Tag: my policeman

My Policeman: A Book Review

The Book:

Title: My Policeman

Author: Bethan Roberts

Published August 3rd 2021 by Penguin Books (first published February 2nd 2012)

Genre: Fiction, Romance, LGBT

Pages: 304

“It is in 1950’s Brighton that Marion first catches sight of Tom. He teaches her to swim, gently guiding her through the water in the shadow of the city’s famous pier and Marion is smitten–determined her love alone will be enough for them both. A few years later near the Brighton Museum, Patrick meets Tom. Patrick is besotted, and opens Tom’s eyes to a glamorous, sophisticated new world of art, travel, and beauty. Tom is their policeman, and in this age it is safer for him to marry Marion and meet Patrick in secret. The two lovers must share him, until one of them breaks and three lives are destroyed.

In this evocative portrait of midcentury England, Bethan Roberts reimagines the real life relationship the novelist E. M. Forster had with a policeman, Bob Buckingham, and his wife. My Policeman is a deeply heartfelt story of love’s passionate endurance, and the devastation wrought by a repressive society.” -Goodreads

My Review:

Did I read this book solely because of Harry Styles?

Yes.

Did I leave this book with so much more?

YES!

This book is going to be made into a movie and one of the main characters is being played by Harry Styles. It was a major factor (really the only factor) in me picking up this book.

It was fascinating. The writing was spectacular. The two character’s voices used were amazing. I love all three characters, Marion, Tom, and Patrick. They were all imperfect characters, which is apparently what I now enjoy.

Lots of reviews complain about the two gay characters being miserable the entire time. I have to agree that yes it would be nice to have less traumatic portrayals of the LGBTQIAS2+ people in media, especially books. I thought that this book seemed pretty historically accurate (at least according to very very limited research on my part) and was that not the point? To look at the lives of three people who make mistakes, and the woman who makes a really horrible mistake and wrecks the lives of others.

I don’t know. I am an ally to the community, so I really cannot make those judgements for the community.

I thought the mistakes and miserability of all three characters were amazing though. None of the characters left unharmed. I hated them all, except for maybe Patrick, he did not really do anything wrong. He was a victim of happenstance and Marion’s rash actions.

Getting away from the problems of the books, the book was beautifully written. It was poetic and touching. It highlighted a slice of life, and I felt so sympathetic to all the characters (in a sense). The writing is why I stay saying this book is good even with the controversy I said earlier.

I loved it, it was beautiful, please go read this book!

As always, thanks for reading,

A Bookie

Star Rating: 3.6

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Here is Another Book Haul

Hi,

I have bought more books. I know that it is very unsurprising. What is surprising is that I only bought two.

So here they are:

A Magic Stepped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

“I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.” -Goodreads

My Policeman by Bethan Robertson

“It is in 1950’s Brighton that Marion first catches sight of Tom. He teaches her to swim, gently guiding her through the water in the shadow of the city’s famous pier and Marion is smitten–determined her love alone will be enough for them both. A few years later near the Brighton Museum, Patrick meets Tom. Patrick is besotted, and opens Tom’s eyes to a glamorous, sophisticated new world of art, travel, and beauty. Tom is their policeman, and in this age it is safer for him to marry Marion and meet Patrick in secret. The two lovers must share him, until one of them breaks and three lives are destroyed.

In this evocative portrait of midcentury England, Bethan Roberts reimagines the real life relationship the novelist E. M. Forster had with a policeman, Bob Buckingham, and his wife. My Policeman is a deeply heartfelt story of love’s passionate endurance, and the devastation wrought by a repressive society.” -Goodreads

I picked up the first because of a Barnes and Noble email, and the second was because there is going to be a movie about this book.

As always, thanks for reading,

A Bookie