Reviews of: Eat Drink and be Married

Daily Express - Terrie Thackeray ****

"Author Eve Makis writes with authority as, like her heroine, she too grew up in an English takeaway run by her Cypriot parents. The novel benefits from her first-hand knowledge of their native country and its traditions. Her evocative descriptions of the landscape and its jasmine-infused air, which make you understand why her family hold their memories so dear, contrast sharply with the images of the ugly, concrete council estate where they now work.

But the clever balance between heart-warming comic moments and events with dark undertones is what I found most intriguing. The comic rough and tumble of family life is countered by the racism and violence they face. Makis writes with great sensitivity on the issues of arranged marriages, family secrets and even rape. Her observations are consistently sharp and keep you engaged to the uplifting conclusion.

An easy-to-digest and highly enjoyable read."

Narinder Dhami (author of Bend It Like Beckham)

"Heartwarming, funny, tragic and uplifting...the story has a feel good factor to equal My Big Fat Greek Wedding."

Waterstones Magazine

"...Torn between family bonds and stubborn idea about right and wrong three generations of women unfold a family saga through tales of love, war, courage and the help of a little kitchen table magic. Eve Makis's poetic and humane vision of life turns tragedy into comedy."

The Bookseller

"This book looks as charming as its content. This is an exploration of a Greek Cypriot community in the 1980's. It tackles the cultural differences and the generation gap, but it is also a humorous mother/daughter tale, delightfully told."

Nottingham Evening Post

"Anna makes for an instantly engaging narrator, with Makis' personable, present tense prose irresistibly drawing readers straight to the heart of her story, with its cast of beautifully observed characters.

Makis' publishers. - Black Swan - are well-known for having discovered high-profile authors like Monica Ali and Kate Atkinson and, as Makis takes us behind the scenes at the chip shop, her voice proves every bit as original and delightful as theirs.

This is a novel of irresistible good humour and like the Greek Cypriot recipes, that are peppered throughout, is a real treat to savour. "

Western Daily Press ****

"This is a laugh-out-loud tale of a Greek Cypriot family on a council estate in 1980's Nottingham. Anna's domineering mother thinks all Anna need do is cook well, wear frilly blouses and keep out of trouble for a nice, suitable Greek Cypriot husband. Only Anna's wise old grandmother Yiayia, who reads coffee grounds and practises magic, seems to understand her. Through Yiayia, Anna discovers secrets that have shaped her family. Makis overcomes problems inherent in stereotypical characters to produce a delightful, heart-warming read."

MetroLife

"Makis's life experience has contributed to the texture of the novel. This is definitely no cheap piece of chick lit..."

Waitrose Food Illustrated

"...Interspersed throughout the story are the traditional Cypriot recipes of Anna's grandmother, as well as her recollections of a turbulent past in Cyprus where food played a central role in family life. The result is a funny and warm-hearted account of cross cultural experience."

Reviews of: The Mother in Law

Good Housekeeping

"Engaging, delicately observed and believable story of a young couple's struggle to stay together after his acid mother moves in with them to recuperate from an accident."

The Bookseller

"A darkly funny novel about interference, Alzheimer's, Greek Cypriot warmth and several misunderstandings."

Cosmopolitan

"Vivacious Greek girl Electra and reserved Englishman Adam are chalk and cheese on paper. Nevertheless, their bond is unbreakable - until his mother arrives on the scene. With sizeable pinches of love, tragedy and humour, this is deliciously satisfying."

John Russell (broadcaster and book reviewer)

"The Mother-in-Law in this second novel by Eve Makis, is the central and all-pervading figure in a dysfunctional family. The story of how her own failed marriage has a disasterous effect on her relationships with her own children and foreign daughter-in-law is keenly observed by an author, who also manages to capture in her characters the essential differences between two island races.
What I found found satisfying in the author's writing, was the way in which the novel shifted from the initial mood set in the first chapters, to a deeper and engrossing story of believable characters who retain their national traits, even when they are far away from home. Here is a slightly different spin on an old phrase. you can take the Cypriot out of Cyprus but you cannot take Cyprus out of the Cypriot. The author now lives in Nottingham with her Cypriot husband, but has never forgotten her roots and the contemporary history which has affected her own feelings about the division of the island.
Cyprus, with its small population has always had a disproportionate number of very talented artists. Painters, sculptors, musicians and dancers, have all captured something of this warm island in their work. Now, in Eve Makis, the island has produced a skilled and observant novelist. Having read The Mother-in-Law, I look forward to catching up on her first novel Eat, Drink and Be Married as well as many more books still to be written. "

Nottingham Evening Post

"Makis's storytelling never fails to charm"

Candis

"A whole cacophany of characters from different cultures crowd into this warm and funny novel... A lovely book, rich with snapshots of Cypriot history and culture and an excellent observation of how different families communicate."