Cover Image: Meet Me in Another Life

Meet Me in Another Life

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Member Reviews

Thora and Santi meet in Cologne on Thora's first day in the city. They discuss the stars and philosophy and then part. Little do they realise that their lives are entangled completely and no matter how they try to live their lives, they are destined to be in each other's lives.

This is a wonderfully confusing and intriguing book. For the first part, you have no idea, along with Santi and Thora, why their lives keep colliding. Once you reach the second part it is clear that there is a purpose but not what that purpose is. The ending is so original and unexpected. The whole book leaves you reeling.

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"It's not one choice. It's a hundred choices, every single day, and all of them matter."

Imagine my suprise when an email showed up in my inbox with an exclusive download for HarperVoyagers next big fantasy debut! Meet Me in Another Life is a fantasy with strong sci-fi elements that examines how two people are linked through multiple different lives and what this mysterious bond truly means.

Recommended to me after I adored Threadneedle by Cari Thomas, I couldn't wait to start reading this unique and captivating story. From the very beginning I was enthralled by these two characters that have such a strong connection that you can feel immediately, an extremely important element as we watch them grow and learn more about themselves and the extraordinary situation they're in.

The writing is strong with a lot of interesting things to say, the author talks about quantum physics and reincarnation and everything that goes with it which at times went a little over my head but Silvey did it in a way that had me eager to learn more about these topics rather then making me want to rip my hair out of a lack of understanding! Silvey is clearly a very clever writer with a strong grasp on language and science without alienating the reader. The pacing was also a strong point, each chapter being a new life for both of them meant that I was gripped to find out what exactly was happening to them.

Thora and Santi were compelling characters with a contrast in their beliefs and personalities that made their dynamic all that more believable. They clearly care about each other but have a tendency to butt heads at times too when their opinions clash. I loved that we got to explore their relationship through different pairings as well, sometimes one of them would be significantly older then the other; sometimes they were teacher and student, brother and sister etc. It was a really interesting way to build that bond between them and to see how they interact with each other in different circumstances.

I fully enjoyed my time reading this book, it broke my heart at times but was a beautiful story about the connection between two people. The ending was superb too, the author is so creative and I loved how everything connected together. This was a fantastic genre-bending debut that examines the choices we make and how our lives intersect with those around us. Looking forward to whatever Catriona Silvey puts out next!

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A book with a very surprising and unexpected ending that I won't spoil but it really didn't seem to work for me. I thought I was reading a story about reincarnation and expected some overarching narrative about love and the evolution of souls or a more spiritual philosophy behind the story. Instead it turned into science fiction.

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Meet me in another life is a unique and compelling read. It crosses between mystery, romance, philosophy and science fiction. It’s beautifully written and plotted, and is more of a reading group book for discussion than a page turning binge read.

Santi and Thora first meet while they are students in Cologne. Thora is critical and prickly, sure that she has the world figured out, while Santi is philosophical and believes there is a greater meaning to life. They spend the night discussing philosophy and bonding over their love of the stars. While there is no romance, there is a connection between them. Thora debates contacting him again after that night. But then Santi dies, and the story doesn’t stay with this version of Thora for long. The pair repeat their lives over and over, each time meeting in Cologne in different life circumstances. They seem destined to be connected in some way, whether as parent and child, siblings, friends, teacher and student, or husband and wife. Sometimes they are the same age, sometimes there are decades between them, but no matter what sort of life leads them to Cologne, they are a repeated constant in each other’s story. As they progress through more lifetimes, Santi and Thora begin to remember more of their previous lives, and try to find a way to escape the cycle they are trapped in. Oddly, while the same circle of friends, lovers and relatives surround Santi and Thora, no one else remembers the lives that have come before.

I was excited to read this book; the premise is interesting and while it could have been a Groundhog Day kind of story, it felt like there would be more to it than that (and there is). I didn’t enjoy reading this novel as much as I thought I might, but it has stayed with me, and there is no denying the beauty of the storytelling and the cleverness of the clues scattered throughout.

The story starts off feeling quite fragmented, each chapter like a short story about one life cycle with little connection between them. As the book progresses, a coherent overarching story emerges. Clues as to the true nature of Thora and Santi’s situation were scattered in subtly, and it’s only once the pieces fit together that everything makes sense. The story overall was less hopeful than I thought it might be - I left the book feeling satisfied, but it was bittersweet.

Throughout their lives, Santi and Thora explore love in all its forms. They share a deep connection despite their differences, and opposing views on the meaning they find in the world and their situation. The repetitive nature of their lives can be frustrating, especially where the characters continue to make the same mistakes and don’t seem to learn from their pasts. The overall story moves slowly, especially in the first section of the book. What I found particularly powerful were the elements of mistakes and second chances, and how some things can’t ever be taken back. Even with seemingly endless lives, some things can’t be changed.

Meet Me In Another Life is a bigger picture type book, one to think about and discuss. While I didn’t fall in love with it while reading, the story has left an impression that has stayed with me. Though not a favourite, this is still a book I recommend, especially for those with a leaning towards philosophical SFF.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for the chance to read an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

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Three stars is reflective of the enjoyment I personally got out of the book. I can objectively see that it's easily a 4 or 5 star book in terms of writing quality and structure, but I can be very hit and miss with reading group/ literary SFF and this just didn't rock my world. That's entirely down to me as a reader not a lack in the book.

The story is deliberately obstructive to start with. Thora and Santi meet for the first time under a clock tower in a darkened city. Both are university students and both have very decided bents to their personalities. Thora is sceptical, looking for facts. Santi seeks to make sense of the universe by observing the repeating patterns in life. It's a short encounter and Thora does not pursue the relationship, angry and bitter, and trying to keep something sacrosanct. And then Santi dies. From there the pair meet again and again and again, filling the roles of mother, father, lover, sister, brother, husband and wife to each other. It's through this endless procession of possibilities and variations that they really come to know each other, or maybe to admit that they don't know each other at all.

I don't want to spoiler anyone but the payoff, when it comes, is satisfying. I'm afraid I worked it out early on, however that didn't lessen the impact. The prose is exquisite and the observation of human nature was sharp and believable. After a couple of lacklustre moments when I nearly gave up, the book did keep me completely absorbed. It was very cleverly plotted. I have a great deal of admiration for the art of it as a whole. Did I enjoy it? Not exactly. It was a good book, it made me think, but it didn't capture my heart. I really don't want to damn with faint praise because execution wise this book was brilliant. I think I'm just a bit outside the target audience on this one. Still recommended for those who like multilayered sci-fi which is about people and connections.

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Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvery is a labyrinthian, magical, mind-bending novel which absolutely knocked my socks off. I’d describe it as a cross between One Day by David Nicholls and The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, but even that doesn’t quite do it justice. It is an exquisite philosophical look at life featuring two protagonists who, by the time I had finished the book, felt like they were my best friends.

It’s about Santiago and Thora, who freshly arrived in Cologne, Germany to study at University cross paths for the first time. They spend an evening looking at the stars at the top of the damaged clock tower and debating philosophical thoughts and musings. Thora is prickly, Santiago is warm and yet they find a kinship in their similar yearnings for ‘something else’. They are both restless people, each wondering if there is somewhere else they should be or something else they should be doing. It is not quite a romantic evening, but there is something there, a bond of some kind between them which ties them together. They say good night to one another and then, something dreadful happens.

This isn’t a linear novel, it doesn’t start with Thora and Santiago meeting and then dealing with the catastrophic event through three hundred odd pages. When the shattering event happens, that is the end of that particular tale of Santiago and Thora, with another, new, version of their lives taking place.

The next time we meet them Santiago is an adult teaching science in a primary school, and Thora is a curious and inquisitive pupil. Then in the next chapter they are siblings, another time they are Professor and student. They return again and again in different lives, with different jobs, different ages and a different relationship to one another, but some things remain constant such as their location; Cologne. They also remain uniquely Santiago and Thora, he is warm and compassionate, she is prickly and can be sharp, but they always, always, find their way to one another. No matter what lives they live they find themselves in Cologne and at some point their lives become intertwined.

I was transfixed by this novel. It took me a moment to get into it, I was worried that I wouldn’t like it but, the writing is so compelling and intriguing that I had to discover what was going on. It also helps that Thora and Santiago are such brilliantly drawn characters. I have to take my hat off to Silvery for her writing of two people who we meet in different lifetimes and at different ages and making sure they are always recognisable. It could be disorientating to read, jumping as it does between these different lives, but it isn’t at all. There is a constant thread which runs through the novel, making Thora and Santiago leap from the page and as I read chapters which made me weep or feel joy, I found myself understanding them fully.

It poses some interesting questions about life and how we choose to live it, asking what makes us truly happy and what we need to feel fulfilled. By putting Santi and Thora in different situations they are forced to examine their lives fully and explore what they really want and need.

The big mystery of course, is why they leap from life to life. I’m not going to spoil that for you as the path which Silvey takes to the denouement is a gloriously winding and clever one. I finished the book wanting to go back to the beginning to read it again to see HOW Silvey did this and to try and spot the clues along the way. It really is a wonderful read with many layers and lots of depth. Highly recommended.

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This was such a mind bending read of love and life(s)
I enjoyed the various dynamics between the two leads and I cared so much for them by the end, I couldn't wait to finally understand what was happening and why
Definitely a great summer read

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A phenomenal read from Catriona Silvey. Influenced perhaps by time travel novels such as life after life, time traveller's wife, seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and even the noughties classic film "the Butterfly Effect", it surpasses them all. I did not know where our heroes Santi and Thora were going to turn up next, or at what age, or what their relationship would be. Sometimes siblings, sometimes teacher, sometimes lovers. Like ying and yang these characters were incomplete alone but were always drawn together to Cologne, bringing with them other lovers, children, friends, parents and a blue bird. Some truly exquisite writing, some words I had never heard of and some existential philosophy about astronomy, matter and relationships. Fabulous, couldn't put it down.

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My thanks to HarperVoyager for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Meet Me in Another Life’ by Catriona Silvey in exchange for an honest review.

This is a novel that defies description and one that I would recommend reading ‘cold’. I read it with very little foreknowledge of its plot, which allowed its story to unfold very naturally.

Thora Lišková and ‘Santiago López (Santi) have met before… They first meet under the clocktower in Cologne, with the stars above and their futures ahead of them. They are not aware of it then but they will meet again and again. In numerous lives they will take on different roles: as friends, siblings, lovers, husband and wife, parent and child, teacher and student, and even enemies. They debate many subjects including religious and philosophical ones. Ultimately as they gain more awareness, they question why is this happening and why Cologne?

Catriona Silvey’s writing was exquisite with lyrical descriptive passages that were a joy to read. Santi and Thora were complex characters that were easy to engage with. It also has a wonderful feline character, Félicette, named for the first and only nonfictional cat in space. Thora explains ‘She doesn’t really obey the laws of physics.’ I smiled every time Félicette showed up in the narrative.

Overall, I found ‘Meet Me in Another Life’ excellent. It is a novel that is powerful, perplexing, and poignant. It asks questions about life and death, fate and free will. An intellectual novel that was also very readable with moments of humour and heartbreak.

Highly recommended.

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https://lynns-books.com/2021/07/13/meet-me-in-another-life-by-catriona-silvey/
4.5 of 6 stars
Mr Five Word TL:DR Review : Took me completely by surprise

Meet Me in Another Life is a book that will defy your expectations, it will feel familiar, you’ll think you’ve got it nailed down, you’ll know exactly what’s going on here (well, sort of) right up until that moment of revelation when the author shows you that you knew nothing at all. In between times, before that moment of disclosure, we have a story, that feels like a tale of reincarnation two people born again and again into each other’s timeline, playing different roles each time, lovers, teacher and student, parent and child, and then some more. They’re not always born in the same place, there is constantly a disparity in where they find themselves, and yet, inexplicably they are drawn together through a shared desire to know more. Let’s start at the beginning.

As the story kicks off we meet Thora and Santi in what appears to be their first meeting. It doesn’t go particularly well and to an extent this is something that will be repeated over and over again in a kind of Groundhog Day style. Don’t be put off though, sometimes they live full lives – not always together but always kind of in orbit around each other.

Now, I’m not going to say anything more about the story because, and I know I use this a lot, but it really could lead to spoilers and seriously you need to read this with as little knowledge beforehand as possible as that will only play more into the intrigue.

So, what can I discuss here today. Well, a few things.

Overall feelings. I liked this very much, I particularly like it given the ending – which isn’t to say I didn’t like the earlier chapters – just that the ending gives you a whole new bunch of things to think about plus a desire to backtrack and see what you missed along the way because you can rest assured that there is a trail of breadcrumbs just waiting to be pecked up by those hungry enough to pay attention. I confess, I didn’t have the slightest notion so there we go – what can I say, I missed the breadcrumbs.

Characters. Well, if you love characters that are well developed you’ll love these two. Let’s just be honest, the author has a lot of opportunity to teach us different aspects to their nature, to show them in a good light or a not so good light. To reinvent them on a constant basis but with enough consistencies to make them familiar to us in every iteration. It’s fantastic really because it plays into the whole ethos of just how well can you really know someone? How long does it take to really know that person? A lifetime – well, Thora and Santi have a whole bunch of lifetimes and they’re still learning about each other at the end of the book.

The setting. Another really cool part of this – both characters are repeatedly drawn to the same place. It’s like a force or irrepressible magnetism that they simply can’t deny. Set in Cologne we find ourselves visiting over and over to such an extent that it becomes familiar, I feel like I could see the streets, the bars, the clock tower in my own mind.

Let’s not get away from those certain little things that are familiar. Sometimes ‘familiar’ is comforting and there are definitely elements here that will feel like ‘things’ you know. Obviously the constant reincarnations have a Life After Life feel. The way that the two characters arrive at different points and places kind of reminded me a little of The Time Traveller’s Wife, the repetitive nature of certain aspects could be likened to Groundhog Day, the little inconsistencies experienced in each episode – well, I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this. There are undeniably familiar elements to this story but not only does it stand on it’s own two feet – primarily because of this winning combination between science and theology that is constantly discussed and argued by Thora and Santi, one determined to believe in fate and miracles, the other sticking to science and proven things together – but, it evolves in a direction that I never saw coming.

On top of this, the story is packed with emotion which persists right up to the ending where… well, you’ll just have to read it and find out for yourself.

In terms of criticisms. Okay, well, firstly, I cannot deny that this feels like a series of short stories with recurring characters. Now, I’m not a lover of short stories so this could have become very old very fast for me, however, I think the author managed to get the timing perfect in that just as I was starting to feel a little ‘same old/same old’ she started to throw in changes and this is when the real mystery began. The same thing could also be said of the repetitive nature of certain elements – this definitely had the capacity to become tiresome and yet I didn’t find it to be so because the author makes subtle changes all the time which lent it a fascinating aspect.

So criticisms. that aren’t really criticisms at all, put to one side. Yes, this was a very good, entertaining, mysterious, fascinating and slightly heartbreaking read.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks.

The above is my own opinion.

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The idea of meeting the people we love in different lives is something that has always fascinated me. In this book, each chapter is destined to a different existence, bringing Thora and Santi together several times. They come back as friends, lovers, siblings, father and daughter... They are always connected. Even when they spend decades apart, they still find the way back to each other somehow.

The story gets even more interesting when they start to be aware of their past lives, reflecting upon how they see the world and their relationships. The author shows us that we can’t be everything to someone, since we act differently with each person, even with those we love the most. It’s also a reminder of how all our choices have consequences, even if they seem insignificant at first. It's the kind of book you either love or does not finish. In my case, I loved it and I felt inspired. It was great to finish reading it on a Sunday night.

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The most beautifully written book I have read in years. The writing was like poetry and Kristin Atherton's voice was like silk reading it to me.
I was invited to read this by the publisher, and the blurb intrigued me and I couldn't resist it!
It was a fascinating read- how much does fate play a part in uniting souls together? If we are from different lives, do we still find each other? I have often wondered things like this- would I have still met my fiance 7 years ago had we both not moved to Chester for different reasons and worked with our mutual friend? A beautiful idea, and executed with remarkable ease.
This book is admittedly a little into the fantasy genre, but if that genre is not your thing, PLEASE do not be put off. You will be enthralled, I cannot believe this is a debut novel.
Thora and Santi are beautiful people who I immediately adored, and their dazzling connection was palpable through the pages.
The 'lives' Silvey chose were incredible, a huge array of different relationships that I would never have even thought of, but were utterly perfect.
An absolutely sublime debut.

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This book is so gooooooood. My first overwhelming thought after flipping past the last page was literally about how amazing the ending was, because it was that good. I don’t know why I was expecting a reincarnation love story or time travel, but both of those preconceived assumptions were thrown out the window by the second chapter and the story didn’t suffer from veering in a completely different direction to what I assumed was happening at the beginning. Each chapter begins with Thora and Santi in different roles, from teacher and student to brother and sister. Each new life is a toss of the dice: who will they love? when will they die? who are they to each other? From chapter to chapter my interest kept increasing until I was desperate to know why they had to keep living different lives.

The mystery is such a big part of what makes the reading experience so enjoyable so I won’t say too much, but I thought all the little clues and foreshadowing led to a really satisfying conclusion. Santi and Thora were interesting to read about, particularly in how their dynamic kept switching up and changing in each lifetime. The way they changed throughout lifetimes but also seeing how they stayed the same was compelling. They had character traits in some timelines that made them annoying or less likeable than in previous timelines but this only made them better, letting us see their flaws but also seeing how different actions altered their perception of each other.

The concept was unique and well executed, and Catriona has beautiful prose that made the book lovely to read. Part two was where the plot really started to focus on the how and why they kept coming back after they passed on in their previous life, and when the puzzle pieces started to fit together it was incredibly satisfying. Even though the story is about the same people living different lives, it never felt repetitive, which I appreciated.

I read Meet Me in Another Life partly by audiobook which was really good and Kristin Atherton did such a good job of drawing me into the story. Her narration was particularly good at distinguishing different voices and I would definitely recommend.

I can see why some people may not enjoy how each chapter switches to a different life but I loved it and I’m definitely interested in seeing what Catriona comes up with next.

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Well this was certainly a very different story - a bit like a constant Sliding Doors with Thora and Santo living endless lives and experiencing many different relationships along the way, i.e., father daughter, teacher student, brother sister! The scene of the action was always in the same place and some of the other characters were constant, including their cat! I enjoyed the concept at first, found it novel and intriguing but unfortunately, for me, it all became rather tedious and confusing. I wasn’t even sure I understood the conclusion

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There are times that a book cover can be the reason I chose to read a book or the title, and I don’t read the blurb. This was one of these books. I felt like a child on Christmas day, as I was taken off guard when one of them, what I thought was the main character, died. Then there they were again, both different but the same people. I like, what just happened?

I was fascinated as they got to know everything about each other. We are never the same person to everyone. We are different as a friend than what we are to our parents or children. Each will not know us in these different roles. Going out with friends in the evening is nothing like taking the children out. Thora and Santi get to know every aspect of each other.

They aren’t always the same age, with Santi being Thora’s teacher in one life while she is almost at the end of her life, an old woman, when he is a young man. They will love each other, hate each other, be friends, and eventually try to work out why this is happening to them.

I liked how the author had other characters interwoven in Thora and Santi’s lives, even though they were unaware of the re-births themselves. I wanted to know why this was happening in each chapter, but I did not want it to end. It is a cracking story with an ending that I hadn’t even given a thought to.

I wish to thank the publisher and Net Galley for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

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I loved this - the story of Thora and Santi, who are so much a part of one another's lives that they meet over and over again in more and more lives. Lovers, teacher and student, doctor and patient, passing acquaintances - yet all with a familiarity that there is something about the other that they know and recognise. I loved the way they knew each other from so many perspectives.

Initially this starts off a bit like a parcel of short stories - but a few stories in the links between Thora and Santi start to become apparent, and they also start to notice them.

The lead up to the ending was a bit of a wrench - initially I felt it was quite jarring, but quickly came to the conclusion it was actually genius. A brilliantly clever addition to the time-travelling genre.

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This novel wasn’t what I expecting but it was breathtakingly beautiful and exceeded my expectations by miles. With an unimaginable and unforgettable ending, this has to be one of the most original reads I’ve read for a long time.

The novel offers snapshots of Thora’s and Santi’s lifes; each one set in Cologne where a broken clock tower watches over them. Sometimes they’re lovers, other times they are friends or child and teacher; the novel shows endless relationship possibilities but both characters know things they shouldn’t, and see constellations that are out of sync with the ones they see in the sky. Each lifetime reveals something more about the characters and are captivating with the emotions conveyed. The small cast of characters were cleverly weaved into each life and though different, they never lost the true personality and essence of themselves. They made me keep turning the page as did the mystery connecting the Thora and Santi together. Was it fate as gentle Santi believed? Or all about choice as spiky Thora believed? When I finished the last page, I longed to begin the story again to hunt for all the clues leading to the ending I never anticipated but found so satisfying.

The limited location of Cologne worked well and as I got to know Thora and Santi through their lives, I also felt connected to the place. It has made me add Cologne to the places I want to visit.

WOULD I RECOMMEND?

Yes. Read a copy, absorb it and then find some fellow bookworms to chat to about it because it’s too great to keep to yourself, and the themes and plot needs unpicking and discussing. It’s a highly imaginative, captivating and emotional read with many threads to discuss making it perfect for book clubs or balmy summer days when you need a novel with depth, and uniqueness that gets your neurons zinging with joy and intrigue.

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Wow! This is a story unlike any other I've ever read. Santi and Thora live multiple lives- and in each new life they meet again- as a child, a teacher, a partner these multiple lives just keep on happening. The beginning of the book is almost like a book of short stories describing each different life. Gradually they remember more and start trying to investigate what is happening to them. A brilliant and original story with engaging and well written characters, a must read for everyone!

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A beautifully written, beautifully unique book! You really come to know the characters as you read the book and it was hard to put it down! Highly recommend if you’re looking for a book that isn’t a carbon copy. It’s new, different and lovely!

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I am so sorry to be a little late in getting this review in, I really wanted to do it prior to publication. I simply had to ponder it for a few days before putting down in words how I felt about this book. I will still be thinking about it a week, in a month, maybe even years from now.
I was left feeling moved, frustrated, anxious but mostly in awe of the writing, the plot and the characters. This was not an easy book to write, but was a fascinating read. Every chapter a new story about how two people connect. The scenarios are wide ranging but each special in its own way. My frustration came from wanting to know more about each version of the relationship between Thora and Santi.
I am now determined to visit Cologne when we are finally allowed to travel again. It is such a big part of the story and I can't wait to go there.
This is a book for all ages, for book clubs and for sharing with your friends. Highly recommended. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an early copy and congratulations to Catriona Silvey for writing such a beautiful book.

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