A review by jaclyncrupi
My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley

4.0

I only started reading Riley with her book First Love and now her latest My Phantoms. Gosh she is wonderful and I really must explore her backlist (let me know if you have a favourite). This novel delves into a very particular dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship. Riley is very, very good at revealing the vulnerabilities, nature or fault lines of her characters with just minor incidents. Something fundamental about them is gotten at through a seemingly meaningless moment or comment. Their humanity is laid bare and there is a truth to these women that I found deeply affecting. And it sneaks up on you. If you’re not paying attention you could easily miss the fine work Riley is doing. I loved this. I need to sit with it and turn it in my mind and possibly even read it again.