Powerful
The Pieces Of Us by Caroline Montague is a very powerful dual timeline novel that I just could not put down.
It is set in present day and a hundred years earlier, mainly in the Potteries at Stoke. Although the novel opens in present day Italy.
Both time periods have similar themes. In present day and previously, there is loss. A century ago, Britain was recovering from World War I where many young men were used as cannon fodder. No community was left unscathed. Some, never recovered from their loss. They needed someone to blame. They even blamed God, believing that He was deaf to their pleas. “I used to pray a lot, but when everyone I loved was taken away, I realized God wasn’t listening to the likes of me.” God listens to all His children, whether we think He does or not.
There was also much poverty and poor living and working conditions. There were those who saw and either stood up for change, or those philanthropic hearts who worked quietly behind the scenes providing better facilities.
The reader follows the fortunes of women a hundred years ago. Despite stepping into the men’s shoes during World War I, women were subjected to terrible conditions and poorer pay than men. Trade Unions needed to step up to change this. Women rallied together to fight for better conditions and pay. A certain amount of militancy was required.
In both time periods there are women who were abused by men. Other women step up to help them.
The love for a child is strong – whether it is a mother’s love or one that recognizes the need in a child, it matters not. The bond is strong. We witness a beautiful bond develop with a young boy who fears losing love as everyone leaves him. He needs love, care and encouragement in order to step up and thrive.
Death is beautifully described by the young. You will need tissues.
Both time periods are linked by an ancestral home. We see that “all the money in the world… doesn’t buy happiness.” It can actually be a millstone to be in the public eye.
I found The Pieces Of Us very powerful. It was beautifully written and flowed seamlessly between the two time periods.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
The Pieces of Us
Marina and Hugh were once madly in love. But after the loss of their beautiful little daughter, grief has created a distance between them that feels impossible to bridge. Marina knows leaving Italy is the only way they will be able to move on, but Thorncliffe Hall, Hugh’s family home in England, is so grey and unwelcoming.
Just when life feels like it may never regain colour, Marina and Hugh come across a striking china coffee pot in a London shop window, adorned with a fox flying through the night sky. The coffee pot comes attached with a mystery, one that is connected with Hugh’s own family many years ago.
By digging into the past, Marina is about to discover a story far beyond her wildest dreams. But will the past help her heal the present?
A heart-wrenching, utterly unforgettable story for fans of Lucinda Riley, Dinah Jeffries and Amanda Prowse.
Purchase Link – https://shorturl.at/cQY07
Author Bio – Caroline Montague lives with her husband at Burnt Norton House in the Cotswolds made famous by TS Eliot in the first of his four quartets. She is also a designer and mother to seven children and step-children. She divides her time between England and Italy.
Social Media Links – Instagram https://www.instagram.com/caroline_montague_author_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CMontagueAuthor
