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Staunch
‘A fun and uplifting memoir’ Cosmopolitan Eleanor finds herself in her late 30s on a beach in India with three old ladies, trying to ‘find herself’ and ‘discover her family history’ like some sad middle-class crisis cliché. How did she get here?
Truthfully, it could be for any one of the below reasons, if not all
Stepmum dying/Stepdad leaving – family falling apart, subsequent psychotic break; both parents now on third marriage Breaking up with K after 12 years – breaking up a whole life, a whole fucking universe – for reasons that may have been… misguided? New boyfriend moving in immediately, me insisting ‘it’s not a rebound!’ even after everyone has stopped listening, then breaking up with me Going into therapy after dating a threatening narcissist (the most pertinent point of which should be I did not break up with him – he ghosted me) How to address this situation? Take a trip to India with your octogenarian nan and two great aunts of course. The perfect, if somewhat unusual, distraction from Eleanor’s ongoing crisis.
But the trip offers so much more than Eleanor could ever have hoped for.
Through the vivid and worldly older women in her life, she learns what it means to be staunch in the face of true adversity.
Truthfully, it could be for any one of the below reasons, if not all
Stepmum dying/Stepdad leaving – family falling apart, subsequent psychotic break; both parents now on third marriage Breaking up with K after 12 years – breaking up a whole life, a whole fucking universe – for reasons that may have been… misguided? New boyfriend moving in immediately, me insisting ‘it’s not a rebound!’ even after everyone has stopped listening, then breaking up with me Going into therapy after dating a threatening narcissist (the most pertinent point of which should be I did not break up with him – he ghosted me) How to address this situation? Take a trip to India with your octogenarian nan and two great aunts of course. The perfect, if somewhat unusual, distraction from Eleanor’s ongoing crisis.
But the trip offers so much more than Eleanor could ever have hoped for.
Through the vivid and worldly older women in her life, she learns what it means to be staunch in the face of true adversity.
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Published March 19, 2020
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About the author
Eleanor Wood
63 books34 followersEleanor Wood lives in Brighton, where she can mostly be found hanging around in cafés and record shops, running on the beach, pretending to be French and/or that it’s the 60s, and writing deep into the night. Her work has previously been published in magazines such as Time Out and The Face. Her erstwhile lo-fi fanzine, Shocking Blues and Mean Reds, won praise from The Independent, Lauren Laverne, and Marmalade magazine, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 14, 2021
3☆ A Heartfelt Memoir
When I started reading Staunch I didn't realise it was a memoir, it reads more of a women’s fiction.
Eleanor has been persuaded to join her Nan Dot and Her Great Aunts Rose and Ann on a trip back home to India, to reconnect and discover her family history.
The story alternates between past and present, and tells a painful story of how Eleanor's Nan and Family came to Britain after fleeing from India. It also tells Eleanor's story of her failed relationships and strained relationship with her Father and her personal growth as she struggles through life.
I did enjoy reading this book but I found myself enjoying the past story much more than the present day.
It would of been nice if the two connected more through the families actual journey to India. As for me it didn't feel like they was in India.
I just felt it was missing something.
Staunch is a Poignant and Compelling Story of self discovery, self love, reconnecting and learning to be more Staunch. ( the word Staunch gets used a lot, so if you are like me and didn't know what it meant, by the end of the book if you will most definitely grasp it!)
Thank you to HQ Publishers and Netgalley for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
When I started reading Staunch I didn't realise it was a memoir, it reads more of a women’s fiction.
Eleanor has been persuaded to join her Nan Dot and Her Great Aunts Rose and Ann on a trip back home to India, to reconnect and discover her family history.
The story alternates between past and present, and tells a painful story of how Eleanor's Nan and Family came to Britain after fleeing from India. It also tells Eleanor's story of her failed relationships and strained relationship with her Father and her personal growth as she struggles through life.
I did enjoy reading this book but I found myself enjoying the past story much more than the present day.
It would of been nice if the two connected more through the families actual journey to India. As for me it didn't feel like they was in India.
I just felt it was missing something.
Staunch is a Poignant and Compelling Story of self discovery, self love, reconnecting and learning to be more Staunch. ( the word Staunch gets used a lot, so if you are like me and didn't know what it meant, by the end of the book if you will most definitely grasp it!)
Thank you to HQ Publishers and Netgalley for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
March 16, 2020
I have to say that I really really enjoyed this book, I didn’t realise that this book was actually a memoir. The synopsis didn’t give you the impression that it was a memoir as it’s classed as Religion, Spirituality and Travel. I don’t really read many memoirs as some of them can be a bit hit and miss for me. This memoir however had me well and truly hooked before I finished the first chapter. The way in which Eleanor Wood has written her memoirs it’s more like an easy read story. There are lots of parts in the book that I think most women can relate to. Except the constant heavy drinking and drug taking, but maybe that just because I’m slightly older than Eleanor Wood.
The other thing I enjoyed was that she told us about how even though she is white British her family are actually white Indian (even though they are classed as British). As they were some of the last colonialists to leave India after the end of the second world war, when the British partitioned India in half to make two independent states. Indian and Pakistan. This partition caused all sorts of problems as people were having pack up their homes and make the long and also very dangerous journey from one side of the country to the other. People were being killed and murdered everywhere. It was also very dangerous for Eleanor’s family while they travelled through the country with being white as everyone blamed the British for such an up-evil.
Eleanor goes to India with her grandma and her grandma’s sisters, as an escort and a younger pair of legs to help them get around. While on this holiday Eleanor goes on her own trip of self discovery. Where she looks back at past relationships, how she didn’t handle rejection and things that she did in consequence of this rejection. Some of the actions she took because of this really aren’t anything to be proud of.
The main reason they all go to India is because for her grandma and her sisters it’s probably the last time they will be able to go back to their roots and see where they came from. They share lots of stories about their lives in India and what they had to go through to leave the county because of the partition.
The thing that Eleanor takes away from these three women is that they are Staunch women. That they have gone though some very tough and frightening times, and that with everything they have gone through they come out even stronger.
Eleanor realises that she wants to be like these women, she wants to be Staunch too. I think that most women will relate a lot to this book as I think we all aspire to being Staunch women. I think while reading this book I also went on a trip of discovery myself. Such a great and captivating read.
The other thing I enjoyed was that she told us about how even though she is white British her family are actually white Indian (even though they are classed as British). As they were some of the last colonialists to leave India after the end of the second world war, when the British partitioned India in half to make two independent states. Indian and Pakistan. This partition caused all sorts of problems as people were having pack up their homes and make the long and also very dangerous journey from one side of the country to the other. People were being killed and murdered everywhere. It was also very dangerous for Eleanor’s family while they travelled through the country with being white as everyone blamed the British for such an up-evil.
Eleanor goes to India with her grandma and her grandma’s sisters, as an escort and a younger pair of legs to help them get around. While on this holiday Eleanor goes on her own trip of self discovery. Where she looks back at past relationships, how she didn’t handle rejection and things that she did in consequence of this rejection. Some of the actions she took because of this really aren’t anything to be proud of.
The main reason they all go to India is because for her grandma and her sisters it’s probably the last time they will be able to go back to their roots and see where they came from. They share lots of stories about their lives in India and what they had to go through to leave the county because of the partition.
The thing that Eleanor takes away from these three women is that they are Staunch women. That they have gone though some very tough and frightening times, and that with everything they have gone through they come out even stronger.
Eleanor realises that she wants to be like these women, she wants to be Staunch too. I think that most women will relate a lot to this book as I think we all aspire to being Staunch women. I think while reading this book I also went on a trip of discovery myself. Such a great and captivating read.
March 15, 2020
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to give a true and honest review.
This was not the compelling story of feminine strength I had hoped it would be. I felt their may have been some Bridget Jones esq humour but it sadly just fell flat.
The brutal abuse by her boyfriend physically sickened me and the amazing strong female relatives and the enlightenment of a trip to Goa felt sadly two dimensional and far from as enlightenment (Eat, Pray, Love), it came across more spoilt and indulgent.
The realisation of her lifes lack of direction and issues during therapy were interesting but again nothing that we don't all experience as women during our life.
I was looking for a strong feminist role model and found the author both repetitive at times and excessive in the use of "staunch", ultimately it felt like a means of convincing herself she was ok, and she is very normal but the story itself sadly felt lacking depth and true emotion.
Sadly this was not for me and I felt underwhelmed and disappointed in its conclusion.
This was not the compelling story of feminine strength I had hoped it would be. I felt their may have been some Bridget Jones esq humour but it sadly just fell flat.
The brutal abuse by her boyfriend physically sickened me and the amazing strong female relatives and the enlightenment of a trip to Goa felt sadly two dimensional and far from as enlightenment (Eat, Pray, Love), it came across more spoilt and indulgent.
The realisation of her lifes lack of direction and issues during therapy were interesting but again nothing that we don't all experience as women during our life.
I was looking for a strong feminist role model and found the author both repetitive at times and excessive in the use of "staunch", ultimately it felt like a means of convincing herself she was ok, and she is very normal but the story itself sadly felt lacking depth and true emotion.
Sadly this was not for me and I felt underwhelmed and disappointed in its conclusion.
January 25, 2024
Cute relatable lines every now and then. An easy read and I liked the content. Just wasn’t very sticky and wasn’t overly excited to carry on reading.
March 22, 2021
I requested this book on Netgalley as the description sounded fun – I had no idea it’s actually a memoir, not fiction. That said, much of the author’s life does sound like it’s come straight out of a soap opera script.
The author is only a few years younger than me but my word she has had some shit to deal with, and this book feels very much like a therapy session. It’s part soap opera, part family history and part pearls of wisdom from the elderly relatives she goes on holiday to India with (incidentally, I would LOVE to go on holiday to India with these ladies too – they sound like a riot!).
I particularly enjoyed the family history sections – there were some fascinating tales of life in the British Raj from when her Nan was in her teens, and the family’s journey ‘back’ to the UK, despite none of them ever having lived there before.
I am truly envious of the close-knit family that the author has, and the amazing relationships she has with the staunch women in the family. It was interesting to read about how life events have affected her, and her determination to not let it beat her down, but to become as staunch as all the ladies surrounding her and supporting her.
The author is only a few years younger than me but my word she has had some shit to deal with, and this book feels very much like a therapy session. It’s part soap opera, part family history and part pearls of wisdom from the elderly relatives she goes on holiday to India with (incidentally, I would LOVE to go on holiday to India with these ladies too – they sound like a riot!).
I particularly enjoyed the family history sections – there were some fascinating tales of life in the British Raj from when her Nan was in her teens, and the family’s journey ‘back’ to the UK, despite none of them ever having lived there before.
I am truly envious of the close-knit family that the author has, and the amazing relationships she has with the staunch women in the family. It was interesting to read about how life events have affected her, and her determination to not let it beat her down, but to become as staunch as all the ladies surrounding her and supporting her.
March 31, 2020
I am a Staunch supporter. I loved this book, which is the moving and funny memoir of a woman trying to find herself after a number of life's ultimate tests. And she chooses to try to be staunch by following the examples set by her octogenarian nan and great aunts - whose fascinating past in India during partition we also learn. I found the memoir very relatable, and it made me laugh out loud in places and gasp in others. 'Eat, Pray, Love' for millennials? Yeah, I'd endorse that. Definitely recommended.
March 16, 2020
Reading Staunch I felt like I was reading a lighthearted humorous tale of a young woman’s adventure in India alongside three elderly ladies. Like a few reviews I’ve already seen, it wasn’t until sometime into this book that I realised it’s a memoir and written by a fellow Brightonian!
Eleanor takes us through the ups and downs of her life so far, detailing the end of a twelve year long relationship and a couple of very dubious ones in the wake of this break up. Like so many women in their thirties who remain single and childless or in aimless or damaging relationships,she questions where her life is heading and wishes she could be as staunch as her nan and two aunts whom she accompanies to India on a journey of self discovery.
With a timeline switching between and past and present I particularly liked hearing about the lives of Dot (Eleanor’s nan) and her aunts Rose and Ann. They have led interesting and colourful lives, beginning with childhood in British India and are portrayed as strong inspiring woman who embody the meaning of staunch in Eleanor’s eyes. Having to start all over again in the UK seemingly didn’t faze these three, determined to live the best lives they could. Her descriptions of living with three elderly woman, all with their own quirky ways are often funny as too are her anecdotes of street life in India.
I felt this was not just about Eleanor as an individual but her whole family who come across as happy fun loving people with hearts of gold. Whilst she herself is struggling with all that life has thrown her way so far which includes the disappearance of her much loved stepdad from her daily life, I think she is so fortunate to be part of such a loving family. They clearly are extremely supportive and its heartwarming how the narrative is suffused with the love Eleanor feels for all these brilliant women in her life. Nan and both aunts prove that age really is just a number and with experience and wisdom they can teach younger generations so much. They are just ordinary women but with so much spirit who prove to be ideal companions, sharing a laugh or a joke over a cocktail or a cup of tea and its impossible not to warm their characters and enjoy their stories.
Although I appreciate Eleanor is keen to convey how resilient and amazing the older women in her family are, I did get a little irritated by her overuse of the word staunch! (Minor criticism!) What I liked most about reading this memoir is that it’s really a celebration of the strength and power of women in general and the importance of strong bonds within families that crosses the generations. Having the support of girl friends is also crucial in day to day life and can really enhance our overall well being which Eleanor vocalises, making this memoir relatable to so many.
The ending felt hopeful and despite knowing that this woman continues to battle with her mental health, with the love of her family and a close group of friends surely her future happiness is within reach.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.
Eleanor takes us through the ups and downs of her life so far, detailing the end of a twelve year long relationship and a couple of very dubious ones in the wake of this break up. Like so many women in their thirties who remain single and childless or in aimless or damaging relationships,she questions where her life is heading and wishes she could be as staunch as her nan and two aunts whom she accompanies to India on a journey of self discovery.
With a timeline switching between and past and present I particularly liked hearing about the lives of Dot (Eleanor’s nan) and her aunts Rose and Ann. They have led interesting and colourful lives, beginning with childhood in British India and are portrayed as strong inspiring woman who embody the meaning of staunch in Eleanor’s eyes. Having to start all over again in the UK seemingly didn’t faze these three, determined to live the best lives they could. Her descriptions of living with three elderly woman, all with their own quirky ways are often funny as too are her anecdotes of street life in India.
I felt this was not just about Eleanor as an individual but her whole family who come across as happy fun loving people with hearts of gold. Whilst she herself is struggling with all that life has thrown her way so far which includes the disappearance of her much loved stepdad from her daily life, I think she is so fortunate to be part of such a loving family. They clearly are extremely supportive and its heartwarming how the narrative is suffused with the love Eleanor feels for all these brilliant women in her life. Nan and both aunts prove that age really is just a number and with experience and wisdom they can teach younger generations so much. They are just ordinary women but with so much spirit who prove to be ideal companions, sharing a laugh or a joke over a cocktail or a cup of tea and its impossible not to warm their characters and enjoy their stories.
Although I appreciate Eleanor is keen to convey how resilient and amazing the older women in her family are, I did get a little irritated by her overuse of the word staunch! (Minor criticism!) What I liked most about reading this memoir is that it’s really a celebration of the strength and power of women in general and the importance of strong bonds within families that crosses the generations. Having the support of girl friends is also crucial in day to day life and can really enhance our overall well being which Eleanor vocalises, making this memoir relatable to so many.
The ending felt hopeful and despite knowing that this woman continues to battle with her mental health, with the love of her family and a close group of friends surely her future happiness is within reach.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2020
I knew after the first couple of pages that I was going to like this book. Told in the first person, Eleanor’s personality jumps off the pages and quickly draws in the reader. What I didn’t realise until way through the book is that this isn’t fiction, it’s a memoir of the authors life so far. This made it even more fascinating and a lot more meaningful.
After first setting the present day scene on a beach in Goa, India, you’re then taken back in time through all the trauma and upset set out in the blurb for the book.
The narrative is captivating, well I thought so. It’s like sitting down with someone you’ve just met while they pour out their life story so far. You wouldn’t think someone in their 30’s could have a particularly huge life story but so much has happened in Eleanor’s life not of her making, that you can’t help but feel huge empathy for her.
To quote the book description “A late 30s The Wrong Knickers meets Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, having read neither I couldn’t comment on whether that is a true description or not. The writing style is chatty and fast paced, never dwelling for too long on each of the heartaches and heartbreaks in Eleanors life and there’s been a lot of heartache, not just with previous partners and boyfriends but the loss of her step-dad was a crushing blow to Eleanor who had a wonderful relationship with him.
It’s not just about Eleanor and her troubles, she describes the very close relationship she has with her nan. Her family – her grandmother and her grandmothers sisters were born in India and grew up there until India was given it’s independence from British rule in 1947. I learned so much about what happened in India and the partition when India was split up, with part of it becoming Pakistan. I didn’t know any of the history until reading this book.
The story isn’t told in any particular chronological order. It really is like sitting chatting to a friend who divulges their deepest thoughts. Always told with humour and kept light but then that is a part of who Eleanor is.
She shares the love and fondness she has for her family and what it is about her grandmother and her aunts that makes them, in the authors eyes, Staunch. Throughout the book, most of which is set on their holiday there, you get to meet the many different people they encounter on their holiday, you get a deep insight into Eleanor’s thoughts and life so far and you meet her lovely Nan and great aunts and learn about their lives both in India and here in England. A riveting read which I enjoyed very much.
After first setting the present day scene on a beach in Goa, India, you’re then taken back in time through all the trauma and upset set out in the blurb for the book.
The narrative is captivating, well I thought so. It’s like sitting down with someone you’ve just met while they pour out their life story so far. You wouldn’t think someone in their 30’s could have a particularly huge life story but so much has happened in Eleanor’s life not of her making, that you can’t help but feel huge empathy for her.
To quote the book description “A late 30s The Wrong Knickers meets Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, having read neither I couldn’t comment on whether that is a true description or not. The writing style is chatty and fast paced, never dwelling for too long on each of the heartaches and heartbreaks in Eleanors life and there’s been a lot of heartache, not just with previous partners and boyfriends but the loss of her step-dad was a crushing blow to Eleanor who had a wonderful relationship with him.
It’s not just about Eleanor and her troubles, she describes the very close relationship she has with her nan. Her family – her grandmother and her grandmothers sisters were born in India and grew up there until India was given it’s independence from British rule in 1947. I learned so much about what happened in India and the partition when India was split up, with part of it becoming Pakistan. I didn’t know any of the history until reading this book.
The story isn’t told in any particular chronological order. It really is like sitting chatting to a friend who divulges their deepest thoughts. Always told with humour and kept light but then that is a part of who Eleanor is.
She shares the love and fondness she has for her family and what it is about her grandmother and her aunts that makes them, in the authors eyes, Staunch. Throughout the book, most of which is set on their holiday there, you get to meet the many different people they encounter on their holiday, you get a deep insight into Eleanor’s thoughts and life so far and you meet her lovely Nan and great aunts and learn about their lives both in India and here in England. A riveting read which I enjoyed very much.
February 8, 2024
:: As I'm walking, back the way I came, an old lady suddenly grabs my arm. I seem to have old lady attracting vibes, they find me everywhere I go. I turn to see that she makes my nan and aunts looks like spring chickens. She grins at me toothlessly and brandished a large basket. She looks like Mother Teresa, but older and a bit more wizened. She takes me hand and pulls me to face her. We lock eyes. I feel a wave of pure love and joy. I'm on a high and I'm not exactly sure why.
Maybe it's muscle memory of being on hallucinogenics at Glastonbury, although that was often not much fun. I once lost all my friends and my tent after ingesting too many mushrooms and became convinced my brain was never going bag to normal. I woke up in a pudlle about 12 hours later and somebody had stolen all my cigarettes. ::
We follow Ellie as she lives her life trying to make the best of it, as she can and despite making a few bad decisions, bravely tries to carry on with a smile. On her face even if it is a mask she needs to slip into place more and more each day.
She makes us laugh with her racy humour and gives us quotes for the ages but there is something very sweet underlying in this gritty, female emporation journey that she travels all the way to India in order to finally understand.
Ellie goes away with her Nan and her two great aunts, who join her in India and it's there between the friendly locals and the family history pages, the kind staff and the cultural shock that she finds the level of 'Staunch' she would like to be.
It's funny, dramatically understated and quite useful, if you have a weekend free with nothing to do but would I read it again? No. I really really wanted to give more stars to this but I just couldn't get past the amount of times the author wrote 'Staunch' in one book, it got to be annoying at the end and after a short time I just wanted it to end which is such a shame because the story was actually really sweet.
There were also labels for people that were mentioned throughout the book that just seem to bring another element of the book down. I wanted to like it but I felt the negatives outweighed the positives.
I didn't actually realize till the end it was a memoir either which was interesting.
Maybe it's muscle memory of being on hallucinogenics at Glastonbury, although that was often not much fun. I once lost all my friends and my tent after ingesting too many mushrooms and became convinced my brain was never going bag to normal. I woke up in a pudlle about 12 hours later and somebody had stolen all my cigarettes. ::
We follow Ellie as she lives her life trying to make the best of it, as she can and despite making a few bad decisions, bravely tries to carry on with a smile. On her face even if it is a mask she needs to slip into place more and more each day.
She makes us laugh with her racy humour and gives us quotes for the ages but there is something very sweet underlying in this gritty, female emporation journey that she travels all the way to India in order to finally understand.
Ellie goes away with her Nan and her two great aunts, who join her in India and it's there between the friendly locals and the family history pages, the kind staff and the cultural shock that she finds the level of 'Staunch' she would like to be.
It's funny, dramatically understated and quite useful, if you have a weekend free with nothing to do but would I read it again? No. I really really wanted to give more stars to this but I just couldn't get past the amount of times the author wrote 'Staunch' in one book, it got to be annoying at the end and after a short time I just wanted it to end which is such a shame because the story was actually really sweet.
There were also labels for people that were mentioned throughout the book that just seem to bring another element of the book down. I wanted to like it but I felt the negatives outweighed the positives.
I didn't actually realize till the end it was a memoir either which was interesting.
February 15, 2021
**** 2.5 Stars ****
Staunch is an autobiographical account where the author is candid about her struggles and hopes, as she tries to find some direction in life. She's had her fair share of ups and downs - or rather, more downs than ups, from abandonment by her stepfather, the break up of a long term relationship and a string of bad and utterly awful boyfriends. She decides to go on holiday to Goa with her grandmother and greataunts. They grew up in India so it was almost like a trip back to their childhood for them, only moving to England during the Indian partition. Eleanor finds herself inspired by the strength, courage and "staunchness" of these women, and she self-reflects on her own personal situation through their influence.
I like the way the book was written. I've never read memoirs before and had a preconception that it could be quite stuffy and hard-going, but this was easy to read and quite breezy, even when the subject matter wasn't quite so light (think BAD boyfriends)! I also particularly liked the sections that told of the older womens' childhood experiences in India, and of their stories of immigration to England during the partition. It provided an interesting insight to that time in history.
When I initially chose this book I was expecting a strong, feminine, girl-power inspiring read, but I feel it failed to deliver on that score. It all just felt a little flat and fell far short of being fabulous. Perhaps if the book delved a little further into the older womens' experiences, but I don't feel the stories were fully explored and related. I also found that the author used the work "Staunch" (and its variations) far far too much. It got a little annoying.
Im glad I read this book as it was for the most part fairly enjoyable, but it didn't quite achieve its goal. It didn't make me want to be Staunch.
Staunch is an autobiographical account where the author is candid about her struggles and hopes, as she tries to find some direction in life. She's had her fair share of ups and downs - or rather, more downs than ups, from abandonment by her stepfather, the break up of a long term relationship and a string of bad and utterly awful boyfriends. She decides to go on holiday to Goa with her grandmother and greataunts. They grew up in India so it was almost like a trip back to their childhood for them, only moving to England during the Indian partition. Eleanor finds herself inspired by the strength, courage and "staunchness" of these women, and she self-reflects on her own personal situation through their influence.
I like the way the book was written. I've never read memoirs before and had a preconception that it could be quite stuffy and hard-going, but this was easy to read and quite breezy, even when the subject matter wasn't quite so light (think BAD boyfriends)! I also particularly liked the sections that told of the older womens' childhood experiences in India, and of their stories of immigration to England during the partition. It provided an interesting insight to that time in history.
When I initially chose this book I was expecting a strong, feminine, girl-power inspiring read, but I feel it failed to deliver on that score. It all just felt a little flat and fell far short of being fabulous. Perhaps if the book delved a little further into the older womens' experiences, but I don't feel the stories were fully explored and related. I also found that the author used the work "Staunch" (and its variations) far far too much. It got a little annoying.
Im glad I read this book as it was for the most part fairly enjoyable, but it didn't quite achieve its goal. It didn't make me want to be Staunch.
February 22, 2020
To be honest, I originally thought this was a chick-lit single girl goes on holiday with older relatives & meets love of her life story. It isn’t, it’s actually Eleanor’s auto-biographical story of a key part of her life & the lives of her family.
I don’t think I would have picked this book up in a bookshop, but I’m really glad I read it.
I admire the positivity applied to staunchness, being hard as nails and getting on with things, not getting over them.
I admire her elder relatives & found the stories of their younger lives fascinating.
At times I did become a tad impatient with the introspective thoughts & meandering, but in reality we are all guilty of this to some extent. It is what makes us human & personally it reassured me that over-thinking, obsessing over individual events & generally focussing on the negative rather than the positive is very human, very real & very true.
In this harsh world of social media, instant judgement, trolling, political & economic disruption, it was good to hear pragmatic recognition that whilst care & consideration for others is vital to society, Eleanor recognised that self-care, internal strength & self value are key steps to being staunch & finding her own internal strength.
A really engaging book that completely differs from my usual reading genre, that pulled me in from start to end & finished in a positive way, encouraging those who are not at that point in the journey to stop, reflect & take the time or action to make their own journey to a similar point.
I don’t think I would have picked this book up in a bookshop, but I’m really glad I read it.
I admire the positivity applied to staunchness, being hard as nails and getting on with things, not getting over them.
I admire her elder relatives & found the stories of their younger lives fascinating.
At times I did become a tad impatient with the introspective thoughts & meandering, but in reality we are all guilty of this to some extent. It is what makes us human & personally it reassured me that over-thinking, obsessing over individual events & generally focussing on the negative rather than the positive is very human, very real & very true.
In this harsh world of social media, instant judgement, trolling, political & economic disruption, it was good to hear pragmatic recognition that whilst care & consideration for others is vital to society, Eleanor recognised that self-care, internal strength & self value are key steps to being staunch & finding her own internal strength.
A really engaging book that completely differs from my usual reading genre, that pulled me in from start to end & finished in a positive way, encouraging those who are not at that point in the journey to stop, reflect & take the time or action to make their own journey to a similar point.
March 17, 2020
What better time to pick up a book about being 'Staunch' - overcoming things that are put in your way and finding a way to try and turn a negative into a positive - and for that reason alone I'm extremely glad that the shocking pink cover caught my eye and led me to read this inspiring memoir from Eleanor.
It's about her struggles in the past and the way that she is choosing to deal with them - for many of us that would be tough but on a trip to India with her nan and her 2 sisters, she finds a new meaning to life and a new way to approach the world. She learns so much from her elder relatives and I think they could teach us all a thing or two about confidence! They were an inspiration and I loved to hear the stories they told about their lives - how they moved from India to find a new life in the UK.
Eleanor had really gone through some struggles in her life - depression, bad boyfriends, loneliness, drugs, and the fact you become more invisible the older you get! So this trip to India was her chance to start over - she needed a break from life - and time in a new country gave her the space to focus on herself in a new environment and be inspired by those around her. It takes a look at her family and the dynamics within which were really interesting and her relatives on the trip taught her to laugh again!
It was really easy to read and the pages flew by as I got engrossed in her adventures. She talks about how therapy helped her too and I found it a really good read.
It's about her struggles in the past and the way that she is choosing to deal with them - for many of us that would be tough but on a trip to India with her nan and her 2 sisters, she finds a new meaning to life and a new way to approach the world. She learns so much from her elder relatives and I think they could teach us all a thing or two about confidence! They were an inspiration and I loved to hear the stories they told about their lives - how they moved from India to find a new life in the UK.
Eleanor had really gone through some struggles in her life - depression, bad boyfriends, loneliness, drugs, and the fact you become more invisible the older you get! So this trip to India was her chance to start over - she needed a break from life - and time in a new country gave her the space to focus on herself in a new environment and be inspired by those around her. It takes a look at her family and the dynamics within which were really interesting and her relatives on the trip taught her to laugh again!
It was really easy to read and the pages flew by as I got engrossed in her adventures. She talks about how therapy helped her too and I found it a really good read.
April 17, 2020
My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Staunch’ by Eleanor Wood in exchange for an honest review. It was published on 19 March.
From Publisher: “Eleanor finds herself in her late 30s on a beach in India with three old ladies, trying to ‘find herself’ and ‘discover her family history’ like some sad middle-class crisis cliché. How did she get here?”
This premise is a familiar one from women’s fiction and I had to remind myself more than once that this was a memoir. The three old ladies that Eleanor (Ellie) is travelling with are her grandmother and great-aunts.
Wood’s reflections move between the present day holiday in India and events in her life such as the breakup of her twelve year relationship with K, and two rebounds. It’s kind of real-life ‘Fleabag’ territory.
She also shares details of her family, who had lived in India since the nineteenth century and only returned to Britain in 1947, following Partition. The main reason for the trip is for her Nan and aunts to touch base with their roots one last time.
I don’t know if I would class it as a book about spirituality, though Ellie does write about her attempts to follow a healthy life style, including practicing yoga and meditation.
There was a fair amount that I could relate to in Ellie’s reminiscences, even though I am older than her. It proved very readable, quite funny in places, and insightful.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
From Publisher: “Eleanor finds herself in her late 30s on a beach in India with three old ladies, trying to ‘find herself’ and ‘discover her family history’ like some sad middle-class crisis cliché. How did she get here?”
This premise is a familiar one from women’s fiction and I had to remind myself more than once that this was a memoir. The three old ladies that Eleanor (Ellie) is travelling with are her grandmother and great-aunts.
Wood’s reflections move between the present day holiday in India and events in her life such as the breakup of her twelve year relationship with K, and two rebounds. It’s kind of real-life ‘Fleabag’ territory.
She also shares details of her family, who had lived in India since the nineteenth century and only returned to Britain in 1947, following Partition. The main reason for the trip is for her Nan and aunts to touch base with their roots one last time.
I don’t know if I would class it as a book about spirituality, though Ellie does write about her attempts to follow a healthy life style, including practicing yoga and meditation.
There was a fair amount that I could relate to in Ellie’s reminiscences, even though I am older than her. It proved very readable, quite funny in places, and insightful.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
February 10, 2020
I didn’t realise that this is a memoir or I would not have read it, I never review biographies, auto biographies or memoirs....It’s reviewing a person...too personal....the review too easily for me could slip into personal comment, that is too unkind. When I read this I thought that it was a work of fiction. It is however, well written and compelling and I really hoped that Ells would get her act together by the end....she seems to have at least got things into perspective with the help of her family.
Enjoyable, introspective version of Eleanor Wood’s own life, on her website she describes this book as being her “memoir....a funny/sad book about heartbreak, mental health, history and holidays”. After reading this book I agree that this is totally accurate description and why should I, a non-writer type person, rephrase an accurate description.
During the last chapter she describes herself, and this seems to apply to many young adults of her social demographic, as an “overprivileged, mentally unstable white girl”.
My favourite line in this memoir “For some time now, I’ve felt like I am in the world very lightly” and thank you Netgalley for this free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
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Enjoyable, introspective version of Eleanor Wood’s own life, on her website she describes this book as being her “memoir....a funny/sad book about heartbreak, mental health, history and holidays”. After reading this book I agree that this is totally accurate description and why should I, a non-writer type person, rephrase an accurate description.
During the last chapter she describes herself, and this seems to apply to many young adults of her social demographic, as an “overprivileged, mentally unstable white girl”.
My favourite line in this memoir “For some time now, I’ve felt like I am in the world very lightly” and thank you Netgalley for this free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
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March 16, 2020
I loved this book. It was so funny, really current and just had self-awareness. I love that Eleanor was aware of her privilege and also just told her story and thankfully, her story is interesting, it's sad but mostly it's explained with humour and I just bloody love it. This book is one of those that came into my life at the right time and I think it definitely has played a part in why it got such a high rating for me but honestly I couldn't fault this book. Her life lessons and her closeness with the women in her family is lovely to read about, perhaps because my own situation is not similar. I really thought she did a good job of covering her family's history, their position and their lives. Mostly I think she covers a really good point that life looks like it's all set for people because they've lived it and they are older than us, but we forget that for most people this isn't the life they planned.
Would also note like everyone else the blurb does suggest that this is a fiction book and you don't think they are talking about the author, but I also think it's my fault for not paying attention the name of the author and guessing it was about her. The way it's written also makes it read like fiction, but this also makes it so much fun!
Would also note like everyone else the blurb does suggest that this is a fiction book and you don't think they are talking about the author, but I also think it's my fault for not paying attention the name of the author and guessing it was about her. The way it's written also makes it read like fiction, but this also makes it so much fun!
April 13, 2020
I have a new goal in life. I want to be staunch.
Let me explain.
I like to think that I am not a person driven by fear. I don’t worry unnecessarily. I respond to things rather than over-thinking. However, for the past seven days (at the time of writing) I have been holed up in one room fearing the world. A virus is ripping through the country and because of my weakened immune system and the medication that I take to control my immune system I am not embarrassed to say that I am scared. Terrified, even.
So when I read something as uplifting, as courageous and as heart-warming as Staunch by Eleanor Wood I am genuinely given hope. This story of one woman’s admiration for the brave women in her family made me stop and pause, to reassess. I travelled with these ladies to their mother country. I shared their experiences – both good and bad. I revelled in their victories and had my heart squeezed by their failures. In truth, I lived their stories as I read the page.
It reminded me that whilst things are pretty crappy at the moment (and believe me, they are) that things will get better and easier and there will be things to look forward to eventually. It was the first fluttering in my belly of maybe one day being staunch.
Staunch by Eleanor Wood is available now.
Let me explain.
I like to think that I am not a person driven by fear. I don’t worry unnecessarily. I respond to things rather than over-thinking. However, for the past seven days (at the time of writing) I have been holed up in one room fearing the world. A virus is ripping through the country and because of my weakened immune system and the medication that I take to control my immune system I am not embarrassed to say that I am scared. Terrified, even.
So when I read something as uplifting, as courageous and as heart-warming as Staunch by Eleanor Wood I am genuinely given hope. This story of one woman’s admiration for the brave women in her family made me stop and pause, to reassess. I travelled with these ladies to their mother country. I shared their experiences – both good and bad. I revelled in their victories and had my heart squeezed by their failures. In truth, I lived their stories as I read the page.
It reminded me that whilst things are pretty crappy at the moment (and believe me, they are) that things will get better and easier and there will be things to look forward to eventually. It was the first fluttering in my belly of maybe one day being staunch.
Staunch by Eleanor Wood is available now.
April 13, 2020
I finished this book over a week ago now but didn't get round to writing up this review because so much has been going on. You would've thought the lockdown would bring weeks of relaxation and boredom, but apparently that isn't quite the case in my house.
Anyway, onto the book. I honestly could have read the whole thing and not even realised it's a memoir. It's written in such a fantastic, rather comical way - it is thoroughly entertaining read despite the number of hardships and misfortune the author endures. These difficulties include bulimia, a break-up from a long-term, very serious relationship, surviving and escaping a pretty damn toxic relationship, and having her step-dad (who she is extremely close to) leave her mother, and thus, her.
Wood alternates between the 'current' day, where she is on holiday with three older female relatives in India, and the past - anywhere from her own past experiences to the childhood and history of her family members. It's amazing how much detail she includes, and the anecdotes from her grandmother's and great aunts' pasts sound like stories in their own right. It's quite amazing that it is all based on reality.
Side note, it's quite funny to me that the author's name is also Eleanor, and that she suffered with an eating disorder. It made me feel a kind of connection to her, I guess. I definitely related to her in a fair few ways.
Eleanor offers some surprisingly positive insights and revelations, especially toward the end of the book. For example, she describes how she has begun to accept the uncertainty of life and the impossibility of perfection all the time. She also mentions how she stops relying on disordered eating behaviours, as she realises that there is far more to life than shrinking yourself.
I really, really enjoyed this, which is quite surprising as I don't usually read memoirs or anything like this, really. Eleanor is portrayed as a really likeable and relatable character, and definitely very down-to-earth and raw in discussing her experiences and thoughts. 4.5 stars!
Anyway, onto the book. I honestly could have read the whole thing and not even realised it's a memoir. It's written in such a fantastic, rather comical way - it is thoroughly entertaining read despite the number of hardships and misfortune the author endures. These difficulties include bulimia, a break-up from a long-term, very serious relationship, surviving and escaping a pretty damn toxic relationship, and having her step-dad (who she is extremely close to) leave her mother, and thus, her.
Wood alternates between the 'current' day, where she is on holiday with three older female relatives in India, and the past - anywhere from her own past experiences to the childhood and history of her family members. It's amazing how much detail she includes, and the anecdotes from her grandmother's and great aunts' pasts sound like stories in their own right. It's quite amazing that it is all based on reality.
Side note, it's quite funny to me that the author's name is also Eleanor, and that she suffered with an eating disorder. It made me feel a kind of connection to her, I guess. I definitely related to her in a fair few ways.
Eleanor offers some surprisingly positive insights and revelations, especially toward the end of the book. For example, she describes how she has begun to accept the uncertainty of life and the impossibility of perfection all the time. She also mentions how she stops relying on disordered eating behaviours, as she realises that there is far more to life than shrinking yourself.
I really, really enjoyed this, which is quite surprising as I don't usually read memoirs or anything like this, really. Eleanor is portrayed as a really likeable and relatable character, and definitely very down-to-earth and raw in discussing her experiences and thoughts. 4.5 stars!
April 22, 2020
I enjoyed the writing style of this book, its very quick to get into and starts like a cheery chatty novel, in fact, I had to check and remind myself it was a memoir. This is the story of when Eleanor went to Goa with her grandmother and three aunts, her grandmother (and aunts) were all born in India and left around the time of partition and this story is as much about them as about her own journey. The books moves between the past of her grandmother and aunts, how it was for them when they first arrived in the UK, how they lived their lives and Eleanor's own history including her long term relationship and the disastrous relationships she had after that finished. The title comes form how Eleanor realises that these elderly women are staunch, that their history has made them tough and strong, and her own journey to realising that she too can be staunch. The parts that focus on Nan, Rose and Ann I really enjoyed from their excitement to being in India again and to hearing about their pasts, I found these held my attention and reminded me of how life was so very different and how it has shaped these women.
With thanks to Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
With thanks to Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. When I requested it from netgalley I thought it was fiction, so was interested to learn when I started reading it that it was, in fact, a memoir.
It's really well written and very engaging from the outset. I found the author really very likeable and was completely engrossed in her story. I loved the tales of her trip to India with her relatives. It will definitely make me look at older people with fresh eyes in future. I was very inspired by the ladies she travelled with and their zest for life!
I thought the stories about her family's past in India in the 1940s added real depth to the book and I learnt a lot from those sections.
I read this book over New Year, which I think was the ideal time to read it. It has a strong, positive message and I now intend to try to be, even just a little bit more, staunch. This book deserves to do really well and I hope it will go on to inspire lots of people.
Thanks so much to netgalley and to the publisher and author for this review copy.
It's really well written and very engaging from the outset. I found the author really very likeable and was completely engrossed in her story. I loved the tales of her trip to India with her relatives. It will definitely make me look at older people with fresh eyes in future. I was very inspired by the ladies she travelled with and their zest for life!
I thought the stories about her family's past in India in the 1940s added real depth to the book and I learnt a lot from those sections.
I read this book over New Year, which I think was the ideal time to read it. It has a strong, positive message and I now intend to try to be, even just a little bit more, staunch. This book deserves to do really well and I hope it will go on to inspire lots of people.
Thanks so much to netgalley and to the publisher and author for this review copy.
April 14, 2020
I think I was expecting a Good Karma Hotel meets Bridget Jones.
I like the history of Eleanor's family, especially the days of Partition which is not something I know a lot about. I liked the relatives that had lived through this time and how they now found themselves coming back on a holiday with their granddaughter who needed it most.
Eleanor is a little broken after a break up from a long standing relationship, followed by a betrayal from her step dad and the fall out feelings from her time with bad boyfriend.
Her mental health is low and as she looks back on the last few years you can sense she wants to be better, be like the other women in her family.
I liked the read but felt there could have been more Eleanor found of herself in Goa, especially in the women she met managing to get by, I felt she might never be happy because she didn't let herself. For all the staunchness her favourite programme indicated I thought with her relatives there might have been more revelations to why she was not as bold.
I like the history of Eleanor's family, especially the days of Partition which is not something I know a lot about. I liked the relatives that had lived through this time and how they now found themselves coming back on a holiday with their granddaughter who needed it most.
Eleanor is a little broken after a break up from a long standing relationship, followed by a betrayal from her step dad and the fall out feelings from her time with bad boyfriend.
Her mental health is low and as she looks back on the last few years you can sense she wants to be better, be like the other women in her family.
I liked the read but felt there could have been more Eleanor found of herself in Goa, especially in the women she met managing to get by, I felt she might never be happy because she didn't let herself. For all the staunchness her favourite programme indicated I thought with her relatives there might have been more revelations to why she was not as bold.
October 25, 2020
Reading ‘Staunch’ was like dipping into a secret diary of someone who spoke about many of the things I myself, have experienced, thought about, worried about, quietly desired or obsessed over. Like so many girls of our generation, Eleanor and I seem to have been on similar journeys, and yet different; unique in our particular struggles and dreams but connected in the same circle of deep and often de-railing emotions.
Through various personal topics, via her brilliant trip to India with her grandmother and great aunts, she expresses her feelings about her love-life—past and present, the self-imposed expectations of a woman her age, and her mental health. Humour runs throughout the story, making it such a fantastic read; Eleanor is quirky, dry and describes her characters with hilarious details. But for me, it is the moments of stillness, reflection and heart-wrenching honesty that bind it together and make this book—this slice of an almost 22nd Century woman’s life—a very moving piece of writing.
Through various personal topics, via her brilliant trip to India with her grandmother and great aunts, she expresses her feelings about her love-life—past and present, the self-imposed expectations of a woman her age, and her mental health. Humour runs throughout the story, making it such a fantastic read; Eleanor is quirky, dry and describes her characters with hilarious details. But for me, it is the moments of stillness, reflection and heart-wrenching honesty that bind it together and make this book—this slice of an almost 22nd Century woman’s life—a very moving piece of writing.
January 8, 2020
I didn't actually realise this was a proper memoir, I initially thought it was a fictionalised version! Which explains the slightly frustrating ending - had it been fiction, everything would have been beautifully tied up in a way that it wasn't quite here., but as it's real life then it makes a bit more sense.
The story of a trip to India with her grandmother and two great-aunts, with family history and reflections on her own life experience so far, it's an easy read but also a thought provoking one. I've seen a couple of other reviews commenting on the target audience being women in their thirties, but as someone in that age group I'm not entirely sure it resonated with me as much as it might have done. I've also never thought of "staunch" as a descriptor on its own, which I found strangely irritating throughout the book.
Entertaining, thought-provoking in some ways, but nor for me really.
The story of a trip to India with her grandmother and two great-aunts, with family history and reflections on her own life experience so far, it's an easy read but also a thought provoking one. I've seen a couple of other reviews commenting on the target audience being women in their thirties, but as someone in that age group I'm not entirely sure it resonated with me as much as it might have done. I've also never thought of "staunch" as a descriptor on its own, which I found strangely irritating throughout the book.
Entertaining, thought-provoking in some ways, but nor for me really.
January 12, 2020
If you're after a bit of life-affirming, reality-checking memoir, this ticks all the boxes. The author finds herself not quite where she thought she'd be at a certain point in her life - as those around her seem to be getting married and starting families, she has come out of a 12-year relationship into a series of problematic ones and is feeling lost and unhappy. Her turning point comes when her grandmother and two great aunts ask her to join them on a month-long trip to India, where they were born. During their time away, Eleanor learns a great deal about her family history and develops a profound respect for these women and their attitude, which she describes as 'staunch'. During the book, she reflects on her own past as well as that of her family, and tries to apply the life lessons she is taught by these remarkable older women. It's warmly written and thoughtful.
March 15, 2020
This memoir is basically a love letter to the women in Eleanors life, we find out about her and her mental health, but also we discover the history surrounding her immediate family.
I loved reading about how she looked up to her nan and aunts and the lovely holiday they shared together as well as seeing her relationship with her mum.
Hearing about her mental health and relationships and the straight forward way it was portrayed was heart-breaking at times and the situations she put herself in made me want to shake her a bit, but that's real life. Her nan and aunts sound like amazing women and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes hearing about female friendships.
At times it did get a bit repetitive with the use of certain words, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book.
My thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy of this book
I loved reading about how she looked up to her nan and aunts and the lovely holiday they shared together as well as seeing her relationship with her mum.
Hearing about her mental health and relationships and the straight forward way it was portrayed was heart-breaking at times and the situations she put herself in made me want to shake her a bit, but that's real life. Her nan and aunts sound like amazing women and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes hearing about female friendships.
At times it did get a bit repetitive with the use of certain words, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book.
My thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy of this book
Read
April 9, 2020Let me start by saying that reviewing memoirs is incredibly difficult. Every memoir is unique, just as every individual's story is unique.
This memoir told the story of one woman who, following a period of turmoil in her life, embarks on a trip to India with her grandmother. There were points at which the author was very thoughtful and reflective, while at other times I found her to be reductionist about large portions of history/culture and she came across as quite privileged. This made the book, for me, quite difficult to engage with.
The book is, in essence, an ode to the women in her life, most of whom she refers to as "staunch", for their strength and resilience in facing various challenges.
I've refrained from leaving a rating as I feel it would be unfair to rate it, though I must say that sadly I personally did not connect with the book in the way I would have liked.
This memoir told the story of one woman who, following a period of turmoil in her life, embarks on a trip to India with her grandmother. There were points at which the author was very thoughtful and reflective, while at other times I found her to be reductionist about large portions of history/culture and she came across as quite privileged. This made the book, for me, quite difficult to engage with.
The book is, in essence, an ode to the women in her life, most of whom she refers to as "staunch", for their strength and resilience in facing various challenges.
I've refrained from leaving a rating as I feel it would be unfair to rate it, though I must say that sadly I personally did not connect with the book in the way I would have liked.
December 28, 2019
After losing a step dad, breaking up with her boyfriend and dallying with some unscrupulous suitors, Eleanor Wood escapes to India with her elderly relatives leaving Brighton behind.
Refreshingly frank and honest, her emotions, family revelations and personal realisations are all laid bare. The story takes in her family fleeing to England escaping partition, what it's like to vacation alongside your granny as well as her current romantic situation with a feckless lecturer.
The tone is similar to Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love, with a smidge of Eat, Pray, Love and a pinch of the The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for good measure. Would recommend as a perfect holiday read.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for providing an ebook for review.
Refreshingly frank and honest, her emotions, family revelations and personal realisations are all laid bare. The story takes in her family fleeing to England escaping partition, what it's like to vacation alongside your granny as well as her current romantic situation with a feckless lecturer.
The tone is similar to Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love, with a smidge of Eat, Pray, Love and a pinch of the The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for good measure. Would recommend as a perfect holiday read.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for providing an ebook for review.
February 25, 2020
Staunch by Eleanor Wood Eleanor is in her thirties and her life is in crisis! Her long term boyfriend has left as the relationship is no longer what he wants. She has lost her job and is struggling to pay her mortgage. She is offered the chance to go to India and retrace her family tree as British in India at the time of partition. Eleanor flies to Goa with her Nan and her nan’s sisters who are in their eighties. She learns about their life before and leading up to the partition and their life coming to England all of whom had never been her before. This all gives Eleanor a different concept to her life. Really good book a bit jumpy but really shows the importance of family. A bit repetitive but on the whole a nice read once it gets going. 3.5/5
March 13, 2020
Ellie is 36 and at a crossroads. Life with a partner and children has not happened. She goes on holiday with her Nan and great-aunts to in India, the land of their birth. They had grown up in colonial India and were repatriated to Scotland after Partition.
The book follows what happened to the sisters during that time. White colonial India with all its privileges, servants and country club set life contrasting to landing in 50s Scotland in January and how the family thought of being British but no concept of what 'British' in UK was like.
The book explores how the sisters bore their life with the staunch of the title and Ellie trying to become more staunch.
A little rough round the edges but a worthwhile read
Thanks to #Netgalleyfor ARC for an honest review
The book follows what happened to the sisters during that time. White colonial India with all its privileges, servants and country club set life contrasting to landing in 50s Scotland in January and how the family thought of being British but no concept of what 'British' in UK was like.
The book explores how the sisters bore their life with the staunch of the title and Ellie trying to become more staunch.
A little rough round the edges but a worthwhile read
Thanks to #Netgalleyfor ARC for an honest review
April 30, 2020
I absolutely loved this memoir, and found myself relating to so much of what was written. On a holiday to Goa with her Nan, and Great-Aunts, Eleanor finds herself learning how to become staunch. She has the time to reflect on her life and the series of events that have led her to hit her rock bottom. Losing loved ones has made her question whether she will ever find joy again, whether she can ever open her heart to love again. Or even just be content by herself. Through the stories of the women in her family, who are inspiring and wonderfully warm, she learns that nobody goes through life without grief, tragedy, loss. But learning to move beyond the hardest of times with grace and wisdom, means that life can feel joyful again. A searingly honest account of a woman daring to face her demons, striving to feel comfortable in her own skin, and become, like the women she so admires - staunch,
January 17, 2020
Like other readers, I wasn't aware this was a memoir; the blurb for this book isn't very clear.
At the beginning it was quite a challenging read: a lovely person had got herself into a negative spiral due to a series of events.
However, a trip with her grandmother and great aunts empowers her to address her current situation and move on. The book is interspersed with stories of her relatives that is very inspiring.
I found this an interesting read and I am sure women in their 30s in particular will be inspired by this talented writer's story.
Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a truthful review.
At the beginning it was quite a challenging read: a lovely person had got herself into a negative spiral due to a series of events.
However, a trip with her grandmother and great aunts empowers her to address her current situation and move on. The book is interspersed with stories of her relatives that is very inspiring.
I found this an interesting read and I am sure women in their 30s in particular will be inspired by this talented writer's story.
Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a truthful review.
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