This is a novel about identity, friendship and how to belong in a place you call home. Set in the Forest of Dean, ππ°πΈ π΅π° ππ¦ππ°π―π¨ examines the lives of 2 very different women, struggling to feel a sense of connection in their small rural community. Jo, a young barrister, has returned disillusioned by her career and vacuous life in London to take over the ailing family butchers. Tessa, a shy, reticent farrier, lives a solitary life in her cottage with an undiagnosed illness which causes her to collapse βππͺπ¬π¦ π’ π³π’π¨ π₯π°ππβ into a trance like state. Both women, despise their very different lives, yearn to belong. Tessa is a character, with a tragic back story yet rich with possibilities. Jo struggles with trying to re-kindle old friendships, realising that life has moved on since she left. Jo rents a room in Tessaβs cottage and an unlikely friendship develops between both women. β£
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I found many similarities with this novel and the writings of Sarah Moss. Both evoke a true sense of rural life and nature in a very simple yet beautiful manner. Village life is very realistically portrayed and the local characters are people weβve all met in our lives. I really enjoyed this novel. It is a gentle, contemplative read which celebrates the comfort and stability of the ordinary life. This is Franklinβs second novel and Iβm tempted to now read her first novel ππ©π¦ππ΅π¦π³. β£
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I found many similarities with this novel and the writings of Sarah Moss. Both evoke a true sense of rural life and nature in a very simple yet beautiful manner. Village life is very realistically portrayed and the local characters are people weβve all met in our lives. I really enjoyed this novel. It is a gentle, contemplative read which celebrates the comfort and stability of the ordinary life. This is Franklinβs second novel and Iβm tempted to now read her first novel ππ©π¦ππ΅π¦π³. β£