Immensely satisfying ... her expertise as a storyteller makes The Giddy Career of Mr Gadd (deceased) an extremely worthwhile read.
-- Anne Goodwin * Annecdotal *
This clever, contemporary novel is an exploration of current (and retrospective) social themes and of self-knowledge (and the lack of it) seen from through the kaleidoscope eyes of a perversely appealing heroine.
-- Bryan Smart * Goodreads *
Marie Gameson's debut solo novel is highly successful at questioning the nuances of identity fluidity and reality, of life and death.
-- Bookdragon Sean * Goodreads *
Win is an intriguing woman who draws you in with her obvious intelligence and incredible tolerance towards her stifling family. Meanwhile old friends and foes from Win's past pop up with curious regularity, mysteriously seeming as bewildering to Win as they are to the reader. Is it all a conspiracy? Or is no one quite who they seem to be? Win knows it will be better if only she can make a plan to get back to Taiwan and can get to bed at 11:30pm, on her own, or not ...
-- Lesley Cocker * Goodreads *
This is probably one of the most intriguing novels I've read in a long time. And hard to pigeon-hole too. It's definitely not a whodunnit, although there's a mystery at the heart of the story, because, apart from Mr Gadd, who appears to have succumbed to natural causes, nobody has died. Or have they? Because in the words of Winnie, the seriously unreliable narrator: what do we mean by death? ... An absolute treat.
* Book lovers' booklist *
The writing is deft, light and entertaining throughout with a depth of understanding that lingers well beyond the final page. A sagacious and captivating story that deserves to be widely read.
-- Jackie Law * Neverimitate *
Thought-provoking is a tag often used when reviewing books, but here, without stressing or labouring over them, the author introduces a variety of themes to mull over or discuss with bookclub friends - how do you care for or continue to love a person who has undergone a radical personality change? isn't change of some sort necessary to personal growth? is it good or bad to cut oneself loose from the past? is the detachment that Winnie seeks necessarily a good thing or can it make us careless of other people's emotions? It's a book I feel I could return to time and again, and always find something new hidden there.
* Our Book Reviews Online *
The Giddy Career of Mr Gadd (deceased ) is a quirky, entertaining and unusual read. I have never read a book quite like it and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
* The Wrong Side Of Forty *
