The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jojo Moyes is rapidly becoming one of my favourite writers. I was first introduced to her last year at Shoreditch House Literary salon in London, where Damian Barr spoke highly of her writing. I enjoyed the excerpt Jojo herself read from The Last Letter from Your Lover, and immediately wanted to read the book.

The Girl You Left Behind is the third novel which I’ve read by Moyes, and it, like the others, is well written, well plotted and beautifully constructed.

The Girl You Left Behind is a tale of two women, living nearly hundred years apart, yet whose lives are strongly connected to one another.

During the first World War, Sophie lives in a small village in Northern France, which is under German occupation. She runs a restaurant with her sister and her three children, trying to stay sane and alive while the war rages on her doorstep, and the German soldiers terrorise the locals and requisition all but the floorboards from the small establishment. Both of the sisters’ husbands have left to fight in the war, and there is scant news of their fates.

Liv Halston is similarly trying to survive, but in present day London. After her famous architect husband’s death, she is struggling both emotionally and financially to carry on living in the glass house he designed.

While both Sophie and Liv are already struggling with their lot, something happens which makes their lives even more precarious and unpredictable. Both women try to do what is right, actions which change everything for the worse.

I loved the way Jojo Moyes played with the stories of these two women, and how she connected the two lives. I don’t want to say too much here, in fear of spoiling the book for new readers, but although in hindsight the link is obvious, I didn’t see it until I was supposed to. I also didn’t expect the ending; I was so wrapped up in both of the women’s stories, that  I didn’t have time to speculate – nor the inclination to guess – the conclusion.

I wish I’d found Jojo Moyes a lot sooner, but I must admit to disliking the cover designs of her books. They’re far, far too chicklit for me, whereas Moyes’ writing is so much more literary than chick.  On the other hand, having been late to discovering her, I now have a long Jojo Moyes backlist to enjoy.


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James Bond is everywhere in London

I have to admit to being a bit of a Bond fan. I grew up with Roger Moore as the Bond, and have since had difficulty in thinking anyone else can be as good as him in that role (I know, I know, Sean Connery was the original but I'm too young  - ahem - to remember him). But, our current Bond, Daniel Craig is doing a pretty good job to win me over. He's so much more edgy than the Bonds of my youth. As the Telegraph Magazine yesterday said, 'There's a real sense that this man is burning up from the inside.' How true (shivers down my spine).

So I cannot wait till Friday when I'll be seeing Skyfall. Not only because it's a new Bond film, or because Craig is such a dish, but also because my current near-obession, the Swedish actor, ex-husband of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-famed, Noomi, Ola Rapace also stars in Skyfall. Such a shame he's playing a baddie…although, perhaps that's a good thing…(more spine tingling).

Ola Rapace in Syfall. Photo: Aftonbladet.se 

My new surprise favourite shop

I'm having a strange fashion moment; I've started to enjoy wearing dresses. And not just any dresses but dresses made by the high-street fashion store, Hobbs.

Yesterday on my trip to Birmingham to see daughter,
I wore my latest Hobbs dress acquisition.

I've been a fan of Hobbs for some time, but I've mainly bought things there for weddings and other traditional occasions, where I needed to - dare I say it - dress my age.

But recently, I've started to wear their patterned jersey dresses as an everyday item. And the other day, I found myself buying an outfit from their online shop sale, which when it arrived, I loved so much, I cannot wait to wear it.

For one thing the skirt is pleated. I didn't think I could wear this style, because I've never been able to carry off pleats due to my, ahem, feminine hips. But for some reason this skirt is different. Plus, the jacket skims my waist and hips so well, that it 'contains' the fullness of the skirt. 

Chelsea skirt £98.10 (was £159.00)

Cathy jacket £152.10 (was £249.00)

In the picture above I'm also wearing flat Mary Jane style shoes from another recent favourite store, Anthropologie.

Glossed D'Orsey Flats £98

I know our newly crowned Princess Kate favours Hobbs too, but believe me this has in no way affected my sudden love of the store. For one, I am several sizes larger than she is (harumph!), and usually, if a Royal endorses a label, I run a mile.

Kate wearing a Hobbs dress this summer
Photo Grazia.co.uk 

Plus I've always seen myself much more of a jeans wearing, rock-chick type, than the traditional dress-wearing sort, but there you are, I guess we all have to grow up at some point?

Writing again!

I've been notable by my absence on this blog lately, but I have an excellent excuse…well, I think so anyway.

I'm writing again, or rather re-editing a manuscript which will become my next Kindle ebook. It will be out (hopefully, please keep all fingers and toes crossed) on 17th November and is called Pappa's Girl.

In  1974, 11-year-old Lisa and her family emigrate to Sweden from Finland. Although on the surface a happy family, the move unhinges their relationships. Thirty years later, Lisa is unable to forget what happened, but when her beloved grandmother is ill, she decides to make the journey from Stockholm to her home town of Tampere.

I am really enjoying the re-edit (or even rewrite…), here's hoping the manuscript will be ready for my editor in time. Wish me luck!

Final day of FREE ebook!

It's gone very quickly - but TODAY is the final day of the FREE promotion for 

The Englishman!

So, if you want to read How I Came to Be in England in novel form for 

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With 5 star reviews on Amazon, pick of the month at The Alliance of Independent Authors, it's a complete steal in my humble opinion...

The promotion at Amazon ends midnight tonight.

Finally, for all those who've asked me when the next book, Pappa's Girl, is out, I can tell you that the date set is for 19 November 2013!

Fäviken launch at The Swedish Ambassador's Residence in London

I've written before about this extraordinary restaurant in Northern Sweden, Fäviken Magasinet, where chef Magnus Nilsson creates flavour explosions from locally sourced food and fauna. And I mean locally sourced. This is from their website:

'We respect our raw ingredients for what they are, what they look like and where they come from. We strive to monitor the production of each ingredient from seed to plate. We accept nature’s own choices as the primary factor, and apply our own knowledge in order to maximise every product’s potential. We concentrate on harvesting, preparing, cooking and then serving it. We present every single ingredient in a manner that conveys the feelings that arise in the process to createrektún food.
 Our ingredients are primarily from the Fäviken Estate, grown and raised in conditions that we control. After this, they come from people we know in the local area, Jämtland, and, lastly, they come from our Norwegian neighbours in Tröndelag.' 

The result is the purest tasting food I have ever enjoyed. Though Magnus has an estate and a small farm at his disposal, still, you need a hugely creative mind and excellent skills as a chef to produce the delicacies such as 'Langoustine rolled in dried malted vinegar'

Me with Magnus Nilsson

When we visited Fäviken last March, Magnus told us that he was writing a cookery book which would come out in October. And, true to his word, on 1st October came out the moorishly good looking book, Fäviken, which promises to be not just a cookery book but a book on a way of life.

Last night, when the Swedish Ambassador, Nicola Clase, introduced Magnus to a crowded room, she said something very perceptive about the way of cooking at Fäviken. I'd quote her word for word here, but alas, after a few glasses of their excellent wine and even more excellent Hors D'oeuvres, this morning I could not for the life on me remember what she said…but it was something about the past having brought Magnus to the future of cooking.

The cover looks fabulous.

I cannot wait to have my copy, which is waiting for me at West End Lane Books. Sadly, at yesterday's event we weren't able to purchase copies.

Fäviken is published by Phaidon Press
Hardcover Price: £35-00

Free book promotion!

For a limited period for FIVE days only, starting today, The Englishman will be FREE to download from Amazon. (Where you can also find a Kindle app for most other e-readers, including iPads)

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The Scandinavia Show in London fails to impress

I suppose Father Christmas was there...

I was a little disappointed at the Scandinavia Show. Even though I discovered new shops selling everything from Finnish booze, Swedish micro brewed beer and Norwegian smoked salmon to vintage Scandinavian jewellery (more about this later), the show failed to ignite the love of all things Scandinavian even in me.

Perhaps it was the venue - rather than looking intimate, the small show looked swamped by the vast proportions of Earl's Court. The place, with it's boring commercial show type cubicles, made many of products look dull and ordinary.

Perhaps the show has been hit by the recession - there was a notable lack of some of the big names in Scandinavian (or Nordic for you Geography fundamentalists out there) design - no Marimekko, no George Jensen (apart from in vintage at  trade marks at Gråsilver), no Skandum. There was no representation from the booming Scandinavian TV film industry, or crime book trade. I saw on the programme that the first Swedish Wallander, Rolf Lassgård, would be appearing, but he's largely unknown to the British audiences. Couldn't they get Krister Henriksson? I find that amazing, especially as I know he's doing PR for his forthcoming appearance as Doktor Glas in the West End next spring.

All the same, the Englishman and I had a good time choosing our Christmas beer (to be enjoyed with herring and schnapps) and salmon. Hansen & Lydersen smoked salmon here in London the Norwegian way and it was the best smoked fish I'd tasted in a long time. We even had a small shot of Salmiakki kossu (liquorice vodka) which on its own makes any person happy.

The female Vikings at The Swedish Chamber of Commerce.

Our Christmas beer this is year is by Nils Oscar Brewery.

I fell in love with this 1970's Georg Jensen at Gråsilver.
(More about this fab shop later)

Amathus stocks Finnish booze!

Our Christmas salmon will be provided by
Hansen & Lydersen (more about them later too). 

Front Row Children

I thought I'd seen it all with reports that Suri Cruise is a fashion icon. She's, what, 6? It's crazy, right?

Suri in heels.

But today a picture of another 'coolest kid in fashion' emerged. Here she is, Aila, Alexander Wang's niece wearing  - wait for it,

'A Chanel handbag a mini Alexander 

Wang Rocco and the personal style of an off-duty model' - Grazia online

Am I the only person who thinks there's something wrong here?

Aila, looking bored in Front Row.

Aila is not the only kid in the Front Row; there's plenty of competition.

Jennifer Lopez with Emme.

Rodger Bergman and Skyler Zoe.

Victoria Beckham with Harper.

I understand that mothers and fathers sometimes need to take their children to work, but to parade your offspring in mini versions of designer gear is surely not right? How will these little boys and girls feel growing up in the glare of publicity? Will they always measure the degree of their success on how they look and on how expensive and exclusive their wardrobe is?

I know they're selling the designer clothes, the children's lines are a lucrative market, but still?

And this isn't just sour grapes. The fact that I couldn' afford little Aila's outfit (or a grown up version of it) in a million years has nothing to do with my views. When my lovely daughter was little, I really, really enjoyed dressing her in cute things, and equally still love going shopping with her. But I would never have paraded her in front of the world's paparazzi as some kind of arm candy, however famous I was. It's just cannot be good for their natural childhood development. 

What do you think? 

Aila is cute, I know, but...

Like mother like daughter...

Daughter, who's featured on this blog a few times before, has now become a blogger in her own right. (It feels very strange, I can tell you!)

Using her pen name, Shmonn, she writes about film, her great passion (while mine is theatre…apple not so far from the tree..) in a very fresh and modern way. Although I may be a little biased, I think she's funny and very talented.

Go and see how the second generation of bloggers do it on Music from the Motion Picture by Shmonn.