Maggie O'Farrell's debut novel, After You'd Gone, was published to
great critical acclaim, earning the young author a prestigious
Betty Trask Award. This, her second novel is an extraordinary tale
of the nature of betrayal, and how infidelity can destroy even the
most secure of relationships. The first section of the book is
devoted to Lily's account of her blossoming relationship with
Marcus, a charming young architect who is looking for a flatmate.
Only days after they meet at a gallery opening, they have moved in
together, and Lily is soon sharing his bed as well as his flat. But
all is not well in Marcus's lofty warehouse pad. Lily is
uncomfortably aware of another, sinister, presence, and realizes
she is being plagued by the intangible spirit of her new lover's
former girlfriend, Sinead. Little by little, O'Farrell builds up an
atmosphere of almost unbearable tension as doors slam, lights go
out, packets jump off shelves and most horrifying of all, Sinead
appears at the bedside as Lily and Marcus are making love.The first
part of the novel has the haunting air of a modern ghost story, and
the more Lily tries to untangle the mystery surrounding Sinead, the
less Marcus and Aidan, Marcus's old schoolfriend, seem determined
to tell her. Following a dramatic confrontation on Hungerford
Bridge, Lily eventually learns the truth from Sinead herself.
Although Lily narrates much of the story, she is a rather shadowy
character who comes into her own in the heart-stopping 'ghost'
scenes before fading away into relative obscurity later in the
book. The real heroine is the flamboyant Sinead, whose devotion to
Marcus is destined to lead to heartbreak. Aidan is torn between his
own feelings for Sinead and his disgust with Marcus's promiscuous
behaviour while Lily is torn between them all, beset by confusion
and despair. This is a captivating novel and a perceptive depiction
of the emotional fallout resulting from infidelity. There is an
almost cinematic quality to O'Farrell's writing, the action moving
effortlessly from character to character and between the present
and the past. She excels at creating an atmosphere of tension and
this gripping book demands to be read at a sitting. (Kirkus UK)
From the author of HAMNET and I AM, I AM, I AM comes the Sunday
Times Top Ten bestseller (2002) MY LOVER'S LOVER, an intense,
unnerving and passionate story of betrayal, loss and love, with all
the frisson and psychological intensity of Rebecca. When Lily moves
into Marcus's flat and plunges headlong into a relationship, she
must contend not merely with the disapproval of flatmate Aidan, but
with a more intangible, hostile presence. Could it be that Sinead,
Marcus's ex, is trying to communicate with her? When Lily begins to
'see' Sinead, first about the flat, and then on the streets of
London, she must question not merely her sanity, but whether the
man she loves is someone she can, or indeed ought, to live with at
all.
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