Book - Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid

Considering I picked this up at a book festival event over a decade ago and didn’t think I read it, I have now done so in two days. Barely 24 hours.

It’s so unsettling I wanted to get it done, presuming - hoping - there will be some good outcome. 

I can rarely resist a book if the author is in front of me talking about it, doing a reading, and signing copies. As with this and Heart Shaped Bruise, it was a joint event with both books having similar topics. I was hesitant with both but felt that one might be more palatable.

I didn’t even make any notes while reading, so here goes. Both books tackle the abuse of children. The front of Black Heart Blue paints a picture that the two sisters are against each other. They are however united in their hatred of their parents, who clearly did not want them and are punishing them daily - often physically for their sin of being born.

I should point out that the Father is a vicar. Important as it means even when they are allowed in the outside world alone to go to college (they were ‘home schooled’ no one in the village would believe their parents could be evil.

Once again, as a bystander (reader) you want to tell the girls to scream the truth out or to yank them out of there and take them in a loving embrace far away and teach them about love and acceptance.

Instead, we listen as chapter by chapter each sister narrates their own story. They even keep secrets from each other.

So beautifully written it's hard to believe this is the author’s debut and they haven’t popped up on every award shortlist since. (Maybe they have?)