Sunday, February 28, 2021

THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE, by Maggie O'Farrell

 


Literature -- 5 stars

When a sophisticated stranger peeks over her family's hedge, hoping for some help with his automobile, young Lexie Sinclair meets her destiny.  Turning her back on her boring country life, Lexie packs up and moves to London, where she reconnects with Innes, the man from that chance encounter. His is a complicated family life, but together Lexie and Innes are unstoppable.  Meanwhile, in another part of London, Elina and Ted are learning to cope with a new baby while coming to terms with almost losing Elina in childbirth. Two separate stories with a connection that will break your heart. ----- This is a character driven story in the hands of a master storyteller with a gift for character development. The four main characters live in different though relatable worlds, each populated by equally well drawn secondary personalities.  While the Lexie/Innes story barrels forward at breakneck speed, it is the Elina/Ted story, seemingly mired in inertia, that holds the explosive secret that connects them all.  Together, they form a story of mothers, and separate lives, and chance encounters that can cohere in the most unexpected ways.

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