In this beautifully written book I found unexpected similarities between my child self and Augusta: a twin happy to be alone sometimes, a misfit in her family, and a budding etymologist who devours dictionaries and books because words are her soul sustenance and lifeblood. These familiar characteristics helped endear me to her plight.

As August's story unfolds, it is joined by a parallel account of Parfait from Burundi, whose life is vastly different yet intersect with hers. Both of them are seeking a safe place to be their heart’s true home. Slowly, their stories converge and become significantly joined as one. A thread of personal struggle, tragedy, loss and unresolved grief weaves throughout their lives and connects them when they eventually meet one another.

While Augusta cannot unleash tears for the loss of her twin sister, Julia, Parfait cannot get too close to someone for fear of losing them. He has fears and blockages to overcome and so does she. These seem to pull them away from one another at first, but there is more that unites than divides them.

Augusta's love of words and her delving into their origins, plus her ability with languages, might have irritated her family, but they are distinct advantages in helping to bridge the gap between her and Parfait. Once a friendship has been established in fresh territory, they soon recognise one another as soul mates who truly understand one another, and are amazed at how interlinked their stories are.

I was engrossed and engaged with it all, rooting for a happy ending for them both. This intriguing novel, combining poetry, quotes and word descriptions, is a thoughtful and warm-hearted read, with a skillfully drawn conclusion. I loved it! With grateful thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

4.5 stars.

From the first sentence, this book felt big, epic, a magnum opus.
The Other Half Of Augusta Hope reminded me of a whirlpool with two powerful stories chasing each other, getting ever closer. There is violence and destruction in the vortex but also beauty and hope.
It’s amazing to think this remarkable book is Joanna Glen’s debut.
The narrative switches between Augusta and Parfait who are both complex characters with wildly different upbringings but who, at the same time, seem to have things in common. Their eventual meeting seems inevitable but getting to that point is a vivid, emotional and sometimes dark rollercoaster ride.
It is cleverly written, full of literary references (which I loved) but not always easy to get along with – although that wasn't a negative for me. I liked the spikiness of it and felt it reflected Augusta's personality in a way.
At first I didn’t feel much of a connection to her, the same as most people around her, but she grew on me and in the end I found it very hard to put this book down.
Joanna studied Spanish at the University of London (and taught Spanish and English to all ages before becoming a school headteacher). It is clearly a passion and she makes good use of it in this book, particularly the way she explored duende (a "Spanish term for a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity, often connected with flamenco", according to the dictionary). Those sections of the book felt palpable, I felt transported into the pages as if I was experiencing it too.
The only minor quibble I had was with the ending. I can’t tell you what it is about it that didn’t sit well without dropping some huge spoilers (which I won’t do, don’t worry) but I will say it didn’t alter my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

An unusual book with 2 stories being told in alternate chapters until they inevitably meet, each with their own heartaches.

I laughed, I cried, I fell in love. Really enjoyed this and struggled to put it down. Will recommend to everybody

Oh my goodness, what a book. Wonderfully drawn characters who give insight into very different lives. Beautifully written, emotional book- not one I would describe as an easy read but definitely a must read! Joanna Glen is an accomplished wordsmith and her use of language is clever , emotional and to be admired.
Augusta is a twin, who has a fascination for words, and etymology and is the complete opposite of her beautiful twin sister Julia. Parfait is from Burundi, Augustas favourite country and so begins a fascinating relationship......
I didn't find this an easy read, but it was a very fascinating tale cleverly told and would urge readers to persevere!

Oh, this is a hard review to write!

On the one hand, it's beautifully written, with the beloved words and language of the protagonist, Augusta, used brilliantly both when she speaks and when her spiritual 'other half', Parfait, speaks. Locations are beautifully drawn and a sense of how it feels to be there seeps from the pages.

On the other, the sense of melancholy that pervades their story never lifts. There's no up and down of light and shade, just a consistent veil of doom drawn across everything. I think that this is because it's all written in the past tense, looking back at events. So the fun and joy there was to be found in any memory is instantly overshadowed by the knowledge that bad things are coming.

Augusta is a tricky character to like, and i am shallow enough to need to like people i am committing my time to read about. She's snobbish, condescending and dismissive, yet shows little shame for this - acknowledging her faults without attempt to make more effort. She may have been born that way, but I do wish the author had shown us more of her ups and made less of her downs. A more rounded person might have elicited more sympathy, or indeed empathy. She's the sort of person who sucks the energy from a room, not the sort of person you want to hug better. Just because a story is filled with sadness, it doesn't make it a literary classic.

Parfait however, I did like. His tragedies were fierce and real; death and destruction don't put out his inner light. He's a good man, doing his best in a bad world. It is Parfait who lifts this novel away from a litany of whinge to something more inspiring,

I suspect my review will run against the trend here, but i didn't love it, and won't rave about it.

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.