Ten Things I've Learnt About Love - Sarah Butler
Published: 31/01/13
Publisher: Picador
Pages: 256
As you probably know by now, I love nothing more than a beautiful cover. This book has exactly that. When it came through my letterbox I sat stroking this cover for at least half an hour. When I read the blurb I was a little confused and wasn’t sure what kind of journey this book would take me on; it is not something I would normally pick up.
This novel is told through two different view points (something that took me a while to pick up on!) and we are introduced to Alice and Daniel and their respective worlds.
Alice is on her way home from travelling to be with her sisters after hearing that her dad is slowly dying. When she arrives home she tries her hardest to fit in with her sisters and help her dad but still feels as though she is the odd one out.
Daniel is homeless and looking for a woman he lost long ago. He knows her name but doesn’t know where to find her. He has been scouring London trying to catch a glimpse of her but so far has been unsuccessful.
Over the course of this book we see how Alice and Daniel both deal with loss and heartbreak and how sometimes things are better off left unsaid. Sarah writes beautifully and the words flow seamlessly across the pages. Each chapter starts with a list entitled Ten Things which is a unique addition to the book.
I must say however, that I felt quite lost when this book finished. It felt like there was too much left open, not enough was confirmed for me. I love books that wrap the ending up nicely so you don’t have to think too hard! This book was the complete opposite and left so many unanswered questions in my mind. I doubt there will be a sequel to this book so I guess I will have to just live with all these unanswered questions! I am sure a much more literary based reader would love the possibilities left in the ending however being a lazy reader like me, I want everything to tie up nicely!!
Aside from that, the plot was clever and the characters were perfect. There are a few subplots within this book that were interesting to read about and I enjoyed Daniel’s obsession with colour. I loved all of the descriptions of London, Sarah clearly has a passion for the city as the descriptions were vivid and rich.
Overall an intriguing but gentle book about the nature of life and death and the eternal question of where we all belong in the world. A must read if you enjoy books like When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman.
Publisher: Picador
Pages: 256
As you probably know by now, I love nothing more than a beautiful cover. This book has exactly that. When it came through my letterbox I sat stroking this cover for at least half an hour. When I read the blurb I was a little confused and wasn’t sure what kind of journey this book would take me on; it is not something I would normally pick up.
This novel is told through two different view points (something that took me a while to pick up on!) and we are introduced to Alice and Daniel and their respective worlds.
Alice is on her way home from travelling to be with her sisters after hearing that her dad is slowly dying. When she arrives home she tries her hardest to fit in with her sisters and help her dad but still feels as though she is the odd one out.
Daniel is homeless and looking for a woman he lost long ago. He knows her name but doesn’t know where to find her. He has been scouring London trying to catch a glimpse of her but so far has been unsuccessful.
Over the course of this book we see how Alice and Daniel both deal with loss and heartbreak and how sometimes things are better off left unsaid. Sarah writes beautifully and the words flow seamlessly across the pages. Each chapter starts with a list entitled Ten Things which is a unique addition to the book.
I must say however, that I felt quite lost when this book finished. It felt like there was too much left open, not enough was confirmed for me. I love books that wrap the ending up nicely so you don’t have to think too hard! This book was the complete opposite and left so many unanswered questions in my mind. I doubt there will be a sequel to this book so I guess I will have to just live with all these unanswered questions! I am sure a much more literary based reader would love the possibilities left in the ending however being a lazy reader like me, I want everything to tie up nicely!!
Aside from that, the plot was clever and the characters were perfect. There are a few subplots within this book that were interesting to read about and I enjoyed Daniel’s obsession with colour. I loved all of the descriptions of London, Sarah clearly has a passion for the city as the descriptions were vivid and rich.
Overall an intriguing but gentle book about the nature of life and death and the eternal question of where we all belong in the world. A must read if you enjoy books like When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman.
Laura