Thursday 5 September 2013

Review ~ The Letter by Kathryn Hughes

18160436
Troubador Publishing
August 2013
Available as an ebook only

A letter found in an abandoned set of clothing in a charity shop in the mid 1970s links the story of two women, Chrissie from the 1940s, and Tina from the more enlightened era of the mid-seventies. The parallel lives of both women are entangled in a story which reveals heart break, tragedy and loss. At first there seems to be little correlation between the two women. Tina is in an abusive relationship with a boorish and alcoholic husband, and Chrissie is the stifled daughter of a middle class doctor and his wife, who is experiencing the pangs of first love, and yet over time the similarity between these two rather tragic figures will have a direct link on what happens in the story.

The book is a really interesting read, and as the lives of the two women start to evolve, they soon begin to have voices of their own, and the story starts to reveal the comparison of lives torn apart, and of the constraining nature of social boundaries.



A quick read in many ways but not a light read – Chrissie and Tina’s story is one that will stay with me for a long time.




My thanks to NetGalley and Troubador Publishing Ltd for my review copy.

2 comments:

  1. This sounds a really nice read Josie. Thanks for reviewing it. I hadn't heard about it before. Having worked quite a bit in charity shops I've always wondered about the story behind various donations or things that are hidden amongst the donations.

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    1. Hi Lindsay - its a nice story - took me by surprise really as I didn't know what to expect.

      I always wonder what items people leave behind in charity shop goodies !

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