Unexpectedly, this has become one of my favourite books of the year. Let me tell you a bit about it.
Blurb
Every year she writes a birthday letter of love to her adored daughter, Izzy, now seven. And after she falls pregnant, she promises Izzy that the arrival of a baby brother will make their family complete. So when she collapses a few months later, the safe happy life Izzy knows is shattered.
With Sarah’s future, and the future of her pregnancy, in their hands, her husband and sister disagree fiercely about her treatment. The once close family starts to fall apart.
The clock is ticking, and the doctors need a decision. Can those who love Sarah get beyond the fog of grief and anger to figure out what’s for the best? Can they ever forgive each other for the decisions they make? Will Izzy lose everything she knows and loves?
Review
I read a lot of thriller/serial killer books and thought it was about time I read something lighter. At least that’s what I thought I was getting. I read the blurb, of course, but I thought this would be a nice story focused around a mother and her child.
I guess I wasn’t wrong but Seven Letters ran so much deeper than that. It’s hard to discuss the story without giving too much away but it’s shocking, unexpected and you will certainly need the tissues. I really wasn’t expecting it to hit so deep. No other book has done that to me since I read The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes last year. Needless to say, if you loved Rabbit, you will live Sarah too.
The characters were great too. Not only were they both loveable and flawed, they also varied in age and situation, which gave a well-rounded view of how different people deal with these types of situations. The story also gets you thinking what you would do in this situation. Believe me, it would be awfully hard to decide.
This is my first Sinéad Moriarty book but it certainly won’t be my last. Come jump on the bandwagon with me and get your copy of Seven Letters here.
Joyful Antidotes 