First up, a confession. I love Catherine Ryan Howard’s books. She’s fantastic. I’ve devoured them all they always leave you wanting more. Each one has a really unique concept, expertly played out and planned and plotted in a way that leaves you with nothing but admiration for her at the end. But the key to all of them is the characterisation - each novel has characters that are not black and white, characters that are presented differently from normal you’ll have understanding for a serial killer, empathy for an online influencer, gut wrenching sympathy for a murderer. Without spoiling anything, 56 days is no different
To try to summarise without spoilers is hard, so I’ll keep it simple. Two people have a meet cute, go for drinks, date and then end up loving together throughout the Covid lockdown in Ireland. And the book begins at the end with a body being discovered in the flat they stay in. The novel explores the who/how/why if what’s happened during those 56 days
The authors books have certain trademarks - twisty narratives with different perspectives and time jumps that you have to follow.
There is also a common theme amongst them of the dangers of social media and what your online presence can mean for you, which again plays a part here. And then there’s the twist(s). I’ve heard it said that a twist in film/tv/book can shock but should not surprise you - and the brilliant thing about the revelations at the end of 56 days is that it makes you see the whole narrative differently and you can go back and read it again from a different perspective. It’s brilliantly simple and simply brilliant.
What I also loved about the book is how it makes you nostalgic for a time that ha so my just happened and seemed so terrible, yet now in many ways wasn’t horrendous. CRH captures the mood around Covid and lockdown so brilliantly - the fear, the panic, the disbelief, the acceptance and the adjustment - and then Interweaves that incredibly deftly with feelings around new relationships and the unknown of who you are with, and how mashing the two of these together can heighten the highs and lows of all of it.
The characters are brilliantly drawn - Oliver and Ciara who lead the plot are both sympathetic and mysterious in their own way, both with secrets hinted at and revealed, both with something to hide. But there are moments of brilliant tenderness, as well as wonderful humour and wistfulness that will make anyone think back to the honeymoon phase of a relationship with warm affection. CRH really nails every element she describes and plays out with such authenticity it feels like it’s been plucked from your memories in some way.
I never thought I’d read a Covid/lockdown novel (much as the author never thought she’d write one!). But this isn’t really one - it’s a novel set at that time, that serves as the backdrop, and obviously plays some important plot points, but the focus is the relationship and the mystery. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and if you like it, please check out distress signals, the liars girl, rewind and the nothing man too. You won’t be disappointed.
To try to summarise without spoilers is hard, so I’ll keep it simple. Two people have a meet cute, go for drinks, date and then end up loving together throughout the Covid lockdown in Ireland. And the book begins at the end with a body being discovered in the flat they stay in. The novel explores the who/how/why if what’s happened during those 56 days
The authors books have certain trademarks - twisty narratives with different perspectives and time jumps that you have to follow.
There is also a common theme amongst them of the dangers of social media and what your online presence can mean for you, which again plays a part here. And then there’s the twist(s). I’ve heard it said that a twist in film/tv/book can shock but should not surprise you - and the brilliant thing about the revelations at the end of 56 days is that it makes you see the whole narrative differently and you can go back and read it again from a different perspective. It’s brilliantly simple and simply brilliant.
What I also loved about the book is how it makes you nostalgic for a time that ha so my just happened and seemed so terrible, yet now in many ways wasn’t horrendous. CRH captures the mood around Covid and lockdown so brilliantly - the fear, the panic, the disbelief, the acceptance and the adjustment - and then Interweaves that incredibly deftly with feelings around new relationships and the unknown of who you are with, and how mashing the two of these together can heighten the highs and lows of all of it.
The characters are brilliantly drawn - Oliver and Ciara who lead the plot are both sympathetic and mysterious in their own way, both with secrets hinted at and revealed, both with something to hide. But there are moments of brilliant tenderness, as well as wonderful humour and wistfulness that will make anyone think back to the honeymoon phase of a relationship with warm affection. CRH really nails every element she describes and plays out with such authenticity it feels like it’s been plucked from your memories in some way.
I never thought I’d read a Covid/lockdown novel (much as the author never thought she’d write one!). But this isn’t really one - it’s a novel set at that time, that serves as the backdrop, and obviously plays some important plot points, but the focus is the relationship and the mystery. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and if you like it, please check out distress signals, the liars girl, rewind and the nothing man too. You won’t be disappointed.