The Porcupine's Dilemma
by Elizabeth Mapstone
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Pub Date 5 Oct 2016 | Archive Date 6 Oct 2017
Description
The Porcupine's Dilemma is a wonderfully observed novel about Irene who, in the twilight of her life, finds herself surrounded not only by her children and grandchildren but also by their personal crises and uncertainties.
Mapstone’s detailing of the tensions between Irene’s failing body and her healthy recalcitrant mind which insists on maintaining her independence and her dignity, is one of the highlights of this absorbing read.
This is a remarkably accomplished, wholly absorbing portrayal of family, the love and tensions that bind them, and ultimately, an old woman’s gracious retreat from life. It is not only about ageing and dying, but also about life: the gift of offspring and perpetuity through those who come after.
Advance Praise
"Great story line that should appeal to the 'sandwich generation', those taking care of both children and parents while having their own mid-life crisis. Gentle and moving, with dialogue that is totally natural and believable. Wonderful writing." Cherry Mosteshar, The Oxford Editors
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9780993537523 |
PRICE | £11.99 (GBP) |
Featured Reviews
This is a very moving book that deals with all things that can happen in a family. I found it to be entertains, an easy read and relatable. Really nice story
Elizabeth Mapstone's "The Porcupine's Dilemma," one of THE best books I've read this year. One of the things I recall most vividly about my mother was a statement she made to me when I guess I was being overly "helpful." She looked me dead in the eye as no one else has ever been able to do and said, "Do NOT treat me like a child OR an idiot. I may be old, and I may not move as fast as I once did. It does not mean I've turned stupid. And remember this - I am the mom. I will ALWAYS be the mom." That "being the mom" thing? Yes. Being the mom brings with it a huge amount of due respect. I hope I honored her by remembering. I HOPE I never let her down and treated her as less than who she was. The woman protagonist in "The Porcupine's Dilemma" reminds me of my mother. And, it is hitting home personally for me a little more now that it did just a few years ago. I will be recommend this novel to everyone I know. Not just friends who are also "of a certain age," but younger friends as well. Irene is well aware of the fact that her body ain't what it once way. It lets her down more often than it once did. She, however, is going to, by God, call the shots with what she does with it. Well meaning friends and family be damned. I hope to be Irene. And, like her, I won't much appreciate those who stand in my way.