Sushi for Beginners - Marian Keyes

Marian Keyes burst onto my literary scene a number of years ago, when she was touted among my friends and colleagues as a hot "new" writer. Although it was a while before I finally read one of her novels (Angels - perhaps not the best one to start with), I have long enjoyed Keyes' writing style and her ability to build identifiable characters which inevitably become part of the furniture. Sushi for Beginners (2000) was the first Keyes title I'd heard of, and I have finally read it!

Sushi for Beginners is set in Dublin and the plot centres around the establishment of a new glossy women's magazine, Colleen. We get to know some of the staff and their friends: Lisa, the magazine's "hard and shiny" editor from London, Little Miss Fix-it Ashling, and her beautiful yet spoiled friend Clodagh. The cast expands and a multitude of characters are introduced, yet they quickly become familiar. Romances come and go, and each character finds out more about themselves along the way, some receiving their come-uppance and others finally receiving their due. We almost even come to like the heartless Lisa. Almost. As usual, there are a couple of 'issues' thrown in to the mix, and this time it's depression and homelessness, but they're not the main focus for the plot.

I'm glad I finally got to read Sushi after all these years. Although it becomes increasingly predictable, Sushi is a comfortable, yet satisfying, read for both Keyes fans and newbies alike.