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A review by beate251
The Art of Belonging by Eleanor Ray
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
After the collapse of her marriage to a cheating husband who has squandered away all her money and left her with debts, Amelia and her 11 year old daughter Charlotte are forced to move back in with Amelia's mother Grace, with whom she has a strained relationship.
Grace has an interesting hobby - she makes miniature railways as she used to be an engineer, but we only later discover why they mean so much to her, and why Amelia is often so cold towards her. Grace tries everything to make her daughter and granddaughter feel welcome but Amelia bears resentment from her childhood where she felt her mother wasn't there for her enough, even in shared grief. Charlotte misses her father and has to get used to a brand-new school. Luckily, children are resilient - she finds a new friend in asthmatic Sammy and tries to solve the mystery of a beloved missing teacher.
This is a multi-generational story of old wounds and new challenges. The topics of grief and mental health problems are skillfully handled. I loved all the characters and side characters and how they came together, mending relationships and forging new ones.
Recommended as an easy, heart-warming read full of love. It is beautifully written, with a lovely cover.
I now need to read Eleanor Ray 's first book "Everything is Beautiful"!
Grace has an interesting hobby - she makes miniature railways as she used to be an engineer, but we only later discover why they mean so much to her, and why Amelia is often so cold towards her. Grace tries everything to make her daughter and granddaughter feel welcome but Amelia bears resentment from her childhood where she felt her mother wasn't there for her enough, even in shared grief. Charlotte misses her father and has to get used to a brand-new school. Luckily, children are resilient - she finds a new friend in asthmatic Sammy and tries to solve the mystery of a beloved missing teacher.
This is a multi-generational story of old wounds and new challenges. The topics of grief and mental health problems are skillfully handled. I loved all the characters and side characters and how they came together, mending relationships and forging new ones.
Recommended as an easy, heart-warming read full of love. It is beautifully written, with a lovely cover.
I now need to read Eleanor Ray 's first book "Everything is Beautiful"!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Child death, and Grief