Renowned children’s author Catriona Robinson has dedicated all her books to the people that have meant something to her during her life.
Her granddaughter Emily, one of the dedicatees has never given it much thought until the death of her grandmother.
Catriona became Emily’s life when a tragic accident robbed her of her beloved parents and for a while the ability to walk, talk and function as a human being.
Now seemingly alone in the world, a final task from her grandmother is to go and search out all those that have had books dedicated to them. Popularity of Catriona means that no one wants to believe there is no more stories to come and the trip suddenly becomes a quest for a lost manuscript, the final story, the one that has yet to be published.
The only person that can discover any of this is Emily. But since her accident, Emily exists in a very small world, near the cottage in Norfolk, not conversing with anyone and seeking solace in the illustrations she did for her Grandmothers work but also in the birds she starts to draw after her grandmother dies.
However, it seems this legacy has to be fulfilled and Emily has to break down barriers and step outside what she knows.
This is a quiet tale of grief and rediscovery of a life seemingly lost and one that has been lived through words and pictures which have come alive as Emily goes on this mystery tour – but where will it end?
The writing is carefully constructed, the use of birds is a unique way of creating chapters and sections all linked in with the beautiful drawings described.
In my opinion a sleeper of a debut novel which is going to take people by surprise and will undoubtedly become a hit. It was a hit with me.
Thank you to the publisher via netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
For Emily is out now.
The Book Jotter 