This is a historical fiction based on a few facts and enigmas surrounding the son of a very famous author, who remains unnamed in the book. Maggie O’Farrell cleverly weaves these fragments into a story that shifts the spotlight to his wife, and the cataclysm that rocks the family when they lose their son to plague. Life unravels for this confident, spiritually sensitive, convention-flouting woman, who does her grieving while her husband remains absent. He too, must find his way through the tragedy, but does so in an entirely different way. Enduring love underpins family dynamics and that seem slightly fantastic at times, entirely familiar at others. Readers follow lines of grief and grace as the main character assumes the risk of letting go, but at a cost she never envisioned.

Our book group loved the world the author created and how the story unfolded, all the way to the final act.

Andrea Blanch, May 2024