Review of Quentins

 by Maeve Binchy

Review by Vicki Carver

Maeve Binchy fans who have read novels such as Light a Penny Candle and Scarlet Feather will be sure to enjoy her most recent novel, Quentins. Binchy’s newest book is written in the style which has made her a popular author with many loyal readers.

 Quentins is a highly respected restaurant in down-town Dublin.  It is owned by Quentin Barry who is rarely in Dublin and leaves its management to Brenda and Patrick Brennan.  The novel’s characters are all involved in some way to Quentins either as workers, customers, family members, or friends.

There is a myriad of characters who pass in and out of the plot.  Ella Brady has always regarded Quentins as a special place to dine.  Her life is interrupted by a tumultuous affair with a married man, Don Richardson, who leaves her family and many others penniless in an investing scandal.  She teams up with a small film company and decides to make a documentary about a typical day in Quentins.  Ella is sent to New York City to procure financial backing for the film project and meets Derry King, a wealthy American with Irish roots.  Ella’s emotional upheaval concerning her torrid relationship with Don Richardson evolves throughout the book along with her potential relationship with Derry King.

Binchy always has several story lines occurring simultaneously in her books and Quentins is no exception.  She also has characters in Quentins who have appeared in other Binchy novels.  There is Cathy and Tom and the infamous twins from Scarlet Feather.  Nona and Aidan were characters in Evening Class who are finally able to be married in Quentins.  Tia from Tara Road also makes several appearances in Quentins.  Binchy has the enviable ability to take all the characters and have them interact in such a way that all the plot lines are resolved in the end and every character in the story has some resolution to whatever conflict he or she was encountering.

Quentins is a fairly long book but moves along at a rapid pace.  Anyone who enjoys reading about people and the life situations they face will probably enjoy any novel by Maeve Binchy. Quentins surely lives up to Binchy’s reputation as a wonderful story teller.

Highland County District Library
Highland County, OH