It Takes A Village

A Gift Called Hope by Eva Jordan is a beautiful, poignant contemporary Christmas novel that will tug at your heart.

This is a study of a family and of grief from two years earlier. The family has fractured as each member retreats into themselves as they each process loss. There is no right or wrong way through grief, each journey is unique. Each must ravel their own pathway.

We mainly ‘see’ the loss as experienced through the mother’s eyes. Her arms are empty of her son, as she draws her grandson closer. In her own grief, she fails to see how others are suffering. She fails to see what was under her nose. Her memories are rose-tinted and not a true depiction.

Grief and guilt go hand in hand. Characters feel guilty for what they did or did not do.

There is a community atmosphere as characters offer support where they can. There is also a tense atmosphere at the school gates as mothers try to outdo others.

All the characters were well drawn and realistic. Our responses varied but it was easy to empathise with each character in different ways.

Family units are made up of different members. Family units need love and support as we see that it takes a village to raise a child.

JULIA WILSON