HALF A WORLD AWAY- Mike Gayle
HALF A WORLD AWAY: a heart-rendering tale of love, loss and identity. This book drew me in from the very first chapter I read and kept me hooked as the beautifully compelling story unravelled. Based around Kerry a single mum who grew up within the care system and Noah a barrister adopted into an affluent family as a child, Gayle alternates between the two characters as their paths cross and their lives become intertwined when they learn of their connection. It is so eloquently and seamlessly done that you feel a part of both character’s journeys as he accurately depicts both the female and male perspectives of the story. The characterisation is some of the best I’ve come across, with Gayle masterfully developing them through the subtlety and power of human observation which makes them all the more believable and relatable; there wasn’t a moment where I ever felt detached from the story and was very much in deep with the characters. Likewise the prose is as beautiful as the story.
Whilst Gayle tackles some more challenging themes within this book he does so respectfully and in a subtle way: he cleverly approaches the way he writes so it feels real and this makes it all the more emotional and heart-wrenching. With moments where the characters return to their own respective worlds, the story is also able to approach the topic of class and difference as well as feeding in some additional, warm-hearted secondary characters that help to enhance the story as well as developing the past and background stories of the main protagonists. Gayle had me broken by the end of this heartbreaking yet uplifting story with his skilful ability to convey human emotion and the incredible depth he reached within the book. Like many others I’m sure, I was an emotional wreck by the end- I was 100% invested in this one and tissues were definitely needed! I loved every page of this incredibly moving and emotional book!
This book was kindly gifted to me by Hodder books in exchange for an honest review.
Whilst Gayle tackles some more challenging themes within this book he does so respectfully and in a subtle way: he cleverly approaches the way he writes so it feels real and this makes it all the more emotional and heart-wrenching. With moments where the characters return to their own respective worlds, the story is also able to approach the topic of class and difference as well as feeding in some additional, warm-hearted secondary characters that help to enhance the story as well as developing the past and background stories of the main protagonists. Gayle had me broken by the end of this heartbreaking yet uplifting story with his skilful ability to convey human emotion and the incredible depth he reached within the book. Like many others I’m sure, I was an emotional wreck by the end- I was 100% invested in this one and tissues were definitely needed! I loved every page of this incredibly moving and emotional book!
This book was kindly gifted to me by Hodder books in exchange for an honest review.
‘ʙᴜᴛ ɪғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀsᴛ ʏᴇᴀʀ ʜᴀs sʜᴏᴡɴ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ɪᴛ’s ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴇʀɪsʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ, ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴏʀ ʙᴀᴅ, ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴊᴏʏғᴜʟ ᴏʀ ᴘᴀɪɴғᴜʟ, ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴏᴜs ғʟᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢ ɢɪғᴛs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ.’
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