Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Vintage Digital (2008), Edition: New Ed, 290 pages
Description
Paula Spencer begins on the eve of Paula's forty-eighth birthday. She hasn't had a drink for four months and five days. Having outlived an abusive husband and father, Paula and her four children are now struggling to live their adult lives, with two of the kids balancing their own addictions. Paula rebuilds her life slowly. As she goes about her daily routine working as a cleaning woman, and cooking for her two children at home, she re-establishes connections with her two sisters, her mother and grandchildren, expanding her world. Doyle has movingly depicted a woman, both strong and fragile, who is fighting back and finally equipped to be a mother to her children.
User reviews
LibraryThing member gypsysmom
Roddy Doyle is a gifted writer and this book is another demonstration of that. I'm not sure how he got inside the head of a 48 year old woman alcoholic but the voice sounds accurate to me. This is actually the second time he has done it. He wrote The Woman Who Walks into Doors about Paula when she
Ten years later she has recently stopped drinking and she is trying so, so hard to reconnect with her kids and her sisters while fighting the urge to drink. Little by little she puts her life on a better footing; it's a big deal when there is still some food left in the fridge on payday. Her four kids can't quite believe she has stopped drinking. The youngest, Jack, doesn't talk much (typical teenager) but he always seems to be checking on her. The other child who is still at home, Leanne, is on her way to becoming an alcoholic herself and Paula feels guilty about that. Her other son, John Paul, was a heroin addict but has stopped using and is slowly, carefully trying to reestablish communication with his mom and siblings. Nicola seems to have everything under control: a good job, two great kids, a house. Paula wonders if she is really okay or just good at hiding things.
The book is written in the third person but it almost seems like it is a first person narrative because the writing is almost stream of consciousness. Not that the sentences are run on; far from it. Much of the dialogue is just a few words such as you exchange every day with people you meet. An example toward the end of the book of a phone call between Paula and her daughter Nicola.
-Hello?
-It's me.
Nicola
-What, love?
-Did you hear? says Nicola.
-Hear what?
-About Kylie Minogue, says Nicola.
-Ah, lovely, says Paula. -I'd love to go. With the girls, is it?
-What? says Nicola.
-The Kylie concert, says Paula.
-What concert? It's not a concert.
-I've to go for the Dart, love.
-She has breast cancer, says Nicola -Did you not hear?
-Kylie?
-Yeah.
-That's terrible.
Nicola is calling Paula to tell her this because Paula's sister Carmel has breast cancer and Nicola is concerned Carmel might be upset. There's a little more to the conversation but it probably didn't last more than a minute. But these little snippets keep building and building and we see Paula changing, getting bolder and learning to care for those important to her.
That little conversation shows something about Doyle's way of introducing music into the lives of his characters. I think every book I've read of his has some music popping up in it. Even when I don't know the music he is referring to (Paula works as a cleaner at a White Stripes concert and later buys one of their CDs to listen to) it's a technique that expands the fictional character in the mind of the reader.
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was horribly physically abused by her husband and how she managed to get him out of her life. Ten years later she has recently stopped drinking and she is trying so, so hard to reconnect with her kids and her sisters while fighting the urge to drink. Little by little she puts her life on a better footing; it's a big deal when there is still some food left in the fridge on payday. Her four kids can't quite believe she has stopped drinking. The youngest, Jack, doesn't talk much (typical teenager) but he always seems to be checking on her. The other child who is still at home, Leanne, is on her way to becoming an alcoholic herself and Paula feels guilty about that. Her other son, John Paul, was a heroin addict but has stopped using and is slowly, carefully trying to reestablish communication with his mom and siblings. Nicola seems to have everything under control: a good job, two great kids, a house. Paula wonders if she is really okay or just good at hiding things.
The book is written in the third person but it almost seems like it is a first person narrative because the writing is almost stream of consciousness. Not that the sentences are run on; far from it. Much of the dialogue is just a few words such as you exchange every day with people you meet. An example toward the end of the book of a phone call between Paula and her daughter Nicola.
-Hello?
-It's me.
Nicola
-What, love?
-Did you hear? says Nicola.
-Hear what?
-About Kylie Minogue, says Nicola.
-Ah, lovely, says Paula. -I'd love to go. With the girls, is it?
-What? says Nicola.
-The Kylie concert, says Paula.
-What concert? It's not a concert.
-I've to go for the Dart, love.
-She has breast cancer, says Nicola -Did you not hear?
-Kylie?
-Yeah.
-That's terrible.
Nicola is calling Paula to tell her this because Paula's sister Carmel has breast cancer and Nicola is concerned Carmel might be upset. There's a little more to the conversation but it probably didn't last more than a minute. But these little snippets keep building and building and we see Paula changing, getting bolder and learning to care for those important to her.
That little conversation shows something about Doyle's way of introducing music into the lives of his characters. I think every book I've read of his has some music popping up in it. Even when I don't know the music he is referring to (Paula works as a cleaner at a White Stripes concert and later buys one of their CDs to listen to) it's a technique that expands the fictional character in the mind of the reader.
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LibraryThing member SeanLong
This evening I finished Roddy Doyle's Paula Spencer, the follow up of the abused, alcoholic wife from his 1996 novel The Woman Who Walked Into Doors, which is arguably Doyle's best book. Paula is 48 now, a few months sober, and half out of her wits with with a longing for the drink. Although it was
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a short, engaging read, unfortunately, the novel comes no where near the brilliance of the first. But how often does a sequel ever match the quality of the first book? Anyway, Paula is an endearing character and Doyle paints a great depiction of the minutiae of the life of a recovering alcoholic trying to raise and reconnect with two teenage children. And of course, the Doyle trademarks of a keen ear for dialect and narrative pace have returned once again, a far cry from his last effort, that mother of all clunkers and tired excuse of a novel, Oh Play That Thing. Show Less
LibraryThing member TomSlee
The Woman Who Walked Into Doors was brilliant. This - well it's fine, but it's a bit flat. There's a lack of tension in the story and the device of short sentences gets a bit irritating. On the plus side, meeting Paula Spencer getting used to the new Ireland with the mobiles and the euros was a gas
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and you have to cheer for her. Show Less
LibraryThing member Clurb
A follow on from Doyle's 'The Woman Who Walked Into Doors', this has all the gritty emotional drama of the first novel and is touchingly sentimental in all the right ways.
Very nice.
Very nice.
LibraryThing member shejake
I didn't care for the writing style or characters in this book.
LibraryThing member SmithSJ01
Is there any more stars available? I truly loved this book. I enjoyed 'The Woman Who Walked Into Doors' so much it was nice to pick back up with the character of Paula Spencer. If you haven't read the prequal I think it will help but would say it isn't a must. Well actually, it would make a lot
The plot wasn't as good as the first one but still deserving of more than 5 stars. The kids are all grown up now and it was interesting to see the effect on them of Paula's life when they younger. The dialogue could have been a little better, I'm more of a fan of speech marks than I am of dashes; but that's personal preferences I suppose.
Well thought out, well written and well worth a read.
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more sense if you did. The plot wasn't as good as the first one but still deserving of more than 5 stars. The kids are all grown up now and it was interesting to see the effect on them of Paula's life when they younger. The dialogue could have been a little better, I'm more of a fan of speech marks than I am of dashes; but that's personal preferences I suppose.
Well thought out, well written and well worth a read.
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LibraryThing member Evablue
I read "The woman who walked into doors" a while back and she's still with me - so I leaped at the opportunity to read the sequel. The story is still interesting as Paula struggles with her desire for a drink, her loneliness, the world changing around her, and worries about not being able to feel
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proud for her children - a subject that really intrigued me as it has crossed my mind more than once - however this time I can't hear Paula's voice. The dialogue may be engaging or funny at times, but the narration seems somewhat detatched to me. Perhaps it is intentional, showing Paula's own sentimental estrangement, but it deprives the novel of what I thought the best asset of "The woman..." . Too bad, I was so looking forward to this... Show Less
LibraryThing member bhowell
Like some of the other reviewers, I was prompted to read this book because I had read "The Woman Who Walked into Doors" some years ago and this is a sequel. Roddy Doyle is a marvelous writer and Paula Spencer is a brilliant portrait of a woman recovering from a life of alcohol addiction and
One day Paula is brave enough to walk into a trendy coffee cafe and orders a cafe latte. She sits in wonderment sipping her coffee. She is amazed that she is accepted as a normal person and moreover that she is a working person who can actually afford an occasional treat.
Heartbreakingly sad but a magnifient story.
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physical abuse by her now dead husband. Her life continues to be harsh and she lives in poverty in a council house. Paula is now 48 and working as a cleaner and janitor though her many previous injuries cause significant pain and discomfort. She reaches out to her four children, to attempt to be a mother to them, after so many years of neglect. The enormity of what her children have had to endure haunts her daily and she experiences guilt undiminished by soothing alcohol. She must tread carefully with these children. Her visit to her oldest son and his family is achingly sad. It is Christmas and Paula realizes that normal grandmothers would visit their grandchildren and buy them gifts. She arrives at her son's home and is introduced to his two young children who have never met her before and are now told that they have a grandmother. One day Paula is brave enough to walk into a trendy coffee cafe and orders a cafe latte. She sits in wonderment sipping her coffee. She is amazed that she is accepted as a normal person and moreover that she is a working person who can actually afford an occasional treat.
Heartbreakingly sad but a magnifient story.
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LibraryThing member elsmvst
I didn't know what to make of this book. It was sad, sometimes a bit boring, I didn't like the style, but it was also fascinating. I read The woman who walked into doors, didn't really like that either, though I'm quite a Roddy Doyle fan. All in all, a bit of a disappointment.
LibraryThing member TurboBookSnob
Paula Spencer has had a rough life. She is an alcoholic, but is now clean, and she's trying to pick up the pieces of her tattered life. Her husband beat her and murdered the wife of a bank manager during an attempted robbery. Her children may or may not blame her for treating them badly while she
Roddy Doyle's novel follows Paula's post-alcoholic life through a first-person narrative. The result is harsh, yet poignant, and is often hard to read. It is almost impossible to dislike Paula. She has hope, despite adversity, and refuses to give up on herself, her children, or her sisters. This is a triumph of characterization.
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was drunk. She cleans houses, and works a second job cleaning up after rock concerts in the hope that she can buy herself a much-needed coat, and perhaps even a handbag. This is Paula's story. Roddy Doyle's novel follows Paula's post-alcoholic life through a first-person narrative. The result is harsh, yet poignant, and is often hard to read. It is almost impossible to dislike Paula. She has hope, despite adversity, and refuses to give up on herself, her children, or her sisters. This is a triumph of characterization.
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LibraryThing member mikewick
A follow-up to "The Woman Who Walked Into Walls," Roddy Doyle continues the story of Paula Spencer, formerly the battered wife from the prior title and now a recovering alcoholic, widow, mother of three, and woman trying to capture a semblance of an ordinary life. It's a tough read, no doubt, and
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that's mostly due to the deftness Doyle has when portraying the turbulent internal struggles of a self-doubting and hesitant personality on the verge of recovery--and it's a very Irish story because of that, acting as a modern update for the classic Russian novelists. Show Less
LibraryThing member Vivl
Overall I found this an excellent read, if just a step below the hands-down perfection of the first in the series. I enjoyed the blend of humour and soul-seeking and didn't even mind the endless hopping forward in time, which was a little disorientating at first.
This is a gentler read than The
Not sure how I'd have felt about this if I hadn't read the books in chronological order. I think it would have been confusing and I may not have developed the same emotional attachment for Paula and her family. Even thought it is just over 6 months since I first read The Woman Who Walked Into Doors I felt the need to go back and reread it before starting in on this one as the characters had receded into the background noise of what I fondly call my mind.
I'm looking forward to going back and reading the "famous" Roddy Doyle novels now.
This is a gentler read than The
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Woman Who Walked Into Doors. Tension is maintained throughout but the threat, the level of danger, is not as immediate, hence the narrative doesn't get you by the throat quite the same way. The reasons for this are probably numerous, amongst them the absence of the obvious physical threat of Charlo. The third-person narrator also distanced me from the action. I missed the immediacy of Paula's first-person narrative. It seemed a slightly odd choice to replace that with a semi-omniscient third-person narrator while retaining Paula's overall "voice". Not sure how I'd have felt about this if I hadn't read the books in chronological order. I think it would have been confusing and I may not have developed the same emotional attachment for Paula and her family. Even thought it is just over 6 months since I first read The Woman Who Walked Into Doors I felt the need to go back and reread it before starting in on this one as the characters had receded into the background noise of what I fondly call my mind.
I'm looking forward to going back and reading the "famous" Roddy Doyle novels now.
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LibraryThing member Fergus_Cooper
Roddy Doyle is a good writer. However, he needs to change his style...somewhat. The Woman who walked into Doors was excellent. Frightening. This book is milder and like 'The Guts' is a tame follow up to a previous classic. Both 'Paula Spencer' and 'The Guts' lack the intensity, suspense, and humour
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of the original books. These books have petered out. They don't push the boat out. They are ordinary. And that is not, I'm sure, what Roddy Doyle really wants. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrgan
Doyle's empathy and eye for detail are still there, but the book is disjointed and doesn't work up much energy.
LibraryThing member patl
Ah, to learn how Paula Spencer's life turned out after reading The Woman Who Walked Into Doors. It's a worthy bookend.
As a novel, it's not as strong as the earlier haunting work (thankfully), but the same pacing and interior dialogue strengths are here. Where the first book took us deep into the
I'm not sure how well it would stand on its own, but if you've read the earlier novel, you'll appreciate this one. Well done to Roddy Doyle.
As a novel, it's not as strong as the earlier haunting work (thankfully), but the same pacing and interior dialogue strengths are here. Where the first book took us deep into the
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mind of an abused, alcoholic wife, this book takes us deep into the mind of a recovering alcoholic who is struggling to reclaim life and family. I'm not sure how well it would stand on its own, but if you've read the earlier novel, you'll appreciate this one. Well done to Roddy Doyle.
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LibraryThing member Oreillynsf
Those who have read The Woman Who Walked Into Doors will love to read what happened to Paula after that story ended. Struggling with alcohol recovery and trying to piece together her family again, she and her story are gritty and real, and they really reached out and took control of my emotions.
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What a roller coaster ride. It feels true, it feels painful, it feels uplifting in an odd way. I feel fortunate to have read it, and urge that you do the same. Show Less
LibraryThing member neal_
My first Roddy Doyle. The writing style was interesting, although the lack of speech marks was a little disconcerting and and the absence of breaks in the prose (chapters) made it feel somewhat relentless. Although not a recovering middle-aged female alcoholic myself, the characterisation felt
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authentic. Overall, strangely compelling. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award (Winner — 2007)
Christian Science Monitor Best Book (Fiction — 2007)
Language
Original publication date
2006