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Truestory
Alice's life is dictated by her autistic son, Sam, who refuses to leave their remote Lancashire farm. Her only time 'off' is two hours in Lancaster on a Tuesday afternoon - and even that doesn't always pan out to be the break she needs. Husband Duncan brings Larry, a rootless wanderer, to the farm to embark on a money making scheme they've dreamed up. Alice is hostile but Larry beguiles Sam with tales of travel in the outside world and, soon, Alice begins to fall for him, too. By turns blackly comic, heart-breaking and heart-warming, Truestory looks at what happens when sacrifice slithers towards martyrdom. By turns happy and sad, ultimately it is a tale of hope.
350 pages, Paperback
Published September 17, 2015
2 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Simpson
4 books26 followersCatherine Simpson is a novelist and memoir writer. Her memoir One Body was shortlisted in the Scottish Book Awards 2022 and was selected for World Book Night.
She was named as one of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature's emerging writers in 2012 and again in 2013.
In 2013 she won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award for the opening chapters of Truestory.
She was named as one of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature's emerging writers in 2012 and again in 2013.
In 2013 she won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award for the opening chapters of Truestory.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 15, 2015
I read this lovely book over two days this weekend - a welcome relief from the rolling bad news after the attacks in Paris. It's ultimately a hopeful book but at the same time it doesn't shy away from the nitty gritty nasty bits of family life - yes it's set on a remote farm, and yes the boy is by no means easy, but the family dynamics and the claustrophobia felt by the mother, and the distant bewildered incomprehension of the dad, they're things you can spot in ANY family if you look close enough. And Catherine Simpson does look closely; she homes in on the funny bits and the tragic bits and the hopes and the dreams ... which all makes for a wonderful satisfying story. It's hard to believe this is a debut! I'm very much looking forward to her next one!
January 21, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this, up until around the final 25 pages. I'm not sure how to sum up how I feel about the ending, because it seemed quite abrupt and left me at a cross between having many questions and also just feeling that the book could've just given another 75 pages to round out the book in a way it deserved.
The book was a very close observation of a family living with autism, and I felt that this was done very well.
I think Larry's exit was just a little too abrupt, and left you feeling both sort changed and frustrated that it's conclusion was wrapped up in such a way.
Set in Lancashire (where I am from) it was nice to read something from "home".
I'd be keen to read more of Catherine Simpson's books - although I don't believe there are any at this time.
The book was a very close observation of a family living with autism, and I felt that this was done very well.
I think Larry's exit was just a little too abrupt, and left you feeling both sort changed and frustrated that it's conclusion was wrapped up in such a way.
Set in Lancashire (where I am from) it was nice to read something from "home".
I'd be keen to read more of Catherine Simpson's books - although I don't believe there are any at this time.
October 7, 2015
This a really well-written novel by a new author, who displays great confidence and control of her work.
I was drawn to the novel by the subject matter. Having encountered a number of people from very small children to young adults with autism in my own working life, I was impressed by the authenticity of Simpson's portrayal of Sam. I then looked for her online and found a number of press articles about her and the Genesis of the novel and was not surprised to learn she has raised a child with Asperger's Syndrome.
Authenticity is all very well, but this novel ticks so many boxes. The characters are well drawn and appealing, and the three main adult characters are all sufficiently complex to be realistic. No one is too good to be true, and no one is all bad.
The story rips along at a good pace, making the book hard to put down, and while it tugs at the emotions there are many moments of humour, especially Sam's online exchanges, which his parents know nothing about and provide him with some of the worst advice to be found anywhere.
Anyone who has raised a child with any condition that might have left them feeling isolated might draw comfort, and hope, from this novel. But it will be a pleasure for anyone to read.
I was drawn to the novel by the subject matter. Having encountered a number of people from very small children to young adults with autism in my own working life, I was impressed by the authenticity of Simpson's portrayal of Sam. I then looked for her online and found a number of press articles about her and the Genesis of the novel and was not surprised to learn she has raised a child with Asperger's Syndrome.
Authenticity is all very well, but this novel ticks so many boxes. The characters are well drawn and appealing, and the three main adult characters are all sufficiently complex to be realistic. No one is too good to be true, and no one is all bad.
The story rips along at a good pace, making the book hard to put down, and while it tugs at the emotions there are many moments of humour, especially Sam's online exchanges, which his parents know nothing about and provide him with some of the worst advice to be found anywhere.
Anyone who has raised a child with any condition that might have left them feeling isolated might draw comfort, and hope, from this novel. But it will be a pleasure for anyone to read.
October 7, 2015
I love this book with a passion. I read it in two sittings and here I am a week later still thinking about the characters. I miss them! The book is beautifully crafted which had me gripped from the outset. I was really looking forward to reading it after the first sitting. It was both a funny and poignant story. As a parent with a child with Additional Needs, I found the story touching and I really connected with Alice and Sam. I am so looking forward to Ms Simpson's next book. What an amazing first novel!
August 28, 2024
Truestory by Catherine Simpson - Very Good
Alice and Duncan have a farm in the wilds of Lancashire. Struggling to stay afloat with Duncan's wild, get rich quick, schemes not helping, Alice also has a daily struggle with their autistic son Sam. His life, and therefore Alice's also, is limited to the farm. Duncan is worse than useless. Not only does he fail to support Alice or help Sam, he actively antagonises and upsets the boy with his thoughtless actions.
Sam constantly maps his surroundings and will not venture further than Jeannie's cottage. For a boy that can't cope with change or anything out of place he accepts Jeannie's chaotic life and somehow finds peace and sanctuary with her. But that really is the limit of his world.
Then, one day, Duncan brings home Larry to help with yet another scheme. He's a drifter, moving from place to place, farm to farm doing temporary work and odd-jobs. Initially Alice resents his presence, convinced it will upset Sam. But Larry seems to instinctively recognise what Sam needs and begins to draw him out of his shell. But his presence can only ever be a temporary thing and soon there are changes that Sam can't control. Will his world shrink or can he find the courage to expand it.
Beautifully observed and written, the claustrophobia of the farm and the daily struggles of the family were brought vividly to life.
#review
Alice and Duncan have a farm in the wilds of Lancashire. Struggling to stay afloat with Duncan's wild, get rich quick, schemes not helping, Alice also has a daily struggle with their autistic son Sam. His life, and therefore Alice's also, is limited to the farm. Duncan is worse than useless. Not only does he fail to support Alice or help Sam, he actively antagonises and upsets the boy with his thoughtless actions.
Sam constantly maps his surroundings and will not venture further than Jeannie's cottage. For a boy that can't cope with change or anything out of place he accepts Jeannie's chaotic life and somehow finds peace and sanctuary with her. But that really is the limit of his world.
Then, one day, Duncan brings home Larry to help with yet another scheme. He's a drifter, moving from place to place, farm to farm doing temporary work and odd-jobs. Initially Alice resents his presence, convinced it will upset Sam. But Larry seems to instinctively recognise what Sam needs and begins to draw him out of his shell. But his presence can only ever be a temporary thing and soon there are changes that Sam can't control. Will his world shrink or can he find the courage to expand it.
Beautifully observed and written, the claustrophobia of the farm and the daily struggles of the family were brought vividly to life.
#review
March 24, 2025
Easy read, not my usual vibe but I enjoyed it - abrupt ending could of given us more answers
November 30, 2015
Truestory tells the story of Alice, married to Duncan and mother of Sam, living on an isolated Lancashire farm. Eleven year old Sam is autistic and hasn't left the farm for many years. His father finds it difficult to cope with his behaviour, leaving Alice the exhausting work of trying to educate Sam and run the farmhouse. She is only able to leave for two hours each week, always on the same day and time, which Sam can just about tolerate. Into this life comes wanderer Larry, a stranger who Duncan has met in the pub and brings home, enthusiastic about a harebrained money making scheme.
Catherine Simpson conveys perfectly just how trapped Alice feels. She desperately needs that two hours a week to escape her everyday life yet at the same times dreads them as she never knows what she is going back to. Alice feels trapped too in her marriage and dreams of leaving the farm altogether but knows that Sam can't leave, adding to her despair at her life. I found this short extract very moving: Alice describes how her world "had shrunk to the same size as Sam's. I lost touch with friends. It was easier to let go of my old life and live the kind of life Sam demanded. And really what choice did I have?" I really felt her own loneliness and isolation reading this and felt so sad for her. Catherine Simpson says this story was inspired by her own child's autism and I feel that because of this, it is a very insightful book. I was quite horrified at the reactions of some of the medical and support workers - and random strangers in the supermarket - who Alice encountered when Sam was younger and just beginning to show his problems interacting with the world. I expect many parents with children who have autism have similar tales to tell, very sad.
Sam is a great character. Like many autistic children, he is very bright and has a remarkable memory. Unable to go to school, Alice tries her best to educate him at home and he gets most of his information from the internet. I think we all know how unreliable the internet is but for Sam, if it's on the internet it's true! His straightforward view of his world did make me smile quite often, with his very literal interpretation of what people said. He is obsessed with maps, drawing and redrawing the farm and the nearby areas he deems safe. He does have dreams of leaving the farm and visiting places he reads about but the thought also terrifies him. When Larry breezes into his world, rather than disrupting Sam's life as Alice expects, somehow he makes a connection with him and encourages him to dream and make a wish list of places he would like to go. Sam's interactions on an internet Forum were a great insight into how his mind worked - and also the minds of the other forum users who you quickly come to know.
I really enjoyed following Alice and Sam's life in Truestory. I found it to be a quirky, insightful and thought-provoking book. It really made me think about what it must be like to live with a child who has autism. As much as the child is trapped by their routines and need for safety, so too is the parent. But although there is much about being trapped, there is too the hope that there is possibility of escape for Alice and Sam. Not just a literal escape from the farm but also the chance to escape from the rigid routines demanded by Sam's autism. A moving, well-crafted, engaging debut novel: I will look forward to reading what Catherine Simpson writes in future.
My thanks to the author for giving me a copy of her book to review.
Catherine Simpson conveys perfectly just how trapped Alice feels. She desperately needs that two hours a week to escape her everyday life yet at the same times dreads them as she never knows what she is going back to. Alice feels trapped too in her marriage and dreams of leaving the farm altogether but knows that Sam can't leave, adding to her despair at her life. I found this short extract very moving: Alice describes how her world "had shrunk to the same size as Sam's. I lost touch with friends. It was easier to let go of my old life and live the kind of life Sam demanded. And really what choice did I have?" I really felt her own loneliness and isolation reading this and felt so sad for her. Catherine Simpson says this story was inspired by her own child's autism and I feel that because of this, it is a very insightful book. I was quite horrified at the reactions of some of the medical and support workers - and random strangers in the supermarket - who Alice encountered when Sam was younger and just beginning to show his problems interacting with the world. I expect many parents with children who have autism have similar tales to tell, very sad.
Sam is a great character. Like many autistic children, he is very bright and has a remarkable memory. Unable to go to school, Alice tries her best to educate him at home and he gets most of his information from the internet. I think we all know how unreliable the internet is but for Sam, if it's on the internet it's true! His straightforward view of his world did make me smile quite often, with his very literal interpretation of what people said. He is obsessed with maps, drawing and redrawing the farm and the nearby areas he deems safe. He does have dreams of leaving the farm and visiting places he reads about but the thought also terrifies him. When Larry breezes into his world, rather than disrupting Sam's life as Alice expects, somehow he makes a connection with him and encourages him to dream and make a wish list of places he would like to go. Sam's interactions on an internet Forum were a great insight into how his mind worked - and also the minds of the other forum users who you quickly come to know.
I really enjoyed following Alice and Sam's life in Truestory. I found it to be a quirky, insightful and thought-provoking book. It really made me think about what it must be like to live with a child who has autism. As much as the child is trapped by their routines and need for safety, so too is the parent. But although there is much about being trapped, there is too the hope that there is possibility of escape for Alice and Sam. Not just a literal escape from the farm but also the chance to escape from the rigid routines demanded by Sam's autism. A moving, well-crafted, engaging debut novel: I will look forward to reading what Catherine Simpson writes in future.
My thanks to the author for giving me a copy of her book to review.
October 6, 2015
This book is set in the 21st century, with cell phones, yet the characters--including doctors, nurses, educators, health care workers, etc.--are completely ignorant of any of the symptoms of autism. Although the book is technically well-written, the huge glaring omission by the characters of any knowledge of the symptoms of autism make this a frustratingly poor read.
October 7, 2015
Loved it. I've known a few people with autism and most of them found the worst part to be other people's reactions to them. The lack of awareness and understanding about it even to this day is real and shameful. Sam's character goes a long way to opening people's minds and hearts to others like Sam. Thanks for raising awareness =)
June 12, 2024
This book is Alice’s story of life as the mother to 11 year old Sam living with Autism. She and her husband Duncan live on their isolated farm, somewhere Alice now considers to be her prison as Sam hasn’t left the farm since he was 4. Alice leaves for two hours a week at exactly the same day and time which Sam just about copes with. Duncan cannot cope with Sam’s behaviours, he doesn’t seem to be able to accept or understand them.
Duncan has an idea that help on the farm would be a great idea and brings Larry home from the pub with a wild money making scheme.
I can’t tell you how much I related with Alice, I may not have children with a diagnosis but I felt so isolated during lockdown with no help with my children and a husband that was committed to work as our sole provider leaving me with so much self doubt in exactly the same way Alice does.
Larry comes into their lives and for the first time ever it seems like someone else understands Sam like Alice does. Sam is such an incredible character, like with all families in this situation they really do know their children best and spend their life on edge in order to provide the easiest time for their child and for themselves. Constantly living with the dread of the child and how they’ll react to anything new. Larry supports Sam and Alice in a way she never knew they needed. Sam is so typically autistic in the sense that everything is taken literally and he really is at the mercy of people and very vulnerable.
Barriers are broken in unimaginable ways with creative thinking and working with Sam to ensure he feels as safe as can be. This was truly delightful, heartwarming and heartbreaking all in one story.
As a parent of two children and a friend of other parents who have a child/ren living with Autism I can’t tell you how magical it is to have a connection with someone and have you be known as a safe person to them. It’s endearing and quite beautiful in its own way.
The world can be such an awful place but it can also be very beautiful with the right people and the right support.
Duncan has an idea that help on the farm would be a great idea and brings Larry home from the pub with a wild money making scheme.
I can’t tell you how much I related with Alice, I may not have children with a diagnosis but I felt so isolated during lockdown with no help with my children and a husband that was committed to work as our sole provider leaving me with so much self doubt in exactly the same way Alice does.
Larry comes into their lives and for the first time ever it seems like someone else understands Sam like Alice does. Sam is such an incredible character, like with all families in this situation they really do know their children best and spend their life on edge in order to provide the easiest time for their child and for themselves. Constantly living with the dread of the child and how they’ll react to anything new. Larry supports Sam and Alice in a way she never knew they needed. Sam is so typically autistic in the sense that everything is taken literally and he really is at the mercy of people and very vulnerable.
Barriers are broken in unimaginable ways with creative thinking and working with Sam to ensure he feels as safe as can be. This was truly delightful, heartwarming and heartbreaking all in one story.
As a parent of two children and a friend of other parents who have a child/ren living with Autism I can’t tell you how magical it is to have a connection with someone and have you be known as a safe person to them. It’s endearing and quite beautiful in its own way.
The world can be such an awful place but it can also be very beautiful with the right people and the right support.
June 20, 2024
I have to admit that I didn't immediately jump at this book - I can't tell you why exactly, but the cover and title just didn't shout at me.
How absolutely wrong I was!!
On having another chance to read, I checked the blurb and I was completely hooked!
This book tells the story of Alice. Mum to Sam, an autistic 11 year old who hasn't left his home for 7 years!
Alice only gets to leave the farm for two hours on the same day and time every week and feels imprisoned there.
Let's add to the mix, that her husband just doesn't get it!
I mean this could literally (almost) be my life!!
Luckily I have slightly more flexibility than Alice, but my autistic son also has OCD and a medical condition thrown into the mix - so it's fun!
I also don't always feel imprisoned and do get my son out on rare occasions.
But I related to this story so much!
Those feelings of being trapped by the situation and feeling so very alone in life with a partner who really doesn't understand the condition or why we as a mother, do the things we do - was all too familiar.
This was so, so well written that I have to assume the author has at least some experience of this situation or did a huge amount of research on the matter.
The characters were absolutely perfect. I empathised (and sympathised) with Alice instantly and I adored Sam!
When Larry came into their lives, I felt so much relief and love for them all. He was just so understanding and it was lovely to see how he and Sam interacted with each other.
I have to admit to shedding a fair few tears throughout this read! Both happy and sad!
What an amazing, heartwrenching but also heartwarming tale and one that I will be recommending to anyone and everyone!
How absolutely wrong I was!!
On having another chance to read, I checked the blurb and I was completely hooked!
This book tells the story of Alice. Mum to Sam, an autistic 11 year old who hasn't left his home for 7 years!
Alice only gets to leave the farm for two hours on the same day and time every week and feels imprisoned there.
Let's add to the mix, that her husband just doesn't get it!
I mean this could literally (almost) be my life!!
Luckily I have slightly more flexibility than Alice, but my autistic son also has OCD and a medical condition thrown into the mix - so it's fun!
I also don't always feel imprisoned and do get my son out on rare occasions.
But I related to this story so much!
Those feelings of being trapped by the situation and feeling so very alone in life with a partner who really doesn't understand the condition or why we as a mother, do the things we do - was all too familiar.
This was so, so well written that I have to assume the author has at least some experience of this situation or did a huge amount of research on the matter.
The characters were absolutely perfect. I empathised (and sympathised) with Alice instantly and I adored Sam!
When Larry came into their lives, I felt so much relief and love for them all. He was just so understanding and it was lovely to see how he and Sam interacted with each other.
I have to admit to shedding a fair few tears throughout this read! Both happy and sad!
What an amazing, heartwrenching but also heartwarming tale and one that I will be recommending to anyone and everyone!
February 15, 2019
Truestory
By Catherine Simpson
Paperback
On a remote Lancashire farm, eleven-year-old Sam seeks answers to life’s big questions. His mother Alice’s own life is dictated by Sam’s strange ways.
The story that follows has many twists and turns, but remains true as a close observation of a family living with autism.
The truth, which is the backbone to the story, is due to the fact it was inspired by author Catherine Simpson’s own experiences is raising her daughter Nina, who is autistic.
Catherine’s story walks a fine balance between fiction and autobiography and ultimately succeeds in every way. In doing so it captivates the reader within the plot and a greater understanding of autism.
The family dynamics and the claustrophobia felt by the mother, and the bewildered incomprehension of the father, are also things you can spot in any family, but here they are given a uniqueness all of their own.
Truestory is a tale of love and sacrifice and in turn blackly comic, heart-breaking and heart-warming.
But ultimately it is a story of hope and one of the finest books I have read in a very long time.
Highly recommended.
By Catherine Simpson
Paperback
On a remote Lancashire farm, eleven-year-old Sam seeks answers to life’s big questions. His mother Alice’s own life is dictated by Sam’s strange ways.
The story that follows has many twists and turns, but remains true as a close observation of a family living with autism.
The truth, which is the backbone to the story, is due to the fact it was inspired by author Catherine Simpson’s own experiences is raising her daughter Nina, who is autistic.
Catherine’s story walks a fine balance between fiction and autobiography and ultimately succeeds in every way. In doing so it captivates the reader within the plot and a greater understanding of autism.
The family dynamics and the claustrophobia felt by the mother, and the bewildered incomprehension of the father, are also things you can spot in any family, but here they are given a uniqueness all of their own.
Truestory is a tale of love and sacrifice and in turn blackly comic, heart-breaking and heart-warming.
But ultimately it is a story of hope and one of the finest books I have read in a very long time.
Highly recommended.
May 25, 2024
This is a beautiful story, which gripped me from the first page. Sam is autistic and misunderstood, and his mother, Alice feels captive and isolated, on the farm where they live. She home schools Sam, and receives no support from anyone, least of all from her husband, Duncan. They struggle financially, and Duncan’s constant stream of get rich quick schemes does little to help. The latest one is growing cannabis, the idea of drifter, Larry, whom he brings home from the pub and accommodates in an abandoned caravan. At first Alice resents Larry, but, strangely, Sam seems to tolerate him. Indeed, he actually finds him interesting. Gradually, Alice is drawn to Larry. While Sam appears to be emerging from his shell and expanding his horizons, Alice begins to act upon her attraction to Larry. Of course, setbacks and disappointments are around the corner. However, something has changed, and out of sadness comes hope. The description of learning to live with an autistic child are very real and compassionate. The novel left me profoundly moved. I highly recommend it.
June 7, 2024
Until the last 20-30 pages, I thought I knew what would happen, so the way it twisted rather threw me.
The story focuses on Sam, a neurodivergent child who has become afraid to leave the confines of a certain radius around his home. It also focuses on Alice, his mum, and the main caretaker, and shows the impact such a life has on the wider circle around the child. I thought it was explained very well how Alice had coped throughout Sam's life and why she made the decisions she did.
There were also the characters of Larry, Duncan, and Jeannie, who all had their parts to play in the evolution of both Sam and Alice.
The story was quite an emotional one that really tugged at my heartstrings.
I wish the last 20-30 pages had been developed further as I'd have liked to have seen more conversation between Alice and Duncan, an acknowledgement of the danger Sam was in in the chatrooms, what the future would look like for them all.
Overall, it's a good storyline, and it is well written, I just wish it had been fleshed out a little more at the end
The story focuses on Sam, a neurodivergent child who has become afraid to leave the confines of a certain radius around his home. It also focuses on Alice, his mum, and the main caretaker, and shows the impact such a life has on the wider circle around the child. I thought it was explained very well how Alice had coped throughout Sam's life and why she made the decisions she did.
There were also the characters of Larry, Duncan, and Jeannie, who all had their parts to play in the evolution of both Sam and Alice.
The story was quite an emotional one that really tugged at my heartstrings.
I wish the last 20-30 pages had been developed further as I'd have liked to have seen more conversation between Alice and Duncan, an acknowledgement of the danger Sam was in in the chatrooms, what the future would look like for them all.
Overall, it's a good storyline, and it is well written, I just wish it had been fleshed out a little more at the end
June 9, 2024
This is my first book by this author and not my last, I look forward to reading more.
I was captured and thoroughly enjoyed reading it from beginning to end.
It has you feeling emotions of loneliness, sadness, happiness, and at times funny and witty.
It's a story of a family dealing with autism and portrays this remarkably well.
It is a wonderful, well written storyline with strong characters that bring your own thoughts of each character as you are reading.
I love the way Sam, with his autism is brought into the storyline showing his thoughts, feelings, and actions.
This is not my usual type of read, but I am so glad I decided to.
I absolutely loved it.
My thanks go to the author and Bloodhound books. This is my honest and unbiased review.
I was captured and thoroughly enjoyed reading it from beginning to end.
It has you feeling emotions of loneliness, sadness, happiness, and at times funny and witty.
It's a story of a family dealing with autism and portrays this remarkably well.
It is a wonderful, well written storyline with strong characters that bring your own thoughts of each character as you are reading.
I love the way Sam, with his autism is brought into the storyline showing his thoughts, feelings, and actions.
This is not my usual type of read, but I am so glad I decided to.
I absolutely loved it.
My thanks go to the author and Bloodhound books. This is my honest and unbiased review.
December 17, 2017
I know the author has won some recent awards, and the majority rate it over 4 stars. I enjoyed it and was entertained till the end, but I just had some trouble with willingly suspending my disbelief with respect to feasibility of the plot and actions within the unrealized obvious love triangle created by the adults. Maybe the weed growing was meant to explain, I don't know. Sam(the handicapped son) should have been the hardest to portray, yet his character(and his mother's existence with him) was excellently written, and perhaps creates the sympathy and or empathy to induce all the 4+ star ratings. I don't like writing negative reviews.....
October 17, 2019
Brilliant
Liked this even more than 'when I had a little sister's so very
Powerful, I have tried to understand the effect of my own diagnosis (schizophrebia) on my loved ones and written about it in my own book but Catherine conveys it so much better than I could, I am so pleased to see the love, frustration, isolation and !loneliness as well as a multitude of things that make me think of the family and characters with tenderness warmth and the wish that the world was a better place than it seems to be.
Liked this even more than 'when I had a little sister's so very
Powerful, I have tried to understand the effect of my own diagnosis (schizophrebia) on my loved ones and written about it in my own book but Catherine conveys it so much better than I could, I am so pleased to see the love, frustration, isolation and !loneliness as well as a multitude of things that make me think of the family and characters with tenderness warmth and the wish that the world was a better place than it seems to be.
September 23, 2019
This was an immensely readable novel. So easy to be lost in the writers prose for huge chunks of the book at a time. The farm life is wonderfully depicted, including all the excitement and also repetitiveness of it. With a cast of only 4/5 characters, it's a huge achievement that the story never runs out of steam or seems too small. The contained setting is perfect for the story. The message board posts are also so well observed and just creepy enough to be real! A fantastic read.
June 15, 2024
This book is a fascinating insight into life with a child with autism. Although it's a fictional story, it feel so true that I can only assume the author has some experience.
I love Sam! I love his relationships with Jeannie and Larry. They both just seem to "get" and accept him for who he is. I hate Duncan, he annoys me so much. He needs to grow up, get to know his son and learn how to treat him. I wanted to hug Alice, she has struggled on for so long.
I love the combination of traditional narrative and Internet chat forum. It added an insight into how Sam feels, and also shows the dangers of being online and how easily people will try to scam you.
I think this is an important read for anyone who wishes to understand more about living with autism.
I love Sam! I love his relationships with Jeannie and Larry. They both just seem to "get" and accept him for who he is. I hate Duncan, he annoys me so much. He needs to grow up, get to know his son and learn how to treat him. I wanted to hug Alice, she has struggled on for so long.
I love the combination of traditional narrative and Internet chat forum. It added an insight into how Sam feels, and also shows the dangers of being online and how easily people will try to scam you.
I think this is an important read for anyone who wishes to understand more about living with autism.
November 24, 2019
I chose this book because I have recently read the author's excellent memoir. Truestory is about a farmer's wife struggling to cope with an autistic son and a seemingly uncaring husband. When an itinerant worker invades their lives his presence adds a dynamic which is unexpected and unsettling for all concerned.
June 5, 2024
This is a great book and deserves a read. It is about a small family with an autistic child and the mother only gets a couple of hours off a week. The only fault I found with this book is that the ending was quite abrupt. The storyline is good and the characters are true to life. It also deals with the autism really well.
June 20, 2019
Oh I loved this book. It was so down to earth and tender and sprinkled with humour. The characters are beautifully formed and you find you really do care about what happens to them. I really didn't want it to end.
November 24, 2019
An amazing and very gripping book. Picked up by chance at a local independent bookshop and I am so happy that I did. The different perspectives was eye opening and covered autism and the effect not he parents very sensitively.
May 20, 2024
For any parent who has a child with SEN this book will ring so true. Alice is stuck to her house through the needs of her son Sam until Larry turns up and changes their lives. But are they changes for the better? An excellent read and such real characters.
May 28, 2024
Sad and poignant. Life with an autistic child isn’t easy as although they like everything to be routine, they are never predictable. A story about a mum finding her place in this world that I really enjoyed even though it was a difficult read at time.
June 23, 2017
Det er en humoristisk og bevægende chic-lit med noget på hjertet.
July 4, 2021
Omggg this book, i couldn't get my mind off this one, this will be my all time fave book such a lovely writing style i would like the author to write more its such a good book :)
July 13, 2021
An exploration of how restricted the world of a caring mum can become ❤️
January 29, 2025
Not an easy read but probably a true picture of the difficulties faces by families/children with severe Aspergers
March 23, 2025
Enjoyable but didn't like the ending and unfinished questions in the latter part of the book - what happened to Larry?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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