This is my first book review on the site!
I tend to share what books I've been reading on my social media and I usually give a brief description of my thoughts, but I finally found a book that I felt I could dedicate a blog post too!
I picked this up from the library. It was on a propped shelf in the fiction section and I want to work my way through a lot of them so I just grabbed the first one I saw. I didn't really read the blurb and just thought 'that'll do'.
I wasn't sure what to expect so I went in completely unaware of what I was about to read.
I'm not going to give away the storyline in case people haven't read it yet. I want this to be a review for anybody thinking of reading it rather than people who have already.
The book itself is quite old now. I think it was a bestseller in 2014 so it's probably way more popular than I realise but I hadn't heard of it.
So I'll give a very very brief outline which is apparent straight away in the book, so no spoilers...
The main character is Maud who is a lady suffering with what I imagine is Alzheimer's or dementia.
I really felt I connected with Maud's character because she reminded me so so much of Mrs Kershaw. A 94 year old lady I used to care for who would tell me the same stories every time I visited.
Sadly, Mrs Kershaw passed away last year and so this was a nice story for me to read because the more light-hearted parts bought back some really fond memories I have of her.
However, it also gave me anxiety this book! The book is told from Maud's point of view so you almost feel like you're the one with dementia. It's very good at getting you to play the role of the character.
I watched my nan suffer with dementia and although you could see it on the outside, I never really thought about how it must feel for her on the inside. The confusion, the frustration. It made me think 'this could be me one day' and that's a really scary thought.
I feel like the author must have definitely had experience in care work or watched a family member go through this to be able to write this book so true to how it is, even down to the actions of Maud's family members. It's definitely what would happen in a real life scenario like this.
I got into the book quite quickly and the book flits from past to present day a lot so it's not boring. It's always on a cliff hanger and so you want to keep reading to get to the next past and present parts.
You get very invested into this book and it's a bit of a 'whodunnit' and you're constantly left guessing. I felt confident all the way through that it was going to be quite predictable but I was hoping it would prove me wrong.
That it did.
It's not necessarily a twist at the end, but more so open ended.
If anything, once I had finished that last page, I just felt confused. Like, what just happened? The story felt like it had come to a wrap but still had things left to explain.
I think the author did this on purpose because now it's completely open for theories. This book is PERFECT if you are part of a book club or online forum where you pass around what you think happened. If you love an open-ended mystery then you will adore this book.
However, if like me you prefer a cut closed ending then it might feel a little frustrating that you invested time into the book and still aren't sure.
At first I thought I was being stupid. I thought I must have skimmed over a vital piece of the story but rather than flicking back through I googled it. It came clear quickly that other people were asking the same questions.
There was almost a very obvious theory but then people were pointing out lines in the book that could have definitely hinted at something more sinister. It really got me thinking.
I'm still not 100% sure how it ended but I think I might have a good idea.
If you are looking for your next mystery thriller then I would highly recommend "Elizabeth is Missing'. It has comedic value, light-hearted warmth, investible characters, cliffhangers and leaves you feeling a little spooked!
An interesting read!
Have you read Elizabeth is Missing? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on a direct message!
Happy reading!
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