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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Did You Ever Have A Family by Bill Clegg








This is a story of  a family with a lot of secrets. Most families do but this one has more than their fair share. June is looking forward to reconciliation with her daughter who has been estranged for years. Lolly is getting married the next day and June hopes that with Will, her daughter will find peace and contentment and maybe just maybe that would spill into a better relationship with June.

Tragedy strikes and June loses them all. Not just her daughter and son in law to be, but also her ex husband and her lover Luke. In this small knit tight community gossip spreads like wildfire and without reason and June flees this town for anywhere she can get some peace.

The story is told in segments with many different people involved in the story having a part. June, Cissy, Lydia all tell their stories and overall its a mixture of sadness and hopelessness of lives lived with a great deal of suffering and remorse without hope of ever seeing closure.

Very much highlighting the power of the family, our need for love and affection and the very great need we all have to just survive to see another day are seen in this writing.

Though very emotional, the book was an excellent read. The sadness was never off putting.

Sent to me by Netgalley for an unbiased review, courtesy of Random House UK Vintage Publishing.

9 comments:

  1. This sounds really good! I saw it on some of the Best of 2015 lists. I think I'll give it a try sometime when I'm in the mood for a sad book. I can't imagine that kind of loss and what it would take to keep going.

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  2. This does sound intense!Glad you enjoyed it!

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  3. I've heard lots of good things about this, thanks for sharing

    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

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  4. I enjoy sad books, although I suppose "enjoy" isn't the best word to use. I am glad though to hear the sadness isn't off putting. Too sad is not something I like in a book necessarily.

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  5. Glad you liked this book. I thought it was excellent.

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  6. Everyone seems to love this book. I can't wait to read it.

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  7. I've heard so many good things about this book. It seems like a tough subject that needs a careful author and it sounds like Clegg succeeds!

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  8. This does sound really intense. I usually like stories told from several viewpoints though.

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  9. Thank you for sharing this book. I've been very curious about it!

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