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The Thing About Clare
A dying wish. A devastating secret. Should the truth really stay buried?
The four Bliss siblings have a loving but complicated bond, but when their mother, Dorothy, dies seemingly without a will, this relationship is put to the test. As the mourning siblings try to make sense of the situation, one of them is caught with a before she died, Dorothy entrusted her favourite daughter with her will and a letter—and told her to destroy them both.
Of course it was Anna their mother turned to for this mission. Miriam, the eldest, is far too sensible; Sebastian, the baby, too sensitive; and Clare, the middle child, has always been too rebellious to rely on, and long ago cut herself out of her siblings’ lives.
But what Anna finds in the documents could change everything. Do the other siblings not deserve to know what it is about them that their mother was so desperate to hide? And if it is revealed, will the Bliss family ever be the same again?
The four Bliss siblings have a loving but complicated bond, but when their mother, Dorothy, dies seemingly without a will, this relationship is put to the test. As the mourning siblings try to make sense of the situation, one of them is caught with a before she died, Dorothy entrusted her favourite daughter with her will and a letter—and told her to destroy them both.
Of course it was Anna their mother turned to for this mission. Miriam, the eldest, is far too sensible; Sebastian, the baby, too sensitive; and Clare, the middle child, has always been too rebellious to rely on, and long ago cut herself out of her siblings’ lives.
But what Anna finds in the documents could change everything. Do the other siblings not deserve to know what it is about them that their mother was so desperate to hide? And if it is revealed, will the Bliss family ever be the same again?
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2018
5185 people are currently reading
3451 people want to read
About the author
Imogen Clark
15 books882 followersInternationally bestselling author Imogen Clark has sold over one million books. She writes contemporary fiction about families and secrets. Her books have topped Amazon storewide charts eight times and her third book, Where the Story Starts, was shortlisted in the UK for Contemporary Romantic Novel of the year 2020.
Imogen initially qualified as a lawyer but after leaving her legal career behind to care for her four children, she returned to her first love - books. She went back to University, studying English Literature part-time whilst the children were at school. It was a short step from there to writing novels.
Imogen's great love is travel and she is always planning her next adventure. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband and children.
If you'd like to connect then please visit her website at www.imogenclark.com where you can sign up to her monthly newsletter. Imogen can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as Imogen Clark Author.
Imogen initially qualified as a lawyer but after leaving her legal career behind to care for her four children, she returned to her first love - books. She went back to University, studying English Literature part-time whilst the children were at school. It was a short step from there to writing novels.
Imogen's great love is travel and she is always planning her next adventure. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband and children.
If you'd like to connect then please visit her website at www.imogenclark.com where you can sign up to her monthly newsletter. Imogen can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as Imogen Clark Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 383 reviews
December 28, 2018
Favorite Quotes:
An argument was never very far away from her sister. Even when they were kids, Clare could start a row in an empty room. It was funny how they’d all just grown up into older versions of how were they were as children.
It was barely recognisable as the beautiful cherub in the Bounty Baby pictures that Frank had convinced her to pose for in the early days of motherhood, back before she decided that her child was a test sent to her by the Devil himself. Indignation radiated from the baby’s every pore… The baby locked its gaze on to Dorothy’s like a heat-seeking missile, paused briefly to fill its lungs with a fresh supply of oxygen and began to scream again. How could something so small cause so much wanton destruction, wondered Dorothy.
Thank the Lord that her own parents hadn’t been around to see how Clare was turning out. She could virtually feel the breeze that was coming off her father spinning in his grave.
She’ll die an old maid, eating cat food and surrounded by back copies of the Reader’s Digest.
She was sixty-five for God’s sake. She should lower her expectations a little. Her own mother had considered herself old at this age but she still felt like a young woman. Well, she did in her heart. It was a slightly different story in her knees.
Frank had loved words. They had dripped from his lips like honey from a spoon. Often he spoke as if he were on a stage, his words a performance rather than merely a means of communicating his thoughts.
My Review:
This compelling book was superbly written, cunningly clever, shrewdly paced and packed with sharp wit, remarkable insights, and observant details. Each complex character inhabited a quirky personality, which was skillfully and enticingly fleshed out. I adored it and didn’t want to put it down. I read it slowly and with great delight as I coveted, marveled, and savored every well-chosen word. Imogen Clark is a master scribe; I want to amass and hoard all her clever words.
Every family has secrets and most people are intrinsically drawn and curious to unearth them as other peoples’ hidden foibles are so much more interesting and alluring than our own shame, but unfortunately, as you get older, you find there are some secrets you wish you didn’t know yet cannot erase or hit delete once you’ve played Pandora. And every family has at least one walking disaster wastrel - mine has several. But then my family tree is horribly diseased and should be chopped down and burned for good measure. While this captivatingly portrayed family had several drama llamas, Clare was an imposing piece of work. Even in childhood, she had rebelliously pushed every boundary with an abrasive personality, and as an adult, she was simply vile, irresponsible, unpredictably volatile, and increasingly self-destructive. I fervently loathed her with fascination!
In addition to the thrill and privilege of perusing one of my favorite reads for 2018, Ms. Clark also provided me with two new treasures for my Brit Word List with an idiom of “bugger that for a game of soldiers” – for screw this; and bone idle – which Mr. Google informed me was the ultimate of sloth and laziness as it went all the way to the bone. How glorious!
An argument was never very far away from her sister. Even when they were kids, Clare could start a row in an empty room. It was funny how they’d all just grown up into older versions of how were they were as children.
It was barely recognisable as the beautiful cherub in the Bounty Baby pictures that Frank had convinced her to pose for in the early days of motherhood, back before she decided that her child was a test sent to her by the Devil himself. Indignation radiated from the baby’s every pore… The baby locked its gaze on to Dorothy’s like a heat-seeking missile, paused briefly to fill its lungs with a fresh supply of oxygen and began to scream again. How could something so small cause so much wanton destruction, wondered Dorothy.
Thank the Lord that her own parents hadn’t been around to see how Clare was turning out. She could virtually feel the breeze that was coming off her father spinning in his grave.
She’ll die an old maid, eating cat food and surrounded by back copies of the Reader’s Digest.
She was sixty-five for God’s sake. She should lower her expectations a little. Her own mother had considered herself old at this age but she still felt like a young woman. Well, she did in her heart. It was a slightly different story in her knees.
Frank had loved words. They had dripped from his lips like honey from a spoon. Often he spoke as if he were on a stage, his words a performance rather than merely a means of communicating his thoughts.
My Review:
This compelling book was superbly written, cunningly clever, shrewdly paced and packed with sharp wit, remarkable insights, and observant details. Each complex character inhabited a quirky personality, which was skillfully and enticingly fleshed out. I adored it and didn’t want to put it down. I read it slowly and with great delight as I coveted, marveled, and savored every well-chosen word. Imogen Clark is a master scribe; I want to amass and hoard all her clever words.
Every family has secrets and most people are intrinsically drawn and curious to unearth them as other peoples’ hidden foibles are so much more interesting and alluring than our own shame, but unfortunately, as you get older, you find there are some secrets you wish you didn’t know yet cannot erase or hit delete once you’ve played Pandora. And every family has at least one walking disaster wastrel - mine has several. But then my family tree is horribly diseased and should be chopped down and burned for good measure. While this captivatingly portrayed family had several drama llamas, Clare was an imposing piece of work. Even in childhood, she had rebelliously pushed every boundary with an abrasive personality, and as an adult, she was simply vile, irresponsible, unpredictably volatile, and increasingly self-destructive. I fervently loathed her with fascination!
In addition to the thrill and privilege of perusing one of my favorite reads for 2018, Ms. Clark also provided me with two new treasures for my Brit Word List with an idiom of “bugger that for a game of soldiers” – for screw this; and bone idle – which Mr. Google informed me was the ultimate of sloth and laziness as it went all the way to the bone. How glorious!
February 21, 2019
I'll be honest. I didn't like this book for several reasons. First, I didn't like any of the characters. They had no redeeming qualities. Second, while I know sisters and brothers can be mean to each other it seemed like none of them liked each other. It was dreadfully depressing and long. I read the book all the way through. But I cannot recommend it. And I still don't understand "the thing about Clare."
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
July 3, 2019
The thing about Clare is really she doesn’t fit in the family mold and doesn’t want to either. This is a book about siblings and how they interact as a group. Like most siblings they have their ups and downs. This book for me was a bit like Clare. I kept waiting for something to happen, but the characters revealed themselves slowly. I found the book interesting, but not in the least exciting.
I gave it three stars
I gave it three stars
November 5, 2018
What a boring book. The whole story could have been told in one chapter. Total waste of my time/money. I would not recommend this book.
September 1, 2019
This gets four stars minus, or three plus, mainly because it is not my type of novel. I don't enjoy reading stories about moderately unhappy people who remain moderately unhappy throughout the course of the story. I think Ms. Clark is a good writer. She does what she does quite well. Her characters are very realistic, and what happens in this novel could happen to four siblings who are close but competitive.
There wasn't a one of the I would have wanted for a friend, though.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review on Goodreads.
There wasn't a one of the I would have wanted for a friend, though.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review on Goodreads.
November 15, 2019
Bored stiff by the family drama of the Bliss siblings - underpowered novel that quickly becomes banal.
In common with most families, the Bliss clan are have their perpetual roles within the family and at family gatherings and the first opportunity they quickly fall back into the old stereotypes that were cast upon them throughout their formative years. Standing around the graveside of their Irish mother, Dorothy Bernadette Bliss, in 2015 it doesn’t take too long for old insecurities to surface and the lie of the land to become clear. However, for favourite child, Anna, it is also the beginning of a moral dilemma with the potential to affect all of her siblings, from responsible and reliable Miriam, black sheep of the family, rebellious Clare to sensitive Sebastian, the baby of the family. With her mother’s will and a letter to Clare that Dorothy instructed her to destroy still sitting on her sideboard, Anna finds herself torn over how to handle the situation knowing full well that it could have the potential to alter everything.
Immediately following the funeral the narrative winds back to Dorothy in 1961 and presents her perspective on life as a struggling new mother to firstborn, Miriam, whilst her journalist husband, Frank, goes out to work. From then on the narrative moves forward and presents rotating snapshots from each of the family members perspectives, with references to some significant historical events for context until the halfway point. Taking in the the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebration and street parties of 1977 that coincide with the unexpected arrival of Sebastian eleven years after her youngest daughter, Anna and the punk rock movement, the historical soundbites proved the most enjoyable aspect of the book for me.
This first half illustrates the family dynamics, how the siblings interact when together and in all honesty very little happens and what does it pretty unoriginal and humdrum. Simply put there was nothing particularly interesting about the Bliss family that merited an entire novel. Although the narrative moves forward and includes sections from the perspective of all members, I didn’t feel I actually got to know or understand any of the character beyond the stereotypical exteriors that Imogen Clark assigned to them. Even by the end they still felt lifeless and this, along with the slow pace of the story, made for a dreary read that bored me rigid. Even more disappointingly, ‘the thing about Clare’ is rather obvious and within twenty-five pages I had guessed correctly. 300 pages later my suspicion was finally confirmed.
Uninspiring family story with little drama that needed an injection of pace.
In common with most families, the Bliss clan are have their perpetual roles within the family and at family gatherings and the first opportunity they quickly fall back into the old stereotypes that were cast upon them throughout their formative years. Standing around the graveside of their Irish mother, Dorothy Bernadette Bliss, in 2015 it doesn’t take too long for old insecurities to surface and the lie of the land to become clear. However, for favourite child, Anna, it is also the beginning of a moral dilemma with the potential to affect all of her siblings, from responsible and reliable Miriam, black sheep of the family, rebellious Clare to sensitive Sebastian, the baby of the family. With her mother’s will and a letter to Clare that Dorothy instructed her to destroy still sitting on her sideboard, Anna finds herself torn over how to handle the situation knowing full well that it could have the potential to alter everything.
Immediately following the funeral the narrative winds back to Dorothy in 1961 and presents her perspective on life as a struggling new mother to firstborn, Miriam, whilst her journalist husband, Frank, goes out to work. From then on the narrative moves forward and presents rotating snapshots from each of the family members perspectives, with references to some significant historical events for context until the halfway point. Taking in the the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebration and street parties of 1977 that coincide with the unexpected arrival of Sebastian eleven years after her youngest daughter, Anna and the punk rock movement, the historical soundbites proved the most enjoyable aspect of the book for me.
This first half illustrates the family dynamics, how the siblings interact when together and in all honesty very little happens and what does it pretty unoriginal and humdrum. Simply put there was nothing particularly interesting about the Bliss family that merited an entire novel. Although the narrative moves forward and includes sections from the perspective of all members, I didn’t feel I actually got to know or understand any of the character beyond the stereotypical exteriors that Imogen Clark assigned to them. Even by the end they still felt lifeless and this, along with the slow pace of the story, made for a dreary read that bored me rigid. Even more disappointingly, ‘the thing about Clare’ is rather obvious and within twenty-five pages I had guessed correctly. 300 pages later my suspicion was finally confirmed.
Uninspiring family story with little drama that needed an injection of pace.
October 23, 2020
The Thing About Clare is an intriguing family drama, which opens with the four Bliss siblings attending the funeral of their mother, Dorothy. Longstanding resentments, regrets, long-established role expectations, misunderstandings and family secrets come to the surface as the siblings deal with the aftermath of their mother's death.
Miriam, the eldest, resents the opportunities she missed in her own life as a result of the competing needs of the family. Anna, regarded by her siblings as their mother's favourite, is suffering under the weight of a secret with which her mother entrusted her shortly before her death. Sebastian, the baby of the family, was a mollycoddled child but has suffered unexpected loss as an adult. The eponymous Clare is undeniably the ''black sheep" of the family - a rebellious child who has never been able to settle into mainstream adult life, despite all the support she has received from her parents and siblings over the years.
Through a series of recollections and flashbacks told from the perspectives of each of the siblings and the recently-deceased Dorothy, we follow the Bliss family through a series of vignettes, set during pivotal periods of the family's life, set from shortly after Miriam's birth up to the novel's present. A bombshell secret is foreshadowed throughout, the nature of which isn't fully revealed until late in the novel.
Imogen Clark explores themes of family bonds, expectations and resentments, belonging and dislocation, in addition to the complexities of maintaining secrets, the curse of knowledge and the weight of responsibility in determining if and when that knowledge should be shared.
I found the central characters well-developed, and their relationships realistically portrayed. Their flaws, in the shape of personal foibles, regrets and jealousies made each relatable in their own way. The central premise of the book is strong and intriguing, and I felt that the strong characterisations and narrative arc maintained interest and tension throughout. The novel's conclusion is thought-provoking and poignant, while avoiding overt sentimentality.
An interesting and engrossing read. Highly recommended.
Miriam, the eldest, resents the opportunities she missed in her own life as a result of the competing needs of the family. Anna, regarded by her siblings as their mother's favourite, is suffering under the weight of a secret with which her mother entrusted her shortly before her death. Sebastian, the baby of the family, was a mollycoddled child but has suffered unexpected loss as an adult. The eponymous Clare is undeniably the ''black sheep" of the family - a rebellious child who has never been able to settle into mainstream adult life, despite all the support she has received from her parents and siblings over the years.
Through a series of recollections and flashbacks told from the perspectives of each of the siblings and the recently-deceased Dorothy, we follow the Bliss family through a series of vignettes, set during pivotal periods of the family's life, set from shortly after Miriam's birth up to the novel's present. A bombshell secret is foreshadowed throughout, the nature of which isn't fully revealed until late in the novel.
Imogen Clark explores themes of family bonds, expectations and resentments, belonging and dislocation, in addition to the complexities of maintaining secrets, the curse of knowledge and the weight of responsibility in determining if and when that knowledge should be shared.
I found the central characters well-developed, and their relationships realistically portrayed. Their flaws, in the shape of personal foibles, regrets and jealousies made each relatable in their own way. The central premise of the book is strong and intriguing, and I felt that the strong characterisations and narrative arc maintained interest and tension throughout. The novel's conclusion is thought-provoking and poignant, while avoiding overt sentimentality.
An interesting and engrossing read. Highly recommended.
November 2, 2018
November’s Amazon Kindle First.
I didn’t think this was a particularly original book and I found sections of it to be overblown and overlong which became a bit tedious and a lot of it seemed to centre around rather dull food! It’s a family dynamic book with a skeleton in the closet of which there are plenty of better books around. The characters were quite interesting - of the four siblings Clare was the most colourful. I particularly enjoyed it when she went through her anarchic punk phase, especially the lengths she went to in order to achieve a Sex Pistols look. GB was in a right old mess at this point with strikes every five minutes and I could totally understand her anti-establishment stance. The father, Frank was likeable, not least because of his use of flowery language. Dorothy, the mother, from an Irish Catholic background was a good character and I liked the way her ‘Irishness’ shone through in the dialogue. I quite enjoyed recalling some of the events that were incorporated into the families lives from the happiness of our queens Silver Jubilee to the horror of the shootings at the primary school in Dunblane. I confess to skimming the duller bits but on the plus side it was a quick read and free!!
I didn’t think this was a particularly original book and I found sections of it to be overblown and overlong which became a bit tedious and a lot of it seemed to centre around rather dull food! It’s a family dynamic book with a skeleton in the closet of which there are plenty of better books around. The characters were quite interesting - of the four siblings Clare was the most colourful. I particularly enjoyed it when she went through her anarchic punk phase, especially the lengths she went to in order to achieve a Sex Pistols look. GB was in a right old mess at this point with strikes every five minutes and I could totally understand her anti-establishment stance. The father, Frank was likeable, not least because of his use of flowery language. Dorothy, the mother, from an Irish Catholic background was a good character and I liked the way her ‘Irishness’ shone through in the dialogue. I quite enjoyed recalling some of the events that were incorporated into the families lives from the happiness of our queens Silver Jubilee to the horror of the shootings at the primary school in Dunblane. I confess to skimming the duller bits but on the plus side it was a quick read and free!!
January 4, 2019
I usual,y like a good family drama with rich characters. Some characters you may like more than others. I really like the Dorothy but that was about it in this drama. Speaking of drama.....There was really very little drama in the story. It was a long drawn out sibling rivalry that got a little old. The most dramatic part was very easy to see coming and then it fizzled. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2018
The Thing About Clare by author Imogen Clark is a witty and moving novel about family, secrets and siblings. It follows a complicated bunch of siblings after the death of their mother. Really a great book, definitely one I would recommend.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of The Thing About Clare in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of The Thing About Clare in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2019
Imogen Clark has a beautiful gift for intricate plotting, elegant language and gentle crafting, revealing her characters so slowly and carefully that it is impossible to do anything as a reader but be mesmerized at how astonishing it is to have them laid bare before your eyes.
I loved this book, like her first, and cannot wait to read the next and the next and the next...
I loved this book, like her first, and cannot wait to read the next and the next and the next...
February 28, 2019
THE THING ABOUT CLARE was my Kindle First selection for this month and, though this is completely out of my usual genre, I thought the premise sounded rather interesting. Though I do have to say I correctly guessed what "the thing about Clare" actually was before it was even introduced into the story! That being said, it didn't ruin the story for me as I do love trying to figure out what secrets are what and the fact that I often do never spoils the story. I just enjoy the journey.
This book is about family, secrets and the journey of four siblings - Miriam, Clare, Anna and Sebastian. Their parents Dorothy and Frank feature heavily in the "past" chapters, beginning with the siblings as children, in which the story unfolds over the course of their lifetime.
The story begins with Anna, the third sibling, in 2015. Their mother Dorothy has just passed away and the introductory chapter was her funeral, and as the chapter is titled, is from Anna's perspective. I found it heavy in monologue to begin with as Anna muses over her thoughts and emotions - some of which I found slightly irrelevant to the point of irritating in part - but it does give us a vivid picture of her perspective. Particularly as she recounts her mother Dorothy's request regarding the will and the letter. And you just know that, despite trying to maintain respect for her mother, she won't be able to resist reading the letter - which is addressed to Clare. I mean, could you? I could understand Anna's reasoning behind why she decided to read it - to protect Clare - but you just know it is going to blow up in her face when Clare and the others find out. So Anna then faces the conundrum of what to do. However, it's not until over halfway through the book - after the past has been revisitedup to the present as the story unfolds - do we discover that Anna actually does have the will and the letter. So of course, the reader does not learn of its contents until over halfway through.
When the story first shifts back to the past, we are transported back to 1961 and Dorothy's POV as she recounts her story as a new mum to the very demanding and painfully teething Miriam. The Dorothy we meet in the beginning is certainly a different Dorothy we meet as the years progress through the various perspectives. She is a new mum, alone with husband Frank away working, and completely unsure of her own ability as a mother. It is then we also meet their somewhat nosy neighbour Mrs Connors (whose first name escapes me now), and it is somewhat comforting to note that they remain neighbours for the next 50 odd years. Although a background character, Mrs Connors does feature a little more profoundly at the Silver Jubilee when a very unexpected and surprising event occurs - shocking everyone!
As the years go by and the story continues to unfold we meet each of the siblings and are privvy to their own private thoughts and perspectives. Clare's is somewhat tumultuous as she herself is the most colourful of the siblings. They say that there is something about the middle child and Clare crammed into that mould and promptly broke it. She was "the black sheep" and felt like she didn't belong for most of her life. It led to bad decisions and even worse lifestyle choices as she continued to drift through life, and in and out of everyone else's, for pretty much most of the duration. She was the most volatile, defensive and pretty much almost always angry. Is it just middle child syndrome or something much more? Whatever it is, it was plain to everyone that there was just something about Clare.
The story examines the relationship between the siblings and their parents, tackling the difficult times as well as the fond memories. Family dynamics are always different and can often be a minefield with each child having their own unique characteristics. THE THING ABOUT CLARE examines those as well as being a journey of discovery for everyone involved. We learn the idiosyncrasies and the personas of each of the siblings, and often during the story we find ourselves as frustrated as each of the siblings. This story is their journey and as we are privvy to their perspectives we share the journey with them.
Once the story comes full circle again to the present day in 2015, we also feel their pain and their grief after the loss of their mother. Just before we reach this point we do meet up with Anna and Dorothy in 2014, just a year previous, where we discover that Dorothy has had a stroke and is now in a care home. I found this scene a little sad as it was clear that in her 80s Dorothy was nearing the end of her life, and just that knowledge alone is saddening after a lifetime of memories. Dorothy struggles to speak but she does - enough to bestow her request of the will to her favourite child. Then fast forward a year and the siblings are at her funeral. Mrs Connors is still a fixture, with her own two cents thrown in, but the siblings decline her offer to help clear out the house.
I did find the scenes where the siblings were sorting through a lifetime of their parents' belongings and memories particularly heartbreaking. It is something I myself dread because in doing so it is with the knowledge that your parents are gone...and with them a lifetime of memories. But as one grows older, if we are lucky enough to still have our parents with us, we also are fully aware that that will not last forever and one day in the not too distant future we too will be saying our last goodbye to them too. And it was this aftermath that broke my heart the most. We journeyed with them all through the years that as the reader we too felt the pain of Dorothy's passing, as inevitable as it must be.
I did have a complaint about one flaw. I don't know where it came from or what happened to it but at one point Dorothy is ticking off a mental list of who is attending Anna's 30th birthday and she mentions "Melissa". I had to stop and think who on earth was Melissa. As she also mentioned Sebastian's new girlfriend Tessa for the first time, I admittedly thought that maybe Melissa was Anna's "partner" as the way she recounted them was as "Anna and Melissa". But there was no further mention of Melissa. She didn't attend the party, and she was never mentioned again. So I have no idea where she came from or what her role was, but to me it appeared she was a mistake since she never featured anywhere again. This error cost this wonderful story a star in my opinion, because while I can overlook many others that always pop up in ebook editions, I cannot overlook that. It was a costly mistake that in the end was irrelevant to the entire story.
Overall, THE THING ABOUT CLARE was a beautifully written drama about families - in particular, siblings - of life, love and the imperceptible bond between them. I thought it was a lovely thought provoking story, not my usual genre, but enjoyable all the same. I was unable to put it down in the end, reading well into the night.
It is unlike me to purchase a book without knowing anything about the Author or their style, but in this case I did and I am surprisingly glad. I really enjoyed the story and the journey it took me on. Definitely recommend!
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
This book is about family, secrets and the journey of four siblings - Miriam, Clare, Anna and Sebastian. Their parents Dorothy and Frank feature heavily in the "past" chapters, beginning with the siblings as children, in which the story unfolds over the course of their lifetime.
The story begins with Anna, the third sibling, in 2015. Their mother Dorothy has just passed away and the introductory chapter was her funeral, and as the chapter is titled, is from Anna's perspective. I found it heavy in monologue to begin with as Anna muses over her thoughts and emotions - some of which I found slightly irrelevant to the point of irritating in part - but it does give us a vivid picture of her perspective. Particularly as she recounts her mother Dorothy's request regarding the will and the letter. And you just know that, despite trying to maintain respect for her mother, she won't be able to resist reading the letter - which is addressed to Clare. I mean, could you? I could understand Anna's reasoning behind why she decided to read it - to protect Clare - but you just know it is going to blow up in her face when Clare and the others find out. So Anna then faces the conundrum of what to do. However, it's not until over halfway through the book - after the past has been revisitedup to the present as the story unfolds - do we discover that Anna actually does have the will and the letter. So of course, the reader does not learn of its contents until over halfway through.
When the story first shifts back to the past, we are transported back to 1961 and Dorothy's POV as she recounts her story as a new mum to the very demanding and painfully teething Miriam. The Dorothy we meet in the beginning is certainly a different Dorothy we meet as the years progress through the various perspectives. She is a new mum, alone with husband Frank away working, and completely unsure of her own ability as a mother. It is then we also meet their somewhat nosy neighbour Mrs Connors (whose first name escapes me now), and it is somewhat comforting to note that they remain neighbours for the next 50 odd years. Although a background character, Mrs Connors does feature a little more profoundly at the Silver Jubilee when a very unexpected and surprising event occurs - shocking everyone!
As the years go by and the story continues to unfold we meet each of the siblings and are privvy to their own private thoughts and perspectives. Clare's is somewhat tumultuous as she herself is the most colourful of the siblings. They say that there is something about the middle child and Clare crammed into that mould and promptly broke it. She was "the black sheep" and felt like she didn't belong for most of her life. It led to bad decisions and even worse lifestyle choices as she continued to drift through life, and in and out of everyone else's, for pretty much most of the duration. She was the most volatile, defensive and pretty much almost always angry. Is it just middle child syndrome or something much more? Whatever it is, it was plain to everyone that there was just something about Clare.
The story examines the relationship between the siblings and their parents, tackling the difficult times as well as the fond memories. Family dynamics are always different and can often be a minefield with each child having their own unique characteristics. THE THING ABOUT CLARE examines those as well as being a journey of discovery for everyone involved. We learn the idiosyncrasies and the personas of each of the siblings, and often during the story we find ourselves as frustrated as each of the siblings. This story is their journey and as we are privvy to their perspectives we share the journey with them.
Once the story comes full circle again to the present day in 2015, we also feel their pain and their grief after the loss of their mother. Just before we reach this point we do meet up with Anna and Dorothy in 2014, just a year previous, where we discover that Dorothy has had a stroke and is now in a care home. I found this scene a little sad as it was clear that in her 80s Dorothy was nearing the end of her life, and just that knowledge alone is saddening after a lifetime of memories. Dorothy struggles to speak but she does - enough to bestow her request of the will to her favourite child. Then fast forward a year and the siblings are at her funeral. Mrs Connors is still a fixture, with her own two cents thrown in, but the siblings decline her offer to help clear out the house.
I did find the scenes where the siblings were sorting through a lifetime of their parents' belongings and memories particularly heartbreaking. It is something I myself dread because in doing so it is with the knowledge that your parents are gone...and with them a lifetime of memories. But as one grows older, if we are lucky enough to still have our parents with us, we also are fully aware that that will not last forever and one day in the not too distant future we too will be saying our last goodbye to them too. And it was this aftermath that broke my heart the most. We journeyed with them all through the years that as the reader we too felt the pain of Dorothy's passing, as inevitable as it must be.
I did have a complaint about one flaw. I don't know where it came from or what happened to it but at one point Dorothy is ticking off a mental list of who is attending Anna's 30th birthday and she mentions "Melissa". I had to stop and think who on earth was Melissa. As she also mentioned Sebastian's new girlfriend Tessa for the first time, I admittedly thought that maybe Melissa was Anna's "partner" as the way she recounted them was as "Anna and Melissa". But there was no further mention of Melissa. She didn't attend the party, and she was never mentioned again. So I have no idea where she came from or what her role was, but to me it appeared she was a mistake since she never featured anywhere again. This error cost this wonderful story a star in my opinion, because while I can overlook many others that always pop up in ebook editions, I cannot overlook that. It was a costly mistake that in the end was irrelevant to the entire story.
Overall, THE THING ABOUT CLARE was a beautifully written drama about families - in particular, siblings - of life, love and the imperceptible bond between them. I thought it was a lovely thought provoking story, not my usual genre, but enjoyable all the same. I was unable to put it down in the end, reading well into the night.
It is unlike me to purchase a book without knowing anything about the Author or their style, but in this case I did and I am surprisingly glad. I really enjoyed the story and the journey it took me on. Definitely recommend!
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
January 13, 2021
Starts with a mother’s funeral, attended by her now adult children. This brings up all kinds of emotional grief and also some fond, not so fond memories as a family unit. Each adult had their own personality growing up as a child, and some of those still linger on as an adult. They must now come together to bury their Mother, clean out by the house, find a will, divvy up any assets.
However, before she dies, Mom has instructed daughter, Anna , the location of her will and an attached letter. But...she tells her not to
Let the others see it And to burn it.
The book devoted a good portion of examples of their lives as a family and the drama each one brings, including their mother and father.
Needless to say, the will is left out in the open on Anna’s table and her sister Miriam sees it. Now they all think she is trying to hide something from them. They don’t believe their mother said to destroy it. A current of mistrust ensues, the Inheritance is at stake.
As for the attached letter to the will, well, it holds a secret unbeknownst to all, one of which will mostly impact a life already in turmoil, that of sibling, Clare. But it does impact the others as well, why wouldn’t it? She’s their sister. Or is she?
I gave this three stars because at times, the family life growing up was a little overdone with nitpicking family dynamics and day to day routine and my imagination strayed at times.
However, before she dies, Mom has instructed daughter, Anna , the location of her will and an attached letter. But...she tells her not to
Let the others see it And to burn it.
The book devoted a good portion of examples of their lives as a family and the drama each one brings, including their mother and father.
Needless to say, the will is left out in the open on Anna’s table and her sister Miriam sees it. Now they all think she is trying to hide something from them. They don’t believe their mother said to destroy it. A current of mistrust ensues, the Inheritance is at stake.
As for the attached letter to the will, well, it holds a secret unbeknownst to all, one of which will mostly impact a life already in turmoil, that of sibling, Clare. But it does impact the others as well, why wouldn’t it? She’s their sister. Or is she?
I gave this three stars because at times, the family life growing up was a little overdone with nitpicking family dynamics and day to day routine and my imagination strayed at times.
June 7, 2019
📚📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚📚
Firstly I never read contemporary or family drama style novels, they don’t really tick my ‘must haves’ list. However, that said, I have devoured this book in 2 days. It’s told from 5 perspectives, a mother and her 4 children, the chapters are lovely and short and different character traits in each mini section makes it a really engaging and quick read. I really enjoyed it, surprisingly so! ❤️📚
Firstly I never read contemporary or family drama style novels, they don’t really tick my ‘must haves’ list. However, that said, I have devoured this book in 2 days. It’s told from 5 perspectives, a mother and her 4 children, the chapters are lovely and short and different character traits in each mini section makes it a really engaging and quick read. I really enjoyed it, surprisingly so! ❤️📚
December 29, 2018
This book came to my Fire due to the Giveaway.
I thought that I really enjoyed it, then realized that I enjoyed that I could read it quickly.
The reason for the quick read was the lack of character development of the oldest daughter, and the son. The greatest mention for each of them was a loss... for both a life changing loss neither of which was fleshed out at all.
I find myself wishing that this book was the first in a series, the focus on one relationship and then another.
I guess if books are to be written exactly as I wish I should be an author.
I thought that I really enjoyed it, then realized that I enjoyed that I could read it quickly.
The reason for the quick read was the lack of character development of the oldest daughter, and the son. The greatest mention for each of them was a loss... for both a life changing loss neither of which was fleshed out at all.
I find myself wishing that this book was the first in a series, the focus on one relationship and then another.
I guess if books are to be written exactly as I wish I should be an author.
December 31, 2018
I do love a story about families and Imogen Clare has written an extremely readable and enjoyable novel in The Thing About Clare; concentrating on four siblings and their parents.
The story begins in 2015, at the funeral of Dorothy, the mother of Anna, Miriam, Clare and Sebastian. Anna has always been the most favoured child; the youngest daughter, the one who was sent out to play rather than be expected to pull her weight with chores. However, Anna now has a heavy burden to bear. Before she died, Dorothy told her to take her Will and a letter addressed to Clare and destroy them, and to tell nobody else.
Of course, like most of us, Anna felt unable to do this and is now privy to long kept secrets that could tear the whole family apart. What should she do?
Imogen Clark takes her readers back to the 1960s when Dorothy is a new mother, coping almost single-handedly with fractious baby Miriam as her husband Frank goes out to work. I especially loved these glimpses back in time where we were able to watch the family grow with each new birth, and see how Dorothy changed as a woman, and a mother.
The author cleverly and carefully moves back and forth to the present day, with viewpoints from each family member, enabling the reader to learn so much more about each character.
The Thing About Clare is a beautifully constructed, intelligently written story of family and secrets. I especially loved the 1970s setting; with memories of punk rock and the Silver Jubilee wonderfully portrayed.
An excellent story about families and how they make us what we are and what we will become.
Written with precision and skill, The Thing About Clare is a novel that I found difficult to put down and would recommend highly.
The story begins in 2015, at the funeral of Dorothy, the mother of Anna, Miriam, Clare and Sebastian. Anna has always been the most favoured child; the youngest daughter, the one who was sent out to play rather than be expected to pull her weight with chores. However, Anna now has a heavy burden to bear. Before she died, Dorothy told her to take her Will and a letter addressed to Clare and destroy them, and to tell nobody else.
Of course, like most of us, Anna felt unable to do this and is now privy to long kept secrets that could tear the whole family apart. What should she do?
Imogen Clark takes her readers back to the 1960s when Dorothy is a new mother, coping almost single-handedly with fractious baby Miriam as her husband Frank goes out to work. I especially loved these glimpses back in time where we were able to watch the family grow with each new birth, and see how Dorothy changed as a woman, and a mother.
The author cleverly and carefully moves back and forth to the present day, with viewpoints from each family member, enabling the reader to learn so much more about each character.
The Thing About Clare is a beautifully constructed, intelligently written story of family and secrets. I especially loved the 1970s setting; with memories of punk rock and the Silver Jubilee wonderfully portrayed.
An excellent story about families and how they make us what we are and what we will become.
Written with precision and skill, The Thing About Clare is a novel that I found difficult to put down and would recommend highly.
September 17, 2018
Siblings! Each family has different dynamics, each child has distinct characteristics. Clare has always seemed different than her siblings..Beats to her own drummer. Why?
The writing is excellent, you get a vivid picture of each member of the family And the different dynamics of each within. Unfortunately for me, the story itself was a little flat. Seemed like a long, drawn out story. Could have been summed up in a short story. Ending was disappointing.
Have never read this author but Would try this author again.
Thanks to Publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is my own.
The writing is excellent, you get a vivid picture of each member of the family And the different dynamics of each within. Unfortunately for me, the story itself was a little flat. Seemed like a long, drawn out story. Could have been summed up in a short story. Ending was disappointing.
Have never read this author but Would try this author again.
Thanks to Publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is my own.
June 17, 2024
The Thing About Clare
Imogen Clark
Family secrets.
Siblings, drama, chaos.
Anna, Sebastian, Miriam and Clare.
An explosive secret.
This book was fast paced, and an easy read, easy as in quick.
Not easy as in fun or light.
I really enjoyed it as I've enjoyed her earlier books.
Highly recommended if you like family secrets.
4*****
Imogen Clark
Family secrets.
Siblings, drama, chaos.
Anna, Sebastian, Miriam and Clare.
An explosive secret.
This book was fast paced, and an easy read, easy as in quick.
Not easy as in fun or light.
I really enjoyed it as I've enjoyed her earlier books.
Highly recommended if you like family secrets.
4*****
May 27, 2020
The only thing that kept me reading this book was trying to figure out what could be in the Welsh last letter. Other than that I found the book of dull without much of anything pulling you in throughout the book.
July 19, 2023
Good story about family dynamics among four siblings. I really liked how the author could pinpoint that all four of them had such dissimilarities even though they were raised in the same household by the same parents.
July 11, 2019
Quite disappointing, I thought this would be darker.
August 15, 2019
The characters were frustrating at time. It felt like they were still acting as children even when they were grown up.
August 1, 2019
The Thing About Clare is by Imogen Clark. This is about a family in rural England which is as dysfunctional as any family can be. At the same time, they are a very close family who care about each other very much. It shows how siblings brought up in the same house by the same parents under the same circumstances can all be totally different.
Dorothy Bliss did the best she could in raising her family with her husband, Frank, always away or at the pub. He was a wonderful man and she loved him dearly; but she could have used some help and understanding. However, that wasn’t the man Frank was so she did her best. He was a loving father and did his best with the children; but he never followed his own rules. It fell to Dorothy to do all the tidying up and cooking and serving until the girls were old enough to help. Miriam, as the eldest, was the one to whom the burden of helping fell the hardest. She always did what she was told and did her chores well. Clare, on the other hand, only did her chores when forced to and then did them sloppily. As soon as she finished, she was off chasing the boys and doing who knows what. She was the argumentative one and the one who did things to shock them. Anna, as the youngest, seemed to be her Mother’s pet. She wasn’t to be interrupted from her playing to do many chores. When she did, she had only the easiest ones to do. Of course, that had to do with her age. Finally, there was Sebastian. He came along as a total surprise. Dorothy thought she was in the “change of life” and was just gaining weight due to her age. She hadn’t been sick like she had been with the girls and had no reason to think about being pregnant. In fact, when he was born, he wore pink garments for the first few days because that was all she had. She was so shocked at his birth that it took her much longer to get over childbirth than it did with the others. As a result, Miriam took up the slack of keeping house, cooking, and taking care of Sebastian. However, Dorothy did the best she could for her family and was the perfect mother except for one incident when Miriam was a baby.
After their Mother’s death, the four children came together to go through the house and hopefully find her will. As they reminisced, they thought of things she had promised them, especially Sebastian. Clare, who was sober for once, objected and thought they were trying to cheat her out of her share of the profits if there were any. Clare had been drunk most of her life and had raised her son, River, as a single parent. She never let him in on the fact that the others tried to help; but she refused to let them. He became separate from the rest of his family and eventually his mother too. Miriam was the one who managed everything and arranged for the things to be sold as well as the house. Organization was her thing. Her husband and two daughters were never without direction in their lives. Sebastian had lost his wife in an accident and was trying to raise his two boys without a mother. He was barely coping with his life. Anna had never married and had a job she enjoyed. However, she has a secret which she can’t share with her siblings. When she was in the nursing home, her Mother had asked her to get her will and a letter to Clare from her house and burn them. Anna got them; but didn’t burn them. For some reason, she couldn’t do as her Mother had asked; but nor could she read them.
As each of the siblings deals with their Mother’s death in their own way, Anna sits on the will and letter. Will she read them, tell her siblings about them, or burn them as asked? How will the siblings deal with life after their Mother’s death? Will it bring them closer together or push them further apart?
Dorothy Bliss did the best she could in raising her family with her husband, Frank, always away or at the pub. He was a wonderful man and she loved him dearly; but she could have used some help and understanding. However, that wasn’t the man Frank was so she did her best. He was a loving father and did his best with the children; but he never followed his own rules. It fell to Dorothy to do all the tidying up and cooking and serving until the girls were old enough to help. Miriam, as the eldest, was the one to whom the burden of helping fell the hardest. She always did what she was told and did her chores well. Clare, on the other hand, only did her chores when forced to and then did them sloppily. As soon as she finished, she was off chasing the boys and doing who knows what. She was the argumentative one and the one who did things to shock them. Anna, as the youngest, seemed to be her Mother’s pet. She wasn’t to be interrupted from her playing to do many chores. When she did, she had only the easiest ones to do. Of course, that had to do with her age. Finally, there was Sebastian. He came along as a total surprise. Dorothy thought she was in the “change of life” and was just gaining weight due to her age. She hadn’t been sick like she had been with the girls and had no reason to think about being pregnant. In fact, when he was born, he wore pink garments for the first few days because that was all she had. She was so shocked at his birth that it took her much longer to get over childbirth than it did with the others. As a result, Miriam took up the slack of keeping house, cooking, and taking care of Sebastian. However, Dorothy did the best she could for her family and was the perfect mother except for one incident when Miriam was a baby.
After their Mother’s death, the four children came together to go through the house and hopefully find her will. As they reminisced, they thought of things she had promised them, especially Sebastian. Clare, who was sober for once, objected and thought they were trying to cheat her out of her share of the profits if there were any. Clare had been drunk most of her life and had raised her son, River, as a single parent. She never let him in on the fact that the others tried to help; but she refused to let them. He became separate from the rest of his family and eventually his mother too. Miriam was the one who managed everything and arranged for the things to be sold as well as the house. Organization was her thing. Her husband and two daughters were never without direction in their lives. Sebastian had lost his wife in an accident and was trying to raise his two boys without a mother. He was barely coping with his life. Anna had never married and had a job she enjoyed. However, she has a secret which she can’t share with her siblings. When she was in the nursing home, her Mother had asked her to get her will and a letter to Clare from her house and burn them. Anna got them; but didn’t burn them. For some reason, she couldn’t do as her Mother had asked; but nor could she read them.
As each of the siblings deals with their Mother’s death in their own way, Anna sits on the will and letter. Will she read them, tell her siblings about them, or burn them as asked? How will the siblings deal with life after their Mother’s death? Will it bring them closer together or push them further apart?
February 21, 2019
When Dorothy Bliss dies and seemingly leaves no will the four children are left a bit at sea. Miriam is the oldest, followed by the troublesome Clare then the favourite Anna and lastly the afterthought Sebastian. The only problem is there was a will and a letter for Clare that Dorothy gave to Anna and asked her to destroy........ but Anna read it first and is now in a dilemma as whether to reveal the contents or not......... is there a reason that Clare has always seemed the odd one out!
A good family story with secrets that come out and flashbacks to childhood, a bit of a slow burner but that didn't matter as it wasn't an action packed story just a nice easy gentle pace
A good family story with secrets that come out and flashbacks to childhood, a bit of a slow burner but that didn't matter as it wasn't an action packed story just a nice easy gentle pace
June 8, 2019
I bought this book from amazon as it was 99p and I liked the synopsis of it. When reading it, it was different to how I imagined as I didn’t expect it to flick between the characters or the years. This did get confusing in parts however it kept the story interesting, it was also good to see things from each persons perspective.
Having finished it, it did finish in the way I thought it would which makes it a tiny bit predictable however I think some things didn’t get properly sorted out either, some things I’m still questioning about the story and there could have been more of a “finish” if that makes sense?
Overall I enjoyed it and I would recommend it
Having finished it, it did finish in the way I thought it would which makes it a tiny bit predictable however I think some things didn’t get properly sorted out either, some things I’m still questioning about the story and there could have been more of a “finish” if that makes sense?
Overall I enjoyed it and I would recommend it
January 28, 2024
Took me a while to read, I enjoyed the story but it didn't make me want to keep reading too much. The siblings were interesting and I liked the differences between them but I felt like we didn't get an in depth look into their lives or characters, more of an overview.
July 14, 2024
At the heart of the story is a devastating secret entrusted to Anna by her mother before her death. This plot device creates tension and moral dilemmas that drive the narrative forward. The author expertly explores themes of loyalty, trust, and the consequences of keeping secrets within families.
January 26, 2020
Beautiful
August 18, 2024
After a slow start this story of family over the years did grip me, and the ending was good if a little predictable
January 3, 2019
As part of a large family myself, the relationships between siblings is always complicated. Miriam is the eldest, responsible and organized, while Clare is the second and the black sheep. Anna is seen as her Mom’s favorite, and Sebastian is the unexpected baby. The story tells how they each approached their lives, and how they react when a basic truth is tested. An appealing read, thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
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