Tell Me Everything

by Sarah Salway

There are moments when you really can stop time. Make a decision to go one way, and not the other. There's just a sense, a prickle on the skin, that tells you you're at the crossroads. But it's only when you're too far along to change direction that you realise you ever had a choice. She didn't mean to tell the story, or have it end that way. She just got a little carried away. It has been several years since she confided in a teacher, but Molly Drayton is still feeling the aftershocks. When a chance meeting with a stranger leads to an offer of a room in exchange for telling her stories, she jumps at the chance. Slowly she builds a new, eccentric family around Tim, her secretive boyfriend, who just might be a spy; Miranda, the lovelorn hairstylist; Liz, the lusty librarian; Mr. Roberts, landlord and listener; and his French wife, Mrs. Roberts. Much to Molly's surprise, she finds the stories she tells now are her key to creating a completely different life. Suddenly, her future is full of endless possibilities. The trouble is, Molly's not the only one telling tales. And the truth is always stranger than fiction. Sarah Salway's witty, finely-tuned and poignant story of many stories is a uniquely entrancing chronicle.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Sarah Salway is a poet, novelist and journalist.

She is the author of three novels, including Something Beginning With, and the poetry collection, You Do Not Need Another Self-Help Book. She is currently the Canterbury Laureate and the Chair of the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society.

Reviews

[Melissa Lee-Tammeus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea what I just read. I don't know if I read about a woman who was schizophrenic and had a bunch of imaginary friends based off of some weird unexplained past with her father. I'm not sure if I read about a woman who slowly becomes anorexic who befriends and gets into a relationship with a schizophrenic homeless man who believes he is a spy and she doesn't know it. Or it could have been about a woman coming into her own, despite her past, who meets eccentric people along the way. I may have read about all of this. Like I said, I'm just not sure. But I do know I would be very curious to meet these characters in real life.

[Jennifer Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

All i have to say for the ending is Meh.

[sisterimapoet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure it's not the first time Sarah Salway has left me a bit puzzled and I don't think it will be the last - which leads me to believe it's something she does very well.

I never get quite what I'm expecting from her books - they can appear so lightweight and chick-litty but something deeper and darker lurks within. And so it was here.

But I struggled to make the connections that I felt surely must be there under the surface. I felt like each character was a Russian doll - with multiple layers, each I unpacked and examined and put back together - each was happy rattling with their secret selves - but I couldn't trace the lines that connected them together - so often they seemed to be talking to themselves or glancing off of each other.

In total, I enjoyed the book - thought it was well written - but worry that I've missed something. As such I've passed it on to a fellow reader who's view I trust and hope that with discussing we can thrash our way to a better understanding. Surely in itself this is not a fail but actually the sign of a good book if you don't want to just let it go...

[Alena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel bad giving this book 2 stars because I think Salway is a really good writer, but this book made me feel dirty. The main character Molly is so damaged that she survives by lying constantly. (She calls them stories. I call them lies.) I felt for her, but it was too dark and twisted for me. It was supposed to be a coming of age tale, but her problems (and solutions) were so unbelievable to me that I just had to suspend my disbelief to continue reading.
On the other hand, I think its creepiness will linger for along while. Is that a success?

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very confused by this book.It seemed to be getting better and suddenly ended. Molly didn't become a better person at all. She lied and stole and pretended this was for good reasons. Tim was never properly explained, I never quite understood if Leanne was real or not and Joe didn't seem to be a needed character at all.

This is just my opinion, obviously there are good points and it did succeed in making me feel for the characters and their situations.

[Becky Everhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was engaging and emotional. The bit about the absurd boyfriend was a ticking time bomb throwing off sparks of sadness until it pretty much fizzled out. All in all, good book, cop-out ending. Seriously, she should have at least identified who appeared at the bench!

[Bridget Belyeu · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh...

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written, heartfelt book, filled with real, flawed characters, each experiencing their own emotional journey. Beautiful.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

started out really well, but didn't go anywhere. Will still look out for more books by the same author.