It's difficult to convey how brilliant this story is: the translation captures the essence of the book perfectly and it was a joy to read.
* Buzz Magazine *
Perrin has a beautiful talent for capturing the atmosphere of small-town France and she has a philosopher's nose for the way in which our lives are really constructed.
* Litro *
What Readers Are Saying (from NetGalley and Goodreads)
This book feels like a kick in the ass and a caress on the face, at the same time. It owns my soul. Booksnpenguins - 5*
I really enjoyed this book right from the start, it was a compelling read with a good writing style, gripping storyline, engaging narrative and well-developed characters that jumped off of the page... Aria Harlow - 5*
I'm so dumbstruck by this novel that I feel silly reviewing it: it's the kind of book I wish I could write. It's linear in spite of the to and fro in time, it takes its time without dragging, and it's jammed with details, textures, resonances. When the story comes together, it is effortless, exquisite, and sapid. I highly recommend this novel and will read whatever I can find by Valerie Perrin. June Schwartz - 5*
Valerie Perrin is always a delight. I was wondering if/how she could top Fresh Water for Flowers... she maintained the same amount of beauty and expectation. Alexandra Jundler - 5*
This is wonderful character driven storytelling to immerse yourself in, touching on the universal themes of what it is to be human, our connections and disconnections, identity, family, friendship, love, loss, grief, guilt, sexuality, judgements, bad decisions and betrayal. A stellar read that I highly recommend. Paromjit Hayers - 5*
Valerie Perrin has an unerring gift for delving deep into life's depths. Following the thread of a sequence of heart-wrenching, inescapable events over the span of three decades, she draws the reader into a compelling story of love and loss, hope and grief, and of the distance that comes with the passing of time. I still have goosebumps! Omg...... this book was amazing I flew threw the pages with Olympic speed! Michelle Coates - 5*
Great book, I loved this read. Katie Smith - 5*
Valerie Perrin has written another incredibly moving and powerful view of contemporary relationships and the joys and tragedies that prevail. Stephen Richard - 5*
Three is a totally consuming book that makes it hard to come up for air while reading it. Jill - 5*
Such a great book, that I found very hard to put down.... deeply satisfying. Mel - 5*
One of the most beautifully written stories I have ever read. Alison - 5*
Full of sorrow but with pocketfuls of joy and sunshine along the way, as well as determination and resilience. The writing was exquisite, not in terms of sophisticated vocabulary but in the way the author - and the translator as well - can write and effuse so many emotions into their words. Catarina - 5*
This is a book that slowly gives us little jigsaw pieces of the puzzle that you can't wait to put together as the two timelines come closer to each other. Full of intrigue and unpredictable twists. Ciara R - 4*
At first, it reminded me of a slightly saner version of Lize Spit's The Melting. But then, just as I was getting slightly impatient, the story hit me. Hard. Valerie Perrin has done it again! Anne McCormick - 4*
A story of family and friendship, conjuring almost every emotion you can imagine - loyalty, betrayal, jealousy, obsession, guilt, for starters - but focusing on how even the closest relationships can conceal so much.... I was fully engaged in the lives of Valerie Perrin's characters, from their teens to their 40s, and invested in their futures. Sue Broom - 4*
