I have loved all the books I’ve read by Alice Peterson. She has a tremendous gift of characterisation and gentle plots that grapple with some surprisingly gritty issues. Throw in at least one major character with a disability of some kind, and her books are often deeply moving and thought-provoking.

Polly is the main protagonist. She’s a single mother raising her son Louis who has just started school. The story works in a series of scenes, both present - moving forward - and past, in a way that could have been confusing in less talented hands, but which works extremely well. She has a supportive brother who is almost blind, and meets a likeable man who has just had to take on guardianship of his small niece. She is picking up the pieces of a difficult life but hopes to move forward... then Louis's father comes back into her life

I found myself feeling deeply involved with Polly almost from the start, and loved the way Hugo was portrayed as such a strong character. The plot is quite slow-moving with gradual revelations rather than anything too dramatic. This isn’t a book for those who like fast action, or thrills. However, if you like character-based modern fiction with a great deal of insight, I would recommend this very highly.

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