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Sugar and Snails
Shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
At fifteen, she made a life-changing decision. Thirty years on, it’s time to make another.
When Diana escaped her misfit childhood, she thought she’d chosen the easier path. But the past lingers on, etched beneath her skin, and life won’t be worth living if her secret gets out.
As an adult, she’s kept other people at a distance... until Simon sweeps in on a cloud of promise and possibility. But his work is taking him to Cairo, the city that transformed her life. She’ll lose Simon if she doesn’t join him. She’ll lose herself if she does.
Sugar and Snails charts Diana’s unusual journey, revealing the scars from her fight to be true to herself. A triumphant mid-life coming-of-age story about bridging the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be.
At fifteen, she made a life-changing decision. Thirty years on, it’s time to make another.
When Diana escaped her misfit childhood, she thought she’d chosen the easier path. But the past lingers on, etched beneath her skin, and life won’t be worth living if her secret gets out.
As an adult, she’s kept other people at a distance... until Simon sweeps in on a cloud of promise and possibility. But his work is taking him to Cairo, the city that transformed her life. She’ll lose Simon if she doesn’t join him. She’ll lose herself if she does.
Sugar and Snails charts Diana’s unusual journey, revealing the scars from her fight to be true to herself. A triumphant mid-life coming-of-age story about bridging the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be.
330 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2015
1 person is currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
Anne Goodwin
10 books63 followersSHORT STORY E-BOOK FREE FOR NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS
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
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 - 30 of 46 reviews
February 10, 2022
“The past lingers on, etched beneath our skin…”
Oh My Goodness! I had no idea what to expect from this story and having closed the final page I can’t believe what a moving experience and a complete roller-coaster of a ride I have just experienced. My tears were many and genuine, although I am convinced that Di wouldn’t have appreciated or wanted my sympathy, or my virtual hugs; just my understanding and acceptance.
It is going to be so difficult to write a meaningful review which will fully do justice to this powerful story, especially without giving away too many spoilers – But then, consider that Di has lived most of her life trying not to give away too many spoilers, and my own small challenge pales into insignificance compared to hers.
I am also still reeling after spending almost half of this book assuming one thing about Di’s story, when in fact I had turned things completely on their head, and the reality of the situation was the complete antithesis to what I had thought. Am I that ‘green’ or naive that I missed so many clues, which on careful retrospection were there in abundance, or was I simply conditioned to expect one outcome and couldn’t imagine or embrace the notion, that the actuality of the situation could be any different?
Notwithstanding that Di is a now a forty-five-year-old woman, this is something of a mid-life coming of age story. Having reached a decision in her teenage years which, in her own mind, she is still certain was the right one for her, she has nonetheless spent the intervening thirty years in a state of emotional flux, feeling the need to ‘play life safe’ and thus denying herself the true happiness her childhood decision was supposed to bring. She has spent so much time being certain of what she is not, yet frightened to stake a claim to the person she really is and the life she knows she wants; that it is only now, when she has something and someone worth fighting for, that she is forced to examine her motives, embrace who she is, be happy in her own skin, and finally to be ready and wanting to move on with her life. If only it all isn’t too little and too late!
For a while, I was a little nonplussed that the storyline weaves rather erratically back and forth between the 1960s and 1970s, when Di was growing up, and the 2000s, which is where she finds herself now. However I was essentially following Di’s journey, as seen through her own eyes, so it was no real surprise that in the vulnerable turmoil of a mind trying to rationalise and finally lay the past to rest behind her, that her thoughts would be erratic and a little muddled, I know mine would be.
From a visit which Di makes to her parents right towards the end of this chapter in her ongoing story of self-discovery, it is obvious that she has and probably can never, truly forgive them for certain aspects of the way she was treated as a child growing up. Not having been in Di’s mind space at that time, it possibly isn’t for me to comment about. However, being of almost the same age and coming from a similar working class background as Di, I actually think that her parents were quite progressive in their handling of events, as I just know that my own family would have taken a much different and more harsh approach to the situation, if I had been her. At one point Di observes that her parents seemed to listen to everyone except her, trying to make their own circumstances fit that of other people they know, almost as if the situation was happening to someone else. Again, I actually think this would have been a pretty standard response from most parents, given the social mores of the times, when prejudice and bigotry against minority groups, was still alive and thriving, many so called ‘deviances’ were still actually illegal, and being seen by your peers to be the textbook family of domestic bliss and stability was everything, with the label of ‘not being normal’, being an unendurable stigma.
Author Anne Goodwin, has donned her ‘work hat’, as a clinical psychologist, to write this wonderfully perceptive and fluent, sensitively nuanced and disturbingly bold story, about one woman’s search for cultural identity and social justice. It is multi-layered, well structured, highly textured and visually descriptive to the point where little is left to the imagination. Di’s story is totally compelling, immersive and often claustrophobic, such is the fragile state of her mind, and I didn’t really want to get pulled into it as deeply as I did, but once I entered her life, escaping without knowing an outcome, was never going to be an option. Although (again a little vague I’m afraid for fear of spoilers), I was a tad disappointed with the ending, as I really needed to know if there was going to be that ‘happy ever after’ moment for her and if not, would she regress and consider all her reserves of inner strength to have been depleted in vain, or was this leap into the unknown always going to be the catalyst for a new and exciting future, as it should have been all those years ago?
Anne has created quite a large and sprawling, multi-faceted cast of diverse characters, who with the exception of Di herself, are neither well defined, have any genuine depth of character, nor are easy to connect or identify with. They were a complex jigsaw of human emotions, often manipulative and duplicitous, making them completely unreliable and volatile, at a time when a desperately vulnerable Di, most needed their strength and stability to help her see things clearly, although she ultimately felt unable to confide in any of them, even Venus, who has been a huge part of her life for as long as either of them can remember. Di herself, has been empowered with a strong voice with which to guide this storyline, manoeuvring it in the direction of her own choosing and taking with her only those who mean the most to her.
Everything about this lovingly written book makes reading it a ‘must’ and the right thing to do. I am really interested to know just how Anne came up with the excellent title “Sugar And Snails”. Start reading and within a few minutes that evocative cover art makes perfect sense. And if you ever needed to lay a soundtrack from the times, over the early years of Di’s life, I guess that David Bowie’s ‘Rebel, Rebel’ would be the obvious choice and the one I can hear playing away in my head as I write.
What typically makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every new book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by authors who fire my imagination and stimulate my senses. This story was definitely one of a kind, so I can only recommend that you read it for yourself and see where your journey leads you!
To connect with the author and to check out some of the lines and extracts which made this story so memorable for me, visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
Oh My Goodness! I had no idea what to expect from this story and having closed the final page I can’t believe what a moving experience and a complete roller-coaster of a ride I have just experienced. My tears were many and genuine, although I am convinced that Di wouldn’t have appreciated or wanted my sympathy, or my virtual hugs; just my understanding and acceptance.
It is going to be so difficult to write a meaningful review which will fully do justice to this powerful story, especially without giving away too many spoilers – But then, consider that Di has lived most of her life trying not to give away too many spoilers, and my own small challenge pales into insignificance compared to hers.
I am also still reeling after spending almost half of this book assuming one thing about Di’s story, when in fact I had turned things completely on their head, and the reality of the situation was the complete antithesis to what I had thought. Am I that ‘green’ or naive that I missed so many clues, which on careful retrospection were there in abundance, or was I simply conditioned to expect one outcome and couldn’t imagine or embrace the notion, that the actuality of the situation could be any different?
Notwithstanding that Di is a now a forty-five-year-old woman, this is something of a mid-life coming of age story. Having reached a decision in her teenage years which, in her own mind, she is still certain was the right one for her, she has nonetheless spent the intervening thirty years in a state of emotional flux, feeling the need to ‘play life safe’ and thus denying herself the true happiness her childhood decision was supposed to bring. She has spent so much time being certain of what she is not, yet frightened to stake a claim to the person she really is and the life she knows she wants; that it is only now, when she has something and someone worth fighting for, that she is forced to examine her motives, embrace who she is, be happy in her own skin, and finally to be ready and wanting to move on with her life. If only it all isn’t too little and too late!
For a while, I was a little nonplussed that the storyline weaves rather erratically back and forth between the 1960s and 1970s, when Di was growing up, and the 2000s, which is where she finds herself now. However I was essentially following Di’s journey, as seen through her own eyes, so it was no real surprise that in the vulnerable turmoil of a mind trying to rationalise and finally lay the past to rest behind her, that her thoughts would be erratic and a little muddled, I know mine would be.
From a visit which Di makes to her parents right towards the end of this chapter in her ongoing story of self-discovery, it is obvious that she has and probably can never, truly forgive them for certain aspects of the way she was treated as a child growing up. Not having been in Di’s mind space at that time, it possibly isn’t for me to comment about. However, being of almost the same age and coming from a similar working class background as Di, I actually think that her parents were quite progressive in their handling of events, as I just know that my own family would have taken a much different and more harsh approach to the situation, if I had been her. At one point Di observes that her parents seemed to listen to everyone except her, trying to make their own circumstances fit that of other people they know, almost as if the situation was happening to someone else. Again, I actually think this would have been a pretty standard response from most parents, given the social mores of the times, when prejudice and bigotry against minority groups, was still alive and thriving, many so called ‘deviances’ were still actually illegal, and being seen by your peers to be the textbook family of domestic bliss and stability was everything, with the label of ‘not being normal’, being an unendurable stigma.
Author Anne Goodwin, has donned her ‘work hat’, as a clinical psychologist, to write this wonderfully perceptive and fluent, sensitively nuanced and disturbingly bold story, about one woman’s search for cultural identity and social justice. It is multi-layered, well structured, highly textured and visually descriptive to the point where little is left to the imagination. Di’s story is totally compelling, immersive and often claustrophobic, such is the fragile state of her mind, and I didn’t really want to get pulled into it as deeply as I did, but once I entered her life, escaping without knowing an outcome, was never going to be an option. Although (again a little vague I’m afraid for fear of spoilers), I was a tad disappointed with the ending, as I really needed to know if there was going to be that ‘happy ever after’ moment for her and if not, would she regress and consider all her reserves of inner strength to have been depleted in vain, or was this leap into the unknown always going to be the catalyst for a new and exciting future, as it should have been all those years ago?
Anne has created quite a large and sprawling, multi-faceted cast of diverse characters, who with the exception of Di herself, are neither well defined, have any genuine depth of character, nor are easy to connect or identify with. They were a complex jigsaw of human emotions, often manipulative and duplicitous, making them completely unreliable and volatile, at a time when a desperately vulnerable Di, most needed their strength and stability to help her see things clearly, although she ultimately felt unable to confide in any of them, even Venus, who has been a huge part of her life for as long as either of them can remember. Di herself, has been empowered with a strong voice with which to guide this storyline, manoeuvring it in the direction of her own choosing and taking with her only those who mean the most to her.
Everything about this lovingly written book makes reading it a ‘must’ and the right thing to do. I am really interested to know just how Anne came up with the excellent title “Sugar And Snails”. Start reading and within a few minutes that evocative cover art makes perfect sense. And if you ever needed to lay a soundtrack from the times, over the early years of Di’s life, I guess that David Bowie’s ‘Rebel, Rebel’ would be the obvious choice and the one I can hear playing away in my head as I write.
What typically makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every new book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by authors who fire my imagination and stimulate my senses. This story was definitely one of a kind, so I can only recommend that you read it for yourself and see where your journey leads you!
To connect with the author and to check out some of the lines and extracts which made this story so memorable for me, visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
March 27, 2016
I want more! Please.
My View:
What an outstanding read - the themes in this book are about identity and conforming to expectations, about sexuality, bullying, self-harm, adolescence…secrets and more (no spoilers here). I have not read anything like this before: powerful, engaging, intelligent, well written, with a mystery that is gradually revealed. I was really surprised at what this book had to offer – the synopsis just didn’t prepare me for the complexity of the issues and the emotional journey encountered in these pages.
A good read is entertaining, is engaging, is well written and if we are lucky shares a perspective that maybe the reader hasn’t considered before- Sugar and Snails ticks all these boxes and more. Anne Goodwin is a talented writer and I am sure we will be hearing more from her in the near future.
There are so many social issues to contemplate in this narrative (and I am having so much difficulty trying to avoid spoilers, I want you discover the depth of this story yourself.). The reader is given plenty of opportunity to consider what is being offered up whilst tying to work out the mystery that Cairo holds. Goodwin writes a dual time line/dual narrative – Diane Dodsworth’s life as a young person and Diane‘s life now,. Diane’s early life is gradually revealed; going to school, facing many of the same challenges we may have faced in our youth – feelings of isolation, or not fitting in, not being the popular one in school…trying to work out where we fit in the world and what we want to do with our lives. Diane’s life now – is reflective; she is still contemplating the decisions she made in her youth that have directed her adult life, she still trying to work out where she fits in the world. Identity. Such an important part of how we see ourselves and expect others to see us and treat us but how much thought do you consciously give to this aspect of your personality? Some maybe more than others.
This is a wonderful coming of age (all be it a mature age) narrative with unique perspectives that will open your eyes to the world you are part of.
My View:
What an outstanding read - the themes in this book are about identity and conforming to expectations, about sexuality, bullying, self-harm, adolescence…secrets and more (no spoilers here). I have not read anything like this before: powerful, engaging, intelligent, well written, with a mystery that is gradually revealed. I was really surprised at what this book had to offer – the synopsis just didn’t prepare me for the complexity of the issues and the emotional journey encountered in these pages.
A good read is entertaining, is engaging, is well written and if we are lucky shares a perspective that maybe the reader hasn’t considered before- Sugar and Snails ticks all these boxes and more. Anne Goodwin is a talented writer and I am sure we will be hearing more from her in the near future.
There are so many social issues to contemplate in this narrative (and I am having so much difficulty trying to avoid spoilers, I want you discover the depth of this story yourself.). The reader is given plenty of opportunity to consider what is being offered up whilst tying to work out the mystery that Cairo holds. Goodwin writes a dual time line/dual narrative – Diane Dodsworth’s life as a young person and Diane‘s life now,. Diane’s early life is gradually revealed; going to school, facing many of the same challenges we may have faced in our youth – feelings of isolation, or not fitting in, not being the popular one in school…trying to work out where we fit in the world and what we want to do with our lives. Diane’s life now – is reflective; she is still contemplating the decisions she made in her youth that have directed her adult life, she still trying to work out where she fits in the world. Identity. Such an important part of how we see ourselves and expect others to see us and treat us but how much thought do you consciously give to this aspect of your personality? Some maybe more than others.
This is a wonderful coming of age (all be it a mature age) narrative with unique perspectives that will open your eyes to the world you are part of.
April 1, 2017
Quite a long time ago, I had seen this book on Goodreads and had clicked the 'Want To Read' button after reading the synopsis and then I basically forgot about it. Roll on a few months and I randomly selected some books from this list to buy from Amazon and this book was amongst the list. I bought it and started reading it... Boy I was not disappointed!
This book is so much more than it's synopsis would imply and that is simply because it is almost impossible to explain the premise of this book without massively spoiling it. This book is a heartwarming and beautiful tale of self acceptance, belonging and coming of age. It is unusual for a coming of age story to be written where the main protagonist is a forty-five year old woman but I found this massively refreshing. It is easy to forget that as we get older, we are constantly evolving as people and therefore we may never truly 'find ourselves' or even if we do, the true us may become distorted or may change as we become our older selves.
I couldn't believe this was a debut novel because it is written as if Anne Goodwin has vast experience of writing beautiful language and I think she has a natural gift for exploring another person's mind without compromising yourself.
Not only did I enjoy the positive themes in this book but the darker themes were also really well explored. Isolation; fear; self-doubt; self-harm; and misunderstanding are all things that Goodwin touches on in a wonderful capacity. Reading this book made me feel incredibly emotional and I could relate to the character of Diana because although we are not alike in many ways, we both have negative emotions and feelings about our personal being which needs to be and is addressed as we continue forward.
I will say, I originally thought the twist of this story and the big reveal would come across as being there just to have a new plot point but as I read the story, I enjoyed how much it was respected. It was also not something which had been 'fixed' by another person. This is something that only she could understand and deal with in moving forward.
Having said that, I really enjoyed the character of Diana's new boyfriend, Simon. He was calm, collected but also very much into making mistakes and learning from them. As a couple, they really meshed well and it just worked. We never get the full picture of how the twist fully affects them as a couple but from what I know about Simon in this book, I think he is an incredibly understanding man who loves Diana and I don't think this reveal would detract from that.
Overall this book is beautifully written and it covers such an important topic that I think everyone should read it, if only to be educated.
This book is so much more than it's synopsis would imply and that is simply because it is almost impossible to explain the premise of this book without massively spoiling it. This book is a heartwarming and beautiful tale of self acceptance, belonging and coming of age. It is unusual for a coming of age story to be written where the main protagonist is a forty-five year old woman but I found this massively refreshing. It is easy to forget that as we get older, we are constantly evolving as people and therefore we may never truly 'find ourselves' or even if we do, the true us may become distorted or may change as we become our older selves.
I couldn't believe this was a debut novel because it is written as if Anne Goodwin has vast experience of writing beautiful language and I think she has a natural gift for exploring another person's mind without compromising yourself.
Not only did I enjoy the positive themes in this book but the darker themes were also really well explored. Isolation; fear; self-doubt; self-harm; and misunderstanding are all things that Goodwin touches on in a wonderful capacity. Reading this book made me feel incredibly emotional and I could relate to the character of Diana because although we are not alike in many ways, we both have negative emotions and feelings about our personal being which needs to be and is addressed as we continue forward.
I will say, I originally thought the twist of this story and the big reveal would come across as being there just to have a new plot point but as I read the story, I enjoyed how much it was respected. It was also not something which had been 'fixed' by another person. This is something that only she could understand and deal with in moving forward.
Having said that, I really enjoyed the character of Diana's new boyfriend, Simon. He was calm, collected but also very much into making mistakes and learning from them. As a couple, they really meshed well and it just worked. We never get the full picture of how the twist fully affects them as a couple but from what I know about Simon in this book, I think he is an incredibly understanding man who loves Diana and I don't think this reveal would detract from that.
Overall this book is beautifully written and it covers such an important topic that I think everyone should read it, if only to be educated.
August 26, 2015
From the blurb on this book I don't think I had realised the full potential of what this story is about.
Being a big fan of Egypt and having been there numerous times, as soon as Cairo was mentioned in the book it had my attention straight away. Not much of the book is actually set there though, the story actually alternates between Di's present life and to different parts of her past. Even though it does flick between different timelines, it is very easy to keep up with and didn't spoil the flow of the story at all.
Di is actually a wonderful character but her start in life hasn't been one of the easiest. It is obvious right from the start she is quite a troubled soul. It does take a while for the story to unfold as to the reasoning of why Di is so troubled and I honestly had know clue until the author revealed it to me.
This is very much a story of finding yourself and being happy with who you are. It is very expertly told by the author and I have to say this story is quite unique to me as I haven't read any other books on the same topic.
A book that certainly broadens your mind and one I would certainly recommend.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Being a big fan of Egypt and having been there numerous times, as soon as Cairo was mentioned in the book it had my attention straight away. Not much of the book is actually set there though, the story actually alternates between Di's present life and to different parts of her past. Even though it does flick between different timelines, it is very easy to keep up with and didn't spoil the flow of the story at all.
Di is actually a wonderful character but her start in life hasn't been one of the easiest. It is obvious right from the start she is quite a troubled soul. It does take a while for the story to unfold as to the reasoning of why Di is so troubled and I honestly had know clue until the author revealed it to me.
This is very much a story of finding yourself and being happy with who you are. It is very expertly told by the author and I have to say this story is quite unique to me as I haven't read any other books on the same topic.
A book that certainly broadens your mind and one I would certainly recommend.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2015
A coming-of-age story unlike many others
I picked up Sugar and Snails without having any idea what it was about (details below under the Spoiler Alert), and I have to say that I was delightfully surprised by both the storyline and the style of writing. I loved the way the author slowly unravels the story behind the youthful Diana’s mysterious life-changing decision, picking away it, probing her memory and subconscious for details, just like the psychologist her main character portrays. It’s a classic example of form fitting function, and it drew me deeply into the story even as I was drawn more and more deeply into the depths of Diana’s mind.
The writing is smooth and expertly done, with characters who are imperfect and three-dimensionally drawn. I was reminded of the novels of Graham Greene in both the manner in which the story unfolds and the realistic characterizations of the people involved. Ostensibly this is a book about Diana’s decision, a decision that she made when she had neither the knowledge nor experience to make it, a decision that has dogged her every year of her life since she was fifteen. It takes her thirty years to comes to terms with that decision, but ultimately, you’re proud of her for how she handles it, and proud of her, too, for how she decides to move forward.
SPOILER ALERT!
In a day in which Caitlyn Jenner is gracing the front cover of Vanity Fair, transgender issues are at the forefront of the collective consciousness. We are entering an era of great social change, an era in which we are coming to acknowledge that trans people, like homosexuals, have little choice but to be who they are. What is so powerfully moving about Diana’s story is that it harkens back to an epoch before there was any tolerance at all for gender that was not one hundred percent “man” or one hundred percent “woman”; she demonstrates with painful yet not pitiful eloquence how difficult it can be merely to exist in a world in which one must identify oneself solely with one or the other, and ultimately, how we all suffer from trying to adhere to this strict dichotomy of gender. Hers is a coming-of-age story unlike many others, yet it cries out to be told, to join the stories of other youths who have suffered crises of sexual or gender identity in a world that has often been hostile to them. Yet, it, too, offers hope, for if, in the modern era, a forty-five-year-old woman can at last find peace, if a sixty-five-year-old woman can find peace, then perhaps the young people who follow in their footsteps will never have to know the suffering that the older generation endured; peace may be theirs without their having to find it.
http://lorilschafer.com
I picked up Sugar and Snails without having any idea what it was about (details below under the Spoiler Alert), and I have to say that I was delightfully surprised by both the storyline and the style of writing. I loved the way the author slowly unravels the story behind the youthful Diana’s mysterious life-changing decision, picking away it, probing her memory and subconscious for details, just like the psychologist her main character portrays. It’s a classic example of form fitting function, and it drew me deeply into the story even as I was drawn more and more deeply into the depths of Diana’s mind.
The writing is smooth and expertly done, with characters who are imperfect and three-dimensionally drawn. I was reminded of the novels of Graham Greene in both the manner in which the story unfolds and the realistic characterizations of the people involved. Ostensibly this is a book about Diana’s decision, a decision that she made when she had neither the knowledge nor experience to make it, a decision that has dogged her every year of her life since she was fifteen. It takes her thirty years to comes to terms with that decision, but ultimately, you’re proud of her for how she handles it, and proud of her, too, for how she decides to move forward.
SPOILER ALERT!
In a day in which Caitlyn Jenner is gracing the front cover of Vanity Fair, transgender issues are at the forefront of the collective consciousness. We are entering an era of great social change, an era in which we are coming to acknowledge that trans people, like homosexuals, have little choice but to be who they are. What is so powerfully moving about Diana’s story is that it harkens back to an epoch before there was any tolerance at all for gender that was not one hundred percent “man” or one hundred percent “woman”; she demonstrates with painful yet not pitiful eloquence how difficult it can be merely to exist in a world in which one must identify oneself solely with one or the other, and ultimately, how we all suffer from trying to adhere to this strict dichotomy of gender. Hers is a coming-of-age story unlike many others, yet it cries out to be told, to join the stories of other youths who have suffered crises of sexual or gender identity in a world that has often been hostile to them. Yet, it, too, offers hope, for if, in the modern era, a forty-five-year-old woman can at last find peace, if a sixty-five-year-old woman can find peace, then perhaps the young people who follow in their footsteps will never have to know the suffering that the older generation endured; peace may be theirs without their having to find it.
http://lorilschafer.com
July 27, 2015
It is rare that a novel combines a powerful subject matter with powerful writing, Sugar & Snails is one such rarity. Secrets abound in this book and I am not about to run any spoilers, as part of the pleasure of reading it is the deft unfolding of the mysteries surrounding the main protagonist, Dr Diana Dodsworth. However, I will say that her experiences and dilemmas are ones which I have never read about in a novel before. This is an extraordinary story told by an extraordinary story-teller. There is wit amongst the sometimes challenging and difficult happenings. The characters are strongly drawn, I especially liked the depiction of the parents struggling to understand their wayward off-spring and the mother's response forty years on was priceless. I am a psychotherapeutic counsellor and a sometime academic so I chuckled at the affectionate, though nevertheless astute, ribbing of both professions. Move over David Lodge, here is a debut novelist about to snatch your crown. I couldn't put the book down, it is one of the best novels - indie, small press or traditionally published - I have read in a very long while. I would not only say that it is highly recommended but it should also be compulsory reading for today's world. I wonder if there will be a sequel and hope there will soon be novel number two from this excellent writer. I look forward to either.
May 21, 2016
Thank you to the author, Anne Goodwin, for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Review:
This book was confusing at first, I have to admit.
The writing style was easy to read, though it does jump from the past to the present a lot. The only indication of these time jumps were page breaks. There were no dates involved so you just needed to use context clues to figure out whether that scene happened then or now. However, you get used to it and it never really disrupted the flow of the story. In fact, the two different stories made it more interesting to read.
I couldn’t quite figure out what the story was about. The summary doesn’t hint at much, other than that Diana, the protagonist, has a deeply buried secret. I couldn’t even figure out what the title had to do with anything.
It’s not until you’re 200-or-so pages into the novel that a sudden lightbulb appears above your head. You know exactly what’s going on and everything that was mentioned before that point makes complete sense now.
Anne Goodwin tells this story in such a way to keep the readers guessing, wondering, what did Diana possibly do 30 years ago that’s made her to be like this? It’s a secret to most of the characters as well as to the reader. Even when I did figure it out, the story didn’t come right out and say it. I had just enough information to piece it together myself, which I found to be very clever.Overall,
Overall, this novel was well-written, intriguing, and kept my attention, especially towards the end. The characters were well developed and easy to follow. Also, when I had about five chapters left, I finally figured out what the title meant.The novel as a whole was so well crafted.
The novel as a whole was so well crafted. I feel as though I can’t say too much because then I would be giving the whole premise away, but this is an important book that I would recommend to anyone.
Sugar and Snails gets 4 out of 5 stars.
Favorite Quote:
“We all crave acceptance, and we get it where we can.” –Anne Goodwin, Sugar and Snails
This review can also be found at RachelPoli.com
My Review:
This book was confusing at first, I have to admit.
The writing style was easy to read, though it does jump from the past to the present a lot. The only indication of these time jumps were page breaks. There were no dates involved so you just needed to use context clues to figure out whether that scene happened then or now. However, you get used to it and it never really disrupted the flow of the story. In fact, the two different stories made it more interesting to read.
I couldn’t quite figure out what the story was about. The summary doesn’t hint at much, other than that Diana, the protagonist, has a deeply buried secret. I couldn’t even figure out what the title had to do with anything.
It’s not until you’re 200-or-so pages into the novel that a sudden lightbulb appears above your head. You know exactly what’s going on and everything that was mentioned before that point makes complete sense now.
Anne Goodwin tells this story in such a way to keep the readers guessing, wondering, what did Diana possibly do 30 years ago that’s made her to be like this? It’s a secret to most of the characters as well as to the reader. Even when I did figure it out, the story didn’t come right out and say it. I had just enough information to piece it together myself, which I found to be very clever.Overall,
Overall, this novel was well-written, intriguing, and kept my attention, especially towards the end. The characters were well developed and easy to follow. Also, when I had about five chapters left, I finally figured out what the title meant.The novel as a whole was so well crafted.
The novel as a whole was so well crafted. I feel as though I can’t say too much because then I would be giving the whole premise away, but this is an important book that I would recommend to anyone.
Sugar and Snails gets 4 out of 5 stars.
Favorite Quote:
“We all crave acceptance, and we get it where we can.” –Anne Goodwin, Sugar and Snails
This review can also be found at RachelPoli.com
October 15, 2015
This is a story of a woman’s journey of self-discovery.
Diana Dodsworth's story weaves in and out of different pasts as she held the attention of the reader, slowly and steadily divulging the story of her life, complex and filled with the confusions of a child, the pain of existence, of irrevocable decisions and their effects.
Goodwin has written real characters, not just in Diana but with each of the significant figures in Diana’s life – flawed, conflicted.
Set in a contemporary background with controversial issues (still!) to boot, this is the book for you (and your book club, if you belong to one).
Highly recommended.
See complete review here
https://litworldinterviews.wordpress....
Diana Dodsworth's story weaves in and out of different pasts as she held the attention of the reader, slowly and steadily divulging the story of her life, complex and filled with the confusions of a child, the pain of existence, of irrevocable decisions and their effects.
Goodwin has written real characters, not just in Diana but with each of the significant figures in Diana’s life – flawed, conflicted.
Set in a contemporary background with controversial issues (still!) to boot, this is the book for you (and your book club, if you belong to one).
Highly recommended.
See complete review here
https://litworldinterviews.wordpress....
January 14, 2022
I write this 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.
I recently read and reviewed one of Anne Goodwin’s novels, Matilda Wilson Is Coming Home (you can read my review here), although that wasn’t a standard review, because the author wanted to know a psychiatrist’s opinion on the story. In case you don’t have the time to read the whole review, let me summarise it: it moved me deeply, and I loved it. So, I couldn’t let the opportunity to read, review, and then participate in a blog tour for her first novel, Sugar and Snails, pass me by. I had read some fantastic reviews from readers whose opinions I respected, so I had high expectations for this novel. And they were met and exceeded.
This is a remarkably difficult book to review, because although it is not a mystery in the standard sense, there is a secret at the heart of the story, and one that when it is revealed (and I will do my best not to spoil the revelation) has a similar effect to a plot twist. It makes us reconsider all we have read before and realise that the signs were there, but perhaps we put ourselves so much in the protagonist’s shoes that we lost all sense of perspective and objectivity. I am not sure I can share much more of the plot than what the blurb reveals, but I’ll add a few more details. Diana is a university lecturer in Psychology whose Ph.D. thesis had to do with the way teenagers make decisions. By the end of the novel, we get to realise that this topic is strongly linked to Diana’s life story, and she comes to accept that we cannot hide our past behind a locked door and pretend it didn’t happen. As the blurb states, this is a mid-life coming-of-age story, and I must confess that having read a few of those in recent times, it is fast becoming a favourite subgenre of mine.
I cannot discuss all the themes in detail, but I can mention amongst others: childhood trauma and bullying, difficult family relationships, Psychology, university life, middle-age expectations, long-term friendships, middle-age romance, issues of identity, secrets, and lies (or half-truths), guilt and its consequences, prejudice, therapy (or what passed for therapy at some point in the not too distant past)... Although I can’t go into details, for the reasons mentioned above, I should say that the main subject of the book is quite controversial (not so much the subject itself, but how best to approach it and its practicalities), and everybody is bound to have an opinion, no matter how much or how little experience or knowledge they have on this particular matter. From that perspective, I am sure this book would be perfect for book clubs, because the events, the attitudes of the many characters, and the way the story is told will make people eager to engage in discussion.
The book is told in the first person by Diana, and I hesitate to call her an unreliable narrator, although, if we take the story at face value and only think about the plot, there is some of that. She does not give us all the information from the start, but there are reasons why, and she is not so much trying to trick us as trying to trick herself, or rather, trying to fit into the role she has created for herself. The story is not told linearly, because the memories of the past keep intruding into the protagonist’s life due to her present circumstances, but the outline of current events follows a chronological order, and there is never any confusion as to what is happening when. Sometimes we only come to fully understand a memory we have already been witness to later on when we obtain new information and we can review everything from a slightly different perspective, and this is one of the most interesting aspects of the way the story is told and a big asset.
Diana, as a character, might not have a lot in common with many readers (although that was not my case and I identified with quite a few aspects of her current story), but her first-person narration, the way she keeps analysing everything that goes on in her life, her lack of self-assurance and the distinctiveness of her voice are bound to connect with most readers. It is clear that she is trying hard to protect herself, while at the same time being a good friend, a dedicated lecturer, a loving cat owner, and a lonely woman who does not dare allow anybody in because the price to pay could be devastating. There are many other interesting characters whom we meet through Diana’s point of view (her parents, her sister, her brother, her friend Venus [one of my favourites], her other colleagues and friends, her new boss, a university student [who makes her question many things] and her father...) and they all come across as complex human beings, who sometimes make mistakes, but never intentionally. There are also a number of professionals (psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, teachers) who make an appearance, and although we don’t get to know them as well, they represent different models or options of therapy. Some might seem old-fashioned now, but unfortunately, they reflect the situation in the past and some recent welcome changes.
I have described the way the story is told, and the writing not only flows well, despite the changes in the timeline, but it is also engaging, moving, and gripping. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an easy story to read from an emotional point of view; there are many dreadful things that take place in the book, and people who are at a fragile or vulnerable moment in life, and those who might have had difficult dealings with mental health services or suffer from severe mental health problems might find it a particularly painful read. Despite those caveats, readers cannot help getting caught up in the story, and the way the protagonist slowly comes to terms with who she is and gains insight into what is really important for her. Perhaps an easy life and peace of mind should not be her main priorities, and being true to herself is fundamental, but reaching that realisation is far from straightforward. There are many quotes I have highlighted and inspiring paragraphs, but I worry about letting the cat out of the bag, so rather than risking that, I would recommend that anybody with doubts check a sample of the writing, to see if it suits their taste.
The ending... I enjoyed it. I think it is perfect. It does not over-elaborate the point and leaves things open to readers’ imaginations, but it does so on an optimistic and hopeful note, and it does feel like a true resolution for the character. What else should we ask for?
In summary, this is a novel about a controversial subject that deals with it in a sensitive and truly insightful manner. It has an unforgettable central character, and it is beautifully written as well as inspiring and hopeful. I have included some warnings in the body of the review, but I am sure many readers will enjoy it and it will make them stop to think about the real world situation many people find themselves in and, perhaps, reconsider their opinions. Ah, I recommend reading until the end and learning a bit more, not only about the author but also about the publisher, Inspired Quill, their mission, and their contributions to charity (a 10% of all profits will be donated to charity). Oh, and the cover is a work of art. Beautiful.
I recently read and reviewed one of Anne Goodwin’s novels, Matilda Wilson Is Coming Home (you can read my review here), although that wasn’t a standard review, because the author wanted to know a psychiatrist’s opinion on the story. In case you don’t have the time to read the whole review, let me summarise it: it moved me deeply, and I loved it. So, I couldn’t let the opportunity to read, review, and then participate in a blog tour for her first novel, Sugar and Snails, pass me by. I had read some fantastic reviews from readers whose opinions I respected, so I had high expectations for this novel. And they were met and exceeded.
This is a remarkably difficult book to review, because although it is not a mystery in the standard sense, there is a secret at the heart of the story, and one that when it is revealed (and I will do my best not to spoil the revelation) has a similar effect to a plot twist. It makes us reconsider all we have read before and realise that the signs were there, but perhaps we put ourselves so much in the protagonist’s shoes that we lost all sense of perspective and objectivity. I am not sure I can share much more of the plot than what the blurb reveals, but I’ll add a few more details. Diana is a university lecturer in Psychology whose Ph.D. thesis had to do with the way teenagers make decisions. By the end of the novel, we get to realise that this topic is strongly linked to Diana’s life story, and she comes to accept that we cannot hide our past behind a locked door and pretend it didn’t happen. As the blurb states, this is a mid-life coming-of-age story, and I must confess that having read a few of those in recent times, it is fast becoming a favourite subgenre of mine.
I cannot discuss all the themes in detail, but I can mention amongst others: childhood trauma and bullying, difficult family relationships, Psychology, university life, middle-age expectations, long-term friendships, middle-age romance, issues of identity, secrets, and lies (or half-truths), guilt and its consequences, prejudice, therapy (or what passed for therapy at some point in the not too distant past)... Although I can’t go into details, for the reasons mentioned above, I should say that the main subject of the book is quite controversial (not so much the subject itself, but how best to approach it and its practicalities), and everybody is bound to have an opinion, no matter how much or how little experience or knowledge they have on this particular matter. From that perspective, I am sure this book would be perfect for book clubs, because the events, the attitudes of the many characters, and the way the story is told will make people eager to engage in discussion.
The book is told in the first person by Diana, and I hesitate to call her an unreliable narrator, although, if we take the story at face value and only think about the plot, there is some of that. She does not give us all the information from the start, but there are reasons why, and she is not so much trying to trick us as trying to trick herself, or rather, trying to fit into the role she has created for herself. The story is not told linearly, because the memories of the past keep intruding into the protagonist’s life due to her present circumstances, but the outline of current events follows a chronological order, and there is never any confusion as to what is happening when. Sometimes we only come to fully understand a memory we have already been witness to later on when we obtain new information and we can review everything from a slightly different perspective, and this is one of the most interesting aspects of the way the story is told and a big asset.
Diana, as a character, might not have a lot in common with many readers (although that was not my case and I identified with quite a few aspects of her current story), but her first-person narration, the way she keeps analysing everything that goes on in her life, her lack of self-assurance and the distinctiveness of her voice are bound to connect with most readers. It is clear that she is trying hard to protect herself, while at the same time being a good friend, a dedicated lecturer, a loving cat owner, and a lonely woman who does not dare allow anybody in because the price to pay could be devastating. There are many other interesting characters whom we meet through Diana’s point of view (her parents, her sister, her brother, her friend Venus [one of my favourites], her other colleagues and friends, her new boss, a university student [who makes her question many things] and her father...) and they all come across as complex human beings, who sometimes make mistakes, but never intentionally. There are also a number of professionals (psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, teachers) who make an appearance, and although we don’t get to know them as well, they represent different models or options of therapy. Some might seem old-fashioned now, but unfortunately, they reflect the situation in the past and some recent welcome changes.
I have described the way the story is told, and the writing not only flows well, despite the changes in the timeline, but it is also engaging, moving, and gripping. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an easy story to read from an emotional point of view; there are many dreadful things that take place in the book, and people who are at a fragile or vulnerable moment in life, and those who might have had difficult dealings with mental health services or suffer from severe mental health problems might find it a particularly painful read. Despite those caveats, readers cannot help getting caught up in the story, and the way the protagonist slowly comes to terms with who she is and gains insight into what is really important for her. Perhaps an easy life and peace of mind should not be her main priorities, and being true to herself is fundamental, but reaching that realisation is far from straightforward. There are many quotes I have highlighted and inspiring paragraphs, but I worry about letting the cat out of the bag, so rather than risking that, I would recommend that anybody with doubts check a sample of the writing, to see if it suits their taste.
The ending... I enjoyed it. I think it is perfect. It does not over-elaborate the point and leaves things open to readers’ imaginations, but it does so on an optimistic and hopeful note, and it does feel like a true resolution for the character. What else should we ask for?
In summary, this is a novel about a controversial subject that deals with it in a sensitive and truly insightful manner. It has an unforgettable central character, and it is beautifully written as well as inspiring and hopeful. I have included some warnings in the body of the review, but I am sure many readers will enjoy it and it will make them stop to think about the real world situation many people find themselves in and, perhaps, reconsider their opinions. Ah, I recommend reading until the end and learning a bit more, not only about the author but also about the publisher, Inspired Quill, their mission, and their contributions to charity (a 10% of all profits will be donated to charity). Oh, and the cover is a work of art. Beautiful.
February 9, 2022
This is one of those books that everyone should read at some point throughout their life. Beautifully written, emotive, powerful & will stay with you long after reading.
Subjects including self harm, suicide & gender related psychological issues are written about in a sensitive manner.
Characters are well rounded, realistic, with the story being told from both Diana & her parents points of view.
A fantastic 'coming of age story' which will resonate with many.
Many thanks to the author for my tour spot.
Rating 🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌
Subjects including self harm, suicide & gender related psychological issues are written about in a sensitive manner.
Characters are well rounded, realistic, with the story being told from both Diana & her parents points of view.
A fantastic 'coming of age story' which will resonate with many.
Many thanks to the author for my tour spot.
Rating 🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌
December 27, 2021
I was about a third of the way through this book, the end of chapter ten to be precise, when I recognised the nature of Diana's secret. And I saw how some readers would abandon the book once they made that connection. Others might even throw the book at the wall in disgust.
Either course would have been a mistake. What I wanted to do was to read on, in order to discover the degree of empathy Ms. Goodwin would bring to her analysis of the effect of Diana's troubled childhood, and the choice she made at the tender age of fifteen, upon her life up to the age of 45, thirty years later; on her parents, friends and potential lovers. I was not disappointed.
The biggest surprise was that this is a first novel. The second that, despite having won an award in 2016, it seems to have remained below the radar of potential readers. It has just 58 ratings and 33 reviews on Goodreads. Fortunately most of the ratings are four or five stars. I suppose the problem for many is the subject matter - and I am not going to reveal that here because it would constitute an enormous spoiler.
Suffice to say it is a subject that generates an incredible volume of highly charged debate, both on social media and in the mainstream. As an inveterate follower of current affairs on the BBC I can recall a recent debate on Question Time, and more than one feature on Newsnight, that dealt with the subject. As a follower of, and occasional contributor to, the on-line publication, Medium, I see articles and comments that make it clear that, in the USA especially, it is a source of anger and hate-fuelled rhetoric.
Ms Goodwin has examined the subject from all angles through the medium of a first person account from someone for whom it is a defining and ever present fact of life.
There are some superb evocations of life growing up in the 1960s, and as a teenager in the 1970s, in a small mining community in England. By alternating scenes from her childhood and adolescence with episodes from Diana's life as a lecturer at Newcastle University in 2005, Ms Goodwin enables us to observe the changes in moral attitudes that marked the intervening years. Changes that seem to have passed Diana by until she takes the courageous decision to reveal the truth about her background to a friend and colleague.
The characters are all well drawn and entirely believable. Early on I was struggling to empathise with Diana's parents but, by the end, it became clear that they were torn between their beliefs, as Catholics, and the realities of late twentieth century life. In their way they were as confused by the situation they found themselves in as was Diana. Most of the time they are in denial. Yet, towards the end there are scenes in which the normally taciturn father reveals a surprisingly tender side to his character, based on the bullying he witnessed during army service and the resultant tragedy.
There is one scene that contains extremely graphic sex which makes this book unsuitable for young audiences. In my opinion this is a shame, for there must be many confused adolescents who would benefit from the message of optimism that this truly magnificent novel conveys. The number of five star ratings for this book on Goodreads has just increased from 23 to 24 with the addition of mine.
Either course would have been a mistake. What I wanted to do was to read on, in order to discover the degree of empathy Ms. Goodwin would bring to her analysis of the effect of Diana's troubled childhood, and the choice she made at the tender age of fifteen, upon her life up to the age of 45, thirty years later; on her parents, friends and potential lovers. I was not disappointed.
The biggest surprise was that this is a first novel. The second that, despite having won an award in 2016, it seems to have remained below the radar of potential readers. It has just 58 ratings and 33 reviews on Goodreads. Fortunately most of the ratings are four or five stars. I suppose the problem for many is the subject matter - and I am not going to reveal that here because it would constitute an enormous spoiler.
Suffice to say it is a subject that generates an incredible volume of highly charged debate, both on social media and in the mainstream. As an inveterate follower of current affairs on the BBC I can recall a recent debate on Question Time, and more than one feature on Newsnight, that dealt with the subject. As a follower of, and occasional contributor to, the on-line publication, Medium, I see articles and comments that make it clear that, in the USA especially, it is a source of anger and hate-fuelled rhetoric.
Ms Goodwin has examined the subject from all angles through the medium of a first person account from someone for whom it is a defining and ever present fact of life.
There are some superb evocations of life growing up in the 1960s, and as a teenager in the 1970s, in a small mining community in England. By alternating scenes from her childhood and adolescence with episodes from Diana's life as a lecturer at Newcastle University in 2005, Ms Goodwin enables us to observe the changes in moral attitudes that marked the intervening years. Changes that seem to have passed Diana by until she takes the courageous decision to reveal the truth about her background to a friend and colleague.
The characters are all well drawn and entirely believable. Early on I was struggling to empathise with Diana's parents but, by the end, it became clear that they were torn between their beliefs, as Catholics, and the realities of late twentieth century life. In their way they were as confused by the situation they found themselves in as was Diana. Most of the time they are in denial. Yet, towards the end there are scenes in which the normally taciturn father reveals a surprisingly tender side to his character, based on the bullying he witnessed during army service and the resultant tragedy.
There is one scene that contains extremely graphic sex which makes this book unsuitable for young audiences. In my opinion this is a shame, for there must be many confused adolescents who would benefit from the message of optimism that this truly magnificent novel conveys. The number of five star ratings for this book on Goodreads has just increased from 23 to 24 with the addition of mine.
January 8, 2022
Diana Dodsworth is a psychology professor at Newcastle University. After a confused, unhappy childhood and making a decision in her mid teens that impacted on her in ways she didn’t expect, leaving her with a host of insecurities, she chooses now to live alone with her cat and tends generally not to get too involved with people. Privacy is very important to Diana and her past is something she keeps very much to herself.
Meeting recently divorced Simon at her friend’s birthday party is the catalyst for an upheaval in Diana’s somewhat lonely and reclusive lifestyle, particularly when he invites her to join him on a trip to Cairo during his sabbatical.
Diana’s story is revealed in alternating flashbacks, and the more we get to know her, the more understanding and sympathy she generates. It’s sad that her decision all those years ago didn’t really lead to a happier life. She wants to keep her secret at all costs and has effectively stalled her life. Meeting Simon has made her begin to re-evaluate the way she lives, and how confiding in the people closest to her might affect her going forward.
Sugar and Snails is a remarkableand poignant story, covering several significant topics, particularly the main one, which Anne Goodwin deals with sympathetically. I like the fact that we witness events unfolding from both Diana’s perspective and also that of her parents…the confusion, uncertainty, not knowing how to deal with the position they find themselves in. The characters are wonderfully drawn and realistic. It’s only when Diana’s secret is revealed that things, or situations read about previously, fall into place. I had no idea until then, although looking back perhaps there were subtle clues.
Sugar and Snails is described as ‘A triumphant mid-life coming-of-age story about bridging the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be.’ That sums it up in a nutshell, but there’s an awful lot going on in between those gaps.
Meeting recently divorced Simon at her friend’s birthday party is the catalyst for an upheaval in Diana’s somewhat lonely and reclusive lifestyle, particularly when he invites her to join him on a trip to Cairo during his sabbatical.
Diana’s story is revealed in alternating flashbacks, and the more we get to know her, the more understanding and sympathy she generates. It’s sad that her decision all those years ago didn’t really lead to a happier life. She wants to keep her secret at all costs and has effectively stalled her life. Meeting Simon has made her begin to re-evaluate the way she lives, and how confiding in the people closest to her might affect her going forward.
Sugar and Snails is a remarkableand poignant story, covering several significant topics, particularly the main one, which Anne Goodwin deals with sympathetically. I like the fact that we witness events unfolding from both Diana’s perspective and also that of her parents…the confusion, uncertainty, not knowing how to deal with the position they find themselves in. The characters are wonderfully drawn and realistic. It’s only when Diana’s secret is revealed that things, or situations read about previously, fall into place. I had no idea until then, although looking back perhaps there were subtle clues.
Sugar and Snails is described as ‘A triumphant mid-life coming-of-age story about bridging the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be.’ That sums it up in a nutshell, but there’s an awful lot going on in between those gaps.
December 27, 2021
I bought Sugar and Snails a long time ago but then other books got in the way so I was delighted to get a reminder of it when it appeared on the list for Rosie’s Book Review team and, as I am a member of that team, I happily moved it up my reading list. I’m so glad I did.
This story is about Diana who made a monumental decision aged just fifteen and, now aged forty-five, I felt that while that moment changed everything for her, she has still been living in some sort of hiatus for the last thirty years. Existing, rather than living, I suppose, as she wasn’t comfortable sharing who she was, not even with the closest of her friends, let alone with the new man in her life, Simon.
Diana is a psychology lecturer so there is some psychology in the book but it’s well explained, and interesting. I also enjoyed the structure of this story with alternate sections revealing the story of Diana’s childhood. This was so well written there was no chance of getting confused and I found it kept the interest level high, and the pages turning, because you wanted to find out what exactly had happened in Egypt all those years ago.
The depictions of Diana’s family were very well done too. The parents, who I initially thought rather uncaring, were actually, understandably, confused and at a loss as to what to do with their child. Her father, particularly, clearly haunted by what had happened to his friend when they were in the forces together, and later on. His guilt plain to see.
This story covers a highly controversial topic sensitively and the author writes these words at the end of the book, ‘I hope you find my words worthy of your time’. I most certainly did and I highly recommend this most excellent read.
This story is about Diana who made a monumental decision aged just fifteen and, now aged forty-five, I felt that while that moment changed everything for her, she has still been living in some sort of hiatus for the last thirty years. Existing, rather than living, I suppose, as she wasn’t comfortable sharing who she was, not even with the closest of her friends, let alone with the new man in her life, Simon.
Diana is a psychology lecturer so there is some psychology in the book but it’s well explained, and interesting. I also enjoyed the structure of this story with alternate sections revealing the story of Diana’s childhood. This was so well written there was no chance of getting confused and I found it kept the interest level high, and the pages turning, because you wanted to find out what exactly had happened in Egypt all those years ago.
The depictions of Diana’s family were very well done too. The parents, who I initially thought rather uncaring, were actually, understandably, confused and at a loss as to what to do with their child. Her father, particularly, clearly haunted by what had happened to his friend when they were in the forces together, and later on. His guilt plain to see.
This story covers a highly controversial topic sensitively and the author writes these words at the end of the book, ‘I hope you find my words worthy of your time’. I most certainly did and I highly recommend this most excellent read.
March 1, 2021
I guessed Diana's secret quite early on, but knowing her secret didn't mar my enjoyment of the story, perhaps because for a while I wasn't confident enough to not look for clues. Occasionally I thought I might have got it wrong but not for long.
Occasionally I felt Diana was being unremittingly negative about herself, but never having been in her position, how was I to know? Especially since she was, in a sense, a pioneer with little support available to her.
Still, her happiness towards the end brough something of a relief that she was capable of happiness. Having hopes dashed seems to have been the catalyst for her to decide to go for it anyway and, although the ending still awaited a definitive outcome, we felt that Diana was going to, at last, resolve her fears and find happiness on her own terms, one way or another.
Although it is difficult to find as much reading time as I'd like, this story kept me reading until the end.
Occasionally I felt Diana was being unremittingly negative about herself, but never having been in her position, how was I to know? Especially since she was, in a sense, a pioneer with little support available to her.
Still, her happiness towards the end brough something of a relief that she was capable of happiness. Having hopes dashed seems to have been the catalyst for her to decide to go for it anyway and, although the ending still awaited a definitive outcome, we felt that Diana was going to, at last, resolve her fears and find happiness on her own terms, one way or another.
Although it is difficult to find as much reading time as I'd like, this story kept me reading until the end.
January 10, 2022
This is Diana’s story, a woman struggling to feel comfortable in her own skin. The book explores confusion of identity, isolation and the emotional struggles that come with confronting these issues.
This is a somewhat controversial read but is written beautifully, the issues throughout the story are handled with love, care and sensitivity and I really liked this about the book. I also liked the alternating child to adult points of view, we learn about Diana’s feelings and experiences as a child which helps us to get a more rounded picture of what’s really going on in the characters mind.
Diana has had a difficult life, we learn about her past and also a very tough life changing decision she made when she was younger, that decision she presumed would make her happy, but quite often the grass isn’t always greener on the side.
This is definitely one to be added to your shopping baskets, engaging, intelligent, powerful, thought provoking and just bloody brilliant! Go pick it up!
I would like to say a massive thank you to the author of this amazing book, Anne Goodwin, for reaching out and giving me the opportunity to be a part of this tour, it has been an absolute pleasure reading and reviewing! 😻
This is a somewhat controversial read but is written beautifully, the issues throughout the story are handled with love, care and sensitivity and I really liked this about the book. I also liked the alternating child to adult points of view, we learn about Diana’s feelings and experiences as a child which helps us to get a more rounded picture of what’s really going on in the characters mind.
Diana has had a difficult life, we learn about her past and also a very tough life changing decision she made when she was younger, that decision she presumed would make her happy, but quite often the grass isn’t always greener on the side.
This is definitely one to be added to your shopping baskets, engaging, intelligent, powerful, thought provoking and just bloody brilliant! Go pick it up!
I would like to say a massive thank you to the author of this amazing book, Anne Goodwin, for reaching out and giving me the opportunity to be a part of this tour, it has been an absolute pleasure reading and reviewing! 😻
August 10, 2015
Diana Dodsworth is a respectable, middle-aged university lecturer who lives on her own, with only her cat for company. At a glance, her life is unexceptional - yet from the very first page of Anne Goodwin's debut novel Sugar and Snails, we know she has a secret. It's something that distances her from her friends and family and inhibits her relationship with her boyfriend, Simon. It's prevented her from travelling abroad for the last thirty years and still, in moments of crisis, drives her to shocking self-harm with a Stanley knife.
As it becomes evident that Diana is no stranger to A & E departments, we also realise she's not the easiest person to help - refusing the overtures of friends and the kindnesses of strangers. Diana is defensive and sensitive to perceived criticism; worrying obsessively that she has upset her friend Venus's daughter by telling her an inappropriate bedtime story - or rather, that she is judged harshly by others for having done so. Goodwin intertwines the present day with Diana's childhood in a north-eastern mining town and the reasons for her feelings of isolation begin to emerge.
The multiple strands and recurring memories at times threaten to overwhelm: the present where Simon is leaving for a sabbatical in Cairo; Diana's first meeting him at Venus's birthday party five months earlier; Diana at fifteen sandwiched between her parents in a Cairo taxi; at thirteen being taken by her mother to Lourdes; playing Romeo and Juliet with her school-friend Geraldine and her earliest memory at three years old, dressing up in her sister's tutu. It's a testament to Goodwin's skill as a writer that the thread of the narrative remains clear and pulls the reader towards its secret core.
The timing of a book's revelation is always tricky: too early and the ground hasn't been sufficiently prepared, too late and the reader begins to feel manipulated. For me, if anything, the full truth could have been confirmed a little sooner; once guessed, I was eager to explore the important contemporary issues that it raises.
Still, this is something which Goodwin picks up with great sensitivity and authenticity in the novel's latter pages. Diana lectures in psychology and, as she supervises Megan - a fragile young undergraduate - in her assignment, yet more painful memories are reawakened. She is forced to revisit her published doctoral research about the flawed process of adolescent decision-making, regretting, perhaps, how firmly she set her own life's path at only fifteen.
If some of the more minor characters like Megan and Simon (and to some extent her sometime friend Geraldine, whom I couldn't quite get a handle on) seem less rounded and primarily there to facilitate the plot, this doesn't lessen the impact of this absorbing and thoughtful story. As Diana takes the first tentative steps towards changing her life for the better, discovering that she too might enjoy the intimate relationships that others take for granted, I found myself cheering from the sidelines.
See my full review at http://claire-thinking.blogspot.co.uk...
As it becomes evident that Diana is no stranger to A & E departments, we also realise she's not the easiest person to help - refusing the overtures of friends and the kindnesses of strangers. Diana is defensive and sensitive to perceived criticism; worrying obsessively that she has upset her friend Venus's daughter by telling her an inappropriate bedtime story - or rather, that she is judged harshly by others for having done so. Goodwin intertwines the present day with Diana's childhood in a north-eastern mining town and the reasons for her feelings of isolation begin to emerge.
The multiple strands and recurring memories at times threaten to overwhelm: the present where Simon is leaving for a sabbatical in Cairo; Diana's first meeting him at Venus's birthday party five months earlier; Diana at fifteen sandwiched between her parents in a Cairo taxi; at thirteen being taken by her mother to Lourdes; playing Romeo and Juliet with her school-friend Geraldine and her earliest memory at three years old, dressing up in her sister's tutu. It's a testament to Goodwin's skill as a writer that the thread of the narrative remains clear and pulls the reader towards its secret core.
The timing of a book's revelation is always tricky: too early and the ground hasn't been sufficiently prepared, too late and the reader begins to feel manipulated. For me, if anything, the full truth could have been confirmed a little sooner; once guessed, I was eager to explore the important contemporary issues that it raises.
Still, this is something which Goodwin picks up with great sensitivity and authenticity in the novel's latter pages. Diana lectures in psychology and, as she supervises Megan - a fragile young undergraduate - in her assignment, yet more painful memories are reawakened. She is forced to revisit her published doctoral research about the flawed process of adolescent decision-making, regretting, perhaps, how firmly she set her own life's path at only fifteen.
If some of the more minor characters like Megan and Simon (and to some extent her sometime friend Geraldine, whom I couldn't quite get a handle on) seem less rounded and primarily there to facilitate the plot, this doesn't lessen the impact of this absorbing and thoughtful story. As Diana takes the first tentative steps towards changing her life for the better, discovering that she too might enjoy the intimate relationships that others take for granted, I found myself cheering from the sidelines.
See my full review at http://claire-thinking.blogspot.co.uk...
April 4, 2016
Sugar and snails is a beautifully written book. It’s kind of a mid life crisis/coming of age story with a difference.
Di is a woman in her mid 40s who has built a successful career yet remains unusually gauche and innocent. She has recently begun her first serious romantic relationship in a long time and is finding it difficult, she has kept herself at arms length from involvement for a long time, but is it herself she can't trust, or other people who have let her down in the past?
Her story is told in a series of flashbacks to her teenage years where it is clear she struggled to fit in with her family’s ideals and felt they would never understand her and as a result momentous decisions were made and actions taken which have impacted on her whole life.
Watching her family struggle to deal with her teenage angst, her inability to conform to their ideal of how their offspring should behave was enlightening and I went from holding them in some contempt to realising they really were making every effort to do what they thought was their best.
This is a beautifully written, character driven story, based around keeping secrets, and dealing with being different. It tackles some major issues in quite a gentle way.
I don’t think I will be causing any spoilers by confessing that I had in fact guessed what Di’s secrets were before I even began reading the book, but this didn’t spoil it for me as it was fascinating getting to know her character and discover how she grew from the misfit child to a woman I can only hold in the highest regard.
A moving and accomplished novel with a difference, especially poignant for anyone who, particularly as a child, felt misunderstood and different from everyone else.
I’d like to thank the author for sending me a copy of her book to read and provide my unbiased review.
Di is a woman in her mid 40s who has built a successful career yet remains unusually gauche and innocent. She has recently begun her first serious romantic relationship in a long time and is finding it difficult, she has kept herself at arms length from involvement for a long time, but is it herself she can't trust, or other people who have let her down in the past?
Her story is told in a series of flashbacks to her teenage years where it is clear she struggled to fit in with her family’s ideals and felt they would never understand her and as a result momentous decisions were made and actions taken which have impacted on her whole life.
Watching her family struggle to deal with her teenage angst, her inability to conform to their ideal of how their offspring should behave was enlightening and I went from holding them in some contempt to realising they really were making every effort to do what they thought was their best.
This is a beautifully written, character driven story, based around keeping secrets, and dealing with being different. It tackles some major issues in quite a gentle way.
I don’t think I will be causing any spoilers by confessing that I had in fact guessed what Di’s secrets were before I even began reading the book, but this didn’t spoil it for me as it was fascinating getting to know her character and discover how she grew from the misfit child to a woman I can only hold in the highest regard.
A moving and accomplished novel with a difference, especially poignant for anyone who, particularly as a child, felt misunderstood and different from everyone else.
I’d like to thank the author for sending me a copy of her book to read and provide my unbiased review.
August 6, 2015
4.5 stars
Sugar and Snails is a portrait of a woman in crisis; at first Diana's actions seem extreme but as I got to know her, and her back-story, I came to understand her reaction. There's a feeling throughout that Diana is as uncomfortable with who she is now in the present day as she was as a child. Her work as an academic psychologist leads her to suspect the decision she made as a teenager was wrong, to think that maybe, at fifteen, she was too impulsive and ill-informed, and that her actions haven't really led to a happier life. Now Diana has a chance of happiness, but to grab it she needs to step out of her comfort zone and face down her fears. Advised as a teenager to forget about the past, and 'put it behind her', that was exactly what she did but, never truly happy and always frightened that someone would find out, she's put much of her life on hold for 30 years; relationships, as such, have failed and, rather than risk change and scrutiny, she's stayed in one job settling for the familiar but unchallenging and dull.
This is the story of one specific person and her problem, but it raises a lot of wider issues from gender identity and stereotyping, and the way society forces us to conform, to how impetuous decisions made when young can affect our whole lives. Although she's written many short stories, this is Anne Goodwin's debut novel - I hope to read many more by her.
Sugar and Snails is a portrait of a woman in crisis; at first Diana's actions seem extreme but as I got to know her, and her back-story, I came to understand her reaction. There's a feeling throughout that Diana is as uncomfortable with who she is now in the present day as she was as a child. Her work as an academic psychologist leads her to suspect the decision she made as a teenager was wrong, to think that maybe, at fifteen, she was too impulsive and ill-informed, and that her actions haven't really led to a happier life. Now Diana has a chance of happiness, but to grab it she needs to step out of her comfort zone and face down her fears. Advised as a teenager to forget about the past, and 'put it behind her', that was exactly what she did but, never truly happy and always frightened that someone would find out, she's put much of her life on hold for 30 years; relationships, as such, have failed and, rather than risk change and scrutiny, she's stayed in one job settling for the familiar but unchallenging and dull.
This is the story of one specific person and her problem, but it raises a lot of wider issues from gender identity and stereotyping, and the way society forces us to conform, to how impetuous decisions made when young can affect our whole lives. Although she's written many short stories, this is Anne Goodwin's debut novel - I hope to read many more by her.
May 31, 2016
Diana is invited to travel to Cairo to visit her partner Simon, but something that happened when she was 15 on a visit to Egypt is holding her back. She is a very insecure woman who has clearly gone through something quite dramatic to make her that way, and she isn't willing to talk about it with anyone.
Through flashbacks to the past it soon becomes clear what Diana is insecure about; the secret she doesn't want to tell. I wonder if this becomes obvious to the reader before the author intended, but even so it doesn't interfere with the flow of the book. The revelation itself is not the end of the story, but the beginning of understanding Diana as an adult. Sugar and Snails gave me so much more than I was expecting.
The descriptions of childhood and teenage life drew me in. I wanted to know more about Diana's experience growing up. I didn't care much for Simon or the other characters because Diana's story was so much more important. She has struggled with her secret for more than 30 years and hasn't fully dealt with the psychological consequences of that. In her forties she is forced to confront the truth head on and find a way to deal with the emotional baggage left behind.
Anne Goodwin has taken a sensitive subject and treated it with respect and care. A beautiful and thought provoking read. One I won't forget for a long time!
I received a copy of the book from the author.
For more reviews visit https://mrsredsreviews.wordpress.com
Through flashbacks to the past it soon becomes clear what Diana is insecure about; the secret she doesn't want to tell. I wonder if this becomes obvious to the reader before the author intended, but even so it doesn't interfere with the flow of the book. The revelation itself is not the end of the story, but the beginning of understanding Diana as an adult. Sugar and Snails gave me so much more than I was expecting.
The descriptions of childhood and teenage life drew me in. I wanted to know more about Diana's experience growing up. I didn't care much for Simon or the other characters because Diana's story was so much more important. She has struggled with her secret for more than 30 years and hasn't fully dealt with the psychological consequences of that. In her forties she is forced to confront the truth head on and find a way to deal with the emotional baggage left behind.
Anne Goodwin has taken a sensitive subject and treated it with respect and care. A beautiful and thought provoking read. One I won't forget for a long time!
I received a copy of the book from the author.
For more reviews visit https://mrsredsreviews.wordpress.com
July 29, 2015
I was sent my review copy of Sugar and Snails by the publisher Inspired Quill, and I'm so glad I read it. It's a great debut from Anne Goodwin. A powerful and engaging novel about identity and the human struggle. Do you do your utmost to fit in to what society expects of you, or do you go your own way and risk isolation? If you enjoyed Claire Messud's the Woman Upstairs, you will love this. Diana Dodsworth is awkward, prickly and naturally solitary, but the reader would have to have a heart of stone not to warm to her and become engaged in her struggle. Involved, very tentatively, in a new relationship with Simon, the story finds Diana at a crossroads and, in parallel, begins to unravel the traumas of her past. I would recommend it. It's gripping, unpredictable and moving.
February 9, 2022
Diana had a difficult childhood: never quite happy with the person she was, she considered herself something of a misfit, a feeling that has followed her into adulthood - despite making a decision at fifteen-years-old that had a huge impact on the course of her life.
Thirty years later, she has finally met a man called Simon who she thinks she can be happy with, but opening herself up to a relationship also means sharing the secrets she has kept hidden for much of her life. It doesn't help that this man only sees a future for their relationship if she follows him on his sabbatical to Cairo - a city inextricably tied to the event that changed her life at fifteen, and one that she has no wish to set foot in again.
Can Diana find the courage to confront her demons and allow herself some happiness, or will following Simon to Cairo be too much for her to bear? Time for some big decisions...
I rarely find myself with such a dilemma in writing the review for a book that has impressed me as much as this one has, which is rather frustrating as I want to tell you all about how good it is. The blurb on the cover really does not prepare you for what lies within these pages, and as much as I would like to wax lyrical and delve into the way Anne Goodwin writes so beautifully about the affecting themes brought up in this story, the fear of spoilers prevents me.
So what can I tell you? This is a book about family, identity, working out where you fit in the world, and finding the courage to be open with others about who you are and what you want from life. It would seem that Diana should have found her answers at fifteen, when her life changed for ever, but actually her existence has been one limited by fear. She does not really come-of-age until she reaches forty-five and realises she has finally been given the opportunity to live her life as she wants to - if she is brave enough.
In effect, this book is a mystery story told in two timelines as we follow the threads of Diana's difficult childhood and adolescence in the past, and what happens in the present once she meets Simon. It takes some time for you to discover Diana's secrets, but the story is so perfectly constructed that at exactly the point when you put the pieces together and understanding dawns, all that has been hidden is now openly acknowledged in the text. It's almost surreal how well this works, and I am not sure I have ever seen this pulled off quite as brilliantly as Goodwin does in this story, with her cleverly sprinkled trail of breadcrumbs leading to a picture of such sudden clarity that all the theories you have previously been toying with are instantly dispelled and you wonder how you did not see the truth all along.
The writing draws you in and fills you with a myriad of emotions as you become immersed in Diana's story. There are many poignant and upsetting moments, and I was frequently brought to tears reading about Diana's experiences, but Goodwin handles them all with great sensitivity, and leads you to a moment in Diana's life that is filled with hope for the future. I cannot recommend this book highly enough - take my word for it, this will take you on an intriguing journey and you will be very glad to have given it your time.
Thirty years later, she has finally met a man called Simon who she thinks she can be happy with, but opening herself up to a relationship also means sharing the secrets she has kept hidden for much of her life. It doesn't help that this man only sees a future for their relationship if she follows him on his sabbatical to Cairo - a city inextricably tied to the event that changed her life at fifteen, and one that she has no wish to set foot in again.
Can Diana find the courage to confront her demons and allow herself some happiness, or will following Simon to Cairo be too much for her to bear? Time for some big decisions...
I rarely find myself with such a dilemma in writing the review for a book that has impressed me as much as this one has, which is rather frustrating as I want to tell you all about how good it is. The blurb on the cover really does not prepare you for what lies within these pages, and as much as I would like to wax lyrical and delve into the way Anne Goodwin writes so beautifully about the affecting themes brought up in this story, the fear of spoilers prevents me.
So what can I tell you? This is a book about family, identity, working out where you fit in the world, and finding the courage to be open with others about who you are and what you want from life. It would seem that Diana should have found her answers at fifteen, when her life changed for ever, but actually her existence has been one limited by fear. She does not really come-of-age until she reaches forty-five and realises she has finally been given the opportunity to live her life as she wants to - if she is brave enough.
In effect, this book is a mystery story told in two timelines as we follow the threads of Diana's difficult childhood and adolescence in the past, and what happens in the present once she meets Simon. It takes some time for you to discover Diana's secrets, but the story is so perfectly constructed that at exactly the point when you put the pieces together and understanding dawns, all that has been hidden is now openly acknowledged in the text. It's almost surreal how well this works, and I am not sure I have ever seen this pulled off quite as brilliantly as Goodwin does in this story, with her cleverly sprinkled trail of breadcrumbs leading to a picture of such sudden clarity that all the theories you have previously been toying with are instantly dispelled and you wonder how you did not see the truth all along.
The writing draws you in and fills you with a myriad of emotions as you become immersed in Diana's story. There are many poignant and upsetting moments, and I was frequently brought to tears reading about Diana's experiences, but Goodwin handles them all with great sensitivity, and leads you to a moment in Diana's life that is filled with hope for the future. I cannot recommend this book highly enough - take my word for it, this will take you on an intriguing journey and you will be very glad to have given it your time.
February 7, 2022
I’m thrilled to share my thoughts on Sugar and Snails as part of the book tour organised by Anne Goodwin. My thanks to Anne for my spot on the tour and for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
It’s thirty years since Diana made her momentous decision, one that she has kept hidden all that time, even from those closest to her. It felt a little like she had just been going through life rather than living it in the intervening years. The story is told from the different timelines but I found it easy to follow.
At first I though it was just another chicklit, until I read the second paragraph when it took a much darker tone. Now, there is depiction of self harm and suicide attempts so, if this may be a trigger, read with caution. I will add that these instances are dealt with in a caring way, never sensationalised nor gratuitous.
The characters were nicely fleshed out and very relatable. I liked Diana and could feel much of her pain. She could draw real empathy as she grew towards her life changing decision. Her parents, while seemingly standoffish, were actual deeply caring for Diana, and were important to the book. Not so much can be said for Simon, who I felt was less important as a person than he was as the catalyst for Diana to reevaluate her life and her place in the world.
Overall, I think the author’s style of writing lends itself to this story perfectly. While I was impressed right at the beginning, it improved as the story progressed. I would happily recommend this book to anyone looking for an intelligently written, heart wrenching book. I gave Sugar And Snails, by Anne Goodwin, five stars.
It’s thirty years since Diana made her momentous decision, one that she has kept hidden all that time, even from those closest to her. It felt a little like she had just been going through life rather than living it in the intervening years. The story is told from the different timelines but I found it easy to follow.
At first I though it was just another chicklit, until I read the second paragraph when it took a much darker tone. Now, there is depiction of self harm and suicide attempts so, if this may be a trigger, read with caution. I will add that these instances are dealt with in a caring way, never sensationalised nor gratuitous.
The characters were nicely fleshed out and very relatable. I liked Diana and could feel much of her pain. She could draw real empathy as she grew towards her life changing decision. Her parents, while seemingly standoffish, were actual deeply caring for Diana, and were important to the book. Not so much can be said for Simon, who I felt was less important as a person than he was as the catalyst for Diana to reevaluate her life and her place in the world.
Overall, I think the author’s style of writing lends itself to this story perfectly. While I was impressed right at the beginning, it improved as the story progressed. I would happily recommend this book to anyone looking for an intelligently written, heart wrenching book. I gave Sugar And Snails, by Anne Goodwin, five stars.
May 25, 2021
Diana, a shy and reserved middle-aged professor, enters into a relationship with the recently divorced Simon. This relationship causes her to rethink her past and her future in ways she never imagined. She realizes things can’t go on the way they are. If she wants a normal life with Simon, she must resolve the guilt she carries from her childhood.
This midlife crisis propels the woman on a journey of self-discovery. At fifteen, Diana and her parents made a decision that changed her life forever. Now, she has to deal with the reality of that mysterious trip to Cairo all those long years ago.
Diana’s past remained a secret, and not even her closest friends knew the truth. To make matters worse, this guilt eventually cripples her as an individual. She is reclusive and painfully shy.
By the time her secret is revealed, I found myself speechless, as I’d never fully guessed the true nature of her mystery. But this story isn’t about the mystery so much as it is about Diana and how she deals with the past so that can move on with her future. In the end, Simon didn’t matter. But Diana’s relationship with Simon was the mechanism that forced her to come to grips with the past.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Anne Goodwin, but it won’t be the last. I stayed up late into the night enthralled by the writing, and with Diana’s character. This is an unusual coming of age tale, even though the protagonist is middle-aged. Some themes in this book deal with sexuality, self-harm, and identity. This is a must-read for anyone who ever felt different as a child or misunderstood!
This midlife crisis propels the woman on a journey of self-discovery. At fifteen, Diana and her parents made a decision that changed her life forever. Now, she has to deal with the reality of that mysterious trip to Cairo all those long years ago.
Diana’s past remained a secret, and not even her closest friends knew the truth. To make matters worse, this guilt eventually cripples her as an individual. She is reclusive and painfully shy.
By the time her secret is revealed, I found myself speechless, as I’d never fully guessed the true nature of her mystery. But this story isn’t about the mystery so much as it is about Diana and how she deals with the past so that can move on with her future. In the end, Simon didn’t matter. But Diana’s relationship with Simon was the mechanism that forced her to come to grips with the past.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Anne Goodwin, but it won’t be the last. I stayed up late into the night enthralled by the writing, and with Diana’s character. This is an unusual coming of age tale, even though the protagonist is middle-aged. Some themes in this book deal with sexuality, self-harm, and identity. This is a must-read for anyone who ever felt different as a child or misunderstood!
February 28, 2021
What a fabulous, absorbing read.
Diana is a quiet university lecturer, going with the flow, trying to blend in. Her life changes dramatically when she's introduced to a new man which raises all kinds of anxiety.
The story flits easily between the present and the past, recapping and mentioning incidents as the present narrative alters the reader's understanding of them - some of them become more understandable, others more shocking. Highly recommended!
Diana is a quiet university lecturer, going with the flow, trying to blend in. Her life changes dramatically when she's introduced to a new man which raises all kinds of anxiety.
The story flits easily between the present and the past, recapping and mentioning incidents as the present narrative alters the reader's understanding of them - some of them become more understandable, others more shocking. Highly recommended!
October 18, 2025
What a unique book! I've never read a book with such a plot twist that changes the meaning of the first half of the book like that! Amazing! I went from not understanding Diane and disliking her, to understanding her motivations ENTIRELY and sympathising greatly. Excellent!
February 2, 2022
When I started reading Sugar and Snails I had no idea what Diana’s life-changing decision was and I made sure I didn’t read any spoilers. I didn’t guess either, though when I found out I was half-surprised and half not. Suddenly it began to make sense.
Beautifully and intelligently written, always engaging and emotional, this is a powerful book about love, sexuality, finding oneself and being different in an ever-changing world. There is so much more I would like to say but I don’t want to give anything away.
Diana, now a Psychology lecturer in Newcastle, appears relatively happy and content, living alone with her cat Marmaduke. But inside she is still hurting from the pain of her traumatic childhood. She keeps everyone at a distance emotionally, never giving anything away, not even to her best friend Venus, until she meets Simon and realises that she has to make a life-changing decision or lose him for good. But is she prepared to make that decision?
Diana’s story unfolds slowly but surely, unveiling secrets from her past and her present, until we finally meet the real person beneath the hidden and not so hidden scars. At times her story is painful to read and it’s hard to imagine what it must have been like to live a lie for so many years in a world that is so ready to judge.
Many thanks to Anne Goodwin for inviting me to be part of her online tour 2022.
Beautifully and intelligently written, always engaging and emotional, this is a powerful book about love, sexuality, finding oneself and being different in an ever-changing world. There is so much more I would like to say but I don’t want to give anything away.
Diana, now a Psychology lecturer in Newcastle, appears relatively happy and content, living alone with her cat Marmaduke. But inside she is still hurting from the pain of her traumatic childhood. She keeps everyone at a distance emotionally, never giving anything away, not even to her best friend Venus, until she meets Simon and realises that she has to make a life-changing decision or lose him for good. But is she prepared to make that decision?
Diana’s story unfolds slowly but surely, unveiling secrets from her past and her present, until we finally meet the real person beneath the hidden and not so hidden scars. At times her story is painful to read and it’s hard to imagine what it must have been like to live a lie for so many years in a world that is so ready to judge.
Many thanks to Anne Goodwin for inviting me to be part of her online tour 2022.
March 30, 2018
As I struggle to write, my friend Norah Colvin recommended this book because the author is so good at unraveling secrets. She is also great at dialogue, description and everything else a story needs to be a must-read. I'm not going to summarize the book because you must read it to enjoy it. I read most of the night, then got up after about an hour or two of sleep and finished it.
February 10, 2016
Sugar and Snails tell the story of Diana, a psychologist in her 40s. Diana has a few friends but has kept relationships at bay. Until now, when she has become involved with Simon Jenkins and their relationship is developing into something more serious. Simon is heading off to Cairo for a sabbatical and asks Diana to join him. Unknown to him, Cairo played a significant part in Diana’s past and she feels she is unable to return there for many reasons.
This was such a cleverly written book. A first person narrative from Diana’s perspective means the reader has a clear insight into her thoughts. Episodes from Diana’s past at various stages of her childhood and adulthood are woven into the story enabling the reader to come to understand what has made Diana the women she is today. Anne Goodwin has written a very powerful and thought-provoking story looking at issues which are quite rare in a novel. I can’t think of many others looking at the subject, at least in such a sensitive way. Through all the different stages of Diana’s life we come to learn how she has had to deal with very difficult feelings and how misunderstood she was. Anne Goodwin has used her own background in psychology to great effect both in exploring Diana’s feelings and her work.
It is hard to say more about this book without giving spoilers. You may guess Diana’s hidden secrets early on but you may not until all is revealed by the author and I don’t want to spoil it. All I will say is whether you have your suspicions or not, when you find out about Diana’s past you will appreciate just how clever Anne Goodwin has been in her writing. Diana is a brilliant character, very complex and rather brave. I found her parents particularly well drawn as they struggled to try to understand a situation they were bewildered by.
Sugar and Snails is a fascinating debut novel looking at identity and what makes us who we are. Anne Goodwin’s writing is excellent and she has a perfect balance of past and present. I found it very thought-provoking and think it is a book which explores a difficult topic in an engaging and enlightening way. I was totally engrossed in Diana’s story and highly recommend it.
(My thanks to the author Anne Goodwin for giving me a copy of her book to read and review. )
This was such a cleverly written book. A first person narrative from Diana’s perspective means the reader has a clear insight into her thoughts. Episodes from Diana’s past at various stages of her childhood and adulthood are woven into the story enabling the reader to come to understand what has made Diana the women she is today. Anne Goodwin has written a very powerful and thought-provoking story looking at issues which are quite rare in a novel. I can’t think of many others looking at the subject, at least in such a sensitive way. Through all the different stages of Diana’s life we come to learn how she has had to deal with very difficult feelings and how misunderstood she was. Anne Goodwin has used her own background in psychology to great effect both in exploring Diana’s feelings and her work.
It is hard to say more about this book without giving spoilers. You may guess Diana’s hidden secrets early on but you may not until all is revealed by the author and I don’t want to spoil it. All I will say is whether you have your suspicions or not, when you find out about Diana’s past you will appreciate just how clever Anne Goodwin has been in her writing. Diana is a brilliant character, very complex and rather brave. I found her parents particularly well drawn as they struggled to try to understand a situation they were bewildered by.
Sugar and Snails is a fascinating debut novel looking at identity and what makes us who we are. Anne Goodwin’s writing is excellent and she has a perfect balance of past and present. I found it very thought-provoking and think it is a book which explores a difficult topic in an engaging and enlightening way. I was totally engrossed in Diana’s story and highly recommend it.
(My thanks to the author Anne Goodwin for giving me a copy of her book to read and review. )
February 29, 2016
‘Sugar and Snails’ is quite an emotional book that deals with tough and often taboo subjects including self harm and psychological issues relating to gender.
It is the story of a one woman’s forty five year journey to find, and make peace with herself.
Di is a lecturer in psychology at university. She is not comfortable in her own skin and only allows a select few to get reasonably close to her, while still keeping the biggest part of herself a secret.
The story switches back and forth between the present day and Di’s past. I found the linking from the present to the past just right, and that the transition was mostly done seamlessly. There were enough past memories throughout the book to allow the reader to get a clear picture of why Di feels the way she does about herself.
This is an impressive début novel by Anne Goodwin. The pace of the book was just right and I found it easy to read as the words flowed naturally. I felt by the end of the book that I knew Di completely as she grew on me the more I learnt about her history.
All the characters were beautifully written and believable and I got a clear image of each of them in my head.
The story is told in such a way that I could not help but be self reflective and I certainly feel that I have learnt something about the issues addressed, despite it being as a work of fiction.
A fantastic book that I’m sure you will love.
Reviewed by Marcia at www.whisperingstories.com
It is the story of a one woman’s forty five year journey to find, and make peace with herself.
Di is a lecturer in psychology at university. She is not comfortable in her own skin and only allows a select few to get reasonably close to her, while still keeping the biggest part of herself a secret.
The story switches back and forth between the present day and Di’s past. I found the linking from the present to the past just right, and that the transition was mostly done seamlessly. There were enough past memories throughout the book to allow the reader to get a clear picture of why Di feels the way she does about herself.
This is an impressive début novel by Anne Goodwin. The pace of the book was just right and I found it easy to read as the words flowed naturally. I felt by the end of the book that I knew Di completely as she grew on me the more I learnt about her history.
All the characters were beautifully written and believable and I got a clear image of each of them in my head.
The story is told in such a way that I could not help but be self reflective and I certainly feel that I have learnt something about the issues addressed, despite it being as a work of fiction.
A fantastic book that I’m sure you will love.
Reviewed by Marcia at www.whisperingstories.com
August 19, 2016
In 'Sugar and Snails', Anne Goodwin has written a complex and intriguing book which really makes you think about issues around identity. Diane Dodsworth, the central character, is well drawn and complicated. We learn early on that she harbours a secret and that she has self- harmed since adolescence. A quiet, withdrawn person, she keeps most people at arm's length.We come to know the significant people in her life and gradually understand more about them.
I enjoyed the clever way the story was structured. Written in the first person, there are different strands of the narrative as it changes between the present day and different earlier periods in Diana's life. This novel certainly made me think. Not wanting to let slip any spoilers, I won't comment on the story in more detail. Suffice it to say, I had not guessed Diana's secret and I then enjoyed thinking back to earlier sections of the book with more insight.
I particularly enjoyed the way that the author's psychology background shone through, at times with humour. Empathy for Diana is built up as she tries to come to terms with how she feels about herself and about decisions which she has made. The book examines ideas about identity, how others see us and self- image with a deft touch.
In short: a poignant, challenging and ultimately enlightening read
Thanks to the author, Anne Goodwin for an e copy of the book.
I enjoyed the clever way the story was structured. Written in the first person, there are different strands of the narrative as it changes between the present day and different earlier periods in Diana's life. This novel certainly made me think. Not wanting to let slip any spoilers, I won't comment on the story in more detail. Suffice it to say, I had not guessed Diana's secret and I then enjoyed thinking back to earlier sections of the book with more insight.
I particularly enjoyed the way that the author's psychology background shone through, at times with humour. Empathy for Diana is built up as she tries to come to terms with how she feels about herself and about decisions which she has made. The book examines ideas about identity, how others see us and self- image with a deft touch.
In short: a poignant, challenging and ultimately enlightening read
Thanks to the author, Anne Goodwin for an e copy of the book.
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