My Mum had rated it 6/5, unheard of!
Firstly, do not be put off by the front cover of this book- if it hadn't been for my Mum's glowing recommendation and the fact that it was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick I would never have even let my eye linger. The garish pink and black was not at all tempting, and having now read the book I still cannot understand where they were going with the front cover?!
It is a wonderful heartwarming story, focusing around the relationship between Lou and Will.
Lou looses her job after the cafe she has worked in since her early twenties closes down. She is now nearly 30, and still living at home with her grandfather, parents, younger sister and her's sister baby boy. They are not a well off family and every penny counts. The job centre beckons but after a disastrous few weeks working in a chicken factory, Lou is totally dispirited…until that is a part-time carers position becomes available.
And who should Lou be caring for? None other than the rather delicious Will Traynor, who after being victim to a horrific road accident is a quadriplegic.
Moyes weaves a beautiful story, letting us be totally beguiled by these two souls that have lost their way in life. What completely fascinated me was Lou's forever ending optimism. There were fleeting moments when she let things get to her but more often than not she remained positive to the core, refreshing in these times.
A part of the book that really struck a cord was during Lou's birthday meal with her family, with Will as the invited guest (much to her boyfriend's annoyance) she opened their presents. The smile that spread across my face as she opened Will's gift was a beaming one!
Moyes manages to cram quite a lot into the book and considering it's not a particularly long book, this is testament to her succinct yet apt ability at creating an absorbing story that at no point drags.
This is a good read. My expectations were duly satisfied. Enjoy.
Dear Sugar Snap Dreamer:
ReplyDeleteWill you please consider reviewing my new novel DON’T FORGET ME, BRO (Stephen F. Austin State University Press and Texas Book Consortium, Dec. 2014-Jan.2015).
My novel tackles themes of childhood abuse, mental illness, and alienated families--and leaves the reader uplifted!
Kirkus Reviews says: "Read this book for the vivid imagery and sharp dialogue. Read it for the spot-on characterizations..."
The subject matter is never treated frivolously or over-handled in details. The writing is taut and compelling throughout. The pace leans forward tirelessly.
Those accomplishments alone took years.
In all, five of my thirty years of writing were dedicated to this novel. I like to joke: I had to pull my soul sideways through a keyhole for those five years to get the right words down.
My debut novel, THE NIGHT I FREED JOHN BROWN (Penguin Group, 2008), won The Paterson Prize for Books for Young Readers (Grades 7-12) and was one of ten books recommended by USA TODAY for Black History Month. For more info:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/john-michael-cummings/the-night-i-freed-john-brown/
My 2011 short story collection, UGLY TO START WITH (West Virginia
University Press), was hailed by The Philadelphia Inquirer as a work of “sharp observation and surpassing grace.” Here’s a link to some information about my collection:
http://www.amazon.com/Ugly-Start-With-Michael-Cummings/dp/193597808X
My short stories have appeared in more than seventy-five literary
journals, including The Iowa Review, North American Review, The Kenyon Review, Alaska Quarterly Review, and The Chattahoochee Review. Twice I have been nominated for The Pushcart Prize. My short story "The Scratchboard Project" received an honorable mention in The Best American Short Stories 2007.
But DON'T FORGET ME, BRO is my best!
The novel is a fictionalized story of my brother. Joe died at 47 of system-wide neglect and indifference for the so-called mentally ill in my, until recently, extremely backward home state of West Virginia.
I know thousands of lives are lost every day around the world. True, Joe was just one. But in this novel, you will see him live and die not once, but a thousand times in the minutes of his life.
If you email me at johnmcummings@aol.com, I'll send you the cover graphic for my novel. Then, please take a look at the image. You will see in Joe's innocent, dead-on eyes at 19.
I'll also email you a new digital .pdf of my novel from the publisher. It's a clear, bold text.
I promise you that DON'T FORGET ME, BRO is not too grim. I am
sensitive to the reader's well-being and tolerance.
Cleanly written and briskly plotted, DON'T FORGET ME, BRO is a quick, fabulous read, a literary page-turner. Never before in my career could I say this about my work. So I say so now with a truth I can all but guarantee.
I hope I don't sound arrogant. I am just very happy and confident.
To give you a bigger picture of my novel, I'll even email you a full advance review by Pauline Finch of Bookreporter.com, along with a list of authors who've blurbed my novel so far and what they have said.
I would very grateful and honored if you were to review my new novel.
Again, my email is johnmcummings@aol.com
My phone number is (304) 620-8747.
In respect and gratitude for your work,
and warmly,
John Michael Cummings
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