The Seven Year Slip

I’ve agonised over this one – after all, I really hate it when I read a major Spoiler in a book review and I’m aware that the blurb and most reviews are careful not to mention this aspect. But in all conscience, I don’t think I can proceed without giving a major trigger warning, as the book deals with the aftermath of a suicide. If you’ve had to grapple with this heartbreaking event, you may wish to give this one a miss. However, I would also say that Poston deals with the subject with sensitivity and perception and writes movingly about her own experience involving the suicide of a close relative at the end of the book. I found this to be an interesting read. Initially, the book is rather low-key as Clementine is clearly pole-axed with grief. And as the book is written in first-person viewpoint, the fact that she is clearly massively struggling meant that while I sympathised, for the first section of the book, I found her somewhat closed off. The writing is very sensual – unsurprisingly, given that food is featured so heavily. But we also are aware of smells and lighting – and when Clementine blushes. It is a testament to Poston’s skill that this depth of description didn’t hold up the pace in any way. Though I would mention that if you’re looking for foot-to-the-floor action, then this one isn’t for you. Plenty happens and the overall pace steadily picks up as the book progresses and Clementine begins to recover from her paralysing grief that has stopped her in her tracks. A large part of that is down to the romantic relationship with someone seven years in her past – but for me, while that relationship is both complicated and beautiful, it isn’t the narrative engine that powers this book. The relationship at the heart of this one is between Clementine and her dead aunt, who was a huge influence on her life when alive and now has left her bereft. Her recollections of their time together is moving and heartfelt and never, not once, did it tip into sentimentality. In fact, Clementine’s clear-eyed take on the relationships in her life is frankly a tad unnerving. I can understand how she has made her way in a fast-paced, highly competitive field, like publishing. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of watching Clementine thawing out from the terrible grief that has held her frozen, which is powerful and accomplished. It brought to mind Susan Hill’s amazing book In the Springtime of the Year. Oddly enough, I found the timeslip aspect of the book – which was the reason that I actually wanted to read so badly – a tad annoying. I wasn’t convinced that throughout those long seven years, Iwan wouldn’t have made a concerted effort to track down Clementine. Other than that, I thought the romance was beautifully evoked and loved the ending, which I found very moving. Highly recommended for fans of books about the nature of life and living, including the shock of losing someone much beloved – including the giddying sensation of falling in love when you’re not expecting it. While I obtained an arc of The Seven Year Slip from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 9/10

Rating: 3.5/5 What I liked: • Clementine and Iwan’s sweet, easy-going interactions. • The way in which both characters spoke about their passions (especially Iwan in his poetic way). • The joy in the memories of Analea and the way she lived life. • The inspiring messages within the story. The Seven Year Slip was a beautiful story about love and life in equal parts, all of which became emotional but inspiring. While it took me a while to fully invest in the story, I loved the messages and scenes. Clementine is a character I think many can relate to in terms of her grief and the questions it brings. Iwan bought a lot of light to the book with his passion for cooking and his sweet, lighthearted interactions with Clementine. They made for a lovely couple and it was a joy following their relationship. That being said, I’m not a fan of insta-love, and that sums up the beginning of the couple, so I would have liked a few more meetings between the two rather than the initial weekend. However, this is just personal preference, and fans of the insta-love trope will adore this. There were times it felt quite repetitive, but some of those times I think were there to reiterate the focal point of the plot. It was an interesting take on magical realism and the apartment felt like a main character in some ways. The way Poston wrote about grief and life itself was stunning. The words just flowed perfectly and poetically. Analea’s love for life and being in the moment shone through the book and was so inspiring. It truly had me reflecting on my personal life and questioning a lot. There were so many messages hidden within and it was impossible not to give each one so much thought. It’s a book that will stay with me for a very long time and will be purchasing once released, just so I can refer back to the stunning quotes, essence and spirit it provided.

A very pleasant book. I felt like I needed to read it slowly, and absorb each chapter at my own pace, because it touches upon feeling lost and finding yourself and realizing you were always there but just grew up a little..and it resonated with me a lot in this period of my life. Definitely a recommended read.

One of my favorite books of last year✨

Si sueles comprar libros en inglés y compras libros de Berkley de reciente salida al mercado podrás ver que son unas reimpresiones barateras hechas por Amazon de una calidad muy diferente a lo que tienes en casa, diferente papel, tamaño, calidad, peso!! Nada que ver, como si fueran autopublicados!!es el cuarto que me pasa

The Seven Year Slip completely stole my heart. It’s tender, magical, and filled with a quiet longing that made me fall in love with the story and the characters. I loved it so much huhu romantic, emotional, and beautifully written, this is the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish.

Så mysigt historia, kul skrivet och en berättelse som berör. Rekommenderar denna starkt som tänkvärd feelgood-läsning.