I genuinely struggled to decide if I liked this book. Some of the reviews I've read discuss how the characters aren't very likeable, which I agree with, but at times, I found the emotion Frances was struggling with quite heartwrenching.

Written mostly in dialogue it is easy to read, and some parts are very funny and droll, others bleak. Even writing this review I'm confused by my feelings about it... Which to be honest, seems quite Frances of me.

Told from the viewpoints of a wife and a prosecuting barrister, and flipping between current events and 15 years previously, to begin with I was a bit annoyed at the lack of a voice of the victim at the heart of the crime we hear in court... But as the story develops and the characters history is revealed, I think not having Olivia voice as part of the narrative works to the books' strength.

I'm the current political climate, where we have seen senior politicians in court accused of sexual assault, the book also strikes a realistic tone. A CW of rape is important to note. Highly recommend this to anyone who thinks they know exactly what face politicians have, because there is always another story to tell.

Hannah Kent has a genuine gift for storytelling. Having read and loved Burial Rites, I didn't expect The Good People to be cheery subject matter, but the magic she has I think comes from how that becomes such incredible fiction.

Her descriptions and characters made me feel like I was as close to 19th century rural Ireland as I am my own backgarden. The way she combines the relationship of the people with the land, the people with their pagen roots, and then how this connects to the rise of the church is woven intricately from beginning to end.

It started slowly, but once the story started picking up it was like a runaway train.

Written from Carmen's POV I thought it gave her much more depth, rather than just being a Segunda, she was a young woman who had lost her family for a cause and on her return it had lost its way. The last few chapters really made it for me - although it was perhaps almost too happy an ending.

Pros: feminist, queer, latinx
Cons: too slow to get going and perhaps a bit too easy on everyone in the end.. But I think since it's YA I have to concede misery doesn't have to be the outcome.

4.5 stars

In the first 50 pages I thought this was going to be a 1 star... But although I guessed the stalker as soon as it was mentioned and who the father of the illegitimate child was, I found the last quarter of the book pretty enjoyable.

If you can put up with reading 200+ pages of the internal monologues of idiots before the story really starts, this is the perfect book for you. But I think the author did a great job of writing horrendous characters in a reasonable storyline that wasn't hugely over dramatic.

Probably 4.5 stars but rounded up.

One of my biggest problems with modern culture is the erasure of bisexuality. This book is exactly what I think of when I want people to realise it is possible to love anyone. Evelyn Hugo was a selfish and money hungry, she erased her own race and past for success.. But there were of course stars of the mid 20th hiding their sexuality and whitewashing themselves - Evelyn was doing both. I found myself cheering her successes, cursing those who broke her, wishing I could look at pictures of her in fabulous gowns, and crying for her losses.

CW: domestic abuse, suicide