LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
Two years after the death of a beloved mother, a stranger moves into the bereaving family home. Adult brother, sister and hippy dad take in grown-up Eunice, a half-sister/daughter who turns out to be both needy and insensitive to the existing family unit. At its heart this is a tale of loss but as the various characters are fleshed out for us it becomes a tale with real depth and insight into siblings and the role of the family. Different perceptions and upbringings are explored as we follow the sad people for almost a year of pain and healing. ~ Sarah Broadhurst
A 'Piece of Passion' from the publisher...
'I first saw an early draft of Sarah Duguid’s Look at Me about a year before I took her on; she had the germ of something very special, but the novel wasn’t quite there at the time. When she then delivered a new version, I was blown away, for what Sarah presented was spine-tingling and a novel with a startling premise: how would you feel if the sister you never knew you had suddenly walked into your life?
What I admire about Sarah’s writing is her incredibly vivid sense of person, of place, of incident. Look at Me is rich with set pieces, and the detail with which Sarah sets those scenes is such that they keep coming back to you. Meeting Eunice in the car park. Swimming in Hampstead Ponds. The party. I won’t spoil it for you.
Finally, I always love a novel that has a simmering element of sexuality bubbling through it. Lizzy is young, her life is at a cusp, she’s experimenting, she’s craving attention – and she hasn’t quite grown up. So, in some ways, the appearance of Eunice brings to the surface all that’s been stewing around the family for years. I’d like to say that Lizzy and her family should thank her but then, well, that would be odd. She’s Eunice. A law unto herself.' ~ Imogen Taylor, Publishing Director - Fiction, Headline Publishing
Sarah Broadhurst
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About
Look at Me Synopsis
Lizzy lives with her father, Julian, and her brother, Ig, in North London. Two years ago her mother died, leaving a family bereft by her absence and a house still filled with her things: for Margaret was lively, beautiful, fun, loving; she kept the family together. So Lizzy thinks. Then, one day, Lizzy finds a letter from a stranger to her father, and discovers he has another child. Lizzy invites her into their world in an act of outraged defiance. Almost immediately, she realises her mistake. Look at Me is a deft exploration of family, grief, and the delicate balance between moving forward and not quite being able to leave someone behind. It is an acute portrayal of how familial upheaval can cause misunderstanding and madness, damaging those you love most.
About This Edition
ISBN: |
9781472229878 |
Publication date: |
8th September 2016 |
Author: |
Sarah Duguid |
Publisher: |
Tinder Press an imprint of Headline Publishing Group |
Format: |
Paperback |
Pagination: |
248 pages |
Primary Genre |
Family Drama
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Other Genres: |
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Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Sarah Duguid Press Reviews
'A hugely enjoyable novel - astutely observed, witty and original. Just my sort of book!' -- Sarah Rayner, bestselling author of ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING
'This slender novel puts a fragile family under the spotlight with great effect' -- Cathy Rentzenbrink Bookseller, Editor's Choice
'A book to fall in love with... captivating, creepy and beguiling all at once' -- Colette McBeth, author of THE LIFE I LEFT BEHIND
'Suspenseful, tautly written and unnervingly psychologically astute' -- Alison Mercer
'A beautifully written story of a normal, dysfunctional family, trying to cope with grief' -- Nina Pottell, notesfromthechair
'It reminded me of Hausfrau in tone, somehow. Startling and sad' -- Sarah Franklin
'Exquisitely written, with a beautiful balance between darkness and humour' -- Joanna Cannon, author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP
'Enchanting and creepy, Look At Me filled me with a delightful sense of unease' -- Sarah Chapman, Bibliomouse
Author
About Sarah Duguid
Sarah Duguid grew up on a farm in North Lincolnshire and was educated in Derbyshire and at Durham University where she read English Literature. After university, she lived and worked in New York and South Africa before returning to London where she now lives with her partner and their son. She is currently working on a Masters in English at UCL as well as her second novel.
Photo credit: Leila Amanpour
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