Maggie O'Farrell

The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell

by  •  • 4 Comments

Prize-winning fiction always catches the eye of book clubs and blogs so it is no surprise that Maggie O’Farrell crossed my radar. She was the winner of 2010 Costa Book Award for her book, The Hand That First Held Mine.

The novel tells the story of two couples: Lexie Sinclair runs away from home to London in the 1950s where she sets up home with magazine editor/publisher Innes Kent. Their’s is a beautiful and happy love story, for a time.

In the present, Elina has just given birth and is learning to cope with her new baby. Her partner, Ted, finds the new baby stirs up memories of his own childhood that are disturbing because they don’t entirely fit with his present circumstances.

The two stories are interlinked and although the reader guesses that from the outset, it takes quite a while to learn exactly where the links are.

I found The Hand that First Held Mine sometimes surprised me. It is very well written and will have you turning the pages. If you haven’t read Maggie O’Farrell before, do give her a try. I don’t think that you will be disappointed.

4 comments for “The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell”

  1. Izzy Reads
    July 9, 2011 at 4:38 pm

    Hi Paul – I will email you about this :) – Izzy

  2. Izzy Reads
    July 9, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    Hi Nadine
    This sounds like the kind of book that I enjoy reading so I would be happy to look at it for you. I’ll email you. :)

  3. Nadine Rose Larter
    July 5, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    Hi there,

    My name is Nadine Rose Larter and I am a new author. My first book will be available in print very soon and I am looking for a few book review bloggers who would be willing to accept my ebook (180 pages) in exchange for a review.

    I know you must have a ton of books on your nightstand already (I know I do!) but if you would just consider what a hugely good karma inducing act of good will this would be I would be forever grateful and massively in your debt. You will find the blurb below.

    Please contact me if you are interested.

    Thanks for your time,

    Nadine

    Coffee at Little Angels by Nadine Rose Larter

    “Phillip, Sarah, Kaitlyn, Caleb, Maxine, Grant, Melanie and Josh grew up in a small town where they spent their high school years together as an inseparable clique. But high school has ended, and they are all living their own “grown up” lives, each under the impression that their group has basically come to an end. When Phillip dies in a hit and run accident, Kaitlyn summons the others to all come back home, forcing a reunion that no one is particularly interested in partaking in.

    Coffee at Little Angels follows how each character deals with the death of a childhood friend while at the same time dealing with their own ignored demons after years of separation. Events unfold as the group tries to rekindle the friendship they once shared to honour the memory of a friend they will never see again.”

  4. Paul McDonnold
    July 4, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    Hi Izzy,

    I like your blog and its eclectic coverage. I have a novel out titled The Economics of Ego Surplus – a story of economic terrorism that helps the reader understand how the global economy works while being entertained. After a first stage of contacting economics blogs, I am now contacting book bloggers. Here is the book’s website where you can find more information, including reviews so far and a PDF of the first 54 pages:

    http://starvinganalyst.com/tees.htm

    If it looks like something you would be interested in reading/reviewing let me know and I will be happy to send a complimentary paperback or Kindle copy for your consideration, whichever you like. Thanks for your time!

    Best regards,
    Paul McDonnold

Comments are closed.