It's difficult to believe that this book is a debut novel. Joanna Glen writes beautifully and from the heart and on several occasions, I found my self fighting back tears. (more about that later.)

Augusta is the second-born twin. Her sister Julia was born on the last day of July and Augusta the first day of August, hence their names. Julia is beautiful and her mother's favorite. Augusta is cerebral, interested in words, reading the dictionary to learn word origins. Augusta is fascinated with other countries and dreams of Burundi.

When Parfait enters the story, it's a bit confusing. He is part of a large family in Burundi during the political unrest and the tribal horrors between the Hutus and the Tutsis. Assassinations, massacres, starvation, rapes, all impact Parfait, making him dream of taking his family across Africa by foot and then crossing to Spain over what looks to him like a narrow sea.

The narrative moves back and forth between Augusta and Parfait. He is very close to his family. she is not fond of her parents. She is fond of her next door neighbors and their "spastic" son, Graham. Her father is annoyed that she pays attention to the special needs boy. He's annoyed about a lot of things. Julia loves and eventually marries Diego, another neighbor whose family has a home in Spain.

The novel is literary and filled with poetry and quotations for Lorca. You will discover the joys of etymology and flamenco, sometimes at the same time.


Hide Spoiler here: Julia commits suicide after the stillbirth of her daughter. She throws herself in front of a train. Augusta, only half of a twin now, cannot cry. I must say here that I lost a daughter in a train accident and this portion was heart-rending for me to read...but very real.

There is much here that defies coincidence, but still results in a believable and affecting book.

What a brilliant, brave, clever book. This is one story that deserves to be savoured and admired.. A wonderful, fragile interweaving of stories and lives that makes the reader question, think and marvel at the skill of the writer. Fabulous. Just wonderful. Highly recommended.