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With Your Crooked Heart
In "sharp, elegant prose" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), With Your Crooked Heart introduces Louise, a tough and introspective Londoner trapped in a subtle battle between two brothers. Paul and Johnnie were born twelve years apart, in a one-bedroom flat in a dingy London suburb. Their ascent to money and power looks easy from a distance, but the seductive brothers burn those who get too close. When Paul marries Louise, Johnnie is part of the contract, and their daughter, Anna, is tangled in it from birth. Paul deals in the development of contaminated land; self-destructive Johnnie deals in crime. When Johnnie has to flee the country, Louise goes with him. Their trip sets in motion inevitabilities that have smoldered beneath the surface from the beginning, a dire and redemptive chain of events that devastates every branch of this crooked family tree. With Your Crooked Heart's sensuous, daring prose brilliantly exhibits Dunmore's "poet's ear for language and photographer's eye for images" (Newsday) and confirms The Guardian's claim that Dunmore is "an electrifying and original talent."
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 1995
15 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
Helen Dunmore
117 books969 followersI was born in December 1952, in Yorkshire, the second of four children. My father was the eldest of twelve, and this extended family has no doubt had a strong influence on my life, as have my own children. In a large family you hear a great many stories. You also come to understand very early that stories hold quite different meanings for different listeners, and can be recast from many viewpoints.
Poetry was very important to me from childhood. I began by listening to and learning by heart all kinds of rhymes and hymns and ballads, and then went on to make up my own poems, using the forms I’d heard. Writing these down came a little later.
I studied English at the University of York, and after graduation taught English as a foreign language in Finland.
At around this time I began to write the poems which formed my first poetry collection, The Apple Fall, and to publish these in magazines. I also completed two novels; fortunately neither survives, and it was more than ten years before I wrote another novel.
During this time I published several collections of poems, and wrote some of the short stories which were later collected in Love of Fat Men. I began to travel a great deal within the UK and around the world, for poetry tours and writing residences. This experience of working in many different countries and cultures has been very important to my work. I reviewed poetry for Stand and Poetry Review and later for The Observer, and subsequently reviewed fiction for The Observer, The Times and The Guardian. My critical work includes introductions to the poems of Emily Brontë, the short stories of D H Lawrence and F Scott Fitzgerald, a study of Virginia Woolf’s relationships with women and Introductions to the Folio Society's edition of Anna Karenina and to the new Penguin Classics edition of Tolstoy's My Confession.
During the 1980s and early 1990s I taught poetry and creative writing, tutored residential writing courses for the Arvon Foundation and took part in the Poetry Society's Writer in Schools scheme, as well as giving readings and workshops in schools, hospitals, prisons and every other kind of place where a poem could conceivably be welcome. I also taught at the University of Glamorgan, the University of Bristol's Continuing Education Department and for the Open College of the Arts.
In the late 1980s I began to publish short stories, and these were the beginning of a breakthrough into fiction. What I had learned of prose technique through the short story gave me the impetus to start writing novels. My first novel for children was Going to Egypt, published in 1992, and my first novel for adults was Zennor in Darkness, published in 1993, which won the McKitterick Prize. This was also my first researched novel, set in the First World War and dealing with the period when D H Lawrence and his wife Frieda lived in Zennor in Cornwall, and came under suspicion as German spies.
My third novel, A Spell of Winter, won the inaugural Orange Prize for Fiction in 1996, and since then I have published a number of novels, short story collections and books for children. Full details of all these books are available on this website. The last of The Ingo Quartet, The Crossing of Ingo, was published in paperback in Spring 2009.
My seventh novel, The Siege (2001) was shortlisted both for the Whitbread Novel Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. This was another researched novel, which grew from a lifelong love of Russian history, culture and literature. It is is set in Leningrad during the first year of the siege of the city by German forces, which lasted for 880 days from the fall of Mga on 30th August 1941. The Siege has been translated into Russian by Tatyana Averchina, and extracts have been broadcast on radio in St Petersburg. House of Orphans was published in 2006, and in 2008 Counting the Stars. Its central characters are the Roman poet Catullus, who lived during the last years of the Republic,
Poetry was very important to me from childhood. I began by listening to and learning by heart all kinds of rhymes and hymns and ballads, and then went on to make up my own poems, using the forms I’d heard. Writing these down came a little later.
I studied English at the University of York, and after graduation taught English as a foreign language in Finland.
At around this time I began to write the poems which formed my first poetry collection, The Apple Fall, and to publish these in magazines. I also completed two novels; fortunately neither survives, and it was more than ten years before I wrote another novel.
During this time I published several collections of poems, and wrote some of the short stories which were later collected in Love of Fat Men. I began to travel a great deal within the UK and around the world, for poetry tours and writing residences. This experience of working in many different countries and cultures has been very important to my work. I reviewed poetry for Stand and Poetry Review and later for The Observer, and subsequently reviewed fiction for The Observer, The Times and The Guardian. My critical work includes introductions to the poems of Emily Brontë, the short stories of D H Lawrence and F Scott Fitzgerald, a study of Virginia Woolf’s relationships with women and Introductions to the Folio Society's edition of Anna Karenina and to the new Penguin Classics edition of Tolstoy's My Confession.
During the 1980s and early 1990s I taught poetry and creative writing, tutored residential writing courses for the Arvon Foundation and took part in the Poetry Society's Writer in Schools scheme, as well as giving readings and workshops in schools, hospitals, prisons and every other kind of place where a poem could conceivably be welcome. I also taught at the University of Glamorgan, the University of Bristol's Continuing Education Department and for the Open College of the Arts.
In the late 1980s I began to publish short stories, and these were the beginning of a breakthrough into fiction. What I had learned of prose technique through the short story gave me the impetus to start writing novels. My first novel for children was Going to Egypt, published in 1992, and my first novel for adults was Zennor in Darkness, published in 1993, which won the McKitterick Prize. This was also my first researched novel, set in the First World War and dealing with the period when D H Lawrence and his wife Frieda lived in Zennor in Cornwall, and came under suspicion as German spies.
My third novel, A Spell of Winter, won the inaugural Orange Prize for Fiction in 1996, and since then I have published a number of novels, short story collections and books for children. Full details of all these books are available on this website. The last of The Ingo Quartet, The Crossing of Ingo, was published in paperback in Spring 2009.
My seventh novel, The Siege (2001) was shortlisted both for the Whitbread Novel Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. This was another researched novel, which grew from a lifelong love of Russian history, culture and literature. It is is set in Leningrad during the first year of the siege of the city by German forces, which lasted for 880 days from the fall of Mga on 30th August 1941. The Siege has been translated into Russian by Tatyana Averchina, and extracts have been broadcast on radio in St Petersburg. House of Orphans was published in 2006, and in 2008 Counting the Stars. Its central characters are the Roman poet Catullus, who lived during the last years of the Republic,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 22, 2017
Helen Dunmore has a gift for beautiful prose - no doubt about it. But somehow that just isn't enough with this one - 80% of the novel is just the main character Louise, an alcoholic divorcee recounting her history with both her ex husband and his brother, and the birth of their daughter Anna.
It gives the idea that it is building up to something so you wait and wait, and suddenly in the final chapter everything ends so abruptly you feel like you've been bashed over the head with it! I liked the characters and being able to get into their heads, but I think that's all - the storyline just wasn't enough for me. 3 stars.
It gives the idea that it is building up to something so you wait and wait, and suddenly in the final chapter everything ends so abruptly you feel like you've been bashed over the head with it! I liked the characters and being able to get into their heads, but I think that's all - the storyline just wasn't enough for me. 3 stars.
March 21, 2011
It's difficult to make a story beautifully written and utterly boring at the same time, but somehow this book succeeds. Recommended if you're a fan of poetic writing, but if you're looking for entertainment at all you're going to suffer through.
September 19, 2020
This seemed quite a slight story to begin with, but the writing and the (flawed) characters slowly grew on me and my score for the book slowly improved as I got further into the narrative. I especially enjoyed the gentle and subtle descriptions of the friendship between the two ten-year-olds.
7.5/10
7.5/10
July 15, 2019
I really loved 'The Greatcoat' - a creepy ghost story about the war that Helen Dunmore graced us with some time ago. 'With your Crooked Heart' wasn't good at all. It was a good premise for a story, a love triangle between a married couple and the groom's brother. But the writing was all over the place, jumping backwards and forwards between time frames, sometimes not even sure of which character it was discussing. It hasn't put me off reading another of her books, but I do hope it is easier to rad and understand than this one.
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April 26, 2020I was really involved at the beginning but my interest tailed away - I am not sure why. The writing is lovely.
July 16, 2021
One child, one mother, two fathers - its all very intense. For my full review please go to http://thebooksmithblog.wordpress.com
September 17, 2010
With Your Crooked Heart is definitely a dark and moody read, so if you need something uplifting, maybe you should set this aside for a day you're feeling cynical. It isn't Dunmore's best, but it was interesting, to say the least.
The novel centers around the life of Louise, a once-beautiful and coveted woman who finds herself trapped between two brothers of opposite personas. Married to the responsible rich brother, Paul, she is irresistibly drawn to his younger and reckless brother Johnnie. Anna is the result of a one-night stand between Louise and Johnnie but is raised by Paul, who can provide a better life and stability for Anna while Louise drowns herself in alcohol.
With Your Crooked Heart starts out really strong with stunning prose; Helen Dunmore gives us shockingly intimate details, so much that we can all relate to Louise. My favorite quote is given about Louise on page 13, as she gazes at herself in the mirror being slightly overweight:
"Her image looks at her angrily, as if it blames her for what it has become. We used to like each other, you and me. Look at what you've done to us".
As days go by, Louise realizes that she needs more from her pathetic life, so when Johnnie finds himself in trouble with the mob, she decides to go with him into "hiding". Meanwhile, we read about Anna's growing up and what she learns about life, death and the appreciation of a stable household with Paul and her stepmother.
The novel becomes increasingly depressing and I'm sad to say the novel doesn't improve as you read on. I really love Helen Dunmore's writing, but this novel simply isn't a very good story. The ending is abrupt and is cloudy-- for some reason Dunmore's description of Johnnie's violent demise just isn't clearly detailed, and I KNOW I've got a hell of an imagination on my shoulders, so I don't get why I still don't understand what happens to him. If anyone reads this book and can figure it out, please let me know.
Overall, when I finished With Your Crooked Heart, I was left feeling supremely dissatisfied. I just sort of sat there in disbelief, staring at the book in my hands, thinking "That's all?!"
Regardless, I still remain a devoted fan to Helen Dunmore. My favorite book written by her is Talking to the Dead (1996). Her more recent titles include Counting the Stars (2008) and The Betrayal (2010).
For more book reviews, visit http://dreamworldbooks.com.
The novel centers around the life of Louise, a once-beautiful and coveted woman who finds herself trapped between two brothers of opposite personas. Married to the responsible rich brother, Paul, she is irresistibly drawn to his younger and reckless brother Johnnie. Anna is the result of a one-night stand between Louise and Johnnie but is raised by Paul, who can provide a better life and stability for Anna while Louise drowns herself in alcohol.
With Your Crooked Heart starts out really strong with stunning prose; Helen Dunmore gives us shockingly intimate details, so much that we can all relate to Louise. My favorite quote is given about Louise on page 13, as she gazes at herself in the mirror being slightly overweight:
"Her image looks at her angrily, as if it blames her for what it has become. We used to like each other, you and me. Look at what you've done to us".
As days go by, Louise realizes that she needs more from her pathetic life, so when Johnnie finds himself in trouble with the mob, she decides to go with him into "hiding". Meanwhile, we read about Anna's growing up and what she learns about life, death and the appreciation of a stable household with Paul and her stepmother.
The novel becomes increasingly depressing and I'm sad to say the novel doesn't improve as you read on. I really love Helen Dunmore's writing, but this novel simply isn't a very good story. The ending is abrupt and is cloudy-- for some reason Dunmore's description of Johnnie's violent demise just isn't clearly detailed, and I KNOW I've got a hell of an imagination on my shoulders, so I don't get why I still don't understand what happens to him. If anyone reads this book and can figure it out, please let me know.
Overall, when I finished With Your Crooked Heart, I was left feeling supremely dissatisfied. I just sort of sat there in disbelief, staring at the book in my hands, thinking "That's all?!"
Regardless, I still remain a devoted fan to Helen Dunmore. My favorite book written by her is Talking to the Dead (1996). Her more recent titles include Counting the Stars (2008) and The Betrayal (2010).
For more book reviews, visit http://dreamworldbooks.com.
August 16, 2015
Dunmore is a poet, and her prose is intensely beautiful and sharp. Each word is expertly tailored to the scene and, once you read it, unexchangeable for any other substitute. The words click precisely into place to create vivid detail that carves scenes and feelings into the imagination.
While the pace of the book is slow, and the story oddly switches perspective and person, it is well worth a measured read simply to appreciate again and again Dunmore's profound talent.
The book spirals slowly downward into a depressing end, which is oddly quick and murky in comparison to the rest of the story. The method of isn't even described, strange in a book in which each feeling of each character is painstakingly detailed. Thus the book shudders to a lame halt, and I still don't know if . There is no happy ending in this book, real or imagined.
While the pace of the book is slow, and the story oddly switches perspective and person, it is well worth a measured read simply to appreciate again and again Dunmore's profound talent.
The book spirals slowly downward into a depressing end, which is oddly quick and murky in comparison to the rest of the story. The method of isn't even described, strange in a book in which each feeling of each character is painstakingly detailed. Thus the book shudders to a lame halt, and I still don't know if . There is no happy ending in this book, real or imagined.
August 7, 2015
I usually absolutely love Helen Dunmore's books, and in this the prose was beautiful, but the story didn't carry me along. I didn't feel an enormous amount for what happened in the end and I think I was meant to. A Spell of Winter was much better.
April 21, 2020
I got into this story, she is brilliant Helen Dunmore
March 20, 2013
Paul & Louise are married and childless for 10 years before Louise conceives Anna by an illicit affair with Paul’s younger brother Johnny. Paul is a successful businessman; Johnny runs with the criminal element. Louise becomes an alcoholic because she gained weight with Anna and couldn’t stand being ‘fat’. Because she’s an alcoholic, Paul eventually gets custody of Anna.
It sounds like something you’re read a hundred times, but in Dunmore’s hands, it turns into much more. The story is told from various points of views and persons, but is mainly Louise’s story. As the plot builds to its almost inevitable conclusion, one almost wants to look away and not watch how Louise destroys her life.
This is my first foray into Dunmore’s writing (she won the 1996 Orange Prize—now the Women’s Prize for Fiction—for her book A Spell of Winter). Her writing is so adroit! See the stories that these few words paint:
"I love daylight sleep. First of all there are the hours it eats, that you never have to live."
Only one thing puzzles me: Dunmore uses the phrase “it’s not Nova Scotia” twice in the book. As in:
"‘Not much else for her to do up there.’
‘It’s not Nova Scotia, Lou.’
A bit of an odd expression, but I let it go."
I, too, think it’s a bit of an odd expression and, since I live in Nova Scotia, I’m curious about it. Can anybody shed any light on Dunmore’s use of this phrase? 3½ stars.
Read this if: you love intelligent use of words; or you fancy a warning tale about lives that go off the track—through personal choices.
‘Heart’ is a qualifying keyword on the Keyword Reading Challenge at Bookmark to Blog.
It sounds like something you’re read a hundred times, but in Dunmore’s hands, it turns into much more. The story is told from various points of views and persons, but is mainly Louise’s story. As the plot builds to its almost inevitable conclusion, one almost wants to look away and not watch how Louise destroys her life.
This is my first foray into Dunmore’s writing (she won the 1996 Orange Prize—now the Women’s Prize for Fiction—for her book A Spell of Winter). Her writing is so adroit! See the stories that these few words paint:
"I love daylight sleep. First of all there are the hours it eats, that you never have to live."
Only one thing puzzles me: Dunmore uses the phrase “it’s not Nova Scotia” twice in the book. As in:
"‘Not much else for her to do up there.’
‘It’s not Nova Scotia, Lou.’
A bit of an odd expression, but I let it go."
I, too, think it’s a bit of an odd expression and, since I live in Nova Scotia, I’m curious about it. Can anybody shed any light on Dunmore’s use of this phrase? 3½ stars.
Read this if: you love intelligent use of words; or you fancy a warning tale about lives that go off the track—through personal choices.
‘Heart’ is a qualifying keyword on the Keyword Reading Challenge at Bookmark to Blog.
September 23, 2009
I found this book extremely touching. The base of the story seems to be banal, but I think it is in everyday people we find ourselves. The characters are flawed, probably living and breathing next to you. Her writing style is poetic, but it has a strength that comes from within - not to be seen everywhere. My personal favourites were the comparisons and similes regarding cats - their sensuous movements, the way they watch and catch the prey, their empty eyes - she has definitely studied their behaviour in depth. Dunmore draws a bridge between the Louise and the reader through her intimate 2nd person narrative. A beautiful piece of writing.
September 6, 2018
An intriguing tale of the relationship between Louise, married to Paul but also close to Paul's younger brother, Johnnie. It is also a tale of Louise and Paul's daughter Anna who grows up with Paul and stepmother Sophie. As Louise and Paul drift apart, Johnnie comes more into her life but his involvement with the criminal fraternity has left him, and the people around him, vulnerable. A well-written and very readable story with a shocking ending - really enjoyed this one: 8.5/10.
June 5, 2012
Though it was a valid story, I really did not like Helen Dunmore's writing style. Many reviews of HD's writing style, call it poetic and haunting. But I found the different voices and digressions unnecessary and cumbersome, not poetic or haunting. I guess I just prefer a straightforward story.
November 17, 2018
The beautiful writing of Helen Dunmore...this was a real page-turner for me, not because it’s got a great plot but I just found it compelled me on. It’s quite a bleak book in some ways but I found some hope in the ending despite that.
September 2, 2011
'Joy is dangerous, like matches in woodland' p. 171
'not to be able to trust yourself is the biggest thrill of all' p.173
'not to be able to trust yourself is the biggest thrill of all' p.173
July 14, 2017
Paul is a level-headed, successful, but possibly somewhat dodgy, property developer. His much younger brother, Johnny, is a reckless and not very successful crook. Paul swore to look after his little brother, but how long can Paul protect Johnny from the consequences of that reckless behaviour?
The other characters in this story are Louise, former beauty and current alcoholic, who was married to Paul, but also loves Johnny, Sonia, currently married to Paul, but only loves herself, Anna, the result of one incidence of sex between Louise and Johnny, but currently living with Paul and Sonia, and Anna's friend Dave. The book is mainly about the interactions between them all and what they think and feel about each other, but I did not like or care about any of them, not even the most sympathetic youngsters, so the dramatic ending all fell a bit flat.
The book is well written and the characters are given sufficient depth and background to explain their sometimes illogical actions, but the author has written several better books.
The other characters in this story are Louise, former beauty and current alcoholic, who was married to Paul, but also loves Johnny, Sonia, currently married to Paul, but only loves herself, Anna, the result of one incidence of sex between Louise and Johnny, but currently living with Paul and Sonia, and Anna's friend Dave. The book is mainly about the interactions between them all and what they think and feel about each other, but I did not like or care about any of them, not even the most sympathetic youngsters, so the dramatic ending all fell a bit flat.
The book is well written and the characters are given sufficient depth and background to explain their sometimes illogical actions, but the author has written several better books.
March 14, 2017
This is the dullest book I have ever read to the end. But I persevered with it because she had created enough interest in the characters for me to want to find out more about them.
There are ingredients that could make this a very interesting book. There is the hard-working entrepreneur who has two wives (one after another) and a paternal concern for his much younger brother. There is the first wife, who is mother of his daughter, who slides into alcoholism. There is the second wife, who has little interest in the stepdaughter and whose interest in the entrepreneur is primarily in the material comforts he can provide. There is the younger brother who shuns the opportunities for legitimate business success that his brother offers him and prefers instead to get mixed up in criminal activities. And there is the young daughter, re-located from London to Yorkshire, and her new, male playmate.
But this is all laid before us in a kind of soap-opera style, as though these things just happen. We never get below the surface to find out what makes these people tick. Why alcoholism? And how did it come about? Why was the younger brother such a self-destructive idiot? How did the family break-up affect the daughter psychologically? If George Eliot had written this novel we would have come away with some insight into these things.
A major reason for the dullness of the book was the attention given to descriptions of inanimate things, such as rooms, furniture, gardens, flowers, views, etc.
Finally, I noticed that Louise sometimes drank whisky and sometimes whiskey. I suppose an alcoholic would not be too particular; but, usually, people who like Scotch tend not to be fond of Irish, and vice versa.
There are ingredients that could make this a very interesting book. There is the hard-working entrepreneur who has two wives (one after another) and a paternal concern for his much younger brother. There is the first wife, who is mother of his daughter, who slides into alcoholism. There is the second wife, who has little interest in the stepdaughter and whose interest in the entrepreneur is primarily in the material comforts he can provide. There is the younger brother who shuns the opportunities for legitimate business success that his brother offers him and prefers instead to get mixed up in criminal activities. And there is the young daughter, re-located from London to Yorkshire, and her new, male playmate.
But this is all laid before us in a kind of soap-opera style, as though these things just happen. We never get below the surface to find out what makes these people tick. Why alcoholism? And how did it come about? Why was the younger brother such a self-destructive idiot? How did the family break-up affect the daughter psychologically? If George Eliot had written this novel we would have come away with some insight into these things.
A major reason for the dullness of the book was the attention given to descriptions of inanimate things, such as rooms, furniture, gardens, flowers, views, etc.
Finally, I noticed that Louise sometimes drank whisky and sometimes whiskey. I suppose an alcoholic would not be too particular; but, usually, people who like Scotch tend not to be fond of Irish, and vice versa.
January 21, 2022
It's a well written book, but fundamentally unsatisfying because it lacks some conclusions, and some explanations for how things ended up the way they are. Why does Paul leave his wife? Why and when does she start drinking? It seems like stylistic choices have been made, but the structure of the book is such that you expect slightly more revelation, but don't get it. It's quite impressionistic in terms of the literary style, which in general is a style I like. I've read a few Helen Dunmore's recently, though, and frustrating characters is a recurring feature. I'm not of the view that characters should always be entirely logical, likeable, or defensible (at all!) but for me there was something quite depressing about this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2019
I'm a huge admirer of Helen Dunmore. Of her fifteen novels, this is the twelfth I have read and the only one that I found disappointing. I never thought I would ever say that. Whilst her prose is as fine and intelligent as ever, her examination of the relationship that Louise has with two brothers falls flat. The author's experimentation with writing some chapters in the second person singular occur far too often. Maggie O'Farrell just uses it once in her novel "This Must Be The Place" and that worked fine. I didn't mind the switching from first to third person, but using the second person was too distracting. And it could not hide the lack of plot and drama.
December 23, 2024
A broken alcoholic woman with a daughter she has lost
As usual this is an amazing story which ends violently. The little girl Anna is beautiful resourceful and will survive. David is her shining knight and protector. I find all the characters believable even the unpleasant Sonia who is in it for the money but she has been rumbled. The Brighton scenes remind me of Brighton Rock. Helen Dunmore creates perfect scenery Yorkshire and the large cold house, Louises garden where the children camp out and Brighton itself full of holiday crowds. I was dreading the end.
As usual this is an amazing story which ends violently. The little girl Anna is beautiful resourceful and will survive. David is her shining knight and protector. I find all the characters believable even the unpleasant Sonia who is in it for the money but she has been rumbled. The Brighton scenes remind me of Brighton Rock. Helen Dunmore creates perfect scenery Yorkshire and the large cold house, Louises garden where the children camp out and Brighton itself full of holiday crowds. I was dreading the end.
September 1, 2017
With your Crooked Heart
Very enjoyable read although I felt the characters were not entirely convincing.
Penguin should be ashamed of the lack of proof reading on the kindle book, numerous misspellings.
Very enjoyable read although I felt the characters were not entirely convincing.
Penguin should be ashamed of the lack of proof reading on the kindle book, numerous misspellings.
May 30, 2021
Like all of Dunmore's novels the prose was phenomenal, however the story didn't go anywhere and none of the characters were remotely likeable (save for Anna). This would have got 4 stars if the ending had not been so abrupt and rather horrible.
May 20, 2022
I have read several books by Helen Dunmore that I have enjoyed but found this one disappointing - didn’t find it very interesting, characters I found hard to relate to and didn’t like and was glad to get it finished.
January 7, 2018
Made me cry!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2019
A book that would sometimes call to me, when I wasn't reading, but (who knows why) not that memorable. Yet enjoyable writing all the same.
September 22, 2019
Interesting story. Couldn't make out the end though.
April 22, 2020
Right up there with the best of Helen Dunmore’s work. I love the sheer variety of themes she covers from one novel to the next.
February 6, 2021
It is beautifully written, but the story itself is a bit weird and dark. It doesn’t really reach a climax at any point. There is a lot of sadness.
March 27, 2021
I couldn't figure out the pattern behind the changes in point of view (first- / second- / third-person narration). But: her writing is so visceral, especially when there is food involved.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews