What do you think?
Rate this book
The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood
‘This story of motherhood and secrets handles a difficult subject with skill and sensitivity' Catherine Isaac, author of You Me Everything
What has happened to Cornelia Blackwood?
She has a loving marriage. But she has no friends.
Everyone knows her name. But no one will speak to her now.
Cornelia Blackwood has unravelled once before. Can she stop it from happening again?
From a supremely talented storyteller, The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood is a powerful novel of motherhood, loss and loneliness and how we can make damaging choices when pushed to our emotional edge. A paperback bestseller with her debut novel, The Things We Never Said, and nominated for an RNA Award in 2014, Susan Elliot Wright has written a truly important novel that explores the dark depths of psychosis with honesty and sensitivity.
What has happened to Cornelia Blackwood?
She has a loving marriage. But she has no friends.
Everyone knows her name. But no one will speak to her now.
Cornelia Blackwood has unravelled once before. Can she stop it from happening again?
From a supremely talented storyteller, The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood is a powerful novel of motherhood, loss and loneliness and how we can make damaging choices when pushed to our emotional edge. A paperback bestseller with her debut novel, The Things We Never Said, and nominated for an RNA Award in 2014, Susan Elliot Wright has written a truly important novel that explores the dark depths of psychosis with honesty and sensitivity.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 19, 2019
46 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Susan Elliot Wright
10 books123 followersSusan Elliot Wright grew up in Lewisham in south-east London. Before becoming a full-time writer, she did a number of different jobs, including civil servant, cleaner, dishwasher, journalist, and chef. She has an MA in writing from Sheffield Hallam University, where she is now an associate lecturer, and she lives in Sheffield with her husband and a big black dog called Henry. She is currently at work on her fourth novel, which will be published by Simon & Schuster in 2018.
Susan's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/susanelliotw...
Susan's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/susanelliotw...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
January 28, 2020
“The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood” is written by Susan Elliot Wright and is a very powerful novel based on motherhood, tragedy, grief and loneliness.
The blurb - What has happened to Cornelia Blackwood? She has a loving marriage. But she has no friends. Everyone knows her name. But no one will speak to her now. Cornelia Blackwood has unravelled once before. Can she stop it from happening again?
After the come down from a very gritty thriller it was a pleasure to read a novel that had been written so tenderly and with such compassion from the author. So many raw emotions are covered in this one story, with viewpoints from both the male and female perspective. Considering what Cornelia or Leah, as she’s more affectionately known, has had to deal with in her life, it’s totally understandable how she begins to unravel. Especially after she discovers something so shocking when a further tragedy occurs. The general storyline of extreme ‘postpartum psychosis’ is unrealistic but not unheard of, though the author herself admits, it suited her character in her story to behave the way she did.
Written in alternating chapters between now and then, we are privy to the events that have caused Leah’s emotions to spiral out of control. Her current situation is truly heartbreaking and I instantly felt for her. The ending was very apt and although like I’ve said, not really true to life, I could totally understand how damaged Leah was which resulted in her final decision.
A story what will stay with me a long time and a book so beautiful it will adorn my bookshelves forever, I’m so pleased to have read this aptly named story and I’d happily read more by this author again.
5 stars
The blurb - What has happened to Cornelia Blackwood? She has a loving marriage. But she has no friends. Everyone knows her name. But no one will speak to her now. Cornelia Blackwood has unravelled once before. Can she stop it from happening again?
After the come down from a very gritty thriller it was a pleasure to read a novel that had been written so tenderly and with such compassion from the author. So many raw emotions are covered in this one story, with viewpoints from both the male and female perspective. Considering what Cornelia or Leah, as she’s more affectionately known, has had to deal with in her life, it’s totally understandable how she begins to unravel. Especially after she discovers something so shocking when a further tragedy occurs. The general storyline of extreme ‘postpartum psychosis’ is unrealistic but not unheard of, though the author herself admits, it suited her character in her story to behave the way she did.
Written in alternating chapters between now and then, we are privy to the events that have caused Leah’s emotions to spiral out of control. Her current situation is truly heartbreaking and I instantly felt for her. The ending was very apt and although like I’ve said, not really true to life, I could totally understand how damaged Leah was which resulted in her final decision.
A story what will stay with me a long time and a book so beautiful it will adorn my bookshelves forever, I’m so pleased to have read this aptly named story and I’d happily read more by this author again.
5 stars
December 9, 2018
When Cornelia ( Leah) loses her husband Adrian in a car crash we feel her overwhelming grief and despair.
The chapters alternate between before the accident and afterwards.
The heartbreaking story of Leah trying for a family, and having a miscarriage, I felt her pain and desperation for a baby. Why is it when you think you cannot have something you want it more, so that it fills you every waking moment ( I’ve been there and wore that particular tee shirt )
When Leah discovers her husbands secret on his laptop she befriends Cass and her son Ollie. We know something bad is going to happen but we are kept on tender hooks waiting to find out what!!
A book that made my eyes water several times with its heartbreaking honesty of grief and desperation. This book is written from the heart and must have been a very hard book to write.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
The chapters alternate between before the accident and afterwards.
The heartbreaking story of Leah trying for a family, and having a miscarriage, I felt her pain and desperation for a baby. Why is it when you think you cannot have something you want it more, so that it fills you every waking moment ( I’ve been there and wore that particular tee shirt )
When Leah discovers her husbands secret on his laptop she befriends Cass and her son Ollie. We know something bad is going to happen but we are kept on tender hooks waiting to find out what!!
A book that made my eyes water several times with its heartbreaking honesty of grief and desperation. This book is written from the heart and must have been a very hard book to write.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
August 17, 2018
The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood by Susan Elliot Wright is a story of tragedy, loss and being left to cope on your own.
This story is written one chapter in the past and one in the present which did not work for me.
I found the book very slow and the character of Cornelia unlikeable.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
This story is written one chapter in the past and one in the present which did not work for me.
I found the book very slow and the character of Cornelia unlikeable.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2019
This was an incredible book in the to totally failed to see how things will shape up ... I had an inkling about certain things and was proven correct , but an important point or two was missed though I had a niggling doubt .
A slowly progressing study in the psychology of motherhood and child loss, and more than that .
I find it better that new parents and expectant parents keep away from this book. It will scare them off ..
Unable to comment upon the storyline for fear of giving out massive spoilers.
But Lia, rather Cornelia ... You were incredible.
A slowly progressing study in the psychology of motherhood and child loss, and more than that .
I find it better that new parents and expectant parents keep away from this book. It will scare them off ..
Unable to comment upon the storyline for fear of giving out massive spoilers.
But Lia, rather Cornelia ... You were incredible.
October 14, 2018
The Flight of Cordelia Blackwood was a poignant novel with a tragic tale at the heart of it. The genre of novel was different from what I expected it to be but it was a gripping read and I really enjoyed reading it. Even without the experience of being a mother myself, I was drawn into the story right away and I could feel Leah’s agony and longing for a child.
The story is told via alternating chapters and shows Leah meeting Adrian in the past, going through some of life’s tragedies together and a new storyline that runs from the present onwards and hints at something bad happening in the past that made her lose all credit, all of her friends too. The author deftly steers the story in a certain direction and it’s impossible to miss where the answer lies. I couldn’t help conjuring so many worrisome thoughts and I held my heart at least a few times when I read about some of Leah’s life changes, but the author made me squirm in my seat with all the twists and turns in the story before getting to the exact heart of it.
I just couldn’t compute Leah’s treatment with the image that I was building of her in my head… surely she wasn’t capable of doing anything evil? Her story reads as one tragedy happening upon another and made me feel sad for her. But how did she end up so injured and broken, walking around with a cane, and why is she getting these looks? I was trying to get an idea how things added up but it was a well-kept mystery until the end and given her deteriorating state of mind I knew something was coming but I never expected that.
The Flight of Cordelia Blackwood was a story of grief and love and that feeling when it just all seems to be too much. It’s sad and heart-breaking at times and that ending, it left me reeling.
The story is told via alternating chapters and shows Leah meeting Adrian in the past, going through some of life’s tragedies together and a new storyline that runs from the present onwards and hints at something bad happening in the past that made her lose all credit, all of her friends too. The author deftly steers the story in a certain direction and it’s impossible to miss where the answer lies. I couldn’t help conjuring so many worrisome thoughts and I held my heart at least a few times when I read about some of Leah’s life changes, but the author made me squirm in my seat with all the twists and turns in the story before getting to the exact heart of it.
I just couldn’t compute Leah’s treatment with the image that I was building of her in my head… surely she wasn’t capable of doing anything evil? Her story reads as one tragedy happening upon another and made me feel sad for her. But how did she end up so injured and broken, walking around with a cane, and why is she getting these looks? I was trying to get an idea how things added up but it was a well-kept mystery until the end and given her deteriorating state of mind I knew something was coming but I never expected that.
The Flight of Cordelia Blackwood was a story of grief and love and that feeling when it just all seems to be too much. It’s sad and heart-breaking at times and that ending, it left me reeling.
March 13, 2019
Cornelia, or Leah, Blackwood is somewhat of a mystery. This is what we know about her: she has a loving husband; she is shunned by her neighbours and even when she goes to the shops; she has badly injured her back at some point and is only just recovering, after having a long time away from her job in teaching; she was once pregnant, but there are no signs of any children in her life.
Although things seem quite positive in the beginning, and Leah is getting her life back together, sadly it doesn't last. As Leah's life spirals out of control, so her feelings and story spill out onto the pages of this book. I really connected with Leah's emotional journey in this book, and that is its great strength. Her character is fantastically written and very likeable, despite her past and present experiences. I think in the end it didn't matter to me what she did, I would still like and pity her.
The plot and the way the book unravels is excellently planned out; it is a slow burn, but intriguing so I was utterly gripped the whole way through. It really is one of those books you can't put down until you find out what happens. I was once on the bus on my way to work reading this book, and I was feeling pretty fragile after a few drinks and a late night the day before. But as soon I started reading, all of that just fell away. I didn't look up again until the bus pulled into the station, and I had completely forgotten where I was and how rough I felt. That's the power of this book.
Although things seem quite positive in the beginning, and Leah is getting her life back together, sadly it doesn't last. As Leah's life spirals out of control, so her feelings and story spill out onto the pages of this book. I really connected with Leah's emotional journey in this book, and that is its great strength. Her character is fantastically written and very likeable, despite her past and present experiences. I think in the end it didn't matter to me what she did, I would still like and pity her.
The plot and the way the book unravels is excellently planned out; it is a slow burn, but intriguing so I was utterly gripped the whole way through. It really is one of those books you can't put down until you find out what happens. I was once on the bus on my way to work reading this book, and I was feeling pretty fragile after a few drinks and a late night the day before. But as soon I started reading, all of that just fell away. I didn't look up again until the bus pulled into the station, and I had completely forgotten where I was and how rough I felt. That's the power of this book.
October 21, 2018
2.5 stars
This is a very difficult book for me to review. The story is one that surprised me; I didn't expect it to be so dark and tragic. As a mother to two very young children, I found this book deeply upsetting at times and feel it is only fair to warn readers of its exploration of loss, grief, death of children and postpartum psychosis. And that is not to say that only mothers will find this book upsetting; overall it is a very emotional read.
Cornelia "Leah" Blackwood becomes a widow in the novel's opening pages. After her husband Adrian dies, the novel shifts back in time to when Leah and Adrian met. Thereafter, the story goes back and forth from past to present with each alternating chapter. It's not at all confusing, but it does slow down the pace, so much so that I found it hard to really root myself in the story.
After Adrian's funeral, Leah finds something on his computer that leads her to question Adrian's loyalty to her. When she discovers that Adrian had a secret, one that would have majorly affected their future, Leah goes on a quest to find out more. This brings her into contact with Cass and her young son, who Leah becomes obsessed with. From here, as the story gathers pace and tension, we simultaneously go back in time to the early years of Leah and Adrian's marriage, when miscarriage and grief shook their very foundations and left some very deep marks on Leah; ones that had tragic circumstances for the couple.
Without revealing much more, I will say that this book is a depressing read. I found it to be very intense, hugely emotional and, at times, devastating. Leah is a tortured and tragic character and although I did feel sympathy for her, I found her to be overwritten at times. Her characteristics were very extreme, each to the last point of plausibility, and I found it hard to believe that someone as emotionally damaged as her, could be left so alone in her life. Nobody seemed to check in on her; there was no care worker, no support. And that is just the start of the unanswered questions. There are so many ends that aren't tied up at the end of this story, I began to question why certain plotlines were introduced.
I am grateful for the chance to read this book and despite what I have written above, I did find it a brave novel that brings much-needed light to the issue of postpartum depression. It does, in my opinion, go to the very extreme reaches of the issue, which I hope is not for shock tactics. I would be interested to read Susan Elliot Wright's next offering.
This is a very difficult book for me to review. The story is one that surprised me; I didn't expect it to be so dark and tragic. As a mother to two very young children, I found this book deeply upsetting at times and feel it is only fair to warn readers of its exploration of loss, grief, death of children and postpartum psychosis. And that is not to say that only mothers will find this book upsetting; overall it is a very emotional read.
Cornelia "Leah" Blackwood becomes a widow in the novel's opening pages. After her husband Adrian dies, the novel shifts back in time to when Leah and Adrian met. Thereafter, the story goes back and forth from past to present with each alternating chapter. It's not at all confusing, but it does slow down the pace, so much so that I found it hard to really root myself in the story.
After Adrian's funeral, Leah finds something on his computer that leads her to question Adrian's loyalty to her. When she discovers that Adrian had a secret, one that would have majorly affected their future, Leah goes on a quest to find out more. This brings her into contact with Cass and her young son, who Leah becomes obsessed with. From here, as the story gathers pace and tension, we simultaneously go back in time to the early years of Leah and Adrian's marriage, when miscarriage and grief shook their very foundations and left some very deep marks on Leah; ones that had tragic circumstances for the couple.
Without revealing much more, I will say that this book is a depressing read. I found it to be very intense, hugely emotional and, at times, devastating. Leah is a tortured and tragic character and although I did feel sympathy for her, I found her to be overwritten at times. Her characteristics were very extreme, each to the last point of plausibility, and I found it hard to believe that someone as emotionally damaged as her, could be left so alone in her life. Nobody seemed to check in on her; there was no care worker, no support. And that is just the start of the unanswered questions. There are so many ends that aren't tied up at the end of this story, I began to question why certain plotlines were introduced.
I am grateful for the chance to read this book and despite what I have written above, I did find it a brave novel that brings much-needed light to the issue of postpartum depression. It does, in my opinion, go to the very extreme reaches of the issue, which I hope is not for shock tactics. I would be interested to read Susan Elliot Wright's next offering.
July 2, 2018
This book is very different from what I expected from the blurb and rather beautiful cover: it feels like a mash-up of all the trending topics in 'women's fiction': a then-and-now alternating narrative, a woman consumed by pain who can't stop talking about her props of painkillers, alcohol and cigarettes, and the usual obsession with babies and motherhood. I felt like I've read the same story before multiple times - and it doesn't help that the author herself admits in her afterword that the scenario of the book 'is an extremely unlikely one'.
Not for me, but if you like 'maternity madness' books then this might be for you.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley.
Not for me, but if you like 'maternity madness' books then this might be for you.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley.
December 22, 2020
A FIVE MILLION STAR READ.
Absolutely brilliant. The story gripping from the start and a complete shocker of a twist.
I would highly recommend. What a brilliant author. A***
“The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood” is a very powerful novel based on motherhood, tragedy, grief and loneliness. Its extremely raw and totally heartbreaking and i know that this book will stay with me for a very very long time. I felt every single word on the page and i couldn't turn the pages fast enough i needed to see ASAP.
When I started reading this book I didn't know what to expect. But it was fantastic, a complete page turner and I could really relate with what the writer was trying to say. The author wrote this book brilliantly I couldn't stop thinking about it for days afterwards. I highly recommend this book and author. Thank you.
For more on my reviews, new releases, and more about books head over to my blog.
https://www.facebook.com/VickisMagica...
Absolutely brilliant. The story gripping from the start and a complete shocker of a twist.
I would highly recommend. What a brilliant author. A***
“The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood” is a very powerful novel based on motherhood, tragedy, grief and loneliness. Its extremely raw and totally heartbreaking and i know that this book will stay with me for a very very long time. I felt every single word on the page and i couldn't turn the pages fast enough i needed to see ASAP.
When I started reading this book I didn't know what to expect. But it was fantastic, a complete page turner and I could really relate with what the writer was trying to say. The author wrote this book brilliantly I couldn't stop thinking about it for days afterwards. I highly recommend this book and author. Thank you.
For more on my reviews, new releases, and more about books head over to my blog.
https://www.facebook.com/VickisMagica...
May 12, 2019
This is a fabulous novel. It is one of those rare books where the characters are so realistic that you find yourself wondering how they're getting on when you're not reading them. Cornelia's descent into illness happens so slowly and insidiously that it is truly terrifying. As a bloke, I obviously can't relate properly to the situation that she finds herself in but Cornelia's story broke my heart. This is a great read but, be warned, you will need tissues.
November 16, 2019
Leah and Adrian are a devoted couple whose lives and marriage have seen tragedy in the past. When Adrian dies suddenly, Leah is shocked to discover secrets she had no idea of and these secrets lead her into rash and suspect actions. This was a very touching tale, an insight into life and loss, and how tragic events can happen in anyone's past.
January 10, 2020
Wow, I've just finished this book and I understand it all now. Very serious although thankfully not too commonly experienced subject matter.
This story is very moving and touches nerves.
The story of a woman who experiences personal tragedies, more than she can bear and has to continue to maintain a life for herself in their wake.
I enjoyed the Then and Now chapters, interlacing her previous life and lead up to her 'incident', with her current life, both painful to read.
As the story goes further into the detail of her previous life, it leaves us wondering, some questions unanswered, until they are revealed in the last chapters.
Poignant, touching and compelling until the end.
This story is very moving and touches nerves.
The story of a woman who experiences personal tragedies, more than she can bear and has to continue to maintain a life for herself in their wake.
I enjoyed the Then and Now chapters, interlacing her previous life and lead up to her 'incident', with her current life, both painful to read.
As the story goes further into the detail of her previous life, it leaves us wondering, some questions unanswered, until they are revealed in the last chapters.
Poignant, touching and compelling until the end.
January 22, 2019
I obtained a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I picked up this book from Netgalley back in May last year because it intrigued me and the synopsis doesn’t reveal much at all so it’s fair to say I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this novel.
Cornelia Blackwood is a woman approaching her fourties, whose life hasn’t been kind. When her husband dies unexpectedly in a car crash, she is left childless and with no real family of her own apart from her in-laws. To make matters worse she soon finds out that her late husband had a child with another woman. Led by grief and conflicting emotions, Cornelia decides to befriend said woman in a desperate attempt to meet her husband’s son.
Cornelia’s character is deeply unlucky and when we meet her, she is overwhelmed by grief at the loss of her husband. The story alternates between the present time and Cornelia’s (better known as Leah) memories which help paint a picture of her life before her husband’s death and the deep connection that they had.
As the book goes on, we realise how harsh life has been to Leah. Even though she has a loving relationship with her husband, they are struggling to start a family. After a miscarriage and a stillborn, Leah is left deeply scarred. But when daughter Harriet finally comes along, Leah is so determined to protect her precious baby that she slowly develops a condition known as post-partum psychosis and she starts to behave abnormally and obsessively.
In the present timeline however, we know that Leah was left childless after her husband’s death so there is this constant question at the back of the reader’s head of what happened to Harriet? We can also see Leah start to develop obsessive patterns and behaviours around her husband’s child, that she feels needs to be a part of her life.
This is a novel that is very deeply emotionally charged and it made me feel all kinds of emotions. At the beginning and through most of the book, my heart deeply ached for Cornelia as I struggled to imagine what it would be like to want a family so much only for life to take it away from you every time. But when Harriet came along, the feelings of intrigue took over, only to be replaced by concern once Leah starts behaving oddly. I will admit that towards the end of the novel there were times where I hated Leah as much as I hurt for her, and I just wanted to scream at her to stop.
This is a very moving novel that sheds light on a condition that is not often talked about. While we’ve all heard of post-partum depression, post-partum psychosis isn’t often discussed and it is alarming because if undiagnosed it could have harmful consequences. Even though the author makes a point of stating that Leah’s case was taken to the extreme for the purposes of entertainment, I still believe it is a subject that needs to be addressed and that people need to be aware of. For this, I am really glad that this novel was written, not only was it extremely entertaining but it also conveys an important message that the world needs to know about.
I picked up this book from Netgalley back in May last year because it intrigued me and the synopsis doesn’t reveal much at all so it’s fair to say I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this novel.
Cornelia Blackwood is a woman approaching her fourties, whose life hasn’t been kind. When her husband dies unexpectedly in a car crash, she is left childless and with no real family of her own apart from her in-laws. To make matters worse she soon finds out that her late husband had a child with another woman. Led by grief and conflicting emotions, Cornelia decides to befriend said woman in a desperate attempt to meet her husband’s son.
Cornelia’s character is deeply unlucky and when we meet her, she is overwhelmed by grief at the loss of her husband. The story alternates between the present time and Cornelia’s (better known as Leah) memories which help paint a picture of her life before her husband’s death and the deep connection that they had.
As the book goes on, we realise how harsh life has been to Leah. Even though she has a loving relationship with her husband, they are struggling to start a family. After a miscarriage and a stillborn, Leah is left deeply scarred. But when daughter Harriet finally comes along, Leah is so determined to protect her precious baby that she slowly develops a condition known as post-partum psychosis and she starts to behave abnormally and obsessively.
In the present timeline however, we know that Leah was left childless after her husband’s death so there is this constant question at the back of the reader’s head of what happened to Harriet? We can also see Leah start to develop obsessive patterns and behaviours around her husband’s child, that she feels needs to be a part of her life.
This is a novel that is very deeply emotionally charged and it made me feel all kinds of emotions. At the beginning and through most of the book, my heart deeply ached for Cornelia as I struggled to imagine what it would be like to want a family so much only for life to take it away from you every time. But when Harriet came along, the feelings of intrigue took over, only to be replaced by concern once Leah starts behaving oddly. I will admit that towards the end of the novel there were times where I hated Leah as much as I hurt for her, and I just wanted to scream at her to stop.
This is a very moving novel that sheds light on a condition that is not often talked about. While we’ve all heard of post-partum depression, post-partum psychosis isn’t often discussed and it is alarming because if undiagnosed it could have harmful consequences. Even though the author makes a point of stating that Leah’s case was taken to the extreme for the purposes of entertainment, I still believe it is a subject that needs to be addressed and that people need to be aware of. For this, I am really glad that this novel was written, not only was it extremely entertaining but it also conveys an important message that the world needs to know about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2019
Oh my goodness this was such an amazing book but so hard to talk about without giving any spoilers! It literally gripped me so much that I read it in six hours without stopping and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was definitely a slow burn of a plot line in that I could not predict in anyway where it was going. I didn't know how it was going to end until the actual last sentence and I loved that!
Leah was a great man in character because you know she has been through some things and so she gets your sympathy right away. The more you learn about her life, the more you worry for her and yet want things to work out for her at the same time. There are a few supporting characters who come in and out of the novel, Leah's husband Adrian and his father Paul but this book really is all about Leah.
There are quite a few strong themes running through the book and this novels does definitely come with care warnings for baby loss and probably recent grief as well but if you're ok with those then you are going to love this absolute page turner. I did wonder initially what the relevance of the bird on the cover was but all becomes clear once you get into the finale of this novel and now I am VERY suspicious of the crows that I see. I cried, I gasped, I was utterly gripped, could I ask for anything more? I highly recommend this novel!
Leah was a great man in character because you know she has been through some things and so she gets your sympathy right away. The more you learn about her life, the more you worry for her and yet want things to work out for her at the same time. There are a few supporting characters who come in and out of the novel, Leah's husband Adrian and his father Paul but this book really is all about Leah.
There are quite a few strong themes running through the book and this novels does definitely come with care warnings for baby loss and probably recent grief as well but if you're ok with those then you are going to love this absolute page turner. I did wonder initially what the relevance of the bird on the cover was but all becomes clear once you get into the finale of this novel and now I am VERY suspicious of the crows that I see. I cried, I gasped, I was utterly gripped, could I ask for anything more? I highly recommend this novel!
January 20, 2019
This is such an interesting book and it Is quite difficult to describe it without completely ruining the plot for other readers.
The author builds the reader's sympathy for Leah slowly and very carefully, revealing just enough at each stage, but adding events to get and keep the reader on her side. The main love stories, Leah and her husband, Leah and the children, are deftly and movingly described. The relationship between Leah and Cassie is well developed and Luke's role is convincing too.
The dawning understanding of the reality of the situation, not loneliness but something else, not interest and friendship but something more sinister is cleverly shown, with Luke acting as a trigger to a catastrophe that felt inevitable.
Leah's inner voice, her interactions with Harriet and with the sinister crows, present from the very start, is extremely convincing, especially at the climax of the story. I could see this adapting as a great stage production or as a gripping tv series.
Very, very clever
The author builds the reader's sympathy for Leah slowly and very carefully, revealing just enough at each stage, but adding events to get and keep the reader on her side. The main love stories, Leah and her husband, Leah and the children, are deftly and movingly described. The relationship between Leah and Cassie is well developed and Luke's role is convincing too.
The dawning understanding of the reality of the situation, not loneliness but something else, not interest and friendship but something more sinister is cleverly shown, with Luke acting as a trigger to a catastrophe that felt inevitable.
Leah's inner voice, her interactions with Harriet and with the sinister crows, present from the very start, is extremely convincing, especially at the climax of the story. I could see this adapting as a great stage production or as a gripping tv series.
Very, very clever
February 7, 2019
I raced through this book, and although I didn’t know what it was about it soon became apparent it contained a very important message not normally discussed.
Leah the main character has suffered many setbacks on her quest to become a mother , She has no friends and no one wants to speak to her but we are left wondering why? .
Tragedy strikes when her husband is suddenly killed in a car accident. Leah is curious to find out why he was travelling in a different direction than she thought he would be. On her quest to find answers She discovers a devastating secret .
Although heartbroken Cassie finds a silver lining because Cass and her young son Ollie come into her life , bringing welcome happiness and friendship .
What a honest , sensitive and heartbreaking read this book was. I have never and heard of postpartum psychosis but this book educated me on the condition.
This book is emotionally charged and full of grief, love, and sadness. It left me wanting more. Thank you to The Words Podcast and Simon and Schuster for my copy of this heartbreaking read .
Leah the main character has suffered many setbacks on her quest to become a mother , She has no friends and no one wants to speak to her but we are left wondering why? .
Tragedy strikes when her husband is suddenly killed in a car accident. Leah is curious to find out why he was travelling in a different direction than she thought he would be. On her quest to find answers She discovers a devastating secret .
Although heartbroken Cassie finds a silver lining because Cass and her young son Ollie come into her life , bringing welcome happiness and friendship .
What a honest , sensitive and heartbreaking read this book was. I have never and heard of postpartum psychosis but this book educated me on the condition.
This book is emotionally charged and full of grief, love, and sadness. It left me wanting more. Thank you to The Words Podcast and Simon and Schuster for my copy of this heartbreaking read .
April 29, 2019
Loner, liar, a woman full of love, Leah Blackwood has an incredibly strong voice. After just a few pages, I knew she was someone who I’d want to go the distance with. And so I did - staying up late into the night to read about her past - why is Leah so reviled that a stranger spits into her face? And in her present, Leah is inching her way into the life of her dead husband’s lover for some reason. As her lies multiply, so too does her desperation and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Centring around the rare condition of postpartum psychosis, there is little light in this novel, but there are a lot of crows. Impressive.
February 24, 2019
This is a dark and compelling story that really moved me to my core. It is so well written that you really feel for Cornelia, you may not agree with some of the things she does but she somehow has a hold over you. When emotions take over you can see no end in sight I can't imagine how that must feel, but this story about being a mother and struggling with loss is written with such sensitivity that it makes you more aware what happens in day to day life.
December 30, 2018
Absolutely adored this book! All I could think about during my exams was reading it and now I'm so happy but also quite sad to have finished it. I'll definitely be buying the book next year and I'll be recommending it to my friends.
April 24, 2019
I didn’t put this down, except to eat!
Oh Leah, what a story, so much loss, so much strength, what a read.
An absolutely gripping read during which I often thought ‘no Leah, don’t do that’.
Thank you for tackling this difficult topic x
Oh Leah, what a story, so much loss, so much strength, what a read.
An absolutely gripping read during which I often thought ‘no Leah, don’t do that’.
Thank you for tackling this difficult topic x
October 25, 2025
Alltså har så svårt att ge stjärnor fö denhä. Den börja bra, men sen va mitten av boken så himla långsam o de händ int alls nå mycke. Men sen läst jag sista 50 sidorna o va helt hooked, blev så chockerad över slute. Efter att ha läst hela boken förstår man varför mitten var så detaljerad o långsam. Baserat på mitten av boken (dnf:a den nästan) så sku jag int rekommendera den, men efter att ha läst hela boken så sku jag nog rekommendera den!
July 5, 2020
It was an easy, quick read and quite predictable. I enjoyed it being set in Sheffield and the descriptions of the city. The book covers a difficult topic, but I found the end very rushed. I would try another book by this author.
December 28, 2020
A beautiful written book. A topic that is rarely discussed or written about.
A well constructed book with addictive qualities.I admire Susan Elliot Wright for writing so eloquently about puerperal psychosis.
I am looking forward to reading more by this author..
A well constructed book with addictive qualities.I admire Susan Elliot Wright for writing so eloquently about puerperal psychosis.
I am looking forward to reading more by this author..
March 1, 2023
Very sad book. The author did a great job of handling a very sensitive topic - postpartum psychosis - great character development and insight into this condition.
February 7, 2019
I've been sat thinking for a while how to do a review for this stunner of a book without giving too much away. The answer is I don't think I can. The vague but intriguing synopsis is this:
What has happened to Cornelia Blackwood?
She has a loving marriage. But she has no friends.
Everyone knows her name. But no one will speak to her now.
Cornelia Blackwood has unravelled once before. Can she stop it from happening again?
This review does contain some spoilers folks (not too many) as the synopsis is so deliciously mysterious you just want to devour the story to find out more.
Cornelia (Leah) Blackwood has a loving stable marriage. But she suddenly loses her beloved Adrian in a car crash, understandably her life comes crashing to a halt. Leah is also struggling with her mobility - she has severe back problems due an accident some years before. At this point in the story your heart absolutely goes out to Leah.
The chapters alternate between the present (Now) and the past (Then) before her accident leaving her permanently damaged - including how she met her husband.
Just after Adrian's funeral Leah discovers that Adrian has been unfaithful - he has had a child with another woman completely in secret - a little boy named Ollie. Leah then goes out of her way to befriend Ollie and his mother and integrates herself into their lives and very quickly becomes obsessed with them. This is where the story really picks up the pace (and where you start to lose some of your empathy for Leah). We find out that earlier in her marriage, she suffered huge amounts of personal tragedy; a miscarriage and a still birth...but also had a live healthy child. Yet Leah has no living offspring now...so what happened to her little girl Harriet? Was it something to do with Leah's accident?
I love that the issue of post partum psychosis is a prevalent theme in this book. Very few authors tackle the issue of mental health in such a full on way. I applaud this. Elliot Wright has admittedly taken Leah's story to the extremes for the purposes of this book. However whilst reading you can see what a slippery slope it is to go into such a dark place when no one has fully recognised how bad you really are. Similarly, for those supporting family/loved ones with mental health issues are in such a difficult position. Symptoms can be hidden by the one suffering, or even if they aren't it's so very difficult to know what to do for the best.
Make no mistake of it, this is not a light read. Leah is a very tortured soul. She has experienced heart break many times in her life and suffers with severe mental health issues. She is flawed, makes some very wrong choices with some catastrophic consequences. But whilst it's a heart-breaking read, it's also beautiful and utterly mesmerising.
A 4.5 star read for me.
I would like to thank Rebecca McCarthy at Simon & Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 3, 2021
I read this book in 6 hours!!! I couldn't put it down but I also didn't realise just how much it was going to rip my heart out. Seriously, I spent probably the last 3/4 of this book with my heart in my mouth. And upon the ending, the tears I'd been holding in, freely flowed. This was so well written and I recommend for everyone to read it.......stock up on tissues first though
January 2, 2021
A light read, I was expecting more from the description, but it wasn't as exciting due to it being quite predictable and slow. It was getting more interesting at the end, was interesting to understand more about the key character's state of mind as well. I believe it could have been developed in a more exciting way at the start of the book, but anyway, was a nice relaxing read
February 7, 2022
no just no
i was about 100 pages in and i felt as if the chapters were just repeating itself. honestly it sucked. put me into a reading slump and i was so close to dnfing it. i skipped to the end and i read like the last 5 pages and that still sucked too😐
i was about 100 pages in and i felt as if the chapters were just repeating itself. honestly it sucked. put me into a reading slump and i was so close to dnfing it. i skipped to the end and i read like the last 5 pages and that still sucked too😐
February 12, 2019
Cornelia (Leah) Blackwood loses her husband Adrian in a car accident. After his funeral, she finds something on his computer - something that makes her start to doubt in Adrian's loyalty and fidelity and something that is going to change her life. But before it happens, she goes on a quest and investigates to find more. She befriends Cass, a young woman that Leah somehow becomes obsessed with, and her little son Lucas. Is this friendship a casual one or is Leah hiding something from Cass?
The story goes back and forth, from past to present and while it feels a little slow, especially at the beginning, it then steps up the momentum. I also never felt confused and always knew where we are. The story is told mostly through Leah and we slowly get to know her and her background history - how she's met Adrian, how they got married, through the ups and downs of their life together. The past intertwines with the present, hinting that something has happened previously, something bad and wrong, something that caused Leah to lose her credibility and friends. There came a point when I guessed what must have happened and what's going to happen but it didn't spoil the reading for me, it rather kept me hooked and made me feel as if I was getting a chill up my spine, predicting the worse to happen.
I fell for Leah, to be honest. Her story was like one tragedy happening upon another one and seeing her surviving all of them was incredibly uplifting, and it took almost till the end to reveal why she's getting the treatment that she's getting. The story of Leah was somehow heart - breaking, and the author has done such a great job in capturing and describing her feelings of loss, despair and desperation. She has by any means found words to bring it to us so that the pain was palpable and you couldn't help but fell for Leah and feel sympathy for her. While you'll probably have problems with accepting Leah's choices, you will also understand why she made them. Her wanting something that she couldn't have has filled her every waking moment yet it didn't feel too overwhelming for me as a reader, too repeating, and the author has always revealed the right amount of information in the particular moment, leaving me wondering and wanting more.
This is a book that tackles some serious and heavy issues with tons of gentleness and sensitivity. It's heartbreakingly and brutally honest in explaining how it feels to be grieving and to be mentally ill. The author has really has done her research and she deserves a standing ovation for writing with so much feeling and understanding, without judging. This novel was sad, it was tragic, it was full of tension and the feeling that something's going to happen. Yes, I guessed the outcome, but still I was glued to the pages and drawn into this story.
Altogether, "The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood" was deeply emotionally charged and it'll leave you thinking and wondering. It was a well - kept mystery, filled with enough red herrings, twists and turns. It was a captivating, heart - breaking story of grief, love and desperation. The author deals with postpartum psychosis in a very gentle, sensitive way and gives her character a chance after a chance. It was a hugely emotional read but I wouldn't call it depressing - it was simply sad but without it being too overwhelming a feeling. Susan Elliot Wright has written it in a no - nonsense way, brutally honest and well, it's a read that's going to take your breath away, to make you stop and think - just my favourite kind of read, even if I wouldn't classify it as the easiest read. Highly recommended!
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
March 6, 2019
This is one of those reviews I would never want to find myself writing, so risky it is to spoil with the wrong words such a beautifully written novel.
I approached this book cautiously, as I knew that, if it was as good as Mrs Wright's previous novel, come the epilogue I would have found myself emotionally drained. And I was right in being wary, as "The flight of Cornelia Blackwood" is an intensely emotional story. Each character has been carefully chiseled, their actions and words and sensations so real it felt as if I was reading of real people's lives.
The fact that writing this book must have been a challenge for the author is evident by the way the events evolving around the main character, Leah, affect the reader.
Cornelia Blackwood, or Leah as she prefers to be called, is by now in her mid-forties, recently widowed and left alone to face the empty house. She has no children, as tragedy struck one time too many in her and her husband's life and now that also her husband is gone she drags herself from one day to another, trying to make sense of the silence that has followed his untimely death.
Kept at a distance by her neighbors and people who can still remember what happened a few years back, she lives isolated, with her in-laws as an occasional company.
Going through some old stuff one day Leah comes across a receipt that will shake the fundamentals of everything she and Adrian, her late husband, had built together. Her research for the truth will bring her to Castledene, a small village in the Peak District, where she will meet Cassie, only a few years younger than her, and Oliver - Ollie - Cassie's three years old son.
The bleak life Leah Blackwood had led until that moment seems to be suddenly wiped away by the friendship and love Cassie and Ollie have brought into her house. Leah quickly warms up to Cassie, this stranger who is raising a child on her own, working crazy shifts to meet month's end, and to Ollie, this sweet little being who reminds her so much of all the children she has lost over the years.
But getting close to someone else's child means that soon that past Leah has been trying so desperately to bury will come back to haunt her present and jeopardize her friendship with Cassie, which would eventually lead to losing Oliver too.
The main aspect of Susan Wright's writing is the delicacy she uses to describe her characters' emotions. With experience this skill has improved, and the result is that as a reader I was left with a feeling of powerlessness and sorrow still there hours after reading the last sentence. The author digs deeper and deeper into her own experiences and transfers the memory of old pains into her characters. As a result, she also transfers the pain onto the reader, making them experience it through her characters.
I can only recommend this book to whomever is willing to read a story written with the heart, with passion and dedication, and where the characters feel just as real as us.
I approached this book cautiously, as I knew that, if it was as good as Mrs Wright's previous novel, come the epilogue I would have found myself emotionally drained. And I was right in being wary, as "The flight of Cornelia Blackwood" is an intensely emotional story. Each character has been carefully chiseled, their actions and words and sensations so real it felt as if I was reading of real people's lives.
The fact that writing this book must have been a challenge for the author is evident by the way the events evolving around the main character, Leah, affect the reader.
Cornelia Blackwood, or Leah as she prefers to be called, is by now in her mid-forties, recently widowed and left alone to face the empty house. She has no children, as tragedy struck one time too many in her and her husband's life and now that also her husband is gone she drags herself from one day to another, trying to make sense of the silence that has followed his untimely death.
Kept at a distance by her neighbors and people who can still remember what happened a few years back, she lives isolated, with her in-laws as an occasional company.
Going through some old stuff one day Leah comes across a receipt that will shake the fundamentals of everything she and Adrian, her late husband, had built together. Her research for the truth will bring her to Castledene, a small village in the Peak District, where she will meet Cassie, only a few years younger than her, and Oliver - Ollie - Cassie's three years old son.
The bleak life Leah Blackwood had led until that moment seems to be suddenly wiped away by the friendship and love Cassie and Ollie have brought into her house. Leah quickly warms up to Cassie, this stranger who is raising a child on her own, working crazy shifts to meet month's end, and to Ollie, this sweet little being who reminds her so much of all the children she has lost over the years.
But getting close to someone else's child means that soon that past Leah has been trying so desperately to bury will come back to haunt her present and jeopardize her friendship with Cassie, which would eventually lead to losing Oliver too.
The main aspect of Susan Wright's writing is the delicacy she uses to describe her characters' emotions. With experience this skill has improved, and the result is that as a reader I was left with a feeling of powerlessness and sorrow still there hours after reading the last sentence. The author digs deeper and deeper into her own experiences and transfers the memory of old pains into her characters. As a result, she also transfers the pain onto the reader, making them experience it through her characters.
I can only recommend this book to whomever is willing to read a story written with the heart, with passion and dedication, and where the characters feel just as real as us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews