Meredith Maggs hasn't left her home for 1,214 days. Despite this she has a busy life, working from home, a close relationship with her best friend Sadie and growing friendships with Tom a befriender and Celeste who she meets on an online forum. Meredith is estranged from her mum and sister and as the novel progresses and between 2019 and the past, we get insights and an understanding of Meredith's traumatic childhood and her ultimate estrangement from her family.
This is a beautifully written and moving book. I could really relate to Meredith who has been through so much trauma and remains a strong and resourceful character. The author covers the subjects of trauma and mental health with such compassion and sensitivity while writing with a light touch. Ultimately this was a joyous and hopeful read that I adored. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
4.5 stars.

Meredith, Alone - Claire Alexander

Fantastic book!!

A book that me on an emotional rollercoaster of tears of laughter and sadness. A really touching read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK

I love this book. Meredith is an absolute gem.
I cannot believe this is a debut book. I have been addicted and completely loved everything about this one.

This book could so easily have been very depressing considering the traumatic issues it tackled. However, Meredith was a lovely character facing her difficulties with courage. It was written very realistically and light heartedly which is no easy task. Thoroughly enjoyed it .

Excellent interesting read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

A slow paced and quiet novel about the character's current mental health journey and past events that have lead her up to this moment.
As Meredith feels unable to leave her house this story is a slow moving novel but one that takes a kind, honest and realistic look at the life currently being experienced by the main character. A loveable character along with others that pop up in the story which stopped it becoming too depressing. I thought the author handled the subject well and wrote of the characters strategies used to help her recovery very realistically.. It is in her past that we read of her other story and a sad one at that. So although this is a fairly melancholy story line there is a lightness of touch in the writing which keeps it from becoming too dark.

This very special novel that come along very rarely. The last time I felt so excited about a book was reading Eleanor Oliphant for the first time. This is an amazingly novel. Just truly wonderful. in my 2022 top 10

Oh my goodness I loved Meredith so much I rushed out and bought my own copy as soon as I could. With a similar feel to Eleanor Oliphant or Matt Cain's Albert Entwhistle, the feeling of being alone and isolated in the world was so tangible. Meredith's agoraphobia is such an impediment to the happiness she's seeking, can she break her way through to find her joy again.
Love love love

In this poignant character driven novel, author Claire Alexander introduces us to Meredith Maggs. Meredith is 39 years old, a freelance writer who lives in Glasgow, and hasn’t stepped over her threshold for 1,214 days.

It’s not that Meredith chose to not leave, one day she simply couldn’t.

As the narrative progresses in the present, we learn Meredith hasn’t stopped living exactly. She has her work, her routines, and anything she needs can be delivered to her door. She may be alone, but Meredith claims she isn’t lonely, she has her beloved cat, Fred, to keep her company, her best friend, Sadie, often stops by with her two small children, and her friendship circle is slowly expanding. Holding Hands volunteer, Tom, insists on regular visits, and through her online support group, Meredith bonds with newbie Celeste.

But there are things Meredith misses. Like swimming, hugs, and her sister, Fee.

Flashbacks provide glimpses of Meredith’s past including her difficult childhood, illuminating her relationship with her mother and sister, whom she hasn’t seen for years, and the accumulation of the heartbreaking circumstances that led to Meredith’s agoraphobia.

Beautifully told, written with warmth, compassion and a touch of humour, this is a tender story about trauma, survival, friendship and ultimately, about hope.

What a lovely well written book. Meredith’s character is so unusual as is her chosen lifestyle. As the reader gets to know her, a vivid picture develops describing her day to day routines and habits and, in doing so, we become immersed in her life.

There are some very sensitive issues dealt with in the book, such as domestic abuse, sexual abuse and mental illness. However, despite the seriousness of these issues, I feel it’s an uplifting story of a woman dealing with traumatic events and ultimately rebuilding her life.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy to read and review.

A gem of a book.

Meredith is a character unlike any other you may have come across, as is the author. This book had me laughing out loud and close to tears in another. I enjoyed reading Meredith's journey and felt sad coming to the end as I was finishing a book so good I didn't know when I might come across another.

If you want to read a book that feels raw, relatable visceral- read this one.

Having read a few of this genre - Eleanor Oliphant, Lost Property - I was hesitant to read another, but it stands alone and was well worth the read. Its charmingly written. Despite hitting on some heavy topics, its handled with a light touch so that overall its an inspiring read about hope, growth and rebirth.

Its been over three years since Meredith left her house. In her heart, she knows she needs to do something about it. She only has Fred her cat, and Sadie her best friend. But that's all about to change. And as her circle expands, she is reminded what life has to offer and her world literally expands to accommodate them. She realises she has so much more to give.

Meredith is very engaging. She is quirky and strange, but we realise its not without just cause. Her life has been filled with pain and trauma. Yet she has a heart of gold and is doing her best to survive. And her network of support is growing. I loved how each new character is introduced and their complexities slowly revealed. In fact, the story itself was like an onion, peeling back each layer of depth and providing a really rich stage for Meredith to shine. Highly recommend.

‘There’s a big world out there, Meredith. It’s waiting for you.’

Meredith Maggs hasn’t left her house for 1,214 days. She has her cat Fred, her friend Sadie who visits, jigsaws, the internet, the tesco delivery man and her memories for company. But then the world starts to come to her door. Tom who wants to talk and drink tea and eat cake, Celeste
From StrengthInNumbers who wants her to come to her thirtieth birthday and then there’s those memories of Fee and Mama and life before, facing up to what has kept her inside is no mean task.

‘I’m just someone with depression , talking to another person with depression .’

Meredith is just one of those characters that is going to stick in my mind for a long time. She is full of courage and hope. She is kind and thoughtful and just walked out of the pages of this book, sat on a chair and talked to me.
It deals with some difficult subjects including rape, self harm, loneliness, agoraphobia and physical and mental abuse and control- there’s a lot to unpack but it is done so well, it’s real and honest and speaks loudly to you.

‘I take a gulp of tea, and it hurts. I’m not sure if that’s what makes the tears come, but here they are, sliding down my cheeks.’

A truly touching, sad and yet hopeful read. This one will move you to tears. The shock of those words when you find out Meredith’s story was just such a moment - stark and brutal, 4 words and I just thought, this is such an amazing book, I can’t actually put it into words really how it made me feel, utterly heartwrenching.

I though this might be a light uplifting read, but it’s so much more than that. I really grew to love Meredith, I learnt what it truly feels like not to be able to leave the house, that feeling, the weight of it, the fear of it, the pain of it. This is a stunning and moving read, a truly wonderful debut and an absolutely beautiful treasure to read.

✩✩✩✩✩

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This was a touching, insightful and poignant book, which could have been depressing given the subject but instead was warm and endearing. A very enjoyable read that I would certainly recommend!

I read this book with a friend. I found it uplifting and life affirming. A very thoughtful and emotional read. I enjoyed being in Meredith’s world

This book is amazing - funny, shocking, tragic and uplifting. A must-read book but please be aware of the content and potential triggers.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written book on such a sensitive subject. An emotional tale, full of fact and humour. Outstanding.

What an absolutely special story.

Meredith, Alone is - unsurprisingly - the story of Meredith. She is a social recluse and insulates her world to only the bare minimum of people. She spends her days baking, doing jigsaws, working from home, looking after her cat and that is about it. However, it seems that the world doesn't want Meredith to stay like this and with the ever growing team of people in her life wanting more for Meredith, she has to start making some serious decisions.

Meredith is an unforgettable character. Claire Alexander could have gone a completely different way to make her memorable. To make her kooky and a bit strange but it is Meredith strength that shines off the page even when she is presenting her at her lowest.

The story is heartwarming but not twee. Alexander doesn't follow expectations in some areas such as relationship development and the narrative is all the stronger for it. It is also the exploration of the complex relationship of family and how certain traumas can often have lasting effects. Alexander doesn’t justify them or tie them in a neat bow she allows people's behaviour to just be what it is without trying to overcomplicate things.

Please find yourself a copy of Meredith, Alone. It truly is a great story.

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander is available now.

For more information regarding Claire Alexander (@ClaireAWriter) please visit www.claire-alexander.co.uk.

For more information regarding Penguin Michael Joseph (@MichaelJBooks) please visit their Twitter account.

I wish I hadn’t have taken so long to read this one. I loved Meredith from the first chapter and felt frustrated for her to being with but as we learn her story I really had sympathy for her. A really easy read yet triggering for some. I would very much recommend this one!

What a great read, very uplifting and emotional.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.