When she was nine years old, Melody Browne's house burned down, every toy, every photograph, every item of clothing and old Christmas card with it. But not only did the fire destroy all her possessions, it took all her memories too - Melody Browne can remember nothing before her ninth birthday.
Now in her early thirties, Melody lives in a small flat with her seventeen-year-old son. She's made a good life for them both ad she likes t that way.
Until one night something extraordinary happens. Whilst attending a hypnotist show with her first date in years, she faints - and when she comes round she starts to remember. At first her memories mean nothing to her but then, slowly, day by day, she begins to piece together the real story of her childhood. But with every mystery she solves another one materialises, with every question she answers another appears. And Melody begins to wonder if she'll ever know the truth about her past .....
...... From the outer back cover.
FIRST SENTENCE (From the prologue): Melody Browne opened her eyes and saw the moon, a perfect white circle, like a bullet-hole shot through the sky.
MEMORABLE MOMENT: "But now we're all paying the price for our mistakes, aren't we?" She said this with an air of great wisdom, as if there were some kind of divine justice at work in all their lives rather than just chaos, madness and tragedy.
A book I really enjoyed, full of convincing characters, many of whom I grew to care about and love. So well written that even the characters who it would have been so easy to despise, I felt great compassion for.
Alternating between Melody's life now and as a child in the late 1970's/early 1980's, this could have been a confusing read but wasn't. Not at all depressing, even during the most bleakest moments, the author manages to convey some humour, this really is one of those novels that can only be described as heartwarming and, it has to be said that as much as I enjoyed the adult Melody's journey, it was the look at the mainly dysfunctional adults through the child Melody's eyes that was especially moving.
A real page turner, I found myself on a real rollercoaster of a ride as just when I was convinced that I knew what was going to happen next, the storyline/character development would go off in a different direction often leaving me pleasantly surprised and oh so pleased that I had been wrong.
A book I'd recommend? Yes, even though the author touches on some pretty emotional subjects she does so in such a compassionate way that it is very moving ad yet quite uplifting all at the same time.
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18 comments:
Oh! This looks like a very good read... Seems to be a gripping story with twists and turns...
Thanks for such a beautiful review...
Have a nice day:)
Thanks for the warm New year wishes, hope its been a good beginning at your side too.
I liked this Book review. Hope to see more in the coming weeks.
Lisa Jewell isn't an author I would normally consider reading. I don't know why, I think the covers often appear to fluffy, but you have convinced me I need to read this. I love that she lost her memory and now it is coming back.
The cover made me think it was chick lit but your review tells me otherwise. I'm going to see if it's available at my library. Nice review!
The book sounds like a great read! I am always glad to discover new authors. Thanks!
You make this sound very interesting.
All the best, Boonie
Having read your review, this sounds like a good read. Thanks for recommending it :)
This sounds very good!! I'm off to put it on my wish list at Amazon. I still have two others you recommended waiting in my Kindle and another on my bookshelf. I'm starting to think you, Dorte and Jenners are all a bad influence on me!!
:)
I like the sound of this one. Another for my toppling tbr pile, I think.
XX
Wow, sounds like a good one.
This one sounds extremely tempting.
In some ways it reminds me of Sue Grafton´s Kinsey Millhone character - she lost her ´life´, meaning both her parents, to an accident when she was small, and that also had a huge impact on the way she arranged her life as a grown-up.
Well very intriguing scenario, it would take a lot of talent to live up to the potential so it sounds like the author did great work.
What an intriguing idea! I am eager now to learn the "truth". You always set these books up in such a way that I wish I lived next door so that I could borrow a copy immediately! Sounds terrific.
:-)
Traci
Nice review! This sounds like one I need to read....yet another for my ever growing list. I hope I live long enough to read all of these books..lol.
First off, lovin the cover....though it does give a different impression about the story within. As for the story, from the sound of it, rather interesting. Imagine being caught up in something like that..... O_O Thanks for sharing...will have to look into this one a bit further.
Oh I think I'd have to be in the mood for this one. I don't always love an emotional ride... especially when the sinuses are already acting up. ;) Great review. I hadn't heard of this one before.
This sounds like something I'd enjoy. Melody does sound like an interesting character.
It seems to me that I heard the premise of this story somewhere. It sounds excellent. Thanks.
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