tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897782183409478733.post3997425805409348555..comments2023-09-27T09:15:12.373+01:00Comments on Laura Reading Books: 'Mr Jameson usually made me happy'Laura Tisdallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428346515788046138noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897782183409478733.post-20517387968956294472013-08-28T09:25:36.173+01:002013-08-28T09:25:36.173+01:00Thanks for such an interesting comment. I think th...Thanks for such an interesting comment. I think this must be one of the most disturbing, and yet realistic, books I've read about sexual abuse (other than Robin McKinley's 'Deerskin', which is excellent, but also doesn't make for easy reading). Arnold has a background in social work with children and families in Birmingham, I believe, so that may have informed the novel. It certainly has a lot of resonance in the present.Laura Tisdallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15428346515788046138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897782183409478733.post-86872404032671251422013-08-27T20:24:43.699+01:002013-08-27T20:24:43.699+01:00Thank you! I'm so relieved to have read your r...Thank you! I'm so relieved to have read your review here. I read this book over the last two days and found it compelling, disturbing, and deeply tragic. I went looking today for reviews and found chiefly that others had thought it clever and engaging - while I was carrying the notion of the traumatised and courageous Margaret in my mind and railing against the abusive father, mother, horrid nurse, husband and doctor who between them surely broke her, the former by his hideous abuse and the latter with their dismissal and belittlement - responses women still receive to allegations of abuse. <br /><br />I badly wanted to find that someone else had been as moved and disturbed as I by Margaret's situation in the confines of her life. <br /><br />Perhaps I'll sleep tonight after all. Thank you. Talis Kimberleyhttp://www.talis.netnoreply@blogger.com