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Až na kraj sveta
Niektoré ľúbostné príbehy sú príliš veľké na to, aby sa na ne dalo len tak zabudnúť.
Mary OʼConnorová už sedem rokov čaká na návrat svojej prvej, skutočnej lásky. Každý večer bez výnimky príde na železničnú stanicu na Ealing Broadway a zaujme zvyčajné miesto v dave cestujúcich. V rukách drží tabuľku s nápisom Vráť sa domov, Jim.
Pokojne ju nazvite bláznivou, otravnou ženskou, Mary sa ani nepohne. Až do chvíle, keď jej nečakané telefonáty prevrátia život naruby. Napriek všetkej snahe sa z nich nevie spamätať. Musí už čeliť pravde, čo sa vlastne stalo pred rokmi, a nájsť odpoveď na otázku, kde je jej milovaný Jim.
Mary OʼConnorová už sedem rokov čaká na návrat svojej prvej, skutočnej lásky. Každý večer bez výnimky príde na železničnú stanicu na Ealing Broadway a zaujme zvyčajné miesto v dave cestujúcich. V rukách drží tabuľku s nápisom Vráť sa domov, Jim.
Pokojne ju nazvite bláznivou, otravnou ženskou, Mary sa ani nepohne. Až do chvíle, keď jej nečakané telefonáty prevrátia život naruby. Napriek všetkej snahe sa z nich nevie spamätať. Musí už čeliť pravde, čo sa vlastne stalo pred rokmi, a nájsť odpoveď na otázku, kde je jej milovaný Jim.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2008
68 people are currently reading
9590 people want to read
About the author
Abbie Greaves
4 books264 followersAbbie Greaves is the author of THE SILENT TREATMENT and THE ENDS OF THE EARTH (UK) / ANYWHERE FOR YOU (US).
When she's not writing, she enjoys modern calligraphy, travelling for inspiration and reading - the greatest hobby of all. She lives in the UK.
Follow her on Instagram: @abbiegreavesauthor.
When she's not writing, she enjoys modern calligraphy, travelling for inspiration and reading - the greatest hobby of all. She lives in the UK.
Follow her on Instagram: @abbiegreavesauthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews
November 11, 2020
Mary O’Connor has been keeping a vigil for Jim Whitney for seven years and she’ll go to the ends of the earth to find him and bring him home. The story goes backwards and forwards from 2005 to their meeting in Belfast to London, especially Ealing in 2018.
This is a heartbreaking story of love, acceptance but wrapped in a mystery that evolves and unfolds well. Mary is a lovely character, you feel her love, her desperation and sadness and her need for self preservation and it tears at your heartstrings. This is a thoughtful novel that covers some relevant issues, it’s well written with a good premise and a well executed plot line. I like the friendship angle and how that can be a very powerful thing which can help give you a second chance. Through her friends, especially Alice, Mary reassesses the truth of her relationship with Jim which becomes a very positive thing. The story ends on an optimistic note which I like.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read which makes you think. I definitely want to read more by Abbie Greaves.
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK/Cornerstone for the arc for an honest review.
This is a heartbreaking story of love, acceptance but wrapped in a mystery that evolves and unfolds well. Mary is a lovely character, you feel her love, her desperation and sadness and her need for self preservation and it tears at your heartstrings. This is a thoughtful novel that covers some relevant issues, it’s well written with a good premise and a well executed plot line. I like the friendship angle and how that can be a very powerful thing which can help give you a second chance. Through her friends, especially Alice, Mary reassesses the truth of her relationship with Jim which becomes a very positive thing. The story ends on an optimistic note which I like.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read which makes you think. I definitely want to read more by Abbie Greaves.
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK/Cornerstone for the arc for an honest review.
March 30, 2021
Searching for a long lost love is a fairly common premise so it's always neat when an author is able to come up with a somewhat unique story. I enjoyed the book and think it would be a great book club selection. Each person might take away something different from the characters and story which usually makes for a lively and opinionated discussion.
Mary O'Connor met Jim Whitnell and they fell in love. One day he vanishes without an explanation. Years later, Mary hasn't gotten over Jim's disappearance. Desperate for him to return, she hangs out at Ealing Station on a regular basis. For hours at a time she holds a sign with a simple message, "Come home, Jim". A reporter named Alice believes there is a story here that might help save her job so she begins investigating what happened to Jim.
The story alternates between the past featuring Mary and Jim's relationship and the present day where you see how drastically Mary's life has changed in his absence. The mystery of Jim is really what sustained my interest more so than the romance elements. Alice has a key role in the book but at times it felt like Mary was regulated to the backburner.
The pacing was slow in some parts but the book was a worthwhile read. Will check out more books from this author as she has shown she is capable of taking me on an interesting reading journey.
I received a free advance copy of this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Mary O'Connor met Jim Whitnell and they fell in love. One day he vanishes without an explanation. Years later, Mary hasn't gotten over Jim's disappearance. Desperate for him to return, she hangs out at Ealing Station on a regular basis. For hours at a time she holds a sign with a simple message, "Come home, Jim". A reporter named Alice believes there is a story here that might help save her job so she begins investigating what happened to Jim.
The story alternates between the past featuring Mary and Jim's relationship and the present day where you see how drastically Mary's life has changed in his absence. The mystery of Jim is really what sustained my interest more so than the romance elements. Alice has a key role in the book but at times it felt like Mary was regulated to the backburner.
The pacing was slow in some parts but the book was a worthwhile read. Will check out more books from this author as she has shown she is capable of taking me on an interesting reading journey.
I received a free advance copy of this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
November 20, 2020
Both lovely and devastating. Perfect for fans of Colleen Oakley, Rebecca Serle, and Josie Silver.
May 3, 2021
Thank you, William Morrow, for gifting me a copy of Anywhere for You by Abbie Greaves.
Genre: Fiction
Pub Date: 4.6.21
Star Rating: ☆☆
“We expect so much of love. And yet, like all of us, it can falter and it can fail. Mary has learned the hard way that love cannot always save the day. But it may well still show us how to save ourselves.”
Oh boy, I have so many thoughts and feelings on this book. I’ve gone back and forth on writing a review for it but I am trying to write reviews for books, even if I didn’t like them. Again, a negative review does not mean you shouldn’t give this book a try… trust me, if I read a book that I don’t think you should read, I will tell you and then explain why.
But, for Anywhere for You, I just could not handle the main character. She was sad, she was alone, she put herself out into the world every day for a man who left her. No, he didn’t just leave her, her flat ghosted her after 8 years of being in a relationship. If someone did that to me, I would say bye and then move on with my life.
-The main character was way too desperate.
-There was absolutely not a happy ending.
-A lot of sections could have been cut.
-The man Mary so desperately wanted to find was not worth her time.
-Not a romance, at all.
Okay, I didn’t enjoy this book but one of you all might. As always, not every book is for every person. I do encourage you to give this book a try, especially if you enjoyed Greaves's last book The Silent Treatment.
Genre: Fiction
Pub Date: 4.6.21
Star Rating: ☆☆
“We expect so much of love. And yet, like all of us, it can falter and it can fail. Mary has learned the hard way that love cannot always save the day. But it may well still show us how to save ourselves.”
Oh boy, I have so many thoughts and feelings on this book. I’ve gone back and forth on writing a review for it but I am trying to write reviews for books, even if I didn’t like them. Again, a negative review does not mean you shouldn’t give this book a try… trust me, if I read a book that I don’t think you should read, I will tell you and then explain why.
But, for Anywhere for You, I just could not handle the main character. She was sad, she was alone, she put herself out into the world every day for a man who left her. No, he didn’t just leave her, her flat ghosted her after 8 years of being in a relationship. If someone did that to me, I would say bye and then move on with my life.
-The main character was way too desperate.
-There was absolutely not a happy ending.
-A lot of sections could have been cut.
-The man Mary so desperately wanted to find was not worth her time.
-Not a romance, at all.
Okay, I didn’t enjoy this book but one of you all might. As always, not every book is for every person. I do encourage you to give this book a try, especially if you enjoyed Greaves's last book The Silent Treatment.
January 3, 2021
Mary’s husband Jim disappeared seven years ago, they had a very loving and happy marriage and his disappearance has greatly affected Mary who has not given up hope that he will return.
Every day for the last seven years Mary goes to Ealing Train Station and stands on the bustling platform with a sign that says “Come Home Jim” hoping he will see it!
We go back to when Jim and Mary meet and had a whirlwind romance, with Mary leaving Wales to be with Jim in London, we trace her path to the present day.
I really felt for Mary who never gave up hope, even when others doubted her. I loved how the past and present timelines emerge together so effortlessly.
A very moving story that covers loss but also incorporates hope and friendship where you would least expect it.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Every day for the last seven years Mary goes to Ealing Train Station and stands on the bustling platform with a sign that says “Come Home Jim” hoping he will see it!
We go back to when Jim and Mary meet and had a whirlwind romance, with Mary leaving Wales to be with Jim in London, we trace her path to the present day.
I really felt for Mary who never gave up hope, even when others doubted her. I loved how the past and present timelines emerge together so effortlessly.
A very moving story that covers loss but also incorporates hope and friendship where you would least expect it.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
April 12, 2021
3 heartbreaking stars
A video goes viral of a woman holding a sign up in a tube station. The sign reads “Come Home Jim”, and the public wants the story. Enter Alice, an aspiring reporter, with her job on the line.
We slowly learn about the love story between Mary and Jim. To Mary, they seem like soul mates that will be together forever. Jim has some challenges and disappears one day. Mary never gives up hope and has a seven-year daily vigil at the tube station where she used to greet him after work.
Alice befriends Mary and works to unravel the mystery of what happened to Jim, trying to track him down through various sightings. After all these years, can Mary and Jim be reunited, or can Mary get the closure she needs to move on with her life?
I wish I would have connected a bit more with these characters. The alternating timeline chapters may have worked better if told chronologically. This was my first read by this author. I liked the positive messaging at the end of this one and would read other books by this author.
Thank you to William Morrow/Custom House for the gifted copy of this one to read.
A video goes viral of a woman holding a sign up in a tube station. The sign reads “Come Home Jim”, and the public wants the story. Enter Alice, an aspiring reporter, with her job on the line.
We slowly learn about the love story between Mary and Jim. To Mary, they seem like soul mates that will be together forever. Jim has some challenges and disappears one day. Mary never gives up hope and has a seven-year daily vigil at the tube station where she used to greet him after work.
Alice befriends Mary and works to unravel the mystery of what happened to Jim, trying to track him down through various sightings. After all these years, can Mary and Jim be reunited, or can Mary get the closure she needs to move on with her life?
I wish I would have connected a bit more with these characters. The alternating timeline chapters may have worked better if told chronologically. This was my first read by this author. I liked the positive messaging at the end of this one and would read other books by this author.
Thank you to William Morrow/Custom House for the gifted copy of this one to read.
April 21, 2021
Mary O'Connor has been keeping a vigil for her first love for the last seven years. Every morning without fail, Mary arrives at Ealing Broadway Station and sets herself up among the commuters, in her hands Mary holds a sign which bears the words "Come Home Jim".
Mary stands at the exit of the train station with her sign, she has done this every day for the last seven years. A chance comment has made her an internet sensation. Local Journalist, Alice is in need of a front page story attempts to find out what happened to Jim. Jim had been Mary's beau. The story covers: men's mental health problems, heartbreak, friendships and a missing person. The story flips back and forth between the present day and the past. This is quite a sad story to read. It's well written with some lovely characters. This book made a nice change from the books I normally read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #RandomHouseUK, #CornerStone and the author #AbbieGreaves for my ARC of #TheEndsOfTheEarth in exchange for an honest review.
Mary stands at the exit of the train station with her sign, she has done this every day for the last seven years. A chance comment has made her an internet sensation. Local Journalist, Alice is in need of a front page story attempts to find out what happened to Jim. Jim had been Mary's beau. The story covers: men's mental health problems, heartbreak, friendships and a missing person. The story flips back and forth between the present day and the past. This is quite a sad story to read. It's well written with some lovely characters. This book made a nice change from the books I normally read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #RandomHouseUK, #CornerStone and the author #AbbieGreaves for my ARC of #TheEndsOfTheEarth in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2021
4.5★s
The Ends of the Earth (also titled Anywhere For You) is the second novel by British author, Abbie Greaves. For nigh on seven years, Mary O’Connor has stood, with a cardboard sign, for hours, virtually every night, at the gates of Ealing Broadway Underground, watching for one man. Mary’s not begging, not some old bag lady: she works days at the SuperShop; she volunteers at NightLine, the crisis call-centre; she’s well-groomed; and she’s beautiful. Her sign pleads “COME HOME JIM”.
One day, though, she loses her composure. She’s had a call at NightLine, and she’s sure it’s Jim. In the crush of the crowd at the station the next evening, her vocal eruption (‘WILL YOU GIVE ME SOME FECKING SPACE TO BREATHE!’) is captured on a phone and trends on Twitter. Junior investigative journalist at The Ealing Bugle, Alice Keaton witnesses Mary’s distress and offers comfort.
Usually reticent about her personal life, Mary opens up a little to Alice, revealing her anguish about Jim’s unexplained departure, seven years earlier, and her pledge to be there when he decides to return. Alice wonders why anyone would leave this beautiful, caring woman? Without disclosing that she’s a reporter, Alice vows to do all she can to find Jim, both for Mary’s sake, and because a front-page story like this will quash her looming redundancy.
Alice volunteers at NightLine, meets the rest of the team, and sees Mary home in the aftermath of another call from Jim. It gives her the opportunity to glean more information about the mystery man who has inspired such dedication in Mary. Alice has her own experience with a missing person, but a trek across the country all the way to the north of Scotland with NightLine volunteer Kit, chasing sightings of Jim, is the last thing she expected to be doing.
The story is presented with a dual timeline: the present day (2018) follows the progress of Alice’s search for Jim; the past details the romantic start, in 2005, to a love affair that at first seems idyllic. Gradually, though, the edges fray and reveal “a picture of Jim’s life that was more complex and troubled than the image presented through the lens of Mary’s adoration.”
“Mary suddenly realised that she’d been so swept away by Jim, their chemistry and the brilliance of him, that she hadn’t had the chance to assess the pedestal she’d strapped him to, the nicks and notches that made him as flawed as everyone else.”
Greaves is skilled in her portrayal of those stuck in the denial stage of grief, when acceptance is too painful a next step to take. She also highlights the terrible stigma attached to mental illness and the psychological burden that the pressure from expectations of family, friends and colleagues can exert, particularly for men: “Why must the world make men so . . . guarded? It is to their detriment.”
Greaves gives the reader believable characters, appealing for their very human flaws, some delightful romance, and a mix of promising and bittersweet but realistic endings. A heart-warming and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Random House UK Cornerstone.
The Ends of the Earth (also titled Anywhere For You) is the second novel by British author, Abbie Greaves. For nigh on seven years, Mary O’Connor has stood, with a cardboard sign, for hours, virtually every night, at the gates of Ealing Broadway Underground, watching for one man. Mary’s not begging, not some old bag lady: she works days at the SuperShop; she volunteers at NightLine, the crisis call-centre; she’s well-groomed; and she’s beautiful. Her sign pleads “COME HOME JIM”.
One day, though, she loses her composure. She’s had a call at NightLine, and she’s sure it’s Jim. In the crush of the crowd at the station the next evening, her vocal eruption (‘WILL YOU GIVE ME SOME FECKING SPACE TO BREATHE!’) is captured on a phone and trends on Twitter. Junior investigative journalist at The Ealing Bugle, Alice Keaton witnesses Mary’s distress and offers comfort.
Usually reticent about her personal life, Mary opens up a little to Alice, revealing her anguish about Jim’s unexplained departure, seven years earlier, and her pledge to be there when he decides to return. Alice wonders why anyone would leave this beautiful, caring woman? Without disclosing that she’s a reporter, Alice vows to do all she can to find Jim, both for Mary’s sake, and because a front-page story like this will quash her looming redundancy.
Alice volunteers at NightLine, meets the rest of the team, and sees Mary home in the aftermath of another call from Jim. It gives her the opportunity to glean more information about the mystery man who has inspired such dedication in Mary. Alice has her own experience with a missing person, but a trek across the country all the way to the north of Scotland with NightLine volunteer Kit, chasing sightings of Jim, is the last thing she expected to be doing.
The story is presented with a dual timeline: the present day (2018) follows the progress of Alice’s search for Jim; the past details the romantic start, in 2005, to a love affair that at first seems idyllic. Gradually, though, the edges fray and reveal “a picture of Jim’s life that was more complex and troubled than the image presented through the lens of Mary’s adoration.”
“Mary suddenly realised that she’d been so swept away by Jim, their chemistry and the brilliance of him, that she hadn’t had the chance to assess the pedestal she’d strapped him to, the nicks and notches that made him as flawed as everyone else.”
Greaves is skilled in her portrayal of those stuck in the denial stage of grief, when acceptance is too painful a next step to take. She also highlights the terrible stigma attached to mental illness and the psychological burden that the pressure from expectations of family, friends and colleagues can exert, particularly for men: “Why must the world make men so . . . guarded? It is to their detriment.”
Greaves gives the reader believable characters, appealing for their very human flaws, some delightful romance, and a mix of promising and bittersweet but realistic endings. A heart-warming and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Random House UK Cornerstone.
July 10, 2021
Anywhere for You by Abbie Greaves is one of the sweetest books I have read in a long time. There is no end to the heavy topics she covers, but there is a sweetness to it that can't be overlooked. It's a little bit of a romance, a little bit emotional, and filled with so much heart that I wanted to hug it after I was done. I don't know why I haven't read Greaves' debut yet, but I will certainly be moving it up the list now. I honestly thought I would be a puddle of tears by the end but luckily that wasn't the case even though this could definitely be considered a tearjerker. You might still want to have a tissue handy, as I really did go through a gamut of emotions while reading it. I liked the mystery of what happened to Jim, and really had no idea how that would turn out. I honestly don't think I would have guessed, and I was pretty shocked by the end which was great. There is also some romance, but I didn't consider it to be a major part of the story, but rather love overall was instead. The story is told in alternating chapters between Mary and Alice, and I really enjoyed having the reporter's viewpoint.
As everyone probably knows by now, I really prefer when there are multiple narrators for multiple viewpoints when I listen to an audiobook, but Anywhere for You is narrated solely by Julie Teal. I actually have zero complaints about this and thought she did a fantastic job with both POVs. It's funny because even though her voice didn't actually change, I still somehow felt like I was listening to 2 different people, and maybe that speaks to the writing as well. This is a great audiobook to check out if you like them, and I don't think you can go wrong any way you choose to read it. I also loved the aspect of Mary volunteering at a crisis call center, and I don't read a whole lot of books that have this very special element. As well as the dual perspectives, we also get different timelines which were essential to knowing the story behind Mary and Jim's relationship. Greaves tied everything up in an exceptional way, and I would definitely call this a page-turner since I didn't want to put it down. Women's fiction and romance readers - this one is for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
As everyone probably knows by now, I really prefer when there are multiple narrators for multiple viewpoints when I listen to an audiobook, but Anywhere for You is narrated solely by Julie Teal. I actually have zero complaints about this and thought she did a fantastic job with both POVs. It's funny because even though her voice didn't actually change, I still somehow felt like I was listening to 2 different people, and maybe that speaks to the writing as well. This is a great audiobook to check out if you like them, and I don't think you can go wrong any way you choose to read it. I also loved the aspect of Mary volunteering at a crisis call center, and I don't read a whole lot of books that have this very special element. As well as the dual perspectives, we also get different timelines which were essential to knowing the story behind Mary and Jim's relationship. Greaves tied everything up in an exceptional way, and I would definitely call this a page-turner since I didn't want to put it down. Women's fiction and romance readers - this one is for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 2, 2021
“The Ends of the Earth” is the second novel by author Abbie Greaves, after the success with her critically acclaimed debut “The Silent Treatment”.
- Mary O’Connor has been keeping a vigil for her first love of her life for the past seven years. Every evening without fail, Mary arrives at Ealing Broadway station and sets herself up among the commuters. In her hands Mary holds a sign which bears the words: ‘Come Home Jim’. When an unexpected phone call turns her world on its head, in spite of all her efforts, Mary can no longer find the strength to hold herself together. She must finally face what happened all those years ago, and answer the question – where on earth is Jim?
“The Ends of the Earth” is both sad and uplifting, a love story and a mystery and focuses on important, heartfelt themes like grief, mental health issues, living with the fallout of a missing family member and coping with life’s difficulties. I liked Mary, my heart went out to her, keeping her nightly vigil, trying to deal emotionally with the last conversation she had before Jim left and her perseverance in believing he’ll still come home. Alice, her journalist friend thinks there’s a story there that will help save her job but since Mary doesn’t know she’s a reporter, she has to do her investigating in secret. But Alice also has her demons, her father disappeared from her life when she was young, so her efforts at seeking the missing Jim, reawaken her emotions.
The story is told in the past and present, allowing the reader to see how Mary and Jim’s relationship developed and also Alice as she goes about her research, enlisting the help of Kit, a very likeable character who is dealing with some personal issues as well.
What I took most from this story was the importance of community and having friends and with an ending that satisfactorily tied everything together. I enjoyed this tale of love and loss and can happily recommend it as an easy but powerful and entertaining read.
4 stars.
- Mary O’Connor has been keeping a vigil for her first love of her life for the past seven years. Every evening without fail, Mary arrives at Ealing Broadway station and sets herself up among the commuters. In her hands Mary holds a sign which bears the words: ‘Come Home Jim’. When an unexpected phone call turns her world on its head, in spite of all her efforts, Mary can no longer find the strength to hold herself together. She must finally face what happened all those years ago, and answer the question – where on earth is Jim?
“The Ends of the Earth” is both sad and uplifting, a love story and a mystery and focuses on important, heartfelt themes like grief, mental health issues, living with the fallout of a missing family member and coping with life’s difficulties. I liked Mary, my heart went out to her, keeping her nightly vigil, trying to deal emotionally with the last conversation she had before Jim left and her perseverance in believing he’ll still come home. Alice, her journalist friend thinks there’s a story there that will help save her job but since Mary doesn’t know she’s a reporter, she has to do her investigating in secret. But Alice also has her demons, her father disappeared from her life when she was young, so her efforts at seeking the missing Jim, reawaken her emotions.
The story is told in the past and present, allowing the reader to see how Mary and Jim’s relationship developed and also Alice as she goes about her research, enlisting the help of Kit, a very likeable character who is dealing with some personal issues as well.
What I took most from this story was the importance of community and having friends and with an ending that satisfactorily tied everything together. I enjoyed this tale of love and loss and can happily recommend it as an easy but powerful and entertaining read.
4 stars.
April 11, 2021
3.5 /5 stars
Anywhere For You is a story that is a bit Women's Fiction and a bit Mystery.
The narrators are Mary and Alice (3rd person POVs). The story is mostly set in London.
The book has a past/present timeline. The present is in 2018. And the past starts in 2005 and moves forward.
In the present Mary is a 40 years old Irish woman. She works at a grocery store and volunteers at night at a hotline called Nightline. She holds up a sign in the subway that says "Come Home Jim".
In the past Mary is 27. And we get to see how she met Jim.
Alice (26) meets Mary in the present and tries to help her.
I loved the idea of this book. I was curious to find out what Mary's sign meant. And I was curious to find out what happened to Jim.
But I was hoping for more of an epic love story. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book. And I enjoyed both narrators. But this story was definitely not what I was expecting. Mary was a super unique character. And the fact that mental health was mentioned made the story more meaningful. But I wanted more, especially from the ending.
Thanks to edelweiss and William Morrow for allowing me to read this book.
Anywhere For You is a story that is a bit Women's Fiction and a bit Mystery.
The narrators are Mary and Alice (3rd person POVs). The story is mostly set in London.
The book has a past/present timeline. The present is in 2018. And the past starts in 2005 and moves forward.
In the present Mary is a 40 years old Irish woman. She works at a grocery store and volunteers at night at a hotline called Nightline. She holds up a sign in the subway that says "Come Home Jim".
In the past Mary is 27. And we get to see how she met Jim.
Alice (26) meets Mary in the present and tries to help her.
I loved the idea of this book. I was curious to find out what Mary's sign meant. And I was curious to find out what happened to Jim.
But I was hoping for more of an epic love story. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book. And I enjoyed both narrators. But this story was definitely not what I was expecting. Mary was a super unique character. And the fact that mental health was mentioned made the story more meaningful. But I wanted more, especially from the ending.
Thanks to edelweiss and William Morrow for allowing me to read this book.
January 6, 2022
“Some people choose to see what they want to see”
For seven years Mary has been standing outside Ealing Broadway station each night after her supermarket shift holding a handmade sign ‘Come Home Jim’. Commuters push past her, oblivious. Except that one night she isn’t invisible and her vigil goes viral.
Mary meets James (Jim), a doctor, whilst working as an events organiser in Belfast and theirs is a whirlwind relationship. Mary has never met anyone like Jim and the two characters seem to fit so well together that I couldn’t understand what had happened for Mary to end up alone and waiting outside the station six years later.
Over the course of the book, with the present day being 2018 the story goes back to earlier timelines to give glimpses of their life together and the challenges in their relationship.
Mary is an engaging character, easy to sympathise with but also I found her frustrating at times. At first I couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t accept what was to be and try to rebuild her life. She volunteers at Nightline, a crisis telephone centre but when she receives calls that are rather too close to home, that fragile stability that she has made for herself is rocked to its core.
This is such a moving and thought provoking book. Focussing on mental health and the inability to properly communicate one’s fears and needs, there are several characters suffering in one way or another who all need a helping hand. Mary made a promise to Jim and is determined to keep it, whatever the cost. Her vigil attracts the attention of a journalist, Alice (who has her own issues, both personal and professional) and together with Kit, another Nightline volunteer, they decide to help Mary.
This is very much a character driven story, beautifully written with a tender touch and may strike a chord with so many people on the several issues it touches upon. Lest you get the wrong idea, there are times of humour, especially with Alice and Kit, whose pairing was a joy. I loved the mystery running through the story as to why Jim disappeared, where he went to; and more importantly, will he come home? A wonderfully enjoyable read. One to recommend.
For seven years Mary has been standing outside Ealing Broadway station each night after her supermarket shift holding a handmade sign ‘Come Home Jim’. Commuters push past her, oblivious. Except that one night she isn’t invisible and her vigil goes viral.
Mary meets James (Jim), a doctor, whilst working as an events organiser in Belfast and theirs is a whirlwind relationship. Mary has never met anyone like Jim and the two characters seem to fit so well together that I couldn’t understand what had happened for Mary to end up alone and waiting outside the station six years later.
Over the course of the book, with the present day being 2018 the story goes back to earlier timelines to give glimpses of their life together and the challenges in their relationship.
Mary is an engaging character, easy to sympathise with but also I found her frustrating at times. At first I couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t accept what was to be and try to rebuild her life. She volunteers at Nightline, a crisis telephone centre but when she receives calls that are rather too close to home, that fragile stability that she has made for herself is rocked to its core.
This is such a moving and thought provoking book. Focussing on mental health and the inability to properly communicate one’s fears and needs, there are several characters suffering in one way or another who all need a helping hand. Mary made a promise to Jim and is determined to keep it, whatever the cost. Her vigil attracts the attention of a journalist, Alice (who has her own issues, both personal and professional) and together with Kit, another Nightline volunteer, they decide to help Mary.
This is very much a character driven story, beautifully written with a tender touch and may strike a chord with so many people on the several issues it touches upon. Lest you get the wrong idea, there are times of humour, especially with Alice and Kit, whose pairing was a joy. I loved the mystery running through the story as to why Jim disappeared, where he went to; and more importantly, will he come home? A wonderfully enjoyable read. One to recommend.
April 15, 2021
This was a lovely read, it was a little sad and a lot happy too. It was such a refreshing book to read and made a change from my usual genre. I throughly enjoyed this book and was sorry to finish it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
May 4, 2021
My review on my website https://www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
Loved it! Just loved every page. The Ends of the Earth by Abbie Greaves is the best fictional missing persons book I’ve ever read this is why I’m going to highly recommend this extraordinary novel, with multiple characters that all have their own reasons for being in this story.
My first favourite characters was Mary O’Conner who has campaigned for her first love to come home, by going to Ealing Broadway Station, for the last seven years with a sign appealing for Jim to come home. The true fact is, it’s not unusual for an adults go missing, in the UK about 100,000 adults go missing each year.
Author Abbie Greaves has cleverly made the story come together. Mary works as a volunteer at a call centre Nightline, that is a crisis centre where people can call Nightline and remain anonymous. One evening while Mary is taking calls, she is adamant it is Jim on the end of line talking to her.
My second favourite character was Alice who works for a newspaper, but is about to face redundancy unless she can come up with a masterpiece for the front page. When Alice meets Mary, she is genuinely sympathetic to discover Mary is taking a banner to the Ealing Broadway Station in hope that it will bring home her boyfriend Jim. Being a journalist, Alice wants to use her professional skills to help Mary find Jim.
The whole story The Ends of the Earth is such a wonderful adventure, I do hope you enjoy reading it as much as what I did.
Loved it! Just loved every page. The Ends of the Earth by Abbie Greaves is the best fictional missing persons book I’ve ever read this is why I’m going to highly recommend this extraordinary novel, with multiple characters that all have their own reasons for being in this story.
My first favourite characters was Mary O’Conner who has campaigned for her first love to come home, by going to Ealing Broadway Station, for the last seven years with a sign appealing for Jim to come home. The true fact is, it’s not unusual for an adults go missing, in the UK about 100,000 adults go missing each year.
Author Abbie Greaves has cleverly made the story come together. Mary works as a volunteer at a call centre Nightline, that is a crisis centre where people can call Nightline and remain anonymous. One evening while Mary is taking calls, she is adamant it is Jim on the end of line talking to her.
My second favourite character was Alice who works for a newspaper, but is about to face redundancy unless she can come up with a masterpiece for the front page. When Alice meets Mary, she is genuinely sympathetic to discover Mary is taking a banner to the Ealing Broadway Station in hope that it will bring home her boyfriend Jim. Being a journalist, Alice wants to use her professional skills to help Mary find Jim.
The whole story The Ends of the Earth is such a wonderful adventure, I do hope you enjoy reading it as much as what I did.
May 14, 2022
2⭐️
Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt noch nicht was ich von der Geschichte halten soll und wie ich sie am Ende genau bewerte.
Das Buch klang interessant und ich war gespannt was mich erwarten würde. Die Geschichte wird aus der Gegenwart (2018) und der Vergangenheit in verschieden Jahren erzählt. Die Geschichte von Mary und Jim begleitet man dabei in der Vergangenheit über mehrere Jahre hinweg. Seit 7 Jahren geht Mary jeden Abend zum Bahnhof mit dem Schild in der Hand. Allein das hat mich etwas schockiert, da es nicht gesund ist. Sie ist nie weitergegangen und hängt immer noch in der Vergangenheit fest mit der sie nicht abschließen konnte.
Eine TW wäre meiner Meinung nach bitter nötig gewesen da Themen wie toxische Beziehungen, Alkoholmissbrauch/sucht, Depressionen und einiges mehr thematisiert wurde.
Das Buch zieht sich anfangs meiner Meinung nach ganz schön und ich habe tatsächlich auch ein paar mal überlegt das Buch abzubrechen. Mit Hilfe des Hörbuchs habe ich es dann aber noch beende, obwohl ich sagen muss, dass ich einiges übersprungen habe.
Auch wenn das Buch gute Themen und Potenzial hatte konnte es mich nicht überzeugen. Außerdem hat mir ehrlich gesagt die Liebesgeschichte gefehlt. Wenn man es als Selbstfindungsbuch oder so angepriesen hätte, hätte ich mit so einer Entwicklung gerechnet. Aber so…
Allerdings mochte ich das Ende ganz gerne.
Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt noch nicht was ich von der Geschichte halten soll und wie ich sie am Ende genau bewerte.
Das Buch klang interessant und ich war gespannt was mich erwarten würde. Die Geschichte wird aus der Gegenwart (2018) und der Vergangenheit in verschieden Jahren erzählt. Die Geschichte von Mary und Jim begleitet man dabei in der Vergangenheit über mehrere Jahre hinweg. Seit 7 Jahren geht Mary jeden Abend zum Bahnhof mit dem Schild in der Hand. Allein das hat mich etwas schockiert, da es nicht gesund ist. Sie ist nie weitergegangen und hängt immer noch in der Vergangenheit fest mit der sie nicht abschließen konnte.
Eine TW wäre meiner Meinung nach bitter nötig gewesen da Themen wie toxische Beziehungen, Alkoholmissbrauch/sucht, Depressionen und einiges mehr thematisiert wurde.
Das Buch zieht sich anfangs meiner Meinung nach ganz schön und ich habe tatsächlich auch ein paar mal überlegt das Buch abzubrechen. Mit Hilfe des Hörbuchs habe ich es dann aber noch beende, obwohl ich sagen muss, dass ich einiges übersprungen habe.
Auch wenn das Buch gute Themen und Potenzial hatte konnte es mich nicht überzeugen. Außerdem hat mir ehrlich gesagt die Liebesgeschichte gefehlt. Wenn man es als Selbstfindungsbuch oder so angepriesen hätte, hätte ich mit so einer Entwicklung gerechnet. Aber so…
Allerdings mochte ich das Ende ganz gerne.
May 9, 2021
Mary O’Connor has just turned forty and spent the last seven years conducting a nightly vigil at Ealing Broadway station holding up a sign bearing the word ‘Come Home Jim’, signalling her intent to never give up on her first love and the six years they spent together. In the absence of the man she is ever hopeful of being reunited with, Mary’s life is one of routine as she moves between a job stacking supermarket shelves, two nights a week volunteering at local crisis helpline NightLine and her station vigil. When an unexpected call at NightLine leaves Mary on edge and results in a rush hour meltdown her story goes viral and is witnessed by young journalist Alice Keaton. Alice is soon to be unemployed but a human-interest story such as Mary’s could go a long way to saving her job and might also give Mary the closure and opportunity to move on that Alice’s knows plenty about given the disappearance of her father as a teenager. Befriending Mary and joining the team at NightLine with lonely manager, Ted, at the helm sees Alice befriend zany young banker, Kit, and together going all out to bring Jim, or a definitive answer, back home to Mary. Needless to say Alice keeps her identity as a reporter a secret and even when Mary directly requests her to stop trying to trace Jim it falls on deaf ears threatening to cause yet more upheaval in Mary’s life.
The story takes the form of a dual narrative moving between the present day and the past, charting the whirlwind romance between Mary and Jim that begins when they meet in Belfast in 2005 through to the life in London that Jim disappears from in 2011. As the story of their relationship unfolds readers see both Mary as a confident and successful fabric artist and also Jim’s mental health woes (depression, reliance on alcohol) which are highlighted early on. Personally I could not believe that in seven years Mary had not looked back and conceded that their relationship was very up and down as Greaves certainly leaves more than enough clues for readers that there really isn’t any great mystery about Jim’s departure. In fact much of the time I felt the book was simply going through the motions until the inevitable life lessons on the stigma surrounding male mental health issues could follow. Whilst the novel is inoffensive and Greaves steers clear of preaching at her readers I found it too implausible to wholeheartedly invest in the characters or their plight, primarily because not one of them felt real to me. Overall a solid drama but the mystery surrounding Jim’s disappearance goes out with a whimper and the novel is overlong with a rather plodding narrative. Into the close and epilogue I did notice a flurry of well-intentioned sound bites on all things mental health yet for me the novel would have been far more meaningful with more realistic characters.
The story takes the form of a dual narrative moving between the present day and the past, charting the whirlwind romance between Mary and Jim that begins when they meet in Belfast in 2005 through to the life in London that Jim disappears from in 2011. As the story of their relationship unfolds readers see both Mary as a confident and successful fabric artist and also Jim’s mental health woes (depression, reliance on alcohol) which are highlighted early on. Personally I could not believe that in seven years Mary had not looked back and conceded that their relationship was very up and down as Greaves certainly leaves more than enough clues for readers that there really isn’t any great mystery about Jim’s departure. In fact much of the time I felt the book was simply going through the motions until the inevitable life lessons on the stigma surrounding male mental health issues could follow. Whilst the novel is inoffensive and Greaves steers clear of preaching at her readers I found it too implausible to wholeheartedly invest in the characters or their plight, primarily because not one of them felt real to me. Overall a solid drama but the mystery surrounding Jim’s disappearance goes out with a whimper and the novel is overlong with a rather plodding narrative. Into the close and epilogue I did notice a flurry of well-intentioned sound bites on all things mental health yet for me the novel would have been far more meaningful with more realistic characters.
January 21, 2022
I read the synopsis of this book and was immediately intrigued. I thought the whole concept of her boyfriend disappearing was a great premise..... BUT it was not so much a mystery as I thought it would be. Instead, it was just a story about a woman who couldn't give up the relationship she was in 7 years ago. she is just wasting her life away because the supposed love of her life who she was so happy with suddenly disappeared. AND now this is going to be a spoiler so don't keep reading if you would like the ending to be a surprise. I was MOST bothered by the ending as the whole premise of the book is based on Mary not knowing what happened to Jim. Yet in reality, she knows where Jim is and that he broke up with her (not necessarily in the most sophisticated or respectful way). Mary just refuses to believe it and instead wastes the majority of her time/energy focused on bringing him home. I just think it is not promoting a healthy way to move on from a relationship because by no means should a woman spend years not moving on from a man. ALSO, I could not connect with any of the supporting characters either. So I had a hard time getting through this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2021
This book was not at all what I expected and I mean that in the best possible way.
Bittersweet and deeply sad....but in the end such a lovely commentary on depression and relationships and love- I’ll remember this one for a long time.
The part of me that loves happy endings and things tied up in a pretty bow...well that part of me isn’t satisfied but I also know that that’s not reality. Reality is messy and complicated and never as it seems. 🤍
This book was complimentary from William Morris. All opinions are my own.
Bittersweet and deeply sad....but in the end such a lovely commentary on depression and relationships and love- I’ll remember this one for a long time.
The part of me that loves happy endings and things tied up in a pretty bow...well that part of me isn’t satisfied but I also know that that’s not reality. Reality is messy and complicated and never as it seems. 🤍
This book was complimentary from William Morris. All opinions are my own.
July 2, 2021
I love the premise of this story- who was Jim? Why did he disappear? Will he come back to Mary?
The start of the book really hooked me in, I liked Mary straight away and could visualise her life so vividly and felt her pain of longing for Jim.
The timeline of the start of their relationship was necessary, but I soon got frustrated and wanted to read about Mary's current predicament more. The addition of Alice the journalist was a great medium to tell their story and I wished there was more of her to keep me interested.
The ending will definitely divide readers, and while I feel it needs to be discussed, I am undecided whether I think it was the correct one. Don't want to say any more in case of spoilers!
The start of the book really hooked me in, I liked Mary straight away and could visualise her life so vividly and felt her pain of longing for Jim.
The timeline of the start of their relationship was necessary, but I soon got frustrated and wanted to read about Mary's current predicament more. The addition of Alice the journalist was a great medium to tell their story and I wished there was more of her to keep me interested.
The ending will definitely divide readers, and while I feel it needs to be discussed, I am undecided whether I think it was the correct one. Don't want to say any more in case of spoilers!
February 14, 2021
I thought this was a perfect book to read on Valentine's weekend. I thought I would be moved by this story. I actually thought I might be brought to bittersweet tears by the end. But none of that happened. Instead I struggled through the book and I never could find any type of connection to the characters or the story. I think something I had read prior to choosing this book had led me to believe there was more depth to the story, more literary quality. But unfortunately, this is not a book I can wholeheartedly recommend.
February 12, 2022
Vor 13 Jahren haben sich Mary und Jim kennengelernt. Von Anfang war es etwas besonderes zwischen ihnen, weshalb Mary bald schon zu ihm nach London zog. Sechs Jahre lebten sie dort zusammen, beide waren sich einig, dass ihre Liebe alles war, was sie im Leben brauchten - bis zu dem Tag, an dem Jim ohne ein Wort spurlos verschwand. Sieben Jahre sind seitdem vergangen und Mary ist noch immer fest entschlossen, auf Jim zu warten. Dafür steht sie seit damals Abend für Abend stundenlang an dem Bahnhof, wo sie Jim früher immer abgeholt hat. Doch dann landet ein Video von ihr im Internet und viele Menschen fragen sich: Wo ist Jim?
Die junge Journalistin Alice wittert eine großartige (Liebes-)Geschichte, die sogar ihr eigenes Leben wieder ordnen könnte. Also begibt sich Alice auf eine Suche nach Jim und findet weit mehr als ihn: Sich selbst und womöglich auch eine eigene Liebesgeschichte.
Meine Beschreibung des Inhalts mag dem Klappentext recht ähnlich sein, weil er eigentlich völlig zutreffend ist. Und dennoch hatte ich eine andere Geschichte erwartet. Es kommt hin und wieder vor, dass sich ein Buch ganz anders liest, als man es vermutet hätte, doch meistens bringt einen das am Ende zu einer noch viel überzeugenderen Geschichte. Nun, bei „Jeder Tag für dich“ war das in meinem Fall leider nicht so. Ich kann weder sagen, dass das Buch schlecht ist, noch dass es wirklich gut ist. Ich war einfach irgendwie enttäuscht. Gerade deshalb möchte ich in meiner Bewertung Schritt für Schritt vorgehen, damit mein persönliches Gefühl nicht alles andere beeinflusst.
Beginnen wir mit dem Schreibstil. Er hat mir am Anfang ziemlich zu schaffen gemacht, muss ich gestehen. Ich hatte irgendwann schon gar nicht mehr damit gerechnet, dass ich überhaupt noch mit ihm warmwerden kann und habe gut die Hälfte der Seiten gebraucht, um wenigstens ansatzweise in einen Flow zu kommen. Der Schreibstil las sich für mich einfach recht langatmig und vor allem extrem verwirrend. Immer wieder hatte ich das Gefühl, einen Teil eines Gesprächs oder eines Gedankengangs nicht mitbekommen zu haben, weil das Ganze irgendwie sprunghaft erzählt wurde und einfach nicht wirklich flüssig wirkte. Dennoch gab es auch Stellen, wo ich die kunstvolle Erzählweise bewundert habe.
Kommen wir nun zu der Handlung an sich. In vielerlei Hinsicht hat mich das Buch stark an „Eine Handvoll Worte“ von Jojo Moyes erinnert. Es macht dann zwar noch einige andere Wendungen, aber im Grunde ist das alles nichts allzu Neues, wie ich zunächst irgendwie angenommen hatte. Die Handlung besteht aus zwei Strängen: Das Hier und jetzt im Jahr 2018 und ein Handlungsstrang, der vom Kennenlernen von Jim und Mary ausgehend ihre gemeinsamen Jahre erzählt. Beide Stränge werden geschickt miteinander verknüpft und dadurch abgerundet. Da kann man wirklich viel Fein- und Fingerspitzengefühl der Autorin erkennen. Ein wenig verwirrend fand ich jedoch die Unterteilung der 2018-Strangs in Kapiteln über Mary und solche über Alice. Irgendwann hatte ich das Gefühl, in erster Linie Alice‘ Geschichte zu lesen und dass Marys Geschichte nur als Sprungbrett diente. Ein Vorteil davon: die Geschichte hat durch Alice‘ Temperament mehr Tempo und Handlung zugenommen. Aber dann kam das Ende und irgendwie hat es wieder gar nicht gepasst. Zuvor war Alice so zentral geworden und plötzlich wurden ihre Probleme nur am Rande noch schnell abgehandelt und angehakt. Schade irgendwie.
Die Thematik war wohl die Sache, welche ich am meisten an dem Roman geschätzt habe und die mich zugleich total verunsichert hat, wie ich zu „Jeder Tag für dich“ stehe. Der Roman ist sehr erschütternd und die Thematik ist eigentlich gar nichts krass Besonderes, sondern theoretisch alltäglich und traurige Realität. Ich finde es super wichtig, dass die angesprochenen Themen in Büchern behandelt werden, auch wenn es die Bücher sehr ernst wirken lässt. „Jeder Tag für dich“ ist alles andere als ein „Wohlfühlroman“ und genau hier liegt wohl der Knackpunkt, welcher dazu führte, dass ich eher unzufrieden mit dem Leseerlebnis bin.
Auf dem Umschlag prangt ein auffälliger, roter Aufkleber, der das Buch als unvergesslichsten Liebesroman betitelt. Was erwarte ich von einem Liebesroman? Liebe. Ganz einfach. Und Liebe beinhaltet sowohl Leidenschaft, als auch Dramatik, das ist mir natürlich klar. Aber ich ließ mich von dem Begriff „Liebesroman“ total in die Irre führen, denn „Jeder Tag für dich“ ist einfach kein „typischer“ Liebesroman, sondern ein Roman, der sich mit Liebe auseinandersetzt. Und wenn man das Buch liest wird einem klar, dass dazwischen Welten liegen. Ich erwarte von keinem Liebesroman, dass er dem Schema A folgt, das wäre viel zu langweilig. Aber ein Liebesroman sollte für mich bestimmte Erwartungen einfach erfüllen: Figuren, die man kennen- und verstehen lernt, Szenen, die einem das Herz erwärmen, große Gefühle, die zum Greifen nah scheinen, und ja, auch eine gewisse Portion Ernsthaftigkeit und Tiefe. Aus all dem sollte es die richtige Mischung sein, und diese mag für jede Geschichte anders aussehen. Bei „Jeder Tag für dich“ hatte ich jedoch das Gefühl, dass dieses Verhältnis nicht stimmte.
Fazit:
Man muss dem Roman zugutehalten, dass er in vielerlei Hinsicht geschickt und durchdacht wirkt, aber mich konnte das eben nicht vollkommen überzeugen. Falsche Erwartungen mögen dabei eine Rolle spielen, aber auch die alles überlagernde Verwirrung und das unpassende Feeling. Die gelungen gewählte Thematik hat meine Bewertung noch einmal verbessert, aber über 3 Sterne kommt der Roman in meinen Augen einfach nicht hinaus.
Die junge Journalistin Alice wittert eine großartige (Liebes-)Geschichte, die sogar ihr eigenes Leben wieder ordnen könnte. Also begibt sich Alice auf eine Suche nach Jim und findet weit mehr als ihn: Sich selbst und womöglich auch eine eigene Liebesgeschichte.
Meine Beschreibung des Inhalts mag dem Klappentext recht ähnlich sein, weil er eigentlich völlig zutreffend ist. Und dennoch hatte ich eine andere Geschichte erwartet. Es kommt hin und wieder vor, dass sich ein Buch ganz anders liest, als man es vermutet hätte, doch meistens bringt einen das am Ende zu einer noch viel überzeugenderen Geschichte. Nun, bei „Jeder Tag für dich“ war das in meinem Fall leider nicht so. Ich kann weder sagen, dass das Buch schlecht ist, noch dass es wirklich gut ist. Ich war einfach irgendwie enttäuscht. Gerade deshalb möchte ich in meiner Bewertung Schritt für Schritt vorgehen, damit mein persönliches Gefühl nicht alles andere beeinflusst.
Beginnen wir mit dem Schreibstil. Er hat mir am Anfang ziemlich zu schaffen gemacht, muss ich gestehen. Ich hatte irgendwann schon gar nicht mehr damit gerechnet, dass ich überhaupt noch mit ihm warmwerden kann und habe gut die Hälfte der Seiten gebraucht, um wenigstens ansatzweise in einen Flow zu kommen. Der Schreibstil las sich für mich einfach recht langatmig und vor allem extrem verwirrend. Immer wieder hatte ich das Gefühl, einen Teil eines Gesprächs oder eines Gedankengangs nicht mitbekommen zu haben, weil das Ganze irgendwie sprunghaft erzählt wurde und einfach nicht wirklich flüssig wirkte. Dennoch gab es auch Stellen, wo ich die kunstvolle Erzählweise bewundert habe.
Kommen wir nun zu der Handlung an sich. In vielerlei Hinsicht hat mich das Buch stark an „Eine Handvoll Worte“ von Jojo Moyes erinnert. Es macht dann zwar noch einige andere Wendungen, aber im Grunde ist das alles nichts allzu Neues, wie ich zunächst irgendwie angenommen hatte. Die Handlung besteht aus zwei Strängen: Das Hier und jetzt im Jahr 2018 und ein Handlungsstrang, der vom Kennenlernen von Jim und Mary ausgehend ihre gemeinsamen Jahre erzählt. Beide Stränge werden geschickt miteinander verknüpft und dadurch abgerundet. Da kann man wirklich viel Fein- und Fingerspitzengefühl der Autorin erkennen. Ein wenig verwirrend fand ich jedoch die Unterteilung der 2018-Strangs in Kapiteln über Mary und solche über Alice. Irgendwann hatte ich das Gefühl, in erster Linie Alice‘ Geschichte zu lesen und dass Marys Geschichte nur als Sprungbrett diente. Ein Vorteil davon: die Geschichte hat durch Alice‘ Temperament mehr Tempo und Handlung zugenommen. Aber dann kam das Ende und irgendwie hat es wieder gar nicht gepasst. Zuvor war Alice so zentral geworden und plötzlich wurden ihre Probleme nur am Rande noch schnell abgehandelt und angehakt. Schade irgendwie.
Die Thematik war wohl die Sache, welche ich am meisten an dem Roman geschätzt habe und die mich zugleich total verunsichert hat, wie ich zu „Jeder Tag für dich“ stehe. Der Roman ist sehr erschütternd und die Thematik ist eigentlich gar nichts krass Besonderes, sondern theoretisch alltäglich und traurige Realität. Ich finde es super wichtig, dass die angesprochenen Themen in Büchern behandelt werden, auch wenn es die Bücher sehr ernst wirken lässt. „Jeder Tag für dich“ ist alles andere als ein „Wohlfühlroman“ und genau hier liegt wohl der Knackpunkt, welcher dazu führte, dass ich eher unzufrieden mit dem Leseerlebnis bin.
Auf dem Umschlag prangt ein auffälliger, roter Aufkleber, der das Buch als unvergesslichsten Liebesroman betitelt. Was erwarte ich von einem Liebesroman? Liebe. Ganz einfach. Und Liebe beinhaltet sowohl Leidenschaft, als auch Dramatik, das ist mir natürlich klar. Aber ich ließ mich von dem Begriff „Liebesroman“ total in die Irre führen, denn „Jeder Tag für dich“ ist einfach kein „typischer“ Liebesroman, sondern ein Roman, der sich mit Liebe auseinandersetzt. Und wenn man das Buch liest wird einem klar, dass dazwischen Welten liegen. Ich erwarte von keinem Liebesroman, dass er dem Schema A folgt, das wäre viel zu langweilig. Aber ein Liebesroman sollte für mich bestimmte Erwartungen einfach erfüllen: Figuren, die man kennen- und verstehen lernt, Szenen, die einem das Herz erwärmen, große Gefühle, die zum Greifen nah scheinen, und ja, auch eine gewisse Portion Ernsthaftigkeit und Tiefe. Aus all dem sollte es die richtige Mischung sein, und diese mag für jede Geschichte anders aussehen. Bei „Jeder Tag für dich“ hatte ich jedoch das Gefühl, dass dieses Verhältnis nicht stimmte.
Fazit:
Man muss dem Roman zugutehalten, dass er in vielerlei Hinsicht geschickt und durchdacht wirkt, aber mich konnte das eben nicht vollkommen überzeugen. Falsche Erwartungen mögen dabei eine Rolle spielen, aber auch die alles überlagernde Verwirrung und das unpassende Feeling. Die gelungen gewählte Thematik hat meine Bewertung noch einmal verbessert, aber über 3 Sterne kommt der Roman in meinen Augen einfach nicht hinaus.
February 20, 2022
Wenn ein Roman im Vorfeld hoch gelobt und mit einem Sticker versehen wird, auf dem ein Satz wie "Der unvergesslichste Liebesroman des Jahres" prangt, dann schürt das die Erwartungshaltung an einen Roman ganz enorm.
So war es zumindest bei mir. Ich freute mich auf eine romantische Liebesgeschichte mit Happy End und habe etwas völlig Anderes bekommen, das ich gar nicht so genau benennen kann.
Mary ist kurz über 20 als sie Jim zum ersten Mal begegnet, sich in ihn verliebt und schon nach wenigen Wochen für ihn von Belfast nach London zieht. Sie fühlen sich stark miteinander verbunden sind sich über ihre Zukunft einig und leben "offensichtlich" glücklich und zufrieden vor sich hin. Bis zu dem Tag, an dem Jim einfach verschwindet.
Mary kann es gar nicht fassen und sie kann vor allem auch nicht loslassen, denn die Liebe zu Jim ist stark und die Hoffnung, dass er zu ihr zurückkehrt ist noch stärker. Jeden Abend steht sie am Bahnhof von Ealing und hält ein Schild mit der Aufschrift: "Komm nach Hause, Jim" in den Händen. Sieben Jahre lang.
Als sich an einem Abend eine Unruhe auf dem Bahnhof breitmacht und Mary einen Schrei loslässt, wird nicht nur die junge Journalistin Alice auf Mary aufmerksam, sondern es gibt auch ein Video, welches viral geht.
Alice freundet sich mit Mary an und will mehr über ihre Geschichte erfahren. Doch Mary ist ein sehr verschlossener Mensch, weshalb sich Alice schon bald fest entschlossen auf die Suche nach Jim macht. Nicht nur um Mary zu helfen, sondern auch, weil sie eine gute Geschichte wittert, die vielleicht ihren Job retten könnte...
Und so weiter. Nein ehrlich, diese Zusammenfassung ist nur ein kleiner Einblick, denn die Geschichte hat doch recht viele Wendungen. Erzählt wird sie auf zwei Zeitebenen, nämlich einmal in der Gegenwart und einmal in Rückblenden von dem Moment an, als Mary Jim kennenlernt, bis hin zu seinem Verschwinden.
Dabei baut die Autorin ernste und wichtige Themen ein, die man zunächst noch nicht greifen kann, die später jedoch mehr und mehr Sinn machen, besonders in Bezug auf Jims und auch auf Marys Verhalten.
Eigentlich ein gutes Grundgerüst, doch die Umsetzung war zäh und langatmig, an manchen Stellen zu oberflächlich oder gar zu toxisch für meinen Geschmack. Denn Mary stellt Jim von Anfang an auf einen Sockel, macht sich mehr oder weniger von ihm abhängig, erntet dafür aber Verschlossenheit und Schweigen, wenn Jim sich mal wieder seltsam oder komplett daneben benimmt. Jim war für mich alles andere als ein sympathischer Charakter. Ja, möglich dass er nicht aus seiner Haut kann, denn er hat Probleme über die er nicht sprechen will. Aus eigener Erfahrung weiß ich, dass diese Probleme manchmal abweisendes oder seltsam wirkendes Verhalten erzeugen und sich die Menschen nicht so benehmen, wie sie vielleicht sollten, weil sie nicht mehr rational denken können. Aber Jim ist auch unabhängig davon einfach komplett suspekt.
Trotzdem, Mary hält an ihm fest, schließlich ist er für sie die große Liebe. Auch lange nach seinem Verschwinden, glaubt sie fest daran, dass er eines Tages zu ihr zurückkehren wird.
Genau so wenig, wie ich meine Gefühle dem Roman gegenüber wirklich greifen kann, konnte ich auch die Figuren "fühlen". Sie sind, bis auf Jim, nicht unsymapthisch, aber doch recht blass. Mary ist von Anfang an ein sehr zugeknöpfter Charakter, der eher pragmatisch als stark emotional veranlagt ist und Alice, die ich wirklich sehr mochte, trägt eine eigene Geschichte mit sich herum, die immer wieder aufblitzt, aber nicht tief genug abgehandelt wird.
Ich würde den Roman so im Gesamten eher als Drama betrachten, denn als Liebesgeschichte und vielleicht hat mich gerade dieser Umstand auch so enttäuscht, denn obwohl ich Beides gerne lese, habe ich Letzteres erwartet und Ersteres bekommen und das war irgendwie ernüchternd.
So war es zumindest bei mir. Ich freute mich auf eine romantische Liebesgeschichte mit Happy End und habe etwas völlig Anderes bekommen, das ich gar nicht so genau benennen kann.
Mary ist kurz über 20 als sie Jim zum ersten Mal begegnet, sich in ihn verliebt und schon nach wenigen Wochen für ihn von Belfast nach London zieht. Sie fühlen sich stark miteinander verbunden sind sich über ihre Zukunft einig und leben "offensichtlich" glücklich und zufrieden vor sich hin. Bis zu dem Tag, an dem Jim einfach verschwindet.
Mary kann es gar nicht fassen und sie kann vor allem auch nicht loslassen, denn die Liebe zu Jim ist stark und die Hoffnung, dass er zu ihr zurückkehrt ist noch stärker. Jeden Abend steht sie am Bahnhof von Ealing und hält ein Schild mit der Aufschrift: "Komm nach Hause, Jim" in den Händen. Sieben Jahre lang.
Als sich an einem Abend eine Unruhe auf dem Bahnhof breitmacht und Mary einen Schrei loslässt, wird nicht nur die junge Journalistin Alice auf Mary aufmerksam, sondern es gibt auch ein Video, welches viral geht.
Alice freundet sich mit Mary an und will mehr über ihre Geschichte erfahren. Doch Mary ist ein sehr verschlossener Mensch, weshalb sich Alice schon bald fest entschlossen auf die Suche nach Jim macht. Nicht nur um Mary zu helfen, sondern auch, weil sie eine gute Geschichte wittert, die vielleicht ihren Job retten könnte...
Und so weiter. Nein ehrlich, diese Zusammenfassung ist nur ein kleiner Einblick, denn die Geschichte hat doch recht viele Wendungen. Erzählt wird sie auf zwei Zeitebenen, nämlich einmal in der Gegenwart und einmal in Rückblenden von dem Moment an, als Mary Jim kennenlernt, bis hin zu seinem Verschwinden.
Dabei baut die Autorin ernste und wichtige Themen ein, die man zunächst noch nicht greifen kann, die später jedoch mehr und mehr Sinn machen, besonders in Bezug auf Jims und auch auf Marys Verhalten.
Eigentlich ein gutes Grundgerüst, doch die Umsetzung war zäh und langatmig, an manchen Stellen zu oberflächlich oder gar zu toxisch für meinen Geschmack. Denn Mary stellt Jim von Anfang an auf einen Sockel, macht sich mehr oder weniger von ihm abhängig, erntet dafür aber Verschlossenheit und Schweigen, wenn Jim sich mal wieder seltsam oder komplett daneben benimmt. Jim war für mich alles andere als ein sympathischer Charakter. Ja, möglich dass er nicht aus seiner Haut kann, denn er hat Probleme über die er nicht sprechen will. Aus eigener Erfahrung weiß ich, dass diese Probleme manchmal abweisendes oder seltsam wirkendes Verhalten erzeugen und sich die Menschen nicht so benehmen, wie sie vielleicht sollten, weil sie nicht mehr rational denken können. Aber Jim ist auch unabhängig davon einfach komplett suspekt.
Trotzdem, Mary hält an ihm fest, schließlich ist er für sie die große Liebe. Auch lange nach seinem Verschwinden, glaubt sie fest daran, dass er eines Tages zu ihr zurückkehren wird.
Genau so wenig, wie ich meine Gefühle dem Roman gegenüber wirklich greifen kann, konnte ich auch die Figuren "fühlen". Sie sind, bis auf Jim, nicht unsymapthisch, aber doch recht blass. Mary ist von Anfang an ein sehr zugeknöpfter Charakter, der eher pragmatisch als stark emotional veranlagt ist und Alice, die ich wirklich sehr mochte, trägt eine eigene Geschichte mit sich herum, die immer wieder aufblitzt, aber nicht tief genug abgehandelt wird.
Ich würde den Roman so im Gesamten eher als Drama betrachten, denn als Liebesgeschichte und vielleicht hat mich gerade dieser Umstand auch so enttäuscht, denn obwohl ich Beides gerne lese, habe ich Letzteres erwartet und Ersteres bekommen und das war irgendwie ernüchternd.
July 5, 2021
Przypadkowe spotkanie w hotelu i nagłe połączenie dusz. Miłość pomimo dzielących ich kilometrów i wizja wspólnej przyszłości. A później nagłe zniknięcie. Kartka z napisem „Wróć do domu, Jim" w dłoniach, rutyna i serce, które nieustannie cierpi. Tak maluje się fabuła powieści, jaką obserwujemy na dwóch płaszczyznach czasowych. O czym jednak jest ona naprawdę?
O tym, że czasami miłość to za mało. Że zdrowia psychicznego nie należy bagatelizować, że każdy człowiek zmaga się ze swoimi demonami i że czasami wybieramy samotność, choć mamy obok ludzi, którzy wyciągają do nas dłonie. Że świat nie jest czarno-biały i nie ma w nim jedynie osób winnych czy niewinnych. Abbie Greaves z wrażliwością kreśli portrety kolejnych bohaterów. Ukazuje ich rany, jakie ukrywają, zamiast dać im się goić. Każdy z nich zmaga się z czymś, z czym nikt nie powinien być sam, choć czasami się tego wstydzi czy boi. Samotność, depresja, myśli samobójcze, brak pogodzenia ze stratą... Żyją dalej, próbują funkcjonować, ale wszystko wymyka im się z rąk. Do czasu. Wspólna misja jest motorem do zmian. Nie mają już gdzie uciekać i muszę stawić czoła temu, co dotąd ich dusiło.
Zastanawiam się, jakim przedziwnym sposobem wcześniej nie słyszałam o Abbie. Jej tworzenie zdań, powolne snucie opowieści i staranne kreowanie bohaterów to coś, co ogromnie sobie cenię. Trafiła do mojej wrażliwości i napełniła moje serce tak wieloma uczuciami... Jej nieidealni bohaterowie byli ludźmi z krwi i kości. Były dwa momenty, gdzie tylko uśmiech autorki pomógł w „śledztwie", co można uznać za naiwną drogę na skróty, ale jedynie te dwie krótkie niczym mrugnięcie sceny mogę uznać za minus. Bo cała reszta ogromnie mi się podobała i cieszę się, że powieść ta trafiła do moich rąk. Była piękna.
tłum. Katarzyna Bieńskowska
O tym, że czasami miłość to za mało. Że zdrowia psychicznego nie należy bagatelizować, że każdy człowiek zmaga się ze swoimi demonami i że czasami wybieramy samotność, choć mamy obok ludzi, którzy wyciągają do nas dłonie. Że świat nie jest czarno-biały i nie ma w nim jedynie osób winnych czy niewinnych. Abbie Greaves z wrażliwością kreśli portrety kolejnych bohaterów. Ukazuje ich rany, jakie ukrywają, zamiast dać im się goić. Każdy z nich zmaga się z czymś, z czym nikt nie powinien być sam, choć czasami się tego wstydzi czy boi. Samotność, depresja, myśli samobójcze, brak pogodzenia ze stratą... Żyją dalej, próbują funkcjonować, ale wszystko wymyka im się z rąk. Do czasu. Wspólna misja jest motorem do zmian. Nie mają już gdzie uciekać i muszę stawić czoła temu, co dotąd ich dusiło.
Zastanawiam się, jakim przedziwnym sposobem wcześniej nie słyszałam o Abbie. Jej tworzenie zdań, powolne snucie opowieści i staranne kreowanie bohaterów to coś, co ogromnie sobie cenię. Trafiła do mojej wrażliwości i napełniła moje serce tak wieloma uczuciami... Jej nieidealni bohaterowie byli ludźmi z krwi i kości. Były dwa momenty, gdzie tylko uśmiech autorki pomógł w „śledztwie", co można uznać za naiwną drogę na skróty, ale jedynie te dwie krótkie niczym mrugnięcie sceny mogę uznać za minus. Bo cała reszta ogromnie mi się podobała i cieszę się, że powieść ta trafiła do moich rąk. Była piękna.
tłum. Katarzyna Bieńskowska
April 6, 2021
Mary unable to phantom the disappearance of her husband Jim for the past seven years, stands by the train platform everyday at 6 pm with a sign, “come home, Jim”.
Intrigued and hopeful to find a story to save her job, a young journalist named Alice embarks on a journey of discovery, love and loss as Mary’s story is slowly unraveled in this character driven tale.
Greaves envelops the story around the issues of mental heath, depression, denial, and acceptance front and center in this gripping read.
In a beautifully written dual time line, we see glimpses of Mary and Jim’s love story, and the mystery of Jim’s disappearance.
In a hopeful story that weaves the past and the present, Mary, Jim and Alice’s characters and stories will stay with you for quite some time.
Intrigued and hopeful to find a story to save her job, a young journalist named Alice embarks on a journey of discovery, love and loss as Mary’s story is slowly unraveled in this character driven tale.
Greaves envelops the story around the issues of mental heath, depression, denial, and acceptance front and center in this gripping read.
In a beautifully written dual time line, we see glimpses of Mary and Jim’s love story, and the mystery of Jim’s disappearance.
In a hopeful story that weaves the past and the present, Mary, Jim and Alice’s characters and stories will stay with you for quite some time.
November 7, 2021
This book was loooovely! The synopsis alone drew me in. I mean, a lady standing at a train station for YEARS with a sign that says “Come Home Jim”? It was just asking me to read it. 😝 Who’s Jim? Where did he go? What’s going on??
Luckily we get answers to all these questions throughout the book, as the story flips from Jim and Mary (sign lady)’s relationship, to present day. Mary’s friends become invested in finding Jim and what happened to him and we get to follow along their journey. I don’t want to give anything away, but I liked that this story was not cliche and not what I expected. It’s refreshing! Definitely give this one a read.
Luckily we get answers to all these questions throughout the book, as the story flips from Jim and Mary (sign lady)’s relationship, to present day. Mary’s friends become invested in finding Jim and what happened to him and we get to follow along their journey. I don’t want to give anything away, but I liked that this story was not cliche and not what I expected. It’s refreshing! Definitely give this one a read.
March 30, 2022
Der Klappentext dieses Buches hat mich sehr angesprochen und ich wollte gern wissen, was es mit der Beziehung von Mary und Jim auf sich hat und warum er vor sieben Jahren spurlos verschwunden ist.
Den Schreibstil der Autorin fand ich verständlich und angenehm, allerdings war die Geschichte für meinen Geschmack etwas zu langatmig. Vor allem durch die verschiedenen Zeitebenen und die zwei Erzählperspektiven geriet mein Lesefluss immer wieder ins Stocken, was aber auch daran lag, dass ich die Nebenhandlung um die Journalistin Alice nicht ganz so interessant fand.
Leider konnte ich auch mit der Protagonistin Mary nicht viel anfangen. Sie wird schon auf der ersten Seite als typische Mary Sue beschrieben, die nur darauf wartet, dass ihr Mann zu ihr zurückkommt. Glücklicherweise macht aber auch sie im Verlauf der Geschichte eine Entwicklung durch.
Die Auflösung am Ende war ernüchternd, aber auf ihre Art authentisch.
Das Buch ist ein berührender Roman, der wichtige Themen anspricht, aber man sollte keinen typischen Liebesroman erwarten.
Den Schreibstil der Autorin fand ich verständlich und angenehm, allerdings war die Geschichte für meinen Geschmack etwas zu langatmig. Vor allem durch die verschiedenen Zeitebenen und die zwei Erzählperspektiven geriet mein Lesefluss immer wieder ins Stocken, was aber auch daran lag, dass ich die Nebenhandlung um die Journalistin Alice nicht ganz so interessant fand.
Leider konnte ich auch mit der Protagonistin Mary nicht viel anfangen. Sie wird schon auf der ersten Seite als typische Mary Sue beschrieben, die nur darauf wartet, dass ihr Mann zu ihr zurückkommt. Glücklicherweise macht aber auch sie im Verlauf der Geschichte eine Entwicklung durch.
Die Auflösung am Ende war ernüchternd, aber auf ihre Art authentisch.
Das Buch ist ein berührender Roman, der wichtige Themen anspricht, aber man sollte keinen typischen Liebesroman erwarten.
May 6, 2021
Every day for the past seven years, Mary has spent her evenings at Ealing train station holding up a sign that says "Come Home Jim" waiting desperately for Jim to return. When Alice, a young journalist with her job on the line hears about this and a video of Mary goes viral, she thinks it could be a chance for her to grab a story that will keep her job secure. As the two become acquainted, Alice cannot help but want to help Mary find the answers she so desperately needs. As Alice gets more involved with the investigation, it becomes clear that the two women have something in common.
This book was a good read. I was intrigued from the outset what had happened to Jim and instantly felt for Mary who so desperately hoped for an old love to return. The chapters switching between past and present day really worked in this book and I enjoyed watching Mary and Jim's relationship blossom over the years alongside the present day "investigation" into his disappearance. However, Mary did irritate me and without giving away too much, I just felt pity for her to be honest - I wanted her to realise what she was doing was not healthy and after seven years... it was time to move on!
Sadly Alice was not my favourite character. I found a lot of what she did or things that happened to her to be relatively unconvincing and a bit too convenient. I was also unconvinced by the romance that suddenly appeared out of nowhere after the person in question practically repulsed her a couple of days before.
Whilst yes I did enjoy the premise of the book, I just wish I had connected with the characters a bit more.
The discussion of men's mental health was an important topic of the book and whilst I am pleased it was mentioned, as it is not something I read about regularly, I felt it was not explained enough and I needed a little more, particularly from Jim's perspective as quite frankly I did not like him from the start. I found the relationship pretty toxic to be honest, Mary gave up her whole life to be with Jim and when he went missing, Mary had alienated her friends and family and was left pretty much alone in a place that she had not made her home as her home and life simply was Jim.
Overall a good read and I did enjoy it, but admittedly it was not the epic love story that I was hoping for.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a good read. I was intrigued from the outset what had happened to Jim and instantly felt for Mary who so desperately hoped for an old love to return. The chapters switching between past and present day really worked in this book and I enjoyed watching Mary and Jim's relationship blossom over the years alongside the present day "investigation" into his disappearance. However, Mary did irritate me and without giving away too much, I just felt pity for her to be honest - I wanted her to realise what she was doing was not healthy and after seven years... it was time to move on!
Sadly Alice was not my favourite character. I found a lot of what she did or things that happened to her to be relatively unconvincing and a bit too convenient. I was also unconvinced by the romance that suddenly appeared out of nowhere after the person in question practically repulsed her a couple of days before.
Whilst yes I did enjoy the premise of the book, I just wish I had connected with the characters a bit more.
The discussion of men's mental health was an important topic of the book and whilst I am pleased it was mentioned, as it is not something I read about regularly, I felt it was not explained enough and I needed a little more, particularly from Jim's perspective as quite frankly I did not like him from the start. I found the relationship pretty toxic to be honest, Mary gave up her whole life to be with Jim and when he went missing, Mary had alienated her friends and family and was left pretty much alone in a place that she had not made her home as her home and life simply was Jim.
Overall a good read and I did enjoy it, but admittedly it was not the epic love story that I was hoping for.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2021
This book was unique and different from what we usually read. It was heartfelt, bittersweet and devastating at times.
Mary spent six years with Jim and another seven years waiting for him. At first, the disappearance of Jim was like a mystery. Bit by bit, the story started to reveal what actually happened.
"The unknown isn't always the worst thing in the world."
The author did a great job with the characters. She gave Mary some supportive friends who helped her through the tough times.
Mary spent six years with Jim and another seven years waiting for him. At first, the disappearance of Jim was like a mystery. Bit by bit, the story started to reveal what actually happened.
"The unknown isn't always the worst thing in the world."
The author did a great job with the characters. She gave Mary some supportive friends who helped her through the tough times.
May 17, 2021
This one took me by surprise. Within this insightful romance about wounded people both afraid of and yearning for connection lies a suspenseful, missing-person mystery. I couldn't put it down.
May 27, 2021
Intriguing and strong start, but as the book went on, I didn't feel like the mystery or love story lived up to the build up. So a little underwhelming.
Favorite quote: Comfort never encouraged anyone to spread their wings.
Favorite quote: Comfort never encouraged anyone to spread their wings.
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