Accidental Damage

by Alice G. May

If you think the normal school run on a Monday is entertaining you should try doing it from a tent in your back garden surrounded by the jumbled up contents of your entire home. It is vastly more diverting.

Our heroine has survived the sudden collapse of her home - or has she?

Certain events two and a half years ago led her to deliberately destroy an important piece of herself, hiding away all remaining evidence that it ever existed. What happens when she decides to go looking for it?

Does she really deserve to be whole again?

Inspired by a true story, this is an account of one woman’s secret guilt and her journey in search of forgiveness!

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2016

About the author

Alice May writes contemporary, historical and saga fiction.
Her new series, The Resistance Girls is inspired by the true story of a highly trained secret army of women working undercover to protect British coastal communities during World War Two.

Having always dreamed of being a writer, Alice finally put pen to paper in her forties.
She lives in the New Forest on the Dorset/Hampshire border and gains inspiration from walking both in the forest and along the coast.

Alice also writes non-fiction, including memoir (The House That Sat Down Trilogy) and a colourful series of 'How to Draw The Alice May Way' books, suitable for all ages. She loves public speaking and regularly attends writing festivals, libraries and social groups to give presentations.

Find out more at www.alicegmay.com

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ One Family, the sheer determination to never give up or lose hope. A Must Read!

Accidental Damage is a heart warming and Uplifting, story of one family, their fight and struggles. Not to give up and lose hope, when their beloved home crumbles and cracks around them!

It's also based on a True Story which makes it all the more heart breaking and their sheer determination all the more real.
Accidental Damage is the first story in a trilogy but is perfect to read as a standalone.

Despite all the odds being against the family right from the start, what absolutely shines through is how Tight their family unit is.
Even when things get so tough and the family are roughing it in a tent in the back garden, with a house that is literally cracked and falling down, they still show love, support, kindness and strength for one and other. It melted my heart.

Also what I loved was the humour that presented itself the whole way through. Even though there was dark times and the reality of insurance companies and the small print! .... (always check the small print!) Caused no end of chaos and upheaval there was still so much Witt and humour.

Accidental Damage is told in past and present time lines narrated by the Mum.
Which I really enjoyed. You got to experience exactly how they came to live in a tent and how they survived and pulled together.
The Characters are not referred to by name but by trait ie, beloved husband, Quiet, Logic, Chaos which actually adds a new feel to the story, I don't think I've come across this before.
I loved the reality of dealing with the insurance companies, how they gave the run around and the blame game.... Yeap we can all relate to that! Well I know I can!

Accidental Damage is an uplifting and compelling story.
It's very relatable and real.
Alice May has put alot of thought and passion into writing her story and it simply shines through.
The moral of the story is to never give up, never lose hope, fight for what you believe in and most importantly stick together!

I can't wait to read book two! To see what lies ahead!

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.


My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first stumbled across Accidental Damage, I was first intrigued by its beautiful cover, and then by the fact that it was based upon a real life event. What would I do if my house suddenly started to crumble down around me? To be honest, I have absolutely no idea. But for the author, Alice May, she knew exactly what to do, and this is her powerful and immensely personal story.

Accidental Damage is told in first person narrative by the Heroine, who we are introduced to by the omniscient narrator. I loved the fact that the Heroine spoke directly to me. There is no fourth wall in this book. I followed her thoughts and feelings from when she noticed the very first cracks in the house, right through to the end of her wonderful tale. I actually felt like I knew her, she had become a fictional best friend.

The book is divided into what happened in the past, regarding the crumbling house, and the present day, ll told from Heroine's point of view. Each chapter clearly stated if it was the past or present, and each was given an explanatory title, which I loved. What this enabled me as a reader to do, was to easily follow the narrative. I always knew if I was reading about the present or past Heroine.

This is a gripping story, and one which I wouldn't have believed could happen, if it were not for the fact that it was based on real life events. I couldn't imagine living in a tent in the garden, not knowing if I would ever have the funds to rebuild my home. What most surprised me though, was how uplifting this book was. It was not a depressing read, but rather one about just getting on with life, and making the most of your situation. I found the story hugely inspiring.

I must also mention the fact that this novel heavily revolves around art and painting. Heroine is a painter, and it was very obvious that painting for her was as important as breathing. She simply had to paint, in order to live, but this was something that was incredibly difficult to do with her home crumbling down around her, and her thoughts around this subject I found very moving and insightful.

I did have a few niggles with this book, but they didn't distract me from enjoying the story. The first is how the book is formatted (I read the paperback version, so the kindle version may be different) but there were huge breaks between paragraphs, which distracted me at first, but which I quickly got used to. The second was that the characters within the story were not given names, but were referred to by their qualities, such as 'Chaos' and 'Beloved Husband'. For me this narrative technique made the characters seem somewhat distant, almost less real, apart from the Heroine of the story, as I got into her head, I understood completely what she was going through. But, for me the rest of the family felt less real, and for me this was a shame. Perhaps I will get to know more about them in the second book which is going to be released soon.

Accidental Damage is a gripping and enjoyable read about the importance of family, the strength of women and that women will do everything in their power to protect their family. It's a thought provoking read and makes you question what is really important in life.

My thanks to the author who provided a copy for review purposes.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accidental Damage has been patiently waiting on my to-be-read list for FAR too long. My apologies to Alice May for taking so long to get to it.
Alice sent me a beautiful paperback copy of this book and I’m sure you can agree that it is the most beautiful cover! It’s actually a painting by the author herself. Stunning, or what!? Thank you again, Alice.
Bearing in mind that this is based on true events, it seems a bit wrong to say that I found a book about this family’s house literally collapsing around them highly entertaining, but the way Alice May tells this story is highly entertaining. That’s quite a talent given how hopeless the situation must have seemed at the time. I guess it’s partly the beauty of hindsight, but mostly proof of this family’s resilience in the face of disaster. They are such a lovely family and I truly felt for them and their plight. It must be absolutely devastating. I’m pretty sure I would have been found rocking in a corner somewhere! Don’t get me wrong our heroine has struggled. Struggled with guilt, blaming herself for an apparent insurance mix-up and as a result gave up one of her true loves, painting. It was good to know that this love wasn’t lost forever.
As a mother I totally understood the heroine of this tale and my heart went out to her. I loved that the four children are referred to by nicknames and her husband sounds adorable. A solid family unit, possibly closer than ever for sticking together through this tragedy.
This story is full of feeling. This family still managed to make many happy memories throughout a far from ideal situation. It’s quite inspirational really and told with endearing humour.
I LOVED it and I think you would love it too.
I’m looking forward to catching up with the family again in book two of the trilogy.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sat up in my bed to read a couple of chapters of this book, I really was that engrossed in the story that I had actually read the whole book in one sitting.

This really was a great page turner, one which had me shaking my head in disbelief at what was actually happening as I read the words in front of me. I smiled but I also gasped. Boy things have been tough!!

This is a story full of loyalty, love and the true meaning of family values.

The added extras at the back of the book are a lovely touch which made my smile even broader. “Comforting Recipes” of which I will be baking and I love the sound of “Catch for Ruffians” too.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Accidental Damage” is the first book in a trilogy,”The House That Sat Down”, which is dominated by a life changing event; the partial collapse of a family home. The book is the story of a painter, a mother, a wife, whose comfortable existence is turned upside down when her house disintegrates before her eyes.The reason it does so is an important question which will thread throughout the book, as alongside the obvious disruption to the daily lives of the family, the author blames herself as she set up the house insurance which will dominate the narrative. There is a certain amount of family togetherness through adversity, and each personality becomes plain. The children are rather endearingly referred to as the Barbarians, realistically described as individuals who can act as a body on occasion. Her partner, referred to as “Beloved Husband”, is a supportive and engaged character whose personality is revealed throughout the book. As weather, logistics and many other issues cause the writer upset and dismay, this is an honest account of life at its most basic where a comfortably set up family is suddenly in trouble, and the implications are disturbing. I was interested to have the opportunity to read and review this unusual and deeply felt book.

The book begins with the revelation that the author is a reasonable painter who has not actually kept up her art for several years. Each of her children is mentioned, partly via their reaction to their mother’s actions. They are known by nicknames; the oldest daughter is called Chaos, partly as a result of a sudden illness previous to the house collapse. The next oldest is Logic, dedicated cook and level headed. Quiet is a teenage boy known for eating huge amounts, which apparently they all do, and making meaningful pronouncements. Small is the youngest, a boy of great activity.

Suddenly one day large cracks appear in the old part of the house, reputed to be over three hundred and fifty years old. The couple had been told that the central cottage part of the house was sturdy if distant from town. They had added to the accommodation but with careful and professional extensions, and they survive the apparently spontaneous catastrophe. The immediate need is for accommodation for the family of six, and as they live near to a holiday resort every room is booked solidly for the next few days. The kitchen, a bathroom and a dining space have survived, and they manage to rescue bedding and most of their belongings from the increasingly dangerous part of the house. A large tent is borrowed, but as the weather deteriorates and storms are frequent, the family face the possibility of being permanently separated.

The battles with the elements and the logistics form the practical difficulties, more insidious is the despair as the insurance company will not provide the funds for a rebuild or even repairs. The discussions with the company are protracted and painful. The hopes dashed and fears for the future which accompany the cramped and uncomfortable conditions under which the family live contrast with the genuine affection they have for each other, and there are moments of gentle humour and insight. I enjoyed this book for its charm and wit, and greatly look forward to reading the other books in the series.

[Susan Corcoran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to the author Alice May for the ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that Accidental Damage is an emotional, joyful and funny read. Inspired by a true story, its about one women's battle to succeed against what appears to be insurmountable odds. To not only rebuild her home, keep her family together, but also heal herself.

We all face daily challenges to get through the day, but few of us have to do so from a tent in our garden. Ordinary daily tasks take on a new level of challenging for our heroine, forced to sacrifice an integral part of herself just to survive the emotional stress she is under. Alice May gives us a tale of the ordinary life of one family, breaks it apart and then challenges us to see if it can be healed. She looks at how the individual draws strength from deep within themselves and from those around them. For some it is not possible to move forward, not everyone has the capacity for self forgiveness. Life experiences leave them so badly damaged that there's no off switch for the self destructive path they have taken. So we read to see if our heroine can heal herself, forgive and find peace.

It is a deeply rewarding read and one I will remember for a while. I have always loved books that focus on character and emotion. Alice May gives me all of these. There is not always a need for what I think of as wham, bang, wallop in a book! Don't get me wrong, I love all of these, but sometimes you want a story based in the extraordinary events of an ordinary life. Its one of the reasons I love books like Robert Seethaler's A Whole Life and Tessa Hadley's The Past. Courage and strength, pain and suffering come in many forms. This is my favourite form. Its the art of being quiet and listening to a story based around human endurance.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m reviewing the box set of The House That Sat Down on three consecutive days. Based on a true story, it is easy to read. An immersive story, part memoir part fiction, which explores what happens to a first-world family when they lose their home.

The characters are identified by their foremost personality traits and the story is told from the mother’s point of view. Two timelines give all the detail needed to set the scene when the family’s house crumbles and they have to live in the most basic way possible.

This is a family story grounded in reality. The family’ s reaction and cohesive response to such a traumatic event, is what gives you hope that they will survive intact. The mother is courageous and strong and keeps the family unit together, moving forward. The love comes across in this story, especially in the face of adversity, but nothing is sugar-coated, There are many attitudes and scenes that will be familiar to everyone who has experienced family life.

A believable and charming mix of humour, love and poignancy keeps you turning the pages. Looking forward to part two tomorrow.

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review/

[ChillwithabookAWARD With · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accidental Damage has been honoured with a Chill with a Readers' Award and a PB Special Award.
www.chillwithabook.com

[Katherine Sunderland · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Please allow me to introduce you to our heroine. Unfortunately I am forced to admit that she is not at her best at the moment. An honest raconteur would tell you that, in fact, she is a complete mess."

Oh dear!! The protagonist is as much of a mess as her ramshackle house! And the next few years of her family's life! But, that isn't going to stop her from telling us a great story about what happened to her and her family in that time and how in the face of adversity, they pulled through - with a little bit of help from some chocolate fridge cake and Chaos and Logic Crispy Cakes!

This story is inspired by real life events. It is basically the tale of a family living in a ramshackle country house that suffers huge storm damage, making it an unsafe structure to live in which leaves them facing a long, painful period of negotiation with Insurance Brokers, builders and the numerous people involved in 'accidental damage' claims. It is a living nightmare.

But this is not a story of woe, it is not a story of blame, irritation or cynicism. Incredibly, it is a very upbeat and positive novel with a narrative voice that will make you chuckle, giggle and admire the resources and resilience of the family.

Each chapter is given a heading with a definition and I really enjoyed this technique. Not only does it infer what might be coming plot wise, it makes the reader think about the words we use in certain situations and how definitions can be used to give meaning or explain things but also confuse or complicate situations. Things that sound like they should be black and white and straight forward but often aren't. And it is also a very entertaining and imaginative way of pulling the reader in.

"Accidental Damage - Definition: damage to an individual's home or its contents that transpires inadvertently during the course of everyday life."

I really enjoyed reading about the family and the relationship between the parents and their children, as well as between the siblings, as events began to affect them all. Alice clearly loves her family dearly and is exceptionally proud of each of them but I did enjoy her wry remarks, humorous observations and gentle comments about the children who she refers to as Small, Chaos and Logic. Anyone who shares a space with teenagers will appreciate these sections!

There is much wisdom sprinkled between these pages, nuggets of truth that we will all recognise and be glad to reread or be reminded of. It's interesting how Alice has used the story of her ramshackle cottage to explore more the emotional issues in us ramshackle people. For me, I thought a lot of this book was about thinking about your outlook and your approach to life. It's impossible not to admire or want to aspire to Alice's infectious lightheartedness and upbeat attitude to life.

"Eventually we must face those things that scare us. We need to confront them head on, because only then can we stand a chance of defeating them so that they can't dominate the rest of our lives."

To emphasis this idea, alongside this tale of the physical struggle of a family and a house, runs the more internal struggle of the protagonist. Alice was a painter. Alice has locked this side of herself away and lost sight of how it defines, shapes her and makes her whole. Is it time for her to find her paints- her'friends' - again? And what will happen when she does? I thought this was an interesting aspect of the book and gave a bit more depth to the novel.

I think the message I took most notice of was that it is really important to look on the bright side of life if you can.

"We should consider that the responsibilities of adulthood can frequently make us neglect the true meaning of life as we become swept up in the pursuit of ephemeral goals forgetting to enjoy every moment for what it is."

This book will be a must read for anyone who has had building work done or lived in a property that has suffered serious damage. It is informal, personal and a very easy read. It has the feel of a blog post, radio piece or a magazine column and it's fluency, lightheartedness and personable style makes it very easy to keep reading. I was glad I didn't have to wait for instalments as it was a pleasure to carry on at my own pace.

This would also make a great audio book but in the mean time I look forward to seeing what Alice May does next and would be happy to hear more about her Beloved Husband, Logic, Chaos and Small!

[Emily Weatherburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice May’s "Accidental Damage" offers a first-person account of the trials and incidents possible within everyday life; whilst struggling to raise four children and keep her house in order, the heroine of the story experiences her world, quite literally, crumbling around her, as her house begins to crack in two, and her insurance provider is unwilling to offer her aid. Blaming the misfortune on herself, the heroine fights to punish herself for the incident, as she dramatically burns her treasured art-works in the garden bonfire, and forces herself to give up her greatest passion for the sake of her family. This is a story about love, sacrifice and guilt, embodying a stream-of-consciousness narrative style to reveal the internal monologue of the heroine, as she fights to choose between her passion for painting, and the care and support that she feels honour-bound to provide.

The aesthetics of the book are very pleasing; the cover art, originally produced by the author, herself, dramatically represents some of the complex themes of the text; the swirling waters coincide with the disorder and chaos taking place in "Accidental Damage", whilst also linking to the fluid nature of the heroine’s thoughts, as they are delivered to the reader exactly how they are thought by the character: constant and powerful, flitting from idea to idea as the heroine processes her various situations. As the author notes towards the end of the book, the painting also offers a glimmer of hope within the chaos, as the swirling waters are centred around a white surface to the depths, just as, within the chaos of the situation, there always remains that distant feeling of hope. The formatting of the book is also very interesting; as well as having short chapters that are grouped by numbered ‘parts’, which make the book more accessible, the author has included definitions following each chapter headings. These definitions offer a unique twist to the narrative, as they not only confirm the meanings, but hint at the content of the next chapter and thus urge the reader to delve further into the book. At the very end of the text, after the epilogue, the author has also listed “The Comforting Recipes of Chaos and Logic” and “Innovative Games for Bored Barbarian Boys”, which add a personal feel to the book and end it on a unique, pleasant note, as the reader is able to take something away from it. A further sense of intrigue is created by the book’s blurb, a series of questions helping to evoke interest about the story. These questions may not be perfectly executed, certain wordings within the content, such as “or has she?” may seem a little too cliqued, and yet, as this is a present factor within any blurb, this should not be treated too harshly. Overall, it is well-written, a small exert from the text providing an accurate insight into the main narrative, as well as revealing the harsh plight of the heroine, and how she was forced to live, with her entire, rather large family of six, in a tent at the back of her garden, until her situation could be resolved. If nothing else, this intriguing blurb could be a little longer!

The actual content of the book is superb; interwoven storylines of the past and present make it more interesting, for as the heroine reflects on her past, readers of the text are offered two separate narratives: the one of the nervous painter who cringes away from storms, and the one of the struggling mother, who camps out in her back garden and braves precarious buildings for the sake of rescuing her daughters’ makeup and her sons’ PlayStation. What must, arguably, be the most interesting factor about this book, however, is the presentation, and anonymity, of its characters. There are no real names mentioned in the text; the heroine always speaks in first-person, and gives nicknames to everyone she meets, even her Barbarian Horde of children, Chaos, Logic, Quiet and Small. These humorous, but descriptive nicknames, provide an entertainment factor, as well as a proximity to the characters that perhaps real names cannot. The existence of “Quiet”, for example, as an identity for the heroine’s eldest son, opens a narrative opportunity to discuss the characteristics of the boy through his quiet persona. These names also differentiate the children and give them bigger, more interesting personalities, through being labelled by such distinctive traits. The anonymity stretches further still, however; allusions such as “Structural Engineer Man” and “Loss Adjuster Number 1” provide what might be called a more honest view of the world. In moments of chaos, the workers would be only what their jobs made them, and their personalities would be ignored; their names are therefore insignificant details that, considering the nature of the crisis, are simply unnecessary.

The pacing of the book is also something to be commended; the use of short chapters makes the book easy to read and moves the pace of the main events on at a good, consistent pace. The same is to be said about the style of the work; due to the stream-of-conscious style of writing, where it is the heroine’s actual thoughts that are being presented to the reader, the short, snappy sentences that sometimes occupy entire paragraphs demonstrate the speed of human thoughts, and help to keep the story interesting as it progresses. This speed may be an issue in certain parts of the text, however, yet, due to the style of writing, is difficult to avoid; generally, the pace of any book would be much slower at its beginning, more than anywhere else along its narrative. This text perhaps deals with the opening passages too quickly, for whilst it is very effective how the heroine recovers her painting equipment during a storm, which arguably represents her inner chaos and personal crisis, the fact that she suddenly must recover the paints could be explored a little more thoroughly. Why does she do this at that moment? What really triggers her passion once more? Pivotal moments such as this could perhaps be slowed down a little to allow more textual explanations, allowing the text to seem more powerful and effective. At the same time, however, the fact that the pace of the book is consistent is one of its main strengths, as it does not allow the reader to become bored of the plot or too confused along its course.

"Accidental Damage" is well written, terms more complex than what may be known as the commonly spoken language, intermingled with standard terms, keep it accessible to a wide range of readers, whilst also allowing it to reach out towards a more sophisticated audience. If there is any issue to be had with the language and presentation of the narrative, it would be the existence of potential typing errors (such as those on pages 26, 127 and 218), where there are sentences such as: “The general consensus from all consulted was that it had stood for 350 years already it would stand for 350 more.” Arguably, this sentence may be missing an ‘if’ or a ‘because’. Overall, however, the writing style is erudite, working to create a very readable, concrete piece of work. Such small errors appear in most books, especially self-published books, if only because they have had less editors reading over them numerous times. Indeed, what this novel is, is very credible. The plot is not only interesting, but moving and haunting, particularly when considering the fact that it was based on a true story. What with the elegant mode of writing, the fantastic formatting and unique twists both within the narrative and its presentation, this is really is an excellent read. Because, when it comes down to it, it just is a good story: fast-paced, but relatable and genuine. It is therefore a book that I would happily recommend to anyone.