The Day I Lost You – Fionnuala Kearney

The Last Word Review

 

The debut novel by Fionnuala Kearney, You Me and Other People was so well received that I could not resist the chance to review her second novel The Day I Lost You released less than a month ago it is already receiving high praise and now I would like to add mine to the growing list of people who enjoy Fionnuala Kearney’s writing.

Loss and grief are terrible events in anyone’s life and now for Jess she has to contemplate the loss of her daughter Anna who has gone on a skiing trip and is reported missing. The sheer horror that Jess must have gone through at this time. For Jess she has to believe and hope that Anna will be found as Anna’s five-year-old daughter Rose wants her mummy home safe.

So for Jess she must now take responsibility for Rose in the hope Anna will return home soon safe. But soon things take on a twist for Jess and now some of Anna’s past secrets come to the surface. A story of mother/daughter relationships and past secrets. The Day I Lost You is a deeply emotional read from the very start. Kearney’s prose is simply superb as she introduces family characters and those that knew Anna very well into the sad storyline that provide support at a difficult time.

I dare anyone who reads this story not to feel any empathy for Jess as she searches for answers to questions that life itself cannot answer. For Jess her own life ended with Anna’s. The emotion pours out of every page that leaves you bereft and feeling at one with Jess and Rose and even down to Pug. Life’s frailties are all here captured in a story that captures the reader in an incredibly moving family drama.

Sometimes secrets are shared and sometimes secrets are not meant to ever come out, what happens if they do? Here Fionnuala Kearney tries to explore this through her second novel that is a five star read prepare for some unexpected twists and revelations that will shock.

The Day I Lost You is a book crying out to be read and is the perfect autumn weekend read and one I highly recommend.

Thank you to Harper and to Bookbridgr for the advanced review copy.

The Day I Lost You by Fionnuala Kearney is published by Harper and is available now through Waterstones, Amazon and all good bookshops.