I defy you not to be intrigued by the blurb for this book.
‘Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.’
There, you see? Sally is indeed strange, but Nugent is about to explore why and, because life is messy and people are complicated, this will be a story that moves you to tears.
What’s it about?
Having lived with her (adoptive) psychiatrist father since the age of 7, Sally has been treated more like a patient than a daughter; allowed to isolate herself in the countryside and avoid social contact.
When her father dies, Sally’s attempts to deal with his body create a media circus that draws more attention to her than she is equipped to handle. Slowly, tentatively, Sally begins to make friends and to make changes to her life, but when a stranger reaches out from her past, the revelations threaten to destroy everything she’s worked for.
Meanwhile, Peter’s narrative of his childhood opens up a disturbing window into his world.
What’s it like?
Genuinely disturbing. Described succinctly on Goodreads by multiple readers as “‘Eleanor Oliphant’ meets ‘Room'”, this is a story that probably should come with trigger warnings. Nugent incorporates moments of real humour as Sally tries to negotiate social situations without an understanding of the unwritten social rules, but there is also great sadness as she struggles.
Sally really is trying to adapt to needs of those around her – when she attempts to befriend some children, she learns from their parents that not all topics are suitable to discuss with them and makes herself a list of topics that she must avoid – which makes it frustrating when her friends fail to adapt to her needs or make allowances for her feelings, creating an ending that is both realistic and deeply moving.
Final thoughts
This was a book group choice for me, which is lucky because I could talk at length about my feelings about the various twists, turns and the denouement. I definitely recommend reading this alongside a friend so you can discuss Sally and Peter’s stories without worrying about spoilers!
Despite the disturbing subject matter, this was easy to read and Sally was absolutely convincing as a character. I devoured this in a few days, which is very quick for me. I also really enjoyed how, as the story developed, perspectives shifted around her adoptive parents and how her father, in particular, treated her. The ending felt sudden but is deeply fitting.
I look forward to reading more by Liz Nugent.
