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| Two Caravans | 
 enlarge | Author: Marina Lewycka
Publisher: Penguin
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy Used: £0.01
You Save: £7.98 (100%)
New (34) from £1.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  49 reviews
Sales Rank: 2835
Media: Paperback
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 4.8 x 0.9
ISBN: 0141026995
EAN: 9780141026992
ASIN: 0141026995
Publication Date: March 5, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Paperback cover corners creased good used book condition Despatched daily
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| Customer Reviews:
 Fabulous .... and disappointing. April 13, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book is worth buying for the first half, with its wonderful characters, insights into the world of immigrant labourers in the UK, revelations about modern farming practices and wonderful humour. Lots of fun and well worth the price of the book. So ... the first half, I liked.
The last third or so of the book, however, focuses on a tedious love story between the two least interesting characters. I found myself skipping pages and not caring what happened to them. Narrative drive? Zero. And Ms Lewycka's editor should be shot for not telling her to rework this last part of the book.
Still, I would buy it again and I feel able to recommend it, because while it is going well, it hums along beautifully. Very original, very fresh. Give it a go.
 Written on the back of her first success . . . . April 13, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Unfortunately many people, me included, have bought this book on the back of the enjoyment of Marina's first book - a Short History of Tractors . . . . . . which was an original and very funny book.
Her new book seems to me to be based on a variety of situations conjured from news items in the press and television. I found it quite sad and definitely not funny. How can a book which features at least 3 deaths, victimisation of people, the brutality of chicken farming and the death of a dog be found FUNNY or even amusing.
Sorry people, this is not what it's cracked up to be . . . . . don't be fooled.
 Loved it! April 9, 2008
I devoured this book in a couple of days and I loved it. I didn't think the characters were stereotyped and as for "all the villains being Ukranian" (previous reviewer) that's not right - the 'hero' and 'heroine' of the book are also from Ukraine!!
For me, one of the best characters was DOG. Read the passages from his point of view and you'll see what I mean. Brilliant writing, very original, full of warmth, humour and pathos.
Highly recommended. The only reason I didn't give it 5 out of 5 is on account of the stomach-turning chicken farm scenes... I'll never eat (non-organic!) chicken again!
An excellent read April 7, 2008
I enjoyed Tractors and was looking forward to reading this book - I wasn't disappointed.
I read it quickly, over a couple of days, eager to follow the characters' ups and downs. There is a gentle humour but also a darker side - like other readers, I will not look at supermarket produce, chickens in particular, in the same way again. The exploitation of the workers is shocking and sadly all too real. I found myself willing the Chinese girls to say no to the promise of the nannying job in Amsterdam.
I did love Dog's narration.
Two Caravans April 2, 2008
I had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this book after reading "Tractors" and have just finished reading it. I can recommend it, but I wouldn't take this for on holiday for some light reading! This book does not disappoint, although it is depressing in places, the humour of "Tractors" is there too. I find the narrative a little hard-going in places, especially those with the paragraphs with the dogs in capital letters. I also found that I would have to recap slightly to work out who was being featured in that particular part of the story. It took me a while to work out that when the narrative was in the first person, it was Irina talking!
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