The Woman Who Kept Everything by Jane Gilley

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 777 KB
• Publisher: Avon (3 Dec. 2018)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07CW7BM6W

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

79-year-old Gloria Frensham is a hoarder. She lives amongst piles of magazines, cardboard boxes and endless knick-knacks that are stacked into every room of her home, and teeter in piles along the landing and up the stairs.

She hasn’t left the house in years, but when a sudden smell of burning signifies real danger, she is forced to make a sudden departure and leave behind her beloved possessions.

Determined she’s not ready for a care home, Gloria sets out to discover what life still has to offer her. It’s time to navigate the outside world on her own, one step at a time, with just one very small suitcase in tow…

 

Review

The Woman Who Kept Everything is one of those books that touches your heart and stays there.  There are many YA coming of age novels and I would describe this was a coming of ‘old’ age book.  The book is narrated by Gloria who is seventy nine, and when we meet her at the beginning she is a recluse, never leaves the house which is filled top to bottom with stuff; newspapers, rubbish, things accumulated over her life.  She sees no reason to go out, she doesn’t see her son or grandchildren who have stopped visiting, her only visitor is lifelong friend Tilsbury.  An electrical fault sees her having to move out and is an epiphany for Gloria, she realises what she has been missing out on.  So at the age seventy nine, Gloria takes charge of her life and goes on an adventure that takes her from her native Norfolk to Skegness, Eastbourne and London and enjoy swimming in the sea, visiting Big Ben and making some new friends whilst reconnecting with old.

Gloria is such a wonderful character and you can’t help but love her as she gains confidence  and retakes control of her life.  I liken her to a butterfly, emerging from her chrysalis and turning into a beautiful butterfly ready to spread her wings and go on a journey. Her character opens up many issues that can come with old age, depression, loneliness, lack of money, and family who can’t visit as much as they should.  In contrast to Gloria’s likability, there is her son Clegg who is a horrible character, he  neglects his mother as he doesn’t want to face up to his responsibilities.  He never visited her, denied her access to her grandchildren and just wants the money from the sale of her house.  The other character I took to my heart was Tilsbury, it is obvious he is in love with Gloria, he is always there for her and gives some comical moments to the story.  There is also the sadness that his pension doesn’t give him enough money to live on, and finds himself sleeping on friends floors.

Jane Gilley’s writing makes this book a pleasure to read.  She shows great empathy to her characters, even to the selfish Clegg, and highlights a lot of issues that surround the elderly and their families.  The balance between these serious issues and the light humour is perfect and the plot flows seamlessly making this a delightful and easy read.

The Woman Who Kept Everything is a charming read, that takes a look at the problems with getting old with a sense of humour.  There is no doubt that the message of this book is to seize the day and make the most out of everyday as it may your last.  Heartwarming, witty, realistic and poignant in its plot and with a wonderful and memorable cast  of characters.  This book is simply delightful and will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, a fabulous read.