I thought this book started out slowly but it soon gained pace and I was hooked. I gradually warmed to Cornelia Blackwood and then my heart ached for her. I don't think I'll forget this book for a long time.

Dark and quite harrowing in places with a confusing dialogue that trips you up but provides the atmosphere of things not being as they seem and multilayered.
This was a unique and detailed book that looks at mental health and human frailties which was difficult reading but very good.

I obtained a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I picked up this book from Netgalley back in May last year because it intrigued me and the synopsis doesn’t reveal much at all so it’s fair to say I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this novel.
Cornelia Blackwood is a woman approaching her fourties, whose life hasn’t been kind. When her husband dies unexpectedly in a car crash, she is left childless and with no real family of her own apart from her in-laws. To make matters worse she soon finds out that her late husband had a child with another woman. Led by grief and conflicting emotions, Cornelia decides to befriend said woman in a desperate attempt to meet her husband’s son.
Cornelia’s character is deeply unlucky and when we meet her, she is overwhelmed by grief at the loss of her husband. The story alternates between the present time and Cornelia’s (better known as Leah) memories which help paint a picture of her life before her husband’s death and the deep connection that they had.
As the book goes on, we realise how harsh life has been to Leah. Even though she has a loving relationship with her husband, they are struggling to start a family. After a miscarriage and a stillborn, Leah is left deeply scarred. But when daughter Harriet finally comes along, Leah is so determined to protect her precious baby that she slowly develops a condition known as post-partum psychosis and she starts to behave abnormally and obsessively.
In the present timeline however, we know that Leah was left childless after her husband’s death so there is this constant question at the back of the reader’s head of what happened to Harriet? We can also see Leah start to develop obsessive patterns and behaviours around her husband’s child, that she feels needs to be a part of her life.
This is a novel that is very deeply emotionally charged and it made me feel all kinds of emotions. At the beginning and through most of the book, my heart deeply ached for Cornelia as I struggled to imagine what it would be like to want a family so much only for life to take it away from you every time. But when Harriet came along, the feelings of intrigue took over, only to be replaced by concern once Leah starts behaving oddly. I will admit that towards the end of the novel there were times where I hated Leah as much as I hurt for her, and I just wanted to scream at her to stop.
This is a very moving novel that sheds light on a condition that is not often talked about. While we’ve all heard of post-partum depression, post-partum psychosis isn’t often discussed and it is alarming because if undiagnosed it could have harmful consequences. Even though the author makes a point of stating that Leah’s case was taken to the extreme for the purposes of entertainment, I still believe it is a subject that needs to be addressed and that people need to be aware of. For this, I am really glad that this novel was written, not only was it extremely entertaining but it also conveys an important message that the world needs to know about.

I do enjoy a story told in two time frames. This is the story of Cornelia or Leah Blackwood who has suffered an accident, though we don't know what or how it happened. Former friends no longer talk to her, whetting your curiosity further about the nature of the accident. As the present day story unfolds we find out more and more about her life 'before'. It's a slow burning story, keeping you guessing continually right up until the end of the book.

This is a really compelling story about love and loss, friendship and consequences. Full of suspense, twists and turns, this was a really enjoyable read.

This is such an interesting book and it Is quite difficult to describe it without completely ruining the plot for other readers.

The author builds the reader's sympathy for Leah slowly and very carefully, revealing just enough at each stage, but adding events to get and keep the reader on her side. The main love stories, Leah and her husband, Leah and the children, are deftly and movingly described. The relationship between Leah and Cassie is well developed and Luke's role is convincing too.

The dawning understanding of the reality of the situation, not loneliness but something else, not interest and friendship but something more sinister is cleverly shown, with Luke acting as a trigger to a catastrophe that felt inevitable.

Leah's inner voice, her interactions with Harriet and with the sinister crows, present from the very start, is extremely convincing, especially at the climax of the story. I could see this adapting as a great stage production or as a gripping tv series.

Very, very clever

I’m in a bit of a quandary about leaving a review for this book because l received an Excerpt rather than the whole book. I’m pretty sure when I requested a copy it didn’t say only an Excerpt was available (I wouldn’t have requested just an Excerpt as I don’t generally request if only an Excerpt is available as I don’t feel I can conscientiously write a review for part of, rather than the whole, book). But I realise availability can change pre publication and it’s at the publisher’s discretion how much to make available.

It’s a shame because I loved the Excerpt if I can say ‘love’ in the context of what seems to be at heart a dark story. What I read I found compelling and I was drawn in from the opening lines. I’d add though, and I’m assuming it’s something to do with the file formatting, that what I read included what seems intermittent gobbledygook which I’ve included in the brackets in the quote below. The brackets don’t appear in the actual text, I’ve included them to highlight the strange text:

“I could hardly believe this  –he’d actually bothered to (eh, ek, fi, fl, hn, hk, io, il, sy, SY) ask someone about me.”

These weird bits are present throughout the Excerpt.

I’m tempted to give the Excerpt 3/5 for the simple reason that while I’d recommend what I’ve read I have no idea if that’s maintained through the whole book. If I’m grading the Excerpt on its own merits I’d give it a 4/5 and if the storytelling standard was maintained in the whole book then probably a 5/5 but I can’t tell that until I’ve read the whole book.

I like what I’ve read enough to buy the book when published so I guess the Excerpt has done its job in that sense. Having reflected I’m going to give the Excerpt 4/5 but I can’t comment on the whole book without reading it first.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for ARC Excerpt.

Absolutely adored this book! All I could think about during my exams was reading it and now I'm so happy but also quite sad to have finished it. I'll definitely be buying the book next year and I'll be recommending it to my friends.

A dark and tragic tale of grief and loss.

I expected a dark psychological thriller, but not one that would leave me all shrivelled up on the inside. Dark? Yes, but also heartbreaking.

You know, how sometimes you come across stories that are bleak and perhaps mournful, but you get the sense that at the end things will turn out fine and there's hope? The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood doesn't leave you with any illusions: it starts out miserable, and it only gets worse.

Cornelia is a sympathetic figure, and my heart went out to her, and yet, her actions constantly made me cringe. Something just wasn't right. She kept talking about the horrible thing that happened, and I found myself crossing my fingers that this won't be one of those books that dangles this mysterious past tragedy in front of me like a carrot.

Switching between the past and the present, slowly, but surely a picture started forming in my mind, but what actually unfolded was more horrible than I thought in the beginning.

Is Cornelia a bad person? Or is she a victim of circumstances? Who really is at fault?

A slow burning, suspenseful story, The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood explores death, mental illness, grief and loneliness in an incredibly moving, but eye opening way.

When Cornelia ( Leah) loses her husband Adrian in a car crash we feel her overwhelming grief and despair.

The chapters alternate between before the accident and afterwards.

The heartbreaking story of Leah trying for a family, and having a miscarriage, I felt her pain and desperation for a baby. Why is it when you think you cannot have something you want it more, so that it fills you every waking moment ( I’ve been there and wore that particular tee shirt )

When Leah discovers her husbands secret on his laptop she befriends Cass and her son Ollie. We know something bad is going to happen but we are kept on tender hooks waiting to find out what!!

A book that made my eyes water several times with its heartbreaking honesty of grief and desperation. This book is written from the heart and must have been a very hard book to write.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

A compelling book, with a subject matter which might be too dark for some - but an interesting and well written exploration of pain, grief, and post partum psychosis.

A harrowing story of lost babies and the hole they leave behind.

Cornelia Blackwood has done some terrible things in her life and now, although she has a loving husband, no one will speak to her after that tragic day.

After an accident leaves her a widow, Cornelia discovers her husband was unfaithful to her just once and had fathered a child.

She finds a way of getting close to the child and his mother without telling them who she really is. Cornelia soon becomes besotted with the child and when his mother and her new boyfriend reveal they are moving miles away, Cornelia breaks again and is close to making the same desperate choices.

This is a sad and harrowing book, which takes you into the mind of a bereaved woman, who has known nothing but tragedy and loss.

I teared up several times but I think unless you have gone through a stillbirth and psychosis you can never fully understand what women have endured in these circumstances This book comes close as the author seems to have experienced the hardship of difficult early child rearing and tragedy.

This book will make your heart weep for Cornelia and her husband, and perhaps make you more grateful for your own children and family - I know it did to me.

A well deserved 5 stars for what must have been a difficult book to write.

Ellezig

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review.

I can't speak highly enough of this book. Not only was it incredibly well written, the plot took a completely different turn to what I was expecting. My reading highlight of the year.

I found this really compelling and even though I found it odd in parts I could also see why Leah would behave the way she did in the present. I also felt a genuine connection between her and Cass and it was a shame that their relationship ended as it did. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Simon and Schuster for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an intense read. As a mother of a young son I found it difficult at times.

I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and found the writing wasn’t really to my taste jumping from past to present.

Wasn’t for me but I’m sure lots of others would enjoy this.

2.5 stars

This is a very difficult book for me to review. The story is one that surprised me; I didn't expect it to be so dark and tragic. As a mother to two very young children, I found this book deeply upsetting at times and feel it is only fair to warn readers of its exploration of loss, grief, death of children and postpartum psychosis. And that is not to say that only mothers will find this book upsetting; overall it is a very emotional read.

Cornelia "Leah" Blackwood becomes a widow in the novel's opening pages. After her husband Adrian dies, the novel shifts back in time to when Leah and Adrian met. Thereafter, the story goes back and forth from past to present with each alternating chapter. It's not at all confusing, but it does slow down the pace, so much so that I found it hard to really root myself in the story.

After Adrian's funeral, Leah finds something on his computer that leads her to question Adrian's loyalty to her. When she discovers that Adrian had a secret, one that would have majorly affected their future, Leah goes on a quest to find out more. This brings her into contact with Cass and her young son, who Leah becomes obsessed with. From here, as the story gathers pace and tension, we simultaneously go back in time to the early years of Leah and Adrian's marriage, when miscarriage and grief shook their very foundations and left some very deep marks on Leah; ones that had tragic circumstances for the couple.

Without revealing much more, I will say that this book is a depressing read. I found it to be very intense, hugely emotional and, at times, devastating. Leah is a tortured and tragic character and although I did feel sympathy for her, I found her to be overwritten at times. Her characteristics were very extreme, each to the last point of plausibility, and I found it hard to believe that someone as emotionally damaged as her, could be left so alone in her life. Nobody seemed to check in on her; there was no care worker, no support. And that is just the start of the unanswered questions. There are so many ends that aren't tied up at the end of this story, I began to question why certain plotlines were introduced.

I am grateful for the chance to read this book and despite what I have written above, I did find it a brave novel that brings much-needed light to the issue of postpartum depression. It does, in my opinion, go to the very extreme reaches of the issue, which I hope is not for shock tactics. I would be interested to read Susan Elliot Wright's next offering.

Heartbreaking tale of loss, grief and loneliness. A story where when you piece together what is going to happen you really hope it doesn't as it is so unimaginably sad.

One of the many recent books told in a split time frame; an interesting device but very much in danger of being overdone. A good read although I think I need something upbeat now to cheer me up!

The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood is a dark tale that explores how grief and mental illness can colour a parent’s judgement and result in a series of tragic events. I felt for the troubled protagonist, Leah, and wanted to know how her past accident occurred. At the same time, I had concerns about the way she ‘groomed’ Ollie and his mother into being friends. A fascinating well written plot.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster UK Fiction and the author, Susan Elliot Wright, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I first requested to read this novel because I was drawn both by the cover then the premise of the story. .I sit here now stunned having finished the whole book. Leah's story is so heartbreaking. I had to read this book in one sitting asI found I could not put it down until I reached the tragic conclusion.
The characters were engaging and realistic and the storyline was beautifully written.
Definitely well worth a read. I will certainly be reading more from this author.

I'm afraid I only got half way through this one. I really enjoyed the opening, felt the characters were well written and I continued to read in order to find out what exactly was being alluded to...I even suspended my disbelief at times...but in the end I just didn't feel compelled enough to continue. Disappointing as was really excited by the premise.

When Cornelia's husband dies in a car crash she is bemused as to why he was on that stretch of road in the first place. As she digs further she discovers some rather unexpected secrets. When she finds out another woman has borne his child, she works her way into their lives with disasterous consequences. But what is she hiding, why aren't her friends and neighbours talking to her, and what happened to her children.

A heartbreaking portrayal of post-partum psychosis, this was an upsetting read in some parts, especially with my own memories of post natal depression and the pressure on mums to get things right.

The writing in this novel is lyrical and evocative but I felt the pacing was a little bit off and hence it just didn't quite hit the spot for me. However I would be keen to read more from this author.