Hope kidnaps Anna's newborn baby; and the story continues, telling how Hope raises Minnie, the daughter, and of the 'extraordinary' bond. You can feel the devastation of the mother who has lost everything, balanced against the mother who has it all - the longed for child, even if their circumstances are not all they would wish them to be. Julian is portrayed as a narcissistic man, so we never get to experience his grief over the loss of his baby.

This is a good job, otherwise they may ask questions such as what happened to the dead baby which is presumably still unclaimed in the hospital at this point ! 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. We then see how this plays out and how their lives come back together, 17 years later, when the girl herself falls pregnant. I like the fact that the Women’s Prize consider all books, literary and storytelling, for the accolade. French's writing and storytelling is utterly compelling, it is full of heart, warmth and the kind of heartbreak and sorrow that left me feeling bereft and tearful.Seventeen years later, the gods who keep watch over broken-hearted mothers wreak mighty revenge, and the truth starts rolling, terrible and deep, toward them all.

Anna Lindon-Clarke and her black Tory MP husband Julius have just become first-time parents to Florence while in a room just. Where it's most successful are in the lively characterisations and scenes which are imbued with a wry sense of humour. Considering the gravity of past events, Minnie would be facing all the big – and VERY powerful and overwhelming – emotions that come thundering down on her all at once: to wit, deceit, death, rejection, abandonment, secrecy, shock, belonging, loss and many more; these could only to a tiny extent be mitigated by a mother’s devoted and unwavering love. Lee, a two-dimensional cheeky chappie builder-type who makes a good cup a tea, is lovingly referred to by everyone as “Twat” 🤷🏼‍♀️. She did accents and inflections so well, it was so easy to tell which character she was voicing and she even managed to convey the frustration and eye rolling of some characters!This book oozes compassion and empathy, especially concentrating as it does on a difficult and emotive subject matter.

A mother's true love for their child, the ultimate gift and a decision as monumental and dramatic as the one which started the whole story. 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.

His poor wife is devastated and feels like her heart has been ripped from her chest whilst he is wondering which of his suits to wear on TV.

I previously read the author’s “A Little Bit Marvelous” and commented that it was an “inoffensive read and the last chapter goes some way to redeeming the stereotyped characters, unlikely central drama and all’s well that ends well (as well as slightly unlikely) resolution” – and a lot of that could apply to this novel also. The father was a ludicrous and cruel parody of a man; the real mother’s experience simply skimmed over (and I found her a one dimensional, unrealistic, wholesome paragon of forgiveness and compassion).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. The writing itself is solid and I found myself flying through the story, completing it in just two sittings. Following her wonderful bestsellers A Tiny Bit Marvellous, Oh Dear Silvia and According to Yes, Because Of You is Dawn French's stunning new book, told with her signature humour, warmth and so much love. The start of a new Millennium – 1st of January 2000 – sees two couples in hospital in London, both in the throes of giving birth. I hope French’s book will find the hands of the right readers, even if that’s not the literary crowd.