An absolutely stunning book from start to finish. This transported me back into my own thoughts about the past and no doubt it will have the same effect on you too. Well worth a read.

It’s been some time that this has sat in my Netgalley reading list. I picked it up numerous times in an effort to finish it but ultimately I’ve not been able to. I found it slow and didn’t enjoy the jumping of chapters between characters. The loss theme was unappealing to me. This isn’t the author’s fault, it’s more a reflection of my sensitivities. It’s well written with good descriptions but just not for me the last year. I’m grateful to Netgalley and publisher for providing me the opportunity to review the ebook.

I loved this book - right up until the last chapter + epilogue. It was bowling along, giving me hints as to how it would tie up at the end, then, boom! Nothing. It just ended.
I knew it would all come good, I was waiting for it to leave me with tears down my face and an aching heart, but it didn't. It just ended, told me what I thought would happen had happened, but didn't explore the emotions of the characters, so I didn't get anything myself either. Downright disappointing.
I DO still recommend the book, but only 3 stars: the writing is superb and the insights to death and loss of children affects people; the cast of characters is good, empathetic with superb caricatures of oddities in society. Just don't expect a satisfying finish.

I really enjoyed The Keeper of Lost Things so was really excited for Ruth Hogan's next book but this didn't really live up to my expectations. I found it quite slow and not much happened to keep me engaged, I also didn't really connect with the characters as much as I did during The Keeper of Lost Things.

If Ruth Hogan’s first book was a breath of fresh air, this one is a kiss-of-life.
Hogan navigates through difficult subjects with enormous sensitivity and what seems like plenty of direct personal experience. The title character, Sally Red Shoes, is painted with the bold strokes of an expressionist’s brush – she is a greater than life eccentric and at the same time a vulnerable old lady whom Masha, the heroine of the book, befriends and looks after. In fact, the looking-after is mutual, and the relationship between the two women is most endearing to the reader. Alice is the third character in this triangle of personal tragedies, secrets, crimes, redemption and survival. I simply couldn’t list all of the well intertwined themes of this beautiful book.
It is a deeply emotional book composed of three personal stories: Masha’s revival from the most excruciating tragedy of losing her child and her journey towards normality, Alice’s tight and claustrophobic world spinning out of her control, and the most enigmatic of the three: Sally and her unconventional past.
Each of the characters has a distinct voice. The story’s setting is a wonderfully portrayed old Victorian cemetery, rich with its own characters.
It’s a tender-loving book, touching and life-affirming.

This is a sensitive and thoughtful story about loss, grief and recovery. It's a well-written and compelling read, however it ebbed and flowed for me and at times it didn't grab me. The main character, Masha, is a bereaved mother who was lost in her grief for many years before eventually being able to try to come out the other end of her dark journey. She is helped along the way by old friends and new as she learns valuable life lessons from them.

Personally, I wasn't very keen on the long sequences involving the cemetery. I could understand their relevance somewhat, but I felt too long was spent on that instead of perhaps defining secondary characters (such as Sally Red Shoes for example) better.

I also felt that the story of Alice and Mattie was by and large unnecessary. I could see the twist coming fairly early on and I thought that the ending was rushed and it actually spoilt the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

I’ve picked this book up a few times but couldn’t get into the story.
Having a good few hours to myself I picked it up once more and finally it grabbed me.
The storyline was lovely, sad, heartbreaking yet hopeful. The characters were all believable and set within the plot, they made sense.
This is the third book by Ruth Hogan I’ve read and her style of stories are just lovely, complex with many layers.

This book was truly heartwarming. Ruth Hogan has once again nailed the characterisation, bringing complex and interesting characters to life with beautiful descriptions. I would recommend this book to others.

There are some authors that I know that I am going to like anything that they write. Deborah Moggach, Kate Atkinson and Sarah Waters are the authors that I love and now I am adding Ruth Hogan to this list.
I read The Keeper of Lost Things and absolutely loved it, so when Netgalley offered the chance to read her second book, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes I was hoping that it would be as good. It most certainly was!
The story is told from the perspective of two women. Masha, who has experienced a terrible loss and Alice who is about to experience a horrendous thing. I can't say too much without spoilers but I will say that although I guessed the main twist early on in the book it in no way made the reading experience poorer for it.
Along the way we meet some colourful characters and I laughed and cried along with them.
Ruth Hogan can certainly take her place in my list of good, trustworthy authors that produce great stories time after time.

Ruth Hogan's experience of cancer is clear as she deals with this expertly and entwines the themes of grief, death and sorrow in this book. Her skill at drawing eccentric, compelling and delightful characters who could live next door is as evident as ever. What could be a dark narrative is peppered with her trademark wit and humour that instantly uplifts it and makes you laugh and ugly cry at the same time. This is a darker story than The Keeper of Lost Things, of women experiencing loss, the death of children, being desperate and depressed but managing to find a way through adversity, survival and being able to live again. Hogan chooses a similar structure to her debut novel, alternating POV's and past and present but this book is by no means a carbon copy of her last. This one is as unique and as beautifully crafted as the storyline and plot were in KOLT.
One of the highlights for me were Epiphany's dinner party attended by the awful estate agent, Hugo, and the unintentionally hilarious production of The Mikado.

Death is a subject that is often dealt with on the surface, and although Hogan doesn't beat around the bush with this subject matter, she manages to position difficult subject matter perfectly. Through her characters, she deals with difficult subject matter in a compelling, heartbreaking and surprisingly uplifting way.

I highly recommend this novel. As ever with Ruth's novels, I was disappointed when I turned the last page and left the characters in the book. I would rather have liked to have taken them out to dinner or on the train to work.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

I recently lost someone and I found this book took my mind of things.
Easy carefree read
would recommend to anyone

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a good book. It deals with life, death and how people grieve. It follows two people, Masha and Alice. Masha is grieving for a child she lost some years ago after an accident. Alice is dying and hoping to be forgiven for the sins of her past.

The humour in this book lightens the mood somewhat. The best comparison I have of this book is that of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Masha is very similar to Eleanor, minus 'mummy'.

I began to see the twist/connection between the two ladies as soon as Alice mentioned her crime about 50% through the book. When I got to 70% I started to worry that I was wrong and at 95% the twist reveals itself and from that point seems to be brushed over.

Alice writes a letter explaining that she stole Masha's son. We get the gist of the letter. We dont see the reaction of Masha, how she decides to meet her now teenage after so many years and explain. There is no emotion there. The ending skips to Alice's fresh grave with the two side by side seemingly just accepting how this has played out.

I feel the ending was rushed and the back story drawn out.

Having said that I still really enjoyed the book. I would reccomend it.

Disappointing after the brilliance of "The Keeper of Lost Things". Read by my book group when it was reported that only 20% managed to finish it.

I enjoyed this book, though it did take me a little while to get into it, as it isn't a book I would normally have picked up. I thought I would take a chance and I am glad that I did.

The subject matter isn't something we talk about too much in Britain any more, so it was interesting to read a book that dealt so honestly with death. Far from being depressing I felt that the author's style lead to it being a book of varying emotions, from making me smile to reading something extremely poignant.

Ruth Hagan has a way of making her characters feel very real, even the dog! I think in a book that deals with the death of a child as one of the core issues, you need that realism in order to make it work.

Easy reading - interesting aspects - well written. Would recommend this book to friends who enjoy things genre.

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes is a bittersweet and atmospheric tale filled with intriguing characters. A perfect book to read on a cold day.

I thought this was on of the most beautifully written books I have read in a long time, Ruth Hagan has an exquisite way with words.

This is a story about loss and grief when Masha's little boy is drowned at aged two and the ripple effects this has on her and her friends and family. It's also about how we climb out of that grief and start to reclaim our lives.

'When the music ends for someone you love you don't stop dancing. You dance for them as well'

Loved this story! Thought it was so sweet and poignant and enjoyed every page. All the characters were complex and realistic and I wanted to know every one of them. Would definitely recommend.

Death is something we find hard to talk about and despite the sadness of this story, Ruth Hogan's writing style and dry sense of humour transforms what could have been a depressing and morbid read into something bright and uplifting. My views on cemeteries have been changed forever ...

Masha's grief is visceral and effects everyone around her (I include myself in this!). A pivotal point in the story pulls the veil aside and she considers others as well as self. I thought this was so poignant and really felt her on the edge, trying to climb out and over. She has some wonderfully quirky friends in her life that support her as well as her mum and dad. Her dog Haizum (who is a character in his own right) is another stalwart in her life. I loved her friendship with Edward. Another thing I loved was the window into her working life as a psychotherapist with her clients personalities adding humour. I have to admit to some sniggers (especially with the hat incident). Opening her heart leads her to Kitty and life affirming experiences and of course the wisdom from Sally.

Alice's story is so very poignant. When we find out about her past and where she's headed with her future, I must admit I couldn't help the tears. A loss that leads to a gift. Darkness and light. I had mixed feelings for sure.

I was so intrigued as to how these two different narrations of Masha and Alice tied together. And even though I thought I had it sussed, several times Alice shares something which moved me away from where I thought the story was going...

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes has led me through a whole host of emotions. Entertainment from Lady Troubridge's etiquette and the word of the day (my favourite has to be ferhoodled) and utter sadness at the shadows and darkness. Simply 5 stars of awesomeness.

I absolutely adored this book. Such a beautifully written tale with richly developed characters. The story of Alice running concurrently was just heartbreaking as it became clear where the story was going. I would love to see this as a TV drama.