Cecelia Ahern
In a thousand different ways.
Just like the main character in her latest novel, Cecelia Ahern has something special, a gift. I have read everything that our author has ever written, and this was an incredible read. This book is an absolute gift to its readers.
Synopsis: Alice Kelly has something special. Some might call it a gift. Some might call it a burden. But from the age of 8, Alice finds that she has the ability to see people’s emotions via colours that are all around them. Not only does she see their colours, but she finds that they affect her too. Alice has to learn how to manage her gift and is perceived as being ‘difficult’ because of it. Naturally this impacts all areas of life.
From caring for her mother whose colours surround anger and depression, to seeing her younger brother swallowed up by the same, Alice has to find her way in life with her gift. Realising that negative energies cling to her, she protects herself, covering up to blockout the world. But then she meets a man with no colours, something she has never come across…ever.
This book is perfection in storytelling. Well-rounded characters coming together like magic. A quirkiness to our main character adds so much to the book, both in the words on the page and from the imagination of the reader, as we wonder how we might react in Alice’s situation. Getting to see Alice’s entire life played out was beautifully done. The flashbacks were just enough to add to the story without deviating from Alice’s present-day narration.
This is different to previous books by Ms Ahern and better for it. It’s satisfying. It was hard to put down every night, leaving me picking it up instantly the next day. It took a complex subject of synesthesia and made it accessible to the world. It took a misunderstood character (due to her synesthesia) and gave her hope, a future and her life.
Thank you, Ms Ahern.
