The Little Clothes is an excellent book but it's taken me months to start writing a review - I found it moving but quite disturbing.

Audrey is a lawyer, 38, single. The earlier part of the book shows how isolated she is, despite going to the office and regularly seeing her parents and a pub quiz group of so-called friends. She moves among them but is essentially invisible to them. They take her attention, but give her none. One night she takes a bottle of wine in the pub and tries to attract the bartender's attention to pay for it. After being ignored for some time, she walks out. The extent of her invisibility becomes more and more apparent to her.

Audrey's experiences throughout the novel serve as analogies for the way trauma affects people. Trauma is a profoundly formative and transformative experience that marks someone for life. Yet it is invisible to others. Trauma victims carry this invisible wound that informs their every action, their very nature, Because it is invisible to others, the very core of the person, the very thing that makes them 'them' is invisible and lives in isolation. Despite these dark themes, some parts are pretty funny.

It is rewarding to see Audrey's gradual growing awareness and her self-assertion, but overall the book left me feeling quite raw. The lightness of tone masks some triggering content.

"The Little Clothes" by Deborah Callaghan is a poignant and evocative novel that delves into themes of memory, loss, and the enduring power of love. Callaghan’s writing is deeply atmospheric, capturing the emotional depth of her characters and the intricate connections between them.

The story likely revolves around a protagonist who stumbles upon or inherits a collection of little clothes—perhaps belonging to a child or a loved one from the past. These small garments become a powerful symbol in the narrative, triggering memories and reflections on the past. As the protagonist pieces together the history and significance of these clothes, they may uncover long-hidden secrets, unresolved emotions, and a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationships.

Callaghan's characters are likely well-developed and relatable, each grappling with their own pasts and the echoes of those who have left a lasting impact on their lives. The narrative might explore themes of grief, healing, and the bittersweet nature of memories, as the protagonist navigates the complex emotions that surface with the discovery of these little clothes.

"The Little Clothes" is perfect for readers who enjoy literary fiction that delves into the emotional landscapes of its characters, offering a meditative and introspective reading experience. Deborah Callaghan has likely crafted a novel that is both tender and haunting, making it a memorable exploration of how the past continues to shape our present and future. This book would resonate with anyone who has experienced loss or is interested in the ways in which objects can carry deep emotional significance and tell stories of their own.

Such a good lit fic, my favorite type of books are with female heroines who save themselves. This will surely be a fav.

I enjoyed learning more about Audrey and the background of her life that showed how much trauma she had endured and for me this explained her strange actions at points,

I think the main strength of this story lies in it's ambiguity. At first it is hard to decipher why Audrey behaves the way she does, what's driving her decisions. As the story goes, it becomes clearer and clearer, especially her habit of buying branded baby and toddler clothes. It is an interesting exploration of the aftermath of trauma.

Why only 3 stars, then? For me, the ending was too rushed. Even though the action unfolded quite rhythmically at first, it felt like the author couldn't compose a buildup of a satisfying ending. Some loose ends were left, too. It might have been a conscious narrative choice, but the story of the neighbour or the little girl were kind of left unfinished.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book, it was readable and fairly well-paced and definitely held my interest. I initially found the number of different characters mentioned quickly a little hard to keep track of, but that settled as I got further into the book. I did find that the title story (the little clothes) seemed fairly disconnected from the rest of the book and could have been ingrained in the main story and the build up a little better.

This book also very badly needs some trigger warnings, particularly for CSA, because that was not in the blurb and I was not at all expecting to be reading it.

This is one of those books that lifts you up then throws you down without a second thought. I read it in a couple of sittings.

Audrey Mendes is a lawyer, daughter and friend who everyone relies on but few truly appreciate. In fact it's worse than not being appreciated - they take her for granted and often abuse her good nature. Audrey is getting to the point where she's had enough. All it will take is a wander down memory lane to when she was 12.

Audrey's story is shocking in parts and made me seethe with impotence in others at the way she is treated. Her mother is one of the most thoughtlessly callous characters I've come across in a while and the other people in her life are little better. Some of the situations she encounters are like nails down a chalkboard at times. I've not wished for a main character to come out on top quite so badly as I did for Audrey.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not sure if this is a debut but I'd definitely read more by this author. Her characterisations are excellent.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Bedford Square Publishers for the advance review copy.

Audrey Mendes is a 38 year old lawyer, and she's tired of never being seen. Not by her mother who always favoured her brother, her colleagues who always want her to help fix their lives whilst never asking about hers and her boss who works her to the bone but refuses to make her a partner in the company. Her social life consists of trips to visit her parents, a Tuesday trivia night with relative strangers, and quiet nights at home with her rabbit Joni. One night, she's unable to attract the attention of the bartender and walks out without paying for her wine, and this small rebellion slowly leads to more spurred on by her invisibility and safe nature. Soon, a painful memory begins to surface, and Audrey realises she needs to fix it in order to sort her life out.

I felt this was quite a heartbreaking story following Audrey's life and the way she suffered from so much trauma and how that affected the rest of her life. This also had some humour and genuine friendship thrown in, and I liked watching as her relationship with her mother slowly got stronger. I liked Audrey as a character she was brazen and wasn't afraid to say exactly what she was thinking even if no one was actually listening to her. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend.

Audrey is a 38 year-old lawyer, the kind of person who placidly goes through life unnoticed , sticking to the rules and accepting whatever she gets from others. From a lack of attention while growing up in the shadow of her brother,being taken for granted at work by colleagues and her low-life boss Audrey feels like the invisible woman. With a private life revolving around visits to her parents, a pub quiz night and Joni,her faithful rabbit, a small act of rebellion escalates into a series. Audrey's behaviour becomes more and more extreme as still under the radar she disrupts the lives of those who have taken her for granted.

This is an amazing book, not least when forgotten things from Audrey's past are revealed and an already fine piece of writing acquires a lot more depth and explains some of her strange behaviour. Nothing in Audrey's life seems to go right, very few people in her life have treated her right and as things go from bad to worse there's a very real sense of her completely unravelling in a very bad way as the story heads towards its conclusion.
Insightful,moving,sometimes shocking,the characters are well-drawn and believable,an exceptional read.