Oh, Ruth Hogan has done it again. #SallyRedShoes has completely stolen my heart. Absolutely on my Books of the Year 2018 list. Gentle, quirky, hopeful. So clever, so beautiful. LOVED it.

One woman is coming alive, another is dying …

Masha goes to the swimming pool to alleviate the pain of her grief and usually finds some kind of solace on taking herself to the edge of drowning. Actually it’s her dog Haizum that saves her life every day, creating a daily routine of needs and comforts, and the inspiration to get up each day. She loves to take Haizum (we find out why her beloved dog is called this later) to the Victorian cemetery, walking amongst the angelic headstones and communing with the dead. Masha knows a lot about the history of death and dying rituals.

“But grief is not a linear thing. It re-boots unexpectedly at a certain smell or sight or sound …”

A lot of Masha’s story is about death – cemetery dog walks, cemetery tea parties, reading books about death, her goal to be a cemetery tour guide, her Family in the Other Side, and dwelling on her loss of Gabriel – so be prepared. Having said that, this is a powerful story about coming alive, waking up.

It’s at the cemetery that she meets Sally red shoes and her ‘uncomplicated capacity for happiness’. Sally red shoes is like a gateway for Masha. Without the bouts of wisdom from Sally, Masha would never have been so star struck and inviting of Kitty Muriel. As a reader I adore Kitty. Colour, exuberance, roller-disco, red nail polish … glamour and total personification of “This is me.” Kitty completes the coming alive process for Masha.

However, interwoven through the chapters of a changing Masha, is the story of Alice. Alice is struggling each day to be the mother she needs to be to Mattie, and Mattie is scared because his mother is dying. I like the way that the author has placed life and death so closely together, putting death back into daily vocabulary and enlightening readers with its ritual and reinvention.

Ruth Hogan depicts Masha’s life with grace, eloquence, melancholy and this elegant writing is even more exquisite than in The Keeper of Lost Things.

Themes: Life, death and ritual, cemeteries, swimming, infantile death, grief, loss, live, trust, friendship, support, cancer

I highly recommend this second novel from Ruth Hogan. It is an amazing piece of artistry. Thanks to John Murray Press and Netgalley for my ARC.

Thank you for this ARC and thank you to the author for a book that has restored my faith in the potential for beautifully written narratives. This novel's foundations are built upon loss and grief but ends up being so much more. Her characters are fully fleshed and whilst suffering are still full of life. Far from being a sad, tragedian read I felt the book emphasised the power of love, friends and family. More than anything else it illustrates the the power of the mind to trick and deceiver decide to rebuild and re-emerge. It has so much that it is difficult to pull out the individual highlights but i thought the near-drowning a very powerful way to depict the overwhelming sense of loss. I loved the ending which didn't try to come up smelling of roses but left me with a tangible feeling of there being a further path to travel

3.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2018/07/07/the-wisdom-of-sally-red-shoes-by-ruth-hogan/
The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes is another book that’s slightly out of my comfort zone but I really enjoyed the Keeper of Lost Things last year and so decided to give this one a shot. There’s no elements of fantasy in this at all. It’s a story of loss, guilt, redemption and it has a strong thread of hope in terms of self forgiveness and allowing yourself to live on after terrible events have created sadness and loss.

The story revolves around a central character called Masha. You can feel Masha’s overwhelming sadness even though at this point you’re unclear as to what is the cause. Hogan writes emotions so well. It feels like Masha is drowning in despair and guilt and her feelings very much flood over into the lives of her surrounding friends and family causing them too to suffer alongside her. It’s like Masha feels too guilty to live and in some respects almost pushes herself to the brink. But, before I make this sound too overwhelming, things begin to slowly change in the subtlest ways. Primarily with the introduction of new friends into Masha’s life, friends who she can open up to finally and actually begin to forgive herself and allow her own life to continue. I suppose there’s something about sharing stories and in doing so lightening the load.

I don’t really need to say too much about the plot. This isn’t a convoluted story and I don’t want to give too much away. There is a side plot to the story that introduces a mysterious element to the tale To be honest, I’m not totally sure this element was really necessary although I can see why the author would wish to include it.

I liked Masha. She has a lovely family and friends although in her presence they’re all on pins a little, like they’re afraid to laugh in case it breaks her somehow or they simply don’t know how to handle the situation. I guess grief brings out the awkwardness. I really enjoyed watching Masha go through a kind of metamorphosis and finally allow herself to begin feeling again.

The story is full of quirky and eccentric characters, the writing is accomplished and the settings veer between social events that Masha is strong armed into attending, her time spent at the local lido which is at once where she tortures herself with memories and also the place where she finally learns to live again, and the cemetery. I loved Masha’s time spent in the cemetery with her large hairy hound. I find cemeteries quite fascinating to be honest so I loved this aspect to the story, almost like I’d found a like minded character.

In terms of criticisms. Like I mentioned, I really don’t think the parallel plot was necessary. I think the story could have stood on it’s own two feet as it was – a story of loss and redemption, the additional element felt a little sensational and, to be honest, a tiny bit predictable. It didn’t spoil the story for me but even now, having sat on this review, I still don’t feel like it was needed.

On the whole, and personal preferences to one side, this is a lovely read. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Hogan’s first work but I still think it was a quick and easy read and managed to really pack emotion into the tale.

As I mentioned, this isn’t my usual type of novel but if you want something charming quirky and hopeful this could make a very enjoyable summer read.

I received a copy from the publisher, courtesy of Netgalley, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving me this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I don't know what I was expecting with this novel, but I am so glad that I requested it, but I cannot believe it took me a while to get around to reading it. Overall I thought that this was an amazingly well-written novel that dealt with tough subjects such as death and illness, once I had gotten my teeth into this novel it was tough to stop reading. The characters seemed so real to me and well crafted, it really felt like I was reading about real people. This was a brilliant first novel by Ruth Hogan, and I intend to read more by this fantastic writer.

A thought provoking read. I really enjoyed The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes. As I read, and realised what it was all about, I thought maybe I wouldn't enjoy it but I was very quickly hooked. The characters are convincingly portrayed and you can't help but empathise with them. The book flits from the story of one character to another and as you continue they all intermingle to create a web of an ending, sensitively told. Happy and sad, funny and serious, this book makes you think long and hard about how people cope when their happy life takes a tragic turn.

I suspect this book will fall into the 'marmite' category, some people will love it whereas others will hate it. I'm afraid I'm in the latter camp, I didn't exactly hate it - but I didn't enjoy it and found it tedious. I didn't find it an easy read as the chapters didn't flow from one to the next. The main characters, Masha and Alice I found unappealing and I couldn't really relate to them and though some of the other characters in the book (such as Sally Red Shoes) were more appealing and interesting it wasn't enough to change my opinion of the book.

I adored this wonderful follow-up to THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS. This is a novel that takes you by surprise and offers a new, fresh view on death, grief and learning to move forward despite all that you've lost. I found myself lost in this story, Ruth Hogan has blown me away with her second novel and I now cannot wait to read her third...which I hope won't be far away.

Achingly beautiful, heart-felt and joyous, this is just the book everyone needs to read!

*Review also added to Amazon.co.uk*

I found this really difficult to get into and a bit of a slow, plodding read. The themes of loss and grief were handled well but the book was crowded with characters and would have had more pace if a few had been left out. The story evolved into a different one from what I had been expecting which left me feeling disappointed. The descriptive passages are strong and language is used beautifully, but this just wasn't for me.

Sally red shores is the story of loss and mourning. It sounds like it's ging to be a very sad book but it's a very enjoyable read and is sensitively told. It's how Marsha greiving the loss of her son realises with unexpected help of people along the way that life can still go on. In with this story part of it is told by Alice. It's a long time before we find out the link between the two I worked it out half way through but is confirmed towards the end of the story.

This is the second book of Ruth's I have read I have throughly enjoyed both books and will be looking out for more books by this author. My only complaint with this book is it finished very ubrutly I I would've liked to find out how the relationships developed. I would still highly recommend this book.

I loved this tale (more so than Hogan's first book, The Keeper of Lost Things) The protagonist and her friends were so charming that you really felt part of their lives. The dark undertones of the story are kept at a distance until the final pages, so that although you feel sad for the characters throughout, you also feel optimistic

I wanted to love this book more than I did. It has so much going for it - an intriguing plot, a great character list, the whole swimming thing...

However, it was just too short. None of the characters got chance to grow. I was expected to care about somebody on the basis of a funny name and a couple of paragraphs. There were almost too many events, too quickly, and not enough connection in between them, and I think it tried to do too much. it could have been three times as long, and really explored some of the ideas and some of the characters much more. It all felt a bit glib.

The real problem for me, though, was that the really interesting bit of the story happened between the last chapter and the epilogue. That was the bit I was waiting for, and it was just skipped over! Not even skipped over - left entirely to my imagination.

I think Ruth Hogan needs to slow down, take her time, and let things develop. There are dark things here that could have been explored, and a really interesting story to tell.

This is a heart-warming story of grief and learning to live again after a tragedy. It is a lighthearted and entertaining read that also touches on heartache and pain that will resonate with a lot of people. The extra character, as well as the main character, are written really well and I am so glad I got to read this book.

This is a more sombre book than 'The Keeper of Lost Things' and at first I wasn't sure I would like it, but as I got more involved in the story I found myself really caring about the characters and hoping for a good outcome,especially for Masha,one of the main characters.It deals with sadness and loss,and there is quite a lot about death and dying,but for every sombre section,there is an equally funny part which is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.
Ultimately,it's about hope and redemption,and I very much enjoyed it,and look forward to Ruth Hogan's next book.

I found this a difficult book to read and had to make myself continue reading instead of putting it down as I wished to do. It just did not capture my interest. The author was, obviously, aware of death and mourning and it seemed as if she wrote from life experience. The characters were rounded and showed a depth of understanding. I am sure that others would gain a lot from it. It was just not for me! This does not mean that I will not recommend it to others. Just that I will be very careful to whom I do.

My reading group read Sally Hogan’s The Keeper of Lost Things. While we enjoyed it, it hasn’t stayed with me and I couldn’t say I loved it. I think The Wisdom of Sally’s Red Shoes is a far superior story. I very much enjoyed it and will be recommending it to my book group and all my friends. It is very different and grabbed me from the start. It is a story of love and loss, hope and friendship. The characters are well developed and the story reveals itself in a sensitive and engaging way. I was rooting for them all and they will be staying with me for a while. I am also going to be spending more time in graveyards and making new friends. Why not?!

This is beautifully written and people with some fascinating characters, particularly the eponymous Sally Red Shoes and the lively Kitty Muriel
The nature of grief, mourning, and learning to live again is sensitive and moving. I really liked Masha's sections of the book, but I wasn't as captivated by Alice and Mattie.

This is a story about a woman who has gone through an unimaginable tragedy, she has spent years getting to the point where she can rebuild her life and find joy again. This book takes you through her incredible journey and the authour does an amazing job allowing you to empathise with her throughout the story.

I did find though that the story drifts unnecessarily when other characters were mentioned and everything doesn't tie into to each other right till the end. There is a slight twist in the story and although it was somewhat obvious I still enjoyed the authors style of writing and was kept engaged throughout the book.

There is sadness but it is made bittersweet by the author’s superb prose which results in a novel which is both uplifting and humorous due to the wonderful character descriptions. I found myself nodding and smiling at their idiosyncrasies so accurately and sympathetically described - I could see them in my mind.

The story evolves around the separate lives of the two main characters, Masha and Alice, however it is the beautiful writing that is the star of this book. It will make you feel sad and then make you laugh. I highly recommend it.

Loved 'The Keeper of Lost Things' so I was delighted to see Ruth Hogan had a new book but also a little intrigued to see whether this would keep up the quality ... I thoroughly enjoyed this read, although it has some dark moments! It is a moving, at times very funny, and gripping book that I raced through.
It is hard to say too much without giving stuff away but I became thoroughly engrossed in Masha's life - her swimming visits, her friends, getting to know 'Sally' and a really lovely character Kitty. Alongside Masha's story of rebuilding life slowly after a tragedy we have the story of Alice and her son that I found difficult and challenging as her tale unfolded. Hogan's characters are sometimes larger than life but also actually felt very credible and believable.
It isn't always light but there is hope, love and the joy of friendship told through this tale.