When I popped in to the library last Monday morning to return an overdue book it was with no intention of borrowing another. A cursory glance around our living room would assure anyone I had enough reading material to keep me entertained for a good few years. But I can never resist checking out the display of new acquisitions and I had a yearning for a an easier read than any of the volumes in my 'to read' pile at home.
Eleanor Moran's 'a daughter's secret', a tale of two women hiding devastating secrets and needing each other to survive, was irresistible. I just had to find out whether they learnt to trust each other before it was too late!
Next stop was the doctor's surgery, I arrived early and decided to get stuck in straight away. My first reaction was one of bitter disappointment. I took an instant dislike to the author's vocabulary and use of imagery, so much so that I seriously contemplated returning to the library to swap it for another straight after my appointment. But I was persuaded by Daisy Goodwin's 'gripping, emotional' review of an earlier novel to give Ms Moran a chance to live up to her reputation.
Having reached the end I'm glad I did. For although I continued to struggle with her style I was emotionally engaged and gripped by the story. Even better I found myself in that delicious state of being unwilling to put it down, something I haven't, for various reasons, experienced, but deeply missed for some time now.
So while I don't imagine I'll be scanning the shelves for any of her other novels I'm grateful that 'a daughter's secret' has got me reading again.
When choosing a book I usually read a paragraph selected at random to test whether I'm comfortable with an author's style, and immediately reject anything that jars. I also admit to judging books by their covers. How do you choose a new book? How long do you allow yourself to persist with one which doesn't instantly please? Is there a particular book you have been unable to finish, despite it being highly recommended?
I'm (rather unsuccessfully so far!) joining in The Year in Books with Laura over at Circle of Pine Trees.
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