Watch Maggie O'Farrell discussing THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE
Praise for THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE
The Observer ‘The pace of the book is never achieved at the cost of the poetry: O’Farrell writes with acute perception, paying attention to the smallest details, those everyday moments that imperceptibly heighten an experience. O’Farrell has a remarkable ability to convey the texture of human emotion with precision. In The Hand That First Held Mine, she also demonstrates a masterful gift for storytelling’
The Daily Mail'Like Daphne du Maurier before her, Maggie O'Farrell writes books designed to stir up the female subconscious and bring our most primal fears to the surface. Although you may resent the ease with which O'Farrell pulls your emotional strings, this book will still leave your stomach in knots'
Now Book of the Week 'In this fantastic read, O'Farrell weaves together two stories that couldn't be more different...Just how they're connected will keep you guessing 'til the end'
Grazia 'The much-loved author returns with an intense story of love, motherhood and childhood secrets. With a narrative that slips seamlessly between '50s Soho and the present day, it's beautifully written and thought-provoking. O'Farrell fans will not be disappointed'
Scotland on Sunday ‘The journey this novel invites us on is wonderful, involving time travel, heartache, elation, confusion, freedom, nostalgia and art’
Heat Magazine ***** 'This story is elegant, poetic and tenderly written. The characters are so well-written that you feel as if they are sat next to you, telling you their stories...an entirely encompassing and beautiful read'
Easy Living Magazine'The characters' tumultuous emotional journey are vividly realised; the reverberations of their fortunes and fates are felt with all-consuming and stinging realism and make this book not only thought-provoking and acutely observed but searingly unforgettable'
Good Housekeeping Magazine 'Another delight. Maggie's skill is to draw the reader into her characters' lives while gradually revealing the relationship that binds them. A compelling portrait of motherhood'
Psychologies Magazine 'The link between the two women is revealed, in a narrative that builds with quiet intensity to a devastating climax. O'Farrell's wonderfully complicated characters linger in the imagination long after the final page'
Sainsbury's Magazine'O'Farrell is brilliant at weaving strands of mystery into a heart-stopping revelation - and she's done it again in this novel about love and motherhood. Word-perfect, it has an unmissable ending.'
Woman & Home Magazine'A mesmerising tale of two women with unexpected connections'
