Review of Elizabeth is Missing

I think we're all a bit guilty of getting aggravated in our busy modern lives at people that can't quite keep up, but this book has thrown a whole new light onto my perspective. To say it tugged on the heartstrings is a bit of an understatement. I have read novels before which deal with the issue of dementia, but never from the perspective of the person suffering themselves. Getting into the mindset of Maud was incredibly eye opening, and you can rest assured that once you've read this, you won't roll your eyes at an elderly relative when they forget your name again!

Maud can't quite seem to keep a hold on all of her thoughts. They seem to come and go before she can grab a hold of them or verbalise them. So, she starts to write ideas down on notes. When she continues to come across ones she has written stating that "Elizabeth is missing", she becomes increasingly concerned about the whereabouts of her dear friend Elizabeth. With her daughter Helen, granddaughter Katy and Elizabeth's son Peter ignoring her concern she becomes more and more desperate to discover what happened.

However, old memories mingle with new, and Maud begins to think more and more about the disappearance of her sister Sukey. As she reminisces over her teenage years growing up in post-war Britain, the reader is introduced to the idea that there may be more than one mystery contained in this novel ...

I have read a few good reviews of Emma Healey's Elizabeth is Missing from fellow book bloggers, so I was expecting to be impressed. I was not disappointed either. The narrative of this text was so impressive and believable that I came away feeling as though I had an understanding of what it is to be so utterly lost inside one's own head, and how terrifying that can be. As well as mixing non-sense with sense in Maud's life, Healey effortlessly combined past with present through Maud's recollection of the mystery surrounding her sister's disappearance. 

Have you read it? What did you think?

Steph x 

Review of Getting The Picture*

So, a little email from Dean Street Press brightened my day (let's face it, week), when they offered me the chance to review one of their new releases. I'm so thankful they did as Getting The Picture, which you can buy here, did not disappoint. Written entirely in letters, notes, emails and answering machine messages, this book is full of touching reminisces of a life that once was, or could have been. I personally love authors who toy a little with your feelings, getting you to turn this way and that in terms of who you trust - believe me (oh the irony), this book does test you a bit.

Martin Morris, a retired pornographer, moves into Pilgrim House and is delighted at the prospect of getting to know his ex-lover, Mo's, husband. Having always imagined that she would not leave her husband for him because this husband was a wonderful person full of positive characteristics, he is somewhat perturbed to meet the grumpy, obsessive George. The book centres around letters from Martin to the dearly missed Mo, but features communication from different residents to one another, the care workers and George's family. 

This is only going to be short, as I think over-analysing this book would take away from some of it's charm. At first reminding me of 'The Notebook' (one of my top favourite films), it really explores what it's like to grow old and feel unfulfilled in your love life. The manner of writing which the author develops here really allows for a multiplicity of perspectives to be displayed, whilst the true identity of the character is somewhat concealed - after all, if you're writing a letter to someone you are presenting them with a version of your life that you want them to see. All the little snippets of information the reader gets build up until all of them start to come together and you really start 'Getting the Picture'. I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in romance who's getting bored of the cliched boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back narrative.

What do you think of books that are written in non-conventional forms?

Stephanie