Reviews

Written in chapters that alternate POV between Augusta, a bookish and eccentric twin living in the UK suburbia, and Parfait, a Burundian refugee fleeing to Spain, this is a clever, beautiful and utterly heartwrenching novel about family, relationships, loss, grief and the ways human lives can intersect and influence each other.

I came into this book having forgotten the synopsis and with no expectations, and I completely adored it, reading it in just two sittings. Glen's prose is beautiful and reflects the mood of the characters - lively and buoyant when they are happy, or fragmented and deconstructed when they are in turmoil.

It's one of those books where I'll be thinking about it for a while and recommending it to everyone around me. HIghly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the advanced digital copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

raven_morgan's review against another edition

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5.0

Review forthcoming

georgieworm's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

brook_e143's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

petje68's review against another edition

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hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

ljm57's review against another edition

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5.0

This is a beautiful book - funny, heartbreaking, uplifting. I laughed. I cried. I sighed. Augusta Hope is a wonderful character, a twin who is as different to her sister, Julia as it is possible to be. But they love each other deeply and complement each other perfectly. Augusta, is a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. She rebels against her very ordinary upbringing and family life in the ordinary township of Hedley Green. She wants to write a book. She wants to escape. Julia dreams of marriage and children and staying exactly where she is. Meanwhile, we are also told the story of Parfait, a young man from the war-torn African country of Burundi who does manage to escape his tragic existence. The threads of their stories eventually become woven together when both are able to find happiness in the face of devastating tragedy.

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