A mystery which will keep you engaged and break your heart, meet Hello, My Name is May by Rosalind Stopps.
The plot:
Hello, it said, my name is May. Please talk to me. They wrote it on the wall above my bed.
May has been moved to a care home after her stroke. She can’t communicate, all her words are kept inside.
When May encounters a stranger living in the room opposite hers, she is haunted by memories of her husband’s unpredictable rages. The man seems so much like him. And as he charms his way through the nursing home, all May can do is watch.
She is determined to help, but what can she do in her vulnerable, silent state?
Topics which needs to be discussed
This book is very clever in the way it is told, I just needed a little bit more from the ending.
Most parts were genuinely heartbreaking to read, especially with May’s past and Alain. It really shines a light on the woman’s perspective when in an emotional and abusive relationship; I find many authors shy away from this, seldom talking about it, but this, from May’s perspective, really gets deep into your heart.
This is definitely a one-of-a-kind book, especially with May’s narrative. It really felt like May was talking to you and you alone, which just made this book even better. You could understand why and what she was doing, when the character’s around her couldn’t, and I just wanted to give her a cuddle.
The chapters jump between 2017 and 1977, which is really interesting to see how the story unravels and how we get to the mysterious ending. I found this led to a page-turner, because I was just so eager to find out what was going to happen.
I really wasn’t a fan of the ending, but I admire why Stopps has done it. It’s tough without giving spoilers, but it lets you interpret the story and gives you the choice for your takeaway.
I just felt a little bit lost and flat when I finished it. It’s a good book covering some very important, albeit difficult, topics which needs to be discussed and a worthwhile read for this.
Hello My Name is May, Rosalind Stopps, RRP £12.99 (hardback); Book Depository
Pages: 373
Publisher: HQ
Genre: Mystery
