dorottyagoston's Reviews (71)

The main idea of the book is amazing, we have all wondered before where our lives would lead us if at one point, at a certain fork in the road we made a different decision. For me, the ending of this book did not work though. I understand that it is a way of wrapping up the story, but I would have certainly done it differently. Simply put,

the fatalistic nature of the ending threw me off. I think through making the main character end up with the same man and having a daughter who is the same person (either a biological one or a step-daughter) so many opportunities were lost. Fate became an important factor and it did not allow an exploration of how in different contexts people could want different things, people etc. or that they could be totally different people themselves in the first place. Rose and Luke were therefore, not meant to be, while it was written in the stars that Thomas is for Rose. Nonetheless, Addie ending up as Rose’s daughter one way or another in each life is, I admit, heartwarming.

A deep, beautiful and tragic exploration of womanhood, power, and love. The tension between the two main characters bubbles under the surface throughout the whole book

until it finally bursts out in the last few chapters.

Their love is essential to the story - frankly it’s one of the main things that drew me in - however it doesn’t take up the entire space, it works harmoniously within the larger frame of the story. A great piece of historical fiction, blends historical accuracy with the imagined innermost thoughts and feelings of the characters. At some points I felt like these imagined parts may have been too modern, nonetheless, I remind myself, that we cannot know the minds and sounds of people from the past. Beautiful narrative, the changing POV was compelling. 

I moved to the UK (and lived in London) during the time the book covers, so for me it was a beautiful revisitation of this beloved city with all its turmoil and grandness - which can result in loneliness and a feeling of being utterly lost in the world. And not just London but the whole political and cultural climate around Brexit, the elections etc. felt so familiar. Reading this book was like reading my own diary; a trip down memory lane. 

I feel like the writing here was inconsistent. Some storylines were much more enjoyable than others. I understand that the subjects of this book are real women with interesting life stories, but they don’t necessarily work in a novel format (not all of them). 

“May you not go around the world looking to fill what you fear you lack with the flesh of another human being.”

“The world has set me up to believe that it was women who went mad. It was simply women’s pain that manifested as madness.”

It was an interesting experience reading a book where the main character (and narrator) was this unlikeable.