I haven’t read this mesmerising a book in a while💔💔💔 A compulsive Bildungsroman from beginning till end, filled with a child’s painful, enduring longing. I love books about longing. What is life if not painful longing??? 🌫️

Through Astrid’s eyes from 12 to adolescence, we see how a daughter endures figurative imprisonment in exchange for a relationship with her mother: A traumatic loss first happens (as in every Bildungsroman) when her mother Ingrid whom she idolised, kills a scorned lover and gets a life sentence. As Astrid is forsaken, she goes through cruel ordeals from foster home to foster home whilst savouring every meagre letter her mother sends from prison. These events shape Astrid’s thoughts, behaviours; innocent beliefs about her mother evolving as she grows up and begins to understand the impact of her mother’s pivotal decision years ago.

I find books remarkable when
a) 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙨: this book has clear themes, Fitch draws a vivid picture of a daughter’s relationship with her mother; how an event can be formative; the pure, intense yearning of a child to be loved, seen and protected; the strength that comes from a need to survive. 
b) 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙. Fitch captures the affection of the reader through Astrid’s fierce resolve and resilience, persuasive characterisation that allows us to understand their motives, and consistently draws connections between parts of the novel (consequently between parts of Astrid’s life) to establish parallels and a realistic world.

With prose that is fluid and moving, this book is raw, powerful and heartfelt. I will recommend this book to anyone who’s looking to know a character’s whole world intimately and who loves taking pauses when they read a good line (cuz you’re gonna take lots of pauses in this one)🤍