La mano che teneva la mia

Edited to make correction. Originally read Aug, 25, 2014. I loved this novel mostly because of the writing. Yes, I loved the story and the characters too, but from the exquisite opening paragraph it was all about the writing. “Listen. The trees in this story are stirring, trembling, readjusting thems Leggi tutto

”Listen. The trees in this story are stirring, trembling, readjusting themselves. A breeze is coming in gusts off the sea, and it is almost as if the trees know, in their restlessness, in their head-tossing impatience, that something is about to happen.” ”A graveled path curves towards the fro Leggi tutto

4.7, rounded up because I just had to This writer, this Maggie O’Farrell, just wow. I’ve never read five books by any writer before (and I did this all within a year--what??). That should give you a hint of how ga-ga I am over Maggie dearest. Can I call her Maggie, please, as if we’re all chummy chum Leggi tutto

Any fiction novel which follows the five or six literary fiction novels I have just finished may well have big shoes to fill but The Hand That First Held Mine held it's own. I do so love it when an author combines combines real people into their story. After reading this novel, I half expect if I po Leggi tutto

Oh no, another favourite author releasing a new title – cue the sickening feelings of anxiety when I settle into the story , wondering if it will meet my expectations but any fears are quickly assuaged as I become immersed in this, Maggie O’ Farrell’s fifth novel. I devoured it in a few sittings – o Leggi tutto

5 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 I am, I am, I am in love with Maggie O’Farrell’s writing. She captivates then mesmerizes me completely. Currently I am basking in the afterglow of this tale of two extraordinary women living years apart, their lives eventually connecting, though they will never meet. My hand was resting o Leggi tutto

This book left me breathless, gulping, and sobbing. Maggie O’Farrell is a master—of story, structure, and my god, transitions! But that is stuff writers swoon over. For readers there is a great story of family connections that transcend known facts. It’s about the truths we intuit and how they can n Leggi tutto

5 Earth Shattering Stars!! A brilliant portrayal of motherhood and a mother’s love that is transcendent. Maggie O’Farrell captures so much more- the exhaustion, the anxieties, the joys, the overall magnitude of what a mother is. “ It’s a special thing you have with him. It’s like he has this internal Leggi tutto

In sneltreinvaart uitgelezen...twee verhalen die met elkaar verbonden zijn in heden en verleden. Soms ietwat quasi intellectueel, maar zo goed geschreven dat je meegetrokken wordt in het verhaal en alleen maar door wil lezen...Relatie's en moederschap zijn de overheersende thema's...prachtige roman! Leggi tutto

This book is so hard to quantify with stars, because although I hated it for the majority, I have to admit that there were definite moments of genius. I can recognize what she was attempting here – there’s a slow, poetic, visual quality to the writing that sometimes succeeds. I can appreciate this t Leggi tutto