I'm not a fan of so called "misery memoirs" and had it not been for a newspaper article I read by the author, I wouldn't have chosen this book.

This is a calm, thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of a traumatic event, put in the context of a family life that wasn't easy to understand, never mind live in before and afterwards.

The grace that the author shows - well, I couldn't do it. And knowing a little about events in her life afterwards, as an adult with a family of her own - I'm amazed she's still standing.

Picked up at the local BCX meeting today.

As beeofgoodcheer says this is a thoughtful and thought-provoking account of a traumatic life. At the start of the book, the chapters jump about in both time and place, and I was concerned I'd get confused if it continued in this style but it slowly settled down to a more chronological account and I wondered if it reflected the way Harding had initially journalled about her life as part of her dealing with her mental health problems.

Local BookCrossers meet, from noon on the second Saturday of every month, at Coffee Link, on Neptune Quay. Why not come along and join us? We're easy to spot - we're the people sitting round a table covered in books!

Picked up at the meet up at CoffeeLink.

On Octopus outside the Pier Hotel.