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Mother and Child
Mother and Child by Sunday Times bestseller Annie Murray is a moving story of loss, friendship and hope over two generations . . .
Jo and Ian’s marriage is hanging by a thread. One night almost two years ago, their only child, Paul, died in an accident that should never have happened. They have recently moved to a new area of Birmingham, to be near Ian’s mother Dorrie who is increasingly frail. As Jo spends more time with her mother-in-law, she suspects Dorrie wants to unburden herself of a secret that has cast a long shadow over her family.
Haunted by the death of her son, Jo catches a glimpse of a young boy in a magazine who resembles Paul. Reading the article, she learns of a tragedy in India . . . But it moves her so deeply, she is inspired to embark on a trip where she will learn about unimaginable pain and suffering.
As Jo learns more, she is determined to do her own small bit to help. With the help of new friends, Jo learns that from loss and grief, there is hope and healing in her future.
'Humane, heartbreaking yet hopeful. Annie Murray at her absolute best.' - Kate Thompson, author of Secrets of the Homefront Girls
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2019
30 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Annie Murray
53 books168 followersAnnie Murray was a ‘childhood writer.’ Her career was helped a great deal by belonging to Tindal Street Fiction Group in Birmingham and by winning the SHE/Granada TV Short Story Competition in 1991. She has published short stories in a number of anthologies as well as SHE magazine. Her first regional saga, Birmingham Rose appeared in 1995 and reached the Times bestseller list. She has since published more than a dozen others, including the ‘Cadbury books,’ Chocolate Girls and The Bells of Bournville Green, Family of Women and her latest, A Hopscotch Summer. Annie has four children and lives near Reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 23, 2019
Since the death of their adopted son Paul, Jo and Ian are struggling to keep their marriage together or even to communicate on any deeper level. The accident that took the life of Paul has left Jo feeling that even the move to be closer to Ian’s mother is not going to help them get through this dark time. Much as Jo loves her mother in law Dorrie and spends time with her, Jo realises she needs to make new friends in the area. She joins a yoga group and starts to connect with the women there. When one day in a magazine she sees a young boy who reminds her of Paul and the accompanying article about a tragedy in India it affects her greatly. Suddenly she has found something that inspires her to try and do something to help. Meanwhile her mother in law Dorrie has given her some memoirs to read. She begins to realise how deeply tragedy has affected Dorrie’s life and the secrets she has been keeping for years from her son.
I started to read this book because I needed a break from the other book I was reading which was making me thoroughly depressed. Although this deals with tragic circumstances it got me in and I very quickly empathised with Jo. What I really loved was seeing a mother and daughter in law relationship portrayed so positively in fiction. Jo actually relates far better to her mother in law than her own parents, and perhaps with good reason.
The women in the yoga group are all very different and all have their own stories which emerge throughout the novel. I loved the way they supported each other and didn’t limit their friendship jut to their or own age group. A book that certainly focuses on some tragic situations and deals with grief, it is also a story of hope, friendship, family and community. And along the way I learned about historical events I knew nothing about. This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. An involving read, it certainly make this reader think about issues and the hardships some people have to deal with in life. I really liked the way the author explained how the book came to be and how it is based on some real events and the lack of concern and support given to some of these people at the time. I would be interested to read more books by this author as the characters, relationships and settings are well drawn.
I started to read this book because I needed a break from the other book I was reading which was making me thoroughly depressed. Although this deals with tragic circumstances it got me in and I very quickly empathised with Jo. What I really loved was seeing a mother and daughter in law relationship portrayed so positively in fiction. Jo actually relates far better to her mother in law than her own parents, and perhaps with good reason.
The women in the yoga group are all very different and all have their own stories which emerge throughout the novel. I loved the way they supported each other and didn’t limit their friendship jut to their or own age group. A book that certainly focuses on some tragic situations and deals with grief, it is also a story of hope, friendship, family and community. And along the way I learned about historical events I knew nothing about. This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. An involving read, it certainly make this reader think about issues and the hardships some people have to deal with in life. I really liked the way the author explained how the book came to be and how it is based on some real events and the lack of concern and support given to some of these people at the time. I would be interested to read more books by this author as the characters, relationships and settings are well drawn.
October 23, 2019
I chose MOTHER AND CHILD for it's cover and the wonderful historical author Annie Murray. So I was surprised to find upon reading it, that this book is not the usual historical type of fiction Annie Murray normally writes. In fact, it's not really in the historical vein I even read...and therefore I couldn't really get into the story, as sad and as tragic as it was.
I also found the cover to be somewhat misleading as it portrays an historical war to post-war era...which is what I thought I was going to read. Instead it is something completely different.
We begin the story in 2014 with Jo and Ian, whose marriage is barely surviving after the sudden and tragic death of their only adopted son Paul by a joyrider two years before. The driver barely shows any remorse with crocodile tears and the couple now find it hard to move with their lives. They move closer to Ian's mother Dorrie, who is aging and somewhat frail, and Jo begins to spend a lot of time with her mother-in-law whilst Ian appears to have become a workaholic.
Forever haunted by the death of her son, Jo is shocked to see a picture of a boy in a magazine who closely resembles her son and reads about the tragic Bhopal disaster in India, which severely impacted his life.
On its own, the story is of tragedy, loss and grief. But then along with the tale is the true story of the Bhopal disaster, a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. This was considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster with at least 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate, as well as a number of other poisonous gases being released. The pesticide plant was surrounded by shanty towns, leading to more than 600,000 people being exposed to the deadly gas cloud that night. The gases stayed low to the ground, causing victims throats and eyes to burn, inducing nausea, and many deaths. Estimates of the death toll vary from as few as 3,800 to as many as 16,000, but government figures now refer to an estimate of 15,000 killed over the years. Toxic material remains, and 30 years later, many of those who were exposed to the gas have given birth to physically and mentally disabled children.
For me, it bears a striking resemblance to Chernobyl, the worst radioactive disaster in the Ukraine also in the 1980s.
As sad and as tragic as this story is, it was not for me. I couldn't connect to anyone and didn't much like Jo. But it is highly commendable of Annie Murray to write using this tragedy and donate all proceeds from the sales of this book to the Bhopal Medical appeal, which provides free treatment for victims of the Bhopal gas leak in 1984 and the toxic water left by the Union Carbide Corporation.
While this book was not to my taste, there would be many who would enjoy it. I feel awful at not being one of them. There is obviously a lot of research gone into such a tragic disaster and the hard work that ensued in bringing it to life in MOTHER AND CHILD. I, for one, knew nothing of this disaster, so thank you Ms Murray for making us aware of what happened on that tragic fateful night.
I would like to thank #AnnieMurray, #NetGalley and #PanMacmillian for an ARC of #MotherAndChild in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I also found the cover to be somewhat misleading as it portrays an historical war to post-war era...which is what I thought I was going to read. Instead it is something completely different.
We begin the story in 2014 with Jo and Ian, whose marriage is barely surviving after the sudden and tragic death of their only adopted son Paul by a joyrider two years before. The driver barely shows any remorse with crocodile tears and the couple now find it hard to move with their lives. They move closer to Ian's mother Dorrie, who is aging and somewhat frail, and Jo begins to spend a lot of time with her mother-in-law whilst Ian appears to have become a workaholic.
Forever haunted by the death of her son, Jo is shocked to see a picture of a boy in a magazine who closely resembles her son and reads about the tragic Bhopal disaster in India, which severely impacted his life.
On its own, the story is of tragedy, loss and grief. But then along with the tale is the true story of the Bhopal disaster, a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. This was considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster with at least 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate, as well as a number of other poisonous gases being released. The pesticide plant was surrounded by shanty towns, leading to more than 600,000 people being exposed to the deadly gas cloud that night. The gases stayed low to the ground, causing victims throats and eyes to burn, inducing nausea, and many deaths. Estimates of the death toll vary from as few as 3,800 to as many as 16,000, but government figures now refer to an estimate of 15,000 killed over the years. Toxic material remains, and 30 years later, many of those who were exposed to the gas have given birth to physically and mentally disabled children.
For me, it bears a striking resemblance to Chernobyl, the worst radioactive disaster in the Ukraine also in the 1980s.
As sad and as tragic as this story is, it was not for me. I couldn't connect to anyone and didn't much like Jo. But it is highly commendable of Annie Murray to write using this tragedy and donate all proceeds from the sales of this book to the Bhopal Medical appeal, which provides free treatment for victims of the Bhopal gas leak in 1984 and the toxic water left by the Union Carbide Corporation.
While this book was not to my taste, there would be many who would enjoy it. I feel awful at not being one of them. There is obviously a lot of research gone into such a tragic disaster and the hard work that ensued in bringing it to life in MOTHER AND CHILD. I, for one, knew nothing of this disaster, so thank you Ms Murray for making us aware of what happened on that tragic fateful night.
I would like to thank #AnnieMurray, #NetGalley and #PanMacmillian for an ARC of #MotherAndChild in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 4, 2019
A beautiful book which dealt with loss of a child, distance between the parents, and to find a way to start living.
Jo and Ian were that couple who had lost their grown son Paul. They moved homes to come closer to Ian's mother Florrie. Jo joined a yoga group, and she soon found her strength after falling many times. A visit to the dentist showed her a picture of an Indian boy from the gas tragedy who looked exactly like her son Paul, and that got her to want to do something for the survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy.
My first book by Annie Murray, I decided to read the story as all proceeds would go to the medical center which provided free treatment to the survivors and a part of me remembered that tragedy. The story was written poignantly, I liked the emotions emanating from the words. They showed me the strength of a woman. Jo was the face of this story.
The book had other characters who added to the journey that this book was. They made the going extremely easy. Their friendship gave the lighter moments to the book. They gave me hope when the story triggered some old memories of those days.
Overall, the book gave me a fictional story on the backdrop of reality. The greed of the corporations and consequent horror shook me up as I knew the generations of children were still being born mutated, even today.
Jo and Ian were that couple who had lost their grown son Paul. They moved homes to come closer to Ian's mother Florrie. Jo joined a yoga group, and she soon found her strength after falling many times. A visit to the dentist showed her a picture of an Indian boy from the gas tragedy who looked exactly like her son Paul, and that got her to want to do something for the survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy.
My first book by Annie Murray, I decided to read the story as all proceeds would go to the medical center which provided free treatment to the survivors and a part of me remembered that tragedy. The story was written poignantly, I liked the emotions emanating from the words. They showed me the strength of a woman. Jo was the face of this story.
The book had other characters who added to the journey that this book was. They made the going extremely easy. Their friendship gave the lighter moments to the book. They gave me hope when the story triggered some old memories of those days.
Overall, the book gave me a fictional story on the backdrop of reality. The greed of the corporations and consequent horror shook me up as I knew the generations of children were still being born mutated, even today.
November 9, 2019
I must admit I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The cover led me to think it's set in the past but it's clear from the blurb that it's actually a modern story. I think this is a result of the author wanting to write about a specific subject, that subject being the Bhopal disaster in India, the world's worst industrial disaster and one whose effects are still being seen 35 years on.
The main story is that of Jo and Ian. They were a solid couple until the death of their grown up son, Paul, in an accident. Now they're cast adrift from each other, unable to cope with their grief together or apart. One day in the dentist's waiting room Jo reads a magazine and sees a photo of a boy who reminds her in some way of Paul. The boy has been affected by Bhopal and it leads Jo to look into the tragedy. It's her saviour actually, giving her something to work for, something to care about in the aftermath of her own tragedy.
There's also a thread running through the story about Dorrie, Ian's mother, who has been keeping difficult times in her past to herself. Suddenly she starts to confide in Jo by asking her to read a memoir of sorts. Whilst these sections were nice to read I wasn't sure what they added to the story until quite near the end when a comparison is drawn between Dorrie and the women in Bhopal.
I thought this was a really uplifting story in many ways. Despite dealing with various horrific events, there is a sense of rebirth and learning to live with the past. Jo goes through so much even during the course of this story and I really enjoyed how she made new friends who supported her and helped her through a difficult time.
Murray's writing is engaging and very easy to read. It's a wonderful thing she has done writing this book as the proceeds of sale will raise money to help the survivors of Bhopal. I'm not sure I had heard of the disaster before but it's truly horrendous, not only that it happened but that the site has never been cleared and so the poison is still being fed through to the people.
Mother and Child is a moving work of fiction with a strong basis in reality and I really enjoyed reading it.
The main story is that of Jo and Ian. They were a solid couple until the death of their grown up son, Paul, in an accident. Now they're cast adrift from each other, unable to cope with their grief together or apart. One day in the dentist's waiting room Jo reads a magazine and sees a photo of a boy who reminds her in some way of Paul. The boy has been affected by Bhopal and it leads Jo to look into the tragedy. It's her saviour actually, giving her something to work for, something to care about in the aftermath of her own tragedy.
There's also a thread running through the story about Dorrie, Ian's mother, who has been keeping difficult times in her past to herself. Suddenly she starts to confide in Jo by asking her to read a memoir of sorts. Whilst these sections were nice to read I wasn't sure what they added to the story until quite near the end when a comparison is drawn between Dorrie and the women in Bhopal.
I thought this was a really uplifting story in many ways. Despite dealing with various horrific events, there is a sense of rebirth and learning to live with the past. Jo goes through so much even during the course of this story and I really enjoyed how she made new friends who supported her and helped her through a difficult time.
Murray's writing is engaging and very easy to read. It's a wonderful thing she has done writing this book as the proceeds of sale will raise money to help the survivors of Bhopal. I'm not sure I had heard of the disaster before but it's truly horrendous, not only that it happened but that the site has never been cleared and so the poison is still being fed through to the people.
Mother and Child is a moving work of fiction with a strong basis in reality and I really enjoyed reading it.
September 17, 2019
Another fantastic Birmingham set book, As the story is being told I can picture all the places around Birmingham that are mentioned. Even down to Lodge Hill Cemetery, where I drove a 200 mile round trip to attend a funeral earlier this year.
The story tells the tale of Jo, Ian, and Ian's mother Dorrie. Jo joins a yoga group, and forms friendship and bonds with the ladies she meets and tells the tale of the loss of her adopted son Paul.
Along with the tale, the book tells the true story of the Bhopal Disaster, a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. This was considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster, with at least 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate, as well as a number of other poisonous gases being released. The pesticide plant was surrounded by shanty towns, leading to more than 600,000 people being exposed to the deadly gas cloud that night. The gases stayed low to the ground, causing victims throats and eyes to burn, inducing nausea, and many deaths. Estimates of the death toll vary from as few as 3,800 to as many as 16,000, but government figures now refer to an estimate of 15,000 killed over the years. Toxic material remains, and 30 years later, many of those who were exposed to the gas have given birth to physically and mentally disabled children.
Annie Murray is donating all proceeds of the book to the Bhopal Medical appeal - which provides free treatment for victims both of the Bhopal gas leak in 1984 and the toxic water left by the Union Carbide Corporation (now owned by DowDuPont)
Thanks Annie for all your research and hard work, and for making us more aware of what happened that fateful night.
The story tells the tale of Jo, Ian, and Ian's mother Dorrie. Jo joins a yoga group, and forms friendship and bonds with the ladies she meets and tells the tale of the loss of her adopted son Paul.
Along with the tale, the book tells the true story of the Bhopal Disaster, a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. This was considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster, with at least 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate, as well as a number of other poisonous gases being released. The pesticide plant was surrounded by shanty towns, leading to more than 600,000 people being exposed to the deadly gas cloud that night. The gases stayed low to the ground, causing victims throats and eyes to burn, inducing nausea, and many deaths. Estimates of the death toll vary from as few as 3,800 to as many as 16,000, but government figures now refer to an estimate of 15,000 killed over the years. Toxic material remains, and 30 years later, many of those who were exposed to the gas have given birth to physically and mentally disabled children.
Annie Murray is donating all proceeds of the book to the Bhopal Medical appeal - which provides free treatment for victims both of the Bhopal gas leak in 1984 and the toxic water left by the Union Carbide Corporation (now owned by DowDuPont)
Thanks Annie for all your research and hard work, and for making us more aware of what happened that fateful night.
November 8, 2019
A thought-provoking read, which focuses on a personal tragedy for Jo and Ian, and how they learn to live again after their devastating loss. Estranged, through their different ways of dealing with loss, they decide a physical move might help, and relocate in Birmingham close to Ian's family roots.
Ian withdraws into his work, leaving Jo alone, not wanting to continue her life. Dorrie, Ian's mum requires care and support. Gradually as their relationship deepens, from mutual need and proximity, Jo begins to feel she has a role in life. Dorrie tries to unburden herself and help Jo by sharing her painful past. This part of the story goes back to historic Birmingham between the wars and makes interesting poignant reading.
Inspired by an article written about the aftermath of the 1984 Bhopal disaster, she reads, Jo finds it resonates. She wants to do something to help the people, who are still suffering over thirty years on, in the wake of the chemical disaster.
Through new friendships forged out of her need to move on, she finds like-minded women, who together make a difference for Bhopal in terms of fundraising and help Jo to find a worthwhile purpose for what remains of her life.
This is a poignant story of loss and the wasteland it leaves behind, which echoes the loss in Bhopal and the devastation, in terms of lives lost and blighted since the disaster. Jo finds new purpose by helping those who are still suffering, and whilst this book is an intelligent sensitive story, it also highlights a real human disaster that will remain for generations to come.
I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Ian withdraws into his work, leaving Jo alone, not wanting to continue her life. Dorrie, Ian's mum requires care and support. Gradually as their relationship deepens, from mutual need and proximity, Jo begins to feel she has a role in life. Dorrie tries to unburden herself and help Jo by sharing her painful past. This part of the story goes back to historic Birmingham between the wars and makes interesting poignant reading.
Inspired by an article written about the aftermath of the 1984 Bhopal disaster, she reads, Jo finds it resonates. She wants to do something to help the people, who are still suffering over thirty years on, in the wake of the chemical disaster.
Through new friendships forged out of her need to move on, she finds like-minded women, who together make a difference for Bhopal in terms of fundraising and help Jo to find a worthwhile purpose for what remains of her life.
This is a poignant story of loss and the wasteland it leaves behind, which echoes the loss in Bhopal and the devastation, in terms of lives lost and blighted since the disaster. Jo finds new purpose by helping those who are still suffering, and whilst this book is an intelligent sensitive story, it also highlights a real human disaster that will remain for generations to come.
I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
October 17, 2019
Whilst this is - as always - an interesting tale from Annie Murray, there is so much more to this book!
Ian and Jo aren't faring well as a couple since the sudden death of their only son; they have moved home, nearer to Ian's mom whose health isn't at it's best. Having given up her job, Jo realises she is lonely - more so with the growing distance between her and her husband. When she sees a magazine picture of a young boy who strongly resembles her son and reads all about the Bhopal disaster in India which impacted on his life - and that of many others - she can't shake it off. As she begins to develop a small group of friends, the desire to do something to help won't go away - so what is she going to do about it?
On it's own, this is a stunning story. Primarily, it is about a couple struggling on through the loss of a much loved son. In addition, the author is raising money from it to help those still affected - 30-plus years later - by this environmental disaster. It is an absolutely riveting read, thought-provoking in the extreme, but written in an entertaining manner. With an amazing spread of characters, each one is beautifully developed with their own back-story. There is so much to be taken from this novel, layer by layer, and it's really up to the reader how far they invest in the back-tale. Either way, it's an eye-opener, written by a gifted author who has cleverly constructed a superb story which is so appealing! I know this is one which is going to stay with me. No less than a full five stars will do!
Ian and Jo aren't faring well as a couple since the sudden death of their only son; they have moved home, nearer to Ian's mom whose health isn't at it's best. Having given up her job, Jo realises she is lonely - more so with the growing distance between her and her husband. When she sees a magazine picture of a young boy who strongly resembles her son and reads all about the Bhopal disaster in India which impacted on his life - and that of many others - she can't shake it off. As she begins to develop a small group of friends, the desire to do something to help won't go away - so what is she going to do about it?
On it's own, this is a stunning story. Primarily, it is about a couple struggling on through the loss of a much loved son. In addition, the author is raising money from it to help those still affected - 30-plus years later - by this environmental disaster. It is an absolutely riveting read, thought-provoking in the extreme, but written in an entertaining manner. With an amazing spread of characters, each one is beautifully developed with their own back-story. There is so much to be taken from this novel, layer by layer, and it's really up to the reader how far they invest in the back-tale. Either way, it's an eye-opener, written by a gifted author who has cleverly constructed a superb story which is so appealing! I know this is one which is going to stay with me. No less than a full five stars will do!
January 16, 2020
I have a mixed opinion about Mother and Child, and that is perhaps to do with my expectations from it.
When I first acquired the book, I was ready to bawl and cry my eyes out, since I was looking for something cathartic. While the book paints a pretty accurate picture of grief, it’s pace gave me trouble.
Without any spoilers... here goes:
Our narrator is a mother. And she’s struggling with the death (industrial accident) of her only son. Naturally, her relationship with everyone, including her husband, suffers a great deal. Moving closer to her ailing mother-in-law, the couple decides on a fresh start. The catharsis, however, seems extremely slow in coming. Her need to “run for the Bhopal has tragedy victims,” while a noble cause to be sure, seems rather arbitrary and incoherent.
I honestly felt like I was being dragged through the read. While the concept genuinely seems one worth further exploration, the articulation of it was disappointing. I would give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you netgalley.com for a review copy.
When I first acquired the book, I was ready to bawl and cry my eyes out, since I was looking for something cathartic. While the book paints a pretty accurate picture of grief, it’s pace gave me trouble.
Without any spoilers... here goes:
Our narrator is a mother. And she’s struggling with the death (industrial accident) of her only son. Naturally, her relationship with everyone, including her husband, suffers a great deal. Moving closer to her ailing mother-in-law, the couple decides on a fresh start. The catharsis, however, seems extremely slow in coming. Her need to “run for the Bhopal has tragedy victims,” while a noble cause to be sure, seems rather arbitrary and incoherent.
I honestly felt like I was being dragged through the read. While the concept genuinely seems one worth further exploration, the articulation of it was disappointing. I would give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you netgalley.com for a review copy.
October 27, 2019
This novel starts in 2014 Jo and Ian Stafani move to Moseley Birmingham to be nearer Dorrie Ian's mother. There marriage hasn't been the same after their adopted son Paul died two years ago age twenty three in a car accident. Dorrie gives Jo a brown envelope, her memoir Roses with Thorns that takes Jo back to 1929 there are things Dorrie wants her to know about Ian's father that she lost after a short but loving marriage. I found this book so absorbing learning about the night of December 1984 of what happened in the city of Bhopal India so many have suffered. Such interesting facts come through from the author, I found myself drawn in, reading with connection to Jo, Ian,Paul,Dorrie. Jo's new friends also help that brings you a friendship that will last a long time to come. I could say so much more about this book but will leave it for others to pick up. Such an inspirational story, I wholeheartedly recommend it. It's unique on its own. Bhopal medical appeal.
October 27, 2019
Jo and pat.
Reading jo and pats story and the atrocities that happened in bhopal its heartbreaking but then reading annies account of how things were and seeing the photos how those poor people suffered all because of money and greed this is a must read 5 STARS.
Reading jo and pats story and the atrocities that happened in bhopal its heartbreaking but then reading annies account of how things were and seeing the photos how those poor people suffered all because of money and greed this is a must read 5 STARS.
June 27, 2021
Mother And Child by Annie Murray is a powerful contemporary novel exploring parenthood, loss and friends.
As with many of Annie Murray’s novels, the story is set mainly in my hometown of Birmingham. The locations are familiar to me – I have been to Lodge Hill cemetery, Dudley Zoo, Wythall and more – knowing the locations enhanced my reading experience. I am even familiar with the location of Sainsburys in the book!
The novel is set in 2014 around a couple whose only son was killed by a drunk driver two years before the book opens. Their loss and devastation is keenly felt. In order to help with the healing process, the couple have moved house as the story opens.
A photo in a magazine showing the Bhopal disaster of 1984 (which I remember) awakens a passion in a character to make a difference. As a heart looks beyond self, inner healing begins.
Part of the novel is set in contemporary Bhopal. The busyness, vibrancy and colourfulness are in sharp contrast to the after effects of the disaster which are still being felt to this day. We witness the bonds of women and mothers. They share a common language of grief.
There are parallels between Bhopal and mid twentieth century industrial Britain – where accidents happen, lives are changed but no body takes responsibility. A character has lived under a cloud of guilt and shame since an industrial accident happened to her husband in 1959.
Mother And Child was a powerful, heart-breaking read that totally consumed me. I love all Annie Murray’s novels and cannot wait to read more.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
As with many of Annie Murray’s novels, the story is set mainly in my hometown of Birmingham. The locations are familiar to me – I have been to Lodge Hill cemetery, Dudley Zoo, Wythall and more – knowing the locations enhanced my reading experience. I am even familiar with the location of Sainsburys in the book!
The novel is set in 2014 around a couple whose only son was killed by a drunk driver two years before the book opens. Their loss and devastation is keenly felt. In order to help with the healing process, the couple have moved house as the story opens.
A photo in a magazine showing the Bhopal disaster of 1984 (which I remember) awakens a passion in a character to make a difference. As a heart looks beyond self, inner healing begins.
Part of the novel is set in contemporary Bhopal. The busyness, vibrancy and colourfulness are in sharp contrast to the after effects of the disaster which are still being felt to this day. We witness the bonds of women and mothers. They share a common language of grief.
There are parallels between Bhopal and mid twentieth century industrial Britain – where accidents happen, lives are changed but no body takes responsibility. A character has lived under a cloud of guilt and shame since an industrial accident happened to her husband in 1959.
Mother And Child was a powerful, heart-breaking read that totally consumed me. I love all Annie Murray’s novels and cannot wait to read more.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
April 30, 2023
I couldn't finish this book because it was just too sad and depressing for me. Also the plot seemed to be minimal and slow moving. It was well written but just not suitable novel material. The reason I say this is because the novel was written to raise money for a cause, so it's entertainment value was low. I think there would have been better ways for the author to raise money and awareness for a cause that was dear to her, after all top selling authors can end up making a lot of money.
I know Yoga is helpful to some people but I don't see it as a solution or remedy for releasing pain. Grief is a personal, deep and lonely road that only the person involved can travel. It is helpful to some extent when others understand the pain and can empathise but you don't want to be thrust into living that grief process yourself when you are looking for a novel to read. Like others have commented, the book cover promised a different read to what we got.
I know Yoga is helpful to some people but I don't see it as a solution or remedy for releasing pain. Grief is a personal, deep and lonely road that only the person involved can travel. It is helpful to some extent when others understand the pain and can empathise but you don't want to be thrust into living that grief process yourself when you are looking for a novel to read. Like others have commented, the book cover promised a different read to what we got.
November 7, 2019
All proceeds from the sale of this book go towards the Bhopal Medical appeal – which provides free treatment for victims of both the Bhopal gas leak in 1984 and the toxic water left by the Union Carbide Corporation (now owned by DowDuPont). More on this later, and more information is available on the author’s website.
Jo and Ian’s marriage is hanging on by a thread. They have lost their only son, Paul to a seemingly guiltless joyrider and things are made worse by the fact that Paul had been adopted. Why, they wonder, would they have received this gift (albeit some years ago), only to have it ripped away so cruelly?
They decide to move from their home to be closer to Ian’s mother Dorrie, now ageing and frail. Ian deals with his grief in that typical male way: not wanting to deal with it at all; not talking about it or discussing and trying to behave like it never happened. He disappears to work all day and just carries on with things. But for Jo, things are more complicated. She feels unable to pick up her life and carry on where things left off.
Inevitably Jo and Dorrie become closer and as time progresses they share many of their heartaches and a lot of the pain that would usually not be discussed. Dorrie has secrets in her past that she feels need to be revealed as she’s getting closer to the end of her life.
Meanwhile, Jo is wondering how on earth she’s going to manage to continue with her day to day existence as she just can’t seem to get it together. Most days, she’s almost afraid to admit that she doesn’t actually want to. Until one day she sees a picture of a child in a magazine who bears an uncanny resemblance to Paul. This boy has been tragically affected by a disaster in Bhopal, India and it sets Jo on an unimaginable journey … one that brings her to realise that by reaching out to others, she might just find the way back to herself.
While the story itself is devastating, it’s also one of friendship, hope and renewal. A 4-star read that will remain with you long after you’ve finished that last page.
A word from Annie Murray …
Soon after midnight on the morning of December 3rd, 1984, what is still recognized as the world’s worst ever industrial disaster took place in the city of Bhopal in central India.
A plant built to manufacture pesticide, owned by the American Union Carbide Corporation, leaked 40 tons of methyl-isocyanate gas, one of the most lethally toxic gases in the industry, over the surrounding neighbourhood. This was a poor area consisting mainly of slum housing, some of it leaning right up against the factory wall.
People woke, coughing and choking. Panic broke out as many tried to flee for their lives. As they ran, their bodies broke down with toxic poisoning, eyes burning, frothing at the mouth. Women miscarried pregnancies. Many people flung themselves in the river and by dawn, the streets were littered with thousands of bodies. It is estimated that 10,000 died that first night and the death toll continued, within weeks, to a total of about 25 000. Many more have died since. There are still reckoned to be 150 000 chronically ill survivors. Their plight was not helped by the fact that Union Carbide would not release the name of an antidote to a poison that they did not want to admit was as dangerous as it really was.
The plant, making less profit than had been hoped, was being run down for closure and was in poor condition. Not one of the safety systems was working satisfactorily. In addition, the original design of the factory had been ‘Indianized’ – in other words built more cheaply than would be expected of such a plant in a western country.
This was 35 years ago. In 1989, a paltry amount of compensation was eventually paid by Union Carbide who did everything a large corporation can do to evade taking responsibility. Their comment was “$500 is about enough for an Indian.” That was $500 to last for the rest of the life of a man who could no longer work to look after his family.
The sickness and suffering from ‘that night’ goes on in those who survived to this day. What is less well known about Bhopal however, is that even before the 1984 gas leak, the company had been dumping toxic waste in solar evaporation ponds. The lining used was about like you would use in a garden water feature. This in a country of heavy rains and floods. In the early 80s, people started to notice how bad their water supply tasted. Cows were dying.
Union Carbide closed the plant. They never cleared the site, which still stands in an area of highly toxic soil and water. The water supply in that area is so contaminated that water has to be brought in from outside. In 2001 Union Carbide was bought by the Dow Chemical Company, and is, from 2018, now DowDuPont. Despite having acquired all the assets of Union Carbide they are not prepared to accept its liabilities and clear up the site.
In the months after the gas leak in 1984, the nearby Hamidia hospital started to see children born with birth defects more horrific than any they had witnessed before. These days, because of gas- and also water-affected parents, the rate of birth defects is now reaching into a third, soon to be a fourth generation. The main parallel with the kind of extreme toxic effects would be with the children of Agent Orange in Vietnam.
The only free care in this impoverished neighbourhood for people suffering from the effects of gas poisoning, or to help with very severely handicapped children, is from the Bhopal Medical Appeal. It is to them that all the money from Mother and Child is going.
In the book, you can read more about what happened in Bhopal and about how the book itself came to be written.
Jo and Ian’s marriage is hanging on by a thread. They have lost their only son, Paul to a seemingly guiltless joyrider and things are made worse by the fact that Paul had been adopted. Why, they wonder, would they have received this gift (albeit some years ago), only to have it ripped away so cruelly?
They decide to move from their home to be closer to Ian’s mother Dorrie, now ageing and frail. Ian deals with his grief in that typical male way: not wanting to deal with it at all; not talking about it or discussing and trying to behave like it never happened. He disappears to work all day and just carries on with things. But for Jo, things are more complicated. She feels unable to pick up her life and carry on where things left off.
Inevitably Jo and Dorrie become closer and as time progresses they share many of their heartaches and a lot of the pain that would usually not be discussed. Dorrie has secrets in her past that she feels need to be revealed as she’s getting closer to the end of her life.
Meanwhile, Jo is wondering how on earth she’s going to manage to continue with her day to day existence as she just can’t seem to get it together. Most days, she’s almost afraid to admit that she doesn’t actually want to. Until one day she sees a picture of a child in a magazine who bears an uncanny resemblance to Paul. This boy has been tragically affected by a disaster in Bhopal, India and it sets Jo on an unimaginable journey … one that brings her to realise that by reaching out to others, she might just find the way back to herself.
While the story itself is devastating, it’s also one of friendship, hope and renewal. A 4-star read that will remain with you long after you’ve finished that last page.
A word from Annie Murray …
Soon after midnight on the morning of December 3rd, 1984, what is still recognized as the world’s worst ever industrial disaster took place in the city of Bhopal in central India.
A plant built to manufacture pesticide, owned by the American Union Carbide Corporation, leaked 40 tons of methyl-isocyanate gas, one of the most lethally toxic gases in the industry, over the surrounding neighbourhood. This was a poor area consisting mainly of slum housing, some of it leaning right up against the factory wall.
People woke, coughing and choking. Panic broke out as many tried to flee for their lives. As they ran, their bodies broke down with toxic poisoning, eyes burning, frothing at the mouth. Women miscarried pregnancies. Many people flung themselves in the river and by dawn, the streets were littered with thousands of bodies. It is estimated that 10,000 died that first night and the death toll continued, within weeks, to a total of about 25 000. Many more have died since. There are still reckoned to be 150 000 chronically ill survivors. Their plight was not helped by the fact that Union Carbide would not release the name of an antidote to a poison that they did not want to admit was as dangerous as it really was.
The plant, making less profit than had been hoped, was being run down for closure and was in poor condition. Not one of the safety systems was working satisfactorily. In addition, the original design of the factory had been ‘Indianized’ – in other words built more cheaply than would be expected of such a plant in a western country.
This was 35 years ago. In 1989, a paltry amount of compensation was eventually paid by Union Carbide who did everything a large corporation can do to evade taking responsibility. Their comment was “$500 is about enough for an Indian.” That was $500 to last for the rest of the life of a man who could no longer work to look after his family.
The sickness and suffering from ‘that night’ goes on in those who survived to this day. What is less well known about Bhopal however, is that even before the 1984 gas leak, the company had been dumping toxic waste in solar evaporation ponds. The lining used was about like you would use in a garden water feature. This in a country of heavy rains and floods. In the early 80s, people started to notice how bad their water supply tasted. Cows were dying.
Union Carbide closed the plant. They never cleared the site, which still stands in an area of highly toxic soil and water. The water supply in that area is so contaminated that water has to be brought in from outside. In 2001 Union Carbide was bought by the Dow Chemical Company, and is, from 2018, now DowDuPont. Despite having acquired all the assets of Union Carbide they are not prepared to accept its liabilities and clear up the site.
In the months after the gas leak in 1984, the nearby Hamidia hospital started to see children born with birth defects more horrific than any they had witnessed before. These days, because of gas- and also water-affected parents, the rate of birth defects is now reaching into a third, soon to be a fourth generation. The main parallel with the kind of extreme toxic effects would be with the children of Agent Orange in Vietnam.
The only free care in this impoverished neighbourhood for people suffering from the effects of gas poisoning, or to help with very severely handicapped children, is from the Bhopal Medical Appeal. It is to them that all the money from Mother and Child is going.
In the book, you can read more about what happened in Bhopal and about how the book itself came to be written.
December 1, 2020
Mmmmmmmm !
Not what I expected having read all of Annies books. It took me a few chapters to actually work out what was happening. I persevered and although there was a story and I could understand tangents of the plot it kind of went by a very wavy trail. Not sure I would have picked this book up had I known which way it was going. However I did read to the end (which left the reader thinking), I cant put this one down as one of my favourites.
Not what I expected having read all of Annies books. It took me a few chapters to actually work out what was happening. I persevered and although there was a story and I could understand tangents of the plot it kind of went by a very wavy trail. Not sure I would have picked this book up had I known which way it was going. However I did read to the end (which left the reader thinking), I cant put this one down as one of my favourites.
March 22, 2021
I would never have picked up this book. I am usually guided by the cover and this did not draw me at all but was given the book by a friend in lockdown and had read all my chosen ones, so out of desperation started it. Did not get me at first and have no idea what the cover (1929/30s?) represents as this is set in modern day Birmingham! Actually got into eventually and quite enjoyed it in the end but no idea what the cover is about.
August 3, 2021
I started to read this thinking it would be like her other books that I have read - wartime or pre-war, but it was 84 and 2014....just not what I was in the mood for. I prefer her books with a bit more history in them than that....
October 21, 2025
Very moving. Even after tragedy there can be scope for positive action. I liked the stress on letting the people of Bhopal tell their own stories in the final section of the book. This is a tale of friendship, relationships surviving, and hope although it is a tough read.
August 11, 2020
I didn't care too much about the main character. The cover had nothing to do with the story which is set in 2014. The ending was a bit disappointing, it was like the start of another story.
September 24, 2020
Not up to her normal standard
June 26, 2022
An interesting read and informative about the industrial disaster in India that today is still claiming lives.
September 10, 2022
I found this book very slow and hard to get into. Not my best by the author
August 29, 2023
Really interesting read.. Brilliant story
February 2, 2024
Love Annie Murray storys
June 27, 2024
I don’t like this sort of written style, picked it up, out it down and give to charity. Disappointed as like the sound of the story.
January 3, 2026
A beautiful story of how a couple deal with the loss of their only child. It was very different from her other fiction stories.
February 22, 2020
Not Annie's usual type of story but I enjoyed this nevertheless. It tells the story of Jo whose son was killed by a drink driver and her journey through grief, I suppose. Also about the Bhopal tragedy which I know nothing about but will now find out about.
October 30, 2019
I was ever so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book. It flows beautifully and really appeals to me as most of the women in it are over 40.
It reminds me a lot of books I’ve read by Amanda Prowse. It’s a very emotional read dealing with some very dark subject matter but its written sensitively and with a deftness and skill that had me galloping through it.
It’s the story of Jo, a middle aged woman going through a dreadful crisis. She and her husband Ian have upped sticks and moved house, trying to create a new start for themselves at a time they are both still grieving over the pointless death of their teenage son Paul. Seething with grief and simmering with bitterness at the feckless youth who’s recklessness took the life of their beloved boy, they bumble from day to day with little to say to one another anymore.
Ian holds in his grief in a blokey manner, going to work in the small garage business he has built up the cracks appearing gradually and threatening to erupt and overwhelm him. Jo can’t face her old job as a teacher, feels she has nothing in common with her friends and for a while her only company is Ian’s Mum Dorrie, ageing and rather frail. The 2 women are very close and as Jo draws strength from caring for Dorrie, the old lady begins to confide about her own past and losses to Jo. This part of the story caters somewhat to Annie Murrays saga fans and is evocative and holds a few mysteries and tragedies of its own as it unfolds.
Bit by bit Jo finds the strength to start trying to build a new life and in a moment of desperation signs up for a yoga class where she finds some great new friends and builds some inner strength.
She reads an article about a 30 year old tragedy in Bhopal India which strikes a chord featuring a photo of a boy who reminds her of Paul, she finds a little solace trying to help the people affected by this tragedy and finds it helps her come to terms with her own loss, little by little. The author has written this book to help raise awareness of this tragic event which 30 years on is still having dreadful repercussions and you can read more about this tragedy on her website and also find out more about her other books.
This novel raises subjects like death of a child, loss, grief, suicide, depression and the aftermaths of industrial negligence so it was never going to be a light and fluffy read.
However it’s also about friendship and support, rebuilding relationships and starting over.
The author, being an accomplished an popular saga writer is reaching out to a somewhat different audience with this book and its possible some of her die-hard fans may not adapt easily to this more contemporary type of novel. I loved it.
The title refers to a statue raised for the survivors of the Bhopal disaster but is also relevant to the theme of a Mothers love for her child, which Jo feels for her son.
It reminds me a lot of books I’ve read by Amanda Prowse. It’s a very emotional read dealing with some very dark subject matter but its written sensitively and with a deftness and skill that had me galloping through it.
It’s the story of Jo, a middle aged woman going through a dreadful crisis. She and her husband Ian have upped sticks and moved house, trying to create a new start for themselves at a time they are both still grieving over the pointless death of their teenage son Paul. Seething with grief and simmering with bitterness at the feckless youth who’s recklessness took the life of their beloved boy, they bumble from day to day with little to say to one another anymore.
Ian holds in his grief in a blokey manner, going to work in the small garage business he has built up the cracks appearing gradually and threatening to erupt and overwhelm him. Jo can’t face her old job as a teacher, feels she has nothing in common with her friends and for a while her only company is Ian’s Mum Dorrie, ageing and rather frail. The 2 women are very close and as Jo draws strength from caring for Dorrie, the old lady begins to confide about her own past and losses to Jo. This part of the story caters somewhat to Annie Murrays saga fans and is evocative and holds a few mysteries and tragedies of its own as it unfolds.
Bit by bit Jo finds the strength to start trying to build a new life and in a moment of desperation signs up for a yoga class where she finds some great new friends and builds some inner strength.
She reads an article about a 30 year old tragedy in Bhopal India which strikes a chord featuring a photo of a boy who reminds her of Paul, she finds a little solace trying to help the people affected by this tragedy and finds it helps her come to terms with her own loss, little by little. The author has written this book to help raise awareness of this tragic event which 30 years on is still having dreadful repercussions and you can read more about this tragedy on her website and also find out more about her other books.
This novel raises subjects like death of a child, loss, grief, suicide, depression and the aftermaths of industrial negligence so it was never going to be a light and fluffy read.
However it’s also about friendship and support, rebuilding relationships and starting over.
The author, being an accomplished an popular saga writer is reaching out to a somewhat different audience with this book and its possible some of her die-hard fans may not adapt easily to this more contemporary type of novel. I loved it.
The title refers to a statue raised for the survivors of the Bhopal disaster but is also relevant to the theme of a Mothers love for her child, which Jo feels for her son.
July 15, 2022
'I am wearing a pair of shoes, they are ugly shoes, uncomfortable shoes, I hate my shoes. Each day I wear them and each day I wish I had another pair. Some days, my shoes hurt so bad that I do not think I can take another step, yet I continue to wear them. I get funny looks wearing these shoes. They are looks of sympathy. I can tell in others eyes that they are glad that they are my shoes and not theirs. They never talk about my shoes, to learn how awful my shoes are might make them uncomfortable. To truly understand these shoes, you must walk in them. But once you put them on, you can never take them off. I now realise that I am not the only one who wears these shoes. There are many pairs in the world. Some women are like me and ache daily as they try and walk in them. Some have learnt how to walk in them so that they don't hurt quite so much. Some have worn the shoes for so long that days will go by before they think of how much they hurt. No woman deserves to wear these shoes, yet because of these shoes I am a stronger woman. These shoes have given me the strength to face anything. They have made me who I am. I will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who has lost a child. - Author Unknown'
Annie Murray usually writes fantastic historical fiction and you can see it looks like her usual works from the cover. But this is not a historical fiction, in fact I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a contemporary fiction.
Jo and Ian's marriage is suffering. Two years ago their son Paul went to work and never came home. They have recently moved to a new area in Birmingham to be near Ian's mother Dorrie. Dorrie is growing increasingly frail and as Joe spends more time with her she begins to suspect Dorrie has a secret to tell.
One day Jo sees a young boy who looks like Paul in a magazine and reading the article she learns of a tragedy in India that moves her so much she is inspired to go on a trip to India to learn more about other people's suffering. With the help of new friends Joe begins to learn through loss and grief and feel their is hope for her future.
This book was an exploration of healing after a terrible loss. It showed not just the depths of Jo's grief but the steady journey of learning to cope with it. We as the reader saw her begin to slowly flower and unfurl her petals after a bitter storm. It was a very hard book to listen to and yet I couldn't stop listening to it.
I found the emotions of guilt and self recrimination that Jo goes through very touching and I loved the support and comfort she finds with her new friends.
As usual the character work was exemplary and the narrator deserves an award for the performance of the audiobook.
If you are looking for a book that explores all the aspects of grief and yet has a positive atmosphere then look no further.
My only regret is that the cover doesn't accurately portray the early 2000's setting.
Annie Murray usually writes fantastic historical fiction and you can see it looks like her usual works from the cover. But this is not a historical fiction, in fact I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a contemporary fiction.
Jo and Ian's marriage is suffering. Two years ago their son Paul went to work and never came home. They have recently moved to a new area in Birmingham to be near Ian's mother Dorrie. Dorrie is growing increasingly frail and as Joe spends more time with her she begins to suspect Dorrie has a secret to tell.
One day Jo sees a young boy who looks like Paul in a magazine and reading the article she learns of a tragedy in India that moves her so much she is inspired to go on a trip to India to learn more about other people's suffering. With the help of new friends Joe begins to learn through loss and grief and feel their is hope for her future.
This book was an exploration of healing after a terrible loss. It showed not just the depths of Jo's grief but the steady journey of learning to cope with it. We as the reader saw her begin to slowly flower and unfurl her petals after a bitter storm. It was a very hard book to listen to and yet I couldn't stop listening to it.
I found the emotions of guilt and self recrimination that Jo goes through very touching and I loved the support and comfort she finds with her new friends.
As usual the character work was exemplary and the narrator deserves an award for the performance of the audiobook.
If you are looking for a book that explores all the aspects of grief and yet has a positive atmosphere then look no further.
My only regret is that the cover doesn't accurately portray the early 2000's setting.
November 9, 2019
I really wanted to read and review this book because of the cause it was supporting, and also because I knew I’d enjoy the author’s writing. But I didn’t read the blurb in advance and, based only on the cover, I was rather expecting it to be one of the sagas she writes so well – I’ll admit I really hadn’t thought through how the Bhopal disaster might be referenced. Instead, I was rather delighted to find it was a contemporary story – albeit with echoes of the past – and the kind of book I unfailingly enjoy.
The key character is Jo, struggling desperately to move forward two years after the death of her near-adult son: her husband Ian is finding life difficult too, but suffering in that different way that men often do, and the cracks on their marriage are beginning to widen. We learn more about son Paul through Jo’s reflections and memories – the realities of their lives together slowly revealed. As a portrait of sudden loss and the impact of grief, it’s simply stunning – and by the time Jo realises that her house move hasn’t been enough to give her the healing she needs, she already has a very firm hold on your heart.
She finds friendship and support through a group of women at a local yoga class – a wonderful group of all types, ages and backgrounds, each with their own slowly unfolded stories and their hidden sadnesses and secrets. And while Jo doesn’t leave her memories and grief behind – and really doesn’t want to – the women focus on the shared goal of raising money for Bhopal. The impetus is a photograph in a magazine – the sadness of another mother’s son, a child who has seen more suffering that he should – and the joyous experience of their fundraising effort is followed by a pilgrimage to Bhopal to see its impact first-hand.
It’s a story that swirls with the commonality of women’ experiences – both through the group of friends, and with the mothers of Bhopal. But there are other echoes and resonances, through the memories of her mother-in-law Dorrie: her story is set in Birmingham’s industrial past, its carelessness for the safety of the workers providing another rich layer of parallels with the more recent tragedy.
I really loved this book, and particularly its diverse cast of female characters – the way their stories were built and layered, the way their relationships were developed. Emotionally, it’s quite a roller-coaster – but the moments of tears and sadness are balanced by others of sheer unadulterated joy. And the book’s ending? I thought it was absolutely perfect.
I would urge everyone to buy this book to support the Bhopal Medical Appeal… but then please, do read it, because the story and its telling is just wonderful.
The key character is Jo, struggling desperately to move forward two years after the death of her near-adult son: her husband Ian is finding life difficult too, but suffering in that different way that men often do, and the cracks on their marriage are beginning to widen. We learn more about son Paul through Jo’s reflections and memories – the realities of their lives together slowly revealed. As a portrait of sudden loss and the impact of grief, it’s simply stunning – and by the time Jo realises that her house move hasn’t been enough to give her the healing she needs, she already has a very firm hold on your heart.
She finds friendship and support through a group of women at a local yoga class – a wonderful group of all types, ages and backgrounds, each with their own slowly unfolded stories and their hidden sadnesses and secrets. And while Jo doesn’t leave her memories and grief behind – and really doesn’t want to – the women focus on the shared goal of raising money for Bhopal. The impetus is a photograph in a magazine – the sadness of another mother’s son, a child who has seen more suffering that he should – and the joyous experience of their fundraising effort is followed by a pilgrimage to Bhopal to see its impact first-hand.
It’s a story that swirls with the commonality of women’ experiences – both through the group of friends, and with the mothers of Bhopal. But there are other echoes and resonances, through the memories of her mother-in-law Dorrie: her story is set in Birmingham’s industrial past, its carelessness for the safety of the workers providing another rich layer of parallels with the more recent tragedy.
I really loved this book, and particularly its diverse cast of female characters – the way their stories were built and layered, the way their relationships were developed. Emotionally, it’s quite a roller-coaster – but the moments of tears and sadness are balanced by others of sheer unadulterated joy. And the book’s ending? I thought it was absolutely perfect.
I would urge everyone to buy this book to support the Bhopal Medical Appeal… but then please, do read it, because the story and its telling is just wonderful.
November 4, 2019
They say don’t judge a book by its cover and this is certainly true for this book. While the author does delve into Dorrie’s life growing up in Birmingham the base of the story focuses on Ian and Jo in present time. They lost their son to a tragic car accident and they are not dealing with their loss together. I liked Jo and felt deeply for her and wanted her to feel better while Ian I couldn’t seem to like. Dorrie, her mother in law was a wonderful character and I wanted to sit and have tea with her. I loved the running/yoga group and there are beautiful female characters. For the most part the story or heart warming and heart breaking and I was rooting for these characters. The addition of the tragedy in Bhopal, India did help Jo and Ian come to terms with their lives but it seemed disconnected from the rest of the story. I feel a different setting would have helped. I did appreciate the education into this real disaster and I was angered that nothing was ever done to help these people.
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