Publication Date: Available Now from Beulah Press
Source: Author review copy
Rose Haldane is confident about her identity. She pulls the same face as her grandfather when she has to do something she doesn’t want to, she knows her DNA is the same as his. Except it isn’t: because Rose is adopted and doesn’t know it. Ignoring Gravity connects two pairs of sisters separated by a generation of secrets. Finding her mother’s lost diaries, Rose begins to understand why she has always seemed the outsider in her family, why she feels so different from her sister Lily. Then just when she thinks there can’t be any more secrets…
I was intrigued by this one, the starting point being adoption, as an adopted child myself it appealed to me for that reason. Plus the hint of mystery tempted me in and what I found was a really good read, some great characters and an often emotive look at family relationships.
One of the things that especially appealed to me was the authenticity with which Ms Danby writes about Rose’s reaction to finding she is adopted – her hunt for her “blood” parents takes on an obsessive streak and the very real need she has to understand her origin is beautifully drawn. I speak from experience when I say Rose is not alone in wondering if being adopted had an unknoweable affect on her relationship with her adoptive mother – especially since their relationship was up and down – I have been right there myself.
The relationship between the Sister’s, also subtly altered by this new found knowledge is as well a great strength of the story – all in all the family ties elements of this novel are engaging and appealing and explore the issues around adoption in a very positive and realistic way.
There are some lovely little twists and turns on Rose’s journey to the truth, as we go back to a time where adoption was very different, often surrounded by secrecy, which makes it harder for Rose to find out what she needs to know but she is a determined and very likeable character so you root for her all the way.
Lily also has a voice here and she is just as well drawn and if anything I probably liked her even more. Discovering your Sister is not really your Sister has a profound affect on her as well, at the same time she is dealing with some tough emotional issues as she struggles to get pregnant. With a husband who is seemingly unworried, this thread of the tale is seamlessly woven into the rest and Rose and Lily go on a journey together that is very addictive and will involve you all the way.
All in all a really really great debut that definitely makes me want to see what Ms Danby can come up with next. This will appeal to fans of family drama with authentic real life issues and I would highly recommend it.
Find out more here: http://www.sandradanby.com/
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Purchase Information: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ignoring-Gravity-Haldane-Identity-Detective-ebook/dp/B00O3D2PFI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417762709&sr=1-1&keywords=ignoring+gravity
Happy Reading Folks!
This was a great review for a fantastic book by an extremely talented writer.