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The Glorious Between
Emily is dying. It is that thing in her head. Worse, she cannot remember her past, and can retain only fragments of the present. It feels as if she has never existed.
She is tucked up tight, holding her breath, suspended in time.
I am not my body, she often says, meaning she feels as if she is more than that; that we are more than just flesh and bone. But Emily knows, too, that reality has an awkward way of intruding into what one might hope for, and that her impending death is inevitable. In the end, she is her body and a broken one at that, and that is all. It is just the way it is.
Or is it?
Enter Alessandra; enter Patrick. Patrick is a world class neurologist and Emily's lover, and as he sits by Emily's side day in day out trying to find a way through the labyrinth of her damaged memory, he tells her of his life. It is the only life Emily knows, and as Patrick's past unfolds Emily creates an imagined bond with each family member, his father, his brother, and especially the extraordinary and deeply spiritual Alessandra, Patrick's mother. The disease that has taken Emily's memory will eventually take her life, and Patrick, as talented as he is, cannot save her. No one can save Emily except, perhaps, Alessandra.
Alessandra, who can speak to the river, summon the sun, and redirect the moon with the tips of her fingers.
She is tucked up tight, holding her breath, suspended in time.
I am not my body, she often says, meaning she feels as if she is more than that; that we are more than just flesh and bone. But Emily knows, too, that reality has an awkward way of intruding into what one might hope for, and that her impending death is inevitable. In the end, she is her body and a broken one at that, and that is all. It is just the way it is.
Or is it?
Enter Alessandra; enter Patrick. Patrick is a world class neurologist and Emily's lover, and as he sits by Emily's side day in day out trying to find a way through the labyrinth of her damaged memory, he tells her of his life. It is the only life Emily knows, and as Patrick's past unfolds Emily creates an imagined bond with each family member, his father, his brother, and especially the extraordinary and deeply spiritual Alessandra, Patrick's mother. The disease that has taken Emily's memory will eventually take her life, and Patrick, as talented as he is, cannot save her. No one can save Emily except, perhaps, Alessandra.
Alessandra, who can speak to the river, summon the sun, and redirect the moon with the tips of her fingers.
- GenresFiction
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2020
9 people are currently reading
1147 people want to read
About the author
Doug Reid
4 books16 followersDoug Reid is the author of The Glorious Between, a novel about a young woman who searches for love without remembering yesterday. Under the pseudonym of John Talisker, he is also the author of Gatchhen's Rite, a novel about a complex and often conflicted alien mind that searches for truth and meaning in a universe where there seems to be none.
Doug spends his summers revelling in the beautiful isolation of Wolfe Island, Ontario, Canada, while overwintering in the equal paradise of Maui.
His interests encompass physics, mathematics, music, art, literature, astronomy, paleontology, anthropology, entomology, geology, even religion—but finds the human mind and heart the most interesting and the most perplexing of all.
He has English roots, some Scottish peat in his blood, and even a twist of the Irish.
He can be reached via jdreid1p0.com.
Doug spends his summers revelling in the beautiful isolation of Wolfe Island, Ontario, Canada, while overwintering in the equal paradise of Maui.
His interests encompass physics, mathematics, music, art, literature, astronomy, paleontology, anthropology, entomology, geology, even religion—but finds the human mind and heart the most interesting and the most perplexing of all.
He has English roots, some Scottish peat in his blood, and even a twist of the Irish.
He can be reached via jdreid1p0.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 8, 2020
The Glorious Between is more than a 5 star read !
The book is beautifully written, well edited and draws you slowly but surely into Emily's world.
Emily seems wise beyond years , she knows she is dying , can barely remember today let alone her past but she is so much more than that. Emily captures your heart, she will make you smile, you will cheer her on , you will cry with her and be frustrated with her.
Patrick who is the love of her life is beyond patient and understanding . He spends hours besides Emily's bedside and lovingly narrates his life story that includes his mother Alessandra who has magical powers.
Emily lives her life caught up in the stories , they are glorious and hopeful just like Emily herself.
One of my favourite quotes in the book is :"You get up (in the morning) because you have hope and love in your life. If you had no hope, you would not get out of bed ever"
I seldom as a reader will reread a book but The Glorious Between is a book that I will read several times because there is just so many life lessons and hope in this wonderful book.
Emily , Patrick and Alessandra's story will stay with me and I will think of them often for a long time .
The book is beautifully written, well edited and draws you slowly but surely into Emily's world.
Emily seems wise beyond years , she knows she is dying , can barely remember today let alone her past but she is so much more than that. Emily captures your heart, she will make you smile, you will cheer her on , you will cry with her and be frustrated with her.
Patrick who is the love of her life is beyond patient and understanding . He spends hours besides Emily's bedside and lovingly narrates his life story that includes his mother Alessandra who has magical powers.
Emily lives her life caught up in the stories , they are glorious and hopeful just like Emily herself.
One of my favourite quotes in the book is :"You get up (in the morning) because you have hope and love in your life. If you had no hope, you would not get out of bed ever"
I seldom as a reader will reread a book but The Glorious Between is a book that I will read several times because there is just so many life lessons and hope in this wonderful book.
Emily , Patrick and Alessandra's story will stay with me and I will think of them often for a long time .
August 1, 2020
This beautifully written book captures your imagination from page one. I couldn't put it down and after reading it, I haven't stopped thinking about the story.
August 2, 2020
The glorious between is a story about Emily and Patrick. Emily is not well and is terminally ill. Patrick, a neurologist, loves Emily and tries all he can to save her from the inevitable outcome. Emily cannot remember much, and that really reflects on the premise of the storyline. Her body is broken, and all she wants is to be is more. She strives to fly out of the situation she is, and hope is what keeps her going.
As Patrick spends days working with Emily by her side, telling her stories, Emily begins to find a connection to a third person, and that person then becomes the beauty of the tale.
The story is written with philosophical underpinning, and there is something spiritual about the whole thing. I found the narrative to be engrossing. It was magical and layered with interconnected human naturality. The author has a very unique taste in storytelling, and the work in its entirety causes the reader to self-reflect and wonder after its finished.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read unique stories and enjoys reading about love.
As Patrick spends days working with Emily by her side, telling her stories, Emily begins to find a connection to a third person, and that person then becomes the beauty of the tale.
The story is written with philosophical underpinning, and there is something spiritual about the whole thing. I found the narrative to be engrossing. It was magical and layered with interconnected human naturality. The author has a very unique taste in storytelling, and the work in its entirety causes the reader to self-reflect and wonder after its finished.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read unique stories and enjoys reading about love.
September 26, 2020
This is a story about love and such strong emotions like respect and understanding. It is a spiritual encounter that encourages you to delve deeply into your own life. Long after I finished this book I kept on reflecting upon certain parts of it. I believe that everyone ought read this book. It is an experience
August 20, 2020
What the critics say.... Checkout http://www.jdreid1p0.com for more.
"The Glorious Between is a sinuous, luxurious exploration of what makes us who we are. With a fascinating beginning and glorious descriptive detail, it is the kind of novel made to both savor and ponder." - Independent Book Review
"The author has a very unique taste in storytelling, and the work in its entirety causes the reader to self-reflect and wonder after its finished." - Jeyran Main, @ReviewTales
"The Glorious Between is a cinematically staged, magical exploration based in reality, while guiding the reader to parallel realms where love conquers and lovers can find unsullied contentment." - Feathered Quill
"I seldom as a reader will reread a book but The Glorious Between is a book that I will read several times because there is just so many life lessons and hope in this wonderful book." - Amazon Reviewer
"The Glorious Between is a sinuous, luxurious exploration of what makes us who we are. With a fascinating beginning and glorious descriptive detail, it is the kind of novel made to both savor and ponder." - Independent Book Review
"The author has a very unique taste in storytelling, and the work in its entirety causes the reader to self-reflect and wonder after its finished." - Jeyran Main, @ReviewTales
"The Glorious Between is a cinematically staged, magical exploration based in reality, while guiding the reader to parallel realms where love conquers and lovers can find unsullied contentment." - Feathered Quill
"I seldom as a reader will reread a book but The Glorious Between is a book that I will read several times because there is just so many life lessons and hope in this wonderful book." - Amazon Reviewer
August 20, 2020
The Glorious Between is a beautifully written story about love, life and illness. It makes you reflect upon your own life.
With the “thing in her head” Emily cannot remember her past but can remember fragments of the present. Patrick is a neurologist who loves Emily. He spends hours by her side telling Emily of his life, including his mother, Alessandra. This becomes the life that Emily knows.
“Emily could feel what Alessandra knows: we are born for no reason, we die for no reason, but everything in between is glorious”
This story and characters stay with you long after finishing the book.
I would definitely recommend The Glorious Between.
With the “thing in her head” Emily cannot remember her past but can remember fragments of the present. Patrick is a neurologist who loves Emily. He spends hours by her side telling Emily of his life, including his mother, Alessandra. This becomes the life that Emily knows.
“Emily could feel what Alessandra knows: we are born for no reason, we die for no reason, but everything in between is glorious”
This story and characters stay with you long after finishing the book.
I would definitely recommend The Glorious Between.
October 29, 2020
This book grabs you emotionally and mentally. This book made me laugh and cry. It made me think about my own mortality and how I would want the love of my life fighting for me, especially if I could not do it myself. I recommend this book with a box of tissues.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 17, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved it, but on the other, I found it so frustrating. The narrative jumps back and forth between time and leaves the reader utterly unsure of what is real and what is imagined, what is current, what is past, and what is future. Although, based on other reviews, maybe that’s just me.
I cannot deny the poetry of the writing, with imagery that is beyond vivid, and the spirituality woven into every aspect of it well worth pondering. It is enlightening and inspirational and includes many Khalil Gibran-esque sayings (in addition to his own, “beauty is a light in the heart”). Perhaps this quote most accurately captures the whole of the story: “Memories, true and false, distort the truth of our existence. Not that there is any solid truth to be had; there is no such thing as unbiased ‘truth’ in our minds, nor within our reason, and particularly not in our hearts.”
And although I love poetry, I also need logic and realism to hold a story together. This was not ‘simply’ some epic poem held together by a theme with a wandering plot—or perhaps, that’s exactly what it was. The thing is, I was so confused, I just don’t know. Like Emily, I could not distinguish reality from fantasy, and this translated into a reluctance to continue reading. I had to work too hard. By the end, I think Emily and Patrick and Alessandra understood exactly what had happened or was happening, but I didn’t. I cannot give this 5 stars because I cannot unequivocally recommend it, but I cannot give it any less than 5 stars because it was so beautifully written. What a conundrum. I’ll have to give it 4 because, at this point, my brain hurts.
I cannot deny the poetry of the writing, with imagery that is beyond vivid, and the spirituality woven into every aspect of it well worth pondering. It is enlightening and inspirational and includes many Khalil Gibran-esque sayings (in addition to his own, “beauty is a light in the heart”). Perhaps this quote most accurately captures the whole of the story: “Memories, true and false, distort the truth of our existence. Not that there is any solid truth to be had; there is no such thing as unbiased ‘truth’ in our minds, nor within our reason, and particularly not in our hearts.”
And although I love poetry, I also need logic and realism to hold a story together. This was not ‘simply’ some epic poem held together by a theme with a wandering plot—or perhaps, that’s exactly what it was. The thing is, I was so confused, I just don’t know. Like Emily, I could not distinguish reality from fantasy, and this translated into a reluctance to continue reading. I had to work too hard. By the end, I think Emily and Patrick and Alessandra understood exactly what had happened or was happening, but I didn’t. I cannot give this 5 stars because I cannot unequivocally recommend it, but I cannot give it any less than 5 stars because it was so beautifully written. What a conundrum. I’ll have to give it 4 because, at this point, my brain hurts.
October 1, 2020
💖💖💜 A STRANGE BOOK TO DISCOVER
Emily is sick, seriously ill.
She's got a lot of memory problems.
She oscillates between depression and happiness, one day not resembling another.
This book tells her strange story...
---------------
A beautiful book on a human scale, which focuses on telling a little about the life of a young woman with a serious illness.
Emily is very touching.
The author's writing is sensitive, delicate, poetic, enjoyable to read.
The complexity of this unique story makes some situations seem confusing...
A strange book to discover : enigmatic and poetic, even magical...
Emily is sick, seriously ill.
She's got a lot of memory problems.
She oscillates between depression and happiness, one day not resembling another.
This book tells her strange story...
---------------
A beautiful book on a human scale, which focuses on telling a little about the life of a young woman with a serious illness.
Emily is very touching.
The author's writing is sensitive, delicate, poetic, enjoyable to read.
The complexity of this unique story makes some situations seem confusing...
A strange book to discover : enigmatic and poetic, even magical...
September 27, 2020
Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. I am sorry i did not finish this book because it was too strange.. Emily is dying and has lost big chunks of her memory. Her boyfriend is a neurologist and tries to tell her the stories she has forgotten.
Want to read
November 17, 2020This is an emotional and well=written story. A strong and surprisingly good first novel. I hope it finds an audience. There are a number of high-rated review, which are well-deserved. Recommended.
I really appreciate the review copy!!
I really appreciate the review copy!!
October 4, 2020
This book is well written but it was a slow read. It just didn't hold my interest. Not enough happening. I didn't care about the characters.
October 18, 2020
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A world between life and death exists in a peaceful happy household.
A world between life and death exists in a peaceful happy household.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews