Title: One For Sorrow, Two For Joy
Author: Marie - Claire Amuah
Publishers: One World
Genres: Novel, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
One of the many reasons I read is to better understand the world but it's also to better understand myself. Other times it's to try and escape.
When you’re really lucky, a book will have you reaching back into your own memories, looking deeper into your relationship with yourself and trying to better understand the relationships you have with others. Sometimes a great book will bring about important conversations.
One for Sorrow, Two for Joy is all of these things.
Synopsis
Stella tries very hard to be good. She tries not to be sassy, to answer back, to be noticed. Because when Stella’s father is angry, it’s like lightning and thunder and hailstones. All she can do is touch wood… or search for magpies. Two for joy.
But as Stella begins to build a new life, her past still haunts her. It will take all her grace, courage and love to heal her wounds and break free.
Set against a backdrop of London and Ghana, Marie-Claire Amuah has produced an unforgettable exploration of intergenerational trauma. Brimming with compassion, One for Sorrow, Two for Joy offers both a sensitive portrayal of the ripple effects of domestic violence, and a defiant story of friendship, resilience and hope.
‘It’s hard to plan your future when the ghosts of the past won't leave you alone…’
My Review
One For Sorrow, Two for Joy, by debut novelist Marie-Claire Amuah is the story of Stella, a Ghananian girl born and raised in South London. It is an evocative contemporary/literary fiction and coming-of-age tale, dealing with themes such as intergenerational trauma, mental health and the importance of friendship and belonging.
A raw, emotionally astute novel that pays homage to friendship, hope, courage and the resilience of the human spirit.
I was not ready for how bowled over I would be by this book. Reading it alongside a handful of great friends really added to my experience. We all fell in love with Stella, and we were genuinely rooting for her from beginning to end. I felt genuinely protective of her and emotionally invested. It was sometimes hard to believe that Stella was a fictional character and that is a true testament to Amuah's poignant writing.
I admired Amuah's brave creative choices in language and style, Stella’s voice evolves with her as she grows, and reflects her state of mind, I found the effect to be authentic and powerful.
Marie-Claire’s dexterous depictions of depression, anxiety and compulsive/ritualistic behaviours are beautifully balanced with doses of warmth, humour and hope. There is an honesty to her writing, which makes it both relatable and truly profound.
The story centres around such complex characters and relationships, I could talk about them all day. Amuah handles the nuances of familial tension with subtlety and flair. The compassion she writes with is evident, as she has the reader seeking to understand even the most deplorable characters.
Stella’s friendship group are clearly an essential part of her journey, ‘The Girls’ seemed to be the catalyst for her to begin building a relationship with herself and acknowledging that she is indeed worthy of love. A celebration of friendship and love.
'The Girls' are the mirrors she needed to see herself in.
A highly emotive and thought-provoking story. It is one of those rare, therapeutic reads an immersive story that will visit the memories of your and your parent's childhoods, reaching you on a deep and visceral level.
Throughout Stella’s journey, we are able to explore the effects of childhood trauma and the ways in which it manifests in adult lives. How our inner voice is constructed by our earliest relationships and how the relationship you have with yourself is the most important of all.
This book made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me love and root for the main character, but it ultimately made me root for myself. An absolute gem.
I will be recommending this book to everyone… however, fans of Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Carty-Williams’ Queenie should definitely look out for this one!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars
Release Date 18th August 2022 / Out in Paperback now
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