Set over the life of Margaret Small, the story goes through a range of emotions covering some pretty dark topics but finding elements of comedy in places. The book is well written and researched for what life would be like for those growing up in an institution, the characters had good development over the course of the narrative and you were never sure where things were going up to the end.

It's not going to be a book for everyone, this was a little out of my usual picks, but I thought it was quite enjoyable.

I enjoyed the story of Margaret's life, the troubles and joys of her early years and later growing into independence. We begin with her 'vanishing' into a long-stay hospital for children with learning disabilities the reasons for which were never fully explained to her as a child, she learns years later why certain events took place. The hospital was certainly a brutal regime but there were some kind staff and she made various friendships. The story shows how these kinds of institutions were run and the clear lack of safeguarding and disregard for the children. Told in a dual timeline, we also learn about Margaret's later life and how she is helped and supported to live in her own place. I liked that she loved Cilla and enjoyed her escapes into Cilla's world and her music. Interesting takes on how the world was then, how society treated people and how things are now. A heartwarming story, well written, well researched and well told. An author to look out for and a book to recommend.

The Vanishing of Margaret Small is a mystery told through two timelines, following the life of Margaret Small.

Today Margaret is 75 years old and living alone in Whitsable, her meetings with her support worker and her trips to the high street are her only real interaction with people, until one day she starts to receive mysterious letters from somebody calling them self ‘C’.

Years earlier we follow Margaret as a young child when she is forced to live in St Mary’s a home for disabled people and those with learning difficulties. She is kept in the home until adulthood and we see the trauma she went through - it’s truly heartbreaking. Her memories help piece together who C is and what they want from her.

This is such a special book, I just loved Margaret she was such a sweet and kind character despite everything she had been through as a child. It made me so angry to know this kind of thing was common place back when Margaret was a child (1940s).

Despite the dark subjects it touches on this is such a poignant and uplifting book, I really enjoyed it.

Fans of Eleanor Oliphant and The Maid will love this.

Margaret Small s a lady with learning difficulties who, growing up in the 40s and 50s faces discrimination, abuse and isolation. But this is an uplifting story of friendship and hope, despite all the setbacks Margaret faces along the way, she comes back fighting each time. I really enjoyed this, it reminded me of Paper Cup and Meredith Alone, tales of lonely women who triumph against the odds. Margaret's obsession with Cilla Black at first seems trite and silly, but we learn there's a deeper meaning behind her love for Cilla as Margaret's back story unfolds throughout the book.

The Vanishing of Margaret Small is Neil Alexander’s debut novel and what a novel it is. It follows the story of Margaret Small, she’s 75 and a super Cilla Black fan. After the death of her idol. She starts receiving notes and gifts signed ‘C’ and Margaret is convinced it must be Cilla, but how is that possible? To solve the mystery, she must go back 70 years to her past to the time she was ‘vanished’ to a long stay institution for children with learning disabilities.

I loved this book. It’s poignant and thought provoking and will keep you absorbed. Margaret is captivating and charming and this book will stay with you long after you turn the last page. I can’t wait to read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley, Embla Books and the author for the chance to review.

Writing: 3.5/5 Plot: 3.5/5 Characters: 4/5
Margaret Small is not your typical protagonist. Seven year-old Margaret was “Vanished” (her words) in 1947 — left at St. Mary’s Hospital in Canterbury by her grandmother who never saw her again. St. Mary’s was an institution for people who were unwanted — those with disabilities such as Down’s Syndrome, polio, or “moral imbecility.” Though we never get a stated diagnosis for Margaret, she appears to have been “slow” or “simple minded.” When we meet her in 2015 at the age of 75, she is (still) unable to read or write.

In a dual timeline, the 75-year old Margaret recalls her past in a set of chunks: the sudden drop off at seven — scared, and confused; a confusing sexual experience when she is 22; sudden (scary) freedom at 32 when she is told she can leave the hospital and live in a small group home with the help of a Social worker / carer. As her social worker helps her come to terms with her life, he draws an analogy between people with disabilities and people who are gay 50 years before when that was illegal. There are several long lectures about how people with disabilities were seen as having illnesses (like being gay) and how they were put away for that reason.

While the end is ultimately uplifting, I found the (longish) story depressing and a little simplistic in terms of how her life could have easily been much better. The story did highlight how people were shunted to these institutions with no hope of “release” and no effort made to help them overcome whatever difficulties they had. While the story is not new to me, it was particularly upsetting to lump in people who literally cannot care for themselves (several mental retardation or physical disabilities) with people who simply did not confirm to social norms at the time (usually some kind of sexual preference or action that upset someone else).

In 1941, Margaret Small's grandmother "vanished" her 5-year-old granddaughter to live in an institution for children with learning disabilities. The novel by Neil Alexander is a tender, empathetic portrayal of her life with a historical accuracy and a little mystery woven together on a dual timeline. The plot and characters were well developed and touchingly portrayed without overdoing it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla books for the ARC copy. The Vanishing of Margaret Small is well worth reading.

Surprisingly good. This has a great plot and great characters and evoked unexpected emotions. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

I loved the premise of this book and couldn't wait to start reading it.

Margaret as a character is multi dimensional and we see her in the present and the past, we get to experience the joy in her life but also the tragedy which makes this book an emotional read. It was really interesting to read and experience the effects of growing up in an institution and whilst this book was emotional at times I absolutely loved it and would totally recommend it,

For a good part of this novel I was impressed by the author's empathy and research into how the developmentally disabled (and the poor, and the nonconforming) people were institutionalized in the 1940s and 50s, and how they were transferred into independent living. But what was supposed to be sweet--I think?--or to create suspense?--was just awful, a love-letter to stalking and inappropriate boundaries. Why on earth would anyone think this was acceptable behavior?

📝 R E V I E W 📝
The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Start date: November 4, 2022
Finish date: November 6, 2022
Pub date: November 16, 2022

📚 Read if you liked: A Man Called Ove, The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Thank you Netgalley and Embla Books for this digital ARC!

When she was 5 years old, Margaret was removed from her grandmothers’ care to live in an institution for children with learning disabilities. In The Vanishing of Margaret Small, we meet 75 year old Margaret, who takes us through her own history in hopes of solving a present-day mystery.

This book was really remarkable. A little mystery, a little history, and a lot of love for these characters. Margaret Small will capture your heart. The characters are all so well-developed and unforgettable.

The author handled some really tough subject matter exceptionally well. I honestly can’t believe this is a debut novel.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline aspect of this story, and the mystery itself was intriguing.
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⚠️ TW: miscarriage, rape, poor treatment of children with disabilities, abortion (less)

I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story is a dual timeline between 1914 and 2015, the first few pages of the story almost had me in tears it was that sad but the ending had me in tears because I was SO happy for Margaret.

The horrors that Margaret had to endure in the children’s home is absolutely terrible but I’m glad that she got to live a happy life in her little flat support by her carer Wayne and Cilla of course!.

The topics covered in this book are absolutely horrific but delivered with empathy, whit & humour and i implore you all you to read it and enjoy the marvellous and loved Margaret Small!.

Margaret Small is a brilliant literary character who you route for from the offset. It is an emotionally charged novel about Margaret growing up in an institute for people with learning difficulties. It's awful to read about the tragedies Margaret and her fellow patients had to suffer but there is also a lot of joy too. The supporting cast are both loveable and hated but it is Margaret who steals the show

This was a truly absorbing and compelling book. At times heartbreaking yet ultimately a warm and uplifting read. We meet Margaret Small at 75, living in Whitstable. Margaret is a big fan of Cilla Black and when she starts receiving gifts from 'C' she assumes they are from Cilla. It is her search for the truth, that takes us back through her memories of being 'vanished' to a home for children with learning disabilities. The dual timeline works really effectively and as the story progresses we learn more about Margaret and her experiences. Margaret is a fascinating and well drawn character and whilst some of her past experiences are difficult to read about, the book is moving and beautifully written. Overall this was an excellent read, and it's hard to believe this was a debut. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and Embla books for the opportunity to read.

I cannot begin to say how much I loved this book, it was so much more poignant than I was expecting and had me utterly gripped and heartbroken from the first chapter.

The first time we meet Margaret, its 1948, she's 7 and living with her grandmother. A man in a suit turns up and bundles her away to live in an institution, completely unexpectedly. The description of Margaret's reaction to being taken away made me cry, 2 pages into a book and I was already drawn in.

We next meet her when she's in her mid 70s, living independently with the support of her fantastic support worker Wayne. Margaret was never taught to read, but loves audiobooks and as a huge fan of Cilla Black, she spends a lot of time listening to her autobiography, taking comfort from Cilla's stories of overcoming hardships and beating the odds.

The dual timeline of the story goes back to the start of Margaret's time in the children's home. Life there was utterly brutal, it felt like something Dickensian in its approach to vulnerable children and young people, scrubbing them with cold water, making them wear ragged clothes; it was devastating to read. As she grows up, she is still living in institutions, meekly making the best of her life, seeking friendships and company where she can and unaware of how unscrupulous other people might be.

The present day storyline starts when Margaret receives a mysterious letter signed with the letter C. Could it be a sign from Cilla that things are about to take a turn for the better? She knows that its probably not from Cilla, but who else could it be? The thought that someone is looking out for her brings Margaret great comfort. Margaret's life even now is very small and contained, she goes to the same supermarket every day, she sits on the same bench, listening to the same audiobook - but she's found a way to be resilient and happy.

The author's choice of language is so thoughtful - at times Margaret says 'I was vanished' which is just beautiful and sad in its acceptance of how things were done. The title too is so powerful, Margaret was vanished from the world, with no free will of her own.

Margaret's story may be fictional but its representative of a lot of lived experiences, and it needs to be shouted about.. Since reading the book I have been following the author on social media and I know how hard Neil has worked to get this story heard, and how passionate he is about adults with learning difficulties that are still living in institutionalised settings. I am going to recommend this to everyone I know.

Thank you for letting me read Margaret's story.

Oh Margaret, you have stolen my heart! Such a tenderly written story that broke my heart many times whilst reading - yes the tears were trickling down my cheeks. Neil Alexander has truly captured the heartbreaking reality and essence of the era in Margaret’s story. It’s incredible today to think that this was a reality for so many and not that long ago, children and people ‘vanished’ as Margaret puts it.
I thought the story flowed seamlessly between Margaret’s present day life and her retelling of her childhood and growing up, to her mystery benefactor. There were many moments of genuine laughter too and a glorious rich cast of supporting characters. I literally haven’t been able to put this book down. Someone needs to turn this into a film!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher and Neil for the chance to read an early copy in exchange for a review. Good luck Margaret as you head out into the world!

This book is absolutely fabulous!! I just fell in love with the character of Margaret Small and enjoyed this book from beginning to end. After the death of Margaret's idol Cilla Black she starts receiving messages and money simply signed C. This starts a whole mystery over who could be sending the money and the story flits backwards and forwards between her very traumatic childhood after the loss of her mother and between her life in the present being looked after by her carer Wayne who is also a fabulous character.
I would rather not give away any of the story. All I can say is that it is an emotional roller coaster and it also has some great humour. Its fabulously well researched and incredibly uplifting. I would highly recommend this book if you like a book to leave you with that feel good factor!

When Margaret was seven she was deemed to be mentally handicap and put into Saint Mary’s Hospital but now she’s 75 years old a big-time Cilla black fan and a lover of Audiobooks. When we first meet Margaret she is on her way to the grocery and while she trombles along someone is watching her not someone devious, but someone who clearly cares about Margaret and feels they should’ve been spending time together long before this moment. When Margaret receives a 50 quid note in the post she is still sad from the death of Cilla black and says that it must be Chilla trying to contact her. Throughoutt the book we learn about Margaret’s not so dull life at Saint Mary’s the interesting people she met and despite her handicap she turned out to be very interesting herself the twist and turns in this book are so stealthily put in I did not at all see them coming but all I know this was a great awesome book Margaret small turned out to be way more interesting then the summary allows for and I love her and love the book I loved her caretaker Wayne I love the whole book it’s just an awesome feel good make you happy type of book and I highly recommend it. I received this book from NetGalleyShelf and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily because everyone should know how awesome this book is please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This story starts when Margaret Small is 7 years old and being taken away by the Rat Catcher. Fast forward to Margaret being an older woman, living alone but being checked on by her support worker, Wayne. Margaret has always been a fan of a singer named Cilla Black and after Cilla dies and Margaret starts receiving notes signed “C”, she is convinced it must be Cilla. Who is the mysterious person writing Margaret notes and what do the notes mean? Margaret and Wayne work together to solve the mystery.

At first, this story is a bit difficult to read, Margaret’s way of speaking can be off-putting but the story itself is a delight. Spoiler, Margaret has a learning disability and was institutionalized as her family assumed her to be mentally slow. In that period of time, it was not uncommon for people with learning disabilities or with any disabilities to be institutionalized. Part of the story is learning about how the “institutions” dealt with the children. However, the better part of the story is seeing how Margaret learned to thrive, how she grew despite being in an institution, how she outgrew the institution. Again, this was a bit hard to read not for the content but strictly in the way the character speaks. I understand why the author wrote it in this manner and I do enjoy the story, the characters and how the story flows. Trust me, stick with it, you won’t regret reading it.

This is a truly gorgeous story, full of the kind of characters that let you know that humanity isn't doomed after all. don't get me wrong, it has its share of heartbreak and villians but at the end I was left with such an uplifting feeling that lasted for days.
Margaret is awesome, it's impossible not to fall for her. She's your friends nan who always said the funniest things, she's the lady you see in Sainsbury (not surprising, she goes there pretty much every day!) with the tiny basket of the alone, she's the person everyone knows in the town...and some of them probably have a terrible nickname for her. But Margaret doesn't let that get to her, she just gets on with life, which is even more amazing when you learn how (at times) terrible her life has been. She's written with such care and love by Neil Alexander that his affection for Mabel, and the other people he met through Mencap, shines off every page like the like you see through windows of family homes on winter nights.
The story has some great laughs in it too and there is enough mystery in the thread of who 'C' is to keep you turning pages long after you should have stopped and, you know, gone to work or had something to eat or something.
Read this if your heart needs a hug