Irish born, Mona is about to go through a big change - she is turning 60 years old, wondering if this is the beginning of the end, where else can she go with her life. She lives alone in a town in England, putting her immense creative talent into making dolls, collector's items - made from wood by a local carpenter, beautifully and delicately dressed in clothes made from materials found in op shops, bricabrac. She thinks she might have another go at looking for love, but at her age uncertain where to find it. She becomes intrigued by a gentleman who lives opposite her.
Her story is not a happy one. Life in the town she lives with her father in 1970s Ireland is never going to be enough, so she moves to Birmingham where she meets William. The two of them fall madly in love, marry, have a child. Life goes tragically wrong for Mona and William, with nary a recovery or moving on in sight. Despite a sad story being at the centre of the novel, the story never feels completely tragic. Mona has a strength that gets her through a lot, still has her looking on the bright side, even if she is starting to feel a little isolated by her impending birthday.
There is so much humanity in this story, not only in the scope of the very real characters, but also in kindness to others, and healing in the relationships one builds. I read the author's first book My Name is Leon, an absolute stunner about a little boy in the fostering system. Beautiful story, beautifully told, and this has many of the same elements. Although it is dealing with adult trauma, and so Mona's world is not viewed with the same sense of wonder that Leon's world is viewed. I did love this book.
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