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Daisychains of Silence
Daisychains of Silence - a story of love, lies and memory. “This really is a gem of a book. Although the story is terrifically involving and packs a tremendous emotional punch, it's the sheer quality of the writing that stands out for me.” “A great story of betrayal, insecurities, lies and love.” “Strangely, for a book that is about as far from the thriller genre as it's possible to be, I found this story a real page turner too.” “Throughout this story of silences and secrets runs a thread of threads; literally! … fine details are laid out like the most brilliant of tapestries. Within a few pages the threads are being used to do something quite different and rather more disturbing than the cosy domestic scene of contented craftsmanship the opening pages suggest … At this point, I was totally hooked. You couldn't have found a more compelling image to sum up themes of the book, that maintaining of silence at such a terrible personal cost to the characters.” “Catherine MacLeod's achievement is a rich embroidery of interwoven threads that stimulates thought, provokes consternation, and delivers surprise, shock and enlightenment at what lies beneath a dystopian family breakdown mirrored one generation after another.” - ♦ - Daisychains of Silence Charged with the fragility of family and the power of forgiveness, Daisy’s story unfolds over three days of memories and misunderstandings during a visit to her mother, who’s in the early stages of dementia. The discovery of a gun and a bundle of letters trigger a series of painful but ultimately cathartic memories, forcing Daisy to re-examine her past. - ♦ - Book description in more An idyllic childhood in the highlands of Scotland ends abruptly when Daisy is sent to boarding school, but that’s just the beginning of her unravelling. Fall-out from her parents’ disintegrating marriage spirals her into chaos; her father goes missing, disturbing memories from her childhood propel her on ... Daisy keeps it all inside but she has had enough. Forbidden contact with her family she marries her first love, determined to build her life from scratch based on honesty, not lies. All goes well for twenty five years until her husband faces a crisis of his own. Daisy reverts to old ways of coping as betrayal and family secrets are exposed, loosening the threads woven so tightly into the fabric of her life. Tension builds when a gun and a bundle of letters at her mother’s house trigger a series of painful but ultimately cathartic memories, and Daisy is forced to re-examine her past.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 21, 2012
An awesome silence: is it golden or guilt?
‘Memory believes before knowing remembers.’ William Faulkner’s dicho is apposite to the interwoven family tapestry worked impressively by Catherine MacLeod in Daisychains of Silence. The novel echoes any number of North American authors who use the patchwork quilt as a metaphor for the collage of life’s incidents and images. But here the metaphor of silken threads is subtler, more discerning, in the way the protagonist Deirdre/Daisy picks her way through the scenes of childhood bullying, adolescent abuse, and womanly betrayal. Eventually one comes to realise that Daisy, her adopted name, is indeed a whole, a complete person in her nature, whereas Deirdre, her given name, is forever a child nurtured to ill effect by her circumstances.
Set in the recent past and a generation earlier, the novel is at one and the same time a coming of age story, with unexpected surprises and a catalogue of unforeseen disasters that tempt the reader into visualising an inescapable descent into paranoia, and a redemptive coming to maturity saga, albeit with many questions still unanswered. There is an endearing, prophylactic innocence that shields the wilful Daisy from undue harm and yet, simultaneously, precipitates her into the arms of a parental struggle and sexual encounters, from the insidious and violent, to the needy and tender.
Initially the quiet retrospection of the adult Daisy attempts to come to terms with her mother’s forgetfulness, seemingly as contrived as pathological. The discovery of a hoard of realia from their past opens portals of discovery and self-knowledge which twist and turn in their elusiveness. Her memory is stirred to provide the reader with exquisitely drawn picture postcards from her past: early life in an idyllic rural Scotland; the horror of dorm life in a girls’ private school; the encounter with her father’s other woman; her first heterosexual love. As this young life evolves, the damage done by psychologically powerful characters brings to Daisy the unwanted attribute of, literally, an accident waiting to happen. Several accidents, perchance.
Her adolescent response is to secure her mouth in a punk-like, threaded daisychain pattern, a self-silenced Papageno who has come up empty chasing the bright birds of her youth. Although the reader appreciates her more voluble later self, Daisy’s silent quest for knowledge, sifting through the epistolary threads of her family life, leads her into a series of doubts that shakes her to the core of her being. Is her mother a murderer; is her partner a confirmed adulterer?
Characters in the novel are portrayed beautifully in depth by the writer. There is an emphasis on close-ups either through the eyes of the protagonist or from the viewpoint of her tormentors or supporters. This gives a sense of wonderment in the eye of the beholder. Daisy doesn’t do much or react to much in medium or long shot. This element enhances the confusion her younger self falls foul of and her latter day self is prone to. Exquisitely managed shocks to the trajectory of her life and indeed to the assumptions of the reader lend an intriguing mystery to the story that unfolds. The result is an uneasy attachment to and admiration for Daisy that demands the outcome of her quest for the truth.
The way the emergent characters end the novel, aspiring daughter, faithful friend, forgiven partner, secret half-brother-in-law, suggests that Daisy has more than a few chapters more of self-discovery in what could be a very entertaining sequel. For now it is a pleasure to return to the family secrets in which as a child and youth she participates, and as an adult uncovers. Catherine MacLeod’s achievement is a rich embroidery of interwoven threads that stimulates thought, provokes consternation, and delivers surprise, shock and enlightenment at what lies beneath a dystopian family breakdown mirrored one generation after another. The book is a triumph of literary crossover fiction inspiring both young women of today and their maturer counterparts.
‘Memory believes before knowing remembers.’ William Faulkner’s dicho is apposite to the interwoven family tapestry worked impressively by Catherine MacLeod in Daisychains of Silence. The novel echoes any number of North American authors who use the patchwork quilt as a metaphor for the collage of life’s incidents and images. But here the metaphor of silken threads is subtler, more discerning, in the way the protagonist Deirdre/Daisy picks her way through the scenes of childhood bullying, adolescent abuse, and womanly betrayal. Eventually one comes to realise that Daisy, her adopted name, is indeed a whole, a complete person in her nature, whereas Deirdre, her given name, is forever a child nurtured to ill effect by her circumstances.
Set in the recent past and a generation earlier, the novel is at one and the same time a coming of age story, with unexpected surprises and a catalogue of unforeseen disasters that tempt the reader into visualising an inescapable descent into paranoia, and a redemptive coming to maturity saga, albeit with many questions still unanswered. There is an endearing, prophylactic innocence that shields the wilful Daisy from undue harm and yet, simultaneously, precipitates her into the arms of a parental struggle and sexual encounters, from the insidious and violent, to the needy and tender.
Initially the quiet retrospection of the adult Daisy attempts to come to terms with her mother’s forgetfulness, seemingly as contrived as pathological. The discovery of a hoard of realia from their past opens portals of discovery and self-knowledge which twist and turn in their elusiveness. Her memory is stirred to provide the reader with exquisitely drawn picture postcards from her past: early life in an idyllic rural Scotland; the horror of dorm life in a girls’ private school; the encounter with her father’s other woman; her first heterosexual love. As this young life evolves, the damage done by psychologically powerful characters brings to Daisy the unwanted attribute of, literally, an accident waiting to happen. Several accidents, perchance.
Her adolescent response is to secure her mouth in a punk-like, threaded daisychain pattern, a self-silenced Papageno who has come up empty chasing the bright birds of her youth. Although the reader appreciates her more voluble later self, Daisy’s silent quest for knowledge, sifting through the epistolary threads of her family life, leads her into a series of doubts that shakes her to the core of her being. Is her mother a murderer; is her partner a confirmed adulterer?
Characters in the novel are portrayed beautifully in depth by the writer. There is an emphasis on close-ups either through the eyes of the protagonist or from the viewpoint of her tormentors or supporters. This gives a sense of wonderment in the eye of the beholder. Daisy doesn’t do much or react to much in medium or long shot. This element enhances the confusion her younger self falls foul of and her latter day self is prone to. Exquisitely managed shocks to the trajectory of her life and indeed to the assumptions of the reader lend an intriguing mystery to the story that unfolds. The result is an uneasy attachment to and admiration for Daisy that demands the outcome of her quest for the truth.
The way the emergent characters end the novel, aspiring daughter, faithful friend, forgiven partner, secret half-brother-in-law, suggests that Daisy has more than a few chapters more of self-discovery in what could be a very entertaining sequel. For now it is a pleasure to return to the family secrets in which as a child and youth she participates, and as an adult uncovers. Catherine MacLeod’s achievement is a rich embroidery of interwoven threads that stimulates thought, provokes consternation, and delivers surprise, shock and enlightenment at what lies beneath a dystopian family breakdown mirrored one generation after another. The book is a triumph of literary crossover fiction inspiring both young women of today and their maturer counterparts.
April 9, 2012
Daisychains is well outside my normal reading tastes, but a much anticipated read for me. Everything I liked Daisychains as it climbed the charts periodically on Harpercollins authonomy site for newbie writers was in the final, polished, published novel. The evocative, yet precise prose, the diligent construction of each sentence, which is of course, as Stephen King says, the only way to write; one word at a time. Deidre is a tragic figure but with pizzazz, we don't feel sorry for her, we root for her as her life in intimate and beautifully described detail is paraded before our eyes. The veil of memory is lifted, the borrow a quote from the prologue and we are given a pen portrait of a human life and loves that is both thoroughly absorbing and totally realistic. The motivations of the characters, the trauma of boarding school, the awfulness that happens to her Dad, the hope there is in Jake, all come together to create a tonal experience that is both tragic and pathetic (in the truest sense of that word - i.e. - inspiring of pathos). Strangely, for a book that is about as far from the thriller genre as it's possible to be, I found this story a real page turner too. We care about these characters, constructed from love, and reality, characters who could easily walk off these pages into real life. I was sad when I finished it, a complex experience, emotional, thought-provoking and most of all, dripping with verisimilitude. Art imitating life, no, more than that, these characters were three dimensional, their motivations, their travails and their joys were woven expertly into an unfolding tale that took a piece of human experience and examined it absolutely. Bravo Diana, great stuff.
November 11, 2011
In Daisychains of Silence, Catherine MacLeod has sewn together a rich tapestry of images, emotions, memories—all the scraps that comprise a life. In this case, the life is Daisy’s and we follow her from neglected childhood, to boarding school and adventurous youth, and to middle age, when a reunion with her mother forces her to reassess all that’s come before. The relationship between Daisy and her mother is especially poignant, especially fraught with long-simmering betrayals and disappointments. MacLeod has the eye of a photographer, a painter, an ability to draw our attention to details that matter: a crocheted curtain, filthy from neglect, a beloved hand-made doll, cords of colored thread glistening on a well-used table, scars that form a smile. The writing itself is evocative and poetic, at times absolutely mesmerizing as Daisy’s world is described. Forced into an early self-reliance, Daisy learns to keep most things within and we follow her attempts to strike out and discover who she is and what she should do with herself. But it’s a love story too, a believable love story accented with stops and starts, with mistakes made and loyalties reclaimed. MacLeod’s characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished this lovely book, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them, each and every one, despite their flaws or maybe because of them.
November 10, 2011
What a fascinating, beautifully written story. This book takes you by surprise and is in no way preditctable. Very different from any other book I have read. I love the Character of Daisy, the way her past is revealed and all that she has encountered over the 3 days she spends with her mother is remarkable. I especially liked the part where Daisy meets Roxy at a most traumatic time in her life, when they first meet in the café you’re really not sure which ways it’s going to go Daisy being so vulnerable. I’m looking forward to reading your next book. This is must read, download now.
November 5, 2011
This genre-crossing tale is astonishingly captivating – but don't just take my word for it. In July 2011, HarperCollins wrote:
"The narrative of ‘Daisychains’ is rich with imagery of the Scottish Highlands and the motif of needlework, both of which give it a fresh and unique feel: this did not feel like a novel I have read before, which is a great start as far as grabbing an editor’s attention goes..."
"The narrative of ‘Daisychains’ is rich with imagery of the Scottish Highlands and the motif of needlework, both of which give it a fresh and unique feel: this did not feel like a novel I have read before, which is a great start as far as grabbing an editor’s attention goes..."
August 4, 2012
A stitch in time does not save nine in this complex novel by Catherine Macleod.Shhhh-Don't tell family secrets; - Don't look too deeply into the abyss of your soul. I will not cover the detail of the plot because J.D. Revene has done a fine job in his Amazon review. To his point about Daisy's needlework, which is the Gordian knot and namesake of the story, I think Daisy not only "stops herself from revealing her thoughts" but she also uses it as a means of control - the only control she has over her life. Everything and everyone she loves is fraying around her. Instead of cutting her wrists, she sews daisy chains across her smile, to hold her life together. Daisy even severs herself from her birthname which is Deirdre. This kind of behavior is often exhibited by children abused, emotionally or physically, or raped. All of which makes this book sound sad and depressing. But it is not. The writing, as someone else has said, reveals the keen eye for detail of Catherine Macleod. Her writing is musical (another motif expressed through Jake's guitar), discordant at times, but always beautifully wrought. Again, to J.D. Revene's point about Nottingham's being described in less detail: perhaps the detail is reserved for the episodes in Daisy's life most stressful to her-those she remembers in the most excruciating detail. And to the "missing years" while married to Jake, perhaps those years were relatively peaceful and less episodic, Daisy having temporarily found respite in the arms and normalcy of Jake and his family. Daisy's relationship with her daughter is most likely intentionally distant - it is very difficult for children like Daisy to raise a child without reverting to his or her parents' patterns, and Daisy has secrets withheld from her on both sides of her family. "Ellen does not cut curves." Ellen is Daisy's mother - she is a woman of sharp geometric shapes and if a curve is required, she creates the illusion of a curve. This is the kind of writing I love. For me, this sums up Ellen quite well - gives me her essence. " Why doesn’t Robin consult a doctor? You are his family, you should see to it that he does." Robin is Daisy's father, a man who self-medicates with whiskey and cannot heal himself. These are only two of the many complex characters, skillfully drawn. We also have Tom, Daisy's brother; Pru, Robin's companion in his later years; Roxy, one of the most interesting women in the story and her brother Plug; Joanna, Daisy's school chum with whom she shares a deep friendship; Jake, her husband; Jake's mother Rita, who becomes Daisy's surrogate parent. Last, the difference in cultural norms as they existed in the Scottish countryside verses those in urban England were of great interest to me. The more I write about this book, the more I realize I must read it again. And I hope you the peruser of Good Reads reviews will read it many times too.
August 21, 2012
This book is moving, absorbing, disturbing, poignant, thought-provoking and beautifully written.
It is also a 'shape-shifting' book, in that it doesn't develop how you think it will and it takes you to places you hadn't expected to go. And it also sets up a number of mysteries and 'whodunnits' along the way, nearly all of which are resolved by the close. The one that isn't leads in nicely to the sequel.
It essentially begins as a dark character study, almost like a stage play. And I got the feeling that the opening location and themes would frame the rest of the story. And while they do to an extent, I was still surprised how the story and plot links unfolded and how the reader gets moved back and forth along the timeline.
I'm always sceptical about 'literary fiction' but I enjoyed this very much. And the phrasing and use of language is a joy.
As this is written by an 'indie' author I would say it deserves to do well, but I can see by the rankings that it already is!
Very impressive writing.
Terry
It is also a 'shape-shifting' book, in that it doesn't develop how you think it will and it takes you to places you hadn't expected to go. And it also sets up a number of mysteries and 'whodunnits' along the way, nearly all of which are resolved by the close. The one that isn't leads in nicely to the sequel.
It essentially begins as a dark character study, almost like a stage play. And I got the feeling that the opening location and themes would frame the rest of the story. And while they do to an extent, I was still surprised how the story and plot links unfolded and how the reader gets moved back and forth along the timeline.
I'm always sceptical about 'literary fiction' but I enjoyed this very much. And the phrasing and use of language is a joy.
As this is written by an 'indie' author I would say it deserves to do well, but I can see by the rankings that it already is!
Very impressive writing.
Terry
September 1, 2013
This is a superbly written book.
The symbolism of the daisychains feature as representative of the silence Daisy chooses to cope with the spiralling family events which devastate her life.
But a daisychain also forms the structure for how the book is written with daisy-like moments taken from Daisy's life. There are gaps in the narrative of her life but I think that these are like the stalks in her daisychains. The poignant beauty is there in the daisies, even though they describe the apalling tragedy of Daisy's life, the beauty of Daisy's character and purity are beguiling and compelling.
I couldn't put this book down and loved it from the beginning. The juxtaposition of the comforting scene of mother and daughter patchworking together alongside the shocking scene which follows when Daisy is alone in her bedroom grabbed me and I was then hooked throughout the book. Brilliant!
The symbolism of the daisychains feature as representative of the silence Daisy chooses to cope with the spiralling family events which devastate her life.
But a daisychain also forms the structure for how the book is written with daisy-like moments taken from Daisy's life. There are gaps in the narrative of her life but I think that these are like the stalks in her daisychains. The poignant beauty is there in the daisies, even though they describe the apalling tragedy of Daisy's life, the beauty of Daisy's character and purity are beguiling and compelling.
I couldn't put this book down and loved it from the beginning. The juxtaposition of the comforting scene of mother and daughter patchworking together alongside the shocking scene which follows when Daisy is alone in her bedroom grabbed me and I was then hooked throughout the book. Brilliant!
November 9, 2011
This is not the type of book I usually read for pleasure but this story was enthralling--it sucked me into its pages and wouldn't let me go.
March 11, 2013
I was really hooked by the story and the writing style but I was slightly disappointed by the ending.
December 21, 2013
Crap ending. So disappointed
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews