Five words from the blurb: daughter, killed, grief, haunted, love
Whatever You Love is a heartbreaking read. The book focuses on Laura, a mother whose nine-year-old daughter is killed by a car. Her grief oozes from every page and I found the first chapter so sad that I didn’t want to continue reading.
Muscle has memory; the body knows things the mind will not admit. Two police officers were at my door – uniformed, arranged – yet even as the door swung open upon them, which was surely the moment I knew, even then, my conscious self was seeking other explanations, turning round and around like a rat in a cage.
Unfortunately the writing had the ability to suck me in and I found that I couldn’t put it down. I became completely wrapped up in the terrible situation and descended further into her depression.
The second half of the book was a bit different in that it moved away from the grief and became a slightly bizarre tale of revenge. Laura decides to track down the driver of the car, but her mental instability meant it was obvious that this would never lead to good things. I felt that the plot became a little unrealistic at this point, but it did give the book more pace and allowed the reader a little respite from the sadness of the first half.
Whatever You Love was very easy to read, but I ended it feeling a bit empty. Many parts were so painful that I could barely read them, but the book seemed to offer little more than a glimpse of total misery. It reminded me of The Crying Tree, but without the sentimentality.
Recommended to anyone who likes emotionally raw page turners, but it was a bit too depressing for me.
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The thoughts of other bloggers:
This is a book written from the heart and with deeply perceptive attention to that fine descriptive detail that never feels overbearing but adds to the whole. Dovegreyreader Scribbles
…isn’t high-brow literature by any stretch of the imagination, but it is accessible and enjoyable. Reading Matters
Laura’s grief is palpable, which makes this a harrowing book to read. Books Please