Ruby grows up in England in a Pakistani immigrant family. She has her mother and father and an older sister. When Ruby is six, she stops talking. There is no physical reason but although her parents send her to several counselors, no one can convince her to speak again.

Ruby loves her older sister more than anyone. She has a best friend, David, who lives across the street. She loves her mother but realizes early on that occasionally her mother disappears for several months at a time. Later, she knows that these disappearances mean her mother has been hospitalized again for depression.

The novel follows Ruby's life as she grows. She is hospitalized with a viral illness that almost kills her and leaves her legs unable to function for a time. She watches her sister become popular and an artist who insists on her right to view and portray the world according to how she perceives it. And over time, she works out a relationship with her mother that works for them both.

Mona Arshi has worked as a human rights lawyer but is known best as a poet. That occupation shows through in this debut novel which is written in short, descriptive chapters. The language is reminiscent of poetry and finds a way to demonstrate what is happening in Ruby's life with sparse, eloquent verbiage. The main topic is coming of age and family relationships. This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction.

This is a literary novel telling the story of a young girl whose mother is severely mentally ill and perpetually absent. As a result the girl completely gives up talking, silence becoming her refuge, sheltering her from her chaotic and tumultuous life.

I found the concept of this novel fascinating and affecting. Melancholy and deft, this is a convincing portrait of one's personal story and how we choose to tell them - or not tell them. The character-focused nature slightly whimsical feel worked well to tell this story, and it felt personal and largely convincing while reading. This being said, I didn't fully connect with the characters in this novel as much as I'd have liked to, and they haven't stuck with me in a significant way.

As always with And Other Stories, there is a tenderness and quiet punchiness to this novel that I greatly enjoyed . And what a stunning cover!

Mutism has many representations in fiction, but this framing as choice, in a context of neglect and a difficult life, resonated with me.

This is a beautifully poetic book, filled with the most incredible metaphors. It’s written in fragments you have to piece together, and it’s a powerful experience as you only realise after-the-fact that you’ve assembled such a clear picture of the characters and the situations they’re in. It’s a tough listen due to its deep content, but Mona’s lyrical writing and fitting narration make this a great audiobook.

A dark and intense look into coming of age. This looked into sexual assault, abuse in childhood, disability and other topics that I would have preferred to know about beforehand.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Somebody Loves You by Mona Arshi.

Unfortunately this is a DNF for me. The stories were fine? But they were almost so short and soft that it made it hard for me to ever really grasp on to the meat of the overall picture that the author was working to paint.

This is beautifully narrated, and it pulls you in quickly - before you have realized it, you are very invested in Ruby's life, and it's hard to stop listening!

I did not expect to like it as much as I did, and while the themes are not particularly unusual or special, the narration made it really work for me.

This was an enjoyable listen. It was heartbreaking and lovely in equal measure, I didnt expect it to be so emotive but it gave me all the feels. It was such a unique premise too which I really liked and I loved that it was narrated by the author as it made it more personal, I felt like she was talking straight to me.

Poetic, lyrical and a soothing listen due to the author's buttery voice, although difficult topics are covered including mental health and rape.

Ruby tells the story of her decision to stop speaking and her experiences of her mother's mental health, viewed from her perspective as a child.

Touching and insightful. Events unfold in short chapters and almost at random like a stream of consciousness. Told as a series of vignettes, adding to a fragmented and surreal feeling.

***ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.co.uk in return for an honest review ***

A lovely, almost whimsical, tale of adolescents, coming of age and dealing with family trauma.

The narrator did a phenomenal job and it was very soothing to listen to. I don't know if it's me but I couldn't keep focusing into the story but the voice really soothed me so I kept going.
Thank you Netgalley for approving my request.

Beautifully narrated by the author, this audiobook is a stunning and calming read.
I had to be in the mood for it but once I started I found it compelling and addictive and I had to finish in one sitting!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

I’m loving this book! I haven’t quite reached the end because I continue to have issues with the file over and over. Stopping, pausing for long lengths of time, and then not always starting back up when I try. The book is lovely though! The main character’s voice is well developed and carries the story from her j inquest point of view. The way her mother’s madness is portrayed is particularly lovely and limited as a child’s would be in real life. I have very much enjoyed this book and can’t wait to finish the end...if I can ever get it to load!

Picked up both audiobook and ebook and such a sweet book. I'm amazed at its subtlety, and how each episode builds the narrative till it's both touching and yet still captures the nuances of childhood. A wonderful, very poetic collection from Mona Arshi.

I don't know if audio was the right way to read this book. The book has beautiful writing and an interesting way of story telling, but it didn't really come through as much on audio.

i think this is a solid book, but the writing style did not work for me. i found myself detached for most of it, and i really wanted to be more invested in the stories of these characters.

- thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the digital audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about Ruby and her family. Ruby has an inability to speak, and she is different from others, so she feels that she doesn't fit into this world as much as others do, although she is always watching everyone and everything intently. She has a lot to cope with, with her mother's mental health problems, as well as other problems. The book tells her story from her point of view, and it explains her feelings and her inner world. I found the book interesting, and it was well written, but I didn't feel very connected with it, the way that I should have done. The narrator of the book was very good and the cover of the book is beautiful.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

1.5 stars

I was provided an Audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review - thank-you to the author, publisher, and netgalley!

I really really wanted to like this book, but I didn't. I tried on numerous occasions to listen and take in the story, but I found it incredibly difficult and confusing to listen to and even almost DNF'd it. I think this is down to a combination of the writing style, the subject matter being quite emotional and upsetting, and myself not being in the right headspace for reading/listening to a story of this kind.

I listened to the audiobook version, and totally disagree without other reviews which have slated it. I think that listening to the vignettes about Ruby’s life was a perfect way to digest them, particularly with the author herself reading. I usually hate non-linear/abstract tales, but for some reason, I was totally on board with this one. It was lyrical, well written and heart wrenching at the most unexpected times.

This was a book very different form what I am used to as a reader, and I have to say that It felt really nice to change it up. I am not used to non/fiction, for some reason I really never resignate with the stories, but this one made me feel like I was in our main character’s shoes.
It is quite a heartwarming story in which we are inside of this girl’s head as she takes us along her journey.
The audiobook was exceptional, the narrator made me feel like I was in the story and not outside from it. It was sad and harsh at times so it really got to me.
Even tho this was a good one, I do feel like it would not be for everyone. The pacing did felt slow at times and like we were stuck in time a bit. That is one of the reasons why I wasn’t able to give it a higher rating. However, the writing was so beautifully done that made me just keep listening.
Overall it was a great read to disconnect and live through someone else’s eyes!
#SomebodyLovesyou #NetGalley.