The Bottom Line
Anybody Out There? is the latest release from Marian Keyes, a new addition to the ongoing series about the five Walsh sisters from Ireland. If you’re a fan of Keyes’ other light-hearted but well-written chick lit novels, including Sushi for Beginners and Last Chance Saloon, then Anybody Out There? will not disappoint. The story of Anna Walsh, a Manhattan cosmetics publicist recovering from a serious loss, is funny and swift-paced but also manages to be serious and moving.
Pros
- Anybody Out There? is absorbing and fun, and will keep you turning the pages.
- The members of the large Walsh family are each treated as interesting, individualized characters
- The sad subject matter makes the book touching and provocative, but not depressing
Cons
- The details of the accident aren’t revealed right away, which feels slightly gimmicky
- Some parts are quite sad, which might not sit well with those looking for a purely fun read
Description
- The novel opens with Anna recovering from an unspecified accident at her parents’ home.
- She returns to New York City to recover physically and emotionally.
- The specifics of the accident and her loss aren’t revealed until a 3rd of the way through the novel.
- Flashbacks and present scenes are skillfully intertwined.
- Anna’s friends and colorful family members support her as she struggles with her new life.
Guide Review - Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes - Book Review
Marian Keyes’ previous bestselling novels, including a loosely-continuous series about the Walsh sisters, have established her as a heavyweight author in the world of chick lit. Anybody Out There? is told from the perspective of a young Irish woman who has moved to America, works in the seemingly-glamorous field of cosmetics publicity, and has a great guy named Aidan by her side. The book opens with her recovering from an unspecified accident that left her scarred and broken—both physically and emotionally. The reader is a hundred pages into the story before learning what happened. This suspense serves a narrative purpose, but might be frustrating for some readers.
Keyes does an admirable of balancing a thoughtful, deep look into issues of love, loss, and anger with a more lighthearted tone and the accessible, breezy writing that characterized her other efforts and makes her books such quick reads. The other Walsh sisters that we’ve met in previous novels show up here as well, offering their sister support but also dealing with developments in their own lives. You don’t need to have read her other novels, though, to keep up with what’s going on in this one.
Anybody Out There? may not break any new novelistic ground, but that won’t make it any less enjoyable to Keyes’ many existing fans, or to those looking for a book that’s both thoughtful and entertaining.
