Ladies' Night at Finbar's Hotel, ed. by Dermot Bolger
Contributors: Maeve Binchy, Clare Boylan, Emma Donoghue, Anne Haverty, Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Kate O'Riordan, and Deirdre Purcell
Picador (Great Britain), 1999
Ladies' Night at the Finbar Hotel is an interesting concept for a novel, devised and edited by Dermot Bolger. Take seven Irish women writers -- Maeve Binchy, Clare Boylan, Emma Donoghue, Anne Haverty, Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Kate O'Riordan, and Deirdre Purcell have them each write a chapter, and then let the readers guess who wrote which chapter.
Each chapter of this novel is titled with a different room number at the "Finbar Hotel" in Dublin and tells the story of the room's inhabitant. Some of the stories are a little slow, and one was just a bit too ridiculous for my tastes (which are quite liberal, in fact). However, the overall result is a very enjoyable collaboration where characters appear as bit players in other chapters, and we eventually learn each's story and their relation to the hotel.
My favorite chapter was #104, "God's Gift," the tale of a lottery-winning nun doubting her faith and casting aside her habit for a night of passion that she hopes will confirm her unsuitability for God's work.
Another favorite was #106, "The Wedding of the Pughs," in which Mrs. Pugh follows her husband to Finbar Hotel to confirm whether or not he is having an affair.
I am not so familiar with the writing styles of these authors to take a guess at who wrote which sections. Readers out there who are will certainly have a lot of fun with this collection.
Also by Binchy: Aches & Pains, Circle of Friends, The Copper Beach, Dublin 4, Echoes, Evening Class, Firefly Summer, The Glass Lake, Light a Penny Candle, Lilac Bus, London Transports, Quentins, The Return Journey, Scarlet Feather, Silver Wedding, Tara Road, This Year it Will Be Different and Other Stories, and Victoria Line Central Line.
