The Spa Decameron

Ten high achieving ladies are gathered together in the week between Christmas and the New Year, at the expensive Castle Spa, seeking, through Botox, aromatherapy and general all round pampering, a new beginning to their lives. The Ladies lounge around in the Jacuzzi, drinking champagne and eating chocolate telling each other the stories of their lives. The Trophy wife's tale: her spell in a Greek prison has left her in serious need of a makeover; the Brain Surgeon's tale: of twins and mistaken identity; the Judge's tale: of the sex change which allowed him to judge pleasure as both male and female. The manicurist, the public speaker, the ex-vicar, all these and more shape their views, ending with the stepmother's tale, a Cinderella-story with the stepmother as victim...Fay Weldon's new novel recalls Boccaccio's late medieval masterwork, "The Decameron". Boccaccio dedicated his book to the ladies of his time, who were forced to hide their amorous passions under a veil of discretion, while men were free to indulge theirs. Sian Thomas' reading is sparkling and witty, often libidinous but always compassionate.
Her excellent command of accent and tone ensures Weldon's wonderful characters are truly individuals.