Ungone

by Hannah Patterson

Eve is attempting to come to terms with her ageing mother, who has dementia and lives in a care home, and employs Erin, a total stranger, to visit the home and pretend to be her. The act has profound consequences, as all three women begin a process of doing, undoing and redoing, with complicated and ultimately necessary truths revealed about each of their lives. Ungone tells the story of a single decision-a deceptively simple thing-through which the fractured, multi-layered nature of identity and the self is both revealed and interrogated.

Genres: Fiction

132 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2025

Reviews

[Brooke Halak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a short and sweet feel-good book - I read it in one night and it was a super satisfying read. I honestly hope that Hannah makes a longer version of this book or a follow-on!! I actually started to care about the characters which not every author can accomplish and I enjoyed figuring out whose POV each section was. I have to credit my Auntie Sabrina as she gave me this book because the author is her friend based in the UK (who I’ve met and didn’t even realize). But regardless, I would recommend, I hope to see more books from her!

[Steff · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice lil read. Interesting concept that maybe could’ve been fleshed out more, but it worked as a short peek into the world of melting away, goodbyes and staying.

[Genevieve Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful, poignant book. I read it in one sitting, partly because it is a small book and partly because I couldn't bring myself to put it down. My initial amusement that someone would pay another person you visit their mother who is in the latter stages of dementia, soon changed into sympathy for both mother and daughter, as well as admiration and affection for the pseudo daughter. The writing is sparse and to the point, and I think the simplicity stirs up more empathy than a more opulent style would. This was a sheer delight to read.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I picked up this book without much context at all for my work book club. It’s funny dissecting book themes in discussion- books seem quite worthy of analysis and quite significant when put under the lens of multiple people.

I thought the book was okay but not pivotal. I can’t get over the element of deception which is inherently in the story but the author cannot seem to recognise- ultimately what they are doing, while well intentioned, is deceitful.

I don’t like Eve’s character and as the book went on, could understand her minimal moral compass- in book club she was referred to as conceited. I really think she spent too much time in her own head, whereas Erin and Danny were more considerate.

The mother was an interesting, complex character but the length of the book didn’t allow for significant development of her thoughts and feelings. She was someone that I would have wanted to hear more from.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75* - just because it wasn’t long enough!!! A bookbar read. A tiny tiny book both in pages and physically (my hand is bigger than it). I really liked the style, very very short paragraphs, a bit like Jessica Andrews’ book Milk Teeth, made it very easy to read and the pages fly by. No chapters and the swapping viewpoints mean you have to take a beat to think, interesting to think about morality too, but a really really good read, I wish it was longer so I could get more into it - it was just so good, but felt like I was just starting even though I was halfway through! Will definitely look out for more from this author and Bookbar are back on it!!!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a page or two, to understand how Hannah had structured the page, but this is a beautifully written little book. The characters are believable, and I found myself feeling deeply empathetic towards them. A lovely story.

[Daniella · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5