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All the Good Things
What if you did a very bad thing... but that wasn't the end of the story?
Twenty-one year old Beth is in prison. The thing she did is so bad she doesn't deserve ever to feel good again.
But her counsellor, Erika, won't give up on her. She asks Beth to make a list of all the good things in her life. So Beth starts to write down her story, from sharing silences with Foster Dad No. 1, to flirting in the Odeon on Orange Wednesdays, to the very first time she sniffed her baby's head.
But at the end of her story, Beth must confront the bad thing.
What is the truth hiding behind her crime? And does anyone - even a 100% bad person - deserve a chance to be good?
'Heartfelt, heartbreaking, and genuinely joyous' Francis Spufford, author of Golden Hill
Twenty-one year old Beth is in prison. The thing she did is so bad she doesn't deserve ever to feel good again.
But her counsellor, Erika, won't give up on her. She asks Beth to make a list of all the good things in her life. So Beth starts to write down her story, from sharing silences with Foster Dad No. 1, to flirting in the Odeon on Orange Wednesdays, to the very first time she sniffed her baby's head.
But at the end of her story, Beth must confront the bad thing.
What is the truth hiding behind her crime? And does anyone - even a 100% bad person - deserve a chance to be good?
'Heartfelt, heartbreaking, and genuinely joyous' Francis Spufford, author of Golden Hill
229 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2017
77 people are currently reading
2262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
June 29, 2017
Beth has done a very bad thing, but does that make her a very bad person? She does as her therapist advises and explores the answer to this question by making a list of all the good things in this world. What Beth and the reader uncover along this path of self-discovery is that most things live in the grey sphere of the world; where bad isn't always terrible and good doesn't always mean great.
This absolutely compelling narrative and its intriguing chapter titles had me sold from the very first page! I found Beth's distinct voice and the nuances of her personal history made for utterly commanding reading and I devoured this in every spare moment of my day.
The events this novel leads up to revealing are horrifying! Brutal! Unforgivable? I was emotionally taxed throughout my entire reading of this, so great was my affinity with the protagonist, and the ending brushed harshly against this rawness until I was transfigured into a state of numb acceptance. It seems the author purposefully pushed against the reader's boundaries until the only way to view the horrors pronounced is with an openness that belies all the preconceived judgements that would have come with a chronological order to the story.
I adore stories that make me think and ones where I feel I come away from reading them as a sightly different person. This is one such tale. This discourses on some emotional and triggering topics, and manages to do so in both a confrontational and yet a graceful way. Whilst this certainly made for painful reading, it also provided a reason for doing so other than just emotionally bruising the reader. We are invited to embark on our own learning curve as the story progresses, as a moralistic edge is provided that advises against pre-judgement and the belief in one perspective.
This absolutely compelling narrative and its intriguing chapter titles had me sold from the very first page! I found Beth's distinct voice and the nuances of her personal history made for utterly commanding reading and I devoured this in every spare moment of my day.
The events this novel leads up to revealing are horrifying! Brutal! Unforgivable? I was emotionally taxed throughout my entire reading of this, so great was my affinity with the protagonist, and the ending brushed harshly against this rawness until I was transfigured into a state of numb acceptance. It seems the author purposefully pushed against the reader's boundaries until the only way to view the horrors pronounced is with an openness that belies all the preconceived judgements that would have come with a chronological order to the story.
I adore stories that make me think and ones where I feel I come away from reading them as a sightly different person. This is one such tale. This discourses on some emotional and triggering topics, and manages to do so in both a confrontational and yet a graceful way. Whilst this certainly made for painful reading, it also provided a reason for doing so other than just emotionally bruising the reader. We are invited to embark on our own learning curve as the story progresses, as a moralistic edge is provided that advises against pre-judgement and the belief in one perspective.
December 19, 2017
5 Words: Good, bad, family, friendship, government-cuts.
Trying to review this without spoilers is almost impossible. There is so much that I want to talk about.
For all that I had read the blurb, Beth's story still came as a surprise. I loved her voice and the narrative style, it almost felt like Beth was talking to me.
This is a book that will challenge you and your perceptions. It will likely make you angry at the world, at how a vulnerable person can be let down on so many fronts. It will make so smile at the good things and scowl at the bad. It will likely make you feel every emotion under the sun. It will tug on your heart strings, then just straight-out stretch them to breaking point.
Beth came across as both younger and older than she actually was, and it's something to have to read the story to understand. She has such a big heart but she needs help and at each failing my own heart broke a little more. And that ending? I was in tears.
I was reminded a little of Looking For JJ and it is definitely a book that will stay with me.
Beth's story is heartbreaking but all too real and conceivable, and once you finish this book you will need to talk about it, you will need to discuss what's right and wrong, what needs to be done.
Edit 19/12/2017: When I see this book in shops, I stop and push it on the nearest person. It was incredible.
Trying to review this without spoilers is almost impossible. There is so much that I want to talk about.
For all that I had read the blurb, Beth's story still came as a surprise. I loved her voice and the narrative style, it almost felt like Beth was talking to me.
This is a book that will challenge you and your perceptions. It will likely make you angry at the world, at how a vulnerable person can be let down on so many fronts. It will make so smile at the good things and scowl at the bad. It will likely make you feel every emotion under the sun. It will tug on your heart strings, then just straight-out stretch them to breaking point.
Beth came across as both younger and older than she actually was, and it's something to have to read the story to understand. She has such a big heart but she needs help and at each failing my own heart broke a little more. And that ending? I was in tears.
I was reminded a little of Looking For JJ and it is definitely a book that will stay with me.
Beth's story is heartbreaking but all too real and conceivable, and once you finish this book you will need to talk about it, you will need to discuss what's right and wrong, what needs to be done.
Edit 19/12/2017: When I see this book in shops, I stop and push it on the nearest person. It was incredible.
February 15, 2017
All The Good Things by Clare Fisher is a highly charged emotional read that just grabs you right in the heart.
Loved the character voice in this one - Beth is an adult, a young one but an adult none the less, she pulls you into her life with her simplistic but utterly immersive telling of her life story. She has done a very bad thing - the thing that she has done is not at all difficult to work out, that is not the point of this at all - the point of it is to try and come to some understanding of why.
Told using therapy - trying to find the good things about her life - Beth's story starts to emerge. Her mother, from whom she is estranged, plays a huge part in her perceptions, her life in the foster care system is challenging and she herself is a challenging character - I edged between loving her and wishing she would just get a grip, she is damaged yet sympathetic.
Her attempts to make her own life better, her love of reading, her obvious intelligence tempered by a difficult upbringing and an even more difficult emergence into having to take care of herself, all add grist to the mill on the journey that leads her to the very bad thing. There is an eclectic cast of external characters, some who help, some who hurt that inform her behaviour and as the tale unfolds it is actually quite stunning in its impact. Beautifully done.
What if you did a very bad thing but that wasn't the end of the story? In All The Good Things Clare Fisher explores a subject that is emotionally traumatic and shows us that not everything is black and white. Indeed the shades of grey are where you will find most of the answers.
Loved it. It made me cry. Highly Recommended.
Loved the character voice in this one - Beth is an adult, a young one but an adult none the less, she pulls you into her life with her simplistic but utterly immersive telling of her life story. She has done a very bad thing - the thing that she has done is not at all difficult to work out, that is not the point of this at all - the point of it is to try and come to some understanding of why.
Told using therapy - trying to find the good things about her life - Beth's story starts to emerge. Her mother, from whom she is estranged, plays a huge part in her perceptions, her life in the foster care system is challenging and she herself is a challenging character - I edged between loving her and wishing she would just get a grip, she is damaged yet sympathetic.
Her attempts to make her own life better, her love of reading, her obvious intelligence tempered by a difficult upbringing and an even more difficult emergence into having to take care of herself, all add grist to the mill on the journey that leads her to the very bad thing. There is an eclectic cast of external characters, some who help, some who hurt that inform her behaviour and as the tale unfolds it is actually quite stunning in its impact. Beautifully done.
What if you did a very bad thing but that wasn't the end of the story? In All The Good Things Clare Fisher explores a subject that is emotionally traumatic and shows us that not everything is black and white. Indeed the shades of grey are where you will find most of the answers.
Loved it. It made me cry. Highly Recommended.
January 28, 2022
Recommended by a friend, All Good Things by Clare Fisher was published in 2017. Whilst better known for her short story anthologies, this is her debut novel. It begins with Beth, a twenty-one-year-old woman in jail for a never revealed unspeakable act. She is asked to diarise all the good things in her life by her counsellor and despite Beth’s initial reluctance, her life story unfolds. With an all too human but endearing protagonist comes this saga of disadvantage, life’s curve balls and survival. Like all good literary fiction, this is a tale of darkness but ultimately hopeful and a four-star read rating. Despite its difficult subject matter, all too obvious crime, it is an engrossing authentic acknowledgement to disadvantage and the damage it causes.
June 3, 2017
Bethany Mitchell is in prison for doing a ‘bad thing’, what that is isn’t revealed until close to the end of the book. Erika, Beth’s counsellor in prison asks her to record the good things in an attempt to get her to ultimately confront what she has done.
I started All the Good Things with an open-mind; what I didn’t expect was how hard the experience hit me.
Bethany is just twenty-one but her life was already an exercise in surviving from her earliest memories. And this is exactly what we learn as her good things are lessons she’s learnt, or people she’s bonded with as she makes her uncertain way through the care system. This isn’t a straightforward account of misery though as Bethany has experiences that I’m sure many of us can relate to from her first job at the Odeon, and those that many of us have been lucky enough to avoid such as being removed from her first foster home where she formed a bond with her foster-father Paul over her love of stories, however outlandish.
One of the things that is so compelling is that this girl who obviously has difficulty, however justified, in personal relationships is utterly realistic. She loves stories, she likes excitement and she lives in the moment. Beth is intelligent and troubled and with each episode of her life I wanted to step in and do something, quite what I wasn’t sure, but to let such a life travel in such a wayward manner was very much like watching a slow motioned car crash, ‘the bad thing’ or some other ‘bad thing’ felt the inevitable outcome.
The construction of the novel which has us simultaneously reaching back pretty much chronologically, through the episodes in Bethany’s life, as a child at school, with her boyfriends, leaving care and moving into her first flat and onto a relationship where she felt like she’d reached adulthood. We also see her growing in confidence as she is helped by Erika to make sense of her past and to hopefully work towards making a better future.
The book is almost a textbook lesson on life on one level that doing a bad thing does not make someone a bad person, on another when life is full of unhappy events, even if you have some good moments that can go on the list then sometimes one event leads to another and then to another until they become overwhelming.
Some items on Bethany’s list:
Friends you can be weird with.
How cats find the sun to lie in even on a cloudy day.
Reading books which make me laugh and books which make me cry and books which make me feel a bit more OK about who and where and what I am.
Ultimately Clare Fisher has hit the holy grail in writing about such a sensitive subject, not only making us care about her mixed-up protagonist from a less than easy starting point but doing so without explicitly excusing any of her behaviour. Only the hardest of hearts could read this story without feeling sympathy for more than one of the characters inside the covers.
I started All the Good Things with an open-mind; what I didn’t expect was how hard the experience hit me.
Bethany is just twenty-one but her life was already an exercise in surviving from her earliest memories. And this is exactly what we learn as her good things are lessons she’s learnt, or people she’s bonded with as she makes her uncertain way through the care system. This isn’t a straightforward account of misery though as Bethany has experiences that I’m sure many of us can relate to from her first job at the Odeon, and those that many of us have been lucky enough to avoid such as being removed from her first foster home where she formed a bond with her foster-father Paul over her love of stories, however outlandish.
One of the things that is so compelling is that this girl who obviously has difficulty, however justified, in personal relationships is utterly realistic. She loves stories, she likes excitement and she lives in the moment. Beth is intelligent and troubled and with each episode of her life I wanted to step in and do something, quite what I wasn’t sure, but to let such a life travel in such a wayward manner was very much like watching a slow motioned car crash, ‘the bad thing’ or some other ‘bad thing’ felt the inevitable outcome.
The construction of the novel which has us simultaneously reaching back pretty much chronologically, through the episodes in Bethany’s life, as a child at school, with her boyfriends, leaving care and moving into her first flat and onto a relationship where she felt like she’d reached adulthood. We also see her growing in confidence as she is helped by Erika to make sense of her past and to hopefully work towards making a better future.
The book is almost a textbook lesson on life on one level that doing a bad thing does not make someone a bad person, on another when life is full of unhappy events, even if you have some good moments that can go on the list then sometimes one event leads to another and then to another until they become overwhelming.
Some items on Bethany’s list:
Friends you can be weird with.
How cats find the sun to lie in even on a cloudy day.
Reading books which make me laugh and books which make me cry and books which make me feel a bit more OK about who and where and what I am.
Ultimately Clare Fisher has hit the holy grail in writing about such a sensitive subject, not only making us care about her mixed-up protagonist from a less than easy starting point but doing so without explicitly excusing any of her behaviour. Only the hardest of hearts could read this story without feeling sympathy for more than one of the characters inside the covers.
Read
January 9, 2018Well-written, underplayed, occasionally funny, real and hard-hitting, this is the best thing I've read this year. A touching, tough and incisive view of what it's like to be a child in care, to feel you've been robbed of choices, and to end up on the scrap-heap, discarded as bad by everyone - including yourself. For such a tough set of themes it's a remarkably upbeat and optimistic book - the narrator's voice never allows self-pity to linger overlong, and her self-awareness and matter-of-fact delivery is both refreshing and oddly likeable. I guessed from the beginning what "bad thing" had led her to her current situation, but that didn't stop me following her journey with interest, concern and hope. The climax is both satisfyingly real and predictably sad, and yet leaves the door open for hope to shine through; and the possibility of redemption. Loved it.
August 4, 2017
“I think it's a good thing to find hope where any other person would agree there was none.”
Many thanks to Penguin UK for sending me a free, finished copy!
Well, this book was emotionally exhausting. It was also both heartwarming and heartrending.
Beth's story starts with her at prison for doing ‘a bad thing', and her believing that there's barely anything good about her or her life now that she committed something so horrible. After a small introduction about her current situation and surroundings, she takes us back to her past and all the way through growing up and becoming who she is now. As a kid, she has suffered, been abandoned once and twice, and used; which only added more reasons to why she despises herself so much.
The chapters/chapter titles are a number of things that Beth simply finds good—from reading a book to someone, to sharing silence with another—which she has been listing down as a way of therapy. Through these good things, we get exposed to who she used to be and her past, her life as a child, a teenager, and an adult, as well as how she became who she is now, and eventually, that one bad thing she did, and the reason behind her doing it.
There's a line in the book that said (about one of the characters): “She had so many people.” Well, 'All the Good Things' had so many people and so many stories within its pages, and thats exactly why i absolutely enjoyed the book. It told so many stories, yes, but it never got messy, which is something that i personally find hard to master in a book. The chapters were rich with details, events and situations that i couldn't help but soak them all in.
The idea behind this story is without any doubts different than anything that i've read before, and it did keep me both interested and intrigued, although i was more interested in the stories of those people and its characters than intrigued by that one bad thing.
'All the Good Things' talks about family, friends, hardships, moving forward, loving one's self, and how to stand up every single time you fall down, and most importantly, how one should never give up hope. And through all of this, it takes you on a swirl of emotions and teaches us how to be understanding, compassionate, and strong.
It did take me a while to get into the book, i have to admit, but once i did, i couldn't stop reading until i knew everything and all of Beth's stories.
“I like how books let you into another world, but how it's secret. Like, when you read, the world you see is different from the one someone else sees when they read the same words. It's just yours.”
One more thing that i can't help but shine some light on: this book in it's own special way—Beth's love of reading and books—reminded me of why and how much i love reading. It spoke the feeling of utter happiness of holding a book and having books to read in it's own words to me, and that made me smile more than once. And this, this is when you know that a book is special.
Many thanks to Penguin UK for sending me a free, finished copy!
Well, this book was emotionally exhausting. It was also both heartwarming and heartrending.
Beth's story starts with her at prison for doing ‘a bad thing', and her believing that there's barely anything good about her or her life now that she committed something so horrible. After a small introduction about her current situation and surroundings, she takes us back to her past and all the way through growing up and becoming who she is now. As a kid, she has suffered, been abandoned once and twice, and used; which only added more reasons to why she despises herself so much.
The chapters/chapter titles are a number of things that Beth simply finds good—from reading a book to someone, to sharing silence with another—which she has been listing down as a way of therapy. Through these good things, we get exposed to who she used to be and her past, her life as a child, a teenager, and an adult, as well as how she became who she is now, and eventually, that one bad thing she did, and the reason behind her doing it.
There's a line in the book that said (about one of the characters): “She had so many people.” Well, 'All the Good Things' had so many people and so many stories within its pages, and thats exactly why i absolutely enjoyed the book. It told so many stories, yes, but it never got messy, which is something that i personally find hard to master in a book. The chapters were rich with details, events and situations that i couldn't help but soak them all in.
The idea behind this story is without any doubts different than anything that i've read before, and it did keep me both interested and intrigued, although i was more interested in the stories of those people and its characters than intrigued by that one bad thing.
'All the Good Things' talks about family, friends, hardships, moving forward, loving one's self, and how to stand up every single time you fall down, and most importantly, how one should never give up hope. And through all of this, it takes you on a swirl of emotions and teaches us how to be understanding, compassionate, and strong.
It did take me a while to get into the book, i have to admit, but once i did, i couldn't stop reading until i knew everything and all of Beth's stories.
“I like how books let you into another world, but how it's secret. Like, when you read, the world you see is different from the one someone else sees when they read the same words. It's just yours.”
One more thing that i can't help but shine some light on: this book in it's own special way—Beth's love of reading and books—reminded me of why and how much i love reading. It spoke the feeling of utter happiness of holding a book and having books to read in it's own words to me, and that made me smile more than once. And this, this is when you know that a book is special.
February 27, 2017
Most of us will have a preconceived idea in our heads for what makes a "perfect criminal". We may assume that those in prison deserve to be there; that those who commit crimes deserve to be punished; and, even, that the punishment should fit the crime. But what if there is a grey area? All the Good Things, the debut novel from Clare Fisher, invites us to examine this grey area. What if the person who commits a crime, or a "very bad thing", as our narrator calls it, has a story? Or, more interestingly, has a heart?
This particular story introduces us to Beth, a young single Mum who, when the novel opens, is in prison. Beth has a colourful and very sad past: abandoned by her own mother, Beth has grown up in the foster care system. Time after time, she has been let down by foster families, passed from pillar to post; she has gotten into trouble in school; she has gotten drunk, stayed out late and hurt people with her behaviour. However, Beth is a very likeable character because, deep down, she is kind. She is intelligent but uneducated. She wants a better life for herself but has been left down by the system time and time again. Everyone she becomes attached to and has loved, has left her.
While in prison, Beth's counsellor asks her to write a list of all the good things in her life. After much reluctance, Beth starts on the list, addressing it to the best and most important thing in her life: her daughter. As she writes about all of these good things, the story of Beth's life unfolds before us. She remembers the things that made her happy along the way - activities such as running and reading, the people that have come and go, moments with these people - before she eventually confronts the unspeakably bad thing which resulted in her incarceration. What Beth learns along the way, is that it is both the good and the bad things in life that have made her human.
I am not going to reveal here what "the bad thing" is. Some of you might guess; I certainly didn't. All I can say is that it is so truly heartbreaking, it made me cry. This book is very emotionally charged. And, while it is very, very moving, it still manages to be funny. It is narrated by Beth and presented in very simple, often grammatically-incorrect language, consistent with that of someone who has very little formal education. For me, this just added to its appeal. It really draws you in, allowing you to engage with the character of Beth and with her story.
This really is a wonderful debut. It is a beautiful story about social exclusion, the vulnerability of women and girls, and the unfortunate ones who fall through the cracks. It is about redemption and finding hope in the darkest of times and the strangest of places.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. The material above consists entirely of my own opinion.
This particular story introduces us to Beth, a young single Mum who, when the novel opens, is in prison. Beth has a colourful and very sad past: abandoned by her own mother, Beth has grown up in the foster care system. Time after time, she has been let down by foster families, passed from pillar to post; she has gotten into trouble in school; she has gotten drunk, stayed out late and hurt people with her behaviour. However, Beth is a very likeable character because, deep down, she is kind. She is intelligent but uneducated. She wants a better life for herself but has been left down by the system time and time again. Everyone she becomes attached to and has loved, has left her.
While in prison, Beth's counsellor asks her to write a list of all the good things in her life. After much reluctance, Beth starts on the list, addressing it to the best and most important thing in her life: her daughter. As she writes about all of these good things, the story of Beth's life unfolds before us. She remembers the things that made her happy along the way - activities such as running and reading, the people that have come and go, moments with these people - before she eventually confronts the unspeakably bad thing which resulted in her incarceration. What Beth learns along the way, is that it is both the good and the bad things in life that have made her human.
I am not going to reveal here what "the bad thing" is. Some of you might guess; I certainly didn't. All I can say is that it is so truly heartbreaking, it made me cry. This book is very emotionally charged. And, while it is very, very moving, it still manages to be funny. It is narrated by Beth and presented in very simple, often grammatically-incorrect language, consistent with that of someone who has very little formal education. For me, this just added to its appeal. It really draws you in, allowing you to engage with the character of Beth and with her story.
This really is a wonderful debut. It is a beautiful story about social exclusion, the vulnerability of women and girls, and the unfortunate ones who fall through the cracks. It is about redemption and finding hope in the darkest of times and the strangest of places.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. The material above consists entirely of my own opinion.
July 17, 2017
2.5 stars.
I really really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't and now I'm going to be one of the very few people who had problem with it. What didn't work most for me was the writing style which achieved the opposite of what the author was going for - I couldn't form a proper image of who Bethany was.
Here's my full review: https://sumaiyyareads.wordpress.com/2...
Please feel free to discuss the book and your thoughts with me ❤️
I really really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't and now I'm going to be one of the very few people who had problem with it. What didn't work most for me was the writing style which achieved the opposite of what the author was going for - I couldn't form a proper image of who Bethany was.
Here's my full review: https://sumaiyyareads.wordpress.com/2...
Please feel free to discuss the book and your thoughts with me ❤️
June 10, 2017
If ever there was a book to make you sit up and take notice and really care about a character then this is the book for you. All The Good Things will challenge your perception of the world and really make you sit up and take notice of those around you. As a social worker who has worked with vulnerable members of society I found this book insightful, heartbreaking and a story that needs to be shared. There's so much I want to say about this book without giving away too much of the story! Its an amazing book and I really loved it.
The main character Beth is in prison. Initially we aren't made aware of why and to be honest it doesn't immediately become one of the things we are desperate to know because straight away the reader becomes emotionally involved with Beth and her early experiences that have brought her to this point in her life. From the onset is becomes clear that Beth has had a pretty miserable life. Now in prison, it becomes the mission of her counsellor Erika to encourage Beth to confront her past, tell her story and deal with her demons.............and the bad thing. She encourages Beth to write down all the good things in her life and this way a window is opened into Beth's story and her experiences chapter by chapter. Throughout the story I was as anxious about learning about the bad thing as Beth was about facing it. There is such vulnerability with Beth and learning about her experiences we gain some insight in what has lead to the bad thing. Her journey is both heartbreaking, frightening and all too real.
This is an excellent piece of writing and an astounding debut. Clare Fisher managed to push all my emotional buttons with this book. If there's anything other than telling a really important story that this book does, its going to make you look at people differently and have empathy for the world they exist in. If anything, I hope it will make you smile more at strangers and be thankful for the great life you have. Others aren't and haven't been so fortunate. Highly recommended.
The main character Beth is in prison. Initially we aren't made aware of why and to be honest it doesn't immediately become one of the things we are desperate to know because straight away the reader becomes emotionally involved with Beth and her early experiences that have brought her to this point in her life. From the onset is becomes clear that Beth has had a pretty miserable life. Now in prison, it becomes the mission of her counsellor Erika to encourage Beth to confront her past, tell her story and deal with her demons.............and the bad thing. She encourages Beth to write down all the good things in her life and this way a window is opened into Beth's story and her experiences chapter by chapter. Throughout the story I was as anxious about learning about the bad thing as Beth was about facing it. There is such vulnerability with Beth and learning about her experiences we gain some insight in what has lead to the bad thing. Her journey is both heartbreaking, frightening and all too real.
This is an excellent piece of writing and an astounding debut. Clare Fisher managed to push all my emotional buttons with this book. If there's anything other than telling a really important story that this book does, its going to make you look at people differently and have empathy for the world they exist in. If anything, I hope it will make you smile more at strangers and be thankful for the great life you have. Others aren't and haven't been so fortunate. Highly recommended.
August 23, 2017
DAMN.
Read the review here - http://storypals.net/all-the-good-thi...
Read the review here - http://storypals.net/all-the-good-thi...
September 3, 2019
Although Beth did something wrong in her life that landed her in prison, this book shows everyone needs a second chance.
Worked out between her and her Therapist she has to think of all the good things in her life.
Beth was in care, her mother and herself having a most difficult of relationships which of course must affect any person going through that, and having lots of unanswered questions, let alone feeling unworthy of someone’s love.
This is a raw hard hitting story.
I may be late in reading this, but there may be someone who follows me may have not read this yet.
Worked out between her and her Therapist she has to think of all the good things in her life.
Beth was in care, her mother and herself having a most difficult of relationships which of course must affect any person going through that, and having lots of unanswered questions, let alone feeling unworthy of someone’s love.
This is a raw hard hitting story.
I may be late in reading this, but there may be someone who follows me may have not read this yet.
May 25, 2021
Wow, if this is really the first book Clare Fisher has written, we have another star author. I wondered if she had personal experience, but if you read her blurb, it seems unlikely, although you can never know from the little information which is given.
I could not put this book down and read it in one go, despite needing to do lots of other works.
This book is basically about what happens to people who never get a chance and are totally failed by our society. Sadly it is a story which we hear about far too often and during my time as a teacher I sadly could pick out many children, whose lives were as difficult as the main character in the book.
The main character of this book is born to a single mother with mental health problems, gets fostered from pillar to post, dumped in a rubbish flat on her own without any real life skills and support and if you think it can't get worse, I'm afraid it can.
We meet this girl in prison, which in the end, is the first place where she receives continues attention from somebody who cares and through a really difficult process, learns to confess the bad thing which she has done, accept why it happened and accept that it was not all her fault and starts her road to recovery. At the end, there is still no guarantee that she can turn her life around, but there is hope.
Highly recommend this book to anyone. Will certainly look out for further books from this very talented writer.
I could not put this book down and read it in one go, despite needing to do lots of other works.
This book is basically about what happens to people who never get a chance and are totally failed by our society. Sadly it is a story which we hear about far too often and during my time as a teacher I sadly could pick out many children, whose lives were as difficult as the main character in the book.
The main character of this book is born to a single mother with mental health problems, gets fostered from pillar to post, dumped in a rubbish flat on her own without any real life skills and support and if you think it can't get worse, I'm afraid it can.
We meet this girl in prison, which in the end, is the first place where she receives continues attention from somebody who cares and through a really difficult process, learns to confess the bad thing which she has done, accept why it happened and accept that it was not all her fault and starts her road to recovery. At the end, there is still no guarantee that she can turn her life around, but there is hope.
Highly recommend this book to anyone. Will certainly look out for further books from this very talented writer.
July 21, 2017
Just finished All the Good Things and I am in a weird state right now.
The last few chapters ripped my heart out and threw it in the air and and left my head spinning.
Those last chapters were brutal and dark. I was shocked and scared to read any further. I wanted to stop and give myself a break so I can catch a breath to process what was happening. Although I kind of knew what was going to happen. I felt it, somehow.
But first things first:
Beth has done a very bad thing and can't forgive herself. That is why she takes her therapists' advice and starts to write a list with all the good things in the world. By writing everything down she slowly reveals her past...
This book is about a journey of self-discovery; about the question of what makes you a good and/or a bad person and how quickly things can turn upside down.
All the Good Things will challenge you. It can push you way out of your comfort zone which I believe is a good thing because only then you are able to see Beth's character clearly. How real and ordinary her struggles are. How many people in our world deal with same or similar issues.
Her story is both heartbreaking and strong. She fights and looses and fights and breaks and when she wins, even when it's a small win, she becomes stronger. At times, her vulnerability is frustrating. You wish you could help or talk some sense into her.
But that might be the intension of the author. To see beyond a characters' actions/behaviour/words. To balance moral values by avoiding judgement. To weigh the wrongs and rights and learn that bad might be bad but that good can come out if it as well.
The last few chapters ripped my heart out and threw it in the air and and left my head spinning.
Those last chapters were brutal and dark. I was shocked and scared to read any further. I wanted to stop and give myself a break so I can catch a breath to process what was happening. Although I kind of knew what was going to happen. I felt it, somehow.
But first things first:
Beth has done a very bad thing and can't forgive herself. That is why she takes her therapists' advice and starts to write a list with all the good things in the world. By writing everything down she slowly reveals her past...
This book is about a journey of self-discovery; about the question of what makes you a good and/or a bad person and how quickly things can turn upside down.
All the Good Things will challenge you. It can push you way out of your comfort zone which I believe is a good thing because only then you are able to see Beth's character clearly. How real and ordinary her struggles are. How many people in our world deal with same or similar issues.
Her story is both heartbreaking and strong. She fights and looses and fights and breaks and when she wins, even when it's a small win, she becomes stronger. At times, her vulnerability is frustrating. You wish you could help or talk some sense into her.
But that might be the intension of the author. To see beyond a characters' actions/behaviour/words. To balance moral values by avoiding judgement. To weigh the wrongs and rights and learn that bad might be bad but that good can come out if it as well.
July 22, 2017
Thank you Penguin UK books for sending me a finished copy to review
This book has me all confused because until this point I can't decide if I actually enjoyed it or was it my curiosity that kept going.
Beth, our main character, is 21 years old and already in prison. She did something terrible that she knows deep down, she doesn't deserve to ever feel good again.
Her counselor on the other hand, Erika, won't take no for an answer and won't give up on her because she believes there's still forgiveness for Beth. She asks Beth to start writing a list with all the good things in her life.
We begin our story with that list, one that takes us through Beth's life story. From the very first foster dad to the day she sniffed her baby's head and up until we faced the bad thing she did.
I believe that this book had an amazing premise, the story is very realistic and could've possibly happened already out there in the world. For the first half of the book, the tone of the story was told in this monotone manner, I got bored easily and the word bad thing was repeated way too many times that I expected it to be something not bad at the end; which I was wrong about of course and that was what lifted up that book in my opinion.
The second half, things started to pick up and we got closer to figure out the climax of Beth's story and well, i didn't see it coming which was a Hurray moment for me.
It was moving and sad and it left me a bit shocked at what she actually did but I honestly felt sorry for her.
I highly recommend this book if you're a mental health books fan and if you're a very very patient reader.
This book has me all confused because until this point I can't decide if I actually enjoyed it or was it my curiosity that kept going.
Beth, our main character, is 21 years old and already in prison. She did something terrible that she knows deep down, she doesn't deserve to ever feel good again.
Her counselor on the other hand, Erika, won't take no for an answer and won't give up on her because she believes there's still forgiveness for Beth. She asks Beth to start writing a list with all the good things in her life.
We begin our story with that list, one that takes us through Beth's life story. From the very first foster dad to the day she sniffed her baby's head and up until we faced the bad thing she did.
I believe that this book had an amazing premise, the story is very realistic and could've possibly happened already out there in the world. For the first half of the book, the tone of the story was told in this monotone manner, I got bored easily and the word bad thing was repeated way too many times that I expected it to be something not bad at the end; which I was wrong about of course and that was what lifted up that book in my opinion.
The second half, things started to pick up and we got closer to figure out the climax of Beth's story and well, i didn't see it coming which was a Hurray moment for me.
It was moving and sad and it left me a bit shocked at what she actually did but I honestly felt sorry for her.
I highly recommend this book if you're a mental health books fan and if you're a very very patient reader.
July 5, 2017
http://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/2017/0...
All the Good Things is narrated by Beth in the form of a journal/list she is completing at the behest of her therapist in prison, Erika. The good things she writes about are directed to her baby, as if it is something she will read when she’s older. Her child is number one on the list.
I loved the way this structure is used to gain an insight into Beth’s life. Beth was 7 years old when she was placed in her first foster home (although it’s much later in the story when we get a window into what life was like with her mum) and from there we get to know the important people who either gave her positive experiences or who had impact but for very different reasons. We learn how painful it is to hope and want to belong when everything is going wrong.
It’s easy to become emotionally attached to Beth and get caught up in her life. Clare Fisher skillfully draws you in so even though you know something awful has happened, that’s almost a sideline. In the beginning I found the suspense unbearable … what crime had Beth committed? What happened in Somerset? but then it didn’t matter. It was almost irrelevant opposite Beth’s want and need to belong, to trust and get it right. I can guarantee your emotions will tangle and you’ll probably shed a few tears.
There’s so much more I want to say. It’s hard trying to be vague! This story brings my anxieties to the surface in relation to my day job. Looking beyond behaviour to find the motivation isn’t easy and things get missed. I can say it’s a timely story and may help others in finding the courage to speak out.
All the Good Things is a poignant story. A life journey from childhood to becoming a woman … a woman who hasn’t learnt how to be in the world. And the ending leaves us with hope and possibilities 🙂 This is a debut you don’t want to miss!
All the Good Things is narrated by Beth in the form of a journal/list she is completing at the behest of her therapist in prison, Erika. The good things she writes about are directed to her baby, as if it is something she will read when she’s older. Her child is number one on the list.
I loved the way this structure is used to gain an insight into Beth’s life. Beth was 7 years old when she was placed in her first foster home (although it’s much later in the story when we get a window into what life was like with her mum) and from there we get to know the important people who either gave her positive experiences or who had impact but for very different reasons. We learn how painful it is to hope and want to belong when everything is going wrong.
It’s easy to become emotionally attached to Beth and get caught up in her life. Clare Fisher skillfully draws you in so even though you know something awful has happened, that’s almost a sideline. In the beginning I found the suspense unbearable … what crime had Beth committed? What happened in Somerset? but then it didn’t matter. It was almost irrelevant opposite Beth’s want and need to belong, to trust and get it right. I can guarantee your emotions will tangle and you’ll probably shed a few tears.
There’s so much more I want to say. It’s hard trying to be vague! This story brings my anxieties to the surface in relation to my day job. Looking beyond behaviour to find the motivation isn’t easy and things get missed. I can say it’s a timely story and may help others in finding the courage to speak out.
All the Good Things is a poignant story. A life journey from childhood to becoming a woman … a woman who hasn’t learnt how to be in the world. And the ending leaves us with hope and possibilities 🙂 This is a debut you don’t want to miss!
June 2, 2017
Wow. Powerful, important, beautifully written and heartbreaking. Full review to follow
August 8, 2018
WOW - for a debut novel this book is exceptionally moving, hard-hitting and emotionally draining. All The Good Things is Beth's story told from her prison cell where she is currently serving a sentence for a very bad crime. At twenty years old, Beth has had a heartbreaking upbringing and circumstances beyond her control have led her to do something so terrible that she has given up on herself.
When her prison counsellor Erika tells her to make a list of all the good things in her life, we are taken back to Beth's early childhood. Through her memories we learn more about her childhood and what happened to Beth that was so awful it leads to prison.
This is a beautifully written book, but in places painfully raw and my heart ached for Beth. Whilst the story is bleak and depressing in places, there is an underlying message of hope, understanding, acceptance and love. I would definitely recommend this book.
When her prison counsellor Erika tells her to make a list of all the good things in her life, we are taken back to Beth's early childhood. Through her memories we learn more about her childhood and what happened to Beth that was so awful it leads to prison.
This is a beautifully written book, but in places painfully raw and my heart ached for Beth. Whilst the story is bleak and depressing in places, there is an underlying message of hope, understanding, acceptance and love. I would definitely recommend this book.
June 13, 2018
A book that fizzes, pops and soothes, chicken soup for the soul, a great example of good writing.
When is the last time you read a book that furthered your understanding of people?
2-3 of the 30-50 books I read each year probably do this, and this was definitely one of them.
This is everything a novel should be, the story has purpose! It is a story that needed to be told! It is entertaining, it tunes into your natural capacity for empathy, and it is excellently written.
There are many things done well here, consistently, that are hard to do, such as the use of voice, understanding of character, show don't tell, sub-conflicts that keep the story moving.
Anyone that liked Eleanor Oliphant would love this book! The story addresses some similar themes to Eleanor Elephant but this is far better written and feels much more real.
When is the last time you read a book that furthered your understanding of people?
2-3 of the 30-50 books I read each year probably do this, and this was definitely one of them.
This is everything a novel should be, the story has purpose! It is a story that needed to be told! It is entertaining, it tunes into your natural capacity for empathy, and it is excellently written.
There are many things done well here, consistently, that are hard to do, such as the use of voice, understanding of character, show don't tell, sub-conflicts that keep the story moving.
Anyone that liked Eleanor Oliphant would love this book! The story addresses some similar themes to Eleanor Elephant but this is far better written and feels much more real.
May 7, 2017
Finished reading: May 4th 2017
"When I was done with crying, I saw that things wouldn't change on their own; you had to change them. You had to rise up out of that lazy part of yourself that did what it had done before just because it was easier, and do the new thing, the strange thing, the thing you were scared of."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Penguin Books UK in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
June 13, 2017
Oh I so enjoyed reading this novel. This was one of those books that you read slowly because you want to savour it and take it all in. I haven't read a book like this in a while, i normally devour books so quickly but this one I kept having to put down to ponder and mull over in my mind. This book obviously had such a serious subject matter and is by no means light-hearted but I could see this happening in so many places I have known and in so many situations I have seen and so I could definitely relate, indirectly to parts of this book.
I loved the premise behind this one. Someone in prison but being encouraged to note down the good things in her life. Beth is such an interesting character because she is most definitely old before her time and so some of the things she discusses with her counsellor and some of the things she has been through seem so much like things people would discuss who have lived a long life, or seen many things over their years on earth. Each chapter starts with one of the good things that Beth is discussing with her counsellor and they are written as if they are a letter to someone. We find out who that person is fairly early on but I won't spoil it for you!
Beth is such a complex character and definitely someone I can recognise. She has been through the foster system, she has been let down by the benefits system, she has fallen through the cracks and we are led to believe that this is why she did the bad thing. We don't find out until the end what that bad thing is, but i did begin to guess throughout the book. Part of me didn't want to find out because I had warmed to Beth so much, but I knew I needed to know and this aspect of the book is so beautifully woven into the story line and so well crafted. I think people will definitely have different opinions of Beth but I really warmed to her and I wish that I could have known her to support her in some way.
Obviously this book deals with many many issues and many issues that people will not really have come across in their lives except for perhaps on the news. But these issues are woven into the story line amongst real things that we can all relate to. Our first job as a teenager, cinema outings and outings with friends when you don't really have enough money to afford them. Not living up to someones expectations and the fear you feel the first time you are truly on your won. For such serious book though, this isn't a depressing or even a majorly heavy read. I really enjoyed it and thought that Claire Fisher dealt with these topics in such a sensitive way and just writes beautifully. I really enjoyed reading this novel and would encourage you to read it now.
I loved the premise behind this one. Someone in prison but being encouraged to note down the good things in her life. Beth is such an interesting character because she is most definitely old before her time and so some of the things she discusses with her counsellor and some of the things she has been through seem so much like things people would discuss who have lived a long life, or seen many things over their years on earth. Each chapter starts with one of the good things that Beth is discussing with her counsellor and they are written as if they are a letter to someone. We find out who that person is fairly early on but I won't spoil it for you!
Beth is such a complex character and definitely someone I can recognise. She has been through the foster system, she has been let down by the benefits system, she has fallen through the cracks and we are led to believe that this is why she did the bad thing. We don't find out until the end what that bad thing is, but i did begin to guess throughout the book. Part of me didn't want to find out because I had warmed to Beth so much, but I knew I needed to know and this aspect of the book is so beautifully woven into the story line and so well crafted. I think people will definitely have different opinions of Beth but I really warmed to her and I wish that I could have known her to support her in some way.
Obviously this book deals with many many issues and many issues that people will not really have come across in their lives except for perhaps on the news. But these issues are woven into the story line amongst real things that we can all relate to. Our first job as a teenager, cinema outings and outings with friends when you don't really have enough money to afford them. Not living up to someones expectations and the fear you feel the first time you are truly on your won. For such serious book though, this isn't a depressing or even a majorly heavy read. I really enjoyed it and thought that Claire Fisher dealt with these topics in such a sensitive way and just writes beautifully. I really enjoyed reading this novel and would encourage you to read it now.
December 24, 2017
I probably had 5 different ways to start this review which were all going to be a rant on how this book was a slump generator for me. But in the end it didn't even matter...
.
#theguywiththebookreview presents All the good things by Clare Fisher.
.
So I sit down with a hot cup of coffee and some chocolate all excited about a book, the blurb of which has had a hold on me since it came in the mail. And well, I'd created a little hype in my head about how good the book probably is. Well, I shouldn't have. I think 🤔
.
I know you guys are probably confused if I liked the book or not, answer is yes and no.
.
I think the plot and the mystery was spot on but maybe the execution could have been better, much better.
.
21 year old Beth has done something very bad which we don't know about and she is now in lock up, her counsellor asks her to write down 'All the good things' in her life that have ever happened, but she has trouble coming up with them. Soon enough she starts to jot them down. Simple concept with a lot of possibilities.
.
Problem started almost immediately when I couldn't really sympathize with her until the reveal (at the end of the book) and that's what really changed my opinion about the book, and I understood Beth's behavior.
.
The ending of this book was one of the best I've read in a long time. And this is after I had already made my mind that this book is a mess and not worth it, I guess it's a good thing I've never quit a book and want to keep that record intact 🤓
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I'd say go for it if you are a patient reader as it is quite possible the book might feel very underwhelming until the very end. But that's just me, you might actually love it!
.
Oh, and as soon as you finish it you will want to find someone who has read it, and I guess that's a very important aspect in judging a book. I went crazy looking for someone with whom I could share the ending but no one had read it by then. 😶
.
Massive Thanks to @penguinukbooks for sending this for review 🙂
.
#theguywiththebookreview presents All the good things by Clare Fisher.
.
So I sit down with a hot cup of coffee and some chocolate all excited about a book, the blurb of which has had a hold on me since it came in the mail. And well, I'd created a little hype in my head about how good the book probably is. Well, I shouldn't have. I think 🤔
.
I know you guys are probably confused if I liked the book or not, answer is yes and no.
.
I think the plot and the mystery was spot on but maybe the execution could have been better, much better.
.
21 year old Beth has done something very bad which we don't know about and she is now in lock up, her counsellor asks her to write down 'All the good things' in her life that have ever happened, but she has trouble coming up with them. Soon enough she starts to jot them down. Simple concept with a lot of possibilities.
.
Problem started almost immediately when I couldn't really sympathize with her until the reveal (at the end of the book) and that's what really changed my opinion about the book, and I understood Beth's behavior.
.
The ending of this book was one of the best I've read in a long time. And this is after I had already made my mind that this book is a mess and not worth it, I guess it's a good thing I've never quit a book and want to keep that record intact 🤓
.
I'd say go for it if you are a patient reader as it is quite possible the book might feel very underwhelming until the very end. But that's just me, you might actually love it!
.
Oh, and as soon as you finish it you will want to find someone who has read it, and I guess that's a very important aspect in judging a book. I went crazy looking for someone with whom I could share the ending but no one had read it by then. 😶
.
Massive Thanks to @penguinukbooks for sending this for review 🙂
April 14, 2017
https://anaslair.wordpress.com/2017/0...
All the Good Things is such a harrowing, special book. Granted, the whole make-a-list thing felt like a device for the reader to know about Beth's background and you don't get to know the bad thing until the very end but since this is all about Beth and figuring out what led her to that point it makes sense. This character and the ones she came across is one of the most well-developed I have read about.
It bothered me that she was even arrested, though she tried to explain. Still, Beth's account truly surprised me at times and made me face certain preconceptions I had.
I don't want to say too much or I will spoil the journey of knowing Beth but do know that this book can be beautiful, heart-breaking, relateable and extremely emotional. Even though Beth does not have much education, the way she expresses herself grabs you and doesn't let go. Some of her descriptions are so vivid. And by the time I got to the bad thing she had done... I almost cried, which is really rare for me. Also, the way the book ended was just perfect for me, and I can't remember the last time that happened.
If you think you can handle the strong emotions, grab this book. I know I had to take a few breaks while reading. But trust me, it will be well worth it.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
All the Good Things is such a harrowing, special book. Granted, the whole make-a-list thing felt like a device for the reader to know about Beth's background and you don't get to know the bad thing until the very end but since this is all about Beth and figuring out what led her to that point it makes sense. This character and the ones she came across is one of the most well-developed I have read about.
It bothered me that she was even arrested, though she tried to explain. Still, Beth's account truly surprised me at times and made me face certain preconceptions I had.
I don't want to say too much or I will spoil the journey of knowing Beth but do know that this book can be beautiful, heart-breaking, relateable and extremely emotional. Even though Beth does not have much education, the way she expresses herself grabs you and doesn't let go. Some of her descriptions are so vivid. And by the time I got to the bad thing she had done... I almost cried, which is really rare for me. Also, the way the book ended was just perfect for me, and I can't remember the last time that happened.
If you think you can handle the strong emotions, grab this book. I know I had to take a few breaks while reading. But trust me, it will be well worth it.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 15, 2018
קראתי את הספר בישיבה אחת, בלי הפסקה, ובכיתי בלב לכל אורכו. בסוף הספר כבר ממש בכיתי בקול. זהו ספר טעון, כואב, חזק ומרגש על סוגיות של טוב ורע, אהבה, משפחה, אמהות, דיכאון, נטישה, חברות ועוד.
כל הדברים הטובים/קלייר פישר
כל הדברים הטובים/קלייר פישר
January 11, 2020
All the good things : I picked this book up in the library after reading the cover. I really liked it, beautiful written and the element of suspense because it is not clear why Beth is in prison. I loved the concept: Beth writing about the good things in her life as an assignmemt from her social worker.
May 1, 2017
In three words: compelling, realistic, readable.
Thank you to Penguin UK Books for sending me this ARC!
Out of the 17 books I'd read so far this year before All the Good Things, the majority had been sci-fi and/or fantasy. So, it's definitely been a while since I read something more contemporary!
There is a reason I tend to gravitate towards sci-fi/fantasy and that is I dislike reading about familiar things/places. As an example, things I didn't like in this book included mention of places like Tesco and Sainsbury's, and words like 'mank' and 'SnapChatted'. If reading contemporary, I find that unfamiliar places, for example Target in the US, are less annoying for me to read. This is actually also true for TV; I much prefer US shows to ones set in the UK. Anyway, this story felt very realistic though, so I think it was well done - it's just generally not my favourite type to read.
One thing I really liked was the structure of the book. This is a proof copy, so I'm not sure the structure will be exactly the same in the final version, but I thought it worked really well. At the beginning, our protagonist, Beth, is in prison for doing a 'very bad thing' (what that bad thing is isn't too hard to guess once you get more into the story), and her counsellor thinks it would be helpful for her to write a list of all the good things in her life. And, reluctantly, Beth agrees to give this a go. Each of the chapters is an item on this list and covers a bit about said item and Beth's backstory. I thought the switch between past and present was really skilfully done and everything flowed very well. I found Beth's story compelling, so much so that I read it in a day. Even though I was pretty certain about how it would end, I enjoyed the journey it took to get there. A pretty impressive debut!
Recommended for: people who want to read a gritty and heartbreaking debut.
~~~~~
Review also posted here.
Thank you to Penguin UK Books for sending me this ARC!
Out of the 17 books I'd read so far this year before All the Good Things, the majority had been sci-fi and/or fantasy. So, it's definitely been a while since I read something more contemporary!
There is a reason I tend to gravitate towards sci-fi/fantasy and that is I dislike reading about familiar things/places. As an example, things I didn't like in this book included mention of places like Tesco and Sainsbury's, and words like 'mank' and 'SnapChatted'. If reading contemporary, I find that unfamiliar places, for example Target in the US, are less annoying for me to read. This is actually also true for TV; I much prefer US shows to ones set in the UK. Anyway, this story felt very realistic though, so I think it was well done - it's just generally not my favourite type to read.
One thing I really liked was the structure of the book. This is a proof copy, so I'm not sure the structure will be exactly the same in the final version, but I thought it worked really well. At the beginning, our protagonist, Beth, is in prison for doing a 'very bad thing' (what that bad thing is isn't too hard to guess once you get more into the story), and her counsellor thinks it would be helpful for her to write a list of all the good things in her life. And, reluctantly, Beth agrees to give this a go. Each of the chapters is an item on this list and covers a bit about said item and Beth's backstory. I thought the switch between past and present was really skilfully done and everything flowed very well. I found Beth's story compelling, so much so that I read it in a day. Even though I was pretty certain about how it would end, I enjoyed the journey it took to get there. A pretty impressive debut!
Recommended for: people who want to read a gritty and heartbreaking debut.
~~~~~
Review also posted here.
May 29, 2017
Beth has done something dreadful and part of her prison therapy is to write lists of good things.
What a touching and scary read All the Good Things is. It’s touching because we see right into the very soul of dysfunctional and mentally ill Beth and her mother. It’s scary because what happens to them and the crime Beth has committed could actually happen to any one of us. I thought the dropping of the ‘any’ part of Bethany’s name highlighted this possibility. Her faults, her challenges, her triumphs and disasters are a hair’s breadth away for any one of us.
All the Good Things has a really clever structure. Within each of the list elements Beth writes is woven her back story, her childhood and what makes her who she is. Clare Fisher makes the reader confront Beth’s issues with her and understand that anyone we might judge in society, such as a woman in prison, is a real person with genuine struggles of their own. Beth is flawed, complex, intelligent and a complete disaster. The first person narrative with its breezy and realistic tone makes the story all the more real. I loved the way the text physically breaks down in structure at the end to reflect the actions happening in the story. The only element I was less keen on was some of the language in the reports in the file Beth reads. However, I think that might be because reading it made me feel quite uncomfortable.
I’m not sure All the Good Things is a book to enjoy as it paints at times a quite bleak view of the world, but it does have hope and optimism too and is a story that penetrates the soul of the reader. It is a book that educates and touches the reader so that I know it will resonate in my mind for a very long time. In hearing about Beth I was reminded of some of the students I have taught in the past and I know just how realistic her tale is. Life can be brutal, devastating and challenging and Clare Fisher presents Beth’s version of it with compassion and humanity. This is hugely affecting writing. Outstanding.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/05/08/...
What a touching and scary read All the Good Things is. It’s touching because we see right into the very soul of dysfunctional and mentally ill Beth and her mother. It’s scary because what happens to them and the crime Beth has committed could actually happen to any one of us. I thought the dropping of the ‘any’ part of Bethany’s name highlighted this possibility. Her faults, her challenges, her triumphs and disasters are a hair’s breadth away for any one of us.
All the Good Things has a really clever structure. Within each of the list elements Beth writes is woven her back story, her childhood and what makes her who she is. Clare Fisher makes the reader confront Beth’s issues with her and understand that anyone we might judge in society, such as a woman in prison, is a real person with genuine struggles of their own. Beth is flawed, complex, intelligent and a complete disaster. The first person narrative with its breezy and realistic tone makes the story all the more real. I loved the way the text physically breaks down in structure at the end to reflect the actions happening in the story. The only element I was less keen on was some of the language in the reports in the file Beth reads. However, I think that might be because reading it made me feel quite uncomfortable.
I’m not sure All the Good Things is a book to enjoy as it paints at times a quite bleak view of the world, but it does have hope and optimism too and is a story that penetrates the soul of the reader. It is a book that educates and touches the reader so that I know it will resonate in my mind for a very long time. In hearing about Beth I was reminded of some of the students I have taught in the past and I know just how realistic her tale is. Life can be brutal, devastating and challenging and Clare Fisher presents Beth’s version of it with compassion and humanity. This is hugely affecting writing. Outstanding.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/05/08/...
November 13, 2023
Ik dacht de hele tijd: Beth, wat doe je toch?
April 10, 2018
Enorm goed en sterk boek! Heel erg aangrijpend, maar ook echt vet goed geschreven, schrijnend realistisch. Erg mooi hoe het uiteindelijk niet gaat om wat Beth heeft gedaan, maar om het bij elkaar puzzelen van wie ze is en hoe haar leven is. Ik ben absoluut onder de indruk. Uitgebreide recensie: http://thebookreview.nl/recensies/con...
February 23, 2017
All The Good Things is a well written and heartbreaking novel about a young woman, Beth, who is in prison and encouraged by her therapist to write down whatever good things she can think of. Though this list and each explanation, her story emerges: how her life lead to the incident which ended up with her in prison. It is a gripping and moving book which shows how there are different sides to the story, even your own story.
The structure of the book means that events are told episodically in roughly chronological order, but with enough references early on to work out in broad strokes what has happened to Beth. As the narrative reaches these events, it becomes clear that her story is about how bad things can keep leading to more bad things, even though good things happen on a smaller scale. The novel is not particularly sensationalist despite the subject matter, but instead gives Beth real and human problems such as the way in which trauma and mental health issues affect all aspects of her life, from relationships to getting trapped in payday loans. Her narrative draws to a climax both in the story she is telling of her past and her present in the prison, as it becomes clear that she has never really been given the help she has needed.
Fisher paints a vivid and moving picture of how a person can be let down both by people and by the system, creating both a gripping novel and a stark reminder of the human cost of cuts to services for children, vulnerable people, and prisons.
The structure of the book means that events are told episodically in roughly chronological order, but with enough references early on to work out in broad strokes what has happened to Beth. As the narrative reaches these events, it becomes clear that her story is about how bad things can keep leading to more bad things, even though good things happen on a smaller scale. The novel is not particularly sensationalist despite the subject matter, but instead gives Beth real and human problems such as the way in which trauma and mental health issues affect all aspects of her life, from relationships to getting trapped in payday loans. Her narrative draws to a climax both in the story she is telling of her past and her present in the prison, as it becomes clear that she has never really been given the help she has needed.
Fisher paints a vivid and moving picture of how a person can be let down both by people and by the system, creating both a gripping novel and a stark reminder of the human cost of cuts to services for children, vulnerable people, and prisons.
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