A Family Secret That'll Make You Want to Dig Up Your Past

Hello everyone!

This book has a story behind it that's worth sharing.

To be honest, I've been a bit of a bookworm in the past, but nowadays I prefer e-books. However, even those are a rare treat. I used to read during my commutes or while on the go, but with a baby on maternity leave, I don't have much time for that anymore. But being a breastfeeding mom means I spend a lot of time sitting still with my hands free. Usually, I get sucked into my phone during this time, but I'm not a big fan of it – it's not great for my baby to be near my phone, and my husband keeps reminding me that phone radiation is a thing. He brought up some good points, though: he said I should replace my phone with a book, specifically a physical one, so our kid can see us reading. If we don't set a good example, how can we expect our kid to develop a love for reading? So, after some family discussion, it was decided that since I'm always sitting with the baby, I'm the one who gets to be the bookworm and spread the love for reading.

Next up was the question of where and how to get the book. It's not just about finding a book, though – we're living in Sochi now, and it's not easy to borrow books from family or friends who live far away. We don't have any bookstores within walking distance, and I wasn't keen on shelling out a lot of cash for a single book, especially considering the prices of popular titles.

I decided to order the book on Avito, and that's exactly what I did. As I was waiting for the package, I stumbled upon a Fix Price store nearby, and they had a selection of art books for just 199 rubles.

The choice was limited, but one book caught my eye right away. Maybe it was the bright red cover, but I didn't want to look at the other options anymore.

Clare Douglas's 'A Mother's Reckoning' was the book that caught my attention. I only glanced at the review on this website, but I didn't read it thoroughly – I just checked the rating. I've noticed that some reviews on books and movies often contain spoilers, so I only read them after I've seen or read the material myself.

This book is a mystery that unravels through the past, forbidden love, and the unrelenting love of a mother. After reading it, you'll definitely want to call your parents and ask them about their past – maybe there are some untold stories hidden there...

The description had me intrigued, and in the end, I didn't regret choosing this book.

The Story

The story is told from the perspective of several characters, and the events take us back and forth between the past and the present.

There are a few main characters:

Saffi – a 24-year-old woman who's had to deal with a lot of trouble, on top of being pregnant.Tom – Saffi's husband, who's more of a secondary character but is always present.Lorna – Saffi's mom. Since she had Saffi at 16, she's got her own life to focus on, being only 40 years old (like me now, but my daughter is only one year old). Lorna is beautiful, temperamental, a bit dramatic, and completely unlike her calm and rational daughter.Rose – Saffi's grandma and Lorna's mom. She's the oldest character in the book and suffers from dementia, living in a nursing home.Daphne – she appears a bit later in the book but is a key character.Theo – a young man who's trying to figure out his complicated relationship with his dad throughout the book.The characters in the book aren't many, but they're easy to remember and don't get mixed up, as they're all so different.

I found the characters relatable and likable. The characters' personalities are well-developed, and it's clear the author loves them and wants to tell their stories in detail.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the story itself – I felt connected to the characters and was eager to find out what happened in the end.

I was pleasantly surprised by how not all the plot twists were predictable, even though I enjoy reading and watching detective stories and thrillers.

I appreciated that there were no graphic descriptions or unpleasant moments in the book. There's also no explicit content or long, sentimental scenes.

Since the book often takes us back to the past, I found myself naturally thinking about my own childhood and wondering what secrets my family might be hiding...

We don't have many family legends, but we do have a few relatives. If you've got a big family, it's always interesting to learn more about each of its members – you never know what secrets they might be hiding and who they really are, the people who've been around you since childhood. Do we really know them that well?

The book answers all those questions. Of course, real life isn't always that straightforward...

I liked how the book wraps up all the storylines in a logical way. I hate it when an author starts a thread and then just drops it without resolution. Here, everything is clear and well-explained, leaving you with a pleasant aftertaste that comes with reading a good book!

I highly recommend checking this out, especially if you enjoy the thriller-detective-drama genre.

By the way, I lent this book to my mom when she came to visit us recently, and she loved it just as much as I did! She even read it at night, eager to find out how it all ends.

My husband even promised to read it after our lively discussions!

And I'm also giving my genuine thumbs-up to this book! It's a must-read, especially if you've got kids.

And here's my review of that amazing film about love. It's not just about medicine, it's also about feelings and what love can do.