Still You

by Claire Allan

When those unforgettable memories slip beyond your reach, you are still you – always you.

When summer arrives to Temple Muse in 1963, the big house Áine Quigley shares with her mother is brought to life with the arrival of her sister Charlotte, home from Italy with her two children and adoring husband.

A free spirit, and fiercely protective of her little sister, Charlotte brings with her a sense of adventure which rubs off on Áine – setting off a chain of events which will frame the rest of their lives.

From the fragrant flowerbeds of their luscious gardens to a sun-soaked terrace in Italy, Áine finds her life moving in a direction she had never thought possible.

But in her older years, when dementia threatens to steal those memories and when, with the help of her carer Georgina, she looks back on all that has passed, will she regret her choices in life or will she realise that everything worked out just as it always should have?

Paperback

First published August 31, 2015

Reviews

[Margaret Madden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgina is starting a new phase of her life. Recently separated from her husband, she is learning to be a single mother and adjusting to being a single woman, instead of one half of a couple. One of her new experiences is becoming a carer to alzheimer's sufferer, Áine Quigley. The elderly lady has begun to deteriorate and her son has finally accepted that she needs help. Georgina and Áine take a while to find their rhythm, but pretty soon they bring out the best in each other. Áine's memories are fleeting and her carer helps her recall them, while all the while remaining cautious of their effects. The women help each other, without even realising it, and their friendship becomes more important than the disease. But are the memories safe to rekindle? Should the past be left forgotten? How much of Áine is still simmering behind the dementia? Georgina feels that Áine is still there, and is ready to support her, no matter what...

This dual-time story flicks from 1960's UK and Italy, back to the present day. Áine and her sister, Charlotte are like chalk and cheese, with one escaping the mundane, pre-planned life while the other stays at home to keep the cogs turning at home. When tragedy strikes, Áine's life takes on new meaning and she sees herself in a very different role. Family attitudes and expectations are forever hovering on the peripheral, yet she aches to be loved for herself.

Back in the present day, Georgina can see chinks of what she imagines is the real Áine, through the steady confusion of dementia. She knows that Áine is a woman of character and has her own distinctive story, but can also see how her past is being gradually eaten away by her disease. She knows that the job of carer has its limitations, and ignores recommended protocol and employment guidelines, instead focusing on befriending her client. Her own life is in limbo, so the two women have something different to offer each other.

Claire Allan has a way of bringing her characters to life, in her own distinctive way. She avoids over-sentimentality and instead focuses on the narrative. There is a warmness within her words and an appreciation of the individuality of her character's stories. Áine is a charming example. While some would see alzheimer's patients with a broad-stroke view of dismissive indifference, the author added depth to the narrative. While some writers portray carers as slaves to martyrdom, this novel shows these workers as regular, everyday men and women who just want to earn a living, while helping others who can't help themselves. Georgina and Áine are an unlikely duo, but they need each other equally. They bring out the best in each other, while dodging days of confusion and despair, yet through it all, hold their dignity as much as possible. The extra characters are there to help balance the overall tale and the split time-frame is great. I did find myself wanting to read more and more about Áine's past and flicked through the book with great gusto. There are elements for those who love a good romance, but for me, this was a story of personality. The one we are born with, carry forward through our teenage years, into our adult lives and which makes us who we are. This is the story of what happens when that personality starts to lose its grip, and becomes muddled up, out of control. Will people remember that you are still you?

An honest, heartfelt read, from one of Ireland's most charming and talented female fiction writers. Ideal for an evening by the fire, candle lit and the doors shut to the cold of winter...

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Georgina is given a new client by her manager at the care agency, she's worried. She has no experience of dealing with dementia patients and this client is related to a rich, well-known business man. Her first visit to Aine doesn't go well, and Georgina's fears are compounded. Aine is confused, upset and clearly thinks that Georgina is her sister, then her mother.

Jonathan, Aine's nephew is not impressed by Georgina, he's determined that she will not be looking after his Aunt and soon complains. However, Aine makes her own decisions and on her next visit Georgina is welcomed with open arms. Jonathan realises that Georgina is here to stay.

Claire Allan has structured Still You very cleverly. The reader meets Aine when she is old and confused. She's in the grip of Alzheimer's. At times she can be frustrated, and frustrating - other times find her lucid and welcoming. From their very shaky start, Aine and Georgina develop a relationship that is wonderfully depicted.

This friendship enables Aine to reflect back on her earlier life. The reader travels with Georgina and Aine back to the early 1960s - to Derry and to Tuscany in Italy, we learn about Aine's life, her family. We learn about huge decisions, about life changing events, we learn about the real Aine - the person left behind when Alzheimer's took her over.

This is also Georgina's story. Newly single, with teenage daughters and facing the future without her childhood love, she's adapting to change and to difficulties. The friendship between these two very different women develops slowly, but has huge benefits for both of them, and Georgina gains more than just a new friend.

Still You is beautiful, touching and very emotional read. It is clear from the writing that Claire Allan writes from experience. Her words ring with authenticity, with passion and with sorrow. Aine is an exquisite lead character; she's one of those characters who worm themselves into your brain, staying there and popping up during the day, she's funny, she's sad, and she's recognisable.

Alzheimer's is a wicked, evil, destructive disease that sadly will affect so many of us. There have been numerous novels lately that feature dementia and its impact on people, on life, on relationships; Claire Allan and Still You can take its place alongside Rowan Coleman's The Memory Book and Lisa Genova's Still Alice with pride.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set between the present day and 1964, Still You tells the story of Aine and her struggle with the onset of dementia. The dual timeline aspect means we get to see the fullness of the character of Aine, her loves and losses before the illness took hold. It also gives a stark insight into how it must feel to be the loved one or a carer for a person suffering with dementia as they slip further and further into their own world. This book has all Claire Allan's trademark warmth and is a great read.

[Kerry Grantham reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this one 5 stars because I rarely read a book where I am so engrossed With the characters, I felt like I knew them and was right there in the story

[Margaret Mary Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this but have some reservations. Firstly I think Lorcan, who was supposed to love Aine was very unfeeling when he went to give her the tragic news of her sister's death. I would have expected he would have made a better attempt at comforting her and being there to support her in the following weeks instead of withdrawing from the family and putting pressure on her to decide between him & her niece & nephew. Then I think Charlotte's husband, even if he felt unable to cope with caring for his children would have wanted to be near them & I also felt he & Aine were a bit quick in finding comfort in each-other. It would not have been unusual in the 1950's & 60's in Ireland for a widower to marry his dead wife's sister to help care for his children so I feel the only obstacle in the way of their love would be the speed at which they declared their love.
There were also a few incidences of missing words in the text which I think should have been spotted in editing.
Otherwise I enjoyed the book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't usually the type of book I go for and I honestly couldn't tell you where I got it from! I think the dementia angle drew me in, as I have experience of that (my grandad had it) and I know how utterly heartbreaking it is for the person living with it as well as the family. I feel like Claire dealt with the subject compassionately and emotionally. It took me right back to being with my grandad and him not knowing who I was or asking when his mum was coming home even though she'd long since passed away. You don't fully understand it until you've lived it, and Claire gives an enlightening look into it. Highly emotive read.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a touching novel set in both the 1960's and the current day, telling the story of Ainé who is currently sinking into Alzheimer's. It also includes the story of her caregiver, who has been deserted by her husband and finds a new meaning to her life learning to help Ainé. There are a couple of sweet romances encompassing both story lines. I have been enjoying this author's novels which are set in Ireland, but are not simply the same story with different characters, which sometimes happens with prolific writers. 3.5 stars.

[Dimyana Gøcheva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those kinds of books are not usually my cup of tea but there was a thing in the book that I really enjoyed. It's interesting how the two stories are connected - one in the past and the other in the present. And the fact that the climaxes to both stories were at the same time was highly intriguing and emotional. The book also has a nice message and it is certainly more that just romantic.

[Twobchelm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of sacrifice, deep devotion and true love. The awful disease of Alzheimer’s slowly is taking Aine’s mind while she tries to hold on to the life and people she loved.

[Salma · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When those unforgettable memories slip beyond your reach, you are still you—always you."

Still You doesn’t clamour for attention. It wanders in quietly, sidles up to your heart, and lands an emotional blow so deftly timed you nearly spill your tea. Set in 1963 Ireland, it follows Áine Quigley, a woman whose precisely folded life begins to unravel with the dramatic return of her sister Charlotte: equal parts charm, chaos, and unapologetic Italian glam.

Charlotte should be unbearable. She’s the sort who probably leaves a trail of misplaced earrings and emotional upheaval in her wake. But instead of a lazy stereotype, she’s rendered with just enough tenderness to be infuriatingly compelling. Áine, by contrast, is all buttoned-up restraint, quietly seething and heartbreakingly repressed. You want to shake her, then hug her. Her emotional journey is slow, messy, and, crucially, believable.

The dual timeline: Áine in the ‘60s, then later in life facing dementia, is delicately handled. No melodrama, no cheap sentiment. Georgina, her carer, provides gentle ballast, though the repeated “meaningful walks in the garden” start to feel a bit much. Not every moment of reflection needs hydrangeas.

What elevates this is the prose: clean, evocative, never showy. The Italian sequences are especially rich, sun-drenched and wistful, with just the right amount of ruin.

Still You isn’t groundbreaking, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s intimate, well-crafted, and full of prickly, genuine feeling. Like a long, complicated letter from someone you once loved, and maybe still do.

[Annemariemcbrearty · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the end of the book Claire says you don't understand dementia until it comes to your door this is so true. I have no experience with dementia for which I am thankful. This book is very touching and gives readers the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what it's like living with this dreadful disease. I like the angle she took looking at it from a carers point of view to start with. It was sensitively handled and a tear jerker. Another fabulous read from this wonderful author.

[Joan Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read

This was an excellent book. I couldn't put it down but I didn't want it to end. A true love story and a close look at a dreadful disease. Have read all of Claire's books and am looking forward to the next one.

[Brenda Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Claire Allan's books just keep getting better!