NEW RELEASE
Before I Met You - Lisa Jewell (2012)
In 1983, 11-year-old Elizabeth Dean moves with her mother and stepfather to Guernsey to the home of her step-grandmother, Arlette. The two develop a strong bond and it is Elizabeth (renamed Betty by Arlette) who stays for eleven years to care for her step-grandmother until her dying day. When Arlette's will throws up the mysterious name Clara Pickle, Betty offers to investigate, seeing it as her chance to finally experience life and to carry out the wishes of her beloved step-grandmother. Betty heads off to London to uncover Arlette's secrets but it also offers a new chapter in her own life. As she begins to piece together her step-grandmother's fascinating life in the 1920s, Betty has to negotiate the challenges and surprises of her new life in 1990s London. This is a wonderfully written and mesmerising novel, with a mystery that keeps developing and draws you in. The dual narrative of the 1920s and 1990s offers something a bit different and the novel has a certain historical feel to it. This is a mature, plot-driven read and Arlette's story in particular is beautiful and heartbreaking. The 1920s narrative is delivered in short, snappy chapters so the book never feels too historical. I was taken in by the drama and mystery of the story and loved the way the puzzle slowly emerged with several twists and turns and the dual narrative was perfect for this purpose. I did wish that Betty and the other relatives in the 1990s narrative had discovered the whole truth of Arlette's story but nonetheless the book is wonderfully imagined and written. (JC)
Before I Met You, by Lisa Jewell, tells the stories of two women from different generations. The synopsis says: "Having grown up on the quiet island of Guernsey, Elizabeth Dean can't wait to start her new life in London. On a mission to find Clara Pickle - the mysterious beneficiary in her grandmother's will - she arrives in bustling and grungy 1990s Soho, filled with hope, excitement and dreams. She has the world at her feet and is ready for whatever life has to throw at her. Or so she thinks... In 1920s bohemian London, Arlette - Elizabeth's grandmother - is starting her new life in a time of post-war change. Beautiful and charismatic, Arlette is soon drawn into the hedonistic world of the Bright Young People. But less than two years later, tragedy strikes and she flees back to Guernsey for the rest of her life. As Elizabeth searches for Clara, she is taken on a journey through Arlette's extraordinary time in London, uncovering a tale of love, loss and heartbreak. Will the secrets of Arlette's past help Elizabeth on her path to happiness?"