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The Single Feather
Rachel had to escape from where she was living, and that was hard enough, but now the 31 year old, paraplegic has to regain her independence and feel accepted in her new town. The problem is to do that, she feels she has to hide how and why she got injured and her recent experiences with the 'guards'.
She joins an art group, unaware her fellow members also have secrets. As tension rises and the group splits into factions, with the ever-present possibility of being returned to her former life, Rachel realises to move on means confronting her past.
Rachel flees her past to build a new life for herself. But living a lie isn't easy. She struggles with a guilty conscience and the fear of being exposed. Eventually, she has to decide: tell the truth and risk all, or say nothing and betray everything she has ever believed in. A stunning debut novel written with intelligence and clarity. Rachel's efforts to belong exposes our prejudices against those more vulnerable in society while shining a light on the power of friendship and the importance of being part of a community. Marianne Wheelaghan, bestselling author of The Blue Suitcase and Food of Ghosts --Third party author review
An intense, bittersweet story for anyone who's ever doubted themselves. Louisa Dang, author of The Rain Catcher, winner of Duke University Writers Workshop Fiction Prize --Third party author review
She joins an art group, unaware her fellow members also have secrets. As tension rises and the group splits into factions, with the ever-present possibility of being returned to her former life, Rachel realises to move on means confronting her past.
Rachel flees her past to build a new life for herself. But living a lie isn't easy. She struggles with a guilty conscience and the fear of being exposed. Eventually, she has to decide: tell the truth and risk all, or say nothing and betray everything she has ever believed in. A stunning debut novel written with intelligence and clarity. Rachel's efforts to belong exposes our prejudices against those more vulnerable in society while shining a light on the power of friendship and the importance of being part of a community. Marianne Wheelaghan, bestselling author of The Blue Suitcase and Food of Ghosts --Third party author review
An intense, bittersweet story for anyone who's ever doubted themselves. Louisa Dang, author of The Rain Catcher, winner of Duke University Writers Workshop Fiction Prize --Third party author review
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2015
456 people want to read
About the author
Ruth F. Hunt
2 books20 followersI'm a writer - fiction, and freelance for the press. I'm based in Lancashire, where I live with Izzy The Literary Cat.
The Single Feather is my debut novel, published by Pilrig Press. It was named as one of 6 'stand out novels of 2015' by Paul Simon The Morning Star.
It features Rachel, a 31 year old paraplegic woman as the protagonist, who is trying to escape from a traumatic past...
I am keen to make my fiction an enjoyable and rewarding read. I'm also passionate about giving more representation in novels, to characters whose voices are ususally not heard.
So, to put it simply, I write about outsiders. After all, aren't we all outsiders to a certain extent?
The Single Feather is my debut novel, published by Pilrig Press. It was named as one of 6 'stand out novels of 2015' by Paul Simon The Morning Star.
It features Rachel, a 31 year old paraplegic woman as the protagonist, who is trying to escape from a traumatic past...
I am keen to make my fiction an enjoyable and rewarding read. I'm also passionate about giving more representation in novels, to characters whose voices are ususally not heard.
So, to put it simply, I write about outsiders. After all, aren't we all outsiders to a certain extent?
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 23, 2015
A fascinating, open sprawl of a book that breathes life into its wealth of characters, each treated with compassion and respect. Through a slow build, almost without the reader noticing, social issue after social issue is built into the story's resonance through simple and realistic conversations between the main characters, never without a balanced view, always with an understanding of all sides. Lives fraught with disabilities and mental health issues are played out with all their complications, which are characterised without detracting from their complexity.
There is deep introspection in these pages also, and in particular the protagonist Rachel really comes alive. We feel for her pain, for her raw deal, and we come away richer for the experience.
Going on longer would do a disservice- masterful, timely debut and highly recommended :)
There is deep introspection in these pages also, and in particular the protagonist Rachel really comes alive. We feel for her pain, for her raw deal, and we come away richer for the experience.
Going on longer would do a disservice- masterful, timely debut and highly recommended :)
June 6, 2016
In The Single Feather we follow the story of Rachel, who has been left with severely restricted mobility after an accident. At the beginning of the book a strange incident occurs where we see her flee a situation, aided by her mother. There seem to be dark forces at work and Rachel appears to be not only running from her overseers but also from her own attitudes towards the cause of her disability.
There is a quiet, almost gentle tone to the reflective writing style of author Ruth Hunt. She likes to sit with her characters and illustrates very directly with this styling the constant daily negotiations that need to be considered when dealing with disability. This is very resonant, the stately pace and attention to detail of the mundane features of life demonstrating the need to take onboard the extra layer of information needed to ensure that the day flows as smoothly as possible. This hidden aspect of experiencing the effects of having a longterm condition is one I recognised instantly.
The core of the novel centres around Rachel and her attempts to interact and engage with the members of a local art group. The characters represent every aspect of societal opinion on disability and the issues surrounding it, but they are not merely ciphers for a point. This is very much about ordinary lives, with their ordinary conflicts, struggles and kindnesses.
I felt that at some points the narrative wandered and descriptive attention given to the minutiae of the everyday became too much. This is worth reading for a full and human account of a situation faced by many, and will be of benefit to a reader wherever they sit on the political spectrum. A promising debut about a pertinent and urgent subject.
There is a quiet, almost gentle tone to the reflective writing style of author Ruth Hunt. She likes to sit with her characters and illustrates very directly with this styling the constant daily negotiations that need to be considered when dealing with disability. This is very resonant, the stately pace and attention to detail of the mundane features of life demonstrating the need to take onboard the extra layer of information needed to ensure that the day flows as smoothly as possible. This hidden aspect of experiencing the effects of having a longterm condition is one I recognised instantly.
The core of the novel centres around Rachel and her attempts to interact and engage with the members of a local art group. The characters represent every aspect of societal opinion on disability and the issues surrounding it, but they are not merely ciphers for a point. This is very much about ordinary lives, with their ordinary conflicts, struggles and kindnesses.
I felt that at some points the narrative wandered and descriptive attention given to the minutiae of the everyday became too much. This is worth reading for a full and human account of a situation faced by many, and will be of benefit to a reader wherever they sit on the political spectrum. A promising debut about a pertinent and urgent subject.
November 7, 2015
I struggled with this book at first and nearly put it aside. I am glad I didn’t. At first I was underwhelmed, but halfway through the book I was suddenly gripped by it. This is an unusual and humane story.
Told in the first person, Ruth F. Hunt’s novel The Single Feather is set in the north of England. It begins with a young disabled woman, Rachel, escaping from a bungalow, being picked up by her mother outside and driven away as quickly as possible. Why was she being kept in the bungalow? Who were the people in it that she refers to as her guards? None of this is answered, at least for now; instead, we see Rachel beginning a new life, settled by her mother into a house that has been adapted for the disabled. From then on, the story revolves around Rachel’s efforts to make her life anew, mainly through an art group she joins in a local community centre.
It is the diversity of the people in that group, and their reactions to each other, that are the core of this book. Key to this is how they react to Rachel’s disability and that of two other people in the group who are also disabled. At the same time, we see that the rest of the group, as individuals, all have issues and challenges of their own that are not as obvious, but are also real. In particular, one of the least sympathetic turns out to have deep sadnesses in her own life that she can’t express.
The Single Feather has some challenges for the reader. Hunt begins with Rachel’s dramatic rescue from the bungalow, but we are not told until much later why she was held there, or why she was disabled. There are reasons for this, but it is irritating, and in general the pace of the book’s first half is too slow. At times there is too much detail. But then the art group start to plan a show; and that show, and its aftermath, starts to bring the characters to life. The show is followed by a bitter argument between the members over one of their number who is disabled and unwell, and the rights and wrongs of his dependence on benefits. This is so well done, and felt so true to life, that at one point I wanted to leave work early to get back to the book. In its final chapters, The Single Feather delivers a powerful message about perceptions of disability and mental health.
That would in itself be an achievement, but this book does more than that. In recent years many in Britain have felt that the poor, and those who claim benefits of any kind, are being demonised. One of the most powerful things about Hunt’s book, though she doesn’t major on it, is that it asks why. The people in the art group who attack others for being on benefits are not themselves wealthy or privileged. A food bank opens in the town and the locals express disapproval, saying that if people can queue up for food, then they’re capable of getting jobs. At one point, Rachel’s friend Kate asks whether these divisions are an accident; do those in power want to stir up such hatred, she asks? It’s a good question. All over the Western world the less fortunate are being encouraged to blame their ills on those who are even less, rather than more, fortunate than they are. Why? Whose interest is served by these divisions? As a lawyer would put it, cui bono – who benefits?
We do, in the end, find out who Rachel’s captors in the bungalow were, and why she was disabled in the first place. Both are important, and we should have been told earlier. There are also places where this book could have been better-paced and more tightly edited. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter. Ruth F. Hunt’s book packs a serious punch in several areas; not least the way we treat those who are different, and the way our sympathies are manipulated. It also addresses, not only intolerance, but our perceptions of those we perceive as intolerant. Despite its flaws, I can’t give The Single Feather less than five stars.
Told in the first person, Ruth F. Hunt’s novel The Single Feather is set in the north of England. It begins with a young disabled woman, Rachel, escaping from a bungalow, being picked up by her mother outside and driven away as quickly as possible. Why was she being kept in the bungalow? Who were the people in it that she refers to as her guards? None of this is answered, at least for now; instead, we see Rachel beginning a new life, settled by her mother into a house that has been adapted for the disabled. From then on, the story revolves around Rachel’s efforts to make her life anew, mainly through an art group she joins in a local community centre.
It is the diversity of the people in that group, and their reactions to each other, that are the core of this book. Key to this is how they react to Rachel’s disability and that of two other people in the group who are also disabled. At the same time, we see that the rest of the group, as individuals, all have issues and challenges of their own that are not as obvious, but are also real. In particular, one of the least sympathetic turns out to have deep sadnesses in her own life that she can’t express.
The Single Feather has some challenges for the reader. Hunt begins with Rachel’s dramatic rescue from the bungalow, but we are not told until much later why she was held there, or why she was disabled. There are reasons for this, but it is irritating, and in general the pace of the book’s first half is too slow. At times there is too much detail. But then the art group start to plan a show; and that show, and its aftermath, starts to bring the characters to life. The show is followed by a bitter argument between the members over one of their number who is disabled and unwell, and the rights and wrongs of his dependence on benefits. This is so well done, and felt so true to life, that at one point I wanted to leave work early to get back to the book. In its final chapters, The Single Feather delivers a powerful message about perceptions of disability and mental health.
That would in itself be an achievement, but this book does more than that. In recent years many in Britain have felt that the poor, and those who claim benefits of any kind, are being demonised. One of the most powerful things about Hunt’s book, though she doesn’t major on it, is that it asks why. The people in the art group who attack others for being on benefits are not themselves wealthy or privileged. A food bank opens in the town and the locals express disapproval, saying that if people can queue up for food, then they’re capable of getting jobs. At one point, Rachel’s friend Kate asks whether these divisions are an accident; do those in power want to stir up such hatred, she asks? It’s a good question. All over the Western world the less fortunate are being encouraged to blame their ills on those who are even less, rather than more, fortunate than they are. Why? Whose interest is served by these divisions? As a lawyer would put it, cui bono – who benefits?
We do, in the end, find out who Rachel’s captors in the bungalow were, and why she was disabled in the first place. Both are important, and we should have been told earlier. There are also places where this book could have been better-paced and more tightly edited. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter. Ruth F. Hunt’s book packs a serious punch in several areas; not least the way we treat those who are different, and the way our sympathies are manipulated. It also addresses, not only intolerance, but our perceptions of those we perceive as intolerant. Despite its flaws, I can’t give The Single Feather less than five stars.
July 6, 2015
Although main character Rachel’s being in a wheelchair provides the mystery – why is she in a wheelchair; what was her crime; who were the guards - the story focuses mostly elsewhere, on Rachel’s attempts to settle into an art group that meets in a community centre. Through her, we meet a motley crew of characters whose only common ground is their love of painting and drawing. Ruth Hunt is very good at depicting shades of grey in people. No one is black and white. A character, such as Anne, will say the most appalling, insulting things to another but then help that same person in a practical way. The reader might find some, or even most, of the characters unlikeable but will sympathise with their tragic backstories, frail mental health or difficult home lives even when they’re part of their own downfall.
If you like your books epic or thrill-a-minute, The Single Feather won’t be for you. This is a quiet book that deals with people who are, if not quiet, then at any rate unheard. (Indeed the only noisy bit, when Kate bangs a pro-Benefits drum, was unnecessary because modest, sad Mike had already told us silently everything we needed to know about the bureaucracy of social care.)
It’s an uplifting, thoughtful book about overcoming the past, adversity, depression, loneliness. I look forward to another book by this author.
If you like your books epic or thrill-a-minute, The Single Feather won’t be for you. This is a quiet book that deals with people who are, if not quiet, then at any rate unheard. (Indeed the only noisy bit, when Kate bangs a pro-Benefits drum, was unnecessary because modest, sad Mike had already told us silently everything we needed to know about the bureaucracy of social care.)
It’s an uplifting, thoughtful book about overcoming the past, adversity, depression, loneliness. I look forward to another book by this author.
April 25, 2015
Ruth F Hunt tackles the topics of disability and mental health head-on in this stunning debut, bringing together an unlikely group of people who share a love of art and are all struggling in some way with themselves or burdens they carry.
Rachel is a great protagonist and POV character, whose emotional fragility, self-doubt and self-stigma make her a compelling woman we want to root for. The wider cast of characters are flawed but likeable - though, at points, less likeable! - and challenge her to stand up for herself and redefine herself at different stages.
There is tragedy and there is hope here, on a background of injustices that I wish were consigned to the world of fiction. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a real perspective on mental health and disability in the UK, and anyone who wants to meet genuine characters between the pages.
Rachel is a great protagonist and POV character, whose emotional fragility, self-doubt and self-stigma make her a compelling woman we want to root for. The wider cast of characters are flawed but likeable - though, at points, less likeable! - and challenge her to stand up for herself and redefine herself at different stages.
There is tragedy and there is hope here, on a background of injustices that I wish were consigned to the world of fiction. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a real perspective on mental health and disability in the UK, and anyone who wants to meet genuine characters between the pages.
January 3, 2016
The Single Feather is a novel that takes an unflinching look at what it is like to be disabled in modern Britain and it doesn’t shy away from confronting the big issues.
Rachel is paralysed from the waist down; she has recently escaped a terrible situation and has moved into an adapted home in a small town. She is trying to come to terms with the new reality of her life and eventually joins a local art class in an attempt to meet some new people and to make friends.
This book was a difficult read for me at times, but it’s an important read at the same time. Hunt doesn’t shy away from showing the very real prejudices that disabled people still experience. The way that Rachel was treated by the guards was extreme but it made a very important point about the lack of care given to disabled people at times and the lack of dignity that is so often a common experience. Likewise, with the words that some of the people in the art group used. Anne always referred to Rachel as handicapped, and Rachel felt uncomfortable explaining that disabled is a more socially acceptable word. Hunt cleverly distinguishes between the genuine malice in the way Rachel was treated in the past, and how often some people just don’t realise that the terms they are using are offensive. It doesn’t make it alright but there is a big difference between ignorance and intolerance and I’m glad this was shown in this novel.
This is a novel that starts off quite slowly but Hunt gradually builds it up and it really comes into it’s own as you get a bit further into it. Once the back story of the characters starts to come through, you begin to understand their struggles and their motivations. The way they had behaved earlier in the novel began to make sense and it became possible to have real sympathy and understanding for them. Hunt never shies away from the realities of disability or mental health, and in this novel she really demonstrates that old adage about how everyone is fighting their own battle, you just might not know it. Hunt really does give you something to think about.
I wish the reveal about what really caused Rachel’s disability had come earlier in the novel as when it eventually is revealed it allows us to understand so much more about who she is, and perhaps would’ve have given the earlier parts of the novel a bit more depth. Having said that, I do completely understand how difficult it is to explain, for many reasons, what your disability is and what caused it so it does make sense that Rachel felt such reticence to be open.
I really enjoyed Kate and Rachel’s budding friendship, and as this became a closer friendship and we got to know more about them both it really added to the novel. I think Kate became my favourite character, she was well-adjusted and had the strength to speak out when necessary.
There was much more introspection as the novel neared its end and I found some of it very powerful. The part where Rachel finally understands what her mum meant by it being her own views that needed changing, was striking. The idea that sometimes, as a disabled person, it is easy to sometimes assume that the whole world is automatically going to be against you because of how some people have treated you in the past. Once Rachel opened up about the past and began to share with select members of the group they all had a new-found respect and a deeper connection with her. Kate’s words of wisdom stuck out the most for me though when she was trying to get Rachel to understand that just because people don’t always mention her wheelchair or her disability it doesn’t automatically mean they’re feeling awkward about it; sometimes people see the person first and the disability and the wheelchair fade away because they’re not important. These words had such resonance for me and I’m going to be taking Kate’s advice on board in my own life.
Ultimately, what really shines out of this novel is its representation of disability and mental health; how it shows a young woman doing her best to find a new normal and who is getting on with her life in spite of her disability, and there are very, very few books, if any, that show this. I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Single Feather is out now and available from Amazon.
Rachel is paralysed from the waist down; she has recently escaped a terrible situation and has moved into an adapted home in a small town. She is trying to come to terms with the new reality of her life and eventually joins a local art class in an attempt to meet some new people and to make friends.
This book was a difficult read for me at times, but it’s an important read at the same time. Hunt doesn’t shy away from showing the very real prejudices that disabled people still experience. The way that Rachel was treated by the guards was extreme but it made a very important point about the lack of care given to disabled people at times and the lack of dignity that is so often a common experience. Likewise, with the words that some of the people in the art group used. Anne always referred to Rachel as handicapped, and Rachel felt uncomfortable explaining that disabled is a more socially acceptable word. Hunt cleverly distinguishes between the genuine malice in the way Rachel was treated in the past, and how often some people just don’t realise that the terms they are using are offensive. It doesn’t make it alright but there is a big difference between ignorance and intolerance and I’m glad this was shown in this novel.
This is a novel that starts off quite slowly but Hunt gradually builds it up and it really comes into it’s own as you get a bit further into it. Once the back story of the characters starts to come through, you begin to understand their struggles and their motivations. The way they had behaved earlier in the novel began to make sense and it became possible to have real sympathy and understanding for them. Hunt never shies away from the realities of disability or mental health, and in this novel she really demonstrates that old adage about how everyone is fighting their own battle, you just might not know it. Hunt really does give you something to think about.
I wish the reveal about what really caused Rachel’s disability had come earlier in the novel as when it eventually is revealed it allows us to understand so much more about who she is, and perhaps would’ve have given the earlier parts of the novel a bit more depth. Having said that, I do completely understand how difficult it is to explain, for many reasons, what your disability is and what caused it so it does make sense that Rachel felt such reticence to be open.
I really enjoyed Kate and Rachel’s budding friendship, and as this became a closer friendship and we got to know more about them both it really added to the novel. I think Kate became my favourite character, she was well-adjusted and had the strength to speak out when necessary.
There was much more introspection as the novel neared its end and I found some of it very powerful. The part where Rachel finally understands what her mum meant by it being her own views that needed changing, was striking. The idea that sometimes, as a disabled person, it is easy to sometimes assume that the whole world is automatically going to be against you because of how some people have treated you in the past. Once Rachel opened up about the past and began to share with select members of the group they all had a new-found respect and a deeper connection with her. Kate’s words of wisdom stuck out the most for me though when she was trying to get Rachel to understand that just because people don’t always mention her wheelchair or her disability it doesn’t automatically mean they’re feeling awkward about it; sometimes people see the person first and the disability and the wheelchair fade away because they’re not important. These words had such resonance for me and I’m going to be taking Kate’s advice on board in my own life.
Ultimately, what really shines out of this novel is its representation of disability and mental health; how it shows a young woman doing her best to find a new normal and who is getting on with her life in spite of her disability, and there are very, very few books, if any, that show this. I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Single Feather is out now and available from Amazon.
January 7, 2016
The Single Feather is an inspirational and thought provoking novel. Rachel the protagonist, has been badly injured and faces the prospect of spending the rest of her life in a wheelchair. As well as losing her independence she suffers a loss of confidence.
Not willing to face the outside world because of her disability, the only people she meets on a regular basis are the carers and her mother. Things look up however, when Rachel, a talented artist, is persuaded to join an art group. This seems to be an answer to her prayers but unfortunately there is tension between the older members and the younger ones. The various characters in the group and the relationships that develop between them is at the heart of the story.
This fascinating novel has also a powerful political message. It is a condemnation of the present Governments austerity measures which have resulted in cuts to welfare benefits. Claimants unable to work being stimatized by a hostile right wing press. Some even driven to suicide when they no longer have enough money to live on.
Not willing to face the outside world because of her disability, the only people she meets on a regular basis are the carers and her mother. Things look up however, when Rachel, a talented artist, is persuaded to join an art group. This seems to be an answer to her prayers but unfortunately there is tension between the older members and the younger ones. The various characters in the group and the relationships that develop between them is at the heart of the story.
This fascinating novel has also a powerful political message. It is a condemnation of the present Governments austerity measures which have resulted in cuts to welfare benefits. Claimants unable to work being stimatized by a hostile right wing press. Some even driven to suicide when they no longer have enough money to live on.
March 24, 2016
Rachel is a thirty year old woman who uses a wheelchair, and after escaping from a heavily-guarded home, she lives independently in a new town in England. To try and get her old life back, she joins a local art group and makes friends with some of the locals. The story is really compelling, and I was very drawn in to find out what happened in Rachel’s past as her disability was caused by an accident, and she doesn’t reveal much about the home she escaped from. The ebook I read had a lot of punctuation errors, especially with quotation marks, which occasionally took me out of the story, but overall it’s a great book.
March 25, 2015
What a great debut. Tackling the subject of prejudices and stigma relating to disabilities, this story portrays the life of Rachel in every aspect of trying to live a normal life as possible. It is written in a lovely, explanative context, but also marinating a heart-warming story. It certainly makes you realise things that normally are brushed away in society, and with the current austerity measures, the financial difficulties that are put upon, a subject close to my heart. I enjoyed this book immensely, and can’t recommend it enough.
March 28, 2015
This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking novel that deals with issues of trust, independence and identity. At its heart is Rachel, a young, disabled woman, who is trying to leave behind a traumatic past and forge a new future. The characters are well-realised and group dynamics used to good effect to highlight individual frailties as well as social issues. It all makes for an engrossing and entertaining read.
March 3, 2015
'I just think sometimes people have no right to judge.’
‘All I’m saying is there are some who’re genuine and some who aren’t. An assessment will weed out the ones who are making stuff up. Come on; don’t get moody with me just because I spoke my mind.’ She stopped walking and had one hand on her hip. (page 111 of The Single Feather)
The struggle for acceptance, understanding and friendship is at the heart of this tender, moving debut novel by R.F. Hunt. Rachel, a young, paraplegic woman haunted by a past she’d rather forget, moves to a new flat in the fictional town of Carthom. In her search for friendship she joins a local art group. However, each of the members of this group have their own secrets they’d rather not share. But in the face of government cuts and increasing prejudice against society’s most vulnerable, will they come together or be thrown apart?
A beautiful, courageous story written with skill, compassion and an emotional intensity which will keep you turning pages. Her characters stay with you long after you’ve finished reading as do the larger questions they raise about who we’ve become, and where society is heading.
A must read.
‘All I’m saying is there are some who’re genuine and some who aren’t. An assessment will weed out the ones who are making stuff up. Come on; don’t get moody with me just because I spoke my mind.’ She stopped walking and had one hand on her hip. (page 111 of The Single Feather)
The struggle for acceptance, understanding and friendship is at the heart of this tender, moving debut novel by R.F. Hunt. Rachel, a young, paraplegic woman haunted by a past she’d rather forget, moves to a new flat in the fictional town of Carthom. In her search for friendship she joins a local art group. However, each of the members of this group have their own secrets they’d rather not share. But in the face of government cuts and increasing prejudice against society’s most vulnerable, will they come together or be thrown apart?
A beautiful, courageous story written with skill, compassion and an emotional intensity which will keep you turning pages. Her characters stay with you long after you’ve finished reading as do the larger questions they raise about who we’ve become, and where society is heading.
A must read.
March 8, 2016
I am not surprised to learn that Ruth F. Hunt's 'The Single Feather' was named as one of the six stand-out novels of 2015 by Paul Simon in The Morning Star. It is one of the few novels that I have read in the last few years of which I have read every word, right to the end.
The story romps along, and the author cleverly keeps us guessing until towards the end about certain facets of her life. The narrative revolves to a great extent around the characters of an art group which meets locally: we are drawn into their absorbing world, their friendships and quarrels, their political differences, their struggles and ultimate drawing closer, leading to fulfilment and satisfaction for themselves, and for the reader, too.
We are also kept guessing for some time as to the meaning of the title but, when we eventually discover it, it turns out to be appropriate to the story and rather moving.
The story romps along, and the author cleverly keeps us guessing until towards the end about certain facets of her life. The narrative revolves to a great extent around the characters of an art group which meets locally: we are drawn into their absorbing world, their friendships and quarrels, their political differences, their struggles and ultimate drawing closer, leading to fulfilment and satisfaction for themselves, and for the reader, too.
We are also kept guessing for some time as to the meaning of the title but, when we eventually discover it, it turns out to be appropriate to the story and rather moving.
May 29, 2016
Brilliant!! Believable characters put into believable and relatable situations. Flows extremely well and keeps you page turning right to the end.
September 21, 2017
Excellent, well written and inspiring! Rachel is an artist and wheelchair user. When she joins an art group, she meets an eclectic mix of people -- all abilities, all ages -- and becomes embroiled in their emotional ups and downs, prejudices, and their conflicting politics. It's obvious that Hunt crafted her novel with great care, and by the end of it, I felt a strong connection with all of the characters.
May 6, 2015
The Single Feather, by Ruth F Hunt, Beautifully Written..
The Single Feather follows Rachel as she moves to a new home and joins an art group.. Where she meets other members and get to know their struggles and talents... I stayed up all night reading this book and found that some parts brought me to tears and yet the beauty in the way this is written and the diversity between views and changes in the world around Rachel and her new friends made this a gripping read.... I think this book has a lot of heart and some very special ways of thinking of things throughout...
This book is a real credit to the Author and I hope this Author writes other book as she is now on my favourite Author list to look out for...
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to follow one woman's growth from one part of her life to another... Beautiful, special and totally amazing read....
The Single Feather follows Rachel as she moves to a new home and joins an art group.. Where she meets other members and get to know their struggles and talents... I stayed up all night reading this book and found that some parts brought me to tears and yet the beauty in the way this is written and the diversity between views and changes in the world around Rachel and her new friends made this a gripping read.... I think this book has a lot of heart and some very special ways of thinking of things throughout...
This book is a real credit to the Author and I hope this Author writes other book as she is now on my favourite Author list to look out for...
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to follow one woman's growth from one part of her life to another... Beautiful, special and totally amazing read....
July 16, 2016
I'm so glad I read this book. It gives a real insight to the problems and prejudice experienced by people forced, through no fault of their own, to rely on the state for help. A moving, thought-provoking, and emotional read. The main character is a delight, and I was rooting for her from the very first page. The mystery of the 'guards' and the 'accident' kept me turning the pages. A very realistic and important book, especially when those on benefits are being demonised by the media. It's by no means a gloomy read though. I finished it feeling uplifted and hopeful.
May 3, 2017
This is a terrific first novel: The Single Feather grabbed me from the first page, and I was immediately hooked. Part charming tale of love and friendship, of starting over in a new place, part political polemic (but without being hectoring), this is what people mean when they say unputdownable, and I had to force myself into bed each night, keen for the morning when I could pick it up again. The characters are all thoroughly believable, brilliantly and succinctly drawn. Then there’s the DWP stuff. A fellow student once said to me of a piece of writing, that was powerful, that made me feel something I didn’t want to feel; and there you have it. This is a highly topical work, with its themes of disability prejudice, the anti-welfare propaganda machine, the gig economy, capitalism in decline. I suppose these are the things that really got me going, but there’s so much more here than that, in case you’re so soul-sick and jaded, that sort of thing doesn’t bother you. There’s the perennial threat of romance, the to-ing and fro-ing of interpersonal relationships, and a compelling mystery from the first page on – namely, what did Rachel do that she feels so guilty about, the thing that put her in her wheelchair? And who are the guards? A car accident is suggested, but there seems to be more to it than that, and the drip-feeding of hints and information is carefully controlled as the pace of The Single Feather incrementally builds. I won’t say more, I don’t want to spoil it for you. Buy it and read it, you won’t be disappointed. Full marks Ruth.
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