Because of You by Dawn French

Because of You by Dawn French isn’t her first novel, however, it is the first one of Dawn’s that I’ve read. What a glorious introduction it was. I loved it.

I went in with zero expectations. Because of You was a Christmas present from Mr C and I have to be honest and confess that I’m not sure I would have chosen this book for myself. What a mistake that would have been! This was just the wonderful read I needed. I devoured it in a couple of weeks, spending many an hour in the bathtub reading, losing all sense of time and only emerging once I’d used all the hot water up.

Blubbering Wreck

Because of You is a book you won’t want to put down. It begins at the turn of the millennium. In the same hospital are two women, Anna and Hope, and they give birth to two different girls. In a tragic twist Anna leaves with empty arms and Hope leaves with a beautiful baby girl. Despite this somewhat bleak and heart-breaking opening, this isn’t a story that is depressing but it is warm, witty and full of love. It’s a joy to read but be warned it will also turn you into a blubbering wreck.

I don’t want to give too much away as this is a novel that you need to dive into yourself. I will say, however, that it is a true testament to Dawn’s writing that she manages to make you love and adore both mothers, despite the criminal actions of one. This is a book that explores what it is to be a mother and the actions you will take, the lengths you will go to in order to protect your child. It’s an emotional rollercoaster and there are sentences that are powerful in their simplicity. They will make you grind to a halt as you absorb their meaning.

“Forgot to fight.
Forgot he was loved. Forgot his wife. Forgot his kid.
Forgot to live”

This is a story that will grip you and in which you will become emotionally invested in all the main characters.  You might expect this to be a funny book because it’s written by Dawn. It does contain her wit but really this is a novel that is poignant and heartfelt. It’s about motherhood and grief; about heartbreak and loss, about kindness and forgiveness, about family and marriage. But right at the heart of this novel is love and what we would do for love.

Reading Through The Pandemic

During this pandemic I’ve struggled to finish books quickly as I’ve found my mind wandering while trying to concentrate on the words on the page. Because of You was a novel where I stopped thinking about the pandemic. I became fully absorbed in the world of Anna and Hope. If you want to escape the pandemic, you will want to read this. Just be warned that the ending will make you cry. Make sure you have plenty of tissues at hand.

Go buy or borrow Because of You by Dawn French. Read and enjoy it because this is a marvellous and life-affirming novel.