All My Mothers: The heart-breaking new novel from the author of the Costa-shortlisted debut, THE OTHER HALF OF AUGUSTA HOPE

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Without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read - an extraordinary masterpiece' Anstey Harris, author of The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton

The narrative arc in All My Mothers is skillfully crafted, taking readers on an emotional journey with its characters.This book, this book is immense. We are following the story of Eva, from her first memories as a four year old starting school and making a best friend, all the way through to adulthood. We see her at her best and her worst, at her highs and lows. This book doesn't pull it's punches. It's like the author looses steam the second our protagonist lands in Cordoba, which is an absolute let down after almost half the book knowing this will be the beginning of This is the story of Eva Martínez-Green, from the day she began school, and for the next 30 years of her life. It's a story about mothers - for anyone who has been a mother, has had a mother, wants to be a mother, or even just knows a mother. It's a totally immersive story, at times painful and at others joyful, that had me ugly-crying for the last two chapters. I loved it. When her parents' relationship crumbles, Eva begins a journey to find these answers for herself. Her desire to discover where she belongs leads Eva on a journey spanning decades and continents - and, along the way, she meets women who challenge her idea of what a mother should be, and who will change her life forever... The creation of Eva’s life experiences is staggeringly skilful drawing you in to every heartbeat and every facet of an increasing set of real-people-characters – and, too, the different locations as England moves to Cordoba which Eva learns is her place of birth. In The Other Half of Augusta Hope the author didn’t quite avoid a slightly less than satisfying fairy tale element towards the end. All My Mothers moves in that direction but she manages to create a fabulous ending planted firmly enough in real life to work. There’s plenty of painful tragedy to cry over which will resonate with many listeners, but it never dominates. What you’re left with is an exhilarating, uplifting story where love isn’t found where it is sought, or the kind which was long yearned for, but which is found in abundance in all kinds of unexpected places and forms.

The vivid imagery in All My Mothers adds another layer of depth to the storyline, making it a truly captivating read. Without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read - an extraordinary masterpiece’ Anstey Harris, author of The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton -I understand the message was the true mother was her all along, and thus why all the mother characters were diluted as we neared the end. And that made it lose the punch I mentioned before. The book is about the Mothers. Talk to me about the Mothers. I want the Mothers. One of the most transporting novels I have read recently” - Patricia Nicol, Daily Mail’s Best Books for Winter Breaks A truly glorious life-affirming book, in which love, hope and friendship trump sorrow’ DINAH JEFFERIES

And so it goes; we follow Eva as she forms relationships and seeks support from them but always aware of what is missing. Although Eva’s life could be construed as lonely, she has a best friend, Bridget, who fills the empty gaps perfectly. Bridget’s home is everything Eva dreams of; siblings, noise, mess, chaos - and the most warm and loving mother that ever lived. This is where Eva starts her journey to find out who she is, where she comes from and to try and understand the many variations of motherhood.All My Mothers is a captivating and heartening view of motherhood and what it means to be a mother, both within its traditional parameters, and in all its unconventional but beautiful ways. More than that, though, it is a story of unwavering female friendship throughout Eva’s life, starting from age four and on into her twenties and thirties. Je suis quelqu’un qui aime les personnages. S’il y a pas une intrigue de ouf mais des bons personnages développés, I’m all in (ici il y a les deux). J’ai rarement lu des personnages si bien écrit. J’ai presque cru que c’était autobiographique tellement ils m’ont semblés *réels* I loved how the author weaved the story, you grow into it as Eva grows up. We sometimes see where the journey is going, and sometimes we don't, but Eva is a truthful narrator to both herself and her subjects. She is at times, not terribly likeable, but she is believable and three dimensional. I loved All My Mothers, perhaps even more than The Other Half of Augusta Hope (also by Joanna Glen, which I also really enjoyed). I’d really recommend this beautiful read. My Rating: 4/5 This is Joanna Glen’s second novel and with just two books she has become an auto-buy author for me.