In a Nutshell: This was a very nice read, better than I had expected. Kinda slow, but with memorable lead characters.

Allegra Bird aka Freckles, so named for the constellation of pigmentation on her skin, is a traffic warden. She’s dedicated to her job and when a young man takes issue with her for constantly issuing him with parking tickets, he tells her she is the sum total of the five people she spends the most time with. Consequently Allegra decides to discover who her ‘five’ are.

This is a lovely story and Allegra is such an endearing and eccentric character. It’s an uplifting and engaging tale of human vulnerabilities and friendships, how we must learn to be true to ourselves to experience inner happiness. Beautifully written with a sense of humour and a whole cast of entertaining peripheral characters as well as Allegra, Freckles is a joy to read. As a result I’m currently trying to work out who my own five are! ( )

Cecelia Ahern has done it again and written another highly original and interesting novel about a young woman who is a bit different, an outsider.

This is the story of Allegra Bird, nicknamed Freckles; the freckles inherited from her Pops. When she was young and away at boarding school Freckles would spend the nights tracking constellations on her arms, dot-to-dot between her freckles. Now Freckles is a parking warden in a Dublin suburb, a stickler for the rules and routine, her life is tilted on its axis when an arrogant young man rips up her parking ticket and insults her, telling her 'you are the average of the five people you spend most time with'.

Allegra can't get this out of her mind. Who are her five people? What does that make her? Who is she?

This really is an extraordinary and compelling read. Allegra is such an interesting character and the concept a thought-provoking one. The ultimate story of a young person's journey trying to work out where they fit into the scheme of the universe; it's everyone's story and it's one person's story. Recommended.

Out in September 2021. ( )