Moving tale of art and soul
IN THESE EMOTIONAL AND ENGROSSING NEW PAGE-TURNERS
narrative structure to explore what could happen after two different outcomes. It’s an interesting approach, deftly handled, and shows that in devastating, complex situations, there is no right answer. BETTYWellow was born and brought up in the fishing village of Hallsands in Devon where she and husband Martin live happily in the small cottage left to her by her father. But then Martin goes off to fight in the GreatWar and returns a completely different man. Broken and suffering from shell shock, he doesn’t recognise Betty as his wife.
Martin’s mother makes Betty’s life even more miserable, insisting on caring for him and sending her out to work. So when a devastating storm sweeps through Hallsend, Betty takes the opportunity to flee.While the local community assume she was washed out to sea, she creates a new life for herself in Bristol as a maid, calling herself Mabel Brook.
Life as a maid is not easy but Mabel is free from the misery of home life. However tragedy strikes once more when her mistress dies suddenly and Mabel finds herself homeless.The city streets are harsh and she is brutally attacked.
Mabel finds refuge with psychic Nora Nightingale who recognises Mabel’s gift for receiving messages from the dead and invites her to become part of her act.
But once again Mabel is let down by those closest to her. She decides to head back to Hallsend to confront her past. Mabel’s story is compelling, rich in detail and vividly told. Pearse deals sensitively with post-traumatic shock disorder and its effects on the victim’s family. Storytelling at its best. MATTHEW and Myrtle have a lot in common.They are born just a month apart yet they live an almost entire lifetime before they actually meet.
Matthew was a miracle baby, desperately wanted by his parents, while Myrtle was the baby who was meant to keep her parents’ shaky relationship together. Both Matthew and Myrtle knew that there was something missing in their lives yet neither of them knew what it was until they reached their final years.
The reader travels on their life journeys from the day they are born, through their formative years, their loves and losses, their successes and failures, until the day they die.The Moments is a story of moments; ones missed by a whisper as Matthew and Myrtle almost meet.There are the quiet moments and near misses, the choices made, and the tiniest of details that make each person unique.
NatalieWinter has crafted two beautiful characters and structured her story perfectly.There’s a sense of hope running throughout which makes it hugely satisfying when, towards the end, the two finally meet.Astutely observed and so very tenderly told,The Moments is pure pleasure from beginning to end.