Echoes Of Family by Barbara Claypole White – 397 pages

ARC courtesy of Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley

Book Blurb:

Marianne Stokes fled England at seventeen, spiraling into the manic depression that would become her shadow. She left behind secrets, memories, and tragedy: one teen dead, and her first love, Gabriel, badly injured. Three decades later she’s finally found peace in the North Carolina recording studio she runs with her husband, Darius, and her almost-daughter, Jade…until another fatality propels her back across the ocean to confront the long-buried past. In her picturesque childhood village, the first person she meets is the last person she wants to see again: Gabriel. Now the village vicar, he takes her in without question, and ripples ofwhat if reverberate through both their hearts. As Marianne’s mind unravels, Jade and Darius track her down. Tempers clash when everyone tries to help, but only by finding the courage to face her illness can Marianne heal herself and her offbeat family.

My Review: 4 stars

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Echoes of Family takes on mania and brings it to the general populous in an engaging way. This is the first Barbara Claypole White book I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last. She’s an excellent storyteller.

I’m familiar with manic-depressive bi-polar in a small way as someone I was very close to was mismanaging her meds. I wasn’t aware of her illness until that time and sadly witnessed the roller coaster first hand. The beginning of this book was confusing, fast, and I wasn’t sure where it was going…a perfect start to a book about the highs and lows of bi-polar disorder.

I really liked Marianne and felt her struggle was real for someone who had survived tragedy and was tormented with guilt and betrayal. She was an amazing woman at heart who wanted to save the world, one young girl at a time through love and music. Her relationship with Jade (her pseudo daughter) and long lost friend/love Gabriel were wonderfully fleshed out. I didn’t care for her husband. This reader knew he was a good guy but I couldn’t grasp his adoration for her as realistic. Really, calling your significant other a goddess goes too far over the top for me!

I loved the small English town’s scenery and close-knit community. It seemed such a quiet and healing place amongst all the drama. Of course the tumult arrives there with Marianne’s return and her taking on a new young girl to care for.

Most importantly though, this book shares the guts of mental illness: how it feels to be the affected and how it affects those you love. It raises awareness. It sheds a light of understanding on a subject many are unfamiliar with. Kudos!

Quotes I liked:

You’re never truly lost if someone cares enough to come find you. Lost is waiting to be found.”

-“…as if love could magically, explicably cure mental illness.”

-“Most people work hard to not say what they mean.”

-“Short fiction is an excellent balm for the stressed.”

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