I feel a bit mean giving just three stars to "Haven't They Grown", as I really liked Sophie Hannah's writing style, and it is a very well-written book. I enjoyed the first few chapters, and was keen to read about the cause of the falling-out between the families and why two of Flora's children had apparently not grown in twelve years.
About a quarter of the way through, I felt that the book lost momentum and became quite repetitive, with an improbable story line and a lacklustre ending. The plot moved from one unbelievable scenario to another and, although I quite enjoyed the storyline as a whole, I think the execution lacked excitement, especially towards the end when it could have been really tense.
I wouldn't rule out reading another novel by Sophie Hannah, and think that (with a little tweaking) this one would make a good screenplay, but on the whole the book was not for me.
About a quarter of the way through, I felt that the book lost momentum and became quite repetitive, with an improbable story line and a lacklustre ending. The plot moved from one unbelievable scenario to another and, although I quite enjoyed the storyline as a whole, I think the execution lacked excitement, especially towards the end when it could have been really tense.
I wouldn't rule out reading another novel by Sophie Hannah, and think that (with a little tweaking) this one would make a good screenplay, but on the whole the book was not for me.