after these. I really loved Riley's writing and want to read First Love one of these days. 11mo
squirrelbrain Hi Sarah, just inputting your #camplitsy votes and noticed you chose Dykette, which unfortunately didn‘t make the list as it‘s not out in the UK in time. (Thanks for nominating it though, as it sounds great and I‘ve added it to my TBR!) Do you want to pick another book instead, as I don‘t want you to lose a vote. Just tag me on here if you like, no need to re-send your voting form. It might make all the difference - it‘s very close at the top! 11mo
sarahbarnes @squirrelbrain 🤦🏻‍♀️ I‘m so sorry! I‘m apparently losing it. Thanks for reaching out to me about it and for tallying all the votes! I will replace my vote for that one with a vote for Endpapers. Thank you!! 11mo
45 likes2 stack adds10 comments
review
Kazzie
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
Pickpick

I liked this book, but felt it was very similar to her other novel. Same idea with dysfunctional relationships and communication breakdown, masking deep hurts and deep love

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Vansa
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Such a lovely prompt!Thank you for the tag! @Eggs
1.Thats a question that requires some thought.From experiences that make me happy-a book with an interesting narrative,a great movie,nice food,history,spending time with family!
2.Recent family lunch out!

Eggs Lovely group photo!! 1y
22 likes1 comment
blurb
batsy
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Thank you dear Jessie for this lovely #jolabokaflodswap present! My fave chocolate and an author I've been dying to read 😘 Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a lovely holiday season, my friend ❤️ @erzascarletbookgasm

Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for organising this lovely swap! Wishing you and all Littens who celebrate a Merry Christmas, and happy holidays to all 🎄✨

erzascarletbookgasm I thought opening day is tomorrow! 😅 1y
erzascarletbookgasm You‘re welcome. You‘ve piqued my interest in the book. Merry Christmas and Happy holidays, dear. 😘❤️ 1y
rockpools Happy holidays @batsy ! 1y
See All 13 Comments
batsy @rockpools Thank you and same to you! I hope you're feeling better and getting lots of rest while in isolation 💕 1y
batsy @erzascarletbookgasm I had to double check the dates on the form 😂 1y
LeahBergen Lovely gifts! Happy Holidays to you! 1y
Cathythoughts Brilliant ♥️🎄 1y
batsy @LeahBergen Thank you! Merry Christmas & happy holidays, Leah ❤️ 1y
batsy @Cathythoughts Yes! 😍 Merry Christmas, Cathy ❤️🎄 1y
CarolynM Merry Christmas Suba🎄💕 1y
batsy @CarolynM Thank you, Carolyn ❤️ I hope you had a lovely Christmas! 1y
vivastory Andy Miller has praised this one to the moon. It sounds great. 1y
batsy @vivastory He has! In general the praise for this one and her other books has me super intrigued. 1y
81 likes1 stack add13 comments
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chapter_fifty2017
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Pickpick

Mother, daughter ?? Family communication? No matter how much we try to understand or reach out or confront the truth. Sadly it just doesn't happen, some people are too unreliable , unbelievable, not just for a moment but for your entire life. This book does resonate with me and the games families play.
Great writing .

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andrew61
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Pickpick

Just back from reading group and an interesting discussion abt this remarkable bk abt the mother/dtr relationship. The prose and dialogue is haunting while also exposing fragile characters with a few words as well as what is unsaid. Bridget has to manage her lonely and unfulfilled mother as she grows older but as a reader we wonder why Bridget is so cold to 'Hen', + who is the more troubled. Loved it, raced through it and plan to read again soon.

batsy Lovely review. 2y
31 likes1 stack add1 comment
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andrew61
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Gwendoline Riley is so good on ordinary people's lives and relationships and I am loving this book about a woman's relationship with her mother but I thought this extract embodies the feelings anyone on litsy might feel on seeing a favourite author as opposed to any other celebrity although the scene is dripping with the 'what if's' of her mothers life.
Another book that I am savouring but just want to devour over my Saturday morning cup of tea.

batsy I've heard so many good things about this book and most of Riley's books. She's high on my list of authors to discover next. 2y
andrew61 @batsy I think you would enjoy it. It is for my reading group next week so hoping for an interesting discussion. 2y
32 likes2 comments
blurb
Brona
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Love it when lunch colour coordinates with my latest read 💚

5 likes1 stack add
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Vansa
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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Vansa
My Phantoms | Gwendoline Riley
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#MyPhantoms #NetGalley
I had to set the book aside after reading this bit. This is so real.

6 likes1 stack add