Sushi for Beginners

Back Cover

Hard-nosed, bitch-goddess London fashion editor Lisa Edwards was certain her "fabulous" promotion would mean more A-list parties, society page photos, and jet-setting jaunts to the fall collections. Instead, she's being deported, Prada wardrobe and all, to supremely un-chic Dublin to launch Colleen magazine. Her assistant editor, over-organized world-class worrier Ashling Kennedy, however, is thrilled with her new job . . .until she discovers it comes with a very high price tag: Lisa Edwards. And then there's Ashling's oldest, dearest chum, Clodagh "Princess" Kelly, who seems to have achieved true happily-ever-after suburban fairy tale bliss -- but lately has this irresistible urge to kiss a frog. The chances of three such diverse, equally unsatisfied women bonding would be remote anywhere except in staid Dublin town, "the magazine version of Siberia." And once they do, they're going to start shaking things up -- in print and out of it -- especially when Colleen's rumpled, moody, wickedly attractive head honcho Jack Devine is tossed into the mix.

My Thoughts

The book centres around three women, Lisa, Ashling & Clodagh. Lisa is the hotshot editor of Femme magazine and is expecting a promotion to New York and instead gets sent to Dublin to launch a new woman’s magazine. Ashling is her assistant editor and worries about everyone and everything, looking for love and dealing with depression. Clodagh is Ashling’s friend and seems to have it all – gorgeous husband, wonderful children, and fantastic life – but deep down is dealing with her own unhappiness.

When Ashling Kennedy is sacked by another magazine, she finds herself working for Londoner Lisa Edwards at the new "Colleen" magazine. Lisa is known to be a proper bitch when it comes to the work place and focuses so much on her career that her marriage has fallen apart. At the start of the book, she is already separated from her husband and buries herself in work to try to forget him. Ashling is also dealing with a broken relationship, and is afraid to start up with someone new until she hits the comedy club circuit with friends Ted and Joy and meets a comedian, Marcus. Clodagh, unhappy with her life, joins the girls for nights out and takes a path that may destroy her entire life.

The novel follows these three women over the course of a year and is an excellent tale of coming to terms with those things in life that really are the most important. It deals with love, betrayal, divorce, depression and infidelity in an honest, sensitive way. Written with a sense of humour and intense honesty, this is a wonderful tale of life.

This is the first novel I have read by Marian Keyes and even though I found it to be rather long and slow in places, I can’t wait to get my hands on more of her work.

Author: Marian Keyes
Pages: 426
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year Published: 2003