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The Image of Her
From the author of Blackberry & Wild Rose comes an extraordinary story of two women who never meet and yet share the closest possible bond.STELLA and CONNIE are strangers, brought together by two traumatic events - cruel twists of fate that happen thousands of miles apart.Stella lives with her mother, a smothering narcissist. When she succumbs to dementia, the pressures on Stella's world intensify, culminating in tragedy. As Stella recovers from a near fatal accident, she feels compelled to share her trauma but she finds talking difficult. In her head she confides in Connie because there's no human being in the world that she feels closer to.Connie is an expat living in Dubai with her partner, Mark, and their two children. On the face of it she wants for nothing and yet ... something about life in this glittering city does not sit well with her. Used to working full time in a career she loves back in England, she struggles to find meaning in the expat life of play-dates and pedicures.Two women set on a collision course. When they finally link up, it will not be in a way that you, or I, or anyone would ever have expected.
420 pages, Paperback
First published July 22, 2021
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July 21, 2021
Two women who have never met, one in Dubai, one in the UK, divided by place but their lives do have parallels and they connect together in the most astonishing of ways. In the UK we have Stella who has lived with her mother for most of her life and struggles to care for her when she is diagnosed with dementia and then is housebound due to a tragedy. In Dubai we have Connie, married to Mark and who has two children and is struggling with the ex-pat life.
This is such a good book, in fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s impressive. It’s extremely well written, it’s clever and a compelling read that is very hard to put down as you want to find out what connects them as you become invested in their lives. I do guess about half way through which does not in any way detract but also because there are still plenty of surprises to come. Stella’s sections are fantastic, she’s in a form of dialogue with Connie and she breaks your heart in so many ways but the root of her issues can be laid firmly at the feet of her narcissistic and controlling mother. She really is something else and you see all of Stella’s ambitions and wishes fall away, you feel her emotions and understand why she has so little self esteem. She becomes trapped in her mothers house and at one point her only contact is a delivery man, her isolation and loneliness are palpable. This contrasts sharply with Connie’s Dubai existence where she seems to want for nothing until you appreciate that her life also feels empty, although she loves her children, motherhood isn’t sustaining her. The relationships in the book are sharply and keenly observed from the toxic one with Stella and her mum to the strains within Connie’s family. All the characterisation is good and all are easy to visualise. There is one appalling element in the Dubai storyline that should raise everyone’s social conscience and you applaud Connie for her help. It is with a sense of impending doom that you read on, there are some jaw dropping shocks, multiple twists that arise organically through the alternate perspectives as you get to the truth. I like the way the novel ends, it feels right.
Overall, this is a thought provoking book that takes a broader stance than just the two women. Through their lives we look at the difficulties of being a carer, it raises social issues, there is tragedy in both lives which make you feel a range of emotions. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This is such a good book, in fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s impressive. It’s extremely well written, it’s clever and a compelling read that is very hard to put down as you want to find out what connects them as you become invested in their lives. I do guess about half way through which does not in any way detract but also because there are still plenty of surprises to come. Stella’s sections are fantastic, she’s in a form of dialogue with Connie and she breaks your heart in so many ways but the root of her issues can be laid firmly at the feet of her narcissistic and controlling mother. She really is something else and you see all of Stella’s ambitions and wishes fall away, you feel her emotions and understand why she has so little self esteem. She becomes trapped in her mothers house and at one point her only contact is a delivery man, her isolation and loneliness are palpable. This contrasts sharply with Connie’s Dubai existence where she seems to want for nothing until you appreciate that her life also feels empty, although she loves her children, motherhood isn’t sustaining her. The relationships in the book are sharply and keenly observed from the toxic one with Stella and her mum to the strains within Connie’s family. All the characterisation is good and all are easy to visualise. There is one appalling element in the Dubai storyline that should raise everyone’s social conscience and you applaud Connie for her help. It is with a sense of impending doom that you read on, there are some jaw dropping shocks, multiple twists that arise organically through the alternate perspectives as you get to the truth. I like the way the novel ends, it feels right.
Overall, this is a thought provoking book that takes a broader stance than just the two women. Through their lives we look at the difficulties of being a carer, it raises social issues, there is tragedy in both lives which make you feel a range of emotions. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
October 2, 2021
Sonia Velton is the author of the very successful and well loved historical fiction novel, “Blackberry and Wild Rose”. Being the exceptional writer she is, her new novel “THE IMAGE OF HER” a literary crime mystery, about two women whose lives collide in the most extraordinary and unique way, was always going to be a winner and it didn’t disappoint.
— Stella and Connie are strangers, brought together by two traumatic events - cruel twists of fate that happen thousands of miles apart.
Stella lives with her mother, a smothering narcissist. When she succumbs to dementia, the pressures on Stella's world intensify, culminating in tragedy.
Connie is an expat living in Dubai with her husband Mark and their two children and is struggling to find meaning in the expat life of play-dates and pedicures. Both women are set on a collision course, which when they finally link up, will not be in a way that anyone would ever have expected —
I loved the layout - intermittent chapters between Stella narrating her story in the build up to the astonishing reveal of how the women connect. And Connie’s new life in Dubai, her doubts of her husband’s fidelity and the troubles of the local Filipina housemaids and their ambiguous treatment by their employers. Stella’s emotional narrative was heartbreaking at times, her thoughts and emotions regarding her mother’s dementia and her loneliness both before and after her life changing trauma was thought provoking for sure. Connie’s involvement in the plight of migrant workers in the Middle East was both balanced and exceedingly well researched and I can see that the author has drawn on her own experiences of living in Dubai too.
The main topic and theme was one I could never have guessed at and Sonia Velton did a FANTASTIC job of keeping the revealing connection hidden. I devoured and savoured this book in equal measures and is an author that will definitely be top of my reading list in the future.
Wholly original, beautifully written and compelling characters in a story that weaves many themes and emotions…….stunningly brilliant!
#TheImageOfHer - 5 stars
— Stella and Connie are strangers, brought together by two traumatic events - cruel twists of fate that happen thousands of miles apart.
Stella lives with her mother, a smothering narcissist. When she succumbs to dementia, the pressures on Stella's world intensify, culminating in tragedy.
Connie is an expat living in Dubai with her husband Mark and their two children and is struggling to find meaning in the expat life of play-dates and pedicures. Both women are set on a collision course, which when they finally link up, will not be in a way that anyone would ever have expected —
I loved the layout - intermittent chapters between Stella narrating her story in the build up to the astonishing reveal of how the women connect. And Connie’s new life in Dubai, her doubts of her husband’s fidelity and the troubles of the local Filipina housemaids and their ambiguous treatment by their employers. Stella’s emotional narrative was heartbreaking at times, her thoughts and emotions regarding her mother’s dementia and her loneliness both before and after her life changing trauma was thought provoking for sure. Connie’s involvement in the plight of migrant workers in the Middle East was both balanced and exceedingly well researched and I can see that the author has drawn on her own experiences of living in Dubai too.
The main topic and theme was one I could never have guessed at and Sonia Velton did a FANTASTIC job of keeping the revealing connection hidden. I devoured and savoured this book in equal measures and is an author that will definitely be top of my reading list in the future.
Wholly original, beautifully written and compelling characters in a story that weaves many themes and emotions…….stunningly brilliant!
#TheImageOfHer - 5 stars
August 20, 2021
I am seriously struggling to know how to explain my feelings about this book, and do it justice. It deserves every award going.
The words currently going round my head are: mesmerising, stunning, breathtaking, heart-breaking, heart warming, spell-binding.
I have absolutely devoured this, thinking about it constantly even when not reading, getting ready for work early just so I can go back to Stella and Connie's lives.
This was a few genres seamlessly blended together- mainly literary fiction (the beautiful writing literally speaks for itself) but it was thrilling too, and I couldn't put the book down (even though I didn't want it to end).
The characters were wonderful, intriguing and fascinating, and when Stella and Connie's connection is finally explained, I gasped. Their lives were so real, their struggles and pain so well crafted I felt their every emotion too.
Honestly, this book will stay with me for a seriously long time and I am now Velton's biggest fan. A definite contender for my top reads of 2021.
Utterly spectacular.
The words currently going round my head are: mesmerising, stunning, breathtaking, heart-breaking, heart warming, spell-binding.
I have absolutely devoured this, thinking about it constantly even when not reading, getting ready for work early just so I can go back to Stella and Connie's lives.
This was a few genres seamlessly blended together- mainly literary fiction (the beautiful writing literally speaks for itself) but it was thrilling too, and I couldn't put the book down (even though I didn't want it to end).
The characters were wonderful, intriguing and fascinating, and when Stella and Connie's connection is finally explained, I gasped. Their lives were so real, their struggles and pain so well crafted I felt their every emotion too.
Honestly, this book will stay with me for a seriously long time and I am now Velton's biggest fan. A definite contender for my top reads of 2021.
Utterly spectacular.
July 23, 2021
The Image of Her is a contemporary upmarket domestic thriller rich in fast-paced drama and atmosphere. It tells the tale of two very different women who live thousands of miles apart but whose relationship transcend the continents and the rolling seas between them. The book's plot follows two strangers, 39-year-old Stella and Connie, who have been brought together by two traumatic events linking them forever. One is a woman living in suburban England and the other an ex-pat mother-of-two in Dubai, and their stories intertwine despite their many differences. Stella opens each chapter by speaking to Connie about her life and what has brought her to a place where her only contact with the outside world is the daily drop-off from her delivery driver, Evgeni. She is reluctant to open the door and confides in Connie about her mother’s struggle with dementia and how caring for her has taken a terrible toll on her own life due to the torrent of abuse she faces from her. The toxicity wheedled its way into their relationship a while ago and it is now right at home.
Stella perceives Connie’s life as charmed (observing it through social media alone), but behind the beaches and brunches, Connie is being drawn into a much darker side of Dubai. Connie is living in Dubai with her husband and young family but is struggling with what her role now is in a country where housemaids are the norm and women tend not to work. She becomes embroiled in helping a Filipino maid in trouble as a distraction from her marriage which seems to be slowly falling apart. This is a compelling and deeply suspenseful thriller with a subtlety and nuance to it and at its heart is a complex, and thought-provoking, connection between two female protagonists who are both somewhat lost and disillusioned at this stage of their lives. The dual narrative unravels slowly but surely bringing the destiny of the women closer together before it entwines and it's clever, convincing and full of surprises. The narrative evokes sympathy for the characters and reminds us that you can never really know what is going on behind closed doors. Highly recommended.
Stella perceives Connie’s life as charmed (observing it through social media alone), but behind the beaches and brunches, Connie is being drawn into a much darker side of Dubai. Connie is living in Dubai with her husband and young family but is struggling with what her role now is in a country where housemaids are the norm and women tend not to work. She becomes embroiled in helping a Filipino maid in trouble as a distraction from her marriage which seems to be slowly falling apart. This is a compelling and deeply suspenseful thriller with a subtlety and nuance to it and at its heart is a complex, and thought-provoking, connection between two female protagonists who are both somewhat lost and disillusioned at this stage of their lives. The dual narrative unravels slowly but surely bringing the destiny of the women closer together before it entwines and it's clever, convincing and full of surprises. The narrative evokes sympathy for the characters and reminds us that you can never really know what is going on behind closed doors. Highly recommended.
July 6, 2021
I absolutely devoured this beautiful, emotionally charged novel featuring two women who may have never met yet have the most extraordinary bond, an unbreakable link that defines a life.
Stella is shut down, traumatised and attempting to come to terms with her life in the aftermath of a life changing experience. Connie lives overseas, her family now the centre of her world, a world where the cracks are beginning to show.
This is so beautifully crafted, Stella and Connie so completely real and their lives so engaging, that you fall into this story and end up feeling like you have held your breath throughout. Sonia Velton has written a wonderful, incredibly resonant story that I guarantee will stay with you forever, especially as it becomes clear in the telling, exactly what it is that links these two characters to each other.
Straight onto my books of the year list. Highly Recommended.
Stella is shut down, traumatised and attempting to come to terms with her life in the aftermath of a life changing experience. Connie lives overseas, her family now the centre of her world, a world where the cracks are beginning to show.
This is so beautifully crafted, Stella and Connie so completely real and their lives so engaging, that you fall into this story and end up feeling like you have held your breath throughout. Sonia Velton has written a wonderful, incredibly resonant story that I guarantee will stay with you forever, especially as it becomes clear in the telling, exactly what it is that links these two characters to each other.
Straight onto my books of the year list. Highly Recommended.
July 21, 2021
The Image of Her is a stunning book that hooks you in from beginning to end.
The writing style is beautiful, the plot is engaging (the themes treated are incredibly interesting) and the characters are so real you almost feel what they're feeling.
I could guess how Stella and Connie were connected quite early in the book (there were a couple of hints that gave it out for me), but it didn't take away the enjoyment of going on reading at all, on the contrary, it made me want to know more and more about their stories.
I can't talk about this book without giving away too much about the plot and risking spoiling it, but this was definitely a great read, highly recommended!
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style is beautiful, the plot is engaging (the themes treated are incredibly interesting) and the characters are so real you almost feel what they're feeling.
I could guess how Stella and Connie were connected quite early in the book (there were a couple of hints that gave it out for me), but it didn't take away the enjoyment of going on reading at all, on the contrary, it made me want to know more and more about their stories.
I can't talk about this book without giving away too much about the plot and risking spoiling it, but this was definitely a great read, highly recommended!
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2021
Velton’s multilayered follow-up to her historical fiction debut is a sophisticated thriller that charts the lives of two disparate women, separated by thousands of miles and circumstances, and the collision course that unites their destinies. Whilst the setting is firmly contemporary and the subject matter intrepid, the real triumph is the exquisite characterisation and the compelling journeys of both women ahead of impending tragedy that generates remarkable tension, regardless of whether the reveal is known in advance.
Stella is the only daughter of a narcissistic, manipulative mother and at thirty-nine finds herself socially isolated and increasingly ground down by life as a full-time carer to a dementia sufferer who has spent a lifetime belittling her. With her mother now dead Stella spends her days reframing her memories of their fraught relationship and reflecting on how it has coloured her perspective. Stella’s narrative is underpinned by the failings of human memory and the realisation that her memories are not quite as crystal clear as she once believed, thus enabling her to unpick the lies and acknowledge the toxic influence of her mother. Recovering in the wake of a harrowing accident there is only one woman whom Stella feels close enough to share her experiences with, a woman she knows through the lens of social media alone.
Married mother of two, Connie James, has uprooted her children and left behind a career to accompany her structural engineer husband, Mark, to Dubai with a job opportunity. Life on a compound of homes occupied by expats, practically all with migrant domestic workers, isn’t quite the culturally enriching experience that socially conscious Connie had hoped for, and the realities of full-time motherhood leave her unfulfilled. Conceding to Mark’s wish to hire a live-in housemaid gives Connie time to job hunt and furthermore an insight into the exploitation of the hired help that she struggles to ignore, much to Mark’s chagrin. As their marriage begins to crumble, not helped by visits from her passive-aggressive in-laws, flashbacks follow Connie’s refusal to turn a blind eye in the face of the inequity that surrounds her and so begins a relentless slide with harrowing consequences.
Stella’s first person narrative is extraordinarily emotive as she processes how her mother has impacted her life and is juxtaposed with the third person perspective of Connie as she finds herself disillusioned by the aimless expat life, at loggerheads with Mark and infuriated by the casual attitude to the exploitation around her. Whilst their circumstances might be poles apart Stella and Connie are each becoming progressively more isolated from the support they so desperately need. Both women are deftly drawn with compassion and subtlety and Velton excels at allowing her characters to tell their own stories, thus giving her readers an unparalleled insight into the issues they are facing. Velton is clear-eyed on the double-edged sword of expat life and refreshingly honest on the actuality of full-time motherhood. This change of genre makes apparent Velton’s versatility and talent but also her capacity to deliver a thought-provoking novel with meaningful social commentary. Woven throughout both narratives are themes of identity and self, as the novel touches on everything from motherhood, one’s self-worth to the image we present to the world. A tremendous novel and a huge achievement.
Stella is the only daughter of a narcissistic, manipulative mother and at thirty-nine finds herself socially isolated and increasingly ground down by life as a full-time carer to a dementia sufferer who has spent a lifetime belittling her. With her mother now dead Stella spends her days reframing her memories of their fraught relationship and reflecting on how it has coloured her perspective. Stella’s narrative is underpinned by the failings of human memory and the realisation that her memories are not quite as crystal clear as she once believed, thus enabling her to unpick the lies and acknowledge the toxic influence of her mother. Recovering in the wake of a harrowing accident there is only one woman whom Stella feels close enough to share her experiences with, a woman she knows through the lens of social media alone.
Married mother of two, Connie James, has uprooted her children and left behind a career to accompany her structural engineer husband, Mark, to Dubai with a job opportunity. Life on a compound of homes occupied by expats, practically all with migrant domestic workers, isn’t quite the culturally enriching experience that socially conscious Connie had hoped for, and the realities of full-time motherhood leave her unfulfilled. Conceding to Mark’s wish to hire a live-in housemaid gives Connie time to job hunt and furthermore an insight into the exploitation of the hired help that she struggles to ignore, much to Mark’s chagrin. As their marriage begins to crumble, not helped by visits from her passive-aggressive in-laws, flashbacks follow Connie’s refusal to turn a blind eye in the face of the inequity that surrounds her and so begins a relentless slide with harrowing consequences.
Stella’s first person narrative is extraordinarily emotive as she processes how her mother has impacted her life and is juxtaposed with the third person perspective of Connie as she finds herself disillusioned by the aimless expat life, at loggerheads with Mark and infuriated by the casual attitude to the exploitation around her. Whilst their circumstances might be poles apart Stella and Connie are each becoming progressively more isolated from the support they so desperately need. Both women are deftly drawn with compassion and subtlety and Velton excels at allowing her characters to tell their own stories, thus giving her readers an unparalleled insight into the issues they are facing. Velton is clear-eyed on the double-edged sword of expat life and refreshingly honest on the actuality of full-time motherhood. This change of genre makes apparent Velton’s versatility and talent but also her capacity to deliver a thought-provoking novel with meaningful social commentary. Woven throughout both narratives are themes of identity and self, as the novel touches on everything from motherhood, one’s self-worth to the image we present to the world. A tremendous novel and a huge achievement.
October 27, 2021
A huge thank you to Charlene Davids from Jonathan Ball Publishing for sending me a review copy of this incredible book. I fell in love with the cover of this book when I opened my book mail. The frangipani’s brought back pleasant memories of my time living on the Natal coast.
I was unsure what to expect from this book, but as I started reading I fell in love with these two remarkable women. The author tells a deeply moving story about two women, living separate lives in different countries, yet she manages to draw them together in the most unexpected way. This book overflows with emotion and leaves you feeling enriched with an awareness of two very different topics.
This was my first encounter with Sonia Velton and I need to say she has stolen my heart. The Image of Her is a remarkable piece of fiction told in an easy to read and easy to follow fashion while leaving you with a sense of awareness and a deeper meaning. I love when fiction manages to create awareness while telling an enjoyable story. The author managed to highlight the abuse of domestic workers without leaving you feeling drained.
Two women, living in different countries and who will never meet share a bond unlike any other. Stella is eager to learn more about Connie, while also afraid of what she might learn. Connie is completely unaware of Stella’s existence or how she will end up changing Stella life.
This heartwarming saga tells the story of two women who will never meet, but who are joined together forever.
I simply fell in love with these women. While this book falls a little out of my normal genre of choice, it was a refreshing, moving story that will stay with me. This is a book I will pass on to the women in my life. It is beautifully written and kept me up at night. I could not get enough. Another Five-star read which I cannot recommend highly enough.
Stella is a troubled young woman, she has never managed to measure up to her mother’s expectations no matter how hard she has tried, and now her mother suffers from dementia and it’s up t Stella to look after her. No matter how much she loves her mother, it is not an easy task. Looking at the memories of her life, she finds how easily memories can be manipulated and how what we choose to remember is not always a true reflection of events.
Connie is living in Dubai with her husband and two young children. She gave up her career when Mark moved the family to Dubai, and she is struggling to adjust to this new life of school runs and playdates. Life should be good for her, but this isn’t who she wanted to be. And to add to the injustice, she is suspecting that Mark is unfaithful. Feeling trapped in a foreign country she is eager to find happiness and a way to be the woman she chooses to be.
Both these women simply crawl into your heart as you flip the pages of this book and explore their lives. Be warned, you are not going to be able to drag yourself away until you read the very last page. The Image of Her has sailed onto my top ten list for 2021 with ease. I cannot wait for someone I know to read this book so we can sit and chat about it. I absolutely loved every second I spent reading this one. (I have already sent a picture of this cover to my favourite book buddy suggesting she checks this one out.)
Ladies, this book is for you. It is a moving story with meaning. This curiously gripping tale will have you glued to the pages from start to finish. It’s a light read that will leave you feeling enlightened at the end. Go ahead, add this to your TBR, I do not doubt you will love it as much as I have.
I was unsure what to expect from this book, but as I started reading I fell in love with these two remarkable women. The author tells a deeply moving story about two women, living separate lives in different countries, yet she manages to draw them together in the most unexpected way. This book overflows with emotion and leaves you feeling enriched with an awareness of two very different topics.
This was my first encounter with Sonia Velton and I need to say she has stolen my heart. The Image of Her is a remarkable piece of fiction told in an easy to read and easy to follow fashion while leaving you with a sense of awareness and a deeper meaning. I love when fiction manages to create awareness while telling an enjoyable story. The author managed to highlight the abuse of domestic workers without leaving you feeling drained.
Two women, living in different countries and who will never meet share a bond unlike any other. Stella is eager to learn more about Connie, while also afraid of what she might learn. Connie is completely unaware of Stella’s existence or how she will end up changing Stella life.
This heartwarming saga tells the story of two women who will never meet, but who are joined together forever.
I simply fell in love with these women. While this book falls a little out of my normal genre of choice, it was a refreshing, moving story that will stay with me. This is a book I will pass on to the women in my life. It is beautifully written and kept me up at night. I could not get enough. Another Five-star read which I cannot recommend highly enough.
Stella is a troubled young woman, she has never managed to measure up to her mother’s expectations no matter how hard she has tried, and now her mother suffers from dementia and it’s up t Stella to look after her. No matter how much she loves her mother, it is not an easy task. Looking at the memories of her life, she finds how easily memories can be manipulated and how what we choose to remember is not always a true reflection of events.
Connie is living in Dubai with her husband and two young children. She gave up her career when Mark moved the family to Dubai, and she is struggling to adjust to this new life of school runs and playdates. Life should be good for her, but this isn’t who she wanted to be. And to add to the injustice, she is suspecting that Mark is unfaithful. Feeling trapped in a foreign country she is eager to find happiness and a way to be the woman she chooses to be.
Both these women simply crawl into your heart as you flip the pages of this book and explore their lives. Be warned, you are not going to be able to drag yourself away until you read the very last page. The Image of Her has sailed onto my top ten list for 2021 with ease. I cannot wait for someone I know to read this book so we can sit and chat about it. I absolutely loved every second I spent reading this one. (I have already sent a picture of this cover to my favourite book buddy suggesting she checks this one out.)
Ladies, this book is for you. It is a moving story with meaning. This curiously gripping tale will have you glued to the pages from start to finish. It’s a light read that will leave you feeling enlightened at the end. Go ahead, add this to your TBR, I do not doubt you will love it as much as I have.
May 25, 2021
Two women, worlds apart, share a connection that doesn't become clear until the very end of this unusual novel. We get to know Stella, homebound in the UK, constantly in conversation with Connie, a housewife in Dubai, who has no Stella in her social circle. What's going on here?
Meanwhile the story shares plenty of background information about the lives of these women, each heartfelt in its own way. Both are carers, both are pretty much on their own in dealing with life's daily struggles. In the end they come together in the most amazing way.
The Image of Her held me tight, impressed me deeply and gave me a lot of food for thought.
Thank you Netgalley and Quercus Books for the ARC.
Meanwhile the story shares plenty of background information about the lives of these women, each heartfelt in its own way. Both are carers, both are pretty much on their own in dealing with life's daily struggles. In the end they come together in the most amazing way.
The Image of Her held me tight, impressed me deeply and gave me a lot of food for thought.
Thank you Netgalley and Quercus Books for the ARC.
July 31, 2021
This is probably one of my favourite books of 2021!
Stella and Connie two women with completely different lives who are brought together through tragedy. Stella has lived for her mother her entire life. She is smothered by her mother and although an adult she doesn't seem to have a life outside of her mother. Connie is a wife and mother of two. Her life on the outside appears perfect but in reality she's unhappy and lonely. So how do these womens lives cross paths?
There is just so much to say about this book, that I'm trying to find the words without spoiling the plot. Each woman is a unique and interesting character.
Now Stella is obsessed it seems with Connie the reason for why is unclear. So we as the reader are in a weird spot, we know that we are further ahead in Stella's story than Connie's so whilst reading the prose, I found myself desperately trying to get the answers. Stella is an amazing character, she's strange, she has a shopping addiction and returns everything but due to clear agoraphobia she gets deliveries. The intensity if her imagined friendship with the dpd driver is fascinating. It made me wonder how often I see the same faces at my front door and yet know none of their names. As Stella has the opposite problem. The delivery driver was almost a man character. I loved reading her chapters.
We also get to read about her relationship with her mother how she is where she is now and the role her mother played in this. If anything Stella's story is pretty heart breaking but it shines a great light on mental illness.
Connie and her family are living it large in Dubai. Gosh the amount I learnt about customs and traditions was insightful. Connie's story seems to centre around her house maid and her moral obligation to help everyone. She's pretty bad ass and sitting on the side lines just isn't her style! He husband is an idiot so she's pretty lonely out there, she wants to return home.
The storyline with the migrant workers is extremely important to Connie's storyline and it adds depth to a character who could appear pretty shallow otherwise.
So how do these two women collide? You will have to read the book and you will find out b
It's truly a work of art this book. If you pick this up looking for a heavy thriller filled book this isn't for you this truly is a psychological thriller
In conclusion as to not give any spoils away I suggest you read it yourself. 5 star review
.
Thanks to netgalley the author and the publishers for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinions
Stella and Connie two women with completely different lives who are brought together through tragedy. Stella has lived for her mother her entire life. She is smothered by her mother and although an adult she doesn't seem to have a life outside of her mother. Connie is a wife and mother of two. Her life on the outside appears perfect but in reality she's unhappy and lonely. So how do these womens lives cross paths?
There is just so much to say about this book, that I'm trying to find the words without spoiling the plot. Each woman is a unique and interesting character.
Now Stella is obsessed it seems with Connie the reason for why is unclear. So we as the reader are in a weird spot, we know that we are further ahead in Stella's story than Connie's so whilst reading the prose, I found myself desperately trying to get the answers. Stella is an amazing character, she's strange, she has a shopping addiction and returns everything but due to clear agoraphobia she gets deliveries. The intensity if her imagined friendship with the dpd driver is fascinating. It made me wonder how often I see the same faces at my front door and yet know none of their names. As Stella has the opposite problem. The delivery driver was almost a man character. I loved reading her chapters.
We also get to read about her relationship with her mother how she is where she is now and the role her mother played in this. If anything Stella's story is pretty heart breaking but it shines a great light on mental illness.
Connie and her family are living it large in Dubai. Gosh the amount I learnt about customs and traditions was insightful. Connie's story seems to centre around her house maid and her moral obligation to help everyone. She's pretty bad ass and sitting on the side lines just isn't her style! He husband is an idiot so she's pretty lonely out there, she wants to return home.
The storyline with the migrant workers is extremely important to Connie's storyline and it adds depth to a character who could appear pretty shallow otherwise.
So how do these two women collide? You will have to read the book and you will find out b
It's truly a work of art this book. If you pick this up looking for a heavy thriller filled book this isn't for you this truly is a psychological thriller
In conclusion as to not give any spoils away I suggest you read it yourself. 5 star review
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Thanks to netgalley the author and the publishers for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinions
June 21, 2021
I had read and enjoyed Blackberry & Wild Rose, Sonia Velton's debut so I thought I'd give this a go when I was given the opportunity. It's a very different story, not least because it's contemporary and not historical fiction, as the last one was..
Connie and Stella are two strangers that have brought together after two traumatic events. Stella is a recluse, living alone after her mother's death. Her mother was a narcissist, unable to give Stella the love she needed, but also unable to let her go, which leads to a tragedy.
Connie is living in Dubai with her husband and two children, but cracks are beginning to appear in their marriage; it's great for his career, but she is deeply troubled by some aspects of their lifestyle such as employing a maid. He said is Philippino and one of her friends is working in a situation that is troubling Connie so she sets out to try to help, despite her fellow ex-pats telling her she shouldn't get involved.
The twist which binds these two women together becomes clear before the halfway mark, but that in no way takes away from the mystery, we still need the details, and how did this thing come about? This leads to a very compelling narrative and two well defined characters who I cared about and needed to find out their full stories. Throughout the novel, I kept thinking I was about to get answers, only for it to take another turn. Not the sort of novel I would usually read, but I'm very glad I took a chance on this one.I
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion*
Connie and Stella are two strangers that have brought together after two traumatic events. Stella is a recluse, living alone after her mother's death. Her mother was a narcissist, unable to give Stella the love she needed, but also unable to let her go, which leads to a tragedy.
Connie is living in Dubai with her husband and two children, but cracks are beginning to appear in their marriage; it's great for his career, but she is deeply troubled by some aspects of their lifestyle such as employing a maid. He said is Philippino and one of her friends is working in a situation that is troubling Connie so she sets out to try to help, despite her fellow ex-pats telling her she shouldn't get involved.
The twist which binds these two women together becomes clear before the halfway mark, but that in no way takes away from the mystery, we still need the details, and how did this thing come about? This leads to a very compelling narrative and two well defined characters who I cared about and needed to find out their full stories. Throughout the novel, I kept thinking I was about to get answers, only for it to take another turn. Not the sort of novel I would usually read, but I'm very glad I took a chance on this one.I
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion*
October 1, 2021
This was a great read! I loved learning about the lives of Connie and Stella, and how their very different lives actually brought them together.
It was also fascinating to learn about the plight of domestic workers in the Middle East, as this was a topic I knew nothing about.
I felt a great deal of empathy towards Stella, her isolation due to her accident and having to be a carer to her mother who suffered from dementia was a tough read.
Overall this novel was suspenseful, intriguing and left me wanting more.
4 stars.
Thankyou to NetGalley for allowing me to receive an advanced copy of this novel.
It was also fascinating to learn about the plight of domestic workers in the Middle East, as this was a topic I knew nothing about.
I felt a great deal of empathy towards Stella, her isolation due to her accident and having to be a carer to her mother who suffered from dementia was a tough read.
Overall this novel was suspenseful, intriguing and left me wanting more.
4 stars.
Thankyou to NetGalley for allowing me to receive an advanced copy of this novel.
July 1, 2021
If you're after a book with a twisty plot that leaves you breathless, then look no further!! As I was reading this story I was wondering just where it was going... boy was I wrong!! It completely got me, and I loved how you were taken on these absorbing journeys with these 2 women, both so different in character and with such different backgrounds.
Connie and Stella are the women in question, and you get to hear their stories through their eyes in each chapter. Connie is married to Mark, has children and lives in Dubai where her husbands job has taken the family and she's feeling that she is wanting more from her life. She doesn't feel she's fitting in with the lifestyle she's supposed to be leading over there and cracks are beginning to appear in her marriage.
Stella has had to give up her life to care for her mother who has dementia. That is taking a toll and the stress is building up. She's always born the brunt of her mothers temper and anger after her father left them, but she's left with no option to put up with the cruel taunts and little appreciation from her mother.
The story takes the form of Stella 'stalking' Connie via social media, wanting to know anything and everything about this woman and her life. And we can all learn so much from a profile and the amount of photos shared online - it makes us feel we know a person, without even meeting them. As the story unfolds we hear some shocking twists and turns that really add depth to the story and had me frantically turning the pages to find out more!!
This was a thrilling piece of work, that really worked so cleverly as you built up these clear images of these women and their lives and got to see beneath the surface of their lives and it made for a really compelling plot!!
Connie and Stella are the women in question, and you get to hear their stories through their eyes in each chapter. Connie is married to Mark, has children and lives in Dubai where her husbands job has taken the family and she's feeling that she is wanting more from her life. She doesn't feel she's fitting in with the lifestyle she's supposed to be leading over there and cracks are beginning to appear in her marriage.
Stella has had to give up her life to care for her mother who has dementia. That is taking a toll and the stress is building up. She's always born the brunt of her mothers temper and anger after her father left them, but she's left with no option to put up with the cruel taunts and little appreciation from her mother.
The story takes the form of Stella 'stalking' Connie via social media, wanting to know anything and everything about this woman and her life. And we can all learn so much from a profile and the amount of photos shared online - it makes us feel we know a person, without even meeting them. As the story unfolds we hear some shocking twists and turns that really add depth to the story and had me frantically turning the pages to find out more!!
This was a thrilling piece of work, that really worked so cleverly as you built up these clear images of these women and their lives and got to see beneath the surface of their lives and it made for a really compelling plot!!
November 23, 2022
Review to follow
June 14, 2021
Sonia Velton's second novel, The Image of Her, may be a complete contrast to her first, but it is just as brilliant. Her debut, Blackberry and Wild Rose, was a historical novel about the Huguenot silk weavers set in 18th century London, whereas her latest title is set in the present day.
What unites these two books, with their diverse historical and geographical settings, is a masterful strength of characterisation, a compelling story and a really strong narrative thread which hooks in the reader and keeps them turning the pages to the end to discover the outcome.
Stella and Connie are complete strangers. living unrelated, parallel lives, in two different countries.
Stella is a teaching assistant with a suffocating, controlling, loveless mother who belittles and undermines her confidence at every opportunity. Stella's life has been completely shaped and moulded by this narcissistic woman, and she has lived her life to please her mother and keep her happy, submitting to her whims and her strictures on everything from her career to her love-life, running back to her mother every time she yanks the emotional leash.
When her mother develops dementia, Stella is forced to give up her job to become her full time carer - the pressures in Stella's life increase significantly, and her already narrow world shrinks and contracts even further - until their situation culminates in a traumatic event.
Recovering from a life-changing, almost fatal accident, Stella feels the need to connect with someone, and in her head she unburdens herself to Connie, a woman she has never met, and never will. Connie lives the ex-pat life in Dubai with her husband Mark and their two children. On the face of it, she has everything: a handsome, successful, loving husband; two gorgeous children; the incredible Dubai lifestyle. But not everything is as it seems on the surface, nor in the carefully curated photos and comments on Facebook, and as the novel progresses the destinies of these two women - strangers, living thousands of miles apart - intersect in the most unexpected and unimaginable way.
This is a completely intriguing and utterly compelling read, and it works so well because of the superb characterisation and the dramatic tension which is expertly handled by the author. The characters of Stella and Connie are superbly drawn, with real compassion and subtlety. Their dual-thread narrative adds intensity to the novel, with Stella's first person, and Connie's third person viewpoints alternating.
Stella and Connie may be complete strangers and miles apart, but what is so clever about the construction of the novel is how their respective circumstances parallel each other as their stories unfold. Both women have had to give up careers that fulfilled them; both become increasingly isolated; neither gets the support she needs.
As well as being a compulsive and emotional read, this is also a very thought-provoking novel, and Sonia Velton is not afraid to pick up some really big issues and weave them into her story, including domestic slavery and exploitation in Dubai; abuse; toxic parents; and the lack of support for carers. Perhaps the biggest theme of the novel is that of identity and self, and, on several levels: psychological, physical, mental, and emotional. There is so much for the reader to think about, and it is the sort of book that will live on in your mind long after you have finished it.
This clever, thought-provoking, emotive and intriguing novel is "must-read" - if you haven't yet discovered Sonia Velton you are in for a treat, and if you are already a fan after reading her first novel, I guarantee that you will not be disappointed by The Image of Her.
I really cannot wait to see what Sonia Velton's third novel will be, and having thoroughly enjoyed her first two, I look forward to reading it immensely.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Quercus, for an advanced reading copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
What unites these two books, with their diverse historical and geographical settings, is a masterful strength of characterisation, a compelling story and a really strong narrative thread which hooks in the reader and keeps them turning the pages to the end to discover the outcome.
Stella and Connie are complete strangers. living unrelated, parallel lives, in two different countries.
Stella is a teaching assistant with a suffocating, controlling, loveless mother who belittles and undermines her confidence at every opportunity. Stella's life has been completely shaped and moulded by this narcissistic woman, and she has lived her life to please her mother and keep her happy, submitting to her whims and her strictures on everything from her career to her love-life, running back to her mother every time she yanks the emotional leash.
When her mother develops dementia, Stella is forced to give up her job to become her full time carer - the pressures in Stella's life increase significantly, and her already narrow world shrinks and contracts even further - until their situation culminates in a traumatic event.
Recovering from a life-changing, almost fatal accident, Stella feels the need to connect with someone, and in her head she unburdens herself to Connie, a woman she has never met, and never will. Connie lives the ex-pat life in Dubai with her husband Mark and their two children. On the face of it, she has everything: a handsome, successful, loving husband; two gorgeous children; the incredible Dubai lifestyle. But not everything is as it seems on the surface, nor in the carefully curated photos and comments on Facebook, and as the novel progresses the destinies of these two women - strangers, living thousands of miles apart - intersect in the most unexpected and unimaginable way.
This is a completely intriguing and utterly compelling read, and it works so well because of the superb characterisation and the dramatic tension which is expertly handled by the author. The characters of Stella and Connie are superbly drawn, with real compassion and subtlety. Their dual-thread narrative adds intensity to the novel, with Stella's first person, and Connie's third person viewpoints alternating.
Stella and Connie may be complete strangers and miles apart, but what is so clever about the construction of the novel is how their respective circumstances parallel each other as their stories unfold. Both women have had to give up careers that fulfilled them; both become increasingly isolated; neither gets the support she needs.
As well as being a compulsive and emotional read, this is also a very thought-provoking novel, and Sonia Velton is not afraid to pick up some really big issues and weave them into her story, including domestic slavery and exploitation in Dubai; abuse; toxic parents; and the lack of support for carers. Perhaps the biggest theme of the novel is that of identity and self, and, on several levels: psychological, physical, mental, and emotional. There is so much for the reader to think about, and it is the sort of book that will live on in your mind long after you have finished it.
This clever, thought-provoking, emotive and intriguing novel is "must-read" - if you haven't yet discovered Sonia Velton you are in for a treat, and if you are already a fan after reading her first novel, I guarantee that you will not be disappointed by The Image of Her.
I really cannot wait to see what Sonia Velton's third novel will be, and having thoroughly enjoyed her first two, I look forward to reading it immensely.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Quercus, for an advanced reading copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2021
This novel has shot right to the top of my best books of 2021. It combines a fantastic plot with two of the most compelling characters I have come across in recent fiction. Told through the voices of Connie and Stella, these two women have never met, yet it is the strongest of bonds which connects them. I’m sure other reviewers will probably mention what that bond is, but right now I’m not going to spoil the revelation here for you - suffice to say, it is something truly amazing.
In Dubai, we experience the cruel underbelly of the seemingly charmed expat life that Connie is leading. Through her live-in domestic helper, the wonderful Rosamie, we are able to see the abuses that occur under the kefala visa system which traps domestic helpers because they cannot change jobs without their employer’s consent. Routinely, employers take the women’s passports away, force the women to work seven days a week and worse. Velton captures the Filipina voices of ‘housemaids’ Marijo and Rosamie very well indeed. Not once did I feel like I was being preached at and yet the women’s experience was deeply disturbing.
Back in the UK, Stella’s reclusive life is no less compelling. We see her swishing around in Net-a-Porter dresses that she orders online and keeps for a day then sends back. We see the confines of her home with its mirrors covered in blankets, and the doctor's appointments that she attends as she tries to come to terms with what led to the terrible event which inextricably linked her to Connie forever.
It is a transfixing, unputdownable story with prose that mines the emotions so efficiently that I often stayed up late to read and ended up dropping the novel into so many conversations while in the midst of it all.
I loved everything about this novel - its wisdom, its beautiful prose, the taut plot, and that last scene which made me cry. There was a grief, yes, but there was also joy - that feeling that there is such good in this complicated old world.
This will most certainly be a book that I press into the hands of friends and family. A triumph.
In Dubai, we experience the cruel underbelly of the seemingly charmed expat life that Connie is leading. Through her live-in domestic helper, the wonderful Rosamie, we are able to see the abuses that occur under the kefala visa system which traps domestic helpers because they cannot change jobs without their employer’s consent. Routinely, employers take the women’s passports away, force the women to work seven days a week and worse. Velton captures the Filipina voices of ‘housemaids’ Marijo and Rosamie very well indeed. Not once did I feel like I was being preached at and yet the women’s experience was deeply disturbing.
Back in the UK, Stella’s reclusive life is no less compelling. We see her swishing around in Net-a-Porter dresses that she orders online and keeps for a day then sends back. We see the confines of her home with its mirrors covered in blankets, and the doctor's appointments that she attends as she tries to come to terms with what led to the terrible event which inextricably linked her to Connie forever.
It is a transfixing, unputdownable story with prose that mines the emotions so efficiently that I often stayed up late to read and ended up dropping the novel into so many conversations while in the midst of it all.
I loved everything about this novel - its wisdom, its beautiful prose, the taut plot, and that last scene which made me cry. There was a grief, yes, but there was also joy - that feeling that there is such good in this complicated old world.
This will most certainly be a book that I press into the hands of friends and family. A triumph.
July 22, 2021
I really enjoyed Sonia Velton’s Blackberry and Wild Rose so was intrigued to see what Sonia Velton would write next. The Image of Her is a different book altogether, contemporary rather than historical, but the storytelling is just as compelling.
The Image of Her is about two women; Stella and Connie. Two women, half a world away from each other with little in common or so you might think. Stella is our first person narrator. A teaching assistant who once had dreams of becoming more, but who, instead, ended up living with her bitter and controlling mother; a mother who has spent years taking out her frustrations on her only daughter, belittling her dreams and suffocating her spirit.
Connie on the other hand, is a happily married mother of two. She has recently agreed to park her successful career in order to facilitate her husband Mark’s career by moving to Dubai, where the opportunities for a better lifestyle are calling out. Connie should be content, but the life of an ex-pat isn’t for everyone and she feels a bit rudderless without a career and is less than happy about the course of her relationship with Mark which has felt less and less like a partnership since they relocated.
Stella’s story comes out slowly, in tantalising drips. In a funny way, hers is a story that I empathise with. She doesn’t go out. Her only relationship comes with the delivery man who brings her parcels and comes back days later to return them. As someone whose most intimate (i.e. face to face) and enduring relationship during lockdown was with my postman, I know how much she must have looked forward to that knock on her door.
Not that Stella looks him in the eye. She’s clearly had some medical procedure from which she is recovering, judging by the drugs she has to take, and she slides her parcels in through a gap in the door.
Stella is spending her time thinking about her past and reliving some of her relationship with her mother. As she does so, she is also looking at Connie’s life, searching her out on social media; seeing what she can piece together from her photographs and posts. The contrast between their lives could not be more different, but each woman feels herself caught in a prison from which escape seem increasingly impossible.
Both these women are beautifully realised by Sonia Velton. Both have stories that are compelling and the way she allows her characters to speak creates a tense and fractious feeling in the reader, sometimes so much that I held my breath waiting for the tension to appease.
In Connie’s story, Velton does not gloss over the harsh realities of living in Dubai and the compromises Connie has to make in all aspects of her life in order to live there. As with a recent read, Christy Lefteri’s Songbirds, the problems of economic migrants feature heavily.
But what is at the heart of this gripping and engaging novel are Velton’s wholly engrossing portraits of these two women whose sense of self has been eroded so far as to make them feel invisible. And what Velton achieves by framing her story in this way – by making the lives of these two women intersect in the most unusual way – is to highlight the importance of knowing your own worth, of finding a way to project your own image to the rest of society and of being able to hold your head up when all seems lost.
Verdict: The Image of Her is a taut, beautifully told and mesmerising story that touches on many relevant issues surrounding care, mental health and well-being. More than that though, it is a compelling portrait of two women whose stories are linked in the most unusual of ways. Tense, transfixing, thought-provoking, this is a book that will stay with me.
The Image of Her is about two women; Stella and Connie. Two women, half a world away from each other with little in common or so you might think. Stella is our first person narrator. A teaching assistant who once had dreams of becoming more, but who, instead, ended up living with her bitter and controlling mother; a mother who has spent years taking out her frustrations on her only daughter, belittling her dreams and suffocating her spirit.
Connie on the other hand, is a happily married mother of two. She has recently agreed to park her successful career in order to facilitate her husband Mark’s career by moving to Dubai, where the opportunities for a better lifestyle are calling out. Connie should be content, but the life of an ex-pat isn’t for everyone and she feels a bit rudderless without a career and is less than happy about the course of her relationship with Mark which has felt less and less like a partnership since they relocated.
Stella’s story comes out slowly, in tantalising drips. In a funny way, hers is a story that I empathise with. She doesn’t go out. Her only relationship comes with the delivery man who brings her parcels and comes back days later to return them. As someone whose most intimate (i.e. face to face) and enduring relationship during lockdown was with my postman, I know how much she must have looked forward to that knock on her door.
Not that Stella looks him in the eye. She’s clearly had some medical procedure from which she is recovering, judging by the drugs she has to take, and she slides her parcels in through a gap in the door.
Stella is spending her time thinking about her past and reliving some of her relationship with her mother. As she does so, she is also looking at Connie’s life, searching her out on social media; seeing what she can piece together from her photographs and posts. The contrast between their lives could not be more different, but each woman feels herself caught in a prison from which escape seem increasingly impossible.
Both these women are beautifully realised by Sonia Velton. Both have stories that are compelling and the way she allows her characters to speak creates a tense and fractious feeling in the reader, sometimes so much that I held my breath waiting for the tension to appease.
In Connie’s story, Velton does not gloss over the harsh realities of living in Dubai and the compromises Connie has to make in all aspects of her life in order to live there. As with a recent read, Christy Lefteri’s Songbirds, the problems of economic migrants feature heavily.
But what is at the heart of this gripping and engaging novel are Velton’s wholly engrossing portraits of these two women whose sense of self has been eroded so far as to make them feel invisible. And what Velton achieves by framing her story in this way – by making the lives of these two women intersect in the most unusual way – is to highlight the importance of knowing your own worth, of finding a way to project your own image to the rest of society and of being able to hold your head up when all seems lost.
Verdict: The Image of Her is a taut, beautifully told and mesmerising story that touches on many relevant issues surrounding care, mental health and well-being. More than that though, it is a compelling portrait of two women whose stories are linked in the most unusual of ways. Tense, transfixing, thought-provoking, this is a book that will stay with me.
July 26, 2021
This is a well constructed, interesting read about two women whose lives are brought together by traumatic events. It's a poignant, engaging read and one that pulls you in to the emotional stories.
The characters are really well written but there were elements that I felt rather frustrated by and had to push through to keep reading as I lost interest part way through. However, the ending is worth it.
Overall, a decent 3* read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus books for the opportunity to preview.
The characters are really well written but there were elements that I felt rather frustrated by and had to push through to keep reading as I lost interest part way through. However, the ending is worth it.
Overall, a decent 3* read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus books for the opportunity to preview.
August 1, 2021
I don't know what I expected from this novel, but it wasn't what I got which was a nuanced tale of something entirely outside my experience.
The two women that the book is about live far apart and seemingly have little in common. Connie lives in Dubai and is questioning her life. Her husband is pulling away from her and she is uncomfortable with the widespread use of foreign maids. In England Stella is hiding herself away, her only contact with a delivery driver who hands her packages through the gap in the door.
This is a slow burn of a novel with the writing drawing the reader further in to both women's lives. It is rare that I enjoy books where for the majority of the time the reader is simply an outsider but it worked.
Loved the ending.
The two women that the book is about live far apart and seemingly have little in common. Connie lives in Dubai and is questioning her life. Her husband is pulling away from her and she is uncomfortable with the widespread use of foreign maids. In England Stella is hiding herself away, her only contact with a delivery driver who hands her packages through the gap in the door.
This is a slow burn of a novel with the writing drawing the reader further in to both women's lives. It is rare that I enjoy books where for the majority of the time the reader is simply an outsider but it worked.
Loved the ending.
June 26, 2022
I've had The Image of Her on my Kindle for that long, that I'd forgotten why I purchased it in the first place! And what a treat it was to read a book this way, with no expectations. Sonia Velton has created something so different that it'll leave you in tears by the end.
Meet Stella and Connie. One lives in England, and the other in Dubai.They've never met and lead very different lives, but are bound together forever in the most extraordinary way. The best bit? We don't find out their connection until way into the book, and if you're like me, the realisation will hit you like a ton of bricks.
There is some very impressive writing as we get to know both Stella and Connie and I really loved both their portrayals. Important topics such as dementia, isolation, depression, multi culturism and the plight of domestic workers in the Middle East are raised. I've never been to Dubai, but after getting a glimpse behind the glitz and glamour was both interesting and harrowing.
Honestly I've never read something like this before. The addition of side characters such as maids Marijo and Rosamie made this book extra special. So please, add this wonderful book to your shelves.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Meet Stella and Connie. One lives in England, and the other in Dubai.They've never met and lead very different lives, but are bound together forever in the most extraordinary way. The best bit? We don't find out their connection until way into the book, and if you're like me, the realisation will hit you like a ton of bricks.
There is some very impressive writing as we get to know both Stella and Connie and I really loved both their portrayals. Important topics such as dementia, isolation, depression, multi culturism and the plight of domestic workers in the Middle East are raised. I've never been to Dubai, but after getting a glimpse behind the glitz and glamour was both interesting and harrowing.
Honestly I've never read something like this before. The addition of side characters such as maids Marijo and Rosamie made this book extra special. So please, add this wonderful book to your shelves.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
July 29, 2021
Hmm, rather miscast as a thriller, this is the story of two women who have never met, one in the UK and the other living in Dubai with her husband and children, they are inextricably linked and the author has some fun hinting at the connection and misleading you on more than one occasion.
We spend time with both women in alternate chapters until the book comes to its conclusion.
I’m not as enthusiastic about this one as many reviewers are. The writing in parts is beautiful to read but there was something about the story and narrative that just left me cold. The characters I felt I was on the outside looking in rather than being alongside them and rooting for them. It also felt overly long to me, with many chapters that just went nowhere(along with some of the clunky story arcs, especially in Dubai).
2.5 stars rounded up to 3. I’m sure I’ll be in the minority here with my views but I have to be totally honest and admit I didn’t get too much enjoyment out of this book.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC through Netgalley.
We spend time with both women in alternate chapters until the book comes to its conclusion.
I’m not as enthusiastic about this one as many reviewers are. The writing in parts is beautiful to read but there was something about the story and narrative that just left me cold. The characters I felt I was on the outside looking in rather than being alongside them and rooting for them. It also felt overly long to me, with many chapters that just went nowhere(along with some of the clunky story arcs, especially in Dubai).
2.5 stars rounded up to 3. I’m sure I’ll be in the minority here with my views but I have to be totally honest and admit I didn’t get too much enjoyment out of this book.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC through Netgalley.
August 7, 2021
I’m so glad I didn’t read any reviews- or the acknowledgements at the back - before reading this enthralling book. I love a psychological thriller that keeps me guessing.
What exactly is the link between the two main characters, Stella and Connie? Stella addresses her story to Connie throughout the novel, confiding in her, and eventually confessing to her. We learn that a terrible tragedy links the women, but we aren’t told what it is.
Stella is a recluse, imprisoned in her own home. She has thought about Connie every day for a year and finally finds the courage to open a letter revealing Connie’s name so she can search for her on Facebook. Why does Stella know that she has found Connie when she sees that Connie’s posts ceased 51 weeks ago? And why does Stella feel so guilty when she looks at Connie’s photos? Stella tells us that she has taken something precious from Connie, but what?
The stories of Stella and Connie are told in alternate chapters. Both women’s stories are fascinating, with plenty of authentic detail that makes them seem real. Connie has suffered from a suffocating relationship with her narcissistic mother, eventually becoming her carer when her mother gets dementia. I feel sure that the author must have had experience of dementia. As a carer myself for a mother with dementia, the scenes were so familiar that they brought tears to my eyes. I could identify with Stella’s heartbreak when her mother keeps asking for her estranged husband; I could also recognise the ‘fatigue, frustration and fury’, and the ‘lack of sleep that ‘turned the world into a sludge I had to wade through’.
Equally, Sonia Velton’s description of Connie’s life in Dubai is so convincing. Connie finds the ex-pat life is a recreation of the 1950s, with women expected to be home-makers and men becoming chauvinist businessmen who have nothing to do with childcare. Her relationship with her selfish husband Mark deteriorates as he puts pressure on her to get a servant so they can socialise with the other ex-pats. Connie feels like a fish out of water as she concedes reluctantly to hand her children over to a servant who has left her own children behind and lives in a tiny room in their house. Connie struggles to participate in the exploitation and abuse of migrant workers and takes courageous steps to help these desperate women.
This is definitely a cut above your average suspense novel, as it deals with issues of self-esteem, dementia, gender roles, the exploitation of migrant labour, infidelity and social isolation. In the stories of both women, the author explores the conflict between caring for children or an elderly relative and acceding to men’s demands for attention.
Sonia Velton very cleverly plants clues to lead us astray. When Stella says that Connie’s husband Mark has kissed her lips, and that a photo of Connie with her trusting face and vulnerability makes her feel disgusted with herself, the reader feels certain that the two women are linked because Stella has had an affair with Mark. But the link between the women is so much more interesting than that, and it is very moving at the end when we find out how the two women are connected. I love the sense of solidarity between two unhappy women which gives the reader hope at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus books for a e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
What exactly is the link between the two main characters, Stella and Connie? Stella addresses her story to Connie throughout the novel, confiding in her, and eventually confessing to her. We learn that a terrible tragedy links the women, but we aren’t told what it is.
Stella is a recluse, imprisoned in her own home. She has thought about Connie every day for a year and finally finds the courage to open a letter revealing Connie’s name so she can search for her on Facebook. Why does Stella know that she has found Connie when she sees that Connie’s posts ceased 51 weeks ago? And why does Stella feel so guilty when she looks at Connie’s photos? Stella tells us that she has taken something precious from Connie, but what?
The stories of Stella and Connie are told in alternate chapters. Both women’s stories are fascinating, with plenty of authentic detail that makes them seem real. Connie has suffered from a suffocating relationship with her narcissistic mother, eventually becoming her carer when her mother gets dementia. I feel sure that the author must have had experience of dementia. As a carer myself for a mother with dementia, the scenes were so familiar that they brought tears to my eyes. I could identify with Stella’s heartbreak when her mother keeps asking for her estranged husband; I could also recognise the ‘fatigue, frustration and fury’, and the ‘lack of sleep that ‘turned the world into a sludge I had to wade through’.
Equally, Sonia Velton’s description of Connie’s life in Dubai is so convincing. Connie finds the ex-pat life is a recreation of the 1950s, with women expected to be home-makers and men becoming chauvinist businessmen who have nothing to do with childcare. Her relationship with her selfish husband Mark deteriorates as he puts pressure on her to get a servant so they can socialise with the other ex-pats. Connie feels like a fish out of water as she concedes reluctantly to hand her children over to a servant who has left her own children behind and lives in a tiny room in their house. Connie struggles to participate in the exploitation and abuse of migrant workers and takes courageous steps to help these desperate women.
This is definitely a cut above your average suspense novel, as it deals with issues of self-esteem, dementia, gender roles, the exploitation of migrant labour, infidelity and social isolation. In the stories of both women, the author explores the conflict between caring for children or an elderly relative and acceding to men’s demands for attention.
Sonia Velton very cleverly plants clues to lead us astray. When Stella says that Connie’s husband Mark has kissed her lips, and that a photo of Connie with her trusting face and vulnerability makes her feel disgusted with herself, the reader feels certain that the two women are linked because Stella has had an affair with Mark. But the link between the women is so much more interesting than that, and it is very moving at the end when we find out how the two women are connected. I love the sense of solidarity between two unhappy women which gives the reader hope at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus books for a e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2021
The Image of Her is one of my favourites for this year. A very clever premise begins when Stella writes to Connie, a woman she has never actually met in real life. It then alternates between Stella's point of view with Connie's life and we learn the connection between the two women.
This is a book that has been well researched but doesn't drown the prose. Instead, we learn so much about both characters and the twists and turns their lives take. Why does reclusive Stella in the UK stalk Connie, who lives in Dubai, on social media wanting to learn everything about this woman she can?
A very clever story, well told and a highly recommended read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the opportunity to read and review The Image of Her.
This is a book that has been well researched but doesn't drown the prose. Instead, we learn so much about both characters and the twists and turns their lives take. Why does reclusive Stella in the UK stalk Connie, who lives in Dubai, on social media wanting to learn everything about this woman she can?
A very clever story, well told and a highly recommended read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the opportunity to read and review The Image of Her.
July 22, 2021
Two woman, one man, livng far apart, yet irreversibly connected. Brilliant read! Seriously, I had one idea in my mind about what this book was going to be about, and though I clicked, part way through, the twists and turns to get to the conclusion were gripping! The stories of the two women, how we move from the present to the past, the takes interweaving, to create this blanket of connections... was fantastic! I can't write much, as I would give the story away, but it's good, trust me! Loved it! Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2021
I'm really struggling to find the words to explain how much of an emotional impact this book had on me. It was heart breaking yet beautiful. The story is based upon two woman, one from dubai and one in the UK. Two very different people, with completely different lives and story's that have never met but are connected together in such an astonishing way. Honestly when the plot drops on how they are connected it took my breath away.. the ending brought me to tears.. how this story is told is just amazing.. like nothing I've read before.
March 12, 2025
This was so not my thing and I wonder why I didn't dnf it.
June 25, 2025
3.5 ⭐️, i loved the second half of this book and loved the ending i just didn’t really connect with it initially
March 28, 2022
So good!
July 23, 2021
We all know the adage concerning the judgement of a book by it's cover. In this case, an exception must be made as the cover design is gorgeous.
For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
August 3, 2021
The Image of Her by Sonia Velton
I give this book 4.5 stars
Stella lives with her mother, a smothering narcissist. When she succumbs to dementia, the pressures on Stella's world intensify, culminating in tragedy.
Connie is an expat living in Dubai with her partner, Mark, and their two children. On the face of it she wants for nothing and yet ... something about life in this glittering city does not sit well with her.
Two women set on a collision course. When they finally link up, it will not be in a way that you, or I, or anyone would ever have expected.
This is going to be one of my highly recommended reads for 2021! I went into this book thinking l was going to enjoy my next thriller but this unexpected page turner made me feel so many emotions l wasn’t prepared for..A poignant and thought provoking storyline with 2 totally compelling characters, made this book easy to read and difficult to forget.
I give this book 4.5 stars
Stella lives with her mother, a smothering narcissist. When she succumbs to dementia, the pressures on Stella's world intensify, culminating in tragedy.
Connie is an expat living in Dubai with her partner, Mark, and their two children. On the face of it she wants for nothing and yet ... something about life in this glittering city does not sit well with her.
Two women set on a collision course. When they finally link up, it will not be in a way that you, or I, or anyone would ever have expected.
This is going to be one of my highly recommended reads for 2021! I went into this book thinking l was going to enjoy my next thriller but this unexpected page turner made me feel so many emotions l wasn’t prepared for..A poignant and thought provoking storyline with 2 totally compelling characters, made this book easy to read and difficult to forget.
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