Anybody Out There (Walsh Family Book 4)

I am a true blue Marian Keyes fan. The Walsh women are a tough gang but they would be a hoot to hang out with. In this novel, Anna Walsh goes through some harrowing experiences like most of us will at some point in our lives. Keyes description of these emotions made me gasp at some points and at others I had to stop and have a good cry. She does not waste any words on melodrama but the choice words are those that make the reader feel what Anna is feeling. It is a wonderful, empathethic journey. I loved this book and all the others by this author.

I picked up my first Marian Keyes book when I was looking for a light read. I got a lot more than I bargained for. I love the fact that I can laugh out loud reading one page and catch my breath over something heartbreaking on the next. At times the writing reminds me of Kaye Gibbons, another of my favorite authors. She also has the ability to convey insight into relationships with humor and wonderful writing.

I have ordered the last Walsh sister book that I have not read and there is one non-fiction book that I have on my list. Then I must wait for the next Keyes offering. I know it will be worth the wait.

Marian Keyes is a powerhouse - to me, she's a combination of Maeve Binchy mixed with a little Sophie Kinsella but clearly a phenomenal talent in her own right. I think I enjoyed this Walsh sister book better than the others (while, like everyone else, patiently waiting for Helen's book) it was funny, sad, long, but in a good way - there was no skimming or counting pages with this read - enjoyable, I'm glad I saved it because there are not many books as good as the ones that Keyes pens and I'm so glad she recognized her talent and is doing what she's supposed to be doing in this life - Well Done - Bravo, yet again to Marian Keyes!

In this tale, Anna is in her early thirties, married and a victim of a tragic car accident. The story opens with her convalescing at her parents' home in Ireland. There have been many reviews of this book and I don't want to spoil it, so I won't go into too many details - if you read the product description and other reviews, then you already know what the book is basically about. There is an interesting twist mid-way into the book that will keep you reading. This was a really good read - highly recommended!

The first book of Marian Keyes that I read was Luci Sullivan is Getting Married. My niece had read all of Marian Keyes' books and gave me that first one, and from the moment I picked it up, I found I couldn't put it down. The story wasn't familiar, but the people she created were. It was like I was reading about people I either knew or wished I knew. I loved the subtle humor, the fluidity of her writing, the absolutely real characters she creates. Now I scour the store from time to time, waiting for her next creation, biding my time browsing through book after book and finding most of them falling far short of the bar she set for contemporary romance novels. You won't go wrong picking up a Marian Keyes novel. You will quickly find yourself lost in it.

In her newest novel, Anybody Out There?, author Marian Keyes returns to the quirky Walsh family: previously, she told the tales of oldest daughter Claire (Watermelon), second oldest Rachel (Rachel's Holiday), and middle child Maggie (Angels), and here, she focuses on the second youngest, Anna. The book opens with Anna at home in Ireland being taken care of by her eccentric mother and dealing with her wild younger sister, Helen. Anna has obviously been in a serious accident, but the exact cause of her injuries remains mysterious, as does the identity of the man she is pining for, Aidan. Before long, Anna decides that she needs to return to New York City to reclaim her "perfect" job and to find Aidan. Keyes slowly brings the reader up to speed on Anna's story by offering flashbacks to her meeting and eventual courtship with Aidan. Finally, over a third of the way into the book, the secret of what happened to Aidan is revealed, taking Part 2 of the book in a different direction. It is difficult to describe the remainder of the novel without giving too much away, but suffice it to say that it focuses on Anna's struggle to come to terms with her life, especially after yet another surprise surfaces (this time taking both the reader AND Anna off guard) just prior to the start of Part 3.

Keyes uses several literary devices in this book which seemed unnecessary to me. First of all, there is a prologue which foreshadows the eventual surprise revealed to Anna; I'm not sure what alluding to this ahead of time added to the story (in fact, I totally forgot about the prologue until it was mentioned again late in the novel). Secondly, throughout the book, Anna has frequent email exchanges with her family in Ireland which highlight the antics of her sister Helen in particular. The only purpose for this that I could imagine was possibly providing some further character development for Helen, a likely protagonist of a future Keyes novel. At the same time, I almost wish that Keyes had done this with Anna as well, as the Anna featured here seemed to be somewhat inconsistent with the portrayal of Anna as a supporting character in Keyes's previous works. But despite all of the above, Anna is the Walsh sister that I've enjoyed reading about the most so far. Keyes skillfully blends the seriousness of Anna's circumstances with her usual humor, thus creating a novel that is both touching and funny. Furthermore, the fully realized Anna is a believable, relatable individual, which adds to the appeal and universality of her story. Therefore, I would recommend Anybody Out There? not only to those who have enjoyed the past novels about the Walsh sisters but also to those new to Keyes and her unique brand of wisdom and wit.

This is my first book by Marian Keyes and apparently I should have started with the first Walsh family sagas, but I loved this so much that I'll now go backwards and find the others. Anna Walsh is the second youngest of five sisters, a petite dark haired woman who works as a very successful PR person for a major cosmetics company in New York. When we first meet her, she has returned to her parent's home in Ireland, to recuperate after a car accident, and is ensconced on the sofa in "the best front room". She is determined to get better quickly as all she can think about is getting back to her husband Aidan in New York. She's been left with facial scars which threaten her fabulous job with all of its perks as the company want only beautiful people to represent them, but, more worryingly, Aidan just can't be reached on his cell phone and all she gets is his voice, leaving a message. It's a wonderful, moving book, perhaps one which would appeal more to women, but one to which many women could relate and I certainly recommend it to readers.

When Anybody Out There opens we find Anne Walsh at her parents home in Ireland recovering from a horrible accident and a mystery surrounding the absence of her husband Aiden. As the story moves on, we begin to learn about the history of Anne, her job in NY, how she met Aiden, the accident, and finally where Aiden has been. By the end, you will have a clear picture of all that has happened to Anne and Marian Keyes beautifully closes the story.

If I had to find one fault with the book, it was the emails back and forth between Annes mother and sister from Ireland. I understand it was to put some humor into the book, but to me it did not balance out the seriousness of the storyline of Anne and Aiden.

Still, if you are a fan of Marian Keyes, Anybody Out There is a book that you will want add to your collection. If you would like to read other books about the Walsh sisters here is a list of titles

Watermelon/Claire --- Rachels Holiday/Rachel --- Angels/Margaret

If you have read Watermelon, Angels or Rachel's holiday, you will be familiar with the Walsh sisters. This book is about Anna, fourth of the five sisters.

When we begin the book, Anna is back home and has been given the GFR (good front room), she is so banged up she can't climb the stairs. Her face is cut up and scarred, her knee has been dislocated, she has a broken arm and is missing fingernails. This is an intriguing start to the story and I have to say it was difficult to hold myself back from racing ahead to find out what happened to her. Which is just as well, it would have spoilt the story.

Marian Keyes neatly ties in Anna's story with those of the other sisters, we get a bit of a recap of each of their stories and find out what they are up to now. Anna is all grown up and has been living in New York for the past few years as a beauty publicist. She has a fabulous job, a fabulous husband and a very happy life. The hippy-dippy Anna of previous novels has all but disappeared.

However once she convinces Mammy Walsh to let her go back to New York, some of that old hippy comes through. People at work are acting strangely around her, her friends are treating her like a mental patient, and she can't find her beloved husband Aiden. She soon becomes desperate and starts consulting mediums and even attends a spiritualist church a few times. The pace really picks up in the second two thirds of the book, I absolutely could not put the book away until it was finished. It's a very close call, but I found this even better than Rachels Holiday

Highly recommended

I've read all of Marian Keye's previous novels, and it's a little ritual to buy anything new that comes out by her...this time I bought this newest book at the airport, & had a lovely, relaxing time reading it on the long plane-trip. First things first though: I feel it's kind of hard to review this book since the subject matter is initially hidden (quite well too, I must say) & revealed to the reader when you're well into the book, i.e. have read more than 1/3 of it. Therefore I'll be a bit cryptic about what the story actually involves, & will simply say it follows the life and days of Anna Walsh, one of the youngest sisters in the Irish Walsh family that Keyes has followed in previous books (Watermelon / Rachel's holiday). You don't need to have read the previous books to follow this one- but it might make the experience more enjoyable if you have. This is a fun, easy read, even though at times it's also sad and insightful. It's also a very funny book, as all of Keyes' previous books. Here, as in other of her books, she comes up with hilarious ideas such as 'jolly girls', 'labrodoodles', birthing-class descriptions etc. However true-to-life and insightful the book becomes at times, its main strenght is the laughs you'll get out of it. So it remains firmly and proudly in the easy-to-read 'chic-lit' genre- which is not a bad thing, since it doesn't pretend otherwise. I've given it 4 stars because I think Keyes remains one of the best writers in this genre. So, enjoy- and read this preferably on the beach or on a long plane ride...

In Manhattan public relations specialist for punk cosmetics brand Candy Grrrl, Anna Walsh suffers sever injuries in a taxi accident that include a horrifying disfigurement across her pretty visage. Physically healing though suffering from multiple fractures, Anna mentally struggles especially with the facial scar so she returns home to her loving family in the Dublin area for nurturing.

Dublin is no picnic as she finds herself embroiled in family affairs that the ocean kept her out of. Private eye sister Helen works with mobsters; Rachel is acting crazy with her marriage coming soon; and her mom is feuding with a dog pooping at the mailbox. With her husband Aidan not responding to email and seemingly vanished, a despondent Anna wonders if you can really go home that is if you can figure out where home is.

Highly regarded Marian Keyes (see ANGELS, WATERMELON and RACHEL'S HOLIDAY) returns with her latest and best Walsh tale, which is saying a lot as this is a top rate series. Anna is terrific as the center of the family dynamics this time around. As she becomes involved with the escapades of her sisters and mom, her spouse back in Manhattan becomes a MIA. Bittersweet, amusing and powerfully acute, this is a great literary character study.

Harriet Klausner

Anybody Out There was a book that started out really great. However, after a while, not only did it start to drag on, it also started to resemble a mess...a mildly intriguing mess, but a mess none the less. Now, I don't need much from a chick-lit to be happy, but in Anybody Out There, I just needed more.

The Good: Part 1. Part 1 of Anybody Out There was the best out of the three parts in this book. The family dynamics, which was my favorite part of Anybody Out There, were more prominent in the first part and were only alluded to in the last two parts. Another good thing was the twist. I definitely did not see that coming, particularly because I thought this was going to be a breezy, easy, funny chick-lit. Definite points for the twist.

The Okay: Part 3. Part 3, where everything was coming together, was not as good as Part 1, but way better than Part 2. Jacqui's side plot was funny enough that it kept me interested in Anybody Out There. As unplausible as it was, I was also mildly satisfied with the ending. Although, that could have been because I just wanted the book to be over.

The Bad: Part 2. I don't know how something involving mediums could've been so flippin' boring. Part 2 just dragged on and on. Oh, and Helen's emails...also dragged on and on. I found Helen to be funny and interesting at first, but after those emails, I was so incredibly bored with her character. That side plot was just pointless. Another bad thing about Anybody Out There was the numerous side plots. You had the mediums, you had the husband turmoil, the job turmoil, the ex-girlfriend turmoil, and a couple more turmoils that I don't feel like elaborating on. This book just had way too much going on. Oh, and it also stopped being funny at one point.

So, overall, I found Anybody Out There to be a dud. No laugh out loud moments, but a couple of chuckles at first. Then, there were no chuckles...no type of laughter. There was major eye-rolling, though. Utterly forgettable and more than a little boring, so I say skip it.

The marketing business is a self-contained, cutthroat world, but Anna Walsh emerges from it as a young, successful executive for Candy Grrrl Cosmetics in New York. She's smart, she's beautiful, and she's got a wonderful husband who adores her. In short, she has it all.

But that's not how it seems when this story first opens in Anna's native Dublin, where her parents are nursing her back to health and tending to some of her very serious physical injuries. The nature of those injuries remains a mystery, as does the unexplained absence of Anna's husband, Aidan, during Anna's convalescence. Her phone calls to him go un-returned, as do her e-mails, and Anna becomes increasingly anxious over his continued silence. So anxious in fact that she decides it's time to go back to New York to try and make sense of everything.

I've long suspected that beneath Marian Keyes "chick-lit" façade, there lay some very serious writing. Her latest offering, goes a long way to proving that. This book explores the nature of relationships, attraction, and one woman's desperate attempt to hold on to the man she loves, whatever the cost.

This book is also a bit of a mystery. Anna's memories jump with surprising fluidity from present to past and back again, allowing readers to fill in the blanks at a comfortable pace until they come to the novel's twist.

Those familiar with Keyes' previous novels will find themselves in familiar territory with the Walshes: a family that has been featured very prominently in books past. This time Anna serves as narrator and protagonist, but her sisters Claire, Rachel, Margaret and Helen are all back with memorable cameos of their own

Keyes delivers wonderful characters, excruciatingly funny insights into ordinary work and family life, and a fantastically bittersweet love story.

This was my first introduction to Marian Keyes. Wow. WOW. I can't begin to say how much I loved this book! I laughed 'til I almost embarrassed myself in public, I cried 'til I almost embarrassed my--... you get the idea. This is deceptively simple -- a rich perspective on matters great and small, a story drawn from life, masterfully told. I've rarely seen an author so completely adept at storytelling, knowing exactly when, how and how much to reveal to the reader. You completely move with Anna Walsh through her stages of awareness, and her honest exploration of the labyrinth of the human heart. I did NOT want to finish this book -- I wanted to stay with these characters forever. This is the best of Irish wit, humor, zest for life, and a centuries-honed gift for sailing the turbulent seas of life and living to tell the story well. I loved it from first to last.

I find myself really floored by some of Marian Keyes books, she writes of such powerful themes. In this book, her fourth in the series of books about the Walsh sisters, she deals with another enormous theme, coping with loss - just what has happened and why slowly unfolds through the novel, and to tell you what has happened would really be a spoiler.

We are introduced to Anna, she is sick, and recovering at home, but we have no idea why she is there. Just as with Rachel's holiday (about another Walsh sister) the past is slowly revealed to the reader through a series of flash backs. This is an enormously powerful book, or I found it so. The emotions are raw, and we have to cope, along with Anna.

The wonderful thing about Keyes is that she invests her subjects with enormous good humour, and hope. The book is light and fun in parts, but it taps some bleak themes.

I read this book in a couple of sittings, (I had to sleep sometime!) but it was worth it. A great read, and one that will leave you thinking about it for a long time after.

Marian Keyes is back with another saga about the Walsh family. This time, the focus is on Anna, a woman who has found career bliss as a PR rep for a top makeup company -- her family loves the freebies -- and married bliss with her husband, Aidan.

The book opens mysteriously with Anna staying at her parents' home in Dublin, having left New York and the makeup company behind. Anna is recovering from an accident of some kind; she has trouble walking and has some scars that the neighborhood kids make fun of. The accident is never really described. Another problem: Aidan isn't returning her calls, or emails.

It takes a while to find out what's going on with Aidan, and then Anna becomes increasingly determined to get in touch with him at any cost. She moves back to New York once she's healed sufficiently and sets off on a quest to find him.

I did enjoy this book, but it was just a little darker than I would have liked. Angels is still my favorite Marian Keyes book. However, her writing style is great as usual. Of course I am looking forward to her new book.

I stumbled across Marian Keyes' "Watermelon" ages and ages ago, when I was a wee teenage lass and just delving into the world of so-called "chick lit" (I think I got a clearance copy for $4.99 at B&N). To be honest, I pretty much hated it and thought Marian Keyes was a writer I'd avoid in my future readings (along with Jane Greene and a few other unmentionables). At 14 the story line was one that I absolutely could not relate to- I was looking for the next Bridget Jones- and the humor in "Watermelon" was too nuanced and the emotions more tangible and compelling than I could relate to at that age. "Watermelon" was about the real, painful demise of a very adult relationship at Clare's biggest hour of need- I was hormonal and angsty and uncomfortable dealing with my own crazy emotions to relate to Keyes' characters in the slightest.

And avoid her books I did, until nigh on a month ago, when I was perusing the ebooks available at my local library and "Angels" was available. I remembered the Walsh family from "Watermelon" and didn't have high expectations, but Maggie seemed more relatable than Clare so I was game to give it a try.....and I devoured it in a matter of hours. For dessert I wolfed down "Rachel's Holiday", going through the Walsh family series from there....

But that's neither here nor there, after all, I am reviewing "Anybody Out There" and not Marian Keyes' full literary repertoire. Back on point as to why this book is so fantastic. I loved Anna as a background character, and I was even more enchanted with her in the starring role. This is a different, more mature Anna than the one we saw previously, but her "voice" in this book is still very distinct from her sisters. She's funny and self-deprecating like the other girls, but despite her hippie roots manages to be the most sage and well-grounded Walsh family member.

Disclaimer: this story is really, really freaking sad. I didn't read the reviews before buying the novel, so all I knew was that it was about Anna. The novel starts off with the reader aware that something enormous has happened to Anna, but it reveals itself slowly throughout the novel. I was surprised multiple times at where the story went, and loved the non-linear progression of the storyline. I loved following Anna's character during her tragic period of growth, and think Keyes did a wonderful job taking Anna through the stages of grief. It's never quite resolved, but when, if ever, are things packaged nicely in life anyways?

The thing that literally floors me about Keyes' writing is that she is talented on so many fronts- she creates really compelling characters and follows them through periods of upheaval in their lives, without making the story feel like a 24/7 crisis. And the one liners! Keyes has the most amazing turns of phrase that I always find myself relating exactly to and then highlighting to go over later.

I'm really, really glad that I gave Keyes a second chance- these are definitely books I'll read again, and "Anybody Out There" is my favorite (and the one that made me cry the most, but in a good sad way). Buy it! You know you want to.

I have read several of Marian Keyes's books about the Walsh sisters. They are always witty, well-written, and thought provoking. Anybody Out There? is also a delightful read. This book is about Anna Walsh. The novel starts out with her living at home in Ireland with her family following a tragic event which has left her severely injured both physically and emotionally. The book blossoms as the author unfolds the details of the traumatic occurence Anna has gone through and slowly describes Anna's journey of discovery and growth as she picks herself up and goes through the motions that help her continue with her life. This book is at times sad, at times triumphant, but mostly it's an enjoyable read.

Marian Keyes has fast become one of our best loved writers. Her books depicting the close knit lives of the Irish people have been no. 1 bestsellers, in the best tradition of Maeve Binchy, Cathy Kelly and many others.

In this book, she returns to the saga of the Walsh family sisters, which began with 'Watermelon', and went on to 'Rachel's Holiday' and 'Angels'. This time it is Anna's turn to be in focus.

Anna is recovering from a terrible accident in which she has scarred her face. She has also lost her much beloved husband Aidan, but she is in denial about it. As the mists around the incident clear up, Anna attempts psychic contact with him, but her efforts do not meet with much success. About a year later, time begins to heal the pain and she is able to deal with it much better. She sees the experience as complete in itself and ending a whole chapter in her life. As a result, she is better equipped to appreciate the contribution of those of her loved ones who are still present, and filling her life with love and affection and move on.

This book is in Marian Keyes unique first person style. It can be ribticklingly funny, even though it deals with tragedy, surveillance and depression. The course of events is eminently plausible, they have been put together with the dexterity of an Agatha Christie, and the long sought after contact with the dead, when it finally comes, does so through a dream and not any psychic medium. The contact achieved, affirms a future that has no link to a shadowy past. In this sense, the book is not just a slapstick, happy-go-lucky long-drawn out chick lit, but a serious attempt to observing how an Irish family deals with real loss over the time span of a year, and emerges, bruised but intact.

Warnly recommended.

Never has Marian Keyes made me cry so much, the twist in this book really knocked me for six. This is another of the Walsh family novels, this time set around Anna who is recovering in her parents good front room following an accident. Although very sad this is also brilliantly funny, especially many of the scenes which involve Mammy Walsh. One of the highlights for me is being English, I would often have thought some things unbelievable, having lived in Northern Ireland for a few years I can now see that mothers are different in Ireland (both North and South) and people really do still have a good front room over there! This is by far my favourite of Marian's books.

In this latest installment of the Walsh sisters, we discover what happens to Anna. She is the flighty sister, who always picks the wrong boyfriend, never has money, can't figure out her life, etc. Yet in this book we discover that she has in fact pulled her life together and is living out her dream job with her dream husband in the dream city of NY. However, the thing about dreams is that the person has to awaken and when Anna does, reality hits her in a pretty hard way. Having read the previous stories of the Walsh sisters, beginning with Watermelon, this read was good as a visit to the past. It is intense at times and difficult to get through due to the plot, but it is completely worth it.

I've read a few of the book about the other Walsh sisters, but this one is definitely the best. While Marian Keyes's other books can be a bit flighty and have plots and characters that are not completely believable, this one is definitely more focused and a whole lot more mature. It does have its faults, though: the characters could be a little better-developed and some of the situations were a tiny bit overdramatic, but I found myself rooting for Anna and Aidan the whole time and unable to stop crying in a lot of the beautifully written emotional sections. Even though this story is moody and a bit dark for typical chicklit, many parts are laugh-out-loud hilarious, like the crazy subplot featuring Anna's mom and private investigator sister Helen.

A slight warning: the majority of Part 1 and the beginning of Part 3 are very confusing, but you have to understand that this is written from Anna's perspective, and life after she recovers is very confusing for her. I strongly recommend reading the book twice if you fail to grasp the details of the plot the first time (it sounds tedious, but the book is actually better the second time you read it). And if you're someone who hates emotional, tear-jerking novels, don't bother picking this up. Those who'll enjoy it best are the women who aren't afraid to have a good cry over a truly poignant work of literature.

Anna Walsh is a wreck. Recuperating in Ireland following her massive injuries from a car accident, she has been dubbed "Frankenstein" by the local youth. Anna heals quickly in the bosom of her large, quirky family, whom Marian Keyes fans will know well --- this is the fourth book featuring a Walsh sister. She's eager, but bordering on anxious, to get back to her real life in New York City, to her "best job in the world" (PR rep for the hip cosmetics brand Candy Grrrl) and to her beloved husband, Aidan.

Through flashbacks, we learn about Anna's past --- how she moved to New York, how she landed her glamorous job, how she met Aidan and married him following a whirlwind romance. Anna's history makes it clear that she and Aidan are the real deal --- their love is as true as it gets --- so why has Aidan mysteriously disappeared, refusing to respond to Anna's email and voice mail messages?

Desperate to reconnect with Aidan, Anna goes to great lengths --- consulting horoscopes, dubious fortunetellers, even the psychic to the stars --- without much success. Only a letter from Aidan's ex-girlfriend promises to bring Anna a different kind of connection to her husband, one she wasn't looking for but that promises to change her life forever.

As the extent of Anna's loss becomes clear to readers, Keyes's novel develops an emotional depth that exceeds any of her books to date. Keyes has always been known as an author whose novels surpass the Chick Lit tag with which they are often labeled. The heartbreaking story of grief and hesitant renewal in ANYBODY OUT THERE? has few easy answers and happy endings; instead, Keyes delivers a compelling, honest portrait of a woman who has lost herself and isn't quite sure if she's ready to be found. "Would I be holding my breath forever," Anna asks herself, "waiting for the world to right itself?"

All this probably sounds like a bit of a downer, but rest assured that Keyes's trademark collection of diverse, eccentric characters is back, including Anna's busybody mother and private investigator sister, both of whom correspond with Anna by means of hilarious emails. Anna's job and the foibles of life in the Big Apple also provide plenty of fodder for Keyes's observant humor. Fans of her previous novels will find much to treasure here, while readers who are being introduced to Keyes's talents for the first time will rush to scoop up the other novels about the Walsh family (WATERMELON, RACHEL'S HOLIDAY, and ANGELS).

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I'm not a person who normally reads chick lit, but when I was thirteen years old I went on a kick of only buying books with pastel covers. It was stupid, I know, but it seemed like books with pink and yellow covers are cheerful. This was how I picked up Marian Keyes's book Watermelon. And was introduced to the Walsh family. I liked Watermelon; loved Rachel's Holiday and adored Angels. So I bought this book right away, even though it's in hardcover.

From the start I loved the series-all of the sisters were so different in their perceptions in others and themselves. So when I saw this book was about Anna-the younger, perpetually zoned (and possibly stoned) type 2 sister (small, dark and pretty) I was a little shocked to see that she had a job as a PR girl for a makeup line in New York. I mean, when did she get herself together and stop being zoned?

It takes a while to find out. A great deal of the first half of the book is flashbacks to Anna's first job, her move to New York and meeting Aidan her love of her life husband. But all these flashbacks are taking place when Anna is laid up in Dublin with serious injures and an absent husband. What happened? Well, that's what part two is about. Part three is about...well, that would ruin the surprise. I won't tell. I will say that there is no amnesia in this book-I don't why it said that on the jacket cover. One of the centeral issues of the book is seaking what is lost-no matter what it was, but there is no amnesia going on. Selected memory yeah, but no amnesia.

Like all the Walsh books this novel is more than it seems. Marian Keyes is fantastically talented at taking a very heavy subject and putting into terms everyone understands. In Rachel's Holiday I really thought that Rachel wasn't a drug addict until she finally realized she was. The way Keyes wrote it was so complete in the denial that oozed out of Rachel that the reader felt the same way. In a very clever way Marian Keyes writes about the issues that surround us, impale us, and make us who we are. It's very unfair, and an insult to her talents, to call Keyes a writer of chick lit-she writes books about real issues like grief (such as getting dumped the day you have your baby), drugs suffering, self image and love. She writes real life, and like real life her stories don't always have a happy ending. But they do have family with them in the end.

I LOVED this book. I cried a lot (some parts are very, very sad), laughed a lot (this book is funnier then the others), and truly felt like I was Anna-or at least a good friend. I recommend this book to everyone, but if you're new to Marian Keyes don't read this first-Watermelon, then Rachel's Holiday, then Angels will set you up nice. Reading these books makes me wish for sisters.

Five stars. There's one sister to go-will the next book be about Helen Walsh the unfeeling possibly sociopath P.I.? I hope so-but I would love a book from Mammy Walsh's view too- but for now I can only imagine it and wait for the next book.

Hmmm. I seem to be on some kick where I just can't take serious books. So I pick up a Marian Keyes novel, who always delivers great "chic lit" (boy do I HATE that term) with substance, without even reading the back cover. She delivers again -- a bit more serious than I had expected but still a great delivery none the less. No spoilers here. But if you want a "lighter" read that won't show up on any college literature lists but isn't about how Susie loves Joey while he's all about Sandra, this is the novel for you.

I just finished reading this book for the third time. That's how many times I had to read it so that I could get through the entire thing without crying. I never cry about stories in books or movies. This touched me deeply because I have a very good friend that is going through this right now. Well, they are somewhere in the middle of the process.

It feels so real that I don't know how M. Keyes could write this unless she went through it or someone very close to her went through it. Or did she just hit on it by accident?

The story runs two threads at once, which you would expect to be confusing but it isn't. It's like we get to see little bits of the truth as we are able to handle it, just like Anna is remembering/facing things as she can handle it.

Once I figured out what was going to happen I really didn't want to keep reading as I knew it would be tough to get through for me personally. But it was a wonderful book.

The writing is so good that you really just feel everything Anna is going through. The supporting cast and story all get flushed out sufficiently too (including the side stories with Helen and Mammy Walsh). Keyes really is a gifted writer.

All the books in the Walsh series bring something different. Read this, especially if you have read the other ones. If you aren't a big fan of crying in public you might want to read this book at home. :)

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST BOOK I READY BY MARIAN KEYES. MARIAN KEYES HAS A WAY OF ARTICULATING YOUR VERY OWN THOUGHTS AND COMMUNICATING THEM WITH A HUGE DOSE OF COMICAL HUMOR. SHE IS NOT A COMEDIAN. SHE IS A COMIC. SHE HAS A WAY OF SAYING THINGS/WRITING HER BOOKS. THIS BOOK IS FULL OF SUSPENSE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO THE END - WHICH WILL ACTUALLY GIVE A PERSON SOME INSIGHT INTO THEIR OWN GRIEF/DEATH ISSUES. THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON MY OWN REALITY AND MY REALITY IS THAT ALL OF HER BOOKS ADDRESS INTENSE ISSUES WITHIN THE PSYCHE. SHE PROVIDES PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHT INTO LIFE. READ ALL OF HER BOOKS.

This is my absolute favorite of her books. So good and sad. Its like when you're feeling down sometimes it makes you feel better to watch a sad movie and cry. Love this series. Hopefully she continues.

I have to admit this one didnt draw me in like the rest of the Walsh Stories at the start. Once i realised where Keyes was going with the story, my opinion changed from its an okay book to nearly crying my eyes out around page 200. This was a great story!

Anna's injuries are NOT for the faint hearted!! Ouch.. The way Anna's collegues treated Anna's injuries just made me laugh out load. This was another great on by Keyes whos sense of humour cannot be beaten!!!! Lets hope we dont have to wait for a novel about the youngest sister Helen.

I got hooked by "Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married" and have been hooked since! In "Anybody Out There," Keyes explores how we cope with tragedy. I felt so compelled by the character, and saw so much of myself in her. I don't want to give too much away about her tragedy, Keyes doesn't even tell until midway through the story, but it was like a bombshell went off! I think she does a great job of having you feel anger and sadness with Anna. I was definitely a big fan! Can't wait for the last of the Walsh sister novels!

A definite must read if you like Keyes!

This was my first Keyes book and I now look forward to reading the stories of the other Walsh sisters. This is Anna's story. Anna is a strong woman who works for a marketing firm in New York City, with her client being a line of a cosmetic company. She has "the perfect job" until a freak accident changes her life forever. The journey she takes to get back her life is quite enjoyable. She has ups and downs and there are laughs along the way with her Irish family, along with tears over her heartbreaks. Some readers might give this an R rating for language. All and all this makes a perfect beach/vacation read and if the language issue doesn't bother you, I highly recommend it.

I had never read a chick book before this one. I gravitate towards mysteries, thrillers, crime dramas, etc. But this book was being offered in a campaign from Bzz Agent so I decided, why not?

Let me tell you, once I started it I could not put it down. The pace of the entire book was excellent, always something going on, never boring. The characters are incredibly likeable [my favorites were Helen (who Marian Keyes must write a book about), Mum Walsh, and of course Anna] and there are a lot of different people who make appearances in the book. But it was very easy to get a sense of what each one was really like and they all fit into the story seamlessly.

Rarely do books make me laugh out loud, but, with 'Anybody Out There?' there were far too many instances to count when that did happen and I loved it. On the flip side, I also don't tear up very often, but this book did that to me too. It definitely stirred up a range of emotions within me which kept me so very interested in finishing the book to find out what eventually happened with everyone, especially Anna. Maybe the ending was a tad abrupt, but it worked okay for me so I didn't really mind. It was easy to envision what might have happened further down the road for the main character.

Although this was my first experience reading a Marian Keyes novel, it most certainly will not be my last. The hard part will be deciding which other book of hers to start with. Hmmmm...

So, if you're into chick-lit, or even if you're not and you just want a book with great characters and a great story, then 'Anybody Out There?' is a wonderful choice. You won't be disappointed.

First of all, I started this book without realizing that it is actually the 4th in a series involving these Walsh sisters. This always annoys me and although I don't think this was a situation where I missed something by not reading the first three, it did deter from my overall reading enjoyment.
Now, I very much went into this book with eyes wide open; I assumed it was chick lit-y and as such, was not expecting to be bowled over with literary magnificence. But even so, with managed expectations, this story was really grating on my nerves and although there were definitely times when I was choked up and my stomach was in knots, there were MORE times when I was like "OH MY GOD WAKE UP AND GET ON WITH IT!" Now, there are several points when the story takes an unforeseen turn and I'd be lying if I said those points didn't really hold my interest (ie, when she figures out what happens to her husband, secret part to husband's life is revealed, etc.) But these story benders are few and far between and you have to trudge through pages and pages of trite dialogue and predictable narrative to get to them which, like I said, did a number on my nerves.
In any case, if you've read the first three by this author and liked them, then have at this book. You'll like it. But if you're just perusing for some light reading, find something else. This is book is very forgettable.

I am a great fan of Marian Keyes, and I have read all her books. While I didn't really dislike this book, I found it deeply confusing. Maybe I read the books out of order, but the picture of Anna-- the main character-- that you get from the other novels is sort of a stoned hippie who wanders through life dreamily. The Anna we know from the other books is explained away in a few short pages, apparently she turned her entire life around between books. I found this a little disappointing and untrue to the character as I grew to understand here in the other works... I thought it might have made more sense if two of the books were reversed, and ANNA went to The Cloisters (see "Rachel's Holiday") to detox, and Rachel had this adventure.

It wasn't a bad book, but I just came away from it feeling like Marian Keyes had an idea for a novel and shoehorned a character she already had into the main role, then had to go back and account for the fact that it was nothing like her in any other work. The brief blow-through of the interim years that Anna gives at the beginning of this book personally sounded like a far more interesting, true-to-her-nature read. I wish Keyes had published this as a "Sushi" book, or another character entirely.

I am a big fan of Marian Keyes and have fallen in love with the Walsh Family over all of her previous books. Anna was the sister who always intriqued me, we never knew too much about her, but we knew she was quirky and into new age things. This book details her life, including her mysterious injuries and her return to Ireland. The book is too wonderful to give away, so I must leave it at that. Whether this is your first Marian Keyes book, or if you are an old friend of the Walsh Family, this book will enthrall you and leave you haunted long after you have finished it.

First off, I just have to say I really like all the characters in this book. That doesn't happen often.

Anna's extremely relatable, in my opinion. I put myself in her position and I figured I would have been in the same exact state as she was after what she went through. It was a funny and heartbreaking journey to go through with her. I really loved the ending, I think that's where I got the most emotional.

I really suck at reviewing, but I hope you give this book a shot.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of "Anybody Out There?" this week. At first I thought I knew what had happened to the main character, Anna, but little thoughts kept creeping in hoping I was wrong. I found the second half of the book to be slow, especially with the email storyline between Anna and her sister Helen. I didn't really see how this added to the book other than giving Anna a distraction from her situation. I loved the ending and was brought to tears again. I give this three stars because it doesn't compare to some of her other books and the storylines that made parts rather boring. The narrator on the audio version was great!

Marian Keyes has an uncanny ability to write stories that deal with difficult sometimes heartbreaking issues and to so completely breathe life into wonderful quirky characters that we know they must be alive in an alternate universe somewhere. Her ability to capture our lives, the lives of women (and yes, men) as they struggle, cry, laugh, and keep on living anyway, that is what is uncanny, and is a gift. Thank you, Ms. Keyes!

I got this book to read thinking it was just simple lite chick-lit ---- boy, was I ever surprised. Without giving away the plot, I just wanted to say that however crazy people think Anna's behavior might be in this book, Keyes' description of her emotions and behavior at her situation are absolutely spot on. I've never before encountered a book that described exactly how I felt (and behaved ---- including encounters with "swizzies") in the same situation, 10+ years ago now. Would be a great book to give to friends who Just Don't Get It.

An edit after actually finishing the book! I also had an almost identical encounter with a Neris-like character

I thoroughly enjoyed Marian Keyes' "Anybody Out There?" and I'm SO glad that I make it a general point not to read book or movie reviews ahead of time as they generally give away too much of the plot. In this case, reading some of the reviews would have told me how the protagonist, Anna, had sustained her injuries, spoiling the skillful way that Marian Keyes writes about Anna in the first part of the book making you wonder "WHAT HAPPEND?" and building up the suspense accordingly.

I enjoyed this book very much. I read everything from Ms. Keyes. I think her writing is easy to read with some romantic overtones. She never fails to entertain. Although, Rachel's Holiday was a bit heavier fare. This book shares some deeper themes than getting fat and finding a man. It had many little surprises and in the end was a great read. You will not be disappointed. The characters are fun as always but carry a bit more depth than some of her other novels.

I love Marian Keyes and have really enjoyed all of her novels, but this is by far my favorite. So touching, suspensful in it's way, and funny, all at the same time. It's cliche to say this but really "I laughed, I cried . . . " Wonderful, wonderful read! I never really felt like the character of Anna was understood in the other novels, which is fine because they weren't about her. But I really felt like I got inside her head in this one, and it was so wonderful.

This was the first book I read in the Walsh family series but I recommend reading 'Watermelon' and 'Rachel's Holiday' beforehand. Both these books (about Anna's big sisters, Claire and Rachel respectively) give the reader a good sense of how Anna is perceived by others - a little kooky but kind, new-age hippie and zoned out most of the time.

After that 'Anybody out there?' gives you an insight into how the supposedly zoned-out alien being sees herself and the world around her. It is quite heartening to know that she isn't exactly stupid, just has a different set of priorities from most other people. Through most of the first half I had no clue what her situation was about but was carried along in the pleasantly deceptive/self-protective world Anna creates around her. Even as reality sets in, how Anna deals with her personal crisis is the heart-warming story of 'Anybody out there?'

I started this book three days ago and couldn't put it down until 3 a.m. this morning, when I finished it. I am a huge fan of Marian Keyes and have read everything she's written. "Anybody Out There?" is my favorite of the Walsh family stories. I do hope another is in the works.

All of the other reviews have pretty much summed things up without giving too much away. I loved how Keyes keeps the reader in the dark as to what is really going on in Anna's life. We learn what's happened as Anna learns. Keyes does this brilliantly.

There were at least 4 times in the book where I realized my face was soaked with tears. You'll laugh at the Walsh family's antics, yet again. But more than that, you'll feel every emotion Anna struggles with. Again, Keyes is brilliant at making her pain relevant.

Marian, I need you to know that you've just done it. You have written the most amazing, sad but brilliant story, ever!

There are no words for describing the feelings you go through while reading about Anna's beautifully broken world. You laugh, you sob like an idiot, but most of all you just sit there, with this strange feeling somewhere in your gut. Or maybe it's just the ache in your heart that nearly kills you?

I wonder, how can you be so terrified by the thought of the same thing happening to you, as to Anna, while you, at the same time wish you would feel a bit of all that wonderful joy she experienced before it all broke down? It really makes you wonder; is it better to have loved and lost, than not loved at all?

In this case the answer is yes.

Because through the entire story, the beauty beats the bitterness. Keyes wont let Anna forget all those wonderful moments she spent with Aidan.

If anyone ever finds even an ounce of that wonderful happiness, they should be so lucky...

I thought this book was going to take longer then it took me! I could not put this book down. I loved Anna in this amazing, sad story. The book starts off after a huge accident and then it takes you on a whirl wind of what Anna went through. It was a touching story about loss, love and family. It was such an enjoyable read and it took me no time at all that I would highly recommend it! Great story.

I loved this book. It was sad, funny, engaging, and interesting all in one. The story begins with Anna at home and seriously injured. You don't find out why until halfway through the book. As the story unfolds, you find yourself having a harder and harder time putting it down. (Even when you need to get up early the next day for work!) I am a big Marian Keyes books, which started with Watermelon. This one may even top Watermelon as my favorite. I can't WAIT until a book about Helen comes out.

Definitely read this book!

I have read all of Marian Keyes' other books, so I was very excited for this one. But I was dissapointed. I cried continuously throughout this book. All of the the other books had a dark side to them also, but I personally felt this book's dark side was so dark I had trouble enjoying the humor. It is funny, and it did make me laugh out loud in some parts, but I'm not sure it was worth the constant sobbing. My husband had to comfort me for hours after I finished this book. I agree with some of the other reviews that the other sisters were kind of one-dimensional. Also, the jacket cover was SO misleading. There was no amnesia, she smelled lilies only once, and her mom playing nurses like her favorite soap was mentioned once on the first page. There was no mention of the actual meat of the book. I understand they didn't want to give away the spoiler but a more accurate description would have been nice. I sincerely hope Helen's book is more like the first 3 rather than this one.

I loved this book, I highlighted many lines from this book and I will re-read this book many times. It just struck a cord in me personally and I bet a lot of people will feel the same way. Marian knocked it out of the park again with her storytelling. Seriously, buy this book or steal it, but you have to read it!

I'm a huge Marian Keyes fan. When I found out she was coming out with a book about Anna I was really excited and couldn't wait to read it. I've liked her other books about the Walsh sisters and figured this one would be on par with the rest, but I quickly found out it wasn't. In the previous books Anna is described as sort of kooky and kind of "out there", so when she appears together in this book I found myself thinking that this has got to be someone else and not the Anna of previous books. I felt all of her other books were humorous as well as serious, but I didn't really get that much from this book. If anything, it was just sad and depressing and not what I was expecting from a book about Anna. I won't read this again. It wasn't bad, but just not my cup of tea.

I absolutely love Marian Keyes! She's my #1 favorite writer, so I was thrilled to bring this book on vacation with me to enjoy it! - - Her writing seems even better than the last book, her use of words is just lovely. - - The first 1/3rd of the book or so had me totally & completely hooked on the strange mystery surrounding Anna. Then the mystery was solved (easy to figure out), and the rest of the book (we're talking hundreds of pages here) was a non stop saturation of sadness & utter despair. My vacation was completely covered by a dark cloud of melancholy because Marian's so good at pulling readers into the characters own emotions through her well written words.

Marian Keyes is an expert at writing good, easy to read, fun books that also have substance to them. They make excellent beach reads, but yet they don't really fall into the "fluff" category. I've enjoyed the Walsh family series, and have come to feel as if I know them pretty well. (I hope Helen's story is coming soon.) I don't think Anna's story is my favorite of the series, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I was not expecting Marian Keyes to be so dramatic in this book. It is different from the others, some humor and still entertaining, but a BIG twist in the middle. Loved the twist and was wanting to read more. Once I read this, I re-read all the other Marian Keyes to connect the sisters - I feel like I know these sisters!

Argh! She made me cry on the last page, and I swore I wasn't going to do that! And with the cheesy butterfly thing, too. Gah.

This is, as usual from Marian Keyes, a wonderfully enjoyable book, beautifully written and a good read from start to finish (despite the cheesy butterfly).

I cannot WAIT for Helen's book, though.

I was lent this book by a friend for book club. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The author is very good at the "salt principle" -- creating situations that make you wonder what is going to happen. This is a very well written book -- to call it chick lit would be to denigrate it as it deals with heavier topics than who is dating whom. Funny, touching, and sad. Recommended.

This book was(im sorry, is) amazing. It was so cute and romantic the way the author described the relationships between people. I gave it a 5 although the ending was very sad to me still. She made it okay at the end, but I still felt sad for the main character. I was crying in the middle as i read and realized what had happened. But it was a very good book. I stayed up to 3 in the mornin reading it. If you get this book I promise it won't be a mistake.

I love this book. I've read alot of books in my life and this is definitely in the top 5. Will probably read it over and over for the rest of my life. I love all Marian Keyes' books, the Walsh sisters in particular, but this is the best. There's a moment, if you didnt get it already, that will take your breath away. Hope to see more of the Walsh family.

I think this is her best book yet, I found the characters a lot more realistic than those in her other novels. I also loved the cliff hanger and how she gets there.

The Anna character could have been less exaggerated and more on other characters and less about with the Helen emails would have been good. Overall: a great read and a real page turner.

I absolutely love Marian Keyes! She's my #1 favorite writer, so I was thrilled to bring this book on vacation with me to enjoy it! - - Her writing seems even better than the last book, her use of words is just lovely. - - The first 1/3rd of the book or so had me totally & completely hooked on the strange mystery surrounding Anna. Then the mystery was solved (easy to figure out), and the rest of the book (we're talking hundreds of pages here) was a non stop saturation of sadness & utter despair. My vacation was completely covered by a dark cloud of melancholy because Marian's so good at pulling readers into the characters own emotions through her well written words.

Marian Keyes is an expert at writing good, easy to read, fun books that also have substance to them. They make excellent beach reads, but yet they don't really fall into the "fluff" category. I've enjoyed the Walsh family series, and have come to feel as if I know them pretty well. (I hope Helen's story is coming soon.) I don't think Anna's story is my favorite of the series, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I was not expecting Marian Keyes to be so dramatic in this book. It is different from the others, some humor and still entertaining, but a BIG twist in the middle. Loved the twist and was wanting to read more. Once I read this, I re-read all the other Marian Keyes to connect the sisters - I feel like I know these sisters!

Argh! She made me cry on the last page, and I swore I wasn't going to do that! And with the cheesy butterfly thing, too. Gah.

This is, as usual from Marian Keyes, a wonderfully enjoyable book, beautifully written and a good read from start to finish (despite the cheesy butterfly).

I cannot WAIT for Helen's book, though.

I was lent this book by a friend for book club. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The author is very good at the "salt principle" -- creating situations that make you wonder what is going to happen. This is a very well written book -- to call it chick lit would be to denigrate it as it deals with heavier topics than who is dating whom. Funny, touching, and sad. Recommended.

This book was(im sorry, is) amazing. It was so cute and romantic the way the author described the relationships between people. I gave it a 5 although the ending was very sad to me still. She made it okay at the end, but I still felt sad for the main character. I was crying in the middle as i read and realized what had happened. But it was a very good book. I stayed up to 3 in the mornin reading it. If you get this book I promise it won't be a mistake.

I love this book. I've read alot of books in my life and this is definitely in the top 5. Will probably read it over and over for the rest of my life. I love all Marian Keyes' books, the Walsh sisters in particular, but this is the best. There's a moment, if you didnt get it already, that will take your breath away. Hope to see more of the Walsh family.

I think this is her best book yet, I found the characters a lot more realistic than those in her other novels. I also loved the cliff hanger and how she gets there.

The Anna character could have been less exaggerated and more on other characters and less about with the Helen emails would have been good. Overall: a great read and a real page turner.

I am not even finished with this book yet but I have to say that Marian Keyes is definitely an author that I look forward to reading again! Her writing at times is like you are talking to your best friend, with extremely humorous sarcasm. Keyes does a great job introducing each character and creating pictures for the reader. When I am finished with this novel, I will be moving on to another Marian Keyes story!

I am addicted to reading the last page of a book before I'm supposed to (I guess so I can see where the book is going.) DO NOT DO IT!! It will totally ruin the book for you. Despite my curiosity, I loved the book. I had tears throughout the book and broke out into total sobbing by the end. I love the Walsh sisters and I'm sad there's only one sister left :(

Marian Keyes' books have been one of my favorite guilty pleasures since I first picked up Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married. It is wonderful to be able to say that each novel is a bit better than the last. I love Keyes' ability to weave humor through the true-to-life experiences of twenty- and thirty-something women and capture the special quirkiness of our relationships with our families and friends.

Ms. Keyes has put another page turner together with Anybody Out There? Heroine Anna Walsh is very likable and her family relationships are poignant. Walking with her through this difficult situation, readers need to have a box of Kleenex nearby, but there will be plenty of laughs to balance the tears.

I normally don't write reviews, and can I tell you I'm not EVEN FINISHED with the book.....but I am totally jumping out of my skin! I am currently on page 152 and I think i have just discovered where Aiden is, although I hope that I am wrong. I am writing now because I absolutely love the mystery of this novel. Unfortunately I wish I hadn't figured it out quite this soon....but time will tell if I am right. I have been to Ireland and love the "Irish wit" that Marian Keyes obviously does effortlessly! She simply has a way with words, "Hard to keep the dog on the porch" need I say more? All of her books (except for Under The Duvet) have been like a good glass of wine, leaving me wanting more! :) Back to the book!

This book is engrossing (though not to the point where I couldn't put it down.) To reveal the plot would be a spoiler in itself, so I won't. Like her other books, this one seems too long. The story drags in the middle, and I was extremely frustrated with the Helen P.I. email-sub-plot! Why is this even a part of the book? It has nothing to do with the story and I started skipping the emails after the first few. This book doesn't need a sub-plot, especially a cliche-ridden Irish mafia sub-plot. Not Keyes's best work. 'Try City of Angels' instead.

I automatically picked this up because it was by Marian Keyes. I was thrilled to see that it was about one of the Walsh sisters. This book was a bit more downtrodden than Keyes normally writes, but still enjoyable and heartfelt, with a killer twist right in the middle.

I love Marian Keyes and I love the Walsh sisters so I knew I would enjoy this book! I agree with the other reviewers, I laughed and I cried! I can't even think of anything else to say because I just enjoyed it so much. I am hoping that we get a book about Helen and then we find that there are other Walshes that we don't know about so Ms. Keyes can continue to delight us!

I really enjoy Marian Keyes writing style and especially the Walsh Family books. I found the beginning "mystery" to go on for a bit too long. But otherwise I felt that Keyes did her usual brilliant job of mixing humor and pathos for a touching story.

This is one of those books that makes you laugh out loud. There are moments in the book that just can not be contained. The characters in the books with all their flaws appear very real. You will find yourself sharing Anna's journey , her denial,her grief and her success with equal comradeship. The only thing that dissapointed me was that there was not more about the other characters. I felt it was a bit incomplete. But overall, a plesant read. Witty, charming and yet , manages to be grounded.

Historically I have loved all of Marian Keye's books. I heart you Marian! So when I saw this book, in hardback, at the airport book store I snapped up. It started off OK but I just couldn't get into it. For those who have read her previous works that feature these characters....they just don't seem the same. Additionally this book is just a downer, which wouldn't ordinarily bother me, if the book was more interesting. This book was definitely not my favorite.

This is definitely not a typical "chick lit" book and not even a typical Marian Keyes book but is definitely my favourite. While I was reading it, my husband would say "What are you laughing at?" "Why are you crying?". I felt like I was really involved in Anna's world. I hope that Marian Keyes continues the Walsh family story, as it was fun to kind out what happens to the other family members and I HAVE to find out what the future holds for Anna.

This book is one I picked up with no expectations and found myself re-reading it less than a month later because I just had to go through it all again! I judge books for their re-readibility and this one has definitely ranked high on that scale. The Walsh family is always hilarious and heartwarming and this is the best of the set in my humble opinion. Rivaled only by Rachel's Holiday perhaps. If you haven't already--read this author! Laughter through tears embodied perfectly!

I have read all of Marian Keyes's book and this is far and above my favorite. I was so pleased with this book. I finished it in 3 sittings and was so disappointed I had nothing left to read by her. Marian, please write another book soon!

I picked this book up when I was in Europe a few summers ago. It caught my eye because it was a best seller there, plus it was one of the few books that was written in English. Needless to say I had planned on reading this book on the long flight back home to the states, but ended up starting the book 2 days before my departure. The book was SO good I finished it before I even got to the airport!! It's sad but the conversations are so funny sometimes making you wish you were part of the family!

I just finished reading "Anybody Out There?" five minutes ago and had to get on-line and tell the world how much I enjoyed it. I have read all of Keyes' novels and I enjoy the Walsh sister sagas immensley. But this novel was different. I don't know if it was the subject matter, or how it was written, but the humor, emotional aspects, and narrative were all absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend it and hope others are able to love it as much as I do!

I'm ready for Helen.....

This is the second book I read written by Marian Keyes, the first was Watermelon and from there I fell in love with Keyes' wiriting. Keyes' has published four books regarding the Walsh Sisters: Watermelon, Anybody Out There, Rachel's Holiday and Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married - these books have became my Summer 2008 reads. Anybody Out There in particular is a delight - you will not be disappointed - it's funny, real and a great escape from your day-to-day life.

I've read and enjoyed almost every book by Marian Keyes. There have been a few exceptions, but for the most part I love her writing. Anybody Out There? fits perfectly with all of the books she's done before. Only it's even better. I became so involved in the storyline that I could not set this book down to do anything. I read it religiously until I got to the end. And I laughed, cheered, and cried at different parts of the novel. You have to get it. You'll love it.

While Anna's story was moving. I found the second half of the book to be very slow, and I couldn't wait to finish it to start something better. Helen's substory was too much, and I started skimming over her e-mails. It seems as though Keyes needed something else to carry this book, as I'm not sure Anna's story really deserved that many pages devoted to it. While I've enjoyed Keyes's other novels, this one was definitely my least favorite.

I really loved this book. I unfortunately read another review on this site, which gave away some major plot developments but I loved the book regardless. I was really annoyed about that review though. I've read all of Marian Keyes' books and this one ranks right up there. I really enjoyed Anna's character and loved the fact that her sisters were also in the book. I can't wait for Marian Keyes' next book to come out. I'd actually like to read a follow up book about Anna, but that's just me.

I love Marian Keyes! Her books are always so relatable and so funny! I read this book on a beach vacation this past summer and was glued to it. I had recently gone through a major loss in my life, similar to the main character's, and I found the book really comforting. If you like any of Marian Keyes' books, you won't be disappointed by this one either.

I wanted to like this book because I've read others by M. Keyes that I enjoyed, but I just couldn't get into this one. It felt like a chore trying to get through this book. It was so much longer than it needed to be and I hated all the emails to/from her mom and sister back in Ireland. Those 2 sub-plots were totally useless and not at all entertaining. I also don't recall having even one laugh out loud moment with this book.

The one good thing I will say about this book is that it relays a valuable message which is to appreciate what you have and not take things for granted.

there's so much about this book than what the synopsis tells you. there are a number of "twists" throughout the book. it's well written, funny (classic Keyes), and just plain entertaining. don't think too much when you read this book, just feeeeeel. you won't be disappointed. :) i've read all of marian keyes books and this is up there with The Other Side of the Story and Angels. What a fun read, I was sad when it ended.

I have read all the novels that Marian Keyes has written and enjoyed them all. I expected this book to fall into the same outline as the other books, which it did, but in such a different way that it amazed me. I love the author's writing and would recommend reading all of her books.

I won't spoil the plot, but it basically picks up with the Walsh family from previous Marian Keyes novels. This time the focus is mainly on Anna, with some comic relief of Helen's antics in Dublin.

This book was a fantastic emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, cried, laughed and cried. I picked it up at airport in Shannon and nearly had it finished by the time I landed in Boston. This is another excellent book from Marian.

I'm not much of a reader, however, I picked up Watermelon, also by Marian Keyes and couldn't put the book down. So, I've continued to buy all her other books as well. In my opinion, this is one of her best books. Just when you think you have things figured out with Anna Walsh, everything changes. I laughed, I cried.... All of the Walsh sisters appear in this book along with Mammy Walsh, who is hilarious!!! Buy this book!

I read this book about 8 months after my mother passed away. I didn't realize what it was about or I probably would have avoided it. It was Marian Keyes and that's enough for me to pick it up and read it.

I loved it. I thought she did a fabolous job of telling the story of that first year after a loss. This book had a lot more depth than her other books. Definitely suggest it as a read.

Only Helen's left now! I don't know what I'll do when Marian runs out of Walsh girls!!! Hoprfully she will lead them all on further adventures. This one was the saddest of the lot but just as wonderful to read Marian just keeps honing her craft and getting better and better. I want a sequel to find out when Anna gets her second happy ending!

Read this one in a couple of days and it is fairly entertaining, a good mix of funny/sad, but I wholeheartedly agree with reviewer "Jennifer L. Tilden "Bridget Jones, Esq". Not being a big fan of typical chick lit but still a Walsh Family fan (Rachel's Holiday is fantastic) I have looked forward to Anna's Book for a long time, but the Anna in Anybody Out There? would have been better of as a Sushi-girl. Of course people change but there is a difference between growing up and between completely deny everything about ones youth.

But, being an optimist, maybe Helen's Book will be more true to the previous ones and not to far fetched. And I hope to never have to read about people obsessing over lipsticks and make-up ever again.

I really loved this book. I unfortunately read another review on this site, which gave away some major plot developments but I loved the book regardless. I was really annoyed about that review though. I've read all of Marian Keyes' books and this one ranks right up there. I really enjoyed Anna's character and loved the fact that her sisters were also in the book. I can't wait for Marian Keyes' next book to come out. I'd actually like to read a follow up book about Anna, but that's just me.

I love Marian Keyes! Her books are always so relatable and so funny! I read this book on a beach vacation this past summer and was glued to it. I had recently gone through a major loss in my life, similar to the main character's, and I found the book really comforting. If you like any of Marian Keyes' books, you won't be disappointed by this one either.

I wanted to like this book because I've read others by M. Keyes that I enjoyed, but I just couldn't get into this one. It felt like a chore trying to get through this book. It was so much longer than it needed to be and I hated all the emails to/from her mom and sister back in Ireland. Those 2 sub-plots were totally useless and not at all entertaining. I also don't recall having even one laugh out loud moment with this book.

The one good thing I will say about this book is that it relays a valuable message which is to appreciate what you have and not take things for granted.

there's so much about this book than what the synopsis tells you. there are a number of "twists" throughout the book. it's well written, funny (classic Keyes), and just plain entertaining. don't think too much when you read this book, just feeeeeel. you won't be disappointed. :) i've read all of marian keyes books and this is up there with The Other Side of the Story and Angels. What a fun read, I was sad when it ended.

I have read all the novels that Marian Keyes has written and enjoyed them all. I expected this book to fall into the same outline as the other books, which it did, but in such a different way that it amazed me. I love the author's writing and would recommend reading all of her books.

I won't spoil the plot, but it basically picks up with the Walsh family from previous Marian Keyes novels. This time the focus is mainly on Anna, with some comic relief of Helen's antics in Dublin.

This book was a fantastic emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, cried, laughed and cried. I picked it up at airport in Shannon and nearly had it finished by the time I landed in Boston. This is another excellent book from Marian.

I'm not much of a reader, however, I picked up Watermelon, also by Marian Keyes and couldn't put the book down. So, I've continued to buy all her other books as well. In my opinion, this is one of her best books. Just when you think you have things figured out with Anna Walsh, everything changes. I laughed, I cried.... All of the Walsh sisters appear in this book along with Mammy Walsh, who is hilarious!!! Buy this book!

I read this book about 8 months after my mother passed away. I didn't realize what it was about or I probably would have avoided it. It was Marian Keyes and that's enough for me to pick it up and read it.

I loved it. I thought she did a fabolous job of telling the story of that first year after a loss. This book had a lot more depth than her other books. Definitely suggest it as a read.

Only Helen's left now! I don't know what I'll do when Marian runs out of Walsh girls!!! Hoprfully she will lead them all on further adventures. This one was the saddest of the lot but just as wonderful to read Marian just keeps honing her craft and getting better and better. I want a sequel to find out when Anna gets her second happy ending!

Read this one in a couple of days and it is fairly entertaining, a good mix of funny/sad, but I wholeheartedly agree with reviewer "Jennifer L. Tilden "Bridget Jones, Esq". Not being a big fan of typical chick lit but still a Walsh Family fan (Rachel's Holiday is fantastic) I have looked forward to Anna's Book for a long time, but the Anna in Anybody Out There? would have been better of as a Sushi-girl. Of course people change but there is a difference between growing up and between completely deny everything about ones youth.

But, being an optimist, maybe Helen's Book will be more true to the previous ones and not to far fetched. And I hope to never have to read about people obsessing over lipsticks and make-up ever again.

The blurb on the back of this book makes it sound as if it's one of those "memory-loss" chick lit tales where the main character goes on a journey to discover what happened before she lost her memory. So when I bought the book and started reading it only to find that this really has nothing to do with her memory loss, but is a story about heart-ache and grieving, I was unpleasantly surprised!

If you're looking for something to make you bawl uncontrollably, then buy this book. Perhaps it would also be good for people who are grieving and need some inspiration or someone to relate to.

Just be aware that the book's description really does not apply to the story and it is a very heart-breaking story.

I went through tissue after tissue - this book was excellent. It's my favorite by Marian Keyes. You don't have to be familiar with the other Walsh family books; it stands on it's own. An emotional story - it made me appreciate my husband even more.

After waiting forever for the sequel of the walsh sisters you will not be disapointed. with the usual mairan keyes wit, this book concentrates on the hilarious lives of helen as a PI who gets some interesting cases and anna who is trying to figure out her life, while getting tid bits of information about the other sisters lives. I was so excited when i found this book at the airport in london i read it all the home.

Just going thru the loss of a loved one, namely my mom, this book helped me alot. It put into words exactly what I was feeling what I was thinking and what I am smply going thru. I am so glad I read this book. I have read almost all her books and not one so far has disappointed me. She is a great writer and hope she keeps writing.

This was my first Marian Keyes novel and it will not be my last. It is a brilliantly written novel that had me hooked after the first page. The characters were delightful and at times humerous, with a little Janet Evanich style quirkiness.

However this novel does have its very sad moments, so keep a box of the ole Kleenex handy. But don't let that deter you as it is a wonderful story.

I love Marian Keyes but this book I had to put down a little more than halfway through. I loved the first half but the second half was just the same thing over and over and I just wasn't interested anymore. I did not like Helen's PI emailsat all and skipped over them. I just didn't see what it had to do with the story. But all her other books are great and I rushed out the day this came out and I'm sorry to say I was disappointed. But I will continue to read her upcoming novels.

I have just completed this book and out of all of her books so far this is the best. It's got everything that you could want from a book, tears, tantrums, comedy, babies and most of all it shows that love can overcome even the darkest traumas in life. It's a truly beautiful book and the day that Marian runs out of stories about the Walsh sisters will be a very sad one indeed.

This book is an amalgam of: Sex and the City, Bridget Jones Diary, The Devil Wears Prada and P.S. I Love You. You will find all characters from these other books in here. It's as if the author decided to pluck out the best bits from these stories and make her own story out of it. Don't waste your time.

I have read all of Marian's fiction work and I've got to say, that even under a tight competition this is her best yet. Anna's story is as interesting and mysterious as she always proved to be in the other Walsh women books

Wow, I'm the only one who didn't like this one? It was a struggle to read and half way done I put it down and don't intend to pick it up anytime soon. I was really looking forward to more antics from the hilarious Walsh family, but this one is a downer and a slow boat to china. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ............

Another question, how did Anna, the pot-head ditz, all of a sudden pull herself together so smartly. This is not the Anna I met in the other books, I just thought her turnaround was sudden and strange.

Spoiler here: Making allowances for Brit slang and Anna's injuries after her accident entailing a lot of pain-killing drugs, this was a disappointment. This was a case of an unreliable narrator who, despite the drugs and injuries, knew very well what had happened to her boyfriend. Not until mid-book did we learn they were actually married, which made his "refusal" to answer her phone calls and e-mails highly suspicious. And, sure enough, he was killed in the same accident [sorry it's a spoiler, I know]. But Anna, who otherwise has her wits about her, strings the reader along, desperately trying to contact him by earthly means. At the point she admits they were married, mid-book, I checked the last pages, where she admits the truth; and in a few more pages in the middle she also admits he is dead. The author did a skillful dance of trying to lead us to believe he was an inexplicably heartless guy who had ditched her after she was so badly injured and went home to Ireland from New York. I thought her oh-so-zany family was over-contrived, and frankly once I learned she began looking for mediums to contact him because 'she was worried about him, fearing he might be afraid,' I closed the book because the author had been cheating the reader, Anna was a dip, and I didn't care about the character any more. I hope her other books are better.

I just finished devouring all 4 Walsh sister books, and this one has Marian Keyes at the top of her game. You can really see her grow as a writer from each book to the next. This particular one puts her as a master of tapping into the reader's emotions. You feel every ounce of Anna's pain - I think I cried the whole way through (I needed it).

This book has Marian on the threshold of breaking out of the chick-lit constraints. I recommend starting with Watermelon, on to Rachel's Holiday, then Angels, then Anybody Out There? - you'll get a better feel for the characters, and it makes this book a great read since you're already involved with the characters. Anna is introduced as a flighty teen in Watermelon, but we see her grow into a sweet, sensitive woman in Rachel's Holiday & Angels.

While this is her hardest hitting, it does still fit into the beach-read category. But get them all at once, you'll want to tear through each quick-read novel one after another.

I found myself laughing out loud a lot. Keyes is very, very funny and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work. I'd really prefer to give this one 4.5 stars but that wasn't a choice. Only criticism is a little bit of repetitiveness.

I love Marian Keyes because she writes intelligent, thoughtful chick lit. I've read most of her books. However, I wish something on this book had indicated how intensely sad it is. I expected it to be thought provoking like her others with both happy and sad components but this one was very heavy on the sad. I was in tears the majority of the book. As I said, it's well written and definitely worth the read if you're prepared for it - but I was in the mindframe for something lighter and this blindsided me.

This book made me want to cry the whole way through it. Don't read this if you are looking for a fun chick lit book. not as good as the other marian keyes books. this book made me depressed the whole way through.

I have read all of Marian Keyes' Walsh sisters books (Watermelon, Rachel's Holiday, and Angels) and this one is just as good as the first three. This is Anna's story, and from the second I read the prologue, I couldn't put the book down - cliched I know, but just read it and you'll see. Mysterious and compelling, it makes you laugh, cry, and sometimes both at the same time. With updates on some of my favorite characters from other Walsh novels, and brand new ones to love too, this is definitely Marian Keyes at the top of her game. Also try The Other Side of the Story (Keyes) and Cecelia Ahern's P.S. I Love You and Rosie Dunne.

I am ( or was at least) a die hard Marian Keyes fan. I have read all of her books and every time a new book was released I rushed out to get it. Just like I did with this book, HOWEVER this book was depressing and totally out of character. I was so dissapointed because it is not her usual style of writing :(

I got this book for a B&N Book club called Love and Laughter. Well there was love but not a lot of laughter. Some giggles, lots of tears and not my cup of tea. I did like the mother and the sister that is a PI. I could not connect with the lead character and the first third of the book left me up in the air as to what had happend to the husband.

If you are already a Marion Keyes fan and like her other books you will like this one, the quirky characters and the Walsh family are probably true to the rest of the series. It is not a good book for a new Keyes reader and not one to get if you expect to laugh out loud! GG

Okay, I take it back: I said that "Rachel's Holiday" was my favorite Marian Keyes novel.... Now I have to say that "Anybody Out There?" is most definitely her best.

"Anybody Out There?" is packed with more drama, suspense, and excitement than any of her previous books, yet does not lack her trademark hilarity in dealing with serious & awkward situations. Since Anna has always been my favorite of the five Walsh sisters, i found this book particularly enjoyable. The reader is instantly wrapped up into Anna's story, and is given a front row seat to follow her along as she heals, grows, and discovers each new day of her life. Filled with surprises, anguish, joy, and of course, Anna Walsh's customary "kookiness", this novel is superb and perfectly-written in every way. For ONCE I was able to read a book and NOT know what the ending was before I was halfway through it! I am just floored by how well-written Keyes latest novel is.

Bravo, and thank you, Ms. Keyes, for another masterpiece!

This was my first book by Ms. Keyes, and I loved it! Rarely does a novel move you to feel as much as this one does. Perhaps it's the empathy the author makes you feel.After reading more of her books (of course), I was glad I didn't know Anna before this novel. She seemed much less drifty than described before. I take it Helen's story will be next; I hope she includes a bit about how things turn out for Anna. And I ALWAYS want to read about Rachael and Luke! I strongly recommend this book.

I stumbled across Marian Keyes' "Watermelon" ages and ages ago, when I was a wee teenage lass and just delving into the world of so-called "chick lit" (I think I got a clearance copy for $4.99 at B&N). To be honest, I pretty much hated it and thought Marian Keyes was a writer I'd avoid in my future readings (along with Jane Greene and a few other unmentionables). At 14 the story line was one that I absolutely could not relate to- I was looking for the next Bridget Jones- and the humor in "Watermelon" was too nuanced and the emotions more tangible and compelling than I could relate to at that age. "Watermelon" was about the real, painful demise of a very adult relationship at Clare's biggest hour of need- I was hormonal and angsty and uncomfortable dealing with my own crazy emotions to relate to Keyes' characters in the slightest.

And avoid her books I did, until nigh on a month ago, when I was perusing the ebooks available at my local library and "Angels" was available. I remembered the Walsh family from "Watermelon" and didn't have high expectations, but Maggie seemed more relatable than Clare so I was game to give it a try.....and I devoured it in a matter of hours. For dessert I wolfed down "Rachel's Holiday", going through the Walsh family series from there....

But that's neither here nor there, after all, I am reviewing "Anybody Out There" and not Marian Keyes' full literary repertoire. Back on point as to why this book is so fantastic. I loved Anna as a background character, and I was even more enchanted with her in the starring role. This is a different, more mature Anna than the one we saw previously, but her "voice" in this book is still very distinct from her sisters. She's funny and self-deprecating like the other girls, but despite her hippie roots manages to be the most sage and well-grounded Walsh family member.

Disclaimer: this story is really, really freaking sad. I didn't read the reviews before buying the novel, so all I knew was that it was about Anna. The novel starts off with the reader aware that something enormous has happened to Anna, but it reveals itself slowly throughout the novel. I was surprised multiple times at where the story went, and loved the non-linear progression of the storyline. I loved following Anna's character during her tragic period of growth, and think Keyes did a wonderful job taking Anna through the stages of grief. It's never quite resolved, but when, if ever, are things packaged nicely in life anyways?

The thing that literally floors me about Keyes' writing is that she is talented on so many fronts- she creates really compelling characters and follows them through periods of upheaval in their lives, without making the story feel like a 24/7 crisis. And the one liners! Keyes has the most amazing turns of phrase that I always find myself relating exactly to and then highlighting to go over later.

I'm really, really glad that I gave Keyes a second chance- these are definitely books I'll read again, and "Anybody Out There" is my favorite (and the one that made me cry the most, but in a good sad way). Buy it! You know you want to.

I was very excited to read another book about a Walsh sister. I didn't realize this was the third book about the Walsh sisters. However, my happiness was short lived as was Anna's. She's recovering at her parent's house after being in an accident. I liked how the story unfolded and let the reader guess what had happened. However, there was just too much information added in that seemed to drag down the story of Anna. I got tired of reading pages about cosmetic stuff, about Helen's job, and about opinions of her friends that could have been shortened or cut. Those aren't even the worst things.

Spoiler Alert................................................................................................................................................................

I knew after Aidan hadn't contacted her he was dead. Once that happened the book became so depressing and made me cry constantly for Anna and Aidan. It was even more heartbreaking to learn about him through the entire book and wish he were still alive just like Anna did. Finally she seemed like she was starting to get over things. I didn't think much would come of her physic stuff except meeting some nice people like Nicholas and Mitch. I had high hopes that maybe someday she and possibly Mitch might start a live together and could both have happiness again. Then just when things were somewhat okay for Anna, she learns about Jack. Talk about more crap to be dumped on her. She has to deal with her husband's death and now knowing that Jack is out there and not theirs together. It was so cruel. And as I got nearer and nearer to the end I really hoped that something good would happen to Anna, but it seemed like nothing ever did. Yes, it was sweet and tearful that she finally felt like Aidan was with and the dream was real, but jeez, the book just ended. Anna was better off than she had been, but nothing happened for her. After everything she'd been through I was disappointed that there couldn't have been more given to show that she was going to go on to have some kind of happiness. Yes, Aidan said that she knew who she might fall in love with again, but that didn't seem like enough.

Overall the book was okay. It was so heartbreaking and depressing at times which is terrible. The saddest thing about the story though is that in really life, the things that Anna went though really happen and there's not always a happy ending so I can't give the book less stars for it not ending perfectly. But it would have been better if the extra added stuff that didn't add to the story had been cut. I loved to read about Rachel and Luke and glad for an update on Claire and Adam.