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A review by vicki_cosy_books
Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds
4.0
Warning! Make sure you have a clear few hours when you begin this book. I don't know about other readers but I do this thing, between all the other stuff I need to do, where I'll say "I'll read 50 pages then I'll hoover the bedroom" or "30 pages then I'll make dinner". I wouldn't get anything else done otherwise if I didn't set these limits.
So, when starting Close To Me a few days ago, while having a break from attempting to tame my overgrown garden, I gave myself 50 pages. Well, when I checked to see how I was doing I was stunned to find I'd just devoured almost 100! Seriously, this book's pages turn themselves. Amanda Reynolds' writing just flows in a gripping and compelling stream, making for a very, very readable story.
The book is told in alternating chapters of the days following Jo's accident and the year leading up to it. It works so well, as the reader discovers what led to the breakdown of her family at the same time as Jo. You get to know Jo almost as she gets to know herself and I found I really connected to her and could relate to some of what she is experiencing in the early days before her fall. Jo is going through a time of change, her youngest child has just left home for university and she needs to redefine herself and purpose - something familiar to me as both my children begin to move on. But unlike myself, Jo is surrounded by manipulating people, taken advantage of by her husband, her kids and then others who sense her vulnerability. I loved the subtle development of her character right through the book, and by the end felt satisfied that this now strong and purposeful woman was going to be ok.
The subtle tension created in this book holds right through, with clever twists revealed at just the right moments, keeping me intrigued. Jo's memory loss ensures that the reader is kept guessing about what really lead to the night of the accident along with Jo herself, with clues and suggestions coming in flashbacks. But with sketchy memories and some confusion, how much can we believe of Jo herself? Is her husband Rob trying to protect her or manipulate her? I couldn't stop reading and had to know what was going on, frantically turning pages to fit in just a little bit more and ended up finishing it within a day.
Close To Me is not a heart pumping, edge of your seat thriller. The tension and twists are far more subtle than that. This is a dark story of a marriage and family gone stale, emotional abuse, manipulation and mistrust from those nearest. It's the story of a woman loosing herself even before she looses her memory and a journey of rediscovery and redefining as she finds the strength to gain control of her life . It is compulsive, one-more-chapter reading and I highly recommend it.
So, when starting Close To Me a few days ago, while having a break from attempting to tame my overgrown garden, I gave myself 50 pages. Well, when I checked to see how I was doing I was stunned to find I'd just devoured almost 100! Seriously, this book's pages turn themselves. Amanda Reynolds' writing just flows in a gripping and compelling stream, making for a very, very readable story.
The book is told in alternating chapters of the days following Jo's accident and the year leading up to it. It works so well, as the reader discovers what led to the breakdown of her family at the same time as Jo. You get to know Jo almost as she gets to know herself and I found I really connected to her and could relate to some of what she is experiencing in the early days before her fall. Jo is going through a time of change, her youngest child has just left home for university and she needs to redefine herself and purpose - something familiar to me as both my children begin to move on. But unlike myself, Jo is surrounded by manipulating people, taken advantage of by her husband, her kids and then others who sense her vulnerability. I loved the subtle development of her character right through the book, and by the end felt satisfied that this now strong and purposeful woman was going to be ok.
The subtle tension created in this book holds right through, with clever twists revealed at just the right moments, keeping me intrigued. Jo's memory loss ensures that the reader is kept guessing about what really lead to the night of the accident along with Jo herself, with clues and suggestions coming in flashbacks. But with sketchy memories and some confusion, how much can we believe of Jo herself? Is her husband Rob trying to protect her or manipulate her? I couldn't stop reading and had to know what was going on, frantically turning pages to fit in just a little bit more and ended up finishing it within a day.
Close To Me is not a heart pumping, edge of your seat thriller. The tension and twists are far more subtle than that. This is a dark story of a marriage and family gone stale, emotional abuse, manipulation and mistrust from those nearest. It's the story of a woman loosing herself even before she looses her memory and a journey of rediscovery and redefining as she finds the strength to gain control of her life . It is compulsive, one-more-chapter reading and I highly recommend it.