I have to admit that I approached this with some trepidation. I had requested to read it based purely on the front cover (a bird in flight and a child stood with their arms out wide - the UK cover, I think). It really stands out. And as I started to read it, I realised that it wasn't just the cover that stood out. The prose is beautifully written. It's difficult subject matter: a child is brought into ER as the sole survivor of a massacre, and is taken care of by Lucy, the doctor. He doesn't remember anything, it seems. Clare (good name choice, by the way) is nearly 100 years old, and is living in a home across town. She's not happy to be there.
These people's lives all seem to be separate, but they do come together eventually. And it's so emotional when they do. It's an emotional book with some dark subject matter, but there is also hope.
It's well worth a read, but don't forget the kleenex. You'll need it.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole and NetGalley for the chance to review this.

This story was just beautiful…

Told from three separate character perspectives –

Ben is a young boy who is the sole survivor of a mass shooting that killed his mother and friends. He appears to have been, understandably, severely affected by the trauma of the shooting and is now insisting his name is Leo. The hospital is desperate to try to find out who he really is so they can get him the help that he needs and, through hypnosis, we get to learn more about Leo and his connection to the story.

Lucy is the ER doctor that treats Ben at the hospital when he is brought in after his traumatic ordeal. Lucy is very competent in her job, regularly left in charge of the department and highly regarded in her role. Her personal life is the opposite and with her marriage on the brink of falling apart she has taken to sleeping at the hospital just to avoid going home.

Clare is a resident at a nursing home who has won an award that she doesn’t want as she is worried her long-buried past will be uncovered. She appears to be a grumpy old woman who just wants to be left alone to live out the rest of her life in peace. She reluctantly makes friends with a new resident Gloria and through her, we hear about Clare’s amazing life story spanning almost a hundred years.

Through each of their individual stories, we learn a lot about each character and the way that they are connected to each other. The writing is absolutely beautiful, the stories are brilliantly interwoven and the whole story is moving, heartwarming and uplifting in equal measure. Not my usual genre, but I am so glad I read it.

An intriguing premise on which to base the book. Is there such a thing as reincarnation. The story is told by three different voices but could be four. Ben/Leo who sees his mother murdered and is brought into hospital in an emotional state: Lucy the doctor who treats him initially and Clare a centenarian with an interesting story to tell. The three strands are expertly brought together. It is not a difficult read but the reader needs to keep careful track of the storyline by picking up the essential facts. Three stories across three people in differing age groups with a commonality .

The Possible World has the easy readability and total engagement of all the very best beach reads but it also has the substance and quality writing to elevate it to something more than a throwaway read. It is thoroughly entertaining and absorbing from start to finish. The 3 POV strands are all equally compelling. I loved the 'E.R' elements of Lucy's story, Clare's backstory and Ben/Leo's dual timeline. Each character's story develops individually then starts to converge in a way that is subtle and satisfying, never once feeling over egged or cliched.

SPOILER The past life/reincarnation aspect of the novel is also handled in a non-sensational manner, remaining believable rather than fantastical.

The ending, while fairly obvious, is nicely done and not cloyed with unnecessary sentiment and, for once, being predictable isn't a disappointment or weakness.
Overall, a very well written and compelling story with solid characters. Very enjoyable and recommended.

Being invited to a birthday party isn‘t something that comes easy for Ben. Too many things can happen, all is so unpredictable with other boys, but his mother can convince him to go nevertheless. And then, the most unexpected happens: a murderer comes to the party and kills the two mothers in the house as well as all of the kids, except for Ben. In hospital, Lucy can only determine that he hasn’t been hurt physically, but there seems to be a kind of trauma since Ben wants to be called Leo and remembers life with a certain Clare. At an elderly home somewhere in town, Clare is fighting again against having to socialise. Her life alone in a recluse hut and later with her foster child Leo has simply been perfect. How come Ben remembers being Clare’s son Leo?

Liese O‘Halloran Schwarz‘ novel is one of the rare books that you just open and then get completely lost in. I read it in just one sitting because I simply did not want to get away from her characters. It is bittersweet, often melancholic, but you see the good heart the characters have and you are convinced that there must be something good coming from them. It is a perfect feel-good book, even though it tells harsh reality in an emergency room and the story of a child given away by his mother.

I liked the alternate narration of the three protagonists, even though it did not completely make sense at the beginning, you slowly manage to put together the puzzle pieces that form a new and complete picture. All three are very sensitive characters, misunderstood by the people around them and therefore lonely. I guess these kind of people recognize each other what helps them to find each other. What also links them is the fact that they are highly intelligent and question the world: why do the things have to be the way they are and why don’t people change something about it?

A beautifully written story about non-mainstream characters who can easily be overlooked.

Three people, three generations, three stories, seemingly unconnected, yet inexplicably woven together. 'The Possible World' is a beautifully thoughtful story of tragedy, love that conquers death and life's complex journey.

Ben's tragedy touches his soul and releases something long forgotten; no-one understands until he meets a man who's lost everything and Lucy a dedicated ER doctor whose life is missing someone to share it. Clare has lived a long life, and as the end draws near, she relives the past love and heartache.

Each story is engaging with intricate historical detail and a gradual connection with the present day. Lifelike characters draw you into their lives, and you hope they find what they seek. The ending is poignant and perfect.

I received a copy of this book from Cornerstone Digital via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What a fantastic book. It is so beautifully written and so descriptive.
The intertwined lives of Ben, Clare and Lucy may occasionally seem a little confusing, but gradually all becomes clear, and very satisfyingly so.
I absolutely loved it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Possible World is a story about three characters, all very different, Ben the 6 year old boy who has seen imaginable horrors, Clare the 100 year old resident of a care home who has a story to tell that no one has listened to until she is persuaded by an unexpected ali , and Lucy who works at the front line of a trauma department, and who’s marriage is unraveling fast.

All three characters, or maybe four characters, are well described as we learn about the lives they’re leading. But all their lives are linked and I loved the way the story evolved till you understand more and more.

Its very cleverly written, really enjoyable read.

I'm not really sure how to feel about this particular book. Whilst I found the writing wonderful and a really elegant way of exploring a lot of difficult issues, I found myself getting confused about the entire novel. I wasn't sure of the timings and kept not realising what was going on. as the chapters were happening. While it started well and had a really interesting concept, it quickly disappears throughout the novel. So I feel a bit conflicted about this book. What was clear, I enjoyed. Everything else, I couldn't understand.

I’m not sure what I expected when I started this novel. It sounded interesting from the synopsis but that told so little of what I was to find here.

It is three separate stories, that of Ben, Lucy and Clare, and only Lucy and Ben appear to have any connection. Ben, a six year old, comes across Lucy in her professional capacity as a trauma doctor at the local hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Clare, meanwhile, is in very advanced years in a care home and there seems no way she can possibly have anything in common with or any relationship with either of the others. And yet it gradually becomes clear through a touch of the supernatural.

These three stories are each in their own way tragic but they cover different levels of tragedy, from the more mundane, more everyday tragedy of divorce, to acts of God and war which are no more in the open or revealed than the internal pain of being separated from a loved one.

With tragedy comes acknowledgement of loss, and telling the story of those who can no longer speak for themselves are all at the heart of this novel. If no one knows your name, do you still exist? is a central theme. If no one knows of the tragedy, did it occur?

Few books of any kind make me cry these days, I read too much, too analytically, but by the end of this novel I was weeping. From the opening touching scene of a shy boy at a kid’s party, to the end, the detail of the description makes these characters so very vivid that you care enough for each of them that it brings you to tears when it ends.

The possible world is a heartwarming and emotional story about the lives of Ben a young boy who is the sole survivor of a terrible event, Clare a 100 year old woman living in a care home and harbouring a lifetime of deep secrets, and Lucy an exhausted ER physician. This wonderfully, captivating story about these 3 characters, who all have a surprising connection. Beautifully written, a story that truly stays with you.

I really, really wanted to like this book, but I found it quite frustrating in places.
The premise is really interesting - the seemingly unrelated characters of Ben (who is the soul survivor of an incident that kills his mother and many others), Lucy (a doctor who helps Ben, and is going through her own personal trauma) and Clare (keeping secrets for a lifetime, until someone special makes her finally want to tell her story) are at very different stages of their lives but are all a lot closer than we first realise.
My main issue with the book is that the characters did not feel 'fully formed' - they were only the cliched parts and I didn't feel like I knew them any better by the end. The plot also felt quite thin and predictable - it's a real shame as the book description I read appeared to be much more dynamic and intriguing. The writing style is really lovely, so I'm sure a lot of the 5 star reviews really appreciated that, but I think I needed a little bit more substance.
A brilliant concept, but I really wish the story had been a little more robust.

I was rather intrigued by this book, it sounded different to the usual books I read. It's about 3 (or I suppose you could say 4) different characters, all linked in some way. There was a small part halfway where I was a little confused, but it all comes right again, and makes so much sense. A very lovely story of a beautiful friendship, and a love that will stay with me for a long time.

This book is absolutely breathtaking and I utterly adored it. It is so beautifully written and it drew me in from the first page - I just couldn't put it down and became totally captivated by the story and characters. It is at the same time sad, moving, heart-warming and compelling and made me feel incredibly emotional at times, I was utterly engossed - a must read.

At the beginning the strands of this book seem as though there can be no link but as the plot slowly emerges, light dawns. This is beautifuly written with a stylish elegance, but much is left unexplained., however the characters and the story telling are sumptuous.

I was sent a copy of The Possible World by Liese O’Halloran Schwarz to read and review by NetGalley.
I loved this book! It is one of those rare novels that captures the imagination, being well written with characters that you want to learn about. Set out in the ‘chapter per character’ style it cleverly intermingles stories from the past and the present, dealing with love, loss, friendship and family. Don’t get me wrong, this book isn’t all sweetness and light. There are plenty of thrilling chapters to put you on the edge of your seat along with quite explicit stories from the hospital ER trauma unit. All in all a well rounded novel that I didn’t want to end!

A beautifully written magical book that will stay with me for a long time. Ben, Lucy and Clare's lives all intertwine in the most wonderful way. They find peace and love in each other. From the synopsis I thought this book was going to be all about what happened to Ben and who had done it. This story is unexpected and a pleasure to read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I enjoyed this book very much. Ben/Leo and Clare are great characters and well written, their stories are engaging. Lucy is the conduit between these two and has personal problems of her own along with a demanding role in the ER room of the local hospital. If there were fewer very detailed (and unnecessary) descriptions of medical trauma in Lucy's chapters, and more information about what happened between the end of the last chapter and the beginning of the Epilogue I think the book could have been perfect in every way. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this very good book.

This is the best book I have read for ages. The writing style is both effortless and expressive. The characters are full, rich and utterly credible.
I finished this book late last night, as I just couldn’t put it down. On finishing it I felt bereft, I missed the company of the three characters so much that If I didn’t have a virtual TBR pile of other books that I need to read in the next month I would have started back at the beginning again.

Some folks on Goodreads have criticised this book for not having a coherent story, but I disagree. There are several stories and all of them are intertwined and codependent. The predominant themes of this book are dealing with grief and that love is not reserved for flesh, blood and family, and can be found in unconventional relationships as strongly as conventional ones. In fact, this book has produced such a strong emotional resonance with me I am feeling tearful just writing this, and that's not like me at all.

Read this book, it is wonderful. You won’t regret it.

Usually when I read a book like this, with a bit of a curve ball at its centre, I feel a little cheated but this book was so brilliant that I easily forgave the author for "going down that road"
Ben is six years old and is at a party when someone breaks in and kills the rest of the people there. He is saved as he was in the loo at the time. He is brought into the trauma unit of the local hospital where he is assessed by Lucy, an overworked doctor and admitted to a ward for psych evaluation. He appears to be physically ok but insists that his name is Leo. We then follow Lucy further as she goes about her daily life, well mostly her professional life as her personal one is in a bit of upheaval at the moment. Ben meanwhile is taken to a group home where he continues to be drawn to a life not his.
And then there's Clare, an inhabitant of an old people's home. She's initially a bit on the grumpy side but as we get to know her we watch as she starts to open up and share her story. And boy what a story it is to tell.
Initially quite separate, these three people's stories start to weave around each other. The connection between Ben and Lucy is obvious from the start but where exactly Clare comes in is a little bit more of a grey area. Ben's story starts to be a little strange with some of the things he remembers with his talks to his doctors and we soon see where he might be fitting in as Clare tells more of her tale. Quite how it all works out I will leave you to discover for yourself but for me, the ending when it came, was just perfect.
It's a story that, on the face of things, just moseys along in its own time. I have to say that I did probably learn more than I ever wanted or needed to about a busy trauma hospital. Some of which didn't seem to have any place in what was going on at the time but, with hindsight, it was an important inclusion as it spoke to what was going on for Lucy and why she did what she did. It also balanced out the rest of the narrative. Clare's story was spellbinding. I read transfixed as I found out what had happened to her; all the emotions flooding out. Obviously I felt for Ben as he was trying to come to terms with what had happened. I say come to terms with, that's not quite the right way to explain it as you will see for yourself.
It's a beautifully well written and very evocative book that well describes human nature and coincidence. Yes with a bit of a supernatural bent but, if you can live with that, its power speaks volumes. It's one of those books that's vastly bigger than the sum of its parts and had me still thinking about it beyond the final page. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.