[.ca] Lilac Bus (ISBN 0099502909)

Excellent Storytelling.:
I have, to my surprise, found some of Binchy's books to be a little sketchy. After reading Tara Road, I wondered if perhaps that book had been authored by a distant cousin or mayhap a complete stranger to Binchy's talent. I would not have recognized the author of that book to be the same artist who created The Lilac Bus. This is great storytelling. Each vignette represents a short period in the life of one of the characters. Since each character has their own voice in their own story and then is also "remembered" by the other characters in _their_ stories, you walk away from this novel feeling as if you had been to visit for a weekend. Many scenes are shared by the characters so you are able to experience many moments through different pairs of eyes each time for a deep, rich and very compelling experience. This is probably my favorite Binchy novel along with Evening Class. I will hope for more like it.

Wonderful series of character sketches:
If you're expecting a novel like Echoes or Tara Road, don't buy this book. If, on the other hand, you admire Maeve Binchy's ability to tell you all about a character's life, personality, interests and dreams in a few pages, then this is the book for you. The Lilac Bus is a series of 'postcards' or brief character sketches of a number of different people, all of whom travel home from Dublin each Friday evening on the same bus. Each has their own preoccupations and concerns, and Binchy manages to give us some fascinating insights into not only the individuals here, but into the tight little society to where they're travelling, with its own mores and habits.

Maeve leaves you hanging, and not in a good way:
I want to start off by saying that I have enjoyed most of Maeve's books (my favorites being Tara Road, Evening Class and The Glass Lake), but this one I did not. The book is really a collection of short stories that are woven together, but not in any meaningful sense. Each chapter relates the story of a character, but at the end of the chapter you're waiting for more, waiting to make a connection with that character, waiting for the story to start. And still, at the end of the book you're wondering what the point was. It doesn't go anywhere. She tells you about the different people, but that's it, she just describes them and their histories. There is no plot, no climax, no closure.

Eight strangers on a bus:
Every Friday Tom Fitzgerald loads up his lilac-colored bus with 7 passengers that he takes from Dublin to Rathdoon. They chat amiably and harbor unspoken feelings about one another, but none of them really knows the others. Each of the passengers, and Tom himself, have secret lives which they wish to keep hidden from the others. In this book, Maeve Binchy uncovers all of these secrets and leaves us to ponder how little we really do know about those we see and chat with on a regular basis. Some of the secrets are noble, but some are not and there is a poignancy about each one. Following the "Lilac Bus" are four unrelated stories where Binchy weaves her magic with quickly sketched characters and plot. Some end a bit abruptly and leave the reader wanting more, but Binchy fans will probably want to include this in their reading.

Boring:
This is the first Binchy book that I have read. I was very disappointed and unable to finish it. Expecting a story I got instead a bunch of character sketches, the only connection being their journey on the Lilac bus. Moreover each time a character became somewhat interesting her/his story would end. It seems as if the author was apprenticing her writing skills and this book came under 'how to write effective characters'. I do not recommend it. I might give Binchy another try, but it won't be too soon.