Loving Without Tears Book

Written as MJ Farrell. Hugely enjoyable postwar WW2 comedy of manners, very bright witty and brittle dialogue. Reads very like a play script, very visual and super stagy with the drama taking place largely in one day in the life of Angel in her Irish castle trying and failing to control her adoring children who are all falling in love with unsuitable partners according to Angel. Angel is a marvellous character anything but angelic, in fact quite demonic in her selfishness to control everyone's lives and very much the queen bee and wanting to retain her role centre stage. And though her children ultimately defy her in their love choices their adoration continues, perhaps to be carried down one is left to infer into the next generation. Reminds very much of a Terence Rattigan play with its smart snappy dialogue. Walter the fairy Prince is hilarious with his penchant for cookery and sewing hats - and his near drowning scene where he emerges from the Irish Sea in a thong and hairnet is hilarious. Satire of society and manners at its best. Great turns of phrase, spot on descriptive passages and a tart intelligent dialogue with much left to inference. The story itself though is fairly lightweight very much verging on farce. My first Molly Keane but hope it wont be my last. Charming yet vicious ... what's not to love?