The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell

"An intricate story of two women whose lives, loves and lies all coalsece into one of the most satisfying and shocking plot twists I've come across in awhile. O'Farrel's style is quick and immersive and once the story grabs you, you don't want to let go. This was a great read and I'm eager to see what else O'Farrell has to offer."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros: O’Farrell has a very immersive style, you’re dropped right into the scene/That plot twist with the Pollack painting was 󠅓fantastic.

Cons: Since you’re seeing things as they happen, sometimes it’s hard to find a good stopping point or you’re afraid you’ll forget what's going on/Innes could be a bit cocky and infuriating at times.

Full Review:

This book follows two storylines. The past where Lexi, a young girl who decides to move to London and start living her life and Elina, who's just recently had an emergency C-section and is having a hard time adapting to life with a newborn.

At first things are a little stilted, it's hard to fit the two narratives together, though they're both entertaining on their own.

Lexi runs into Innes Kent again, the man who was more or less the reason she moved to London. He'd been having car troubles and they had a brief, flirtatious moment that was soundly interrupted by Lexi's overbaering mother. A few days later, Lexi finds a note from Innes in the hedge and that decides it. She's going to London and starting her life. And once she meets up with Innes again things will never tbe the same.

Meanwhile, in the present day, Elina and her boyfriend, Ted, are struggling. Neither of them is sleeping, Ted is constantly worried about Elina because of the horrifyingly difficult birth. Elina is constantly worried about the baby. They're both stressed, exhausted and strangely enough, Ted has started having memories, almost flashbacks of his childhood that he's had no memory of before. It's disconcerting and as the story progresses becomes more and more alarming.

When the two narratives collide it is with the most satisfying but utter, "Whoa, wait, what" moment and I loved it. I literally blinked, paused and then nodded because it all made perfect sense.

O'Farrell's writing style took a bit of getting used to but once I did, it flowed effortlessly. I didn't just want to know what happened to Lexi, Elina, et al, I needed to know, I was well and truly hooked. O'Farrell grabbed me and refused to let go but I just held on and enjoyed the ride. There were times of true tenderness and love and other moments that had me tearing up. I'm so glad I gave this book a chance and I'm eager to see what else O'Farrell has to offer.

Comments

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

"Obviously targeted to writers but honestly, anyone could benefit from Bradbury's practical yet poetic advice, this was a collection of esasys by Bradbury about his writing process and reflections on some of his greatest works." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pros: Bradbury, duh, though I'm biased, to me, the man's prose is pure poetry, every word beautiful/Since writing is not my career, it was an interesting way to view Bradbury's life. Writing was his job and he was the only income. If he did not produce material, he would not get paid. It help put things into perspective. Cons: The man can go on for a bit 😂/Bradbury's insane work ethic and endless endurance to just produce story after story seems insane and overwhelming but then again, this was his livelihood, so I'm sure it was insane and overwhelming. If he didn't write and get paid, they'd starve, so, it was a life or death situation. Full Review: This was essentially a collection of essays written by Bra...

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

“The tale of Andy Dufresne and how he served his time at Shawshank prison, as told through the eyes of his friend and fellow inmate, Red. Dark and disturbing but also compulsively readbale. I finished it in 2 days. Also enjoyable is Frank Darabont's 1994 film adaptation, "The Shawshank Redemption." ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pros : Red has a soothing, drawl, making the reading easy and flowing/Since I saw the film first, I couldn't help but compare the book though I was pleased to find that the two were very similar. Cons : Things got a bit rambling a bit at the beginning/Since I saw the film first I couldn't help but compare the book but this ended up not being a con. Full Review: The state of Maine has a prison. Shawshank Redemption. And Red is the guy that can get you things. He also happens to be the only guilty man in Shawshank but that's netiher here nor there. He meets Andy Dufresne for business purposes at first and he finds him to be a calm, cool man and Red likes him i...

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

“Rick Deckard is a Bounty Hunter who's on the trail of six "Andys" (Androids) who have come to Earth illegally. His job is to track them down and "retire" them. Something he found easy to do until he met her, Rachael Rosen. The Android that does the impossible, passes the "Voight-Kampff" test. The story quickly devolves into a slow, drawn out and frankly boring mystery that was putting me to sleep by the end." ⭐⭐ Pros: I was more interested in comparing it to the film, "Bladerunner."/At first I kind of liked the drab, dreary atmostphere but it soon became soporific. Cons: I had no real idea what was going on with Mercerism/The end there had me blinking in bewilderment, like with Herbert's 29th Dune Book/There was a lot of idle chit-chat while they were in murderous/intense situations, it just seemed odd. Full Review: Rick Deckard, a Bounty Hunter, contracted with the San Francisco Police Department hunts down and retires rogue ...

All the Books.

Search This Blog