Recommended by Dunsborough Book Chat Club
In the prologue, it is the 16th of October 1987 in London. Cora is on her way to register her baby boy’s name with her daughter Maia. Her husband is a respected doctor who wants their son to be named after him, following the family tradition. As he is an abusive husband, Cora worries that by calling her son Gordon, he might become like his father. She likes the name Julian, which means ‘sky father’ and hopes that her husband might compromise to that since it’s a tribute to him. Cora also asks her daughter Maia what she would call him. Maia says she likes Bear because it’s ‘soft, cuddly and kind’ but also ‘brave and strong.’
The novel spans thirty-five years, from 1987 to 2022, and is narrated in increments of seven years, and each one of these years is divided into the parallel lives of this family depending on the name of the boy. All three storylines are full of twists and surprises. Although the idea is not entirely original, the novel is very engaging, and the pace and drama never stop.
It is one of those books that you read in a few days because it is so hard to put down. Extremely well-written, with round believable characters. It deals with the important themes of coercive control, domestic violence and intergenerational trauma. As a novelty, I like that it explores how male abuse affects men as well and how they can break the cycle. I absolutely loved this book, and just as I was thinking that one of the characters was too clichéd, predictable and hard to believe, there is another twist and a change that made him more rounded and real. I recommend it wholeheartedly, and I can’t wait for this author’s next book.
4.9/5 Stars