I was so excited and honoured to be gifted a proof copy of Meredith, Alone. A number of fellow book bloggers were also gifted a copy and the buzz over the past couple months has been great! I like to wait and read my proofs the month they are being published, I don’t really know why but I get more excited when I knew its publication month. So once June finally came around I got stuck right in.
Meredith has spent the past three to four years locked inside her house, voluntarily may I add this is no rapunzel situation, and hasn’t stepped out into the world since her life crumbled apart. Despite this, and the book title, Meredith is not alone. She enjoys the company of her cat, her best friend who visits regularly and her weekly visits from the shopping delivery man. But now it is finally time for Meredith to face her reality, can she come to terms with what has been keeping her inside and help those who mean the most to her?
The book is written completely from Merediths perspective in a dual timezone method. Switching between the present, focusing on Meredith and her current situations, and going back in timeline to visit Merediths childhood and the “situation” that lead to Merediths lock-in. I always really enjoy dual timezone/dual narrative novels, I feel like if done correctly its such an easy and effective way to make the plot deeper whilst allowing the reader to feel more connected with the story. Its a clever way of revealing past situations that impact the present story without having the present character explain everything. And Alexander has done this perfectly! I felt like I got to know Meredith on such a deep level and fully understand and empathise with her situation.
Not many books teach you a life lesson but I feel like I got one with this book. It taught me that you generally do not know what is going on behind closed doors, even with your neighbours. I can go weeks without passing or seeing my neighbours, which is perfectly normal, but after reading this book I kinda thought ‘oh I hope everyone is doing good’. It gives you a bit of push to check up on people, even the simplest conversation can mean a lot to someone.
Meredith, Alone is an uplifting, inspiring, cosy book that is full of joy, sadness, hope and determination. Its about one woman finding her way is life, fighting her depression, facing her family issues and finding out how to love herself again. But yet it is so much more. I think everyone will be able to find some sort of similarities with Meredith and thats what makes this book quite the hit.
Thank you again to Claire Alexander, Michael Joseph and @JenLovesReading for my beautiful proof copy. Click here to purchase a copy of Meredith, Alone.
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