Author:Lyndon Mallet,Frances Barber,David Bamber
Frances Barber and David Bamber star in this light-hearted sitcom about the diary-writing inhabitants of 11 Hare Lane
When newly widowed Jessica decides to rent a room to recently divorced Rex, she's a little apprehensive. She's never had a lodger before, and he's not used to being a tenant. Neither are quite sure how their relationship works - and to make things trickier, they're wildly different people. But unbeknownst to either of them, they share a secret - they both keep a diary.
Taking turns to read from their respective journals, they relate their thoughts, hopes, dreams and first impressions of each other, which are somewhat less than flattering. He finds her aloof, she thinks he's too eager to please - and when his dodgy DIY skills leave her seething, she retaliates by letting his room to mature student Charles, a tall, attractive blond who looks like a poet.
Relegated to the boxroom by 'Lord Byron', and beset by work frustrations and a demanding ex-wife, Rex is left feeling disheartened. Meanwhile, Jessica makes a shocking discovery about her late husband that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about their marriage. Living parallel lives under the same roof, can Rex and Jessica learn to rub along together? And as they fill up their diaries with their deepest feelings, will they ever get around to confiding in one another?
Adapted by Lyndon Mallet from his acclaimed novel of the same name, this warm, gentle comedy drama stars Frances Barber as Jessica and David Bamber as Rex.
Production credits
Written by Lyndon Mallet
Directed by Kate Valentine and Peter Kavanagh
Original music by Simon Cryer
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11-18 September 2000 (Episodes 1 & 2), 10 September-1 October 2001 (Episodes 3-6)
Cast
Jessica - Frances Barber
Rex - David Bamber
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
An utterly captivating account of the absurdity of war, the boundary between life and death, and love as a survival exercise
—— Lea YpiAccomplished and distinctive... blending military narratives, paranormal experiences and erotic obsessions
—— TLSMaren's loneliness makes her a vulnerable and completely believable protagonist...DeAngelis doesn't shy away from Maren's dark nature but manages to keep her sweet...giving us a portrait of a young girl who wants to fit in
—— Library JournalA dark and mesmerizing vision of adolescent desire--this book will devour you
—— Robin Wasserman, author of The Waking Dark and The Cold Awakening series'Like Jonathan Swift, Pratchett uses his other world to hold up a distorting mirror to our own, and like Swift he is a satirist of enormous talent ... incredibly funny ... compulsively readable'
'Classic English humour, with all the slapstick, twists and dry observations you could hope for'
—— The TimesStartlingly original
—— Guardian on BRAISED PORKIntensely atmospheric
—— LA Review of Books on BRAISED PORKOtherwordly and deeply moving
—— BuzzFeed on BRAISED PORKReal magic
—— LitHub on BRAISED PORKShimmering
—— Wall Street Journal on BRAISED PORKRich and wild
—— Observer on BRAISED PORKEnchanting
—— Shelf Awareness on BRAISED PORKElectric
—— TIME on BRAISED PORKThis taut, explosive novel is all the more terrifying because it edges so close to reality. Frida's predicament embodies the fraught question so many women are taught to ask: Am I good enough?
—— Leni Zumas, author of RED CLOCKSThis book is like nothing I've read before. Haunting and unforgettable, and I'm in awe of Jessamine Chan's mind.
—— Liz Moore, author of LONG BRIGHT RIVER and HEFTHeartbreaking and daring, propulsive and wise. I read it with my heart in my throat and I held my kids tight.
—— Diane Cook, author of the Booker Prize finalist THE NEW WILDERNESSJessamine Chan captures, in heartbreaking tones, the exacting price women pay in a patriarchal society that despises them, that reduces their worth to their viability for procreation and capacity for mothering. The School for Good Mothers is not so much a warning for some possible dystopian nightmare as much as it is an alarm announcing that the nightmare is here. The book is, thus, a weeping testimony, a haunting song, and a piercing rebuke of both the misogynist social order and the traps it lays for women, girls, and femmes. Good Mothers deserves an honored place next to the works of Margaret Atwood and Octavia Butler.
—— Robert Jones, Jr., author of THE PROPHETS and creator of Son of BaldwinGutting and terrifying. Vivid and exquisite. In The School for Good Mothers, you'll find not only your favourite novel of the year, but also a new cultural touchstone, a reference point for the everyday horrors all parents experience and take for granted. This book is sharp, shocking, anxiety-provoking, superb. It is exactly what you want, and need, to read
—— Julia Phillips(An) intense, unputdownable debut that will doubtless spark conversation about what makes a good or bad mother
—— Oprah DailyPicks up the mantel of writers like Margaret Atwood and Kazuo Ishiguro . . . but it also stands on its own as a remarkable, propulsive novel. At a moment when state control over women's bodies (and autonomy) seems ever more chilling, the book feels horrifyingly unbelievable and eerily prescient all at once
—— Vogue, The Best Books of 2022[An] enthralling speculative debut . . . A powerful story, made more so by its empathetic and complicated heroine
—— Kirkus Starred ReviewEnthralling....a powerful story, made more so by its empathetic and complicated heroine
—— Publishers WeeklyA gripping, witty and ultimately redemptive vision of dystopian motherhood
—— Leah Hazard, author of HARD PUSHEDThis scarily prescient novel that's reminiscent of Orwell and Vonnegut explores the depths of parents' love, how strictly we judge mothers and each other and the terrifying potential of government overreach
—— Good Housekeeping (US)(An) infuriatingly timely debut novel... that may read more like a preview than a dystopia, depending on your faith in the future of Roe v. Wade
—— New York TimesNo book has ever made me cry this much. The School for Good Mothers is an absolute masterpiece
—— Rosie Walker, author of Secrets of a Serial KillerA powerful story
—— SFXChan's high-concept novel may toy with dystopia but it remains chillingly plausible, a portrait of our fanatical culture of judgement against women, and mothers in particular, taken to a grotesquely logical extreme
—— MetroA nail-biting explosive story exploring the pressures of 'perfect' parenting
—— Woman's Own MagazineThe writing is at times hilarious and scalpel sharp
—— Independent (Ireland)Part science fiction, part incarceration narrative and part Cultural Revolution memoir, it is as gripping as it is terrifying - and for mothers struggling to 'do the right thing', all too believable
—— Spiked OnlinePropulsive and provocative
—— Daily ExpressThe School For Good Mothers is a perceptive, prescient and daring debut that presents a dystopia that doesn't feel as far away as we'd like it to
—— CultureflyAn unforgettable an haunting story about the thoughts, opinions and choices you make
—— Woman's WeeklyReminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale, this eerie page-turner is a captivating depiction of a dystopian world that feels entirely possible. It's not only the gripping story of Frida's personal struggle, but also a thought-provoking work of commentary on American motherhood
—— TIMEI was fascinated and intrigued by this feminist dystopian novel
—— Daily MailSo brilliant and haunting and ahead of its time... the only book that has ever stopped me from sleeping
—— Jessie CaveDark and dreamy; a captivating love story
—— StylistLushly imagined, extremely charming and very, very readable
—— Stuart Kelly , Scotland on SundayOne of the most beautiful novels of the year
—— ObserverLush, evocative, dreamlike... a magical, coming-of-age story
—— Sunday TimesPure pleasure... Erin Morgenstern is a gifted, classic storyteller, a tale-teller, a spinner of the charmed and mesmerizing - I had many other things I was supposed to be doing, but the book kept drawing me back in and I tore through it. You can be certain this riveting debut will create a group of rêveurs all its own.
—— Aimee Bender, author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon CakeThe narrative is deft and satisfying, and the author's talent is intriguing
—— Jonathan Barnes , Times Literary SupplementThis week's hot read... I loved this book and didn't want it to end... Totally absorbing and beautifully descriptive, it created a whole world I couldn't help but get lost it, especially the slow-burning love story between the two main characters, who are both sorcerers
—— Deborah Hughes , Woman MagazineThe Night Circus made me happy. Playful and intensely imaginative, Erin Morgenstern has created the circus I have always longed for and she has populated it with dueling love-struck magicians, precocious kittens, hyper-elegant displays of beauty and complicated clocks. This is a marvelous book
—— Audrey NiffeneggerI'm not often lost for words, but I'm struggling to find the words to describe just how good this book is and how it made me feel, so I'll just say this: if you are only able to read one book for the rest of your life, make sure it is The Night Circus. You won't regret it
—— BookBagA phantasmagorical world inhabited by compelling characters. Grown-up fans of Harry Potter, take note
—— Sunday Business PostMorgenstern paints precise, evocative and visually lush scenes within the tents of her fictional circus… a genuine pleasure to read. Like any successful illusion, it could be carefully unraveled but surely it should simply be enjoyed
—— Claire Messud , GuardianFor all its whimsy, the author’s lush, evocative, dreamlike prose is not as sugar-coated as it sounds. Her writing is delectable, addictive stuff, and this is an accomplished, refreshingly unusual debut
—— Alison Flood , Sunday TimesWithin the black-and-white striped canvas tents, Le Cirque des Reves is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazement
—— Female FirstA phantasmagorical fairytale for grown-ups
—— ImageAbsolutely spellbinding! A wonderful mix of history and magic that will keep you captivated. We love this magical debut!
—— Living NorthEnough here to satisfy fans of JK Rowling or even Suzanna Clarke
—— Val Nolan , Irish ExaminerFor ultimate holiday escapism delve into Morgenstern’s tale… Expect some unfamiliar acts and a good old love story in there too
—— AtHomeMagazineEnchanting and whimsical historical fantasy, this is a delight for the imagination with its breathtaking imagery, intriguing plot, and beautiful writing
—— Foyles, Books of the Year