ON MY LIFE- Angela Clarke
ON MY LIFE grabbed my attention as soon as I turned the first pages and it didn’t let up until I had turned the final ones; it was a truly captivating read that had me gripped throughout and I devoured it in a desperate attempt to see how it all unravelled. Clarke has expertly written an intensely riveting page turner, one that had me guessing at every turn along the way and still left me absolutely floored by the twist it had to offer- a sure sign for a top thriller!
The story itself is based around the protagonist Jenna- accused of murdering her soon-to-be stepdaughter and a multitude of other offences that come to light as the story progresses. The book begins as she is transported to HMP Fallenbrook and here is where the compelling story unfolds, expertly bouncing back sporadically to the past where you learn more about Jenna’s previously happy life prior to her arrest. Whilst these ‘then’ chapters add insight into Jenna’s life, what stands out is the incredibly well-written prose set within the prison. Clarke has successfully written an emotionally charged narrative that is expertly relayed through every sense: as a reader I was completely immersed in Jenna’s story to the point where I felt I was there with her. It had an exuberant pace which helped to create and develop a somewhat claustrophobic feel that helped the harsh reality of life behind bars hit home. Likewise it was incredibly well-informed and realistic of incarceration- Clarke cleverly intertwines realistic stories of threatening situations and also develops strong secondary characters to further develop events that run parallel to Jenna’s pending trial which helped the story feel authentic and added an extra dimension to the book. I absolutely loved this book and how Clarke had written it so that the tension and panic was palpable- I was in a state of turmoil throughout and in the moments where I wasn’t reading I was most certainly contemplating the different possibilities for how the story was going to unfold. I went in to this book with little knowledge of what to expect but was so pleased I read it- I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers or has an interest in criminology/ the prison system.
I was kindly sent this book by Hodder & Stoughton Mullholland in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5/5
The story itself is based around the protagonist Jenna- accused of murdering her soon-to-be stepdaughter and a multitude of other offences that come to light as the story progresses. The book begins as she is transported to HMP Fallenbrook and here is where the compelling story unfolds, expertly bouncing back sporadically to the past where you learn more about Jenna’s previously happy life prior to her arrest. Whilst these ‘then’ chapters add insight into Jenna’s life, what stands out is the incredibly well-written prose set within the prison. Clarke has successfully written an emotionally charged narrative that is expertly relayed through every sense: as a reader I was completely immersed in Jenna’s story to the point where I felt I was there with her. It had an exuberant pace which helped to create and develop a somewhat claustrophobic feel that helped the harsh reality of life behind bars hit home. Likewise it was incredibly well-informed and realistic of incarceration- Clarke cleverly intertwines realistic stories of threatening situations and also develops strong secondary characters to further develop events that run parallel to Jenna’s pending trial which helped the story feel authentic and added an extra dimension to the book. I absolutely loved this book and how Clarke had written it so that the tension and panic was palpable- I was in a state of turmoil throughout and in the moments where I wasn’t reading I was most certainly contemplating the different possibilities for how the story was going to unfold. I went in to this book with little knowledge of what to expect but was so pleased I read it- I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers or has an interest in criminology/ the prison system.
I was kindly sent this book by Hodder & Stoughton Mullholland in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5/5
I got a copy of this on net galley and really enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you loved it!
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