Book Review : My Favourite Wife by Tony Parsons

It's been awhile since I've reviewed a book. Not that I've stopped reading - I still read most nights before my eyes betray me. The last book I read was Vince Flynn's Protect and Defend. It was different from my usual literature, rented because KF's a fan and I gave it a shot after he'd finished with it (just to maximize rental). The book was readable. But no, I don't think I'll read anymore of his books - has too many Islamic terrorist elements in it and I had trouble keeping up with the various tribes and all their politics - so sssseriousss :P

Anyway, Tony Parsons is GREAT! He's one of my most favourite authors, I've read every single one of his books except for "Stories We Could Tell" (of which I actually own a copy but never managed to get past page 10 because it's not his usual style). I love him because he's so in touch with his emotions - such a rarity in a guy. He could be gay, I dunno, but he writes well, so I don't care.

My Favourite Wife is great because it's set in Shanghai - and involves "second wives", dirty property developers, upright lawyers, colonial imperialism, etc etc. But mostly, it is about a man who brings his wife and daughter to Shanghai for a career move. Apparently the Shanghai smog got too much for his asthmatic daughter, so the wife and kid return to London. With a sexy elegant Chinese woman as a neighbour, the guy falls, of course (isn't this so typical of Tony Parsons?). His father warns him about the potential destruction to his family, particularly to his granddaughter : "No woman is that good in bed", trying to pull his son back to the right path.

What follows is a gray line between what's right and wrong. Tony Parsons does so well because he can relate to that gray line so vividly, draw it out so clearly. Because in fact, any kid can tell you that the Shanghai lady mistress should be the one out of the picture. But Parsons makes it seem like she actually has a rightful place in there.

Of course, what makes the book good is also because he managed to paint such an accurate picture of Shanghai and life in that opportunist city as an expat.

I didn't want to return this book. I've got 3 of his books so far. Probably, in the future, I'd buy the whole collection of his books, just so I can read them whenever I want.

You should read it too. Highly recommended.

"A man with two houses loses his mind: a man with two women loses his soul."