Aphrodite's Workshop for Reluctant Lovers

Posted on | February 24, 2010 | 12 Comments

As mentioned in this post, I received a Valentine’s Day gift from Bloomsbury: a copy of Aphrodite’s Workshop for Reluctant Lovers by Marika Cobbold. Never one for looking a gift horse in the mouth, I curled up with book (and cupcakes) on the day and was far from disappointed; the novel was the perfect indulgence for the romantic holiday.

Rebecca Finch, the protagonist, is a Romance novelist who is jaded when it comes to love; not only is this is hazardous to her writing career but it is damaging to the powers-that-be. Aphrodite and her son Eros are being damaged in the age of romantic disillusionment and the loss of their acolyte, Rebecca, whose novels lift the hopes of the unlucky-in-love, is an embarrassment; on Mount Olympus the Greek God and her cherubic offspring decide to intervene in Rebecca’s love-life.

From the prologue, Aphrodite’s Workshop for Reluctant Lovers is a witty and engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Greek mythology fascinates me and I found the wry employment of the Gods and of Eros, the anthropomorphic explanation for a phenomenon, witty and clever; Eros calls Zeus “Grandpa” at one point and it is very entertaining to see the pettiness of the immortal dieties. On Mount Olympus the Gods watch the mortals as if they are participants in a reality TV show with Eros accused of watching America too often and Aphrodite watching back video tapes as she cannot get a handle on DVDs. Rebecca and John Sterling, the loverinterest, were fated to meet and fall in love years earlier but never did … due to the drunken incompetence of Eros one New Year’s Eve (he had been drinking with Dionysus). Aphrodite’s “workshop” takes the form of therapy sessions, sessions that she manipulates to bring together Rebecca and John. Aphrodite in the guise of therapist is often literal-minded and quips about never having met Socrates in person; I was particularly amused by this exchange with Rebecca:

‘I tell you, that little bastard Cupid and his arrows of mass-production have a lot to answer for.’

‘Eros, his name is Eros. Cupid is a vulgar Roman invention.’

I was a little taken aback by how seriously she took her classics.

‘And he’s not that bad: lazy, yes, sloppy in his work, yes, and come to think of it a bastard, yes, but he’s a good boy really.’

On the surface Aphrodite’s Workshop for Reluctant Lovers is a romantic novel with a comic and quirky premise (Rebecca also has an imaginary bully, Coco the bipolar clown) but it also has another layer that cleverly acts as commentary on the genre of romantic fiction. Rebecca is a romantic novelist who debunks the illusion of romantic love and Cobbold can be quite self-deprecating and even derisive about the genre whilst, ultimately, defending it. Her thoughts on Jane Austen (bottom quote) I concur with and I sought the Austenesque ending.

Favorite passages:

She was engrossed by the novel she was reading; I could tell from her changing expressions and the way she turned the pages with fingers that could barely wait for the eyes to catch up.

Words were dangerous things. Once let out they took on a life of their own, pulling consequences along with them, reproducing, prompting reactions, making solid that which had been shadowy and only partially formed. Words, once spoken or written, chased your illusions away.

But Jane Austen is no romantic, not really. She wrote about people falling in love and we know, with delicious anticipation, that the book will have what we think of as a happy ending: a wedding. But most of her alliances are formed out of good sense as much as sensibility. Back then, romance knew its place: as a passing diversion from the important issues like a home, raising a family, working, handing something down. Romantic love is the icing. The trouble comes when you eat the icing and throw away the cake.

Comments

12 Responses to “Aphrodite's Workshop for Reluctant Lovers”

Stujallen
February 24th, 2010 @ 7:18 pm

that sounds like a great book i like greek myths and the modern setting is a new spin ,can i ask is there set books for the persephone week in may ?
Meg
February 24th, 2010 @ 8:03 pm

Sounds like a really fun story! I’m interested in Greek mythology, too, but the only other contemporary novel I’ve read based on myth was Gods Behaving Badly… and that didn’t impress me too much. This one sounds much better!
Paperback Reader
February 24th, 2010 @ 9:09 pm

Stu, I did like the classics in the modern context and it was an original, if light, read. Very enjoyable.

No set books during Persephone Reading Week just as long as they’re published by Persephone!

Meg, it was fun and one of the only contemporary ones of that nature that I have read.
Stujallen
February 24th, 2010 @ 9:12 pm

oh good re persephone i ll pick a couple up to read and join in
Novel Insights
February 24th, 2010 @ 9:37 pm

Whoops, I popped by and then did a double take at the wonderful cover of this book and the fun title. Sounds like a good light read and thoroughly entertaining. What a nice Valentine’s treat to receive!
Paperback Reader
February 25th, 2010 @ 9:10 am

Stu, glad you’ll be joining in!

Polly, it’s an eye-catching cover and title, isn’t it? It was a lovely surprise gift to receive and I enjoyed it far more than I was expecting to. Definitely light and refreshing.
Dot
February 25th, 2010 @ 9:22 am

This sounds really different, great review!
Verity
February 25th, 2010 @ 9:29 am

I’m glad you enjoyed it – I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other Marika Cobbolds that I have read.
Paperback Reader
February 25th, 2010 @ 11:43 am

Dot, it is original and not what I was expecting; it was a fun read!

Verity, I would not be averse to reading more Marika Cobbold in the future so if you could recommend what to try, that would be great.
Jodie
February 25th, 2010 @ 8:53 pm

Yay I liked this book and I’m glad you did too. Seems we both enjoyed the way she knocks about the romantic genre and the concept of romantic love, but is also kind of eternally optomistic about it.
Simon (Savidge Reads)
February 25th, 2010 @ 10:19 pm

I have seen this a few times in the shops of late and have thought ‘ooh chick lit’ but now that though I can tell its not for me I know someone who I simply must get this for!! Thanks for teaching me much more about it.
Paperback Reader
February 26th, 2010 @ 11:08 am

Jodie, that’s indeed what I enjoyed about it. I like the novel way of approaching romantic love in a romance novel whilst retaining that sense of happily-ever-after.

Simon, you’re welcome and I hope that the recipient enjoys it.