I found this a little hard going and found it hard to stick with. It was a little confusing flitting backwards and forwards between characters and the main character was a bit too introspective for me. I didn't feel as though I could relate to any of the characters or feel any particular sympathy for them. It may well appeal more to the older generation.

Thanks to Janet Ellis, John Murray Press and Net Galley for my ARC.
If anyone has ever sat in a hospital room...waiting...they will recognise the atmosphere of this book. I think it was pitched spot-on. People's lives are often complicated regardless of what we think goes on behind closed doors and the perfectly laundered net curtains. Marion is not excited by her husband, or her life in general. She drifted into marriage and having children and wasn't satisfied by either, so she looks outside of her marriage to find it. Most of the story is set in the 70s, but we find Marion sitting by her husband, Michael's bed as he lays dying. They are both elderly, and she has brought a bunch of letters and photos with her from their past to give them something to talk about. Marion's past behaviour leads to sadness for the family, and she pays a very hefty price for the excitement she craves. Marion is not a likable character, but as the story unfolds we can see that her mood in the hospital is dictated by the ending. I enjoyed reading this story although I found the alternating of time a little confusing, presumably because I read a proof copy and it wasn't properly formatted. I believe this is a story of its time, and we all know a Marion!

I found the shifts in time and narrator too disorientating so I unfortunately could not finish reading it as I had to keep going back a few pages to check where I was and I got frustrated and gave up.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. Initially I wasn't sure about this book - apart from Eddie and maybe Michael, I didn't like the characters in this book, and I didn't feel there was enough clarity when the story jumped between past and present and between the two narrators. The story was interesting, albeit hard to follow at times due to my previous comment, but the last few pages were fantastically written and hit me like an emotional sucker punch, even though what was coming had been signposted throughout - this lifted the book to my 4* review. Ellis creates good imagery throughout.

I really couldn't get into this book I'm afraid. Part of it was my fault as I was expecting historical fiction (my mistake) but waiting for a character to die was just too depressing. I felt too down and unmotivated to read on as she started to talk about moving the body and then all her regrets in life and I'm afraid I am not in the right place to finish this book.

Marion Deacon is an old lady sitting next to her former husband's bedside waiting for him to die. As she sits there every day she shows him photographs and letters from their past. He just lies there and seems to be merely a vehicle for her to remember and reminisce about their lives in the 1970's. I found the book quite hard going and the only characters I really warmed to were Sarah and Eddie, Marion's children. Everyone else was .self centred and not very nice people.
I read the book to the end but am sorry to say that I did not really enjoy it.
Thank you NetGalley and John Murray Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book. and give my unbiased opinion

I wonder if too many clues were dropped through it the story,that the whole thing seemed inevitable to go as it did.
Nicely atmospheric for life in the 70's.
A pleasant enough read,but not one that will leave a lasting impression.

How It Was by Janet Ellis is about Marion who is haunted by memories of events from almost forty years ago and how her life has not turned out the way she imagined it would.