Losing You

by Patricia Debney

Marilyn hardly knows how to answer her son, or how to answer any of the questions suddenly triggered by her father's death. Her new friend Hilary is an unfailing support - but as the women grow closer, something completely unexpected shakes both families.

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Patricia Debney is the author of a collection of prose poetry, How to Be a Dragonfly (Smith Doorstop Books, 2005), the overall winner of the 2004 Poetry Business Competition; and a novel, Losing You (bluechrome, 2007). She is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Kent, where she teaches on the undergraduate and MA programmes, and organises the university reading series. She lives in Canterbury with her partner, a composer, and their two children. Her blog, http://www.wavingdrowning.wordpress.com/, explores writing and family life with a type 1 diabetic teenager. She also writes a regular column for Balance, Diabetes UK’s bi-monthly magazine. In 2007/08 she was appointed Canterbury’s first Laureate.

Reviews

[Loopyloo100 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that gives us a glimpse of the lives of two women: Marilyn and Hillary over the space of a few days. In the first half of the book we hear the voice of Marilyn and the second half we hear the voice of Hilary. Marilyn a counsellor loses her father and is in the process of grieving and re-evaluating her life and even though she guides many of her clients through their various problems, she feels a bit at a loss about her own existence with husband Doug and son Lewis. Her new friend Hilary has a son Aaron, who is the same age as Lewis and her other half is Adam who also appears to have a soft spot for Marilyn.

This was a very compelling read and these two women seem to be trying to find their place in the world and it really does make you think and wonder about the lives of others and how complex they may actually be. I really enjoyed reading it and wondering what did happen to Marilyn as the book has undertones that something macabre may have happened, or at least that’s the way it made me feel, as I thought it had an eerie feel most of the way through.

I thought this was a great read that is asking me to read again shortly and I strongly recommend it.

[Michelle Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly short book, simplistic, and yet full of depth.The first half of the tale is told by Marilyn, a married woman with a young son, who’s father has just died. The second half is told by Hilary, who is also a married woman with a young son. They build a friendship because of their children, which for one of the women takes a rather disturbing turn.

This change in narrator is a wonderful oppertunity to reveal the differences between the two women, and their family life. They both have very distinct personalities, and approaches to life and love. The same is also true of both husbands.

The author’s writing pulls you straight into the story, and each character. She is a great observer, as there were many thoughts and moments that I could relate to. Be prepared to want to finish this one in one sitting, although it’s only when you finish that you realise you will need to go back and re-read, such is the depth in this author’s writing.