Devotion

Rachel and Andrew; Tilly and Grace. A family of four. But then Rachel decides things are no longer working and asks Andrew to move out and suddenly, everything is different. Grace copes by turning inward, ignoring her mother as much as she can, and skipping school whenever possible. Tilly is younger than her sister, and doesnt seem to understand whats happened, although signs of her unhappiness are visible for anyone who looks for them. Rachel, meanwhile, finds herself almost immediately caught up in a new relationship, still trying to balance her needs against those of her children, her husband and now her lover. And Andrew? Andrew struggles to hold it all together as his grip on reality loosens. Rich in detail and atmosphere, and telling the story of a family break-up and a fathers breakdown, Nell Leyshons second novel is uncompromising in its reminder of how easily the life we thought we had can slip through our fingers. At the same time, however, it reminds us that if chaos lurks close to the surface, then so too does the possibility of repair and redemption for some, at least.


Genre: Literary Fiction