This is a really lovely book. When I chose to read it I had reservations – would it be a bit too cosy and sentimental for me, I thought, but that did not prove to be the case. I was instantly engaged by the narrative, and my heart was scalded by the shocking events that linked the distant lives of edgy, awkward Augusta and her ‘other half’, big-hearted, cool Parfait – two wonderful characters who will remain with me for a long time.

The Other Half of Augusta Hope is a beautifully written, clever novel and I feel like a better person for reading it. I was sorry when it was finished, even though the ending was perfect, and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Joanna Glen in the future.

Many thanks to the author, to Harper Collins and to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this brilliant debut.

What a wonderful book! I love Augusta - her passion for reading the dictionary, her quirkiness and her journey to find the life she is supposed to have. Parfait's story taught me a lot about Burundi and the intersection of two quite different lives was very well done. Julia's story is heart wrenching and one can feel the pain of the whole family.

All of the characters were carefully created and completely believable - I felt like that I knew them well and I was just not ready to lose them when the story ended.

I will look out for Joanna Glen's next novel and recommend this book to my friends. Thank you NetGalley.

Augusta is the second twin, her sister Julia, her other half, born the other side of midnight.
Augusta loves books, words and language (so easily relatable!) but yearns, even from a young age to escape and travel, she is especially drawn to Burundi.
Parfait, on the other hand, (possibly the other half of Augusta) is the firstborn on a huge family, knows that his mother & father try their very very best but that Burundi is suffering through war. He feels responsible enough for his family to persuade them to travel north to Spain in hopes for a better chance at life.

This book is romantic and beautiful, I loved reading it. Definitely in the genre of “up-lit”.
I especially enjoyed the chapters of Parfait - short and sweet but encapsulating perfectly what it’s like to be suppressed and in despair.

Augusta was very different, almost an “Eleanor Oliphant” character which seems to be very popular recently, but she knows that she’s odd. It doesn’t make her unlike able but I’m still unsure how I feel about her.

While reading you are eager for the two to meet and it’s worth it when they do.

One of my favourite parts of this book was the references to Spanish poetry - so beautiful and lyrical. A beautiful uplifting read.

I wasn't sure that I would like this book, I didn't really take to Augusta to start with but as the book went on I began to love her. Augusta Hope is a twin, quite different to her sister Julie. She has a thing for words and decides that she like the sound of Burundi, so sets about to learn all she can of the country.

Thousands of miles in Burundi we have Parfait. The eldest of 9, he lives quite a different life to Augusta and plans to move to Spain to better himself and his family.

This is a tale of two very different people, and two story lines that end up connecting in the most satisfying way. It was a slow burner of a story for me, but one that was nice change of pace to my previous reads.

A lovely, lovely read. The characters of Augusta and Parfait are so well drawn (Augusta in particular, Parfait is slightly less 3 dimensional, though still a real person) and the way Joanna has drawn the threads of their very different lives together, weaving coincidence into a believable whole is beautifully done. The tragedy of her blinkered parents is sadly true to life as well, and I felt disgust and pity in equal measure for them.
So many sad things in this book, yet somehow it was uplifting. I read it in one day, staying up reading in bed last night until 2 am until I'd finished. Recommended.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Was thrown at first, wondering why these two people, obviously continents apart, were telling their stories in parallel. As the story went on I became more intrigued.
I experienced many emotions in this story. Family and the ties that bind can be powerful but destructive also. Home can mean something very different to individual members of the same family. I was swept along, becoming part of both these characters lives.
The story is eventually woven to its conclusions and the revelations are painful but ultimately beautiful.
I particularly enjoyed the end of the tale. It has a poignancy all its own and perfectly completed the story.

Contrived, but beautifully-written, this novel brings together two very different, but similar stories.
Augusta herself has a strong and powerful voice and is a wonderfully-developed character. Her flaws and her quirks are all her own. It is so easy to be drawn into her story; of her closeness with her twin sister, of the painfully British characteristics of her parents and how she steadily grows into a woman, against a backdrop of tragedy - although we don't yet know what form this will take.

It is certainly a contrived story, however. Too many events are clearly constructed by the author, so the story itself doesn't feel as natural as it should. The counterpoint of Parfait and his experiences work well against those of Augusta, however they are so contrived I even thought they he might be someone Augusta was imaging for half of the book!

However, the novel is easy to read, to be drawn into, to identify with and to enjoy.

This novel was a slow burner but despite not being what I'd call a page turner, it is something rather unique.

The story is told from two points of view, each protagonist with a poignant tale to release to the world.

It is somehow uplifting yet heartbreaking all at the same time.

A book that makes you look at the decisions we make and how we choose to see the world!

A beautiful tale of family, of loss, of the awkward relationships we build with those we love the most...
...this is a beautiful story. It is wonderfully told and I was immediately drawn in by Augusta's distinct voice. She felt so real, and I adored the contrast between her and her twin. They were so different but they loved each other so much. The story is complex and beautiful and sad. A must-read. I am so, so glad I read this book.

The Other Half of Augusta Hope is a novel about fitting in, loss, and the people you really have connections with. Augusta loves words and the dictionary. She chooses her favourite country—Burundi—based on its sound and learns all about it. And she's different to her twin sister Julia. They grow up and when tragedy comes, Augusta realises that she really can't stay in her hometown with her parents. Alongside this narrative is the story is Parfait, a boy in Burundi who wants to go to Spain, and becomes a man in Spain dealing with what has happened to his siblings.

This is a character-focused novel that has a lot of emotional power. The split narrative that moves between Augusta and Parfait works well to show their parallels and connections, and the narrative in general is well-crafted to foreshadow events. From reading the blurb, the novel sounded less multi-faceted than it actually is, and it was a pleasant surprise to have Parfait's story as well. It sounded like it could just be a quirky novel similar to others with unusual character names in the title, but actually it covers topics like migrants in Europe and suicide as well as having main characters who don't fit in.

It is the kind of powerful novel that a lot of people will find resonates with them after they've finished it, but which has a hopeful ending to match Augusta's name.

Intriguing dual narrative tale of loss and grief, and of being different. I especially enjoyed how Augusta’s voice matured as she grew up, which isn’t always the case with some writers. The dual stories did not seem at first to match but eventually all came together. I enjoyed the second half immensely, the first perhaps took a while to get going.

This book is a split perspective novel, telling the stories of Augusta, a British woman who wants to travel the world to escape her home life and Parfait, a man from Burundi who decides to make a break for it to avoid the ongoing civil war.

Their lives are very different but at the same time there are huge similarities that lead to their lives being intertwined in unexpected ways, even if they don’t know it yet.

Augusta is a fascinating character – she’s not likable, exactly, she has a lot of feelings but she’s awful at expressing them and, paired with the fact that she wants ‘more’ from life than just settling down where she is, she’s always at odds with her family and struggles to find her place in the world. She’s the youngest twin and doesn’t measure up to the ideal that her parents have in Julia, the eldest. Be ready to grab the tissues though, this book has some incredibly sad moments in it. The writing is beautiful and keeps you invested in every single page.

I love the author’s writing style and can honestly say I loved both of the main characters equally. The story is thought-provoking on the topics of home, belonging and family love, it’s given me plenty to mull over before I choose my next read. Above all, this book gave me all sorts of feelings!

Fabulous book that will be enjoyed by all readers, a lovely storyline with evocative writing and settings. The characters are a joy and you feel for them all, very sad but also happy. I would recommend this book.

God what a book! I couldn’t put it down but didn’t want it to end. Amazing characters. I laughed cried and loved right along side them! Will be eagerly looking out for the next book by this author

Augusta Hope has always been different. Different from her Mum and Dad and different from her twin sister,her neighbours and friends. She enjoys words and Burundi and she doesn't like the small town she lives in finding it very parochial.
When her life changes forever she escapes to a new life in Spain which feels more like home. Her mother and father follow her to deliver her a present even though they are out of their comfort zone.

A great read which makes you think about the meaning of home.

I wasn't sure where this book would lead. Initially I wasn't sure if I would like Augusta Hope but in the end I lived her. The story of her life and Parfait's life so fluidly interlinking that the opposite direction of their lives could eventually flow one way was serenedipity. Both suffering and their pain bringing them together to leave you hopeful. The story made me laugh and cry in equal measure, and now it's finished I'm at a slight loss as what to read next. I read the book in one sitting and enjoyed every page. The description of Burundi and Parfait's brother with his rose garden gives the country beauty in its darkness. Spain showing the migrant problem and the plight of these people, gives the book a real element. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC it was a page turner from start to finish.

I loved this book from the very first line. It is really difficult to talk too much about the plot, but it follows the stories of August and Parfait in different parts of the world. The language of the novel is really beautiful, and I really fell in love with both of the main characters. This book is totally original, deeply moving and something really special. If this is Joanna Glen’s first book, I cannot wait to read what she comes up with next.

A quiet yet powerful book with twin narratives that loop and spiral around one another and end up connecting in the most satisfying way.

I loved this wonderful book beautifully written drew me right in and kept me turning the pages hated when it ended.I will be recommending this literary novel.#netgalley #harpercollinsuk

A 'giant labyrinth of intersecting crossroads" - life according to Gabriel Garcia Lorca, and the lives as lived by Augusta and Parfait, as they come together at last on the eve of a Spanish fiesta.

Augusta Hope is a twin, her sister Julia torn from her. The sadness that lingers forms Augusta's future, as she moves to Spain to escape the confines of her parents and their life on the suffocating Crescent.

Parfait is a migrant, and has made the long and dangerous journey to Spain from war-torn Burundi. Like Augusta, Parfait's life is deeply coloured by the tragedies of his past.

As Augusta and Parfait meet, the intersecting crossroads of their histories are revealed, and they start to form a new path together. Beautifully written, a sad yet heartening contemporary read with plenty of Spanish atmosphere.