The Way From Here
Jane Cockram
Reviewed by Helen
This is the first book from this author that I have read and it is a well written story that takes in the lives past and present of woman from one family two sisters Camilla (Mills) and Susie and their mother Margaret there is also Margaret’s mother Nellie that plays a part in this one as well, it starts in Australia and then we travel to England and France, the story is told from different points of view and some in the form of letters, it was a compelling story with many twists and turns and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Susie Anderson is the youngest daughter to Margaret and Bill she has grown up on an outback station in Western Australia and is often in trouble at home, she couldn’t be more different from her older sister Mills who seems to be always getting her out of trouble, when at the age of nineteen she causes more problems she decides that a gap year in England would be perfect for her so off she goes never dreaming what this time would do to her.
When Susie suddenly dies just before her fortieth birthday, everyone is shocked and when Mills is handed a bunch of letters from Susie requesting that she retrace her journey all those years ago and scatter her ashes in places that meant so much to her and also uncover some secrets that had been kept for many years about the family. Mills is not normally a person to jump in feet first but this time she does and what she finds is a story of regret, sadness and so much more.
It took me a bit to get into this one until I got to know the characters and had a feel for the story but when I did it was a book I didn’t want to put down, so many secrets that start way back with Nellie and then Margaret and then Susie who uncovers so much but didn’t quite get to the truth I think, until Mills arrived and then Margaret and together they got to the bottom of it all. There are many emotions through this story and such beautiful settings, I really liked Susie I felt for her so much she was caring and vulnerable and I liked the other characters probably except for one. This is a great story and one I would highly recommend.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
Susie Anderson is the youngest daughter to Margaret and Bill she has grown up on an outback station in Western Australia and is often in trouble at home, she couldn’t be more different from her older sister Mills who seems to be always getting her out of trouble, when at the age of nineteen she causes more problems she decides that a gap year in England would be perfect for her so off she goes never dreaming what this time would do to her.
When Susie suddenly dies just before her fortieth birthday, everyone is shocked and when Mills is handed a bunch of letters from Susie requesting that she retrace her journey all those years ago and scatter her ashes in places that meant so much to her and also uncover some secrets that had been kept for many years about the family. Mills is not normally a person to jump in feet first but this time she does and what she finds is a story of regret, sadness and so much more.
It took me a bit to get into this one until I got to know the characters and had a feel for the story but when I did it was a book I didn’t want to put down, so many secrets that start way back with Nellie and then Margaret and then Susie who uncovers so much but didn’t quite get to the truth I think, until Mills arrived and then Margaret and together they got to the bottom of it all. There are many emotions through this story and such beautiful settings, I really liked Susie I felt for her so much she was caring and vulnerable and I liked the other characters probably except for one. This is a great story and one I would highly recommend.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
4 stars
Published March 2nd 2022 (first published March 1st 2022)
