3 out of 5 stars
Thriller
On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's book review team
I'll start by saying that this is a terrific plot, a great idea. Helen has a heart transplant but gets more than she bargains for when the mother of the donor invades her life. Marion Chambers does so in such a way that at first the reader feels sorry for her, then thinks she's a bit full-on, then realises that there's a lot more to her than meets the eye. That was good - I didn't expect it. Losing Heart would make a great thriller film (something like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle) - or a novel. The problem with the book I've just read is that it's crammed into novelette length.
We
find out at the beginning of the story that Helen is having an affair with her
doctor, Jack. There is no build up to
this, or explanation for why she is being unfaithful to her husband other than
a basic lack of communication. Helen
comes over as a cold, selfish person who cares only about herself and her own
needs, from what I could tell from the brevity of the narration, as does Jack,
who keeps reassuring Helen that she is perfect and has done nothing wrong,
despite the fact that she appears to consider her husband and Marion Chambers nothing
more than irritating inconveniences. When
Marion's behaviour becomes more bizarre and overwhelming, however, she has a
personality u-turn and just accepts it. There
are some excellent opportunities for development, with a story line that is
reasonably well thought out, but it just felt so rushed, as if I was reading a
first or second draft, or something with the bare bones written down that is
waiting to be fleshed out into a novel. Period
breaks are given with small horizontal lines, but in some cases just plunge
straight back into another scene without it being clear who is talking or what
is going on.
To
sum up, it was good enough for me to get to the end to see what happened; it has
potential but needs more work and attention to structure, I think. Sorry I couldn't be more positive about it;
people who like a quick read that concentrates on events rather than character
development might enjoy it more.
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