This week I finished reading Therese Fowler's Souvenir. It was an emotional read right from the prologue. Therese takes you beautifully through a story that you know from the start will hurt. She doesn't hesitate to pull you through issues you don't want to think about. I read the book being just that little bit older than the heroine Meggie and my children just that little bit younger and heart was in my mouth as I read. I don't want to spoil the story though so I am limited in what I can say except that I looked at my own children and pulled them to me not wanting to miss a moment with them.
Therese takes something so painful as a mother and puts it out there simply. It's a book that makes you look at your own life and evaluate the choices you have made. The real skill for me in the book is that nothing was over dramatised and it could have been. The narrative flows along letting you feel. Remember to have a tissue handy when reading and I do recommend reading it.
6 comments:
Liz, I had to go back and read through some of the chapters as I howled through them. I can't remember the last book that made me do that. I agree with you - she did it in such a matter of fact way that it was almost like a good friend telling you the story. I had to go and read something more light hearted afterwards so read 'Getting rid of Matthew' which I also really enjoyed - it gave a differant angle on a familiar scenario. I'm off for another cupcake!!!!
Liz, happy birthday to your 8 yr old (belatedly) - there is so much good stuff on your blog. In my quiet time next week I plan a thorough read of your posts.
Yes, it was a hanky type of book who was wonderfully carthartic (spelling??). I'm not sure I could reread though at least not yet. The book I'm reading now is Lesley Cookman's second - Murder at Steeple Martin which will lift me away to some cosy killing :-)
Chrish, thanks for the birthday greetings for dd. She had a ball. Also thanks for your kind comment about the blog :-)
I read Souvenir very quickly. It really was a literal page turner for me because there were so many choices she could have made, given the plot and subplots, but the action was never predictable. These days, I can't help analyzing and deconstructing as I read a book and I thought her pacing, the balance of summary and dialogue, the amount of decription -- all of it was masterfully executed. I loved that she took a story that could have come off as overly sentimental (which I wouldn't have liked) and she managed to tell it in a way that pulled me in, and the space to have my own feelings about it. I also found that despite my intentions to read analytically, I forgot about that and was just along for the ride after the first few chapters.
I totally agree. Souvenir was a book I won't quickly forget. I couldn't put it down and it sure made me think about what choices I would make in the same situation. I love a book that makes me reconsider my beliefs. Therese is a great author.
Lisa and Brenda - it was a fabulous book and it makes you think - boy does it make you think. Lisa you are so right that is not sentemental which it could have been. Simply its a beatuifully told story.
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