'There's a trick to time. You can make it expand or you can make it contract. Make it shorter or make it longer . . .'
Some moments you want to last forever. Some moments shape a life.
For Mona, it's the joy of playing on a Wexford beach as a young girl, next to her family's cottage overlooking the Irish sea. The thrill of moving to Birmingham with a new job and a room of her own in a busy boarding-house. Meeting the love of her life; a whirlwind marriage; a sudden, tragic loss.
But now, decades later, Mona is determined to find happiness before it's too late. She knows that every moment is precious. But can we ever let go of the past that shaped us?
What did I think?
Oh my goodness, this beautiful book almost broke me! It smashed my heart into smithereens then put it all back together again. As soon as I realised what was going on, I was powerless to stop the tears from falling and I was openly sobbing as Mona's past was revealed.
I don't want to give away anything about the breathtaking plot as this is a book that needs to be experienced first-hand by every reader. It's certainly an emotional rollercoaster as we follow the path of Mona's life from Ireland to Birmingham. From the wise words Mona's father gave her in Ireland to the selfless acts that Mona now carries out from her home in Birmingham, The Trick to Time is an absolute delight from beginning to end.
Mona is a really interesting character; at first glance she's a sixty year old dollmaker who lives on her own but scratch the surface and you will find an angel with a broken heart. Although she has loved and been loved, Mona has had such a tragic life but she uses the experience of her own tragedy to help others. I wish everyone had a Mona in their life.
Written with sensitivity, warmth and humour, The Trick to Time is an exceptionally beautiful novel. Mona's father's trick to time is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life; time is something that we can never get back so use it wisely. Keep your tissues handy when you read this heartachingly beautiful book that I unreservedly recommend.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating:
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