The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
THIS WEEK WE ARE READING...
Bloomsbury, £14.99
This thought-provoking new novel from talented author Lisa Harding addresses the harrowing topic of addiction. Sonya Moriarty was once a successful actress, but she finds her life spiralling out of control as she fails to overcome her alcoholism which was triggered by the birth of her little boy, Tommy.
Abandoned by his father, Sonya gave up everything in order to look after her son, but finds herself struggling to cope.
As her life spirals further and further out of control, Sonya’s absent father steps in to protect her son from her increasingly destructive and damaging behaviour. Against her will, she is sent to detox in a convent for three months.
Powerful and raw, the emotive prose takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster as we watch on in dismay at the actions of Sonya, and then feel her pain at her immense suffering.
Evidently damaged, and a victim of neglect herself, Sonya is a multifaceted character who breaks the cliché of the typical “alcoholic” character tropes.
She has been let down by everyone in her life and her love for her little son and the family dog is never doubted, despite her lack of care for herself.
The vivid and often upsetting depiction of Sonya’s struggle is perhaps most eloquently summarised with Harding’s depiction of the “bad fairy” – the unpleasant and unpredictable side of Sonya that emerges when she is drinking heavily, often resulting in blackouts which terrify her young child.
Despite her obvious desire to be a good mother, it is difficult to imagine the impact her illness will have on Tommy for years to come.
A beautifully written, honest account of a mother’s struggles to overcome a paralysing illness that has impacted the lives of so many around her.
While there are undoubtedly heartbreaking elements to this story, there are uplifting elements to this wonderful novel, as this fantastic writer beautifully encapsulates a mother’s unfaltering love, no matter what.
A compelling read that will have the reader laughing and crying simultaneously.