Because of You: The beautifully uplifting Richard & Judy bestseller

Product Information

It’s impossible to separate a book from the context in which you read it, however, and so picking this up following its listing for this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, my hopes were raised to expect something far more literary and original than I suspect the book was even aiming for.

It examines relationships between mothers and children, between husbands and wives and fathers and children. I’m sorry to see that this one ultimately disappointed for you despite some promising elements, but nevertheless I think your review does it much justice. The publicists have highlighted Russell Brand’s one word comment – “incredible” – to promote the book but if you look up the dictionary definition of ‘incredible’ you will see that the word actually means “impossible to believe / difficult to believe. How could someone commit a crime of this sort and get away with it so easily with an ongoing police investigation (the police inspector was another one dimensional character) is beyond me. She has her finger in many pies from teaching to being a senior library consultant at Consilium Education to being executive editor at NotesVilla.The intensity of the crisis would be incredibly hard to manage for everyone involved – and especially for Minnie; and to be honest a quick cuppa and apology really don’t cut it.

In contrast to the three main characters, all of whom I liked and felt genuinely invested in, the male supporting characters (the women’s respective partners) are all very one dimensional, to the point of feeling like caricatures: we have the terrible husband, the wonderful, selfless husband, and the comic-relief joker. You would expect Minnie to be outraged and, well, beside herself, apoplectic, devastated and traumatised (at the very least) when the situation is laid bare and the “ugly things” expressed would be the least of their worries.I hope French’s book will find the hands of the right readers, even if that’s not the literary crowd. She is determined for someone so young, and whilst you may question her behaviour and the decision she makes, there is absolutely no doubting her love for her partner, Isaac, and for her daughter.

Hope and Minne become more than just mother and daughter, they are inseparable and are best friends, talking about everything under the sun and creating their own secret language. The part I found most powerful was the letter Minnie wrote to her mother, where she says “I’m not from them, I’m from you. Not that I really needed an excuse, but the blurb intrigued me and after reading back to back crime titles, as is the norm, it made for a nice change of pace.You know she is a woman who would sacrifice everything for her child and alongside her family, she is a wonderfully colourful and rounded woman you cannot help but like. French has had heaps of fun writing this man, he absolutely leaps from the page as one of those people who just rub you up the wrong way. All I will say is that when there is an unexpected death, a coroner has to get involved and organ donation is not on the agenda.