When you were older (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I have liked all the novels I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde over the past eighteen years since I first came across one of her books. The writing is always good, with believable characters, and they’re all very different. 

So when I started reading ‘When you were older’ a few days ago, I had no idea that it was set exactly 24 years ago, in September 2001. And while it’s not a short book - nearly 400 pages in paperback - I found it compulsive reading. So I finished it today, the anniversary of the attacks on the twin towers in New York; and that event is the catalyst for most of this novel, which was published originally in 2012. 

Russell is the main character of the book. It’s quite unusual, in my experience, for a woman writer to use a male character as the main viewpoint in a novel. Even more so when he’s narrating in the first person. But Catherine Ryan Hyde has created a believable and very likable young man whom I warmed to quickly. 

The first chapter is dated September 15th, four days after the towers fell. Russell wakes up feeling disorientated, in a bed that’s not his own, to see his brother - whom he hasn’t seen in six years - towering over him. Ben is older than Russell, but it’s clear from the start that he has special needs - it turns out he had brain damage many years earlier. 

Russell had been employed in New York, in one of the towers; but an urgent phone call made him late, so he survived. The phone call was letting him know that his mother had died suddenly, and that he needed to get back to Kansas. And then he no longer had a job, or any colleagues. He had to hitch-hike to Kansas, and he’s deeply in shock. But Ben (whom I thought, at first, was autistic) thrives on routine. And he needs Russell to drive him to the supermarket where he works as a bagger. 

So Russell has to learn, quickly, how to look after his brother. There are some flashbacks to his early childhood, where Ben was a terrible bully; somehow he has become much nicer since his accident, albeit prone to tantrums and misunderstandings. Ben hasn’t really grasped that their mother is not returning, and he doesn’t begin to understand how traumatised Russell is. 

And there’s Anat, the beautiful Egyptian-American girl who works in a local bakery which is owned by her father. Russell goes there initially to buy something for breakfast, and is very quickly smitten. He’s not sure if she feels the same way and he knows he has to tread carefully as her father is quite strict. And because they’re Egyptian - albeit naturalised Americans - some of the local populace decide to attack the bakery. Initially just with paint graffiti, but it gradually becomes worse.

The writing is very powerful, and I felt myself totally drawn into the story. The love story is very gentle, and all the more moving as a result. And there are underlying themes that are quite thought-provoking, demonstrating how one single decision or step can have far-reaching, sometimes devastating consequences. If Russell had decided not to answer his phone on that fatal date, for instance, he would not have been around to tell the story. Other decisions made in the course of the book have more negative consequences. 

There are also strong pointers about the importance of being totally honest with our loved ones, while also sometimes needing to be diplomatic. Some readers might object to the way the author shows that extreme nationalism can be dangerous, and that ongoing wars simply serve to hurt more and more people. But she doesn't moralise; instead, she expresses this in conversation, in Russell’s own convictions and questions, and in the way that the kind, gentle Egyptian pair are targeted for all the wrong reasons.

I read the last third of the book almost in one sitting, as I could hardly put it down. The whole story takes place over the course of just three months (plus flashbacks to Russell and Ben’s childhood) but by the end I was feeling both moved and slightly drained. Parts of this story will probably stay with me for a while.

Highly recommended. 

Review copyright 2025 Sue's Book Reviews

Dreaming of flight (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I have liked all the books I’ve read so far by Catherine Ryan Hyde. So from time to time I put a couple more on my wishlist. I was given ‘Dreaming of flight’ for my birthday two years ago, but have a lot of books on my to-be-read shelf. So I’ve only just read it in the past few days.

What an excellent book it is, too. There are two main characters, and the chapters alternate between them. The first one we meet is Stewie. He’s eleven years old when we meet him in the first part of the book, which is labelled ‘late spring, early summer’. We quickly learn that he keeps hens, and sells eggs. He’s quite a perfectionist, and his eggs are always fresh. They are vastly superior to those bought in the supermarket.

When we meet him, he’s just knocked on the door of a house where he hasn’t previously been. It’s opened by a woman with a five-year-old daughter, who says she doesn’t want any eggs. Then she’s interrupted by a rather older woman, who says, somewhat abruptly, that she will have some. Stewie feels a strange sense of recognition; she’s a grandmother, and there’s something about her that reminds him of his own beloved grandmother, who died some months earlier. 

The older woman, Marilyn, is the other main protagonist. She’s a crusty kind of person who speaks her mind, although it’s also quickly clear that she has a secret in her past. She’s terrified that someone is going to come and arrest her; we don’t learn until much later in the book what crime she is supposed to have committed. She’s not related to the younger woman, but lives rent-free in exchange for babysitting while the mother is out at work. 

Unfortunately, Marilyn is getting a bit forgetful. Stewie recognises that as his grandmother had some dementia before she died. And Stewie is observant. He is also very caring, feeling everything much more deeply than most of those around him. He reads faces with ease, and dreads making anyone sad or angry. He also dislikes looks of compassion or pity. He hasn’t spoken much about the loss of his grandmother, which hit him deeply. Stewie was orphaned soon after he was born, and has been brought up by his sister Stacey. 

Stewie and Stacey have another brother, Hughie. Hughie is older than Stewie, and very bright. But he is physically disabled, so he walks with crutches. At the school they go to, Hughie is often verbally bullied. He tries to let it go over his head, but Stewie becomes passionately angry on his brother’s behalf. 

I found myself totally absorbed in these diverse people, living in a small town in the United States. It’s a character-based book, and I found all the main characters believable and three-dimensional. I loved the way that Stewie started to care for Marilyn, even if his family felt that he was taking too much responsibility on his young shoulders. And I also liked the way that he somehow gets through Marilyn’s defences, so much so that she wants to help him with some things he finds difficult. 

There are a lot of interesting topics touched upon in the book. I hadn’t thought about the hidden trauma that goes with being an orphan even when a child is too young to have any memory of his parents. Stewie starts seeing a psychologist who seems to be full of wisdom, even if he can’t actually solve any of Stewie’s issues. And it’s not that being a caring person is a bad thing; Stewie just hasn’t come to terms with the fact that he can’t solve everybody’s problems all the time. 

The book also looks at issues related to housing for the elderly, and who needs to make decisions when someone is unable to look after themselves safely. It’s not a straightforward question, and I thought there was an excellent balance shown between the elderly person’s rights and the opinions and wishes of family members and medical staff. 

And there’s quite a bit about keeping hens, too. Stewie’s hens used to belong to his grandmother, but some of them are getting old and he has to decide what to do. There’s also a brief scene where he tries to encourage one of the hens to fly, although he then realises that it would be cruel to enter her for a competition. His empathy extends to his hens, and he seems to know how they feel, and what their needs are. The title of the book can be seen in more than one way; Stewie dreams about his hen flying, but other characters also dream of flight in a more metaphorical way.

Once I had started, I could barely put this book down. It’s not that there’s much excitement or rapid action; the pace was perfect for my tastes, and Stewie totally got under my skin. The final chapter is perhaps a tad over the top, but from Stewie’s point of view, it more than fulfils something he has lacked all his life. 

Definitely recommended if you like this kind of character-driven women’s fiction.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's Book Reviews

Seven Perfect Things (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I have very much liked everything I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde since I first came across one of her novels about fifteen years ago. I added another couple of her novels to my wishlist a year or so ago, and was given ‘Seven perfect things’ for Christmas last year. It’s taken me this long to pick it up - but I have two full ‘to-be-read’ shelves in addition to re-reading some of my favourite authors.

This novel focuses on three main people. Two of them - Mary and Abby - are mother and daughter. Abby is a thirteen-year-old teenager who doesn’t much like school, and doesn’t really fit in - except when she’s swimming. She’s a very strong swimmer, and on the school team. This becomes relevant when she dives into a river to save a wriggling sack that has been dropped in; it turns out to be seven lively puppies.

Unfortunately, though Abby has a good relationship with Mary, her father is controlling, self-centred and manipulative. She has asked for a dog before but he refuses to consider the idea. Most of the time he seems to ignore his daughter. He is not physically violent, but he’s not a good husband or a good father. So she knows she can’t possibly take the puppies home. She tries taking them to the pound, but the sympathetic lady there explains that nobody is adopting puppies at present, so they will probably be put to sleep.

Abby knows of a cabin in the hills which seems to have been abandoned; there’s a shed at the back and she decides to keep the puppies there. It’s almost the school summer, break so she’ll be able to spend most of her time with them. She’s no idea what the future will hold; she’s very focussed on the present, and her aim is to save and nurture the puppies - and, if she can, to find good homes for them.

The third main character of the book is a man called Elliot. He’s actually the first person we meet, right at the start of the book where he’s taking a couple of hours away from the sickroom where he’s nursing his terminally ill wife. It’s clear that she doesn’t have long, and that he is going to be devastated. He’s taking compassionate leave from work to be with her as much as possible, but even so he has to get out of the house just occasionally, leaving a care assistant to look after his wife.

We don’t meet Elliot again until a few days after the inevitable funeral when he’s feeling entirely at sea, full of grief and with no idea what he’s going to do. He’s persuaded to go and stay for a few days in his cabin which he hasn’t seen in about three years, since his wife first became sick. And it’s clear to the reader that this is the cabin where Abby is keeping her puppies…

That’s just the introduction to a book that quickly drew me in, with such likeable characters (other than Abby’s dad) that I found it quite hard to say goodbye at the end. In a sense there’s not a whole lot of plot, and the outcome is also somewhat predictable. But it’s beautifully done, in the context of conversations, and insights, and a lot of fun with the delightful puppies. Abby, in particular, is a very believable young teen: she’s enthusiastic, spontaneous, sometimes moody, sometimes determined, and with a great deal of intelligence and insight.

It’s perhaps a tad slow-moving in places, but that didn’t worry me. There's nothing unsuitable for younger teens other than some ‘strong’ language from Abby’s unpleasant father. One of the main protagonists being a teenager means that this might appeal to folk younger than the usual readership of this kind of novel.

Definitely recommended if you like women’s fiction with some deeper issues. 

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Take me with you (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I have liked all the books I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, over the past decade or so. So I’m gradually acquiring more. I was a bit startled to realise, when I picked up ‘Take me with you’ to read, recently, that I was given it for my birthday nearly three years ago. I’m very glad that I have read it at last!

The book is about a teacher called August, who spends his summers travelling around the United States in a motorhome. We meet him early in June one year when his vehicle has broken down. He has managed to find a small and friendly repair shop, but he’s concerned that the cost of getting the motorhome fixed will curtail his trip somewhat. He has quite a tight budget, and there’s one place he had particularly wanted to get to….

The garage mechanic is called Wes. He’s a single father with two young sons; Seth is twelve and Henry is seven. They’re nice lads, and they are very taken with August’s dog. Seth is a serious boy, always feeling that he’s not good enough. And Henry doesn’t speak to anyone… except, sometimes, his brother.

There are some major issues in August’s past. We quickly learn that he suffered a devastating bereavement not long before the story starts. He is also recovering from another problem. The blurb on the back says what this is, but I rather wish I hadn’t read it; I’d have preferred to learn about his past as the story unfolds.

It’s hard to say more without spoilers; suffice it to say (since this is also in the blurb on the back) that Seth and Henry end up travelling with August in his motorhome. He isn’t keen on the idea, and they’re both quite stressed for a variety of reasons. The dog Woody plays a quiet but important part in the book,helping Henry in particular to feel more secure and relaxed. And there are some excellent conversations between August and Seth, as they get to know each other and help each other come to terms with some of their problems.

A book which covers three people’s travelling into a number of national parks and other campsites around the US could have been quite tedious, but Catherine Ryan Hyde makes it a thoroughly enjoyable journey. The focus is always on the people, and the things they learn. The descriptions give an overview; the places are real and can be researched online by anyone wanting to know more about them. But I didn’t skim much, if at all, as I turned the pages, more and more involved in the lives of these three different people,

The writing is excellent, as is the characterisation. I liked August so much; he’s had a difficult life in many ways, but is likeable, full of integrity, and determined to make the most of his life. Seth, too, is a responsible, honest lad. Yet both of them have their flaws. August can lose his temper; Seth is very easily offended. Henry is less three-dimensional, at least in the main part of the book, but I liked him - and believed in him - too.

There are some serious issues covered in the book, but there’s very little bad language - indeed, Seth apologies for even the mildest of bad language - as well as no violence or intimacy. This book would be appropriate for a teenager or even an older, thoughtful child, although some of the issues might be a tad disturbing or hard to understand for a younger child.

But it’s also an excellent book for adults; there is so much to think about, so much that kept the people in my mind and made it difficult to put the book down when I had to do other things. And the last chapters are extremely moving. There is some sadness at lost time - the last section of the book jumps us ahead by eight years, so the boys are grown up - and introduces other issues. It takes the story full-circle, in a way which would, again, be a spoiler to explain. And there were two incidents, in the last couple of chapters, where I had tears in my eyes, at thoughtfulness and love, in the best sense of the word.

It’s not a fast-paced book; if you prefer novels with plenty of plot, or fast action, this isn’t for you. But if you like thoughtful, character-based books which explore issues and develop friendships, this is a great read. It’s supposedly women’s fiction but it only just occurred to me that all the main characters are men.

All in all, I loved this book and would recommend it highly to anyone who likes this genre.

Review copyright 2020 Sue's Book Reviews

Second Hand Heart (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I’ve read quite a few of Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novels over the past twelve years or so, and liked them all. So when I saw a paperback edition of ‘Second Hand Heart’ on a church bookstall a few months ago, it seemed like an excellent use of fifty cents to buy it. I’ve just finished reading it, after picking it up a few days ago.

The story is mainly about a young woman called Vida, who is nineteen when we first meet her. All her life she has been ill, with a damaged heart; at any point she knows she could die. And now it’s getting worse. She’s first on the waiting list for a transplant, but realises that the chances of a suitable match are low, and even if one is found, the operation and post-operative care are not always successful.

Vida writes in the first person, supposedly filling in the blank pages of a kind of journal which her best friend Esther has given her. Esther, we soon learn, is an elderly woman in her eighties who also thought she might die when she was young, albeit for different reasons.

A heart is found. As it happens early in the book (and is implied in the blurb on the back) it’s no spoiler to say that the operation is successful.

But for Vida to have a chance at a normal life, someone has to die. The heart originally belonged to Lorrie, a woman in her thirties who has just died in a car accident. And the other main character in the book is her grieving husband Richard. He also starts writing down his story, so the narrative alternates between Vida and Richard.

There’s not a whole lot of plot; although there’s a long car journey towards the end, and some tension as it’s not certain whether the characters concerned will manage to get together, there’s no fast action, no mystery, not even any twist, as such. Instead it’s a character-based novel, a kind of ‘coming of age’ for Vida, and a gradual coming to terms with reality for Richard.

But there’s also an intriguing sideline, involving the idea of cellular memory. Vida starts feeling unexpected emotions, and remembering things she cannot possibly have done or known about, A research scientist in the book believes that it’s not just the brain that carries memories. Richard, initially very sceptical, gradually becomes convinced that perhaps there’s a stronger connection between his wife and Vida than he first thought.

I gather that this topic is something current and slightly controversial; it certainly made an interesting idea for a novel. It’s necessary to accept the author’s premise for the purpose of the story, but she is so convincing that I found myself believing that there must be some truth in it.

The characterisation is good. I found Vida rather a confusing person, but perhaps that’s inevitable given her background. She wants to be independent; her mother is not ready to let her go. She’s quite immature and has been unable to do very much; now she is determined to experiment, not necessarily always wisely.

There are very short chapters, so I found myself picking the book up at odd moments, reading just half a dozen pages or so at a time. The main cast is fairly small so I had no trouble remembering who was whom, or what was happening. The middle of the book is perhaps a tad slow-going, and there were times when I didn’t have much inclination to keep reading, but by the end I was intrigued - and had no idea how it was going to end.

All in all, I liked ‘Second Hand Heart’, and would recommend it to anyone who likes women’s fiction and is interested in something a bit more thought-provoking than many.

Review copyright 2019 Sue's Book Reviews

Heaven Adjacent (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

On the whole I have very much liked the novels I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde. The first one I came across was ‘Love in the Present Tense’, which I read over twelve years ago. But her best-known book is probably ‘Pay it Forward’, which I read nearly a year later, and which was made into a popular film. I have put various books by this author on my wish-list, and was given ‘Heaven Adjacent’ for Christmas last year. I have just finished reading it.

The novel is about a middle-aged woman called Roseanna. We first meet her three months after she has made an unexpected and rather dramatic move from a high-powered job in Manhattan a rambling small shack in the countryside. There are some metal animals, made from junk, which she has made and which attract some local attention. And she meets a young man, a reporter from a newspaper, who wants to interview her.

Roseanna is reluctant to agree, as she doesn’t want her former colleagues - or even her friends - to know where she is. But the reporter is intrigued by her lifestyle - and it’s a clever device, as their conversation left me wondering, too, what had led to the move, and who the various random people are wandering around. Roseanna claims that she wants peace and quiet, but there’s a small girl making a lot of noise, a dog, a young man offering her fresh fish, and an old man chopping wood…

After a couple of chapters, when Roseanna’s son Lance manages to find her, we’re taken back three months to the actual move. We know that she has lost Alice, a close friend and colleague, unexpectedly, although the details don’t become clear until later in the book. But what triggers her sudden decision is a little thing. She is evidently in need of a break of some kind, and decides to drive as far as she can on one tank of fuel, and then see what happens.

The novel is written in chunks of time, before and after the move, gradually filling in the story. Roseanna’s life was full of stress, working harder and harder so that she can buy more and more stuff. She was almost estranged from Lance, but never took the time to think about what really mattered until her friend Alice suddenly died. But what she thinks she really wants is not necessarily what she discovers, eventually, that she really wants.

The location is, as several people say, the next best thing to paradise - hence the title of the book. Yet the life Roseanna chooses to live is devoid of almost every modern comfort. She has electricity and water, but has to climb a nearby hill to get mobile phone reception. There is no heating or cooling in her house, and it’s not in great condition at all. There’s a shack near the back where there are some squatters, and she has the kind of location that attracts casual campers too. There’s also a barn, piled high with old car parts and other rubbish.

The characters are three-dimensional, on the whole. It’s essentially a character-based story, but I could not relate to either section of Roseanna’s life. I would never work in a high-powered stressful job as a lawyer; but neither would I want to throw up everything and start over in somewhat primitive conditions. On the other hand, I could relate to her needing peace and her own space, while also caring very much about individual people.

I don’t know why this book got under my skin quite the way it did. But although it took me a few chapters to get into it, I found myself reading at every odd moment, and then could hardly put it down towards the end. I liked the growing relationship that develops between Roseanna and her son in this unlikely place, and also the friendships that happen despite her wanting to back off. I didn’t entirely understand one of the significant parts of the book - being sued for a huge amount by a former colleague - but then I don’t understand the litigious culture of the United States. I didn’t expect what eventually happened to resolve this, either.

There’s some mild humour, some poignancy, and some quite moving scenes. In places I was reminded somewhat of Anne Tyler's style of writing, although it's a while since I've read any of her books. Even though Roseanna’s choices and options are not mine, the book is quite thought-provoking in places. Overall I thought this an uplifting and encouraging book. The ending is positive, tying up several loose ends as Rosanna has worked out what is really important to her. The novel comes full circle in a sense, as the reporter re-appears to find out how she is doing.

Recommended.

Review copyright 2019 Sue's Book Reviews

Where We Belong (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I’ve liked all the books I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, so I’m gradually acquiring more, mostly via my wish-list and generous relatives. I was given this one earlier in the year for my birthday.

The blurb on the back of ‘Where We Belong’ mentions that it’s about 14-year-old Angie and her mum, who are regularly homeless. The problem is Angie’s younger sister Sophie, who is on the autistic spectrum, and prone to loud shrieking. I thought it an interesting premise for a book.

It is narrated by Angie, in the first person, starting when she is fourteen. The book is divided into different sections, ending when she is seventeen. We first meet her family staying with a great aunt who clearly finds it difficult having them in the house. Then Sophie develops a passion for a neighbour’s dog, and although the neighbour is quite abrupt and unfriendly at first, he learns to respect Angie and they slowly become friendly.

Angie’s a dreamer, old for her years; partly this is because she’s had to take so much responsibility for her sister, and partly her inherent personality. Her mother works at any job she can find to earn a basic income, but she has to be with Sophie when Angie is at school.

Disaster strikes when the dog and her owner move away, and it’s not long afterwards that Angie’s family are asked to leave, and set off with no real destination in sight...

The plot is character-driven, very well written from the realistic point of view of a mature, thoughtful teenager. Angie struggles with her own wishes which are often at odds with the duties of a big sister whose sibling has serious learning difficulties. She finds it very hard to make friends of her own age, partly because she has to move schools, and partly because she can never invite anyone home.

There’s a theme that recurs in this author’s books, that of honesty and integrity, and indeed generosity, being their own reward in unexpected ways. Catherine Ryan Hyde popularised the idea of ‘paying forward’ good deeds, in one of her earlier books, ‘Pay it Forward’, that was made into the film of the same name. Angie is sometimes angry, sometimes confused, but she doesn’t hesitate to admit when she has done something wrong, and she always keeps her promises. Nor will she take advantage of others, and despite the family’s economic struggles, she is reluctant to take payment for tasks she enjoys doing for others.

I liked Angie very much, and enjoyed the mixture of other characters, including Sophie herself, who is unable to communicate anything much other than anger. And although it took a couple of chapters to get into it, I enjoyed the book very much indeed. It’s often poignant, quite sad in places, and highlights some of the issues of homelessness and poverty, as well as the difficulties besetting children on the autistic spectrum.

Very highly recommended.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Chasing windmills (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I’ve been enjoying the books I’ve read so far by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and - after reading some reviews - added a few more to my wish-list earlier in the year. I was given them for my birthday, and have just finished reading one of them.

‘Chasing windmills’ is told from the perspective of two very different young people, both of whom are spending hours each evening travelling around on the underground in their city (in the United States). We meet Sebastian first. He’s seventeen, and has been brought up by a very controlling father. He was homeschooled in a formal and rigid way, and never allowed to make any friends.

He wasn’t even allowed out of their apartment, until a doctor prescribed fresh air and exercise after Sebastian kept getting ill. He’s never seen a film, never read a novel, never eaten fast food. Despite everything, he’s a likeable and intelligent young man. He’s made a friend, too: the middle-aged Delilah who lives in his apartment block and gives him sound and helpful advice.

Maria, who is a few years older, lives with an equally controlling (and abusive) boyfriend, Carl. She fell in love with him when she was fifteen, but her home life wasn’t happy. They now have two small children. Maria recently lost her job but she hasn’t told Carl yet; so when she’s supposed to be working a night shift, she, too, rides around on the city subway system.

Inevitably, Sebastian and Maria come in contact although neither is sure what to do about it. We realise, since they tell the story in alternating chapters, that both are feeling trapped and helpless, and are taking this step towards independence. There’s tension right from the start: will Sebastian’s father or Carl find out what’s going on?

The story is a bit slow-moving in the early chapters, as we get to know these two young people. Their backgrounds are gradually unfurled through their thoughts, and the discussions with those who care for them: Delilah for Sebastian, and Maria’s sister Stella. Catherine Ryan Hyde builds solid and believable characters; there was no danger of confusing any of the people concerned, or forgetting who was whom. By the time I was about a quarter of the way through, I was liking it very much, and by half-way through I could barely put it down.

There’s a theme running through the book of a doomed romance: there are many references to the film West Side Story and also the play Romeo and Juliet on which it was based. It’s a clue that Sebastian and Maria aren’t likely to have a long-term relationship; I hoped the novel wasn’t going to be a tragedy. There are also themes of deceit and honesty, and of the kind of pseudo love that attempts to control another person. It’s a powerful story, well crafted and very readable.

Without giving spoilers, the ending - with plenty of drama - was the right one, if not that one I’d have chosen myself. I felt it was overall a positive novel, even though I was at first a bit disturbed that homeschooling is portrayed in such a negative light.

The story was thought-provoking and, in places, moving. It's one that would, I think, give hope to anyone trapped in a bullying relationship of any kind, whether with a parent or a partner.

Recommended for those who like hard-hitting women’s fiction.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Don't let me go (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I’ve very much enjoyed the handful of novels I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde; they’re character-driven thoughtful women’s fiction with plots a little different from the norm. I’ve put a few others on my wishlist and was given this one for my birthday nearly a year ago. I decided to read it a few days ago, and then could barely put it down!

‘Don’t Let me Go’ is mainly about ten-year-old Grace, with alternate chapters are written from her viewpoint. She’s a likeable, determined little girl, but seriously neglected. Her father is not in the picture, her mother an addict. It could be a sordid story, but it’s not. Grace and her mother live on the ground floor of a block of flats, where the residents are all suspicious of each other; it takes a child’s needs to help them pull together.

The other main character is Billy, an agoraphobic ex-dancer who hasn’t been outside his apartment for a long time. Nobody else in the block has seen him. But he spots Grace sitting outside on her own, and despite himself he knows he has to do something to help. So he plucks up courage and starts to speak to her…

The blurb on the novel says that it’s about helping Grace’s mother return to normality by taking Grace away from her, but I felt it was just as much about the importance of people learning to trust and look out for each other. Billy’s neighbour in the apartment building is Rayleen, a young woman who is determined to keep Grace away from social services. Gradually we learn some of her story, but it’s in hints and implications rather than too much detail.

Billy, too, has an interesting past; we learn about him gradually through the chapters narrated from his viewpoint. The other residents of the flat are an elderly widowed lady, with some health problems, a young man who’s willing to help wherever possible, and another who is brusque, even rude on the surface; yet he has a generous side, although he too has some dark secrets.

There are some quite heavy issues covered; perhaps too little is made of the horrors of Grace’s mother’s abuse, and her recovery too easy. In a sense the plot is somewhat idealised and unrealistic but I don’t have a problem with that; I like escapism, and seeing the best side of human nature in fictional form. It’s not as if any of the characters is flawless; they’re impatient, irritable, often tired. Grace, too, is somewhat oblivious to other people’s needs, although she’s sensitive and surprisingly mature.

I’m writing this a couple of days after I finished it, yet the characters, their stories and most of their names are still with me. The writing is excellent, in my opinion; the pace just right, the different viewpoints enabling the story to be told from both a child’s and an adult’s perspective.

All in all, I thought this an excellent read and would recommend it highly to anyone who likes thoughtful character-based women's fiction.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

The Language of Hoofbeats (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I’ve only read a couple of books by Catherine Ryan Hyde, but enjoyed them both, so when Amazon recommended this to me I checked a few of the reviews, and then put it on my wishlist. I was very pleased to be given it last Christmas.

‘The Language of Hoofbeats’, based in California, is told from two different viewpoints. The main one is Jackie, a foster-mother who, at the start of the book, is travelling with her family to a new home; alternative chapters are narrated by Clem, a cantankerous elderly woman, who lives over the road.

It’s an unusual set-up for a book, in that Jackie is married to another woman - a vet called Paula. They have an adopted eight-year-old son called Quinn, and two teenage foster-children, one of whom is full of anger and resentment, and inclined to be rude. Clem is married, but her husband is pretty fed up, and it’s clear from the start that there was a terrible tragedy in their lives a few years earlier.

The novel takes place over the summer, and consists of several sub-plots and character development rather than one simple main storyline. Star, the troubled teenager, falls in love with Clem’s horse Comet, which makes Clem very angry. Mando, the other teenager, needs a lot of space on his own and can’t quite trust anybody. Quinn is delightful, but very scared of being left without one of his mothers. Events pull them together in ways they would never have chosen….

The writing is excellent, the characters well-drawn and believable, and the story moves apace. I started reading a chapter or two at bedtime, but by the time I was half-way through I could barely put it down, and then finished the rest in one sitting.

There’s much to ponder in this book: issues of prejudice and stereotypes come up several times, and the point is made more than once that nobody should judge anyone by appearance. Even the less likeable people have their good points.

I was pleased that there was almost no bad language in the book, no violence to speak of - although there were horrors in the past, and nasty situations relevant to some of the foster children, but they were hinted at rather than spelled out. There are no scenes of intimacy beyond hugs and occasional kisses; this is not a love story, other the kind between a girl and a horse, and between parents and children, and the author set the scenes extremely well.

Highly recommended.

Review copyright 2016 Sue's Book Reviews

Pay it Forward (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

I had not come across Catherine Ryan Hyde until I read one of her books nearly a year ago, 'Love in the Present Tense'. It was sent to me for review for The Bookbag site. I found it intriguing, and decided to look at other books by the same author.

I had heard of the film 'Pay It Forward', and was undecided about whether to buy it. I had not realised it was based on a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I immediately added the book to my wishlist, then forgot about it until it arrived as a Christmas gift.

I knew the outline of the story from reading reviews of the film, and hearing people talk about it. A schoolboy in the USA comes up with an idea for a social studies assignment, which he thinks could change the world. The idea was that he would do three 'good deeds' - not just casual ones, but something taking considerable effort or time.

He would not ask for any payment; instead, he would ask each of the people concerned to 'pay it forward' rather than back - ie to find three others who needed helping in a big way, and give them something for nothing, telling them in turn to 'pay it forward'. And so on. The world would indeed change fairly rapidly if everyone took this to heart.

I found the book rather confusing, at first. The introductory chapter is written in the first person by a reporter called Chris, ten years after the story begins. Then we switch to Reuben, a new teacher who was a war veteran, and has some facial disfigurement. He is the one who gives this world-changing assignment. In the middle of this chapter is a short interview piece by Reuben to Chris, supposedly after the event.

Then there's a snippet from Trevor's diary. Trevor is the boy with the idea, in Reuben's class. Then we meet Arlene, Trevor's mother. Her boyfriend Ricky, Trevor's father, has been gone for nearly a year but she hasn't totally accepted it yet.

Then there are a whole host of minor characters, some of whom we only meet for a chapter. Trevor starts the practical side of his assignment by doing three very different 'good deeds'. He agrees to tidy up the gardens of an elderly lady in his street, for no pay. He gives some of his savings to a guy who is down on his luck. And he thinks that his wonderful teacher would be exactly the man for his mother, so he tries to get them together...

It took me a while to realise that there are two broad threads to the book. One is the story of Trevor, Arlene and Reuben. Trevor is rather disappointed that none of his great ideas seem to be working out, although he writes the assignment anyway, and tries to act as go-between when his mother and Reuben argue or don't communicate. He's a very likeable lad.

The other strand of the story is where we see results of the 'pay it forward' movement, as it begins to gather momentum. Trevor has no idea that any of the people he helped have actually gone ahead and done things for others, which is slightly frustrating, particularly at times when we realise how close they are to knowing - but not quite!

Then Chris gets involved, starting when he learns about 'The Movement', and tries to trace it back to its founder, with a great deal of difficulty.

I found it rather hard going at times - it isn't a book to sit down and read in one sitting, as there are so many people involved. Then again, it's quite confusing to read it over a week or two; I quite often forgot who the characters were and had to back-track before I could continue.

However, by the time I got to the last hundred pages or so, I was hooked. There is a great climax, and then a shocking second climax, which I was half-expecting (having read and heard so much about the film). And an extremely moving conclusion, that brought a few tears to my eyes.

The whole idea is wonderful - the concept of 'paying it forward' hasn't taken off internationally, sadly, yet it could have done. It's book about honour, and kindness, and imagination, and honesty. I suppose it's also rather escapist - the cynics in the book who were convinced that people simply wouldn't bother were, presumably, correct.

From my own perspective, there's a Christian theme underlying the book, too. It's the concept of Grace - God's undeserved gifts to mankind - which should result in us 'paying it forward' in love for our neighbours and friends. It's a sad commentary on the church today that few people seem to practise this kind of thing.

Definitely recommended. I shall probably read this again in a few years.

Love in the present tense (by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

(Amazon UK link)

'Love in the present tense' is an interesting modern novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Leonard is a remarkable child even at five years old when the main part of the story starts. His mother Pearl, who had him when she was only thirteen, is pretty amazing too. Street-wise, almost obsessively clean and tidy, and an intuitively good mother despite her extreme youth.

However the novel opens as Pearl, seven years old, watches someone dying outside her house. Then it moves us forward to the night when Leonard is conceived, when she herself commits murder.

Then we meet Mitch. It took me awhile to get into the style of the novel, which is told in short chapters by three different people: Pearl, Leonard, and Mitch, who is their next-door neighbour. He relates the first time he meets Leonard, seeing a small but very intelligent child with thick glasses and an asthma inhaler. He becomes his child-minder when Pearl has to work.

Mitch is straightforward and basically honest - other than being deep in a secret affair with a married woman - and I liked him immediately. He recognises something of a kindred spirit in Leonard, and Pearl instinctively trusts him.

Pearl vanishes and Leonard is convinced she's dead. Mitch is never quite certain, though, and I did wonder - once or twice - whether she would suddenly appear from jail (she did, after all, murder someone) or a kidnapping. But Leonard is perfectly content to stay with Mitch, and then to live with some foster parents for a while.

The novel is very well put together, with a tidy conclusion. By the time I was about half-way through it was difficult to put down. It's a book that I'll probably think about off and on during the next few weeks, because Leonard and Mitch have undoubtedly got under my skin.

Recommended.

My somewhat longer review of 'Love in the Present Tense' is here at The Bookbag.