This review was written by Helen Ryan (
This review was written by Helen Ryan (Kitten Designs) about the first novel of our mutual friend Sue Fletcher. When your friend writes a book – especially if it’s a good book – there’s a natural urge to get word to as many people as possble. Hence this.
Eve Green deals with a lonely, difficult childhood as an outsider in a small Welsh village.
After Evie’s mother dies, she returns to Cae Tressaint to live with her grandparents. Over the course of her first year there, she discovers more about her mysterious father, the unforgiving nature of village gossip, and learns about love, friendship and the terrifying inevitablity of betrayal.
The characters, though seldom radical, are evoked with real freshness and humanity, and are securely fixed in a brilliantly realised community and natural environment. There is a great awareness of beauty in Fletcher’s writing, and some wonderfully understated emotional responses that reminded me strongly of the work of Rose Tremain. In spite of terrible events, there
is always a sense of the strength in the novel’s backbone, a certainty of facing down the darkness with a quiet internal joy.
Possibly the most controversial aspect of the book is the very clearly described fact that Eve falls in love with her future husband at the age of only eight – a very brave authorial decision in a book which also deals with crimes against children. But in Fletcher’s hands the issue is un-sensational, entirely believable, and it’s her work on threads like this that are the most exciting aspect of this author. Whilst she has written a very accomplished first novel, it is impossible not to rub one’s hands in anticipation of her next. Her writing is full of the potential to develop into something even more special – I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see her winning awards before long.
Don’t be put off by the “blurb” on the book jacket, which seems to me to be designed to appeal to Maeve Binchy readers, when the book inside is a subtle and intelligent read. It would be a shame to miss it.
And while we’re at it, here’s some more on Helen Ryan and Kitten Designs, in case anyone needs some interior design work.
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