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Matilda Windsor #3
Lyrics for the Loved Ones
After half a century confined in a psychiatric hospital, Matty has moved to a care home on the Cumbrian coast. Next year, she’ll be a hundred, and she intends to celebrate in style. Yet, before she can make the arrangements, her ‘maid’ goes missing.
Irene, a care assistant, aims to surprise Matty with a birthday visit from the child she gave up for adoption as a young woman. But, when lockdown shuts the care-home doors, all plans are put on hold.
But Matty won’t be beaten. At least not until the Black Lives Matter protests burst her bubble and buried secrets come to light.
Will she survive to a hundred? Will she see her ‘maid’ again? Will she meet her long-lost child?
Rooted in injustice, balanced with humour, this is a bittersweet story of reckoning with hidden histories in cloistered times.
Irene, a care assistant, aims to surprise Matty with a birthday visit from the child she gave up for adoption as a young woman. But, when lockdown shuts the care-home doors, all plans are put on hold.
But Matty won’t be beaten. At least not until the Black Lives Matter protests burst her bubble and buried secrets come to light.
Will she survive to a hundred? Will she see her ‘maid’ again? Will she meet her long-lost child?
Rooted in injustice, balanced with humour, this is a bittersweet story of reckoning with hidden histories in cloistered times.
- GenresFiction
345 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2023
3 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Anne Goodwin
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Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
Anne writes about the darkness that haunts her and is wary of artificial light. She makes stuff up to tell the truth about adversity, creating characters to care about and stories to make you think. She explores identity, mental health and social justice with compassion, humour and hope.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.
Website: annegoodwin.co.uk
https://annegoodwin.co.uk/subscribe-t...
Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
Anne writes about the darkness that haunts her and is wary of artificial light. She makes stuff up to tell the truth about adversity, creating characters to care about and stories to make you think. She explores identity, mental health and social justice with compassion, humour and hope.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.
Website: annegoodwin.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 15, 2023
Matty is heading towards her hundredth birthday.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Anne Godwin’s writing and I did find settling into the narrative and working out the initial relationships took me some time to distinguish. I think it would be best to read Stolen Summers and Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home before Lyrics for the Loved Ones.
However, I was immediately impressed by the author’s ability to convey exactly what her characters are thinking and feeling. Equally skilful is the use of dialect to create both setting and character. I thought it was inspired to include a glossary of Cumbrian words, although they are woven so brilliantly into the book that their meaning is actually clear without it. I loved the way details provide vivid settings too, especially though Matty’s eyes.
From the very beginning Anne Goodwin presents vibrant personalities whose voices resonate with the reader. This has the effect of enhancing the reader’s own response and there were moments where I felt rather emotional. I think it’s the social and political aspects such as the effect of the Covid pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement with the murky historical background of slavery and racism peppering Matty’s life that felt so raw and occasionally too close to today’s supposedly enlightened reality for comfort. I found that whilst Matty’s personality adds a lightness, especially when she is contemplating her perceived servants and the other ‘rezzies’ in the home, the echoes of real life around her add depth and resonance too. I felt that at the heart of Lyrics for the Loved Ones was a real sense of the need to belong and make meaningful relationships.
I haven’t read the first two books outlining Matty’s life, but Lyrics For The Loved Ones has made me want to find out more because this book is a mature, sensitive portrayal of a life equally squandered and well lived, so that Anne Goodwin makes you take a long hard look at your own achievements and what you might want to do in your remaining time. Be prepared; there are light and humorous moments, but Lyrics for the Loved Ones lays bare humanity and provides much food for occasionally uncomfortable thought and it’s all the more rewarding as a result.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Anne Godwin’s writing and I did find settling into the narrative and working out the initial relationships took me some time to distinguish. I think it would be best to read Stolen Summers and Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home before Lyrics for the Loved Ones.
However, I was immediately impressed by the author’s ability to convey exactly what her characters are thinking and feeling. Equally skilful is the use of dialect to create both setting and character. I thought it was inspired to include a glossary of Cumbrian words, although they are woven so brilliantly into the book that their meaning is actually clear without it. I loved the way details provide vivid settings too, especially though Matty’s eyes.
From the very beginning Anne Goodwin presents vibrant personalities whose voices resonate with the reader. This has the effect of enhancing the reader’s own response and there were moments where I felt rather emotional. I think it’s the social and political aspects such as the effect of the Covid pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement with the murky historical background of slavery and racism peppering Matty’s life that felt so raw and occasionally too close to today’s supposedly enlightened reality for comfort. I found that whilst Matty’s personality adds a lightness, especially when she is contemplating her perceived servants and the other ‘rezzies’ in the home, the echoes of real life around her add depth and resonance too. I felt that at the heart of Lyrics for the Loved Ones was a real sense of the need to belong and make meaningful relationships.
I haven’t read the first two books outlining Matty’s life, but Lyrics For The Loved Ones has made me want to find out more because this book is a mature, sensitive portrayal of a life equally squandered and well lived, so that Anne Goodwin makes you take a long hard look at your own achievements and what you might want to do in your remaining time. Be prepared; there are light and humorous moments, but Lyrics for the Loved Ones lays bare humanity and provides much food for occasionally uncomfortable thought and it’s all the more rewarding as a result.
June 28, 2023
Mattilda Windsor is Coming Home and Stolen Summers together revealed the life story of a woman, born in 1920, from childhood up to her planned discharge from a mental hospital in 1990. Lyrics for the Loved Ones brings her story to a conclusion.
It begins on her 99th birthday in the nursing home in which she now resides. No sooner is the birthday party over than plans are laid for her centenary in 2020. One part of the plan involves trying to track down the daughter she was forced to give up for adoption 80 years ago. Another, encouraged and facilitated by a clever young care assistant, is a fund raiser in which Matty recites poems remembered from her childhood in YouTube videos (the titular lyrics for the loved ones).
Along the way we catch up with some of the other characters from the earlier novels: Irene, the hairdresser whose relationship with Matty's brother, Henry, never quite ended in marriage, is now a care assistant at the home, managed by her daughter. Her spare time is spent talking to Henry as she sits beside his grave and to his mother beside hers. There are some new characters, too: Gloria and her son, a gay man anticipating his marriage to his Irish partner.
In the spring of 2020 all plans are interrupted by the arrival of a worldwide pandemic. As you would expect, Matty interprets the changes mandated by Covid restrictions in her inimical fashion: the care assistants with their masks and clear plastic face shields, for example, are welders in her mind. (This Engineer wonders how, given her sheltered existence, she might make this association).
There are other references to other real life events making the news in 2020, too. Gloria and her family live near Bristol. The son takes part in a demonstration that culminates in the dumping of a statue of a slave trader into the docks.
All of this is handled with Ms Goodwin's usual flair. I won't spoil the story for you by revealing whether or not the various plans are successful but it wouldn't be a satisfactory story if they did not go awry from time to time. Overall I believe this final part of the trilogy brings Matty's story to a satisfying conclusion. Whereas the preceding novels dealt with social history and changing attitudes, this is an enjoyable and perceptive exploration of contemporary concerns, full of the usual humour and pathos.
It begins on her 99th birthday in the nursing home in which she now resides. No sooner is the birthday party over than plans are laid for her centenary in 2020. One part of the plan involves trying to track down the daughter she was forced to give up for adoption 80 years ago. Another, encouraged and facilitated by a clever young care assistant, is a fund raiser in which Matty recites poems remembered from her childhood in YouTube videos (the titular lyrics for the loved ones).
Along the way we catch up with some of the other characters from the earlier novels: Irene, the hairdresser whose relationship with Matty's brother, Henry, never quite ended in marriage, is now a care assistant at the home, managed by her daughter. Her spare time is spent talking to Henry as she sits beside his grave and to his mother beside hers. There are some new characters, too: Gloria and her son, a gay man anticipating his marriage to his Irish partner.
In the spring of 2020 all plans are interrupted by the arrival of a worldwide pandemic. As you would expect, Matty interprets the changes mandated by Covid restrictions in her inimical fashion: the care assistants with their masks and clear plastic face shields, for example, are welders in her mind. (This Engineer wonders how, given her sheltered existence, she might make this association).
There are other references to other real life events making the news in 2020, too. Gloria and her family live near Bristol. The son takes part in a demonstration that culminates in the dumping of a statue of a slave trader into the docks.
All of this is handled with Ms Goodwin's usual flair. I won't spoil the story for you by revealing whether or not the various plans are successful but it wouldn't be a satisfactory story if they did not go awry from time to time. Overall I believe this final part of the trilogy brings Matty's story to a satisfying conclusion. Whereas the preceding novels dealt with social history and changing attitudes, this is an enjoyable and perceptive exploration of contemporary concerns, full of the usual humour and pathos.
June 8, 2023
Lyrics for the Loved Ones: in the last book of the series, Matilda Windsor is preparing for her 100th birthday. No longer in an asylum, she now lives in a care home. While Matty is preoccupied with her upcoming party plans, the world changes. It is 2020, and Matty faces challenges, first from a global pandemic, and again when she learns about Black Lives Matter and the actual history of her country.
There are three parallel storylines, but I don’t even want to go into them because, honestly, I don’t know how to without giving away too much. Too much of the plot, absolutely, but also too much of the FEELING I had when reading this book. So many feelings. Goodwin has a remarkable ability to tell specific, personal stories, while also capturing the mood of the world at the same time. Which made LFTLO a difficult read for me. Goodwin’s writing transported me back to 2020, a time and place I still feel trapped by. However, just like the other books of hers I’ve read, the experience was extremely rewarding.
LFTLO was a perfect ending to Matty’s story. The world has changed around her, and for the first time in ages, she does some changing as well. She is an active participant in life in a way she hasn’t been for so long, which was beautiful to see. And I absolutely cried at the end. Again, there are more plot lines to be had and they are super interesting and heartbreaking AND heartwarming but this has always been about Matilda. It is her story and I’m thrilled I got to read it.
Thank you LibraryThing and Anne Goodwin for the ARC!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
There are three parallel storylines, but I don’t even want to go into them because, honestly, I don’t know how to without giving away too much. Too much of the plot, absolutely, but also too much of the FEELING I had when reading this book. So many feelings. Goodwin has a remarkable ability to tell specific, personal stories, while also capturing the mood of the world at the same time. Which made LFTLO a difficult read for me. Goodwin’s writing transported me back to 2020, a time and place I still feel trapped by. However, just like the other books of hers I’ve read, the experience was extremely rewarding.
LFTLO was a perfect ending to Matty’s story. The world has changed around her, and for the first time in ages, she does some changing as well. She is an active participant in life in a way she hasn’t been for so long, which was beautiful to see. And I absolutely cried at the end. Again, there are more plot lines to be had and they are super interesting and heartbreaking AND heartwarming but this has always been about Matilda. It is her story and I’m thrilled I got to read it.
Thank you LibraryThing and Anne Goodwin for the ARC!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 5, 2023
This is actually book 3 of the Matilda Windsor series and sadly (so far) the only one I've read. Having said this, it did read fine as a standalone book.
Set in present day, Matilda, Matty, is living in a care home and heading for her 100th birthday. She plans to see that birthday in style, but others have plans that may not bring only joy and then the pandemic puts paid to everything.
I absolutely loved Matty as our main character. With a wealth of experience and life behind her, I was completely enthralled.
The writing style was emotive throughout and I think this helped to endear us to all the characters. I especially loved the use of dialect for some of the characters, which helped them stand out and set the different scenes. I do wonder if there was some character development that I missed having read the books out of order though.
The storylines were interesting and dealt with some sensitive issues but these were interspersed with humour which broke down the tensions really well.
I found this a really enjoyable read and plan to add the first two books to my wishlist for future reading.
Set in present day, Matilda, Matty, is living in a care home and heading for her 100th birthday. She plans to see that birthday in style, but others have plans that may not bring only joy and then the pandemic puts paid to everything.
I absolutely loved Matty as our main character. With a wealth of experience and life behind her, I was completely enthralled.
The writing style was emotive throughout and I think this helped to endear us to all the characters. I especially loved the use of dialect for some of the characters, which helped them stand out and set the different scenes. I do wonder if there was some character development that I missed having read the books out of order though.
The storylines were interesting and dealt with some sensitive issues but these were interspersed with humour which broke down the tensions really well.
I found this a really enjoyable read and plan to add the first two books to my wishlist for future reading.
May 30, 2023
I am so happy that I received a review copy for this book. I absolutely loved the cover photo of the book. It is very simple yet attractive.
It is the third of Anne Goodwin's trilogy following the life of Matilda Windsor. In this story Matilda's hundredth birthday is approaching. This is the first time I am reading a book by Anne Goodwin And I took some time to understand what is happening in the story. But once I understood the plot I was actually loving it. The plot and character development is just fantastic. The way she has expressed the emotions of the characters I could visualise each and everything.
Matty is happily situated in a new care home where she is planning her hundredth birthday but life and Covid-19 gets in the way. Matty finds it difficult to understand what actually happened in 2020 when all the events of this incredible year are played out.
There are many other characters also in this book which the author with her skillful writing made it interesting to read. It was a really emotional read for me because I could feel the unfairness of her life through this book but to be honest her humour made Matty a very lovable character.
I will definitely recommend everyone to read this book but before reading it please do read the other two books Stolen Summers and Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home. It will help you to understand this book better and trust me you are going to love it.
It is the third of Anne Goodwin's trilogy following the life of Matilda Windsor. In this story Matilda's hundredth birthday is approaching. This is the first time I am reading a book by Anne Goodwin And I took some time to understand what is happening in the story. But once I understood the plot I was actually loving it. The plot and character development is just fantastic. The way she has expressed the emotions of the characters I could visualise each and everything.
Matty is happily situated in a new care home where she is planning her hundredth birthday but life and Covid-19 gets in the way. Matty finds it difficult to understand what actually happened in 2020 when all the events of this incredible year are played out.
There are many other characters also in this book which the author with her skillful writing made it interesting to read. It was a really emotional read for me because I could feel the unfairness of her life through this book but to be honest her humour made Matty a very lovable character.
I will definitely recommend everyone to read this book but before reading it please do read the other two books Stolen Summers and Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home. It will help you to understand this book better and trust me you are going to love it.
June 1, 2023
This was a really beautifully written story and I read in only a matter of hours some parts were hard to read due to the writing style but I understood the dialect. I was super close to my mom and she was on palliative care she didn't last long on it and it was super hard to see but reading this book for sure opened my eyes a bit in a positive way. It's a true raw and honest book and I truly loved getting to know the characters throughout this book and felt like I was with them in this book and on the journey with them.. I was truly sad when this book ended and I would highly recommend!!!
May 30, 2023
I really beautifully written book that I read really quickly, however it wasn't an easy read due to the wordy texts. It was even more poignant for me at the moment because my Gramps is currently receiving palliative care and it has certainly open my eyes to a few things, in a good way.
It is a raw, gritty and honest read which in many ways mirrors the setting in which the book is set and is full of descriptive text.
One of my favourite parts of the book was the characters, I really liked them and how they were developed and I loved learning more about them as the book went on.
A good read that I would recommend
It is a raw, gritty and honest read which in many ways mirrors the setting in which the book is set and is full of descriptive text.
One of my favourite parts of the book was the characters, I really liked them and how they were developed and I loved learning more about them as the book went on.
A good read that I would recommend
May 10, 2023
I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.
This book returns to West Cumbria and follows the life of Matty as after a troubled life in psychiatric care, is now in a care home. It is approaching her hundredth birthday and the home prepare to try and celebrate.
Suddenly the world stops as lockdown hits, and Matty’s plans are no longer possible. With the help of a new staff member, she finds a different way to entertain.
The whole country is adapting and when Matty is recognised it may lead to a long-awaited reunion.
Will Matty get to celebrate her hundredth birthday in style? What may get in her way?
I do love reading about Matty, her look on life is different but everyone she encounters seems to love her for who she is and warms to her easily.
With what she has been through, with no fault being her own, she is a strong woman and brings humour to the storyline with her comments.
I would suggest reading the Matilda Windsor books in order to discover the full story of Matty’s background and the people around her.
Overall, a witty but emotional tale of Matilda Windsor trying to celebrate her hundredth birthday during lockdown.
This book returns to West Cumbria and follows the life of Matty as after a troubled life in psychiatric care, is now in a care home. It is approaching her hundredth birthday and the home prepare to try and celebrate.
Suddenly the world stops as lockdown hits, and Matty’s plans are no longer possible. With the help of a new staff member, she finds a different way to entertain.
The whole country is adapting and when Matty is recognised it may lead to a long-awaited reunion.
Will Matty get to celebrate her hundredth birthday in style? What may get in her way?
I do love reading about Matty, her look on life is different but everyone she encounters seems to love her for who she is and warms to her easily.
With what she has been through, with no fault being her own, she is a strong woman and brings humour to the storyline with her comments.
I would suggest reading the Matilda Windsor books in order to discover the full story of Matty’s background and the people around her.
Overall, a witty but emotional tale of Matilda Windsor trying to celebrate her hundredth birthday during lockdown.
May 17, 2023
I like this author's writing style. There are funny and not so funny moments here. The story has decent pacing and I stayed mostly engaged.
I really appreciate the free copy for review!!
I really appreciate the free copy for review!!
April 15, 2023
A beautifully written, bitter-sweet continuation of Matty's story. Happily situated in a new care home, she's planning her 100th birthday - but life in 2020 gets in the way. All the events of that incredible year are played out around Matty, who struggles to understand everything, but tries her very best to keep morale high.
Anne Goodwin has the most amazing way to pull the reader into Matty's head, so we understand both the actual events and her confusion. This novel is told from several view points, and the narratives of each are compelling. I had to read faster to discover how everything fitted together, and then I was sad it was over.
Another triumph from this author!
Anne Goodwin has the most amazing way to pull the reader into Matty's head, so we understand both the actual events and her confusion. This novel is told from several view points, and the narratives of each are compelling. I had to read faster to discover how everything fitted together, and then I was sad it was over.
Another triumph from this author!
August 30, 2023
I first met Matilda Windsor in 'Matilda Windsor is Coming Home', a book which has stayed with me and it's been such a delight to read more about her, first of all in 'Stolen Summers' and now in this latest novel.
Almost reaching her centenary, Matilda Windsor now lives in a care home after 50 years in a psychiatriac hospital. She has big plans to celebreate her 100th birthday but, before she can finalise the arrangements, her 'maid' goes missing. Another assistant in the home, Irene, plans to find Matilda's long lost daughter who was taken from her at birth - what better birthday gift could there be? But then, along comes the pandemic and everything changes . . .
Whilst this is a fictional novel, it touches on some very real issues and does so with finesse and humour. I so enjoy catching up with Matilda and must admit she has a special place in my heart. Full of compassion, this should certainly make all of us sit up and think but more than anything, it is a lovely story and one I relished from beginning to end. Truly delightful and so easily worth a full house of glowing stars. Anne Goodwin is definitely an author to watch.
Almost reaching her centenary, Matilda Windsor now lives in a care home after 50 years in a psychiatriac hospital. She has big plans to celebreate her 100th birthday but, before she can finalise the arrangements, her 'maid' goes missing. Another assistant in the home, Irene, plans to find Matilda's long lost daughter who was taken from her at birth - what better birthday gift could there be? But then, along comes the pandemic and everything changes . . .
Whilst this is a fictional novel, it touches on some very real issues and does so with finesse and humour. I so enjoy catching up with Matilda and must admit she has a special place in my heart. Full of compassion, this should certainly make all of us sit up and think but more than anything, it is a lovely story and one I relished from beginning to end. Truly delightful and so easily worth a full house of glowing stars. Anne Goodwin is definitely an author to watch.
May 15, 2023
"Try to be the rainbow that colours your neighbours cloud"
.
Whilst this book would work okay as a stand alone story, it might be a little more satisfying to put events into perspective and get to know who's who, having read the previous two episodes: Stolen Summers and Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home. Lyrics For The Loved Ones, brings closure to Matilda Windsor's long, yet almost totally institutionalised life, in an emotionally charged yet wonderfully poignant way, although some of the wider societal issues raised within its pages deliberately remain unresolved, accurately reflecting the current position today, some three years later, when Covid is behind us, but with the aftermath set to remain highly visible, prevalent and I suspect, unresolved, for many years to come.
You might need to be aware that there are multiple trigger points for any particularly emotionally vulnerable readers, although personally I didn't find them too troubling, as they are all part of the rich tapestry of life as we know it today and none of them took over the story in any discernible way.
...
In Cumbria, Matilda Windsor has spent her entire adult life in institutions, whether that be a mental health care facility, or care home for the elderly. In her middle years, half-hearted attempts to re-introduce her back into society, ended in distressing failure for all concerned. So now in 2019, as she approaches her one hundredth birthday, the end of her days continue to be mapped out for her by others, including the deadly Coronavirus Pandemic.
For the entire length of her isolation from the outside world, at the original instigation of a tyrannical father, (whom it transpires, had little room to espouse his pious words and actions) for no other reason than that she gave birth out of wedlock, Matilda's new notion of reality has been shaped by imaginary conversations she has with her long departed mother, the firm belief that her carers are in fact the family maids and servants, (although her favourite, Oh My Darling (Clementine), has suddenly gone missing) and an unshakeable confidence that she once was an eminent stage performer, simply resting and awaiting her next big break.
Even as plans are being set in motion for Matilda's big birthday extravaganza, the deadly new Coronavirus Pandemic takes its grip on the world and lockdown strikes, rendering any further organising useless. It transpires that the manager of the care home and two other members of staff are closely related, and that between them they have been busy purloining funds which the residents and their families have left in security for ongoing day-to-day personal needs, for other nefarious 'expenses', including PPE equipment when the official budgets dried up. One of the 'caring' family, decides that Matty, who had been determined to perform on a theatre stage for her party, should purchase a tablet and set up a fundraising page, by reciting poetry and skits online. This obviously attracts nationwide, if not worldwide, audiences and as a result, not only does the cash come pouring in, but down in Bristol, octogenarian Gloria, who was adopted from birth, is convinced that Matilda might be her long-lost mother. Unfortunately for Gloria, another of the 'caring' family and one of Matty's favourite maids, Irene, who looked after Matty's unmarried brother Henry until his death, has already decided that as her own birthday treat for Matty, she will reunite her with her long-lost daughter, although with nothing to help her in tracing the illusive personage, she has, with apparently no malintent, enlisted the help of another of her relatives, who conveniently lives in Spain out of physical reach, is of roughly the correct age and is willing to go along with Irene's ruse.
Gloria did not have a particularly happy childhood and has spent her entire life assuming that her mother did not want her and had willingly given her up for adoption. The church has played a big part in her later life, with her becoming a stalwart member of the choir, although what she really sees as her one major triumph of success, is her son Timothy, who works in child psychiatric care. He has just accepted a marriage proposal from his long-term partner Brendan, a school librarian. However, life has a cruel way of throwing curved balls into the game, so Tim's untimely medical diagnosis, together with the onset of lockdown, scuppers their wedding plans. Tim breathes a sigh of relief that, in compulsory isolation, he can at least hide his illness from his mother, but the subterfuge doesn't sit well with Brendan, especially when he sees how Gloria struggles mentally with being confined to the house, so he engineers a situation which means that Tim has to come clean with her. Gloria is remarkably calm about the prognosis, even down to agreeing with her two favourite sons that they should en masse, break lockdown regulations and travel all the way up to Cumbria to meet Matty, before it is too late.
Despite the odds, Matty beats a bout of Covid, celebrates her birthday and gets to be, however briefly, reunited with the daughter she had never been allowed to meet all those decades ago, totally forgetting how she had been duped by the well-meaning Irene. At last she has become one of the Loved Ones. She has family.
And that's a wrap folks, not a dry eye in the house!
...
Okay! So let's get those potential trigger points out in the open before we go any further -
With a strong background in clinical psychology, author Anne Goodwin unashamedly, yet sympathetically, empathetically and compassionately, raises for discussion some of those often complex and difficult to deal with societal mores, which surround us in our daily lives and can result in such traumatising long-term outcomes, both physical and mental, for both the sufferers and their loved ones. Forced adoption. Psychiatric institutionalised care. The shame of a nation with the cover-up of 'Windrush'. Black Lives Matter. Same sex marriage. The unfiltered reality of a cancer diagnosis and the impact of the Covid Pandemic on treatment and recovery. The unscrupulous behaviour of some residential care home staff, no matter how well-meaning their actions might be. The detrimental mental and physical health affects on a population under lockdown regulations. Death (often premature) and the agonising inability of family to feel solace and closure during the Covid days.
Through some wonderfully articulate, engaging and richly crafted narrative, no single one of those threads ever threatened to overwhelm this well constructed, multi-layered storyline. Hence, despite being certain that I didn't want to read any of the inevitable 'Covid Days' books, what I had anticipated might be a rather intense and slightly morbid trek through 2019/2020, was actually transformed into an evocative and uplifting journey, with some periods of genuinely poignant, levity and mirth, especially when Irene decides to break the lockdown regulations in her own inimitable style and Gloria decides that a lockdown spring-clean is the way to go before she breaks all the rules!
Short chapters ensured that the transitions between the Cumbria and Bristol locations, were smooth and easy to follow, with the two separate storylines running their individual course before converging seamlessly to a satisfying closure for everyone concerned, particularly Matilda and Grace. Even though it would have by now been unlikely that Matilda would have fully comprehended all the nuances and injustices of a situation which had dominated most of her life and need never have happened, suffice that she might have finally been vindicated in her assertions all those decades ago, that she was not insane, simply heartbroken.
I approached this series with some trepidation and not a small amount of angst. However, I found myself becoming lost in a world where the characters took over from the very first page, to the final word, with me very much on the outside, looking in and eavesdropping on their lives. The atmosphere they created through their interactions and conversational, free-flowing dialogue, really lifted them off the page, made them three dimensional and brought them to life.
At first, I was a little unsure as to Anne's thinking when she decided to single out Irene to speak in a broad Cumbrian dialect. However, it worked to perfection and definitely made her character stand out from the crowd, especially during lockdown, when she breaks the rules in a most ingenious way, which to many might seem rather strange. However, those occasions really define the essence of the story, as they highlight all too clearly Matilda's torrid past and her relationship with her father, in a unique and totally absorbing style, whilst also offering some much needed light-hearted moments, when Irene is very lucky she is on her own and playing to a passive audience. Those moments also afforded Irene the opportunity to purge her own innermost thoughts, when many tears were shed, as it was only then that it became clear that her silence and bravado were only covering up her own inner turmoil about events which had hitherto, never been brought out into the open.
Location was never a strong factor in this final episode of the series, as I suspect it was never intended to be. Lyrics for The Loved Ones is definitely all about the story and its characters. Matty is by now, far to infirm to either leave the care home, or venture far from its doors. Similarly, Gloria and her family, are firmly entrenched in their own lives down in Bristol. For everyone, although spirits may have been lifted by the experience and the 'knowing', this all seems just a bit too little, a lot too late.
What typically makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by some amazing authors who fire my imagination, stimulate my senses and stir my emotions. For a whole raft of personal reasons, I didn't expect to become as lost in the pages as I did, so thank you for some truly memorable moments to treasure, Anne.
.
Whilst this book would work okay as a stand alone story, it might be a little more satisfying to put events into perspective and get to know who's who, having read the previous two episodes: Stolen Summers and Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home. Lyrics For The Loved Ones, brings closure to Matilda Windsor's long, yet almost totally institutionalised life, in an emotionally charged yet wonderfully poignant way, although some of the wider societal issues raised within its pages deliberately remain unresolved, accurately reflecting the current position today, some three years later, when Covid is behind us, but with the aftermath set to remain highly visible, prevalent and I suspect, unresolved, for many years to come.
You might need to be aware that there are multiple trigger points for any particularly emotionally vulnerable readers, although personally I didn't find them too troubling, as they are all part of the rich tapestry of life as we know it today and none of them took over the story in any discernible way.
...
In Cumbria, Matilda Windsor has spent her entire adult life in institutions, whether that be a mental health care facility, or care home for the elderly. In her middle years, half-hearted attempts to re-introduce her back into society, ended in distressing failure for all concerned. So now in 2019, as she approaches her one hundredth birthday, the end of her days continue to be mapped out for her by others, including the deadly Coronavirus Pandemic.
For the entire length of her isolation from the outside world, at the original instigation of a tyrannical father, (whom it transpires, had little room to espouse his pious words and actions) for no other reason than that she gave birth out of wedlock, Matilda's new notion of reality has been shaped by imaginary conversations she has with her long departed mother, the firm belief that her carers are in fact the family maids and servants, (although her favourite, Oh My Darling (Clementine), has suddenly gone missing) and an unshakeable confidence that she once was an eminent stage performer, simply resting and awaiting her next big break.
Even as plans are being set in motion for Matilda's big birthday extravaganza, the deadly new Coronavirus Pandemic takes its grip on the world and lockdown strikes, rendering any further organising useless. It transpires that the manager of the care home and two other members of staff are closely related, and that between them they have been busy purloining funds which the residents and their families have left in security for ongoing day-to-day personal needs, for other nefarious 'expenses', including PPE equipment when the official budgets dried up. One of the 'caring' family, decides that Matty, who had been determined to perform on a theatre stage for her party, should purchase a tablet and set up a fundraising page, by reciting poetry and skits online. This obviously attracts nationwide, if not worldwide, audiences and as a result, not only does the cash come pouring in, but down in Bristol, octogenarian Gloria, who was adopted from birth, is convinced that Matilda might be her long-lost mother. Unfortunately for Gloria, another of the 'caring' family and one of Matty's favourite maids, Irene, who looked after Matty's unmarried brother Henry until his death, has already decided that as her own birthday treat for Matty, she will reunite her with her long-lost daughter, although with nothing to help her in tracing the illusive personage, she has, with apparently no malintent, enlisted the help of another of her relatives, who conveniently lives in Spain out of physical reach, is of roughly the correct age and is willing to go along with Irene's ruse.
Gloria did not have a particularly happy childhood and has spent her entire life assuming that her mother did not want her and had willingly given her up for adoption. The church has played a big part in her later life, with her becoming a stalwart member of the choir, although what she really sees as her one major triumph of success, is her son Timothy, who works in child psychiatric care. He has just accepted a marriage proposal from his long-term partner Brendan, a school librarian. However, life has a cruel way of throwing curved balls into the game, so Tim's untimely medical diagnosis, together with the onset of lockdown, scuppers their wedding plans. Tim breathes a sigh of relief that, in compulsory isolation, he can at least hide his illness from his mother, but the subterfuge doesn't sit well with Brendan, especially when he sees how Gloria struggles mentally with being confined to the house, so he engineers a situation which means that Tim has to come clean with her. Gloria is remarkably calm about the prognosis, even down to agreeing with her two favourite sons that they should en masse, break lockdown regulations and travel all the way up to Cumbria to meet Matty, before it is too late.
Despite the odds, Matty beats a bout of Covid, celebrates her birthday and gets to be, however briefly, reunited with the daughter she had never been allowed to meet all those decades ago, totally forgetting how she had been duped by the well-meaning Irene. At last she has become one of the Loved Ones. She has family.
And that's a wrap folks, not a dry eye in the house!
...
Okay! So let's get those potential trigger points out in the open before we go any further -
With a strong background in clinical psychology, author Anne Goodwin unashamedly, yet sympathetically, empathetically and compassionately, raises for discussion some of those often complex and difficult to deal with societal mores, which surround us in our daily lives and can result in such traumatising long-term outcomes, both physical and mental, for both the sufferers and their loved ones. Forced adoption. Psychiatric institutionalised care. The shame of a nation with the cover-up of 'Windrush'. Black Lives Matter. Same sex marriage. The unfiltered reality of a cancer diagnosis and the impact of the Covid Pandemic on treatment and recovery. The unscrupulous behaviour of some residential care home staff, no matter how well-meaning their actions might be. The detrimental mental and physical health affects on a population under lockdown regulations. Death (often premature) and the agonising inability of family to feel solace and closure during the Covid days.
Through some wonderfully articulate, engaging and richly crafted narrative, no single one of those threads ever threatened to overwhelm this well constructed, multi-layered storyline. Hence, despite being certain that I didn't want to read any of the inevitable 'Covid Days' books, what I had anticipated might be a rather intense and slightly morbid trek through 2019/2020, was actually transformed into an evocative and uplifting journey, with some periods of genuinely poignant, levity and mirth, especially when Irene decides to break the lockdown regulations in her own inimitable style and Gloria decides that a lockdown spring-clean is the way to go before she breaks all the rules!
Short chapters ensured that the transitions between the Cumbria and Bristol locations, were smooth and easy to follow, with the two separate storylines running their individual course before converging seamlessly to a satisfying closure for everyone concerned, particularly Matilda and Grace. Even though it would have by now been unlikely that Matilda would have fully comprehended all the nuances and injustices of a situation which had dominated most of her life and need never have happened, suffice that she might have finally been vindicated in her assertions all those decades ago, that she was not insane, simply heartbroken.
I approached this series with some trepidation and not a small amount of angst. However, I found myself becoming lost in a world where the characters took over from the very first page, to the final word, with me very much on the outside, looking in and eavesdropping on their lives. The atmosphere they created through their interactions and conversational, free-flowing dialogue, really lifted them off the page, made them three dimensional and brought them to life.
At first, I was a little unsure as to Anne's thinking when she decided to single out Irene to speak in a broad Cumbrian dialect. However, it worked to perfection and definitely made her character stand out from the crowd, especially during lockdown, when she breaks the rules in a most ingenious way, which to many might seem rather strange. However, those occasions really define the essence of the story, as they highlight all too clearly Matilda's torrid past and her relationship with her father, in a unique and totally absorbing style, whilst also offering some much needed light-hearted moments, when Irene is very lucky she is on her own and playing to a passive audience. Those moments also afforded Irene the opportunity to purge her own innermost thoughts, when many tears were shed, as it was only then that it became clear that her silence and bravado were only covering up her own inner turmoil about events which had hitherto, never been brought out into the open.
Location was never a strong factor in this final episode of the series, as I suspect it was never intended to be. Lyrics for The Loved Ones is definitely all about the story and its characters. Matty is by now, far to infirm to either leave the care home, or venture far from its doors. Similarly, Gloria and her family, are firmly entrenched in their own lives down in Bristol. For everyone, although spirits may have been lifted by the experience and the 'knowing', this all seems just a bit too little, a lot too late.
What typically makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by some amazing authors who fire my imagination, stimulate my senses and stir my emotions. For a whole raft of personal reasons, I didn't expect to become as lost in the pages as I did, so thank you for some truly memorable moments to treasure, Anne.
April 12, 2023
I was provided with an ARC copy of this novel, and having read the two novels (well, a novel and a novella) about the same character, Matilda Windsor, I was happy to write a review as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team (author, check here if you are interested in getting your book reviewed) and thank her and the author for this opportunity.
Having read Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home, and Stolen Summers, and having enjoyed reading Anne Goodwin’s first novel (Sugar and Snails) as well, reading this one was a no-brainer. I had to.
This novel, written in the third-person alternates between locations (West Cumbria, Bristol) and points of view. We catch up with Matty, who has been moved to a care home, and meet some of her peers and the staff. She is about to become 100 years old and she wants to celebrate in style. Unfortunately, the pandemic gets in the way, but technology and a blue-haired girl come to the rescue. We also get to know Irene, one of the care assistants and the care home, a true Cumbrian character, and a woman with a darker story than it seems at first sight. Gloria, a very active elderly widow; her son, Tim, who works in mental health, and his partner and soon-to-be husband, Brendan, a teacher, are other characters in the novel. At first, it is not clear if and how they might all be related, and although readers who have followed the story will soon start making connections and picking up on clues, there are some red herrings and plenty of surprises along the way.
I want to avoid spoilers, but I loved catching up with Matty, whose mental state cycles between her alternate reality of wealth and fame and moments of lucidity and getting in touch with reality around her. There are some heart-wrenching moments, some truly scary ones, but she comes through in style and gets a more than-deserved happy ending. She is not the only one, thankfully. In a novel where we see people coping with the pandemic and lockdowns, prejudice, old-age and age-related changes, illness, social changes, and also coming to terms with the past, all of the stories close on a happy note, and that is a lovely touch in these times. And although there are sad moments aplenty, there is also plenty of humour and the wonderful turn of phrase and observations of those characters make the reading experience a delight.
I recommend this novel to all those who have read the previous two stories about Matilda Windsor and anybody looking for a novel populated by original and diverse characters, many older than the norm, who share their everyday stories that are anything but every day. I recommend reading the other two novels first, as otherwise, you would miss details of the overall story. Readers who love novels set in Britain and authentic use of regional expressions will have a field day as well, and the author has added a glossary of Cumbrian terms, especially useful when reading Irene’s fabulous inner monologues.
In brief: A microcosm of recent British society and international current affairs as portrayed by an assortment of unique individuals and a collection of families that are anything but traditional. Matty, one of the most memorable and heart-wrenching protagonists I’ve met, comes into her own for her centenary, surviving secrets, pandemics, newfound fame, technology, losses, and surprises of all kinds. The novel runs the whole gamut of emotions, from sadness to joy, from indignation to sympathy, from incredulity to understanding, but be prepared to shed a tear or two (of happiness) when you close the book. The perfect send-off for a most wonderful character.
Having read Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home, and Stolen Summers, and having enjoyed reading Anne Goodwin’s first novel (Sugar and Snails) as well, reading this one was a no-brainer. I had to.
This novel, written in the third-person alternates between locations (West Cumbria, Bristol) and points of view. We catch up with Matty, who has been moved to a care home, and meet some of her peers and the staff. She is about to become 100 years old and she wants to celebrate in style. Unfortunately, the pandemic gets in the way, but technology and a blue-haired girl come to the rescue. We also get to know Irene, one of the care assistants and the care home, a true Cumbrian character, and a woman with a darker story than it seems at first sight. Gloria, a very active elderly widow; her son, Tim, who works in mental health, and his partner and soon-to-be husband, Brendan, a teacher, are other characters in the novel. At first, it is not clear if and how they might all be related, and although readers who have followed the story will soon start making connections and picking up on clues, there are some red herrings and plenty of surprises along the way.
I want to avoid spoilers, but I loved catching up with Matty, whose mental state cycles between her alternate reality of wealth and fame and moments of lucidity and getting in touch with reality around her. There are some heart-wrenching moments, some truly scary ones, but she comes through in style and gets a more than-deserved happy ending. She is not the only one, thankfully. In a novel where we see people coping with the pandemic and lockdowns, prejudice, old-age and age-related changes, illness, social changes, and also coming to terms with the past, all of the stories close on a happy note, and that is a lovely touch in these times. And although there are sad moments aplenty, there is also plenty of humour and the wonderful turn of phrase and observations of those characters make the reading experience a delight.
I recommend this novel to all those who have read the previous two stories about Matilda Windsor and anybody looking for a novel populated by original and diverse characters, many older than the norm, who share their everyday stories that are anything but every day. I recommend reading the other two novels first, as otherwise, you would miss details of the overall story. Readers who love novels set in Britain and authentic use of regional expressions will have a field day as well, and the author has added a glossary of Cumbrian terms, especially useful when reading Irene’s fabulous inner monologues.
In brief: A microcosm of recent British society and international current affairs as portrayed by an assortment of unique individuals and a collection of families that are anything but traditional. Matty, one of the most memorable and heart-wrenching protagonists I’ve met, comes into her own for her centenary, surviving secrets, pandemics, newfound fame, technology, losses, and surprises of all kinds. The novel runs the whole gamut of emotions, from sadness to joy, from indignation to sympathy, from incredulity to understanding, but be prepared to shed a tear or two (of happiness) when you close the book. The perfect send-off for a most wonderful character.
May 15, 2023
Matty Windsor is a protagonist I’ll remember for a long time. After the trauma of her past she now lives in a care home in Cumbria and is nearing her 100th birthday. Matty imagines her milestone birthday as a stylish affair and is geared up for the performance of her life as befits her perception of herself. She certainly delivers, but not quite in the way she envisaged, due to the Covid pandemic. Nevertheless, she is a sensation thanks to technology and her new ‘maid’.
The narrative alternates between locations – Scarrowdale, the care home in West Cumbria, Bristol and Somerset, and also several viewpoints. We learn about the characters from their everyday lives. There’s Gloria, a widow with a son, Tim, who is battling health issues, and his partner, Brendan. Much is learned through Irene’s inner, very Cumbrian, dialogue during her visits to a certain grave. I wondered what would draw these people together and how they related to Matty. Some are more obvious than others and as the story unfolds there are snippets which begin to slowly unravel mysteries and secrets.
Anne Goodwin portrays Matty beautifully and in a way that endears her to the reader, both in the confusion of her thoughts and also the rarer moments of clarity.
'Her skull is a cutting room, celluloid clippings strewn across the floor. She plunges in, gathers armfuls, splices frames into a continuous strip. Things that happened meld with things that might have and things that never would. Each time, a different sequence, composed of disparate segments, creates her personal history afresh.'
In a story where a feeling of sadness might have been the overriding emotion, with everything Matty has been through, as well as another character’s problems, there’s humour and the antics of assorted characters that lighten the atmosphere. There are sad moments, of course, and lots of emotions playing out.
Although the pandemic and lockdown meant Matty’s birthday plans had to be adapted and everyone’s life changed, there were other social changes to contend with, one of which explained the sudden departure of Matty’s favourite care assistant, or maid as she thought of the carers.
Anne Goodwin obviously has a deep understanding of the human mind, given her career. Lyrics for the Loved Ones is expressive, atmospheric and emotive, written with insight and sensitivity, the well developed characters driving the compelling narrative.
The narrative alternates between locations – Scarrowdale, the care home in West Cumbria, Bristol and Somerset, and also several viewpoints. We learn about the characters from their everyday lives. There’s Gloria, a widow with a son, Tim, who is battling health issues, and his partner, Brendan. Much is learned through Irene’s inner, very Cumbrian, dialogue during her visits to a certain grave. I wondered what would draw these people together and how they related to Matty. Some are more obvious than others and as the story unfolds there are snippets which begin to slowly unravel mysteries and secrets.
Anne Goodwin portrays Matty beautifully and in a way that endears her to the reader, both in the confusion of her thoughts and also the rarer moments of clarity.
'Her skull is a cutting room, celluloid clippings strewn across the floor. She plunges in, gathers armfuls, splices frames into a continuous strip. Things that happened meld with things that might have and things that never would. Each time, a different sequence, composed of disparate segments, creates her personal history afresh.'
In a story where a feeling of sadness might have been the overriding emotion, with everything Matty has been through, as well as another character’s problems, there’s humour and the antics of assorted characters that lighten the atmosphere. There are sad moments, of course, and lots of emotions playing out.
Although the pandemic and lockdown meant Matty’s birthday plans had to be adapted and everyone’s life changed, there were other social changes to contend with, one of which explained the sudden departure of Matty’s favourite care assistant, or maid as she thought of the carers.
Anne Goodwin obviously has a deep understanding of the human mind, given her career. Lyrics for the Loved Ones is expressive, atmospheric and emotive, written with insight and sensitivity, the well developed characters driving the compelling narrative.
May 15, 2023
Chatty novel of interesting characters and life
Matty is 99 years old and making plans for her 100th birthday celebration, however some of her staff are making difficulties.
Irene enjoys a good chat about the goings on at the care home she works at.
Brendon and Tim are planning their wedding, while keeping a big secret from Tim’s mother, Gloria.
Meanwhile there’s are lot going on in the wider world, and this chatty style book has plenty of mysteries, secrets and interest to keep the reader guessing. At first the characters seem diverse, then connections start to be drawn, as, like in real life, threads are drawn together to make a whole picture with plenty of human interest.
Some of the dialogue uses Cumbrian dialect, and there is a glossary of Cumbrian words at the end of the book – though I had no trouble understanding the Cumbrian.
Having read, and loved, the previous two books in this series (Matilda Windsor is Coming Home and Stolen Summers) , I was keen to find out how Matty was getting on. The ending of this novel brought everything together well.
I would certainly recommend reading at least one of the two previous books , before this one, so that Matty’s background is known, although Lyrics for Loved Ones could be read as a stand alone novel.
Overall a well written, chatty book, with great characters that I could relate to and who are going through ordinary life events that made me stop and think. There is a lot going on in this novel, which was a little overwhelming at times, however the inclusion of the impact of recent events (such as the Windrush scandal) on the lives of ordinary people, got me talking to others about this book – which is always a good sign!
Matty is 99 years old and making plans for her 100th birthday celebration, however some of her staff are making difficulties.
Irene enjoys a good chat about the goings on at the care home she works at.
Brendon and Tim are planning their wedding, while keeping a big secret from Tim’s mother, Gloria.
Meanwhile there’s are lot going on in the wider world, and this chatty style book has plenty of mysteries, secrets and interest to keep the reader guessing. At first the characters seem diverse, then connections start to be drawn, as, like in real life, threads are drawn together to make a whole picture with plenty of human interest.
Some of the dialogue uses Cumbrian dialect, and there is a glossary of Cumbrian words at the end of the book – though I had no trouble understanding the Cumbrian.
Having read, and loved, the previous two books in this series (Matilda Windsor is Coming Home and Stolen Summers) , I was keen to find out how Matty was getting on. The ending of this novel brought everything together well.
I would certainly recommend reading at least one of the two previous books , before this one, so that Matty’s background is known, although Lyrics for Loved Ones could be read as a stand alone novel.
Overall a well written, chatty book, with great characters that I could relate to and who are going through ordinary life events that made me stop and think. There is a lot going on in this novel, which was a little overwhelming at times, however the inclusion of the impact of recent events (such as the Windrush scandal) on the lives of ordinary people, got me talking to others about this book – which is always a good sign!
August 12, 2023
Lyrics for the Loved Ones is the bitter-sweet story of Matilda Windsor (Matty) who has been moved from a mental health institution to a nursing home in Cumbria. She is planning her 100th birthday but due to Covid lockdown plans need to be modified.
It is the third book of the series about Matty.
The story begins as Matty is celebrating her 99th birthday but her thoughts and plans turn to celebrating her 100th. She plans a big function where she can perform on stage. There are also plans for her to be reunited with her daughter she was forced to give up for adoption.
But plans are thwarted when Covid hits and the nursing home goes into lockdown. The Black Lives Matter protests and the Windrush scandal are also featured but without much depth.
It is an emotional read interspersed with humour.
The setting alternates between West Cumbria and Bristol
The writing is good, but its wordiness was a little challenging as was following the relationships between the characters. However, the difficulties with the characters and their background may be due to not having read the previous stories in the series.
Although it is supposed to be suitable as a standalone novel I feel if I had read the two previous books I may have got more from the story. I don’t recall mention of it being part of a series when I requested it through LibraryThing Early Reviewers
This is the main reason for my low rating.
I found the story confusing, but it would appeal to a reader who likes to delve into complex relationships. I also recommend reading the other two first.
Overall, the book didn’t really work for me.
Rating 2*
It is the third book of the series about Matty.
The story begins as Matty is celebrating her 99th birthday but her thoughts and plans turn to celebrating her 100th. She plans a big function where she can perform on stage. There are also plans for her to be reunited with her daughter she was forced to give up for adoption.
But plans are thwarted when Covid hits and the nursing home goes into lockdown. The Black Lives Matter protests and the Windrush scandal are also featured but without much depth.
It is an emotional read interspersed with humour.
The setting alternates between West Cumbria and Bristol
The writing is good, but its wordiness was a little challenging as was following the relationships between the characters. However, the difficulties with the characters and their background may be due to not having read the previous stories in the series.
Although it is supposed to be suitable as a standalone novel I feel if I had read the two previous books I may have got more from the story. I don’t recall mention of it being part of a series when I requested it through LibraryThing Early Reviewers
This is the main reason for my low rating.
I found the story confusing, but it would appeal to a reader who likes to delve into complex relationships. I also recommend reading the other two first.
Overall, the book didn’t really work for me.
Rating 2*
May 14, 2023
2.5 stars. The story occurs in the UK during covid lockdown, which is not a time that I wanted to revisit. Other major news events from that period are included, (to remind us of what a crappy time it was!) so there is a lot (too much!) going on. In addition, one of the main characters is also dealing with a (non-covid) medical diagnosis, as if there wasn’t enough to deal with.
I had been looking forward to following up with Matty, our delusional, institutionalized, main character from the 2 earlier books. The talented author has done a great job in developing this original character. But with so much else being covered, Matty’s story was somewhat diluted. And in her relatively smaller role, I didn’t find her quite as endearing as I had in the prior books. Amongst the various other characters, (which we jump back & forth to), I didn’t have quite a good grasp on a couple of them.
The writing is good, but a little challenging. We are thrown right in with no background or context, and then have to try to piece it all together. I was at an advantage having read the 2 prior books in the series, but I still found that I was a little lost at times. The Cumbrian dialect (in some parts) adds to the challenge, notably as the narrative relies heavily on dialogue. (There is a glossary at the end of the book.) Overall, the book didn’t really work for me. I didn’t like reliving 2020, and I felt it was too confusing, too busy, and its HEA was anti-climactic.
I was provided with an ARC (thanks to the author & publisher!) and I am voluntarily posting my honest review.
I had been looking forward to following up with Matty, our delusional, institutionalized, main character from the 2 earlier books. The talented author has done a great job in developing this original character. But with so much else being covered, Matty’s story was somewhat diluted. And in her relatively smaller role, I didn’t find her quite as endearing as I had in the prior books. Amongst the various other characters, (which we jump back & forth to), I didn’t have quite a good grasp on a couple of them.
The writing is good, but a little challenging. We are thrown right in with no background or context, and then have to try to piece it all together. I was at an advantage having read the 2 prior books in the series, but I still found that I was a little lost at times. The Cumbrian dialect (in some parts) adds to the challenge, notably as the narrative relies heavily on dialogue. (There is a glossary at the end of the book.) Overall, the book didn’t really work for me. I didn’t like reliving 2020, and I felt it was too confusing, too busy, and its HEA was anti-climactic.
I was provided with an ARC (thanks to the author & publisher!) and I am voluntarily posting my honest review.
June 30, 2025
The third in the series featuring Matilda Windsor (Matty), we see her in a care home, having finally escaped the torment of the long term psychiatric institution she's been incarcerated in from a young age. Matty is approaching her hundredth birthday, and making preparations for how she'll celebrate, when lockdown hits. With the help of a young care worker, Matty's plans turn virtual, and she takes to YouTube, reciting poetry and monologues recalled from childhood. It seems, at last, that Matty may have a chance to shine. Interweaved with this is a thickening of the plot, as her late brother's partner seeks to reunite her with the child she was forced to give up at birth.
The narrative takes place in two main settings, Cumbria and Somerset, both richly portrayed, with well-drawn, complex characters. Some of the characters speak in Cumbrian dialect, and there's a handy glossary at the end, but I didn't find I needed this because the meaning was evident from the context.
Matty remains resilient throughout, revealing inner strengths and talents that remind the reader of the senselessness of her incarceration, of what she could have been and done, given a chance. There's a recognition, too, that what happened to her all those years ago was cruel and unjust.
Matty's life story has been tragic, but as her story heads towards its conclusion, the reader is left with a feeling of hope.
A compelling, powerful read.
The narrative takes place in two main settings, Cumbria and Somerset, both richly portrayed, with well-drawn, complex characters. Some of the characters speak in Cumbrian dialect, and there's a handy glossary at the end, but I didn't find I needed this because the meaning was evident from the context.
Matty remains resilient throughout, revealing inner strengths and talents that remind the reader of the senselessness of her incarceration, of what she could have been and done, given a chance. There's a recognition, too, that what happened to her all those years ago was cruel and unjust.
Matty's life story has been tragic, but as her story heads towards its conclusion, the reader is left with a feeling of hope.
A compelling, powerful read.
May 12, 2023
Having read the other books concentrating on the character of Matilda, I looked forward to this one brought into the recent past. This is a captivating novel that weaves together a symphony of voices. Anne Goodwin has a talent for crafting distinct voices and telling compelling stories. Her cast of characters varies greatly and deals with profound themes. Each character is authentically developed, allowing readers to have a deep connection with their unique struggles. Themes of identity, love, loss, and the power of music are explored and entwined through the characters.
The author's creative use of language when dealing with the thoughts inside Matilda's head were the highlight of each of these books and really gave the reader a chance to connect the dots, so to speak. For example Matilda calls one group the welder's – these are the staff who are wearing the protective face covering of plastic that covers their entire face, similar to a welder's face covering.
I enjoy this author and her ability to show readers the inside of mental issues with heart and a touch of humor.
The author's creative use of language when dealing with the thoughts inside Matilda's head were the highlight of each of these books and really gave the reader a chance to connect the dots, so to speak. For example Matilda calls one group the welder's – these are the staff who are wearing the protective face covering of plastic that covers their entire face, similar to a welder's face covering.
I enjoy this author and her ability to show readers the inside of mental issues with heart and a touch of humor.
August 28, 2023
I have been following and enjoying Maltilda Windsor's journey since meeting her in the first of the series Maltilda Windsor is Coming Home in 2021. In this book, Matilda (Matty) is not only confined in a long-stay psychiatric hospital, she is also confined by the pandemic. Matty, however, has never allowed the physical constraints to confine her mind and in Lyrics for the Loved Ones, Matty draws upon her ability to remember and recite poetry for the 'loved ones', becoming an internet sensation during lockdown.
Goodwin's ability to get into the minds of the disturbed, and it seems that might be everyone to a lesser or greater degree, especially during a pandemic lockdown, is remarkable. While the situation for many of the characters is difficult, Goodwin weaves a lightness and hopefulness through the darkness.
I am not going to say too much about the story as it would mean giving too many secrets away. If you have already enjoyed Anne Goodwin's writing, I'm certain you will enjoy Lyrics for the Loved Ones. If you haven't already read her work, I suggest you dive in now.
Goodwin's ability to get into the minds of the disturbed, and it seems that might be everyone to a lesser or greater degree, especially during a pandemic lockdown, is remarkable. While the situation for many of the characters is difficult, Goodwin weaves a lightness and hopefulness through the darkness.
I am not going to say too much about the story as it would mean giving too many secrets away. If you have already enjoyed Anne Goodwin's writing, I'm certain you will enjoy Lyrics for the Loved Ones. If you haven't already read her work, I suggest you dive in now.
May 20, 2023
This is what I'd call a literary novel, where character predominates. I'd say that, thematically, it's about the relationships between mothers and their grown children. From experience, these can be difficult even when they're closer to the norm than those in which the child has been taken from the mother (as Matty's child was). For instance, parents and children can be keeping big secrets from one another. In this book, relationships are further disrupted by COVID and the lockdowns that followed.
Goodwin is particularly good on voice. When she writes from Matty's point of view, we live in her skewed (and funny) version of the world. Other characters speak in dialect or are immersed in their own views. It's very effective.
The book would be most rewarding for a patient reader who's willing to spend time with the characters rather than being the drawn from page to page with a strong plot.
Goodwin is particularly good on voice. When she writes from Matty's point of view, we live in her skewed (and funny) version of the world. Other characters speak in dialect or are immersed in their own views. It's very effective.
The book would be most rewarding for a patient reader who's willing to spend time with the characters rather than being the drawn from page to page with a strong plot.
August 10, 2023
I found this hard to get into at first, you are thrown into the story. It was hard to follow. But I stuck with it and it did get somewhat better. You are thrown into the story of Matty, who is in a nursing home and is about to turn 100. There is a lot in her past, and she has woven a story of what her life is that may or may not be accurate. It is also covid, which adds another twist. She refers to the nursing aid as her maid, and doesn’t understand what happens when the undocumented woman goes missing. There are lots of secrets, including a baby given up many years before. #lyricsforthelovedones #annegoodwin #bookstagram #booknerd #lovetoread #readallday #bookloversofinstagram #readersofinstagram
June 4, 2023
I’m not sure where to begin with reviewing this book. It’s certainly unique. I did enjoy it, although I’m unsure that for me I would class it as humour. Comedy and humour are obviously subjective and in those terms, the story missed the mark personally. I did find it very realistic and gritty in places. I love the dialogue. It’s a very wordy, descriptive book - one I had to really concentrate on, so I wouldn’t describe it as an easy read. The characters are very in depth and I like stories that are told from different perspectives. An interesting tale.
May 15, 2023
This book is a sequel to Matilda Windsor is Coming Home. It is a fantastic book which I can't recommend highly enough. Although Lyrics for the Loved Ones works perfectly well as a standalone novel you will enjoy it all the more if you familiarise yourself with the main character, Matty, before doing so.
To read my full reveiw please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
To read my full reveiw please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
October 29, 2023
This is the third book following the life of Matilda Windsor. Set during Covid, Mattie is in her care home with the nurses and aids that keep them safe and taken care of. As she approaches her 100th birthday, her "family" at the home are trying to help her celebrate in the style she wants. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read the previous two books.
Read
August 14, 2025Rereading my own book for an event. Two years on from publication, amazing how much I'd forgotten.
May 18, 2023
I am still reeling from the sheer brilliance of this book. I have previously read Matilda Windsor is Coming Home, which I thoroughly enjoyed (though parts were difficult for me to read – you can see my review for the reasons) and Stolen Summers, but Lyrics for the Loved Ones is in a league of its own.
I confess it did take me a while to work out who was who and the relationships between eg Gloria, Tim and Brendan, Wesley and Oh My Darling (Clementine), Denise aka Mrs Jefferson and Goodnight Irene and Scarlett, who Matty calls Bluebell etc. Then there are the Loved Ones ie the rezzies (residents), their rellies (relatives) and all the other names for the various characters. I loved the names. I tried to work out the connections with Matilda Windsor, but could only remember Irene and her relationship with Matty’s brother Henry.
Approaching her hundredth birthday, Matty’s celebration is put in jeopardy with the arrival of Covid. The nursing home in Cumbria is in lockdown, along with the rest of the country, the Loved Ones mostly confined to their rooms. No visitors allowed, insufficient PPE, hospitals and the NHS overwhelmed, we were told to stay home and only go outside to exercise for a maximum of one hour a day. And self-isolate if elderly or clinically vulnerable. I shudder to think about it.
Down in Bristol, Tim and Brendan are about to get married. But Tim’s mum Gloria doesn’t know about Tim’s illness, while she keeps secrets from him. How does this connect with Matty 300 miles away? I was quite a way into the book before this began to make sense. Then suddenly it all became clear.
At times very emotional, at others filled with warmth and humour, it’s so beautifully written, it’s stunning. It will stay with me for a long time and is one of my favourite books of the year so far.
Many thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I confess it did take me a while to work out who was who and the relationships between eg Gloria, Tim and Brendan, Wesley and Oh My Darling (Clementine), Denise aka Mrs Jefferson and Goodnight Irene and Scarlett, who Matty calls Bluebell etc. Then there are the Loved Ones ie the rezzies (residents), their rellies (relatives) and all the other names for the various characters. I loved the names. I tried to work out the connections with Matilda Windsor, but could only remember Irene and her relationship with Matty’s brother Henry.
Approaching her hundredth birthday, Matty’s celebration is put in jeopardy with the arrival of Covid. The nursing home in Cumbria is in lockdown, along with the rest of the country, the Loved Ones mostly confined to their rooms. No visitors allowed, insufficient PPE, hospitals and the NHS overwhelmed, we were told to stay home and only go outside to exercise for a maximum of one hour a day. And self-isolate if elderly or clinically vulnerable. I shudder to think about it.
Down in Bristol, Tim and Brendan are about to get married. But Tim’s mum Gloria doesn’t know about Tim’s illness, while she keeps secrets from him. How does this connect with Matty 300 miles away? I was quite a way into the book before this began to make sense. Then suddenly it all became clear.
At times very emotional, at others filled with warmth and humour, it’s so beautifully written, it’s stunning. It will stay with me for a long time and is one of my favourite books of the year so far.
Many thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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