Glen has created a moving character driven book as two parallel stories, those of the quirky Augusta Hope and of Parfait from Burundi who both navigate complex home lives - until fate brings them together. It is an emotional read as both characters live through so much heartache as they seek to find their way in life and to fit in, but there is humour in amongst it. It is a slow burn in may ways but as you get to know the characters you become more and invested in this moving story.

This book is not my usual read at all but it was soo good it kept me captivated. I loved the dual voices of Augusta and Parfait and felt their emotions which is not always an easy thing to do and Joanna in her Debut Novel did just that.

I got Augusta and could see why she was like she was and in some places in the story it reminded me of what I had been going through.

For all the above reasons The Other Half of Augusta Hope receives 4 stars.

I started off really enjoying this book, but at around the halfway point I knew what the outcome was going to be and then really wanted to just get there! After this, the book seemed to move sluggishly and the switching points of view became tedious.

I enjoyed this book, however it was a little long in parts and could have done with further editing to pick up the pace. This would have made it an easy five stars for me. Great characters and really smart observations, just a little long to hold full investment.

This was such a poignant, though-provoking read.

Amazing how some lives are interwoven and interlocked. Lovely, well written characters and some lovely settings. Some heart-rending moments that had me crying and some that had me smiling and laughing.

Definitely recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

I found this novel to be annoyingly middle-of-the-road - in fact, at times it was just plain annoying. I didn't like the structure or the writing style. For example, a list of left aligned single, incomplete sentences meant Something Profound was happening. The pace was off and the plot more than a little rickety/reliant on eyebrow raising coincidences. The secondary storyline seemed forced and only served to add to the predictability of the story. The final portion of the novel had more going on but was increasingly cheesy/unbelievable. When I realised the romance element had been what it had been building to all along, I felt a little cheated. So this novel was really not MY thing, but I guess it wasn't totally without charm and was mildly entertaining, so might appeal to those readers whose thing this is!

Far-fetched coincidences with an incident which changed everything that didn’t quite ring true with a glib ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Joanna Glen has weaved a really intricate and endearing story through Augusta Hope. I didnt enjoy the dual POVs but to be honest it helped make this story more impactful. I don't believe the book needed it's length as I became disinterested when I hit a lull half way through.
After powering on though, I did enjoy the book overall, I just didn't love it.

The Other Half of Augusta Hope is a novel that explores the complex relationship between two sisters, Augusta and Julia Hope. The story is told from the perspective of Augusta, who is reserved and introspective, as she tries to come to terms with the loss of her parents.

Overall, I found the pace of the book a little too slow for my liking - the plot took a long time to develop. As the story unravelled, it felt a bit too predictable, and I thought of several other books which had taken on a similar character journey. Augusta is an interesting protagonist, but there just wasn't enough drive to keep me interested. I also felt the reliance on metaphors was a little heavy-handed.

What an interesting book, and so confident and deft. I was shocked to learn it was a debut. There's definite shades of Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible, and the characterisation is beautiful. I'll definitely check out future books but Joanna Glen.

Simply just loved this book! Stunningly beautiful, fantastically written, wonderful characters and thought provoking! Easily 5 stars

Actual rating: 3.5/5

It took me a while to get to this book, so that once I did I had basically forgotten the synopsis entirely and went in almost completely blind. I have to say, it was probably for the best, as I probably would have ended up expecting something different!

The Other Half of Augusta Hope is a bittersweet story about love, grief and finding your place in the world. Augusta is an endearing main character, even though she's not always likeable (but then again, who is?). She is brilliant and curious about the world, loves Burundi despite having never been there, and struggles greatly with life in her small town, despite her deep, deep love for her twin sister Julia. In parallel, the story follows Parfait, a young man from Burundi whose life is very different from Augusta's. When tragedy strikes both of them differently, each will have to work out where they belong.

I really liked the characterisation in this novel: every character was beautifully drawn, imperfections and all, and felt like truly individual, even the minor characters. The characters' feelings and emotions were particularly well fleshed out, which is something I always appreciate. The parallels between Augusta's and Parfait's lives flowed smoothly for most of the novel, and the transitions were handled very well. There were a few times when the move felt a bit clunky, but overall these were few and far between enough to ignore. The story development was engaging, though I won't go into too much more detail to avoid potential spoilers. I will say though: that ending was everything!

I had some issues with the pacing in this book though: at times it felt like it was really dragging along and not much was happening either in terms of plot or character development. The parts where things got moving made up for this, but it was still tough to wade through those parts. There was also a heavy reliance on miscommunication/lack of communication as a plot device, which is something I personally dislike, so my enjoyment of this novel was affected by how annoyed I was getting at the characters for not talking to each other. This is purely down to personal preference though!

Overall, this book was fairly engaging to read and definitely had some memorable characters. I'll be looking out for more books by this author!

How has it taken me this long to read this novel?!

Augusta Hope had always been different to other little girls - she has been devouring information ever since she can remember. Naturally that didn't make her the most popular person at school, and she finds that she never truly fits in. Her beloved twin, Julia, couldn't have been more different; sociable, lots of friends, a boyfriend - and an unwavering love for her sister Augusta.

When tragedy strikes her family, Augusta finds herself feeling more lost than ever. Her childhood fascination with the country of Burundi may just lead her to find her place in the world.

This is a dual story novel - Augusta Hope is of course our main character, but we also find ourselves following Parfait, a young man from Burundi who has to navigate a very different world to the one that Augusta finds herself in. This is a rich story of love, life, tragedy and overcoming adversity. Two wildly different stories interwoven together, it really draws you in. Neither Augusta or Parfait are characters that I can relate to in my every day life that but that doesn't stop you wanting more for them both. I was utterly engrossed in this novel from start to finish - the characterisation is excellent, and the dual storyline means you really get to immerse yourself in two worlds that are so distant from one another yet so perfectly linked. My first thought when reading about Augusta was Eleanor Oliphant - I can definitely see a parallel between these two quirky, awkward characters. That's where the comparison ends though, with this novel focusing on love, grief and really finding your own path in life.

I have no hesitation in recommending this novel - it is not a light, easy read but it is a novel that really seeks to immerse you in the story of these two rich characters. Let yourself be drawn into their stories, and let me know what you think!

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

Wow, this was the book to finally get me out of my reading slump.
Beautiful writing and a beautiful story. Well two stories, which become one story.
I loved Augusta's character, and the way we watch her grow from childhood, into adulthood. There was so much of her character I could relate too, she seemed so much more real than most characters you read about in books. I especially the little details, like writing on her converse trainers, which I had completely forgotten was ever a thing!
Highly recommend this sad but beautiful book

Unfortunately this book just did not grip me and I did not finish it. Other readers may enjoy this one more

A great read, told by Augusta and Parfait as they grow up in totally different environments, and then meet in Spain.

This is a wonderful story, beautifully told. It is all of life, everyone you know and the deepest part of yourself rolled into a single narrative.

Fantastically written - I didn't want it to end. It's hard to write a review without giving too much away but Augusta Hope was just the perfect bedtime read. The mystery and intrigue, the cold hard facts - and the characterisation! I believed in every one of Glen's characters, even if I didn't like them, and felt like I wanted to ask them about things going on in my own life.
Joanna Glen is definitely one to watch out for!