The Hoarder

Macclesfield Library Reading group thanks the Reading Agency for providing us with ten copies of Jess Kidd’s The Hoarder.
When we met to discuss The Hoarder it seemed that most of the group had enjoyed reading it, we had previously read Himself by Jess Kidd which we couldn’t help but see a lot of similarities with this second book. The humour, colourful characters and many mysterious goings on kept us speeding through the pages. This story left us pondering about how emotional life changing events can imbue the places we live and the objects we surround ourselves with a history and a life of their own.
“An easy read but not as enjoyable as Himself as it was quite derivative of this book”
“Quite an easy read the author has quite an imagination too. The lead character sees spirits and saints who keep her company in this eventful story!”
“Quite light hearted but a lot of things happened in the book. I enjoyed it especially the saints and thought that it had some interesting twists”
“Lots of saints and missing people- not all of whom are found”
“I did not enjoy this book. It had too much going on and was very similar to the author’s previous novel- not my cup of tea.”

Marjorie thought:
Jess Kidd tells a wonderful story. You could be reading a grown up fairy tale. Instead of an enchanted forest we have a mysterious big old house filled with a strange old man’s secrets and hoardings, and lots of cats. A most enjoyable book which you just have to finish.

Mary said:
An enjoyable romp with Jess Kidd sticking to the style of “Himself” with the dead featuring prominently visible to the narrator. The saints as she refers to them provide most of the humour in the book and are anything but saintly! An accomplished writer with a warm and humorous style.

Lossiemouth Library Reading Group all loved this book. It is wonderfully imaginative and beautifully written. The characters are intriguing, quirky and bursting with life. The plot is beautifully constructed - the precarious relationship between the two central characters, Maud and Cathal, is cleverly depicted; the parallels between their lives there for us to see and understand the experiences that give them common ground. There is melancholy but it is well-balanced with funny moments. We particularly enjoyed the saints and the stories that Maud and Cathal tell each other. The ending is just right and gives us hope that we may hear more from Maud.