The Possible World
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4.5 • 40 Ratings
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
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'Every now and then I come across a book I wish I’d written. The Possible World is one ... A gorgeously wrought exploration of who gets to tell the story of our lives, and who gets to inhabit that story with us' JODI PICOULT
Ben is the sole survivor of a crime that claims his mother and countless others. He is just six years old, and already he must find a new place for himself in the world.
Lucy, the doctor who tends to Ben, is grappling with a personal upheaval of her own. She feels a profound connection to the little boy who has lived through the unthinkable. Will recovering his memory heal him, or damage him further?
Clare has long believed that the lifetime of secrets she’s been keeping don’t matter to anyone anymore, until an unexpected encounter prompts her to tell her story.
As they each struggle to confront the events – past and present – that have defined their lives, something stronger than fate is working to bring them together...
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'A beautiful story of loss and memory' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
'Full of big questions' THE OBSERVER
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Schwarz (Near Canaan), a specialist in emergency medicine, blends a clear-eyed acceptance of life's pain and cruelties with a hopeful message about the enduring power of love in this rich and memorable novel. In Providence, R.I., ER physician Lucy is adrift following the dissolution of her marriage. She forges a surprising but firm bond with six-year-old Ben, the only survivor of a party where everyone else was murdered, who's unable to recall the crime. Across town, Clare, a nursing home resident, decides to observe her 100th birthday by recording the closely guarded details of her life. As she and Ben reveal their stories, it becomes clear they have met in Ben's past life, and that Lucy may be the key to reuniting them at last. Schwarz's prose is assured and lyrical, infusing each narrative with sensory and emotional detail. However, that same detail also dilutes the main story line, making the moment when these narratives finally intersect feel somewhat rushed. Nevertheless, readers who enjoy the works of Susanna Kearsley and M.J. Rose will find much to enjoy.
Customer Reviews
One of the most lovely books I have ever read.
What an incredibly beautiful story.
The Possible World
Oh my heart......the best book I have read for ages. The author tells the tale through 3 people, Claire, Lucy and Ben/Leo. It’s a really engrossing read and the three lives are very different, with a bit of war, murder,hardship, a failed marriage and loss. It all comes together at the very end and while it is just so sad and made me weep, it’s also a lovely ending. I can thoroughly recommend it.
I would like to thank the author/publisher/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review