I do a lot of my reading via audiobook these days. I am working alone, for the first time ever, and I like the company of a story as I run around the French countryside, or eat my soup for lunch, or fold up the laundry from the rack. Working from home can feel mundane; all your everyday realities are right there in front of you. But an audiobook takes you on adventures. Far from home, across the world, to different times and different spaces.
So, onto my review of Jessie Burton’s The Confession which is the second Burton book I’ve read. The first was The Miniaturist which I enjoyed for the concept but didn’t necessarily think about much when I’d finished it. The Confession was different. I have been thinking about it ever since.
I loved:
- The beautifully drawn characters, especially Elise, who was so fragile and interesting. I would quite like another book on her life before and after.
- The parallel storylines in our time and in a time before. These gave weight to the novel’s mystery.
- The epilogue chapter ‘When She Left’. As a person who has lived abroad for many years, this touched every part of my soul. I’ve listened to it probably twenty times since I finished the book.
I didn’t love:
- I honestly can’t think of anything I didn’t enjoy. It was a wonderful and thought-provoking read.
Would recommend it to:
- People who read for connection. Those who read to recognise their truth in the characters on the page.
More book reviews are available here.