I'm a little behind with my Sanjida Kay books but having absolutely loved her debut, Bone by Bone, I couldn't wait to get my hands on her new novel, One Year Later. I have to say that I literally couldn't put this book down; when I wasn't reading it, I carried it around with me as if it was superglued to my hand. It certainly made a lasting impression on me and I felt incredibly emotional as I turned the final page.
The loss of a child is always going to be highly emotional and I found this story heartbreaking from the very first chapter when we are introduced to grieving mother, Amy. Amy and Matt's daughter, Ruby-May, died the day before her third birthday whilst in the care of Amy's family. For the first anniversary of Ruby-May's death, a trip to a remote Italian island is arranged for all but one member of the family - the person who Amy and Matt blame for the death of their daughter. Some members of the family think it is time to forgive but others want to keep the focus of the blame firmly in the direction it is currently pointed.
I love books like this where the characters have things to hide and maybe aren't what they seem. I felt a bit guilty suspecting them of covering up the truth as ultimately they are all grieving the loss of a little girl, but I knew that there was more to this story than first meets the eye. I really enjoyed delving into the sibling relationships between Amy and her brother Nick and her sister Bethany. The chapters are told from either Nick or Amy's point of view so you get a really good feel for the characters and also little discrepancies between their memories that really heightened the intrigue.
I liked how Dante Alighieri's poem The Divine Comedy is mentioned quite a few times in the book; it really seemed to fit into the story as the characters were finding their way through their own personal hell. Along with some great references to Star Wars, I was also delighted to see an Avery Barkley quote from one of my favourite TV shows, Nashville, being immortalised in print. Sanjida Kay is obviously a fellow Nashie!
Heartbreaking from the start and packed with emotion, One Year Later is an intelligent and engrossing domestic thriller. Sanjida Kay perfectly encapsulates the intense feelings we have for our family in her stunning new novel. A definite recommended read and a sparkling five stars from me.
The loss of a child is always going to be highly emotional and I found this story heartbreaking from the very first chapter when we are introduced to grieving mother, Amy. Amy and Matt's daughter, Ruby-May, died the day before her third birthday whilst in the care of Amy's family. For the first anniversary of Ruby-May's death, a trip to a remote Italian island is arranged for all but one member of the family - the person who Amy and Matt blame for the death of their daughter. Some members of the family think it is time to forgive but others want to keep the focus of the blame firmly in the direction it is currently pointed.
I love books like this where the characters have things to hide and maybe aren't what they seem. I felt a bit guilty suspecting them of covering up the truth as ultimately they are all grieving the loss of a little girl, but I knew that there was more to this story than first meets the eye. I really enjoyed delving into the sibling relationships between Amy and her brother Nick and her sister Bethany. The chapters are told from either Nick or Amy's point of view so you get a really good feel for the characters and also little discrepancies between their memories that really heightened the intrigue.
I liked how Dante Alighieri's poem The Divine Comedy is mentioned quite a few times in the book; it really seemed to fit into the story as the characters were finding their way through their own personal hell. Along with some great references to Star Wars, I was also delighted to see an Avery Barkley quote from one of my favourite TV shows, Nashville, being immortalised in print. Sanjida Kay is obviously a fellow Nashie!
Heartbreaking from the start and packed with emotion, One Year Later is an intelligent and engrossing domestic thriller. Sanjida Kay perfectly encapsulates the intense feelings we have for our family in her stunning new novel. A definite recommended read and a sparkling five stars from me.