Member Reviews
This book was dark in places. I couldn’t warm to any of the characters. I didn’t always agree with the decisions the characters made. The book is well written. The story is told from both the past and present.
Stella hasn't seen Ivo in eight years, on his surprise return the unconventional family that they grew up in is thrown back together. Ivos pull on Stella is strong and she must resist the urge to pull her life apart for him.
As children Ivo and Stella grew close when their parents were having an affair. After the death of his mother, Ivo came to live with Stella and her family. However, their closeness was a little more than acceptable for two people who essentially grew up as siblings. Meeting again as adults they set out to find out the truth about another families past, and uncover their own.
This is a story of forbidden love and the strong ties that the first love has on a person. That person returning to Stella's life has pulled her life apart. Her family has been tampered with, her job and what she thought of as her whole life. This book was full of emotion and strong character building. The plot was also uncovered through brief snapshots back in time, throughout Stella's childhood and as she moved into adulthood. I thought it was a really beautiful book and I absolutely devoured the 400 pages over 2 days.
Won a copy of this on StoryGraph and finally got around to reading it. These characters are so well written!
Another beautifully written novel by this author.His characters are so well written they drew me right in totally absorbed in this multi layered novel.#netgalley #scribeuk
I loved The Eighth Life, so I jumped on the chance to read this one. This book has a smaller scope, which means it doesn't have the sweeping epicness of The Eighth Life, but I can conclude after reading this that Haratischvili is an incredible character writer.
Stella's father had an affair with Ivo's mother, leading them to grow up together in a rather unconventional sort of family. This set up was rocked when they began a relationship themselves in their teens. As adults they have lost touch but when Ivo walks back into Stella's life it sets a number of events into motion.
The writing in this book is the most beautiful I have read in a very long time.
It is so full of emotions, despair and sorrow. I found myself pulled in and grasping at the very last pages to soak it all up. Nino Haratischvili has such a way with writing that you instantly connect with it and feel everything that the characters are going through. Every single character is incredibly well written. Charlotte Collins' translation is absolutely amazing.
I really enjoyed how the story touched on many subjects including motherhood and family, but ultimately what it means to be human.
This is a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
Thank you NetGalley and Scribe UK for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Eight years have passed since Stella last saw Ivo, but when he returns, the reunion of their unconventional family will change the course of her ordinary life. As children, Stella and Ivo grew close as their parents embarked on an affair that would shatter both families. Later, as teenagers, their own relationship would be the cause of further scandal. Now, as adults, they set out on an odyssey to uncover the truth about another family’s past, and to understand their own. Every once in a while a writer comes along and refreshes our notions of what fiction can do . . .
I loved The Eighth Life, it was one of my favourite books last year so I was really excited to read her next piece of work. However, it just didn’t gel for me. I found it hard to read unlovable characters and really I should have read the synopsis because a Wuthering Heights rewrite isn’t my bag either!!! DNF. Sorry.
This book is beautifully written, but the plot wasn't holding my attention. This didn't feel like the promised Wuthering Heights retelling to me.
A very emotional and powerful read. Tough to read at times. I adored the writing and character development.
Well this is unlike anything else I have ever read. It’s a lot darker than I thought it would be.
Trigger warnings - SA/ self harm/ infidelity/ depression.
This isn’t written chronologically, but nevertheless it had me hooked, intrigued and I wanted to know more with every chapter. I didn’t agree with with some of the choices both our main characters made, and in my honest opinion infidelity cannot be justified.
This was deep and heartfelt, and flips between the present and the past quite irregularly so it can be difficult to keep track.
Although I’ve been left with many questions, I did enjoy this. Probably not a great read for the run up to Christmas though!
Intertwined lifes, filled with guilt and family tragedies. It is not easy to change something when the problems are hidden so deep that you can't understand who you are and what is good for you. Interesting, not ordinary book.
My Soul Twin by Nino Haratischvili is the story of the complicated and often destructive relationship between Stella and Ivo. From close childhood friends through a rocky and tempestuous relationship Ivo appears in Stella's life after 8 years of silence with devastating consequences.
They grew close when Stella's Father and Ivo's Mother were having an affair with the young girl being used as part of her Dad's subterfuge. In their teens,with the now orphaned Ivo now having been informally "adopted" by Stella's family, their closeness leads to scandal and family tension. with years of the smitten Stella being rebuffed and badly treated by the seemingly callous and unlikeable IVO.
This is a very involving read with Stella and Ivo's complex relationship at various times in their life being hinted at and leading this reader at least to jump to the wrong conclusions until the truth is gradually revealed, not least the major revelation that has everything falling into place. That dramatic scenario was my only problem with a great book. I had to re-read the big scene a few times to really "get it", to say why would be a major spoiler, I'll just say there was behaviour by one character that I found confusing that ,in my opinion,could have been handled better.
That aside,and it could "just be me",an excellent book and a compelling read.