Book Review – Anne by Zarina Macha
First Published 2019
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Well, what a brilliant novel. The story follows Anne from a childhood with her devoted if terrified mother, and her alcoholic and abusive father, through to an adolescence of disconnection, relocation, and a whole new life.
I thought the titular character was well-drawn and likeable. True, she comes from a difficult background, but she’s more survivor than victim. It is fine line to tread but Ms Macha does so very successfully. The relationships between the characters are solid and beautifully conveyed.
I really felt for the lead character. I found the mother’s story very powerful and, its conclusion caught my breath.
I liked the use of contemporaneous news, general elections, new films, etc. I felt this helped to root the story to its time very effectively.
Occasionally, I struggled to keep track of all the characters, especially in dialogue-heavy scenes, but that’s probably my age showing. All in all, a very well-written novel. I enjoyed it a lot.
It is worth noting that there are difficult themes in ‘Anne’, including many of the truly heart-rending problems that an adolescent faces, as well as violence within the family home. That said, I enjoyed the writing, and I really look forward to reading this novel again.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
‘Anne’ comes out on Monday, 3rd June 2019.
Petrina Binney - Author 