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Stella Widstrand è una stimata psicoterapeuta. Ha una bella casa, una famiglia amorevole, una vita felicemente normale. Un giorno, però, una nuova paziente entra nel suo studio e, in un attimo, Stella torna a vent'anni prima, sulla spiaggia dov'era scomparsa Alice, la sua figlioletta di poco più di un anno. All'epoca, la polizia aveva concluso che la bambina era riuscita a raggiungere il mare ed era annegata, sebbene il corpo non fosse mai stato ritrovato. Nel fondo del suo cuore, però, Stella non ha mai creduto alla versione ufficiale e, adesso, ne è convinta: quella ragazza dai lunghi capelli neri è Alice. Una madre lo sa. Sa chi è sua figlia. E, per dimostrare di avere ragione, Stella è pronta a fare qualsiasi cosa. Anche a mettere a rischio la propria carriera. Anche ad affrontare oscuri segreti del passato e a camminare in bilico sul baratro della follia. Perché il confine che divide speranza e ossessione è sottile come un filo invisibile… Isabelle Karlsson ha dovuto lottare a lungo per avere il permesso di frequentare l'università a Stoccolma.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2017
142 people are currently reading
4748 people want to read
About the author
Elisabeth Norebäck
2 books80 followersElisabeth Norebäck (b. 1979) was born in Dalarna, Sweden, but lives in Stockholm with her husband and three children. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
TELL ME YOU’RE MINE was first published in 2017 and is Elisabeth Norebäck’s debut. NADIA was released in Sweden in December 2020.
TELL ME YOU’RE MINE was first published in 2017 and is Elisabeth Norebäck’s debut. NADIA was released in Sweden in December 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 527 reviews
September 6, 2018
This ticks a lot of boxes, hence me adding it to several of my shelves here on Goodreads.
I give this 4 stars. I’ll tell you why later.
The plot in this book is excellent. I can’t really fault it. The loss of a child you never get over but just imagine turning around for an instant and your child is gone.
The Police search come up with nothing. She gets to bury her child, make it final but without a body within that coffin can a Mother move on?
I imagined myself with so many questions. I really would find it difficult to move on or accept.
There’s always hope.
This book is told through three women and it’s uniquily interesting.
When the case is looked into again later us readers are privy to the interviews that were taken at the time.
I must say, I really felt I was on the journey too.
The relationship between the DI and her colleague was entertaining at times.
But even the DI has something to hide. It’s all very mysterious. Until Stuart turns up.
The inquisition that the Mom goes through was troublesome yet intriguing as they always look close to home first right?
The Mom. She’s a psychotherapist but isnt handling her own situation very well.
Especially when Isabelle turns up.
Isabelle and Stella take alternating chapters in this which makes for a reading experience that enhances the plot.
My grump was that the sentences were short, it’s been translated very well but the short sentences started to irritate me.
All in all this debut was good.
I give this 4 stars. I’ll tell you why later.
The plot in this book is excellent. I can’t really fault it. The loss of a child you never get over but just imagine turning around for an instant and your child is gone.
The Police search come up with nothing. She gets to bury her child, make it final but without a body within that coffin can a Mother move on?
I imagined myself with so many questions. I really would find it difficult to move on or accept.
There’s always hope.
This book is told through three women and it’s uniquily interesting.
When the case is looked into again later us readers are privy to the interviews that were taken at the time.
I must say, I really felt I was on the journey too.
The relationship between the DI and her colleague was entertaining at times.
But even the DI has something to hide. It’s all very mysterious. Until Stuart turns up.
The inquisition that the Mom goes through was troublesome yet intriguing as they always look close to home first right?
The Mom. She’s a psychotherapist but isnt handling her own situation very well.
Especially when Isabelle turns up.
Isabelle and Stella take alternating chapters in this which makes for a reading experience that enhances the plot.
My grump was that the sentences were short, it’s been translated very well but the short sentences started to irritate me.
All in all this debut was good.
July 23, 2018
2.5 stars
Loved the first half of the book even if the writing was overly dramatic at times. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is a mess. Stella Widstrand, a psychotherapist, starts seeing a new patient named Isabelle. Stella is convinced Isabelle is her daughter who went missing twenty years ago and was never found. As Stella attempts to get answers, her world turns upside down.
So it was very easy to get caught up in the story of whether this really was Stella's missing child or if Stella is an unreliable narrator. I definitely couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out the answer. The problem is by the start of the second half of the book, the story started playing out like something I've seen too many times before, most likely on the Lifetime Movie Network. And I'm not talking about the entertaining, big network movies from the 80s and 90s with Tracey Gold or Farrah Fawcett that LMN occasionally replays, I mean the more recent comically bad type of movies that star the third leading female on a CW show. The book just turned into an annoying mess with one outlandish thing happening after another. Really disappointing after what was a promising start.
Thank you First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
Loved the first half of the book even if the writing was overly dramatic at times. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is a mess. Stella Widstrand, a psychotherapist, starts seeing a new patient named Isabelle. Stella is convinced Isabelle is her daughter who went missing twenty years ago and was never found. As Stella attempts to get answers, her world turns upside down.
So it was very easy to get caught up in the story of whether this really was Stella's missing child or if Stella is an unreliable narrator. I definitely couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out the answer. The problem is by the start of the second half of the book, the story started playing out like something I've seen too many times before, most likely on the Lifetime Movie Network. And I'm not talking about the entertaining, big network movies from the 80s and 90s with Tracey Gold or Farrah Fawcett that LMN occasionally replays, I mean the more recent comically bad type of movies that star the third leading female on a CW show. The book just turned into an annoying mess with one outlandish thing happening after another. Really disappointing after what was a promising start.
Thank you First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
September 4, 2018
Tell Me You're Mine is a slow simmering suspenseful tale of three women: Stella, a psychologist, wife and mother to a 13 year old boy and to a child that was presumed dead twenty years ago. Isabelle, who is seeking answers about her own very confusing life after she was harshly told that the father who recently died was not her biological father and Kirsten, Isabelle's mother, who is desperately trying to hold on to her daughter while her life is crumbling to pieces around her. As the lives of these three women merge, we see how very fine the line can be between sanity and the brink of madness.
This is a debut novel for Noreback who does an incredible job of pulling you into the lives of these women. She craftfully creates a web of lies, deception, fear and insanity. As Stella becomes more convinced that Isabelle is her "dead" daughter, those around her fear she is on a brink of a breakdown. Stella has done this before, seen her daughter where she did not exist, and she is currently being investigated for having an unhealthy relationship with a patient. Perhaps she is losing her mind. As Isabelle looks for more answers, the questions she is asking and the independence she is seeking causes her own mother to crumble. As readers we, too, are forced to ask questions - who is sane, who isn't, where should loyalties lie in situations like this and who is telling the truth.
I found the story very engaging and suspenseful. I felt Stella's terror as she questions her sanity and wanted so badly for her to be correct about Isabelle being her daughter. I became enraged with her husband who questioned Stella's version of the truth. I desperately wanted him to be stronger and believe her. Noreback does a terrific job creating these very dynamic, sympathetic characters. Ultimately, however, this is a suspense tale and the action packed ending will leave you breathless.
Admittedly, there were times that I felt the book dragged, or perhaps it was just that I was engrossed in the story that I wanted to know how it ended - who was telling the truth. Regardless, I read it in a day because I could not put it down. For me, that alone makes a book at least 3.5 to 4 stars. If I am that engaged with the characters then it's a good tale - and this is.
I highly recommend it for mystery/suspense lovers and I look forward to reading more from this new author in the future. The book is on sale today at Amazon and your local book sellers. I'd love to hear from you if read it or have read it. Drop me a comment below.
Thanks to #Edelweiss, #ElisabethNoreback and #ThePenguinPublishingGroup for me advanced copy of this terrific book.
This is a debut novel for Noreback who does an incredible job of pulling you into the lives of these women. She craftfully creates a web of lies, deception, fear and insanity. As Stella becomes more convinced that Isabelle is her "dead" daughter, those around her fear she is on a brink of a breakdown. Stella has done this before, seen her daughter where she did not exist, and she is currently being investigated for having an unhealthy relationship with a patient. Perhaps she is losing her mind. As Isabelle looks for more answers, the questions she is asking and the independence she is seeking causes her own mother to crumble. As readers we, too, are forced to ask questions - who is sane, who isn't, where should loyalties lie in situations like this and who is telling the truth.
I found the story very engaging and suspenseful. I felt Stella's terror as she questions her sanity and wanted so badly for her to be correct about Isabelle being her daughter. I became enraged with her husband who questioned Stella's version of the truth. I desperately wanted him to be stronger and believe her. Noreback does a terrific job creating these very dynamic, sympathetic characters. Ultimately, however, this is a suspense tale and the action packed ending will leave you breathless.
Admittedly, there were times that I felt the book dragged, or perhaps it was just that I was engrossed in the story that I wanted to know how it ended - who was telling the truth. Regardless, I read it in a day because I could not put it down. For me, that alone makes a book at least 3.5 to 4 stars. If I am that engaged with the characters then it's a good tale - and this is.
I highly recommend it for mystery/suspense lovers and I look forward to reading more from this new author in the future. The book is on sale today at Amazon and your local book sellers. I'd love to hear from you if read it or have read it. Drop me a comment below.
Thanks to #Edelweiss, #ElisabethNoreback and #ThePenguinPublishingGroup for me advanced copy of this terrific book.
September 11, 2020
Primeiro livro que leio da autora e não podia ter tido uma surpresa melhor. Um thriller psicológico de cortar a respiração.
Stella é uma psicoterapeutica de renome. Para além de ajudar as pessoas a lidar com os seus traumas, ela própria tem um passado perturbador e traumático que não consegue esquecer.
No entanto, apesar do seu passado, reconstruiu a sua vida e tenta levar uma vida normal, apesar de nunca esquecer o que deixou para trás.
Ate que um dia a sua normalidade e tudo o que construiu é posto em causa quando uma paciente entra no seu gabinete.
Quem será aquela paciente capaz de abalar tanto Stella? Isabelle, a paciente, faz-lhe relembrar a filha à muito tempo dada como morta. Mas Stella nunca acreditou que estaria morte e nunca desistiu de a encontrar.
A partir deste momento Stella volta a reviver os demónios do passado, os pesadelos constantes, o medo, a angústia, a esperança. Será que aquela paciente é quem ela pensar ser?
Apesar dos vários acontecimentos psicóticos, de internamentos compulsivos, de ninguém acreditar nela e achar que estava louca, Stella nunca desiste de chegar à verdade.
Uma história com um ritmo alucinante, narrada pelas três personagens de uma forma de suster a respiração. Três personagens que vivem com traumas e que, no fim, encontram-se todas interligadas. O facto de não sabermos quem está a dizer a verdade torna toda a narrativa mais intensa.
Stella é uma psicoterapeutica de renome. Para além de ajudar as pessoas a lidar com os seus traumas, ela própria tem um passado perturbador e traumático que não consegue esquecer.
No entanto, apesar do seu passado, reconstruiu a sua vida e tenta levar uma vida normal, apesar de nunca esquecer o que deixou para trás.
Ate que um dia a sua normalidade e tudo o que construiu é posto em causa quando uma paciente entra no seu gabinete.
Quem será aquela paciente capaz de abalar tanto Stella? Isabelle, a paciente, faz-lhe relembrar a filha à muito tempo dada como morta. Mas Stella nunca acreditou que estaria morte e nunca desistiu de a encontrar.
A partir deste momento Stella volta a reviver os demónios do passado, os pesadelos constantes, o medo, a angústia, a esperança. Será que aquela paciente é quem ela pensar ser?
Apesar dos vários acontecimentos psicóticos, de internamentos compulsivos, de ninguém acreditar nela e achar que estava louca, Stella nunca desiste de chegar à verdade.
Uma história com um ritmo alucinante, narrada pelas três personagens de uma forma de suster a respiração. Três personagens que vivem com traumas e que, no fim, encontram-se todas interligadas. O facto de não sabermos quem está a dizer a verdade torna toda a narrativa mais intensa.
May 11, 2021
3.5 stars.
Stella is a psychotherapist whose infant daughter disappeared many years ago. Stella meets a new patient, Isabel, who feels very familiar and seems to be what her daughter would have turned out like.
This story unfolds through three intriguing perspectives. Each one done extremely well, slowly revealing more pieces to the puzzle. The storyline is pushed forth by paranoia, manipulation and obsession. Unreliable narrators make it tricky to know who to believe. I felt for the characters and worried that the overwhelming sense of paranoia was leading to a mental breakdown. It was heartbreaking to experience but very well conveyed. There are unexpected twists that kept me curious and invested. Toward the end, the storyline became unrealistic but remained entertaining. I would have liked less drama and more of a realistic, less over-the-top ending but I still really enjoyed the novel.
Audio rating: 4 stars! The narrators were great! They did a wonderful job with the characters and made this an enjoyable listening experience.
Thank you to Edelweiss for my review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
Stella is a psychotherapist whose infant daughter disappeared many years ago. Stella meets a new patient, Isabel, who feels very familiar and seems to be what her daughter would have turned out like.
This story unfolds through three intriguing perspectives. Each one done extremely well, slowly revealing more pieces to the puzzle. The storyline is pushed forth by paranoia, manipulation and obsession. Unreliable narrators make it tricky to know who to believe. I felt for the characters and worried that the overwhelming sense of paranoia was leading to a mental breakdown. It was heartbreaking to experience but very well conveyed. There are unexpected twists that kept me curious and invested. Toward the end, the storyline became unrealistic but remained entertaining. I would have liked less drama and more of a realistic, less over-the-top ending but I still really enjoyed the novel.
Audio rating: 4 stars! The narrators were great! They did a wonderful job with the characters and made this an enjoyable listening experience.
Thank you to Edelweiss for my review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
August 5, 2018
Tell Me You're Mine was an interesting thriller to say the least.
Stella Widstrand is a psychotherapist who starts seeing a new patient named Isabelle. Stella believes that Isabelle is her daughter who went missing twenty years ago and was never found. As Stella becomes obsessive with finding out the truth.. her world turns upside down.
I was very curious of finding out if Isabelle was really Stella's missing child or if there is something else sinister going in with Isabelle. Unfortunately, the book just turned into an annoying mess with one outlandish thing happening after another. Really disappointing after what was a promising premise and start.
I'm not sure that I would recommend this one to thriller fans. I think many will be left disappointed and wanting more.
2 stars for me on this one
Huge thank you to Netgalley and P.G Putnam Son's for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication date: 9/4/18
Published to GR: 8/5/18
Stella Widstrand is a psychotherapist who starts seeing a new patient named Isabelle. Stella believes that Isabelle is her daughter who went missing twenty years ago and was never found. As Stella becomes obsessive with finding out the truth.. her world turns upside down.
I was very curious of finding out if Isabelle was really Stella's missing child or if there is something else sinister going in with Isabelle. Unfortunately, the book just turned into an annoying mess with one outlandish thing happening after another. Really disappointing after what was a promising premise and start.
I'm not sure that I would recommend this one to thriller fans. I think many will be left disappointed and wanting more.
2 stars for me on this one
Huge thank you to Netgalley and P.G Putnam Son's for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication date: 9/4/18
Published to GR: 8/5/18
January 30, 2020
I really, really enjoyed this book! Sometimes when you read a book that has been translated from another language, it comes across choppy, but that was not the case with Tell Me You're Mine. A little farfetched at times, but great story!!
August 25, 2018
Twenty years ago, Stella's baby went missing while on a family vacation. Stella believed someone took her child, but the authorities in the case determined that the baby likely got too close to the ocean and drowned. Despite no body being found, the baby, Alice, was declared dead. However, Stella has continued to believe her child to be out there somewhere. Stella is now a therapist, and her new patient, Isabelle, bears a striking resemblance to what she imagines her daughter would look like.
Told with alternating points of view, both Stella and Isabella's stories are presented. Stella seems to be doing well with her therapy practice, she is happily married, and has a teenage son. She has always thought her daughter to be alive, and has suffered with issues related to that. Isabelle is a young woman in college. She has a roommate, friends, a love interest, and an overbearing mother she is trying to distance herself from.
A slow building story with a somewhat unreliable narrator. Stella believes she has found her missing daughter, but other events are making her seem unstable and paranoid. Isabelle has questions about her past, but is mainly focused on gaining her independence.
This book is translated from Swedish. For me, this book was a little hard to follow. I don't know if it was the translation that failed to pull me in, or if it was the ARC version I read. The ARC formatting, or rather lack of formatting, made it hard to follow the multiple viewpoints presented. Obviously, this will not be an issue in the published version.
A dark psychological thriller. Complex, twisty, and suspenseful.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Told with alternating points of view, both Stella and Isabella's stories are presented. Stella seems to be doing well with her therapy practice, she is happily married, and has a teenage son. She has always thought her daughter to be alive, and has suffered with issues related to that. Isabelle is a young woman in college. She has a roommate, friends, a love interest, and an overbearing mother she is trying to distance herself from.
A slow building story with a somewhat unreliable narrator. Stella believes she has found her missing daughter, but other events are making her seem unstable and paranoid. Isabelle has questions about her past, but is mainly focused on gaining her independence.
This book is translated from Swedish. For me, this book was a little hard to follow. I don't know if it was the translation that failed to pull me in, or if it was the ARC version I read. The ARC formatting, or rather lack of formatting, made it hard to follow the multiple viewpoints presented. Obviously, this will not be an issue in the published version.
A dark psychological thriller. Complex, twisty, and suspenseful.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2018
The lives of 3 women collide with a deadly force. Three women: one who believes she has found her long lost daughter, one terrified she's about to lose her child, and one determined to understand who she truly is.
Stella is a psychotherapist with a tragic past. More than 20 years ago her infant daughter disappeared. Authorities determined that she had somehow got out of her stroller and fell into the swirling waters and drowned. Even though there is a marker in the cemetery with her name, she is not buried there. Stella has always believed that someone took her and her daughter is still alive.
But everyone around her thinks she is mentally unbalanced. Sometimes she thinks she is, too. She suffers from guilt .... she left her daughter alone for just a moment ..and that moment was long enough for her baby to disappear. She suffers from grief ... she has mourned her daughter every single day.
Alternating voices of these women tell a story about love ... and obsession. How far will a mother go to protect her children? What will she sacrifice ?
This author has started her career with a winner. It's a riveting domestic suspense debut that had me hooked from the very first page. The characters are cleverly showcased. The suspense starts out fairly low key, but it increases significantly with each chapter leading to an explosive nail-biting ending.
Many thanks to the author / G P Putnam's Sons / Netgalley / Edelweiss for the advanced digital copy of this psychological thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 28, 2018
I received a free e-copy of Tell Me You're Mine by Elisabeth Noreback from NetGalley for my honest review.
This book is told through the eyes of three different characters (Stella, Isabelle and Kerstin). Stella was on a family vacation by the sea twenty years ago. On that vacation, Stella's daughter disappeared and it was presumed that she drowned. All that remained was her red stroller which was turned over in the sand. Her body was never found.
Stella never believed that her daughter was dead. Keep in mind that Stella is very dramatic but she is convinced that her new patient, Isabelle, is her daughter, Alice. Is she loosing her mind or is Isabelle really her daughter? Kerstin, is Stella's mother and you really don't find out anything about her until the end which I don't want to give away.
I enjoyed the book and there were a lot of twists and turns but the first half of the book was a bit slow for me. It was worth reading as I enjoyed the last half of the book more than the first.
This book is told through the eyes of three different characters (Stella, Isabelle and Kerstin). Stella was on a family vacation by the sea twenty years ago. On that vacation, Stella's daughter disappeared and it was presumed that she drowned. All that remained was her red stroller which was turned over in the sand. Her body was never found.
Stella never believed that her daughter was dead. Keep in mind that Stella is very dramatic but she is convinced that her new patient, Isabelle, is her daughter, Alice. Is she loosing her mind or is Isabelle really her daughter? Kerstin, is Stella's mother and you really don't find out anything about her until the end which I don't want to give away.
I enjoyed the book and there were a lot of twists and turns but the first half of the book was a bit slow for me. It was worth reading as I enjoyed the last half of the book more than the first.
Read
August 11, 2018
This is a DNF @ 52% review,
and that's why I'm not leaving a star rating. Despite being written well and being truly engaging,
this read turned out to be far too triggering for me.
It's about a mother suddenly suspecting that she met a child who was abducted and thought dead about 20 years ago. There's lots of talk about depression (for multiple of the characters), lots of discussion about guilt and just general human manipulations. I guess the fact that it gave me anxiety attacks means it was written well and was quite tense, but I guess I was just not the person to read a book like that. I might have expected a completely different story when I read the blurb.
However, if you like psychological thrillers and don't get triggered by anxiety, depression, child abduction, controlling [adoptive] mothers and guilt discussion, I'm sure you'll love this. Like I said, it is written well. Just not for me.
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April 30, 2018
Me ha gustado bastante, quizás en alguna parte se me hizo un pelin lento, pero luego no he podido parar de leer, trepidante!!! Lo que sí, es que me pareció que esta historia merecía un capítulo más o al menos un epílogo, yo que sé..
June 12, 2019
A missing child arc is one of my favorite. This book by Elisabeth Noreback was a predictive formulaic story about a mother Stella losing her child 20 years ago where everyone, including her partner Daniel, were convinced that her one-year-old daughter had upturned her pram and drowned. BUT NOT STELLA.
A successful psychotherapist with her own practice, Stella lived a peaceful life with husband and son. And in walked a girl Isabelle, resembling her dead daughter. And her mental trauma started.
My first book by this Swedish author, some nuances of emotions might have been lost in the translation. I liked the mother Stella's conviction about her daughter at the very first glance. A mother always knows.
The story started slow, with domestic drama and panic attacks. Then the mother's mental health went into a downward spiral with disbelief from the people in her life, her practice came to a stand still, her friends and family moved away. Her weird behavior affected everyone.
Told in 3 POV, Stella, Isabelle, and Isabelle's mother Kirsten, the story came to a conclusive end when their worlds collided and crashed. My niggles started from the very beginning. The prose was written in a slow convoluted manner to produce intrigue, with over reaction from all the 3 women without anything really happening. A detailed backstory of the past might have helped me to like the main character.
Overall, I still liked the book for the missing child plot. A fun 2 hour read at breakfast.
A successful psychotherapist with her own practice, Stella lived a peaceful life with husband and son. And in walked a girl Isabelle, resembling her dead daughter. And her mental trauma started.
My first book by this Swedish author, some nuances of emotions might have been lost in the translation. I liked the mother Stella's conviction about her daughter at the very first glance. A mother always knows.
The story started slow, with domestic drama and panic attacks. Then the mother's mental health went into a downward spiral with disbelief from the people in her life, her practice came to a stand still, her friends and family moved away. Her weird behavior affected everyone.
Told in 3 POV, Stella, Isabelle, and Isabelle's mother Kirsten, the story came to a conclusive end when their worlds collided and crashed. My niggles started from the very beginning. The prose was written in a slow convoluted manner to produce intrigue, with over reaction from all the 3 women without anything really happening. A detailed backstory of the past might have helped me to like the main character.
Overall, I still liked the book for the missing child plot. A fun 2 hour read at breakfast.
April 30, 2018
Aunque ultimámente he leído varios de los thrillers tildados de psicológicos, con algunas decepciones; con este no ha sido el caso. Me ha gustado como la autora nos va desarrollando la trama, del antes y del ahora, alternando capítulos narrados por las principales protagonistas; además, con esto, consigue "ocultarnos" cosas que sería muy forzado de ser un único narrador. El ritmo de narración es rápido, los acontecimientos presentes se van sucediendo, dando pie a describir los acontecimientos del pasado.
July 5, 2019
Este é um livro narrado a 3 vozes, sendo uma delas, Stella Widstrand uma psicoterapeuta conceituada, casada, mãe de um rapaz de 13 anos e com uma vida, aparentemente feliz. No entanto, há vinte anos, a sua filha desapareceu misteriosamente e toda a gente julga que a bebé Alice morreu mas não Stella.
Um dia, a jovem Isabelle (outra das nossas narradoras), vem para uma consulta e Stella acredita que, Isabelle é na realidade a sua filha Alice.
Vamos então acompanhando a "obsessão" de Stella por Isabelle, onde a acção se desenrola lentamente, permitindo-nos perceber a evolução de acontecimentos. O que nos leva a questionar se, o comportamento de Stella é o adequado e se o que vai acontecendo é mesmo real ou não.
Foi também muito bom perceber o ponto de vista de Isabelle e da sua mãe, a sua relação e toda a pressão psicológica, bem como o comportamento da mãe.
Para mim, o livro "pecou" com o final, onde senti que tudo aconteceu muito rápido e algo aberto, pois gostava de ter ficado a saber mais sobre o desfecho das personagens. Ainda assim foi uma grande leitura.
Vejam a minha opinião mais detalhada em vídeo, AQUI.
March 11, 2018
Tukholmalaisen Elisabeth Norebäckin esikoistrilleri Sano että olet minun kiihtyi kirjan lopussa sellaiseen vauhtiin, että kirja oli luettava loppuun asti yön pimeinä tunteina, sillä tapahtumien vauhti oli sen verran kiihkeää ja koukuttavaa. Kirjan loppu kuvasi sitä, mitä kaikkea kauhutekoihin pystyvä ihminen tekee ajatellessaan vain itseään.
Kirjassa on kolme kertojaa: Stella, Isabelle ja Kerstin. Kirjan kuvioissa muistellaan kahdenkymmenen vuoden takaisia tapahtumia, joihin jokainen näistä naisista osallistui tavalla tai toisella. Nuo tapahtumat halutaan pitää salaisina, sillä niiden julkitulo muuttaisi heidän elämänsä.
Kyseessä on menetys ja suru ja vastakohtana sieppaus, alistaminen sekä väkivalta. Kahdenlaista rakkautta, vai voiko toista sanoa rakkaudeksi?
Näistä aineksista ja paljosta muusta koostuu Elisabeth Norebäckin jännittävä ja osin piinaava esikoistrilleri. Psykologisten trillereiden lukijoille uusi lupaava kirjailija, jonka kirjoja aion lukea jatkossakin.
Kirjassa on kolme kertojaa: Stella, Isabelle ja Kerstin. Kirjan kuvioissa muistellaan kahdenkymmenen vuoden takaisia tapahtumia, joihin jokainen näistä naisista osallistui tavalla tai toisella. Nuo tapahtumat halutaan pitää salaisina, sillä niiden julkitulo muuttaisi heidän elämänsä.
Kyseessä on menetys ja suru ja vastakohtana sieppaus, alistaminen sekä väkivalta. Kahdenlaista rakkautta, vai voiko toista sanoa rakkaudeksi?
Näistä aineksista ja paljosta muusta koostuu Elisabeth Norebäckin jännittävä ja osin piinaava esikoistrilleri. Psykologisten trillereiden lukijoille uusi lupaava kirjailija, jonka kirjoja aion lukea jatkossakin.
April 8, 2022
Começou melhor do que acabou...
June 10, 2019
Originally released in her native language, TELL ME YOU'RE MINE is Elisabeth Norebäck's domestic suspense debut set in Sweden. A slow simmering suspenseful tale, the story surrounds three women whose lives ultimately collide with unrelenting force. Stella, who believes she has found her long lost daughter, Kerstin who is terrified she's about to lose her child, and Isabelle who is determined to understand who she truly is.
Stella Wildstrand, now approaching 40, is a successful psychologist and psychotherapist, married to Henrik and together they have a 13 year old son Milo. But Stella's life has not always been so rosy. Twenty years ago, she had a daughter, Alice, who disappeared from her pram whilst on holiday. Everyone thought Alice had drowned - that she had somehow gotten out of her pram and fell into the swirling waters and drowned. But Stella has always believed that someone took her daughter. And despite there being a gravestone marking her name, Alice is not buried there. Her body was never found.
Stella went through years of harrowing torment, aching and longing for her child. She suffers immense guilt at leaving Alice alone for just a moment as she slept. And a moment was all it took for her baby girl to disappear. Her grief is palpable as she mourns her every day. Ten years ago she believed she saw her in the street...but maybe she just imagined it. Although Stella moved on with her life, somewhere deep inside she continued to believe that Alice was still alive.
When 22 year old Isabelle walks into her office for therapy, Stella is speechless. Isabelle is the image of Daniel's sister with her raven black hair, elfish ear and even the same dimples. Stella begins to wonder if she sought her out on the pretense of needing therapy. But Isabelle is seeking answers to the mystery that is her confusing life on a journey to discover who she really is. She has grown up in complete isolation with her mother and the man she thought was her father. When he died suddenly, her mother cruelly informed her that he wasn't her biological father. Isabelle was devastated. She adored her father and was shattered when he died and now her mother has taken away that one lasting link between them with those words.
Moving from her isolated existence in Borlänge to study in Stockholm, Isabelle gained a new independence. One she had never known before. She moved into a flat with one her friends from college, Johanna, and even began to explore the idea of a relationship with the handsome Fredde. It was all new to her, having been sheltered from anything resembling romance or independence. In a bid to learn who she truly is and to break free from her mother's demands, Isabelle begins therapy with Stella.
And then there is Kerstin Larsson, Isabelle's mother, who is desperately trying to hold on to her daughter as her life crumbles to pieces around her. Kerstin appears to go to great lengths to keep her daughter and sets about trying to encourage her to return home.
Little did any of them know just what wheels were set in motion and the train wreck it would all become.
The lives of Stella, Isabelle and Kerstin all collide with a deadly force and spirals out of control in a way that is both shocking and heartbreaking.
But for Stella, strange things start happening. She sees a hooded figure standing outside their home but when she tells Henrik, the figure has gone. She receives her own "death notice" in the letter box. She gets phone calls about Milo which send her into a panic - calls for which no one claims responsibility. She is reported for inappropriateness and stalking and the police question her. Then Milo is involved in a hit and run where the driver refused to stop...but as he had Stella's bright red umbrella with him, it becomes clear the target was Stella. But no one believes her.
Everyone believes Stella is unbalanced. That she is delusional. Sometimes she wonders if she is too. But she firmly believes with each passing day that Isabelle is really Alice and that Kerstin took her when she was just a year old. Why? She has no idea. How? Even less so. Henrik grows increasingly worried about his wife as she begins behaving strangely, becoming secretive and taking mysterious trips to support her unfounded belief. He ponders whether to have her committed again.
But where is the line between hope and madness?
But one thing is for sure...even when you think you know what happened, you will continued to be shocked.
The plot for TELL ME YOU'RE MINE is excellent. I cannot fault it at all. Some may find it a little convoluted with the structure a little abrupt here and there and short sentences, but I put that down to translation. Don't forget, this book was originally written in Swedish so when it was adapted to English there was obviously some lost in translation. But I didn't let that worry me. Swedish grammar is different to English grammar, I'm sure, so it was always going to evolve differently.
Told from alternating points of view between Stella, Isabelle and Kerstin...and even some excerpts from Stella's diary when she was first pregnant and in the wake of Alice's disappearance. Each voice tells a story of love, loss, grief...and even obsession. I enjoyed each of their perspectives although I admit to inwardly groaning when Kerstin's chapters came up as I just knew things weren't going to end well there.
As much as I liked Stella, I couldn't relate to her pain and her grief (never having been a mother myself)...though I could well imagine how heartbreaking it would be. I felt for her because from the beginning I invested so much in her and I believed in her. Like her, I believed Alice was still alive. I felt for her when she kept stumbling over obvious mistakes and making terrible judgments. I wanted her to be right. I didn't want her to have to go through all this...only to end up with nothing. To be wrong. After everything she has been through. But inside, I kept screaming at her to trust Henrik, to talk to him.
I really liked Isabelle and I could relate to her gaining independence and trying to find her place in the world. I could sense her apprehension at seeking answers to questions about who she was. And I could feel her irritability at her mother. But oh, I could have slapped her when she continued to give in to her just to appease her. Her mother was more like a spoiled child than a mother.
Having said that, I really didn't like Kerstin. I wasn't fond of her to begin with but I grew to really dislike her. Her claim to love Isabelle was wrong on so many levels. I cannot say much more than that without giving too much away. But she really was despicable character.
The other supporting characters - Henrik, Stella's husband; Daniel, Alice's father; Pernilla, Stella's best friend; Johanna, Isabelle's flatmate; Fredde, Isabelle's love interest - were all quite likable and added more depth to the story. Although we only saw Daniel for just a small part of the book, he was in fact a big part of the story in being Stella's past and Alice's father.
I loved the fact (which no one else seemed to point out) that mental illness was cleverly woven into the story. You find yourself wondering throughout as the narrative changes and you get another perspective to the story. Are these women delusional? Are they paranoid? Who is telling the truth? What is true and what is fiction? But when the truth is revealed, it is almost heartbreaking.
TELL ME YOU'RE MINE is an intriguing domestic suspense thriller that had me hooked from the beginning. Despite it being a slow build with so much more monologuing than dialogue, I found the suspense increased with each chapter leading to a nail-biting end which will leave you breathless.
Despite some of the suspense being lost in translation, I highly recommend TELL ME YOU'RE MINE.
I would like to thank #ElisabethNoreback, #NetGalley and #AllisonandBusby and #GPPutnamandSons for an ARC of #TellMeYoureMine in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Stella Wildstrand, now approaching 40, is a successful psychologist and psychotherapist, married to Henrik and together they have a 13 year old son Milo. But Stella's life has not always been so rosy. Twenty years ago, she had a daughter, Alice, who disappeared from her pram whilst on holiday. Everyone thought Alice had drowned - that she had somehow gotten out of her pram and fell into the swirling waters and drowned. But Stella has always believed that someone took her daughter. And despite there being a gravestone marking her name, Alice is not buried there. Her body was never found.
Stella went through years of harrowing torment, aching and longing for her child. She suffers immense guilt at leaving Alice alone for just a moment as she slept. And a moment was all it took for her baby girl to disappear. Her grief is palpable as she mourns her every day. Ten years ago she believed she saw her in the street...but maybe she just imagined it. Although Stella moved on with her life, somewhere deep inside she continued to believe that Alice was still alive.
When 22 year old Isabelle walks into her office for therapy, Stella is speechless. Isabelle is the image of Daniel's sister with her raven black hair, elfish ear and even the same dimples. Stella begins to wonder if she sought her out on the pretense of needing therapy. But Isabelle is seeking answers to the mystery that is her confusing life on a journey to discover who she really is. She has grown up in complete isolation with her mother and the man she thought was her father. When he died suddenly, her mother cruelly informed her that he wasn't her biological father. Isabelle was devastated. She adored her father and was shattered when he died and now her mother has taken away that one lasting link between them with those words.
Moving from her isolated existence in Borlänge to study in Stockholm, Isabelle gained a new independence. One she had never known before. She moved into a flat with one her friends from college, Johanna, and even began to explore the idea of a relationship with the handsome Fredde. It was all new to her, having been sheltered from anything resembling romance or independence. In a bid to learn who she truly is and to break free from her mother's demands, Isabelle begins therapy with Stella.
And then there is Kerstin Larsson, Isabelle's mother, who is desperately trying to hold on to her daughter as her life crumbles to pieces around her. Kerstin appears to go to great lengths to keep her daughter and sets about trying to encourage her to return home.
Little did any of them know just what wheels were set in motion and the train wreck it would all become.
The lives of Stella, Isabelle and Kerstin all collide with a deadly force and spirals out of control in a way that is both shocking and heartbreaking.
But for Stella, strange things start happening. She sees a hooded figure standing outside their home but when she tells Henrik, the figure has gone. She receives her own "death notice" in the letter box. She gets phone calls about Milo which send her into a panic - calls for which no one claims responsibility. She is reported for inappropriateness and stalking and the police question her. Then Milo is involved in a hit and run where the driver refused to stop...but as he had Stella's bright red umbrella with him, it becomes clear the target was Stella. But no one believes her.
Everyone believes Stella is unbalanced. That she is delusional. Sometimes she wonders if she is too. But she firmly believes with each passing day that Isabelle is really Alice and that Kerstin took her when she was just a year old. Why? She has no idea. How? Even less so. Henrik grows increasingly worried about his wife as she begins behaving strangely, becoming secretive and taking mysterious trips to support her unfounded belief. He ponders whether to have her committed again.
But where is the line between hope and madness?
But one thing is for sure...even when you think you know what happened, you will continued to be shocked.
The plot for TELL ME YOU'RE MINE is excellent. I cannot fault it at all. Some may find it a little convoluted with the structure a little abrupt here and there and short sentences, but I put that down to translation. Don't forget, this book was originally written in Swedish so when it was adapted to English there was obviously some lost in translation. But I didn't let that worry me. Swedish grammar is different to English grammar, I'm sure, so it was always going to evolve differently.
Told from alternating points of view between Stella, Isabelle and Kerstin...and even some excerpts from Stella's diary when she was first pregnant and in the wake of Alice's disappearance. Each voice tells a story of love, loss, grief...and even obsession. I enjoyed each of their perspectives although I admit to inwardly groaning when Kerstin's chapters came up as I just knew things weren't going to end well there.
As much as I liked Stella, I couldn't relate to her pain and her grief (never having been a mother myself)...though I could well imagine how heartbreaking it would be. I felt for her because from the beginning I invested so much in her and I believed in her. Like her, I believed Alice was still alive. I felt for her when she kept stumbling over obvious mistakes and making terrible judgments. I wanted her to be right. I didn't want her to have to go through all this...only to end up with nothing. To be wrong. After everything she has been through. But inside, I kept screaming at her to trust Henrik, to talk to him.
I really liked Isabelle and I could relate to her gaining independence and trying to find her place in the world. I could sense her apprehension at seeking answers to questions about who she was. And I could feel her irritability at her mother. But oh, I could have slapped her when she continued to give in to her just to appease her. Her mother was more like a spoiled child than a mother.
Having said that, I really didn't like Kerstin. I wasn't fond of her to begin with but I grew to really dislike her. Her claim to love Isabelle was wrong on so many levels. I cannot say much more than that without giving too much away. But she really was despicable character.
The other supporting characters - Henrik, Stella's husband; Daniel, Alice's father; Pernilla, Stella's best friend; Johanna, Isabelle's flatmate; Fredde, Isabelle's love interest - were all quite likable and added more depth to the story. Although we only saw Daniel for just a small part of the book, he was in fact a big part of the story in being Stella's past and Alice's father.
I loved the fact (which no one else seemed to point out) that mental illness was cleverly woven into the story. You find yourself wondering throughout as the narrative changes and you get another perspective to the story. Are these women delusional? Are they paranoid? Who is telling the truth? What is true and what is fiction? But when the truth is revealed, it is almost heartbreaking.
TELL ME YOU'RE MINE is an intriguing domestic suspense thriller that had me hooked from the beginning. Despite it being a slow build with so much more monologuing than dialogue, I found the suspense increased with each chapter leading to a nail-biting end which will leave you breathless.
Despite some of the suspense being lost in translation, I highly recommend TELL ME YOU'RE MINE.
I would like to thank #ElisabethNoreback, #NetGalley and #AllisonandBusby and #GPPutnamandSons for an ARC of #TellMeYoureMine in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
January 24, 2020
Το ψυχολογικό θρίλερ «Δικό μου αίμα» αποτελεί το συγγραφικό ντεμπούτο της Σουηδής Elisabeth Norebäck και με την ενδιαφέρουσα, καλογραμμένη πλοκή του υπόσχεται να κατακτήσει το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνωστικού κοινού.
Είκοσι ένα χρόνια πριν, η μόλις ενός έτους κόρη της Στέλλα εξαφανίστηκε από το μέρος όπου η οικογένεια περνούσε τις καλοκαιρινές διακοπές της. Οι έρευνες απέβησαν άκαρπες και η μικρούλα θεωρήθηκε νεκρή. Όχι όμως για τη μητέρα της. Η Στέλλα ποτέ δεν δέχτηκε ότι η κόρη της πνίγηκε στη θάλασσα και ζούσε συνεχώς με τις τύψεις, αφού όλα συνέβησαν σε μια στιγμή που η ίδια δεν πρόσεχε το καροτσάκι της μικρής.
Είκοσι ένα χρόνια μετά, η Στέλλα είναι ψυχολόγος, σύζυγος και μητέρα ενός δεκατριάχρονου αγοριού. Τίποτα δεν φαίνεται να λείπει από τη ζωή της. Μέχρι που, μια μέρα, εμφανίζεται στην κλινική που εργάζεται η Ίζαμπελ, μια κοπέλα που νιώθει χαμένη μετά τον πρόσφατο θάνατο του πατέρα της και την αποκάλυψη πως είναι υιοθετημένη. Το σοκ για τη Στέλλα είναι μεγάλο, αφού εκείνη είναι φτυστή η χαμένη της κόρη. Το ένστικτό της τής λέει πως πράγματι αυτή είναι η Άλις. Είναι όμως έτσι;
Όλοι γύρω της πιστεύουν πως είναι υπερβολική και ότι κάνει λάθος. Η μητέρα της κοπέλας επιμένει πως είναι δική της κόρη και την προειδοποιεί να μείνει μακριά τους. Η σχέση της με τον άντρα της και τον γιο της δοκιμάζεται συνεχώς, ενώ η ίδια δείχνει να οδεύει προς ακόμα μία συναισθηματική κατάρρευση. Ταυτόχρονα, είναι αποφασισμένη να φτάσει στα άκρα, προκειμένου να αποδείξει πως έχει δίκιο. Αυτό που δεν φαντάζεται η Στέλλα, όμως, είναι πως το πείσμα της μπορεί να πυροδοτήσει μια σειρά γεγονότων και να θέσει σε κίνδυνο αυτούς που αγαπά περισσότερο. Κάτι κακό και παρανοϊκό κρύβεται σ’ αυτή την υπόθεση· κάτι που, αν φανερωθεί τελικά, μπορεί να ανατρέψει τα πάντα…
Η αλήθεια είναι πως η αρχική ιδέα πάνω στην οποία βασίστηκε το στόρυ δεν είναι και τόσο πρωτότυπη. Μια μητέρα που χάνει το μωρό της, τη στοιχειώνει αυτή η εξαφάνιση και κάποια στιγμή, χρόνια αργότερα, βλέπει μπροστά της ένα άτομο που είναι φτυστό με το χαμένο παιδί της και της μπαίνει στο μυαλό η ιδέα πως είναι το ίδιο πρόσωπο, είναι κάτι που έχουμε ξαναδιαβάσει. Όταν συμβαίνει αυτό, λοιπόν, το στοίχημα που καλείται να κερδίσει ο/η συγγραφέας είναι να δημιουργήσει μια πλοκή ενδιαφέρουσα και καλογραμμένη, ώστε να διατηρηθεί το αναγνωστικό ενδιαφέρον καθ’ όλη τη διάρκειά της. Εν προκειμένω, η Norebäck το καταφέρνει αυτό.
Η αφήγηση είναι πρωτοπρόσωπη και εστιάζεται στα τρία γυναικεία πρόσωπα του δράματος: τη Στέλλα, την Ίζαμπελ και την Κέρστιν, τη μητέρα (;) της δεύτερης. Αυτές παίρνουν με τη σειρά τους το λόγο και αφηγούνται τα γεγονότα από τη δική τους σκοπιά, ξεδιπλώνουν τις πιο μύχιες σκέψεις και τους προβληματισμούς τους και θέτουν τον εαυτό τους στην κρίση του αναγνώστη. Πρόκειται για τρεις γυναίκες που διαφέρουν εντελώς η μία από την άλλη: στην ηλικία, στην οικογενειακή κατάσταση, στην κοινωνική θέση, στις εμπειρίες τους… Καθεμία κουβαλά τις αναμνήσεις της, τα όνειρα και τους εφιάλτες, τους φόβους και τις ελπίδες, τα λάθη και τα κρίματά της. Καθεμία συμβολίζει κάτι διαφορετικό, που υπήρξε και χάθηκε και στη θέση του ήρθε κάτι άλλο. Καθεμία έχει λόγο ύπαρξης, χώρο και χρόνο ώστε να πει αυτά που θέλει. Η Στέλλα και η Ίζαμπελ κυριαρχούν μεν στην αφήγηση, αλλά και η Κέρστιν κρατάει στα χέρια της μερικούς κρυφούς άσους, που δίνουν στον χαρακτήρα της ιδιαίτερη βαρύτητα. Οι τρεις τους χορεύουν διαρκώς σε ένα γαϊτανάκι επικίνδυνο, με τις ζωές τους να έχουν δεθεί από τις πράξεις του παρελθόντος τους – ή ίσως από τη μοίρα. Μια γυναίκα που πιστεύει πως βρήκε την από χρόνια χαμένη κόρη της. Μια γυναίκα που φοβάται πως θα της πάρουν το παιδί της, τον μοναδικό άνθρωπο που της έχει απομείνει στον κόσμο. Μια νεαρή, μπερδεμένη κοπέλα που βρίσκεται στη μέση, μη ξέροντας τι να πιστέψει και ψάχνοντας την αλήθεια για την πραγματική της μητέρα, αλλά και για τον ίδιο της τον εαυτό.
Η Norebäck έχει καταφέρει να πλέξει έναν εξαιρετικό ιστό ψεμάτων, τύψεων, εντυπώσεων, ίντριγκας και παράνοιας. Οι ισορροπίες είναι άκρως λεπτές και διαρκώς κινδυνεύουν να χαθούν. Η αλήθεια παίζει ένα συνεχές κρυφτό με το ψέμα, ψάχνοντας να βρει τρόπο να αποκαλυφθεί και να φέρει τη λύτρωση. Μπορεί οι τρεις γυναίκες να είναι αυτές που πρωταγωνιστούν στην πλοκή, όμως εξίσου καλή δουλειά έχει κάνει και με τους υπόλοιπους χαρακτήρες του βιβλίου. Ειδικά με τον σύζυγο της Στέλλας, έναν άντρα που ολοφάνερα την αγαπά, νοιάζεται για εκείνη και προσπαθεί να τη στηρίξει, αλλά έρχεται σε σύγκρουση μαζί της, πεπεισμένος ότι έχει υπερβεί τα όρια. Οι εξελίξεις της πλοκής φανερώνουν πόσο σαθρά μπορεί να αποδειχθούν τα θεμέλια μιας φαινομενικά «ιδανικής» οικογένειας, πόσο μπορούν να διαταραχθούν μπροστά σε μια κρίση, αλλά και το πόσο δυνατή μπορεί να γίνει αυτή όταν υπάρχει αληθινή αγάπη, εμπιστοσύνη και πίστη ανάμεσα στα μέλη της.
Προχωρώντας προς το φινάλε, η αφήγηση κλιμακώνεται, η δράση αποκτά νέο παλμό, τα πράγματα ξεκαθαρίζουν. Όμως, ο τρόπος γραφής και τα ίδια τα γεγονότα δεν επιτρέπουν στον αναγνώστη να εφησυχάσει ή να βαρεθεί· αντίθετα, τον κάνουν να γυρίζει με ολοένα αυξανόμενη αγωνία τις σελίδες, μέχρι να φτάσει στο τέλος. Ένα τέλος μάλλον αναμενόμενο, που όμως οπωσδήποτε φέρνει την κάθαρση. Επιπλέον, αφήνει κι ένα «παραθυράκι» στον αναγνώστη, ώστε να φανταστεί ο ίδιος τη συνέχεια από ένα σημείο και μετά. Ίσως και στη συγγραφέα ένα παρόμοιο «παραθυράκι» για μια πιθανή συνέχεια. Το μέλλον θα δείξει…
Η κριτική μου για το βιβλίο και στο site "Book City" και τον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο: Δικό μου αίμα
Είκοσι ένα χρόνια πριν, η μόλις ενός έτους κόρη της Στέλλα εξαφανίστηκε από το μέρος όπου η οικογένεια περνούσε τις καλοκαιρινές διακοπές της. Οι έρευνες απέβησαν άκαρπες και η μικρούλα θεωρήθηκε νεκρή. Όχι όμως για τη μητέρα της. Η Στέλλα ποτέ δεν δέχτηκε ότι η κόρη της πνίγηκε στη θάλασσα και ζούσε συνεχώς με τις τύψεις, αφού όλα συνέβησαν σε μια στιγμή που η ίδια δεν πρόσεχε το καροτσάκι της μικρής.
Είκοσι ένα χρόνια μετά, η Στέλλα είναι ψυχολόγος, σύζυγος και μητέρα ενός δεκατριάχρονου αγοριού. Τίποτα δεν φαίνεται να λείπει από τη ζωή της. Μέχρι που, μια μέρα, εμφανίζεται στην κλινική που εργάζεται η Ίζαμπελ, μια κοπέλα που νιώθει χαμένη μετά τον πρόσφατο θάνατο του πατέρα της και την αποκάλυψη πως είναι υιοθετημένη. Το σοκ για τη Στέλλα είναι μεγάλο, αφού εκείνη είναι φτυστή η χαμένη της κόρη. Το ένστικτό της τής λέει πως πράγματι αυτή είναι η Άλις. Είναι όμως έτσι;
Όλοι γύρω της πιστεύουν πως είναι υπερβολική και ότι κάνει λάθος. Η μητέρα της κοπέλας επιμένει πως είναι δική της κόρη και την προειδοποιεί να μείνει μακριά τους. Η σχέση της με τον άντρα της και τον γιο της δοκιμάζεται συνεχώς, ενώ η ίδια δείχνει να οδεύει προς ακόμα μία συναισθηματική κατάρρευση. Ταυτόχρονα, είναι αποφασισμένη να φτάσει στα άκρα, προκειμένου να αποδείξει πως έχει δίκιο. Αυτό που δεν φαντάζεται η Στέλλα, όμως, είναι πως το πείσμα της μπορεί να πυροδοτήσει μια σειρά γεγονότων και να θέσει σε κίνδυνο αυτούς που αγαπά περισσότερο. Κάτι κακό και παρανοϊκό κρύβεται σ’ αυτή την υπόθεση· κάτι που, αν φανερωθεί τελικά, μπορεί να ανατρέψει τα πάντα…
Η αλήθεια είναι πως η αρχική ιδέα πάνω στην οποία βασίστηκε το στόρυ δεν είναι και τόσο πρωτότυπη. Μια μητέρα που χάνει το μωρό της, τη στοιχειώνει αυτή η εξαφάνιση και κάποια στιγμή, χρόνια αργότερα, βλέπει μπροστά της ένα άτομο που είναι φτυστό με το χαμένο παιδί της και της μπαίνει στο μυαλό η ιδέα πως είναι το ίδιο πρόσωπο, είναι κάτι που έχουμε ξαναδιαβάσει. Όταν συμβαίνει αυτό, λοιπόν, το στοίχημα που καλείται να κερδίσει ο/η συγγραφέας είναι να δημιουργήσει μια πλοκή ενδιαφέρουσα και καλογραμμένη, ώστε να διατηρηθεί το αναγνωστικό ενδιαφέρον καθ’ όλη τη διάρκειά της. Εν προκειμένω, η Norebäck το καταφέρνει αυτό.
Η αφήγηση είναι πρωτοπρόσωπη και εστιάζεται στα τρία γυναικεία πρόσωπα του δράματος: τη Στέλλα, την Ίζαμπελ και την Κέρστιν, τη μητέρα (;) της δεύτερης. Αυτές παίρνουν με τη σειρά τους το λόγο και αφηγούνται τα γεγονότα από τη δική τους σκοπιά, ξεδιπλώνουν τις πιο μύχιες σκέψεις και τους προβληματισμούς τους και θέτουν τον εαυτό τους στην κρίση του αναγνώστη. Πρόκειται για τρεις γυναίκες που διαφέρουν εντελώς η μία από την άλλη: στην ηλικία, στην οικογενειακή κατάσταση, στην κοινωνική θέση, στις εμπειρίες τους… Καθεμία κουβαλά τις αναμνήσεις της, τα όνειρα και τους εφιάλτες, τους φόβους και τις ελπίδες, τα λάθη και τα κρίματά της. Καθεμία συμβολίζει κάτι διαφορετικό, που υπήρξε και χάθηκε και στη θέση του ήρθε κάτι άλλο. Καθεμία έχει λόγο ύπαρξης, χώρο και χρόνο ώστε να πει αυτά που θέλει. Η Στέλλα και η Ίζαμπελ κυριαρχούν μεν στην αφήγηση, αλλά και η Κέρστιν κρατάει στα χέρια της μερικούς κρυφούς άσους, που δίνουν στον χαρακτήρα της ιδιαίτερη βαρύτητα. Οι τρεις τους χορεύουν διαρκώς σε ένα γαϊτανάκι επικίνδυνο, με τις ζωές τους να έχουν δεθεί από τις πράξεις του παρελθόντος τους – ή ίσως από τη μοίρα. Μια γυναίκα που πιστεύει πως βρήκε την από χρόνια χαμένη κόρη της. Μια γυναίκα που φοβάται πως θα της πάρουν το παιδί της, τον μοναδικό άνθρωπο που της έχει απομείνει στον κόσμο. Μια νεαρή, μπερδεμένη κοπέλα που βρίσκεται στη μέση, μη ξέροντας τι να πιστέψει και ψάχνοντας την αλήθεια για την πραγματική της μητέρα, αλλά και για τον ίδιο της τον εαυτό.
Η Norebäck έχει καταφέρει να πλέξει έναν εξαιρετικό ιστό ψεμάτων, τύψεων, εντυπώσεων, ίντριγκας και παράνοιας. Οι ισορροπίες είναι άκρως λεπτές και διαρκώς κινδυνεύουν να χαθούν. Η αλήθεια παίζει ένα συνεχές κρυφτό με το ψέμα, ψάχνοντας να βρει τρόπο να αποκαλυφθεί και να φέρει τη λύτρωση. Μπορεί οι τρεις γυναίκες να είναι αυτές που πρωταγωνιστούν στην πλοκή, όμως εξίσου καλή δουλειά έχει κάνει και με τους υπόλοιπους χαρακτήρες του βιβλίου. Ειδικά με τον σύζυγο της Στέλλας, έναν άντρα που ολοφάνερα την αγαπά, νοιάζεται για εκείνη και προσπαθεί να τη στηρίξει, αλλά έρχεται σε σύγκρουση μαζί της, πεπεισμένος ότι έχει υπερβεί τα όρια. Οι εξελίξεις της πλοκής φανερώνουν πόσο σαθρά μπορεί να αποδειχθούν τα θεμέλια μιας φαινομενικά «ιδανικής» οικογένειας, πόσο μπορούν να διαταραχθούν μπροστά σε μια κρίση, αλλά και το πόσο δυνατή μπορεί να γίνει αυτή όταν υπάρχει αληθινή αγάπη, εμπιστοσύνη και πίστη ανάμεσα στα μέλη της.
Προχωρώντας προς το φινάλε, η αφήγηση κλιμακώνεται, η δράση αποκτά νέο παλμό, τα πράγματα ξεκαθαρίζουν. Όμως, ο τρόπος γραφής και τα ίδια τα γεγονότα δεν επιτρέπουν στον αναγνώστη να εφησυχάσει ή να βαρεθεί· αντίθετα, τον κάνουν να γυρίζει με ολοένα αυξανόμενη αγωνία τις σελίδες, μέχρι να φτάσει στο τέλος. Ένα τέλος μάλλον αναμενόμενο, που όμως οπωσδήποτε φέρνει την κάθαρση. Επιπλέον, αφήνει κι ένα «παραθυράκι» στον αναγνώστη, ώστε να φανταστεί ο ίδιος τη συνέχεια από ένα σημείο και μετά. Ίσως και στη συγγραφέα ένα παρόμοιο «παραθυράκι» για μια πιθανή συνέχεια. Το μέλλον θα δείξει…
Η κριτική μου για το βιβλίο και στο site "Book City" και τον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο: Δικό μου αίμα
May 6, 2018
2,5/5*
Aunque se lee súper rápido y en cierta manera ha sido adictivo, lo cierto es que en las primeras 350 paginas o así no pasa absolutamente nada, solo conocemos a las mujeres sobre las que gira la trama. Lo ha salvado que la narración de La autora es muy ligera y directa y muy agradable de leer, sino creo que hubiera sido un libro muy pesado y aburrido. Las últimas páginas si que están más llenas de acción y es donde ocurre todo. Tampoco me ha parecido demasiado original la resolución del misterio. Pero aunque parezca contradictorio no me quedo con la sensación de que haya sido una mala lectura, sino una lectura más que pasa sin pena ni gloria. Pronto la reseña en el blog.
Aunque se lee súper rápido y en cierta manera ha sido adictivo, lo cierto es que en las primeras 350 paginas o así no pasa absolutamente nada, solo conocemos a las mujeres sobre las que gira la trama. Lo ha salvado que la narración de La autora es muy ligera y directa y muy agradable de leer, sino creo que hubiera sido un libro muy pesado y aburrido. Las últimas páginas si que están más llenas de acción y es donde ocurre todo. Tampoco me ha parecido demasiado original la resolución del misterio. Pero aunque parezca contradictorio no me quedo con la sensación de que haya sido una mala lectura, sino una lectura más que pasa sin pena ni gloria. Pronto la reseña en el blog.
April 17, 2019
This book is edge of your seat story. It’s about Stella, her husband and son. Stella is still hurt when her 1 year old daughter drowned. She wound up in psychiatric hospital. is Everything is going ok until Stella sees her daughter Alice again.
February 26, 2024
Izcils psiholoģiskās spriedzes gabals! Autore tiešām māk ievilināt stāstā! Lai gan pēc anotācijas šķiet, ka nu nekas TĀDS nebūs, stāstījums ir tik labs, ka vispār varētu lasīt un lasīt:))) Pat bez beigām, vienkārši sekot līdz varoņu gaitām.
Nu - ja par mīnusiem, tad, protams, pirmais autores darbs un gana klišeju, bet tas mani netraucēja. Vairāk traucēja apziņa, ka nu jau kurā grāmatā ir aprakstīta policijas nespēja rīkoties jeb pareizāk, rīkoties tikai tad, kad kāds ir nogalēts. Cerams, ka tā nav reālajā dzīvē:)
Nu - ja par mīnusiem, tad, protams, pirmais autores darbs un gana klišeju, bet tas mani netraucēja. Vairāk traucēja apziņa, ka nu jau kurā grāmatā ir aprakstīta policijas nespēja rīkoties jeb pareizāk, rīkoties tikai tad, kad kāds ir nogalēts. Cerams, ka tā nav reālajā dzīvē:)
August 27, 2018
When I read the synopsis for Tell Me You’re Mine I was sold. I am a fan of suspense/thriller books and the “is this my long lost daughter” narrative seemed very intriguing.
Stella is almost 40, a successful psychotherapist, in a loving marriage with Henrik, and they share a young son, Milo. She may seem to have it all together, but Stella was part of another family: one broken leaving her permanently fractured.
In her late teenage years, lovebirds Stella and Daniel become pregnant and welcome baby Alice to their young, new family. During a vacation gone horribly wrong, one-year old Alice will go missing. Her carriage toppled over and it will be determined that she died from accidental drowning; no body ever being found. Stella has always believed her daughter was alive, even if no one else did.
Fast forward twenty years, a young patient walks into Stella’s office and “boom” Stella knows in her bones that this girl is her daughter Alice, not actually Isabelle. She obsesses over proving Isabelle is actually Alice that she jeopardizes her career, her family, and her overall mental well-being. She tries convincing Henrik and law enforcement, but they view her as unbalanced and suffering a nervous breakdown. Should they be taking her seriously? Is Isabelle really Alice?
I loved this book, then didn’t, then did again, then didn’t again. We had a love/lukewarm relationship. The first couple of chapters were so cryptic and I loved it! I totally thought I knew what was happening and then a bit more than mid-way through the book I was like “wait, what?!” Totally not what I thought at first, and then all my realizations came to me.
Why the lukewarm status? There were times I felt the book dragged; I wasn’t whipping through it quick enough. I wasn’t as excited to read the next chapter, as you can experience with other suspense books. That is not to say it wasn’t a good read. It’s just one I could start and stop as I pleased.
There is one image that I keep thinking about during the climax of the book, but if I put it in my review you can probably figure out what happens and I don’t do spoilers. Darnit! It would have been quite funny.
Also – I love this book cover! A+
Will you be reading this one too? Do tell so we can discuss what gif I wanted to share 😉
To read my reviews visit: www.saturdaynitereader.com
Stella is almost 40, a successful psychotherapist, in a loving marriage with Henrik, and they share a young son, Milo. She may seem to have it all together, but Stella was part of another family: one broken leaving her permanently fractured.
In her late teenage years, lovebirds Stella and Daniel become pregnant and welcome baby Alice to their young, new family. During a vacation gone horribly wrong, one-year old Alice will go missing. Her carriage toppled over and it will be determined that she died from accidental drowning; no body ever being found. Stella has always believed her daughter was alive, even if no one else did.
Fast forward twenty years, a young patient walks into Stella’s office and “boom” Stella knows in her bones that this girl is her daughter Alice, not actually Isabelle. She obsesses over proving Isabelle is actually Alice that she jeopardizes her career, her family, and her overall mental well-being. She tries convincing Henrik and law enforcement, but they view her as unbalanced and suffering a nervous breakdown. Should they be taking her seriously? Is Isabelle really Alice?
I loved this book, then didn’t, then did again, then didn’t again. We had a love/lukewarm relationship. The first couple of chapters were so cryptic and I loved it! I totally thought I knew what was happening and then a bit more than mid-way through the book I was like “wait, what?!” Totally not what I thought at first, and then all my realizations came to me.
Why the lukewarm status? There were times I felt the book dragged; I wasn’t whipping through it quick enough. I wasn’t as excited to read the next chapter, as you can experience with other suspense books. That is not to say it wasn’t a good read. It’s just one I could start and stop as I pleased.
There is one image that I keep thinking about during the climax of the book, but if I put it in my review you can probably figure out what happens and I don’t do spoilers. Darnit! It would have been quite funny.
Also – I love this book cover! A+
Will you be reading this one too? Do tell so we can discuss what gif I wanted to share 😉
To read my reviews visit: www.saturdaynitereader.com
July 23, 2018
This book is one of many that have been written lately using the unreliable narrator trope. Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, and The Woman in the Window come to mind.
I spent the majority of the novel not knowing whether or not Stella's beliefs and suspicions were justified and whether everyone in Stella's life wants her to move on from the loss of her child because it would be easier for them, not necessarily easier for her. I vacillated between thinking her beliefs were justified and thinking she was being paranoid. As a reader, it was infuriating not to know whether I should be rooting for the main character or not.
"Mourning a child is a lonely business. The longing and the loss are impossible to share with anyone else."
I would've rated this book higher if it wasn't so darn tense and depressing for so much of the book. However, this book was well written. I would recommend it to suspense seekers.
First to Read provided me with a complimentary copy of TELL ME YOU’RE MINE by Elisabeth Norebäck in exchange for an honest review.
I spent the majority of the novel not knowing whether or not Stella's beliefs and suspicions were justified and whether everyone in Stella's life wants her to move on from the loss of her child because it would be easier for them, not necessarily easier for her. I vacillated between thinking her beliefs were justified and thinking she was being paranoid. As a reader, it was infuriating not to know whether I should be rooting for the main character or not.
"Mourning a child is a lonely business. The longing and the loss are impossible to share with anyone else."
I would've rated this book higher if it wasn't so darn tense and depressing for so much of the book. However, this book was well written. I would recommend it to suspense seekers.
First to Read provided me with a complimentary copy of TELL ME YOU’RE MINE by Elisabeth Norebäck in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2025
Θα ξεκινήσω λέγοντας πως καταλαβαίνω γιατί πολλοί δυσαρεστήθηκαν απ’ αυτό το βιβλίο (εμφανίζονται κάποια κλισέ, όπως η μητέρα που θεωρείται παρανοϊκή επειδή έχασε το μωρό της και παθολογικά εμμονική με την ιδέα πως θα το βρει, ο δύσπιστος περίγυρος που αρνείται να την ακούσει, η πεποίθηση πως οι ψυχολόγοι είναι οι «διεστραμμένοι» της υπόθεσης, ο πρωταγωνιστής που δρα μόνος, χωρίς την εμπλοκή της αστυνομίας, κλπ)…
ΑΛΛΑ:
Παρόλο που κι εμένα τις περισσότερες φορές αυτά με δυσαρεστούν, εδώ δεν μ’ ενόχλησαν καθόλου. Η Elisabeth Norebäck έχει χειριστεί με πολύ ρεαλισμό και μεγάλη ευαισθησία την ιστορία της, και παρότι σίγουρα δεν μιλάμε για την επιτομή της πρωτοτυπίας, το βιβλίο της είχε κάτι. Κάτι μου έκαναν η γραφή της, η ιστορία της, οι χαρακτήρες της, τα λεπτομερή της ψυχογραφήματα και οι μελετημένες ανατροπές της που, αν και τις περίμενα, ήρθαν με τρόπο τόσο φυσικό και υπολογισμένο ώστε δεν με πείραξε στο ελάχιστο που τις είχα μαντέψει. Μου άρεσαν η Στέλλα και η Ίζαμπελ, μου άρεσε πολύ ο χειρισμός της Κέρστιν (αν και όχι η Κέρστιν η ίδια), μπόρεσα να καταλάβω και τις τρεις και να τις ξεχωρίσω και κατέληξα να μην μπορώ ν’ αφήσω το βιβλίο από τα χέρια μου.
Το «Δικό μου αίμα» λειτούργησε, δηλαδή, πολύ καλά για ‘μένα.
ΑΛΛΑ:
Παρόλο που κι εμένα τις περισσότερες φορές αυτά με δυσαρεστούν, εδώ δεν μ’ ενόχλησαν καθόλου. Η Elisabeth Norebäck έχει χειριστεί με πολύ ρεαλισμό και μεγάλη ευαισθησία την ιστορία της, και παρότι σίγουρα δεν μιλάμε για την επιτομή της πρωτοτυπίας, το βιβλίο της είχε κάτι. Κάτι μου έκαναν η γραφή της, η ιστορία της, οι χαρακτήρες της, τα λεπτομερή της ψυχογραφήματα και οι μελετημένες ανατροπές της που, αν και τις περίμενα, ήρθαν με τρόπο τόσο φυσικό και υπολογισμένο ώστε δεν με πείραξε στο ελάχιστο που τις είχα μαντέψει. Μου άρεσαν η Στέλλα και η Ίζαμπελ, μου άρεσε πολύ ο χειρισμός της Κέρστιν (αν και όχι η Κέρστιν η ίδια), μπόρεσα να καταλάβω και τις τρεις και να τις ξεχωρίσω και κατέληξα να μην μπορώ ν’ αφήσω το βιβλίο από τα χέρια μου.
Το «Δικό μου αίμα» λειτούργησε, δηλαδή, πολύ καλά για ‘μένα.
July 18, 2018
***Thanks to First to Read for providing me a complimentary copy of TELL ME YOU’RE MINE by Elisabeth Norebäck in exchange for my honest review.***
Teenage mom Stella’s baby Alice disappears and is presumed dead. Twenty years later, now a therapist, Stella believes new client Isabelle is actually Alice. Her husband thinks her psychiatric problems have returned. Stella thinks someone, possibly Alice’s kidnapper, is gaslighting her.
TELL ME YOU’RE MINE, translated from Swedish, never pulled me in. The plot was the strongest part of the book with no shortage of suspects including Stella herself. The writing, perhaps the translation, was dry and uninspired with more telling than showing.
The Swedish version might be more readable, for those who know the language. I would have liked an epilogue or more to rage final chapter.
Teenage mom Stella’s baby Alice disappears and is presumed dead. Twenty years later, now a therapist, Stella believes new client Isabelle is actually Alice. Her husband thinks her psychiatric problems have returned. Stella thinks someone, possibly Alice’s kidnapper, is gaslighting her.
TELL ME YOU’RE MINE, translated from Swedish, never pulled me in. The plot was the strongest part of the book with no shortage of suspects including Stella herself. The writing, perhaps the translation, was dry and uninspired with more telling than showing.
The Swedish version might be more readable, for those who know the language. I would have liked an epilogue or more to rage final chapter.
October 24, 2019
*thank you to Netgalley, Elisabeth Norebäck and Allison & Busby for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
2 stars.
The synopsis of this story sounded so amazingly good that I was really looking forward to it. A missing child, who years later turns up? Or does she...? But unfortunately this book just didn't agree with me. I couldn't get into it and it wasn't what I was expecting. It felt flat and I was uninterested in it.
2 stars.
The synopsis of this story sounded so amazingly good that I was really looking forward to it. A missing child, who years later turns up? Or does she...? But unfortunately this book just didn't agree with me. I couldn't get into it and it wasn't what I was expecting. It felt flat and I was uninterested in it.
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