Review: 'Can't put down' page turner!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 22, 2014
Every parent or indeed anyone who remembers the magic of their own childhood will identify with this book from the very first page. What starts off as a personal tragedy quickly blossoms into an enchanting story of joy, happy memories, and hope. True, it deals with the difficult theme of every parent’s worst nightmare, the loss of a child, but it blends seamlessly with the possibility of what lies beyond, a beautiful vision of a life beyond this one, and it is this aspect of the book that captivates the reader throughout.Told largely from the perspective of a young girl, Freya, killed in a tragic road accident, the story moves in and out of the lives of those left behind as well as those who she meets on the other side. Freya acquires a wisdom beyond her years but the author still allows her the voice and emotions of a child, rather than trying to impose an adult vocabulary. There are some touchingly comic moments, such as the mourners at Freya’s funeral being sure they can hear the angels singing for a moment. There are several times, particularly towards the end that really tug on the heart strings, moments of sadness skilfully intertwined with happiness and hope.On a literary note, the book employs a stream of consciousness style that bears a well-deserved comparison with Virgina Wolf’s Mrs. Dalloway.A cracking good read that even the most cynical of us are likely to be left with perhaps a tear of joy, and a hope that maybe, just maybe, there could be an element of truth in its vivid description of Freya’s journey and what lies beyond..*purchased via amazon.co.uk (not amazon.com), hence not appearing here as a verified amazon purchase.