Bliss another fall into the heaven of this authors creations. I love the settings and the characters all recognisable and relatable. Thankyou

What a fantastic read, I loved this book from beginning to end, we need more books about the neurodiverse experience.

Alice sees everything in colour, so she knows that her mother is struggling because she can see the dark cloud that follows her, she knows who is kind, who is a danger to her.
This is the book that takes unusual and special Alice and teaches her how to live in the world, bringing her specific talent to help others.
I laughed, I cried, I loved the people in the story (or most of them)
Hard to describe but beautiful to read.

General Thoughts 🤔

I know people say it often but I genuinely do mean it when I say that from the moment I picked up this book, I was hooked. I read such a huge chunk of it in that very first sitting as I was so engrossed and I simply had to keep going. I was also very emotional from the beginning. This isn’t a story that started off happily and it really did get me right in the feels. As the story continued, there were bumps in the road for these fabulous characters, but there were moments of happiness to be found.

Characters 👫👭👬

Alice. I don’t even know where to start with this woman. I can’t even imagine how draining her entire life must have been. She must have been in a constant state of confusion and fright as a child; I would be now as an adult if I had her gift. I was amazed by how well she dealt with it and with all of her family worries and stress thrown on top. She was such a beautiful soul and I spent the whole entire time hoping that she would find herself and her happiness and learn to live with her special gift.

Alice’s mother Lily was a character that I knew right away I wasn’t going to warm to however that didn’t mean that I couldn’t empathise and I definitely thought she was a fantastic addition to the story. Lily quite obviously did not have the support she needed as a mother and a woman with poor mental health and this had obvious negative impacts on all of her children’s lives. It was heartbreaking to follow but heart warming at moments too.

Writing Style ✍️

This is the second book I have read by this author and I could clearly hear her tone and voice in the writing. I remember having the same emotional draw to the story and the characters when I read Freckles so I am concluding that this is Cecelia Ahern’s writing super power; make people feel. I read many books that make me feel, but not all of them make me feel, question those feelings, feel something else and absorb and sit in the feelings. Cecelia Ahern has done that to me twice now and I am hugely appreciative of that talent.

The structure of the book probably had something to do with why I couldn’t put it down. The chapters were very long, I would refer to them as parts rather than chapters. Ordinarily, this would make a story feel more drawn out for me, however the mix of timelines within each chapter and the scatty and erratic nature of the writing at times, kept me engaged and kept the story and characters moving forwards.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

What a special story, with special characters. I adored this book even though it made me feel very emotional and even uncomfortable at times. The premise of this story was fascinating and has had my mind ticking over ever since I put it down. Such beautiful writing of a beautiful plot with beautiful ups and downs, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Absolutely beautiful and incredibly thought provoking. This is a book that will stay in my heart for a long time to come. Cecelia is an author that knows no bounds and can take an idea and turn it into a book that you can’t put down. I will be raving about this book for years to come. It’s mesmerising and exquisitely written.

Quite a powerful book, which I believe will stay with me for a long time.

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

An enchanting story of Alice and her life seen through colours. From an early age Alice sees everyone as a colour. Life is challenging for her as she is different and not always accepted. We are all expected to fit into the expected norm but this tale embraces difference and is so refreshing. Be proud to be different.

What a beautifully written book! I am a great fan of Cecelia Ahern and I love the quirky individuality of her books, all unique, taking us on thought-provoking journeys, it’s always exciting to see where the story will go. Her description is a delight to read and her characterisation is flawless.

The main character in this one is a young girl - Alice, who ‘sees’ auras around people, in colours. It is both terrifying and frustrating for her, being able to see how people are feeling and how they can affect those around them.

Alice is a brilliantly complex main character who I couldn’t help but warm to. The close bonds she develops with Hugh, and later Gospel, are satisfying to read, especially when she faces so many problems and struggles to come to terms with her synesthesia, which threatens to overwhelm her. Her neighbour, Naomi, becomes a good friend to Alice, helping her start to find herself and how to live with and embrace her condition.

Her mother, Lily, in a dark place herself, doesn’t understand, although her older brother Hugh does. He tries his best to help and protect Alice, whilst planning for his own future at university.

Cecelia Ahern crafts a variety of characters that evoke quite different emotions in the reader, some likeable, some less so and all authentic and substantial. She takes us along on the journey, reflecting the huge spectrum of society in the characters we meet through Alice.

This character-driven story will make you reflect on the shields humans use to protect themselves or the projections of their characters they mimic to hide behind.

Somehow I found myself thinking about ‘what if…..’ I found myself in Alice’s position several times and by this point, the reader can reflect on both the positives and negatives this would involve.

I was emotionally invested in this story and found a lump in my throat at several points towards the end. It is a gentle, thought -provoking novel which has left me with much to mull over.

Having read multiple Ceceila Ahern books, this one did not disappoint. Was an amazing read, keeps you enthralled and full of twists and turns.

I couldn’t read this book quick enough and looked forward to picking it back up.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy this authors work, so I was excited to read this one, for me I found it difficult to follow, it seemed to jump around quite a lot. Fans of magical realism will love this though, so I will still recommend.

I haven’t read books by cecilia ahern for a while….but I am so pleased I read this one. I just utterly loved it, the story of Alice who at a young age sees peoples auras and feeling through colours…..this continues throughout her life and she must live her life with this drain on her emotionally. This book was so special and lovely and just so heartwarming.

For some reason I always associated Cecelia Ahern with the chick lit genre -how wrong was I !
I loved this book -it was an original ,quirky, at times heartbreaking page turner .
Fabulous

Thankyou NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

From the age of 7 Alice can see people’s colours surrounding them, telling her of their emotions and feelings, Alice struggles to cope with a hard family life and is sent away to a boarding school for children with behavioural problems. A good book although it jumped around a lot, I’m not sure if this was because the book is a draft but this is the most difficult Cecilia Ahern book I have read, it just didn’t seem to flow well.

PR: Gifted from Harper Collins UK @netgalley.
I’ve a love/hate relationship with Cecelia Ahern’s books. Some I’ve loved, and some I haven’t. She has almost created a writing genre of her own - a little bit of the surreal world, with a little bit of reality. I wasn’t particularly attracted to this book, but it hit me at the right time - just after a heavy read - it was quite uplifting as it considered how humans interact with each other.
The protagonist has the ability to read people’s moods, so we see the good and bad of this, and how it impacts on her life. A simple concept, which you need to suspend your disbelief about to enjoy this book.

This is a very different novel to anything that I have read recently, and I loved it.

Alice Kelly is just 8 years old when she notices that everyone has a colour. She calls an ambulance as she believes her Mother is dead, as she is surrounded in a deathly hue. In reality her Mother is comatose having drunk copious amounts of alcohol and passed out prior to her Daughter's arrival home from school.

She doesn't realise her ability until the ambulance crew departs, and the colours surrounding her Mother turn red. She is livid. Alice realises she is able to see emotions as colours, but doesn't fully understand this until much later in life.

Alice has synaesthesia, which is where a percept or concept (such as words, sounds or touch) automatically triggers an experience in another modality (such as colour, space or taste) (link). Unable to cope with bright lights, Alice starts wearing sunglasses to school. When she refused to take them off in a lesson, and the teacher won't listen to her reasoning, she is labelled a trouble maker.

Alice is sent to a secondary school for those who have behavioural issues. There she makes a good friend who sees her for who she truly is. By the time she finishes school and plans to move away, her Mother has become ill and needs full time care, her older brother has moved overseas and her younger brother is in prison.

Despite their fractured relationship, it is up to Alice to care for her Mother.

When she finally leaves the family home to start her own life in London, Alice could be described as a little 'odd'. She wears a mask, sunglasses and gloves wherever she goes, and won't make physical contact with anyone. In an unknown period in time, (presumably pre-covid) this doesn't go down well when interviewees are wanting to shake her hand, and initially she struggles to find work.

Then one day on the tube, something remarkable happens there is a man sat opposite her who doesn't display any colours at all. Alice doesn't know what this means, but she does know that she must find out who he is, and get to know him.

I can't say too much more, as I don't want to give anything away, but I strongly recommend this novel if you are looking for something beautifully written, and a little bit different...

Cecilia Ahern gets better and better. I loved Freckles, which I’d tried despite hating her early books ( especially P.S. I Love You, a book I hated with a passion and wanted to throw on the fire). This was such a profound book that touched me deeply. I identified with our heroine so strongly, both physically and mentally. To explain, ever since I was diagnosed with MS I get strange crossed wires with my senses, especially around sight and taste. If I see a beautiful display of daffodils, I suddenly taste delightfully sour sherbet lemons and my mouth waters to the point of pain. Every so often, if I’m action, the smell and taste of Mum’s cottage pie drifts in and I can actually experience it as a physical sense. It’s obviously something that’s comforting to me. These experiences are vivid and as real as if it’s directly in front of me. I think this ability to make strange connections and perceive senses in different ways also stretches to other people’s emotions. There are times when someone walks into a room when I can feel their emotion as strongly as my own. It goes beyond a knowledge of body language, I can actually feel their anger, confusion, grief or joy in my own body. As you can imagine this has been incredibly useful in my counselling work, but it’s also completely exhausting. It was no stretch to believe in our heroine Alice and her ability to see people’s emotions as colours. I could also empathise with how difficult it is for her to cope with.

Alice is from a dysfunctional family and we’re thrown directly into their daily life, where elder brother Hugh and Alice are trying to keep their family together. Alice has to get her younger brother up and ready for school, trying desperately not to wake their mother Lily and incur her wrath. Sometimes when they return Lily still hasn’t surfaced, but if she has it’s still best to remain under the radar because she’s usually irritable, lethargic and unable to connect with her children. Other days they may come home and find Lily up, dressed and full of energy. She may be frantically cooking pancakes, multiples of them, while working out the overheads of running a mobile pancake van. This tendency to flit between extremes is spoken of in whispers between the children, quick warnings to brace themselves or expect the worst. One day after school Alice comes home and finds Lily still in bed, even worse there’s an eerie blue mist emanating from the bed and filling the room. Alice fears the worst and rings an ambulance, then runs into her room and hides. It’s only when she hears her mother screaming and swearing at the paramedics that she realises Lily is alive. What’s baffling to Alice is that no one else can see the colours.

I absolutely loved the way the author described Alice’s adjustment to having this vivid colour display wherever there are people. In the school environment it’s a nightmare for her, everyone gives off a different mix of colours, moving and flashing at her eyes until she starts to suffer migraines. Her insistence on wearing sunglasses to school brings her to the teacher’s attention and they think she’s playing up and being insolent. Hugh knows though and seems to realise instinctively that it’s part of Alice’s hyper-sensitivity; the colours are simply a physical manifestation of her ability to feel other’s emotions. Alice is what might be called an empath, she has more empathy than the average person and can pick up on the moods and sensitivities of people in close proximity to her. As a child she sees the negatives in her situation, mainly because she doesn’t have autonomy. If Lily is blue, red, or at worst black, there’s nothing Alice can do to avoid it. She can get out of the house if Lily hasn’t seen her, but that’s not always possible and she’s at the mercy of her mother’s mood. The author brilliantly conveys Alice’s feeling of powerlessness and the fear she feels as she comes home, unsure of what will happen when she goes inside. Scenes where Lily is at her most angry, in one scene towards Hugh and his plans to go to university, the furious and messy black colour Alice can see is really menacing. Yet they go on hiding Lily’s condition, because the alternative is social services and possibly having to split the family up.

I found myself really worried for Alice, because in the swirl of colours and emotions that assail her every hour of the day how can she ever find peace? Between that and the terrible situation at home there’s never a moment for her to develop herself. We only know who Alice is in relation to everyone around her. She becomes subsumed by their emotions, needs and wants to such an extent that her own don’t get a look in. I was devastated by her choice to stay at home after leaving school with Lily and her little brother, who’s rapidly becoming a violent criminal. His antagonism towards Alice comes from being the baby of the family and not yet being able to view his mum objectively. Lily has the ability to threaten and manipulate quietly, deliberately under the radar of her youngest son. So he only sees Alice’s attempts to stick up for herself, which cause such a furore that in his eyes, Alice is the problem. I was worried that she would never be able to leave home, follow a career or get married and have her own children. She has become so emotionally literate though and still worries about her family members, even the ones who treat her badly. I was sure though that she wouldn’t be able to discover her authentic self and develop the life she wants without leaving. One catalyst for change is the man she happens to see on his way to work. He stands out instantly because he isn’t giving off any colours and Alice is so fascinated that she follows him. Andy is a strange mix of both restful and mysterious. Alice has never had to work so hard on getting to know someone, it’s both scary and intoxicating to peel back the layers. However, when they’re just ‘being’ - taking a walk or watching a movie - Alice can relax fully, because she can’t sense all the colours lurking underneath the surface. I was intrigued to know whether this could be Alice’s ‘one’, but also whether there were other colourless people in the world.

From the perspective of this reader with a disability it was so interesting to watch someone negotiate the world with a difference like this. I’d probably call it an ability rather than a disability. I loved discovering whether Alice grows to cope with her colours or moves beyond the difficulties of her childhood. As we moved through her life I forgot she wasn’t a real person, that’s how well-rounded a character she is. I felt like I was having a conversation with one of my counselling clients because of the depth the author goes to and the richness of her inner world. It was a surprise to see how her age and experience changes her relationships with other characters. I found the final sections of the novel, deeply moving and strangely comforting. I felt privileged to have moved through life with this extraordinary woman.

I tried hard to like this book about Alice and her family but I’m sorry to say I didn’t finish it and feel that I just didn’t get it. I’ve enjoyed other books by the author but not this one.

My thanks to the author, the publishers and Netgalley for the chance to read and review the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. This was an excellent read.
Thoroughly recommended

Cecelia Ahern has written a wonderfully moving story about the life of Alice, a woman with an unusual gift. She, however, views it not as a gift but a curse. Alice sees the emotions of others and gets tangled up in their feelings. She spends much of her life trying to deal with the fallout. This is an epic tale, covering Alice’s life from a young child who is eventually banished to a ‘boarding school for freaks’ until late adulthood. We get to know her siblings, one empathetic, the other awful, and her dysfunctional mother, Lily. And we meet her lifelong friend, Gospel, another ‘freak’. Their relationship is special and touching.
I loved the kaleidoscope of colours that runs through this book and which defines Alice. I was swept up in her life, experiencing her ups and downs, triumphs and disappointments as she learns about herself and how to live in this world. It gave me lots to think about, including how we treat people we perceive to be different.

A deeply touching book that deals with what it means to be human - the good, the bad and the ugly. Alice sees people’s moods as colours and spends her life battling to come to terms with her gift and maintain equilibrium. Along the way, she learns a lot about others and, more importantly, herself.

A rich and unusual book that kept my attention throughout, although I did feel that the last part when Alice was married did feel a bit rushed. Definitely worth a read though.