No sermons, without sentimentality Joyce's words wash over you and through these fictional events a deeper truth is revealed. A tinsy sad but at last hopeful short story, to remember of all the human beings in our life whom we care about and not to forget the importance of small things and gestures. I'm not much into short stories but the author has managed to infuse this short read with depth and emotion that far longer novels often fail to achieve. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice.

She begins to work through the grief in an most unlikely way which I will not expand on other than to say that help and solutions can come in the most unusual ways. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. She has lost her parents not so long ago, but refused to cry or show her emotions at that time, then when her current "partner," Oliver ups and leaves her, confessing his affair with another woman who is now pregnant, she is beside herself yet still willing herself to remain stoic. I think the idea could have been further developed, even within the short story format, to make this a more satisfying read.

She moved to writing after a long career as an actor, performing leading roles for the RSC, the National Theatre and Cheek by Jowl. I liked the way the main character’s very recent break-up is contrasted with all the commercial trappings of Christmas. It's a Christmas story that let's those who are not living the shiny holiday of expectations mourn and move on. A few pages that held all this story could need, from flashed out characters to flashbacks and backgrounds and a generous sprinkle of sentiment. Proof that you never know when you might have significant impact upon someone else's life in the seemingly most insignificant interactions.

With Christmas comes memories, good and bad, that can have a massive impact on the way the path of one's life can change. He seems rather oblivious to the pain he's caused but then, that seems to encapsulate Oliver's personality. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' is among my favorite books so I decided to give this work a go.I've been wanting to finish The Grapes of Wrath for more than 3 decades but it was a book that I put on hold in my late teens and never came back to. But it's raining, her house is falling apart and she's just been left by her boyfriend who has taken up with another woman. If we just think for a moment about the stresses relationships will have undergone these last 9 months - the loss of freedoms, our normal routines, all that this pandemic has wrought and continues to do so, the loss of people in our lives, whether temporary or with the finality of death - this little gem offers more than advice on how to cope with loss and grief. A heart-warming tale about loss and grieving (there’s no actual death involved but the breakdown of a relationship). Wonderfully written this account moves you emotionally and allows you to reflect on Christmas and truely prepare for this special time of year.

Her writing is so neat and controlled, no time is wasted on explanations and our understanding of the situation unfolds as the story progresses. Sometimes circumstances mean you withdraw from life and take others for granted, barely register the passing of loved ones and the moving on of friends. Also, you're not alone with our troubles - everyone has secret problems or worries they don't talk about and we often get so consumed with our own lives we forget that. I worried it might spoil my experience with PERFECT before I had a chance to review it but the writing was just as lovely and the story touching.The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book prize and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Perfect is a poignant and powerful book, rich with empathy and charged with beautiful, atmospheric writing. It offers a glimmer of hope for a way forward amid the chaos and a way to reconnect with parts of our lives (and ourselves) going forward.

A pleasant short story although I don't remember much about the resolution two weeks after the fact. Though I gather this aversion was one symptom of her depression, resulting from repression of emotion, which becomes clear as the story unfolds. Marketed as a Christmas story, I found Christmas to be incidental and that this tale could have been set at any time of year. Imagine my surprise when I opened it up and discovered it was a short story, quite apt for the time of year, and indeed, for this extraordinary year! So why, then, do we behave as if everything we have connected with, everything we have blessed with our loving, should be ours for keeps?Zufällig findet sie sich in einem Laden voller Putzmittel wieder und die Verkäuferin hatte auch mit Schicksalsschlägen zu kämpfen. A beautiful gem of a short story from Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Perfect.