The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is an immensely enjoyable and moving story. When we first meet Ailsa she is in hospital waiting for a heart transplant. She was born with Hypoplastic Heart syndrome, and now 28 years later that heart is failing. She has lived her life as ‘normal’ as possible, under the watchful eye of her mother Hayley. As she grew older and her heart got weaker, she got used to adapting so that she could still enjoy life from the sidelines; for instance at university her friends would come to her flat for ‘after parties’ so that Ailsa knew what had happened even though she wasn’t able to go herself.
However, no matter how much Ailsa longs for a new heart to give her the chance of a conventional life, she is very aware that for her to do that, someone else must lose theirs. When Ailsa does get her new heart, she doesn’t really know how to live and so she relies on fans of her blog, who have been with her through her illness, to guide her in her decisions in how to live her new life.
I am a huge fan of Stephanie Butland’s earlier novel Lost for Words, and so was looking forward to reading her latest work. I was not disappointed as Ailsa’s story is compelling. Ailsa herself is endearing; she is naturally nervous at beginning a new and, for the first time, ‘normal’ life. Her confusion is clear as she feels as though she still needs support to guide her, but at the same time she really wants to enjoy her new found freedom. Her struggle to regain control over her life, now that she can, is not without its ups and downs; she feels as though she needs to catch up with her friends who have been able to move on in their lives; she needs to find a job, but she has no previous experience so what can she do?; and she needs to persuade her mother that she no longer needs to be Ailsa’s constant companion and also needs to move on.
As Ailsa finds her own way in the world she encounters tango lessons, Shakespeare, the Edinburgh fringe and the tabloid press, along with love, happiness and disappointment. Her story is always moving, but never self indulgent, and is full of hope and the joy of living. Potential readers may be put off by the ‘cosy’ cover, but it is not as predictable as this might suggest.
The main relationships in Aisla’s life, with her mother and her new friend Seb, are central to this book. Both are very well written and acutely observant and honest. As Aisla gains her physical and mental strength, there are subtle changes to how she manages both liaisons. Ailsa’s blog entries, plus emails to and from her friend, help to tell Ailsa’s story and this modern touch often helps to add lightness to the story. The flashbacks to ‘this time last year’ help to contextualise some of the things that have had a lasting effect on Aisla.
The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a real ‘heart warming’ book, and will no doubt provoke thought on deeper issues.
However, no matter how much Ailsa longs for a new heart to give her the chance of a conventional life, she is very aware that for her to do that, someone else must lose theirs. When Ailsa does get her new heart, she doesn’t really know how to live and so she relies on fans of her blog, who have been with her through her illness, to guide her in her decisions in how to live her new life.
I am a huge fan of Stephanie Butland’s earlier novel Lost for Words, and so was looking forward to reading her latest work. I was not disappointed as Ailsa’s story is compelling. Ailsa herself is endearing; she is naturally nervous at beginning a new and, for the first time, ‘normal’ life. Her confusion is clear as she feels as though she still needs support to guide her, but at the same time she really wants to enjoy her new found freedom. Her struggle to regain control over her life, now that she can, is not without its ups and downs; she feels as though she needs to catch up with her friends who have been able to move on in their lives; she needs to find a job, but she has no previous experience so what can she do?; and she needs to persuade her mother that she no longer needs to be Ailsa’s constant companion and also needs to move on.
As Ailsa finds her own way in the world she encounters tango lessons, Shakespeare, the Edinburgh fringe and the tabloid press, along with love, happiness and disappointment. Her story is always moving, but never self indulgent, and is full of hope and the joy of living. Potential readers may be put off by the ‘cosy’ cover, but it is not as predictable as this might suggest.
The main relationships in Aisla’s life, with her mother and her new friend Seb, are central to this book. Both are very well written and acutely observant and honest. As Aisla gains her physical and mental strength, there are subtle changes to how she manages both liaisons. Ailsa’s blog entries, plus emails to and from her friend, help to tell Ailsa’s story and this modern touch often helps to add lightness to the story. The flashbacks to ‘this time last year’ help to contextualise some of the things that have had a lasting effect on Aisla.
The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a real ‘heart warming’ book, and will no doubt provoke thought on deeper issues.