Sunday 4 March 2012

Review - Cells by Harriet Grace

A book which made me think about how lucky I am!
Cells by Harriet Grace explores the thoughts and feelings of couples who are unable to conceive naturally.  Editor Martha is married to Grant who is a therapist.   They have a wonderful home, plenty of money, are able to do all the things they want to in life except to have a baby and even their attempts at IVF are unsuccessful. 

One day at work, Martha meets Jon, a character who intrigues her.  The reader finds out that Jon was brought up in a bizarre relationship where his abusive father puts him down at every opportunity and abuses his mother, who Jon loves dearly. 

Martha finds that she wants to help Jon to improve his life and skills and invites him to their home, and into their lives where both Martha and Grant create their own dilemmas and cross boundaries in the relationship for all three of them. 

Cells explores the heart-wrenching emotions that a woman has to experience when each month after hoping and praying that she is pregnant she discovers that she is not.  It also explores how a man in such a relationship goes through equally harrowing yet different emotions.  It shows how they worry about each other as well as the issue at hand.

This is Harriet Grace's first novel, yet it certainly doesn't show in her writing.  A controversial and powerful story line, with excellent character and scene building abilities, and the way that she delves into emotional traumas makes this author one that I'm sure will be a huge success and I shall be very much looking forward to more of Harriet's writing. 

I was very surprised at the ending of the book, won't say any more than that about it as I don't want to spoil it in any way but it was completely unexpected for me to end the way it did!

A thoroughly enjoyable read, that made me realise that I'm truly blessed to be a Mom and how not being able to have children can affect couples in many many ways.

Harriet was born in London, brought up in a village called Inkpen and now lives near Kew Gardens in London.  For the last twenty years her life has been divided into two: her writing life and working as a career counsellor.  She has an MA in Writing - Distinction from Sheffield Hallam and has had poems both selected and published.  Cells is Harriet's first novel.

Harriet's website is http://www.harrietgrace.co.uk/

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You can buy Cells via Amazon by clicking this link

3 comments:

Janice said...

An interesting review on what sounds like a book with substance. I'm definitely going to read this and like the idea of a surprise ending in store. Thanks, Kim

Linn B Halton and Lucy Coleman said...

You are so right Kim, children are a blessing and so many couples go through the pain of finding they can't have them. Can't wait to read this myself.

Helen at SilverWood Books said...

What a great review... and I love your reaction to the ending. We'll say no more for fear of SPOILERS, but this books is such a good read. Thank you for being part of Harriet's blog tour, Kim :-)