Meredith Jaffe

Full of just about every plot cliche imaginable combined with an often romatic (and occasionally realistic) view of prison life. Either Jaffe or I doesn't have a good understanding of relationships between men. I have no inclination to read more of Jaffe's work after this. Also, the audiobook reader wasn't that great, in my opinion. She had a wrong emphasis or pause a number of times, and her voicing of Doc didn't seem to fit with his characterization....but I guess Ms Jaffe approved this so maybe I'm wrong on the latter.… (més)

A novel about love, marriage and redemption, The Tricky Art of Forgiveness is the fourth novel from Australian author, Meredith Jaffé.

While her husband, Will, is overseas on business, Diana Forsyth is left to unpack their possessions in their new seaside apartment. It’s a bittersweet task for Diana who has had to say goodbye to the beloved family home in which they raised their children, and nostalgia strikes as their belongings pass through her hands. When she finds a hand written note among her husbands clothes that says, ‘I forgive you’, Diana is stunned, the phrase dredging up a past she thought was settled between them.

Shifting between the past, and the present, the story represents the truism that marriage is a choice that is not made just once, but every day. The highs and lows of Diana and Will’s relationship are laid bare from the heady days of their first meeting, to the difficult moments that have at times divided them. The timing of their latest marital crisis couldn’t be worse given they expect to host family and friends to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary and Will’s 60th birthday in a week.

To be honest I came very close to putting The Tricky Art of Forgiveness aside more than once, as I felt there had been so little advancement in terms of story. I hadn’t really warmed to Diana either, and Will had yet to even make an appearance, but I pushed through and I was relieved to find the last third of the novel more satisfying.

On reflection I think Jaffe presents a thoughtful exploration of the changes in a long term relationship, examining the impact of common challenges such as autonomy, parenting, work/lifestyle balance, and ageing, as well as specific issues like infidelity, loss and individual sacrifice. There were some observations that struck me as insightful, and moments I found tender and poignant, I just wasn’t particularly invested until the couple’s secrets were revealed, curious as to how they would resolve the issues between them.

Though not a story that resonated strongly with me, I’ve no doubt The Tricky Art of Forgiveness will find its audience. And I must mention that the bonus Spotify playlist Jaffe links to that reflects her characters musical interest was an unexpected joy.… (més)

Thanks HC for the advance copy :O)
Diana Forsythe is in the midst of planning a combined birthday bash for her Hubby's 60th & their 30th wedding anniversary. She's also unpacking as she & Will have just sold the family house & have downsized to an apartment. While unpacking Will's stuff, she finds a scrap of paper with the words 'I forgive you' on it. Forgive who for what? Diana isn't the only one keeping secrets..
When I first started reading this, I thought this was going to be an awful story about a bunch of gossipy old housewives (sorry Meredith, I should've known better!) but boy was I wrong! It took me a little while to get into it but it got more interesting the further I got. I said it in my review of TDOYP, I love the inherant 'Aussie-ness' of Meredith's writing style. It's Aussie without being over the top. There's also an honest quality to Meredith's writing that appeals to me too. It's the sort of cosy fiction that makes me feel right at home, although in saying that, this book made me a bit glad I'm not married haha! The story explores forgiveness from different angles, parents, children & spouses. It's an honest exploration of marriage (I think lol), family & life in general. I loved it :O)… (més)