What do you think?
Rate this book
How to Be Brave
All the stories died that morning … until we found the one we’d always known.
When nine-year-old Rose is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Natalie must use her imagination to keep her daughter alive. They begin dreaming about and seeing a man in a brown suit who feels hauntingly familiar, a man who has something for them. Through the magic of storytelling, Natalie and Rose are transported to the Atlantic Ocean in 1943, to a lifeboat, where an ancestor survived for fifty days before being rescued. Poignant, beautifully written and tenderly told, How To Be Brave weaves together the contemporary story of a mother battling to save her child’s life with an extraordinary true account of bravery and a fight for survival in the Second World War. A simply unforgettable debut that celebrates the power of words, the redemptive energy of a mother’s love … and what it really means to be brave.
When nine-year-old Rose is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Natalie must use her imagination to keep her daughter alive. They begin dreaming about and seeing a man in a brown suit who feels hauntingly familiar, a man who has something for them. Through the magic of storytelling, Natalie and Rose are transported to the Atlantic Ocean in 1943, to a lifeboat, where an ancestor survived for fifty days before being rescued. Poignant, beautifully written and tenderly told, How To Be Brave weaves together the contemporary story of a mother battling to save her child’s life with an extraordinary true account of bravery and a fight for survival in the Second World War. A simply unforgettable debut that celebrates the power of words, the redemptive energy of a mother’s love … and what it really means to be brave.
300 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2015
36 people are currently reading
1104 people want to read
About the author
Louise Beech
20 books353 followersAlso publishes under Louise Swanson.
Louise Beech is the author of eleven novels and a memoir, Eighteen Seconds (2023). Her debut, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers’ Pick; The Lion Tamer Who Lost shortlisted for the Romantic Novel Awards 2019 and longlisted for the Polari Prize the same year; Call Me Star Girl was Best magazine’s Book of the Year; This Is How We Are Human was a Clare Mackintosh Book Club pick; and the audiobook of her memoir, Daffodils, shortlisted for the Audies23. Her thrillers, End of Story and Lights Out, are written as Louise Swanson; the former was chosen by Sophie Hannah as a Book of the Year in the Daily Mail, and the latter was reviewed by The Times. Her debut play, How to be Brave, toured Yorkshire venues in 2024. Wonderful will be published 1st June 2026.
Louise also writes as Louise Swanson.
Louise Beech is the author of eleven novels and a memoir, Eighteen Seconds (2023). Her debut, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers’ Pick; The Lion Tamer Who Lost shortlisted for the Romantic Novel Awards 2019 and longlisted for the Polari Prize the same year; Call Me Star Girl was Best magazine’s Book of the Year; This Is How We Are Human was a Clare Mackintosh Book Club pick; and the audiobook of her memoir, Daffodils, shortlisted for the Audies23. Her thrillers, End of Story and Lights Out, are written as Louise Swanson; the former was chosen by Sophie Hannah as a Book of the Year in the Daily Mail, and the latter was reviewed by The Times. Her debut play, How to be Brave, toured Yorkshire venues in 2024. Wonderful will be published 1st June 2026.
Louise also writes as Louise Swanson.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
January 3, 2023
From the very first line "How To Be Brave" was such an eloquently and beautifully written story. Truly mesmerising, I will never forget the impact it had on me whilst reading.
Blurb - When nine-year-old Rose is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Natalie must use her imagination to keep her daughter alive. They begin dreaming about and seeing a man in a brown suit who feels hauntingly familiar, a man who has something for them. Through the magic of storytelling, Natalie and Rose are transported to the Atlantic Ocean in 1943, to a lifeboat, where an ancestor survived for fifty days before being rescued.
As a mother myself, I felt every emotion Natalie encountered when her child was ill and her memories and reflections of when Rose was young, really tugged my heartstrings. The sudden change in Rose after her diagnosis was saddening to read and must have been so hard for Natalie to stay strong for herself and her young daughter during such sudden unexpected circumstances.
The author's passion for the subject only comes from real life experiences and coupled with a tremendous amount of research into the history of the ill fated SS Lulworth Hill and even her own familial history, she has written a powerful and moving story guaranteed to have you checking food and water wastage for days after. My grandfather was a merchant seaman during WW2 and was constantly terrified of dying at sea, so I could truly relate and empathise with the characters in the story. I've always been drawn to the mighty sea, living so close to it and the way the author described the sea while the men were adrift was so perfect it was as if you were in the life raft with them.
I loved the little sentences at the beginning of each chapter, they were quite haunting, giving the reader a hint of what was to come and from the first time we are introduced to the brown suited man my spine was tingling whenever he appeared.
I was teary and full of emotion reading the final chapters and I was so moved by the real life story of the SS Lulworth Hill that I have ordered the book written by Kenneth Cooke (who was one of the characters) about his real life ordeal just to keep the story alive - I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to such a moving book.
Reading how Rose coped with her new life changing conditions was very inspirational and truly found her to be so brave.
"How To Be Brave" is Louise Beech's debut novel and I know she has gone onto publish even more wonderfully written books since - "Maria In The Moon" I also thoroughly enjoyed. I will without doubt read all of her work and I look forward to moving onto "Mountain In My Shoe" next, but this time I'll be keeping the tissues very handy!
Beautiful, moving, inspirational and simply UNFORGETTABLE! A must read for all ages!
5 stars and MORE!
Thank you to Rachel Hall for her copy of the book.
Blurb - When nine-year-old Rose is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Natalie must use her imagination to keep her daughter alive. They begin dreaming about and seeing a man in a brown suit who feels hauntingly familiar, a man who has something for them. Through the magic of storytelling, Natalie and Rose are transported to the Atlantic Ocean in 1943, to a lifeboat, where an ancestor survived for fifty days before being rescued.
As a mother myself, I felt every emotion Natalie encountered when her child was ill and her memories and reflections of when Rose was young, really tugged my heartstrings. The sudden change in Rose after her diagnosis was saddening to read and must have been so hard for Natalie to stay strong for herself and her young daughter during such sudden unexpected circumstances.
The author's passion for the subject only comes from real life experiences and coupled with a tremendous amount of research into the history of the ill fated SS Lulworth Hill and even her own familial history, she has written a powerful and moving story guaranteed to have you checking food and water wastage for days after. My grandfather was a merchant seaman during WW2 and was constantly terrified of dying at sea, so I could truly relate and empathise with the characters in the story. I've always been drawn to the mighty sea, living so close to it and the way the author described the sea while the men were adrift was so perfect it was as if you were in the life raft with them.
I loved the little sentences at the beginning of each chapter, they were quite haunting, giving the reader a hint of what was to come and from the first time we are introduced to the brown suited man my spine was tingling whenever he appeared.
I was teary and full of emotion reading the final chapters and I was so moved by the real life story of the SS Lulworth Hill that I have ordered the book written by Kenneth Cooke (who was one of the characters) about his real life ordeal just to keep the story alive - I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to such a moving book.
Reading how Rose coped with her new life changing conditions was very inspirational and truly found her to be so brave.
"How To Be Brave" is Louise Beech's debut novel and I know she has gone onto publish even more wonderfully written books since - "Maria In The Moon" I also thoroughly enjoyed. I will without doubt read all of her work and I look forward to moving onto "Mountain In My Shoe" next, but this time I'll be keeping the tissues very handy!
Beautiful, moving, inspirational and simply UNFORGETTABLE! A must read for all ages!
5 stars and MORE!
Thank you to Rachel Hall for her copy of the book.
February 16, 2016
Beautifully written, emotional story that will stay with me for a long time!
This was a stunning read, and I don’t just mean in the shocking sense because I’m terrified of sharks. Before starting How to be Brave, little did I know how brave I was going to have to be. I’m so glad I didn’t know about the sharks beforehand, otherwise I might not have dared to read this beautiful book, which would have been a great shame, as it is easily one of the best books I have read this year so far.
How to be Brave is about the relationship between a mother, Natalie, and her nine year old daughter, Rose, shortly after Rose is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This diagnosis takes them on an emotional journey of fear, frustration and love, as the two of them try to adapt to their new lives, and the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter is challenged.
Alongside this contemporary storyline is the truly emotional and sometimes harrowing historical tale of Rose’s great grandad while he was lost at sea near the end of the Second World War. This is a mixture of fact and fiction, and I have to say it was so emotional to read, experiencing the fear of the men fighting to survive thirst, starvation, heat, fear and boredom. This is a story of true human strength that gives us that will to survive no matter what life throws at us.
As the two stories entwine throughout this book, there is a magical feel to it, which brought shivers down my spine. It reminded me of one of my all-time favourites, The Neverending Story. Not for all the strange creatures, although Scarface had pretty much the same response from me, as that terrifying wolf-like creature, Gmork, did all those years ago. It was the aspect of reading and through that, communicating beyond boundaries that seem possible, that made me think of The Neverending Story. Truly magical and mesmerising!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary, historical and emotional reads about human struggle.
September 23, 2015
It’s difficult to know where to begin with “How to be Brave”..there’s a whole history behind my love of this novel and a little bit of a thing. There was a time in my life recently and ongoing where I’ve had to be brave…during that time one of the things I did was some reading for my very good friend and the loveliest lady in the whole wide world, Karen Sullivan of Orenda books fame. She kept me busy in order to keep me sane – one of the things that landed was this. How to Be Brave, a debut from equally lovely lady Louise Beech. And I was in awe. And should probably thank Nick Quantrill too he knows what for.
I read it start to finish. Couldn’t put it down, couldn’t stop, was immersed in the gorgeous power of the prose and the sheer imaginative and emotional pull of the whole thing. This is a novel about life. A novel about love. A novel about the things that haunt us and the things that save us. It had a particularly beautiful quality I’ve not seen captured in any other book I’ve read ever. And this was quite an early read. The finished product is a thing of pure joy – I have indeed devoured it twice since then and probably will again.
The author’s background and family experiences play into “How to be Brave” and make it authentic, immersive and an unforgettable reading experience. It reminds us of the frailty of the human condition and speaks to the deeper maternal love that exists between mother and child – parents everywhere will simply exist within the pages.
The two threads of the story are cleverly interwoven, the historical aspects are stunningly intuitive and with a highly engaging sense of place and time – a novel of two intensely emotional halves creating an incredible whole. Yes it is emotionally resonant, you will cry but it is also brave, true and utterly compelling, a cliffs edge read where you are waiting for that moment then realise that the whole darn thing is THAT moment.
What else can I say? I think that will have to do you.
Don’t wait another minute for this one. There’s a time to read and this is it.
I read it start to finish. Couldn’t put it down, couldn’t stop, was immersed in the gorgeous power of the prose and the sheer imaginative and emotional pull of the whole thing. This is a novel about life. A novel about love. A novel about the things that haunt us and the things that save us. It had a particularly beautiful quality I’ve not seen captured in any other book I’ve read ever. And this was quite an early read. The finished product is a thing of pure joy – I have indeed devoured it twice since then and probably will again.
The author’s background and family experiences play into “How to be Brave” and make it authentic, immersive and an unforgettable reading experience. It reminds us of the frailty of the human condition and speaks to the deeper maternal love that exists between mother and child – parents everywhere will simply exist within the pages.
The two threads of the story are cleverly interwoven, the historical aspects are stunningly intuitive and with a highly engaging sense of place and time – a novel of two intensely emotional halves creating an incredible whole. Yes it is emotionally resonant, you will cry but it is also brave, true and utterly compelling, a cliffs edge read where you are waiting for that moment then realise that the whole darn thing is THAT moment.
What else can I say? I think that will have to do you.
Don’t wait another minute for this one. There’s a time to read and this is it.
February 27, 2016
How to be brave is a heartwarming and heart wrenching story all mixed in together. Natalie and Rose's story intertwined with the story of the man in the brown suit on a boat.
For me, it started off as a journey for a mother and daughter going through a life changing time with the diagnosis of Rose's diabetes. As I got further into the book, it became more about the crew's survival and whether they would be rescued. At times I was sat with Colin in the rocking boat in the rough Atlantic Ocean.
It's not my usual read; I must admit I bought the book as Louise Beech is a member of THE Book Club on Facebook (which I am also a member of). I decided to read it as I was going to be meeting Louise at a gathering for the aforementioned group. I am so glad I did. It has beautiful storytelling; it's amazing that this is the author's debut!
I will definitely be downloading Louise's next book when it's out.
For me, it started off as a journey for a mother and daughter going through a life changing time with the diagnosis of Rose's diabetes. As I got further into the book, it became more about the crew's survival and whether they would be rescued. At times I was sat with Colin in the rocking boat in the rough Atlantic Ocean.
It's not my usual read; I must admit I bought the book as Louise Beech is a member of THE Book Club on Facebook (which I am also a member of). I decided to read it as I was going to be meeting Louise at a gathering for the aforementioned group. I am so glad I did. It has beautiful storytelling; it's amazing that this is the author's debut!
I will definitely be downloading Louise's next book when it's out.
April 22, 2016
Part fiction, part biography, this story can't be pigeon-holed into any particular genre. Louise Beech writes beautifully as she switches between now and WW2 with her fabulous story of survival, love that spans generations and amazing bravery all topped with a sprinkling of a ghost story and a suggestion of time travel.
I absolutely loved this book and didn't want it to end, the author has a rare gift - I was literally transported out to sea, I could almost taste the salt water and hear the waves lapping against the boat. Like Rose I was eager to hear how Colin and his crew members were faring as their experiences were slowly drip fed by her mother throughout this amazingly accomplished debut novel. This is one I read through the tears and one that I am going to be raving about - An absolute must-read buy it now!!
October 29, 2016
How to Be Brave isn't just a book you read, it's a story that you feel like you are living while reading, right down to sharing the symptoms and emotions of some of its characters. I didn't just read this book, I experienced it.
Natalie is the mother of 9 year old Rose, whose father Jake is in Afghanistan when Rose has a crisis which we learn is caused by a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. While they are in hospital both mother and daughter are visited and spoken to by a man, who reassures them and whose voice leads them soon after to the discovery of dusty diary belonging to Natalie's grandfather Colin.
As the two struggle to adapt to their new life routines that diabetes has forced upon them, they begin to share the story they have uncovered, of the destruction of the ship Colin had been working on and his long survival at sea before rescue.
The narrative of daily life and the passing of days at sea by Colin are interwoven so closely that we live the two simultaneously, there is a strong connectivity between what passes through the mind of young Rose and her great grandfather.
They develop a routine that each time they must do the finger prick test and the insulin injection, they will narrate a portion of her great grandfather's story, they don't read from the diary, rather they take what they know and imagine the days, entering the minds and bodies of the men who shared the enormous challenge of trying to survive and keeping their spirits up.
We meet Ken and Fowler and Scown and others and Scarface, the menacing shark that never gives up its pursuit, whose instinct is sharp and head-butting intentions lethal.
Louise Beech has created a page-turning, moving story that on Day 2 of reading, which was also Day 2 post-op for my own daughter who has Type 1 diabetes, but is recovering from spinal surgery to correct a scoliosis related curvature, I began to feel symptoms of headache, dehydration and my body ached all over. I wasn't sure if it was sympathetic pain for my daughter or for Colin, but I couldn't read, just as Colin and the men couldn't always find the energy to keep a lookout and gave into sleep, so did I, after a quick trip to the pharmacy for medicine and water, so dehydrated! Miraculously, the next day I was completely fine.
In between the created narrative which mother and daughter eventually share, coinciding with Rose taking more responsibility for doing her tests, preparing her insulin and even doing her own injections, they also open the diary randomly, using it as a kind of oracle and as one would expect, discovering just the reflection they needed to hear at that moment, as they travelled their own journey.
Just as I do now with this book, while I live one day at a time with my daughter's pain, and today as the morphine is removed and she has taken the paracetamol and all the medicine she is allowed, and the pain is still there and there is nothing more to give but a mother's love, yes, I too open the book for reassurance and get this:
Louise's book has been my little escape these past four days, and these notes more like a journal than a review. I had intended to take a literary ocean escape with me during this time and intended to begin with Sheila Hurst's Ocean Echoes: A Novel, which I will begin today, as she shares a similar love of the sea and ocean to me and likes the same kind of nature writing, however Louise's book reached out to me and I decided to begin there, not realising how much of it takes place at sea. I couldn't help noticing the synchonicity of this giant picture of a roiling sea, tossing a ship in its swell, right opposite our room:
When Rose suggests she is ready to take more responsibility for her diabetes preparation and injections, her mother is initially reluctant, seeing her still as small child, wanting to avoid her immersion into the serious world of managing the medical challenge. In the same way she resists Rose's desire to take up some of the storytelling, until Rose shares the words she'd whispered into Colin's ear, during her night-time dream:
I loved everything about this book, brilliantly conceived and written, I would almost say channelled, as we are totally cast into Colin's experience and made to feel it, and that doesn't come from mere words scratched on a page. And I loved how mother and daughter become twin storytellers of the story, using their imagination, feeding into and drawing from their night dreams and day dreams and the bittersweet ending. Oh the magic of fiction and of life.
Highly Recommended.
Natalie is the mother of 9 year old Rose, whose father Jake is in Afghanistan when Rose has a crisis which we learn is caused by a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. While they are in hospital both mother and daughter are visited and spoken to by a man, who reassures them and whose voice leads them soon after to the discovery of dusty diary belonging to Natalie's grandfather Colin.
As the two struggle to adapt to their new life routines that diabetes has forced upon them, they begin to share the story they have uncovered, of the destruction of the ship Colin had been working on and his long survival at sea before rescue.
The narrative of daily life and the passing of days at sea by Colin are interwoven so closely that we live the two simultaneously, there is a strong connectivity between what passes through the mind of young Rose and her great grandfather.
They develop a routine that each time they must do the finger prick test and the insulin injection, they will narrate a portion of her great grandfather's story, they don't read from the diary, rather they take what they know and imagine the days, entering the minds and bodies of the men who shared the enormous challenge of trying to survive and keeping their spirits up.
We meet Ken and Fowler and Scown and others and Scarface, the menacing shark that never gives up its pursuit, whose instinct is sharp and head-butting intentions lethal.
Louise Beech has created a page-turning, moving story that on Day 2 of reading, which was also Day 2 post-op for my own daughter who has Type 1 diabetes, but is recovering from spinal surgery to correct a scoliosis related curvature, I began to feel symptoms of headache, dehydration and my body ached all over. I wasn't sure if it was sympathetic pain for my daughter or for Colin, but I couldn't read, just as Colin and the men couldn't always find the energy to keep a lookout and gave into sleep, so did I, after a quick trip to the pharmacy for medicine and water, so dehydrated! Miraculously, the next day I was completely fine.
In between the created narrative which mother and daughter eventually share, coinciding with Rose taking more responsibility for doing her tests, preparing her insulin and even doing her own injections, they also open the diary randomly, using it as a kind of oracle and as one would expect, discovering just the reflection they needed to hear at that moment, as they travelled their own journey.
Just as I do now with this book, while I live one day at a time with my daughter's pain, and today as the morphine is removed and she has taken the paracetamol and all the medicine she is allowed, and the pain is still there and there is nothing more to give but a mother's love, yes, I too open the book for reassurance and get this:
Noone spoke. Even the sea seemed to listen, calm for a moment, its many colours merging into sparkling gold. Colin cut off thoughts beyond two days ahead. He was unable to imagine his hunger on so small an amount of food and so little water. Looking around at the craggy faces of his mates, he could see in their eyes the same fear. But it had to be. Much as the craving was there,they couldn't eat more heartily for fear of how long rescue might be in coming.
Louise's book has been my little escape these past four days, and these notes more like a journal than a review. I had intended to take a literary ocean escape with me during this time and intended to begin with Sheila Hurst's Ocean Echoes: A Novel, which I will begin today, as she shares a similar love of the sea and ocean to me and likes the same kind of nature writing, however Louise's book reached out to me and I decided to begin there, not realising how much of it takes place at sea. I couldn't help noticing the synchonicity of this giant picture of a roiling sea, tossing a ship in its swell, right opposite our room:
When Rose suggests she is ready to take more responsibility for her diabetes preparation and injections, her mother is initially reluctant, seeing her still as small child, wanting to avoid her immersion into the serious world of managing the medical challenge. In the same way she resists Rose's desire to take up some of the storytelling, until Rose shares the words she'd whispered into Colin's ear, during her night-time dream:
Rose patted my head, gentler now.
'I said, If you don't live, I'll disappear Grandad. Can I call you Grandad? You're really my Great Grandad, but I like Grandad better. If you don't live Grandad, I won't be able to come back and stroke your hair. I'll just dissolve like a salty ghost. So then I got a bit of the canvas logbook and drew us all in there; you and me and Dad. I wrote above it that I was learning how to be brave, and he was making it a lot easier.
I loved everything about this book, brilliantly conceived and written, I would almost say channelled, as we are totally cast into Colin's experience and made to feel it, and that doesn't come from mere words scratched on a page. And I loved how mother and daughter become twin storytellers of the story, using their imagination, feeding into and drawing from their night dreams and day dreams and the bittersweet ending. Oh the magic of fiction and of life.
Highly Recommended.
March 17, 2016
An absolutely beautiful and moving book with 2 intertwined stories which were both heart wrenching and emotional and felt so very real that I could easily feel Colin's bravery and Natalie's incredible strength dealing with Rose. Bravo Louise Beech a wonderful debut novel. Highly recommended by me.
November 17, 2017
I can’t hardly think of the right words to describe how this book made me feel. It’s a story of bravery & doing what you have to do to survive. Amazingly descriptive & a beautiful story.
September 26, 2015
Based on family accounts, letters, and newspaper articles together with her imagination, Louise has crafted a beautifully written novel using her grandfather Colin's story and her own personal experience with her daughter's illness.
With her soldier husband Jake so far away in Afghanistan, Natalie is feeling alone and helpless in having to deal with her young daughter Rose’s newly diagnosed condition. 9 year old Rose is not dealing with the situation well and her bad behaviour takes its toll on Natalie. In order to give her daughter the medication she needs, she recounts the story of her grandfather Colin Armitage, a young seaman whose ship the SS Lulworth Hill was torpedoed during WW2. Colin and his fellow seamen spent 50 days in a lifeboat with dwindling supplies of food and water and being ever hopeful of rescue.
Whether from a dream or a ghostly apparition, Colin appears to both Natalie and Rose and his soothing presence is a lifeline to both. When Rose finds an old battered journal owned by Colin, his is the only story that she wants to hear and in return for Natalie telling her Colin’s story, she will accept the finger pricking and injections.
With the story told in turn by Colin and Natalie, the narrative moves seamlessly between the two and is an incredible tale of bravery and the desire to survive. I was totally captivated by Colin’s story of the time spent on the lifeboat, being trailed by a shark, eeking out Bovril tablets and biscuits and surviving on just a few mouthfuls of water each day. There were some parts that were heartbreakingly sad but the overall message was that of hope and his story was a tribute to the men’s bravery.
Rose’s journey to acceptance of her illness was not an easy one and her bad behaviour seemed at times totally unacceptable but both Rose and Natalie gained so much from their time spent with Colin. Natalie wasn't perfect either, her love for Rose was never in doubt but she struggled to cope with Rose's illness, and there were times when I felt embarrassed at her inability to say even a simple 'thank you' to her kindly neighbour. However by learning of Colin's courage, both Rose and Natalie found theirs. In the words of Rose ……”you have to know how to be sad to know how to be happy and if you both of those things you’ll know how to be brave”.
This book was an absolute joy to read, Louise is a natural storyteller. The story flows so well between both timelines and she writes with honesty. Her characters are not always likeable but they are believable. This is a wonderful story to honour her grandfather’s memory.
My thanks to the author and publisher for the copy to review.
With her soldier husband Jake so far away in Afghanistan, Natalie is feeling alone and helpless in having to deal with her young daughter Rose’s newly diagnosed condition. 9 year old Rose is not dealing with the situation well and her bad behaviour takes its toll on Natalie. In order to give her daughter the medication she needs, she recounts the story of her grandfather Colin Armitage, a young seaman whose ship the SS Lulworth Hill was torpedoed during WW2. Colin and his fellow seamen spent 50 days in a lifeboat with dwindling supplies of food and water and being ever hopeful of rescue.
Whether from a dream or a ghostly apparition, Colin appears to both Natalie and Rose and his soothing presence is a lifeline to both. When Rose finds an old battered journal owned by Colin, his is the only story that she wants to hear and in return for Natalie telling her Colin’s story, she will accept the finger pricking and injections.
With the story told in turn by Colin and Natalie, the narrative moves seamlessly between the two and is an incredible tale of bravery and the desire to survive. I was totally captivated by Colin’s story of the time spent on the lifeboat, being trailed by a shark, eeking out Bovril tablets and biscuits and surviving on just a few mouthfuls of water each day. There were some parts that were heartbreakingly sad but the overall message was that of hope and his story was a tribute to the men’s bravery.
Rose’s journey to acceptance of her illness was not an easy one and her bad behaviour seemed at times totally unacceptable but both Rose and Natalie gained so much from their time spent with Colin. Natalie wasn't perfect either, her love for Rose was never in doubt but she struggled to cope with Rose's illness, and there were times when I felt embarrassed at her inability to say even a simple 'thank you' to her kindly neighbour. However by learning of Colin's courage, both Rose and Natalie found theirs. In the words of Rose ……”you have to know how to be sad to know how to be happy and if you both of those things you’ll know how to be brave”.
This book was an absolute joy to read, Louise is a natural storyteller. The story flows so well between both timelines and she writes with honesty. Her characters are not always likeable but they are believable. This is a wonderful story to honour her grandfather’s memory.
My thanks to the author and publisher for the copy to review.
February 10, 2016
Wow this is a truly special book I actually feel bereft since I finished it. A clever story within a story that kept me captivated from beginning to end. Natalie and Jake are parents to 9 yr old Rose, while Jake is away in Afghanistan Natalies world is turned upside down. Rose is a feisty independent girl but when she is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes her anger becomes more prevalent. Refusing to have her regular finger pricks to monitor her glucose levels and her life saving insulin injections, Natalie needs to come up with a plan so Rose will agree to her having the treatment she desperately needs. Rose begins to talk about being visited by a man in her sleep, Natalie instantly knows who the man is and when Rose is guided to a box in the shed they discover Colins diary. Colins diary tells of his fight to stay alive aboard a boat lost in the Atlantic Ocean. Natalie and Rose begin a daily ritual of using Colins diary to help lose themselves while Rose has her medication.
This is a magical story and beautifully written. Louise Beech uses her own personal experiences to cover the battles diabetics have, describing the monotony of constant finger pricks, injections and snacks. I really can't praise this book enough, a fantastic read with a well deserved 5 *****
This is a magical story and beautifully written. Louise Beech uses her own personal experiences to cover the battles diabetics have, describing the monotony of constant finger pricks, injections and snacks. I really can't praise this book enough, a fantastic read with a well deserved 5 *****
April 7, 2018
A beautiful story well told
This is the second book I have read by this writer, the other being Maria In the Moon and I very much like how she writes about realistic characters who are easy to identify with.
Reading Maria in the Moon chimed with me in the first instance because I have worked on a crisis telephone helpline and this book chimed with me too because I identify with the difficulties of being diagnosed with diabetes something Rose and Natalie struggle with. But this book is so much more than that, it's the clever combining of great grandfather Colin's struggles to survive in a tiny life boat adrift in the Atlantic week after week after being torpedoed in the war, crazy with thirst and hunger with Rose missing her father who is in Afghanistan and angry at her diagnosis and reading how they overcome fear and become brave sticking it out. Guided to Grandfather's diary, "Find the book.". And . ... "Believing isn't enough unless you Do something.". The book made me ponder on what family means and who our heroes really are. All in all enjoyable and rather lovely. I will be reading more from this writer as her books are thought provoking and entertaining .
This is the second book I have read by this writer, the other being Maria In the Moon and I very much like how she writes about realistic characters who are easy to identify with.
Reading Maria in the Moon chimed with me in the first instance because I have worked on a crisis telephone helpline and this book chimed with me too because I identify with the difficulties of being diagnosed with diabetes something Rose and Natalie struggle with. But this book is so much more than that, it's the clever combining of great grandfather Colin's struggles to survive in a tiny life boat adrift in the Atlantic week after week after being torpedoed in the war, crazy with thirst and hunger with Rose missing her father who is in Afghanistan and angry at her diagnosis and reading how they overcome fear and become brave sticking it out. Guided to Grandfather's diary, "Find the book.". And . ... "Believing isn't enough unless you Do something.". The book made me ponder on what family means and who our heroes really are. All in all enjoyable and rather lovely. I will be reading more from this writer as her books are thought provoking and entertaining .
November 26, 2015
Natalie's world falls apart when her daughter Rose is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. From being diagnosed, Rose turns almost into a stranger to Natalie, she may look like her daughter but she now acts nothing like her. The things she used to love doing she no longer wants to do and she rebels against her treatment and is finding it very hard to adjust to these new changes in her life.
I have to admit to learning so much from this book. It really opened my eyes to an illness that I really knew very little about. Through the author I could really feel the frustration that Rose felt as diabetes had really intruded in her young and carefree lifestyle and I had every empathy for her acting the way she was. On the other hand, as a mother, I could also feel all the emotions that Natalie was going through. What's worse is that Natalie has to deal with it on her own.
Natalie has to outwit her daughter into doing the prick tests and her daily injections which she is having a hard time accepting. After coming across some old information about her grandfather who went missing in the war, she decides to create a story using some of the facts about her grandfather into a compelling story that she slowly tells over a period of time. I have to admit to start with I was more interested in the parts with Natalie and Rose but it didn't take long for the story of Colin and his fellow seamen to grab me and I have to admit I really did not want it to end.
How To Be Brave was an eye opening book for me which is beautifully written. It's one of those novels where the characters will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. A highly recommended read.
I have to admit to learning so much from this book. It really opened my eyes to an illness that I really knew very little about. Through the author I could really feel the frustration that Rose felt as diabetes had really intruded in her young and carefree lifestyle and I had every empathy for her acting the way she was. On the other hand, as a mother, I could also feel all the emotions that Natalie was going through. What's worse is that Natalie has to deal with it on her own.
Natalie has to outwit her daughter into doing the prick tests and her daily injections which she is having a hard time accepting. After coming across some old information about her grandfather who went missing in the war, she decides to create a story using some of the facts about her grandfather into a compelling story that she slowly tells over a period of time. I have to admit to start with I was more interested in the parts with Natalie and Rose but it didn't take long for the story of Colin and his fellow seamen to grab me and I have to admit I really did not want it to end.
How To Be Brave was an eye opening book for me which is beautifully written. It's one of those novels where the characters will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. A highly recommended read.
September 4, 2015
When Natalie’s daughter faints following a month-long spell of unquenchable thirst, she’s rushed to the hospital with Natalie fearing the worst. Tests reveal both good and bad news. Her condition is treatable, but it’s still very serious. Type 1 diabetes requires endless finger prick tests and insulin injections, and, understandably, young Rose does not warm well to them. But it’s Natalie’s job to care for her daughter and the visit of a ghost, a strangely familiar presence, might be just what she needs to help her through the ordeal.
The ghost is the key to unlocking the novel’s second narrative, the true story of a man adrift in a lifeboat during WW2. Natalie and Rose both share in his tale, an amazing story of bravery and the desire to survive.
Part autobiography, part fiction, How To Be Brave essentially defies conventional categorisation. The two narratives are split by time, gender, circumstance and a hundred other things, but first time author, Louise Beech blends them effortlessly. Despite logic dictating the outcome of one story strand, it is delightfully easy to be drawn in and become heavily invested in everything going on.
The standout aspect of this book, however, is the relationship between Natalie and Rose. It is sometimes fractious, sometimes tender, but always believable. You find yourself on a real journey with the characters and, by the end of the book, you will doubtless learn something new about bravery too.
The ghost is the key to unlocking the novel’s second narrative, the true story of a man adrift in a lifeboat during WW2. Natalie and Rose both share in his tale, an amazing story of bravery and the desire to survive.
Part autobiography, part fiction, How To Be Brave essentially defies conventional categorisation. The two narratives are split by time, gender, circumstance and a hundred other things, but first time author, Louise Beech blends them effortlessly. Despite logic dictating the outcome of one story strand, it is delightfully easy to be drawn in and become heavily invested in everything going on.
The standout aspect of this book, however, is the relationship between Natalie and Rose. It is sometimes fractious, sometimes tender, but always believable. You find yourself on a real journey with the characters and, by the end of the book, you will doubtless learn something new about bravery too.
May 18, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 enjoyable stars.
For some reason I didn’t enjoy this as much as others. Whilst it was an enjoyable book, well written, I also found it slow going at times.
Colin’s story was brilliant and the writing is such that you really feel that you are on that boat.
But I just couldn’t gel with the supernatural part of the story, and also I found Rose and Natalie (sorry) quite unlikeable and a bit annoying.
For some reason I didn’t enjoy this as much as others. Whilst it was an enjoyable book, well written, I also found it slow going at times.
Colin’s story was brilliant and the writing is such that you really feel that you are on that boat.
But I just couldn’t gel with the supernatural part of the story, and also I found Rose and Natalie (sorry) quite unlikeable and a bit annoying.
November 30, 2016
A very moving story.
November 5, 2017
This is a book I just couldn't put down. Exceptional. Highly recommended.
July 1, 2023
Beautifully written. Emotional. Not my usual type of book but I loved it.
December 4, 2017
When 9-year Rose is diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes, her world is thrown upside down and she and her mother Natalie must learn how to cope with her new reality. In order to ease the process, Natalie begins to tell Rose the story of her great-grandfather, Colin, who was left adrift in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean during WWII. As the days goes on and they get deeper into the story, they both find comfort and strength in his story, which helps them cope with Rose’s condition.
This was a good story, although I don’t think I was quite as captivated by it as many other reviewers. Its strength lay in Colin’s story. Beech did a wonderful job of making the reader feel like they were right there in the lifeboat with Colin and the other men, slowly wasting away while they awaited rescue after their ship was torpedoed by the Germans. This story was actually biographical; this happened to Beech’s grandfather, so it was a great way for Beech to tell his story. It’s an amazing story.
In a sense, the present-day story of Rose’s diabetes diagnosis is also somewhat biographical because Beech’s child was diagnosed with it when she was young. As such, Beech gives an emotional account of what it’s like for both a child and parent to cope with their new reality.
What bothered me about the story was Rose. I know I’m going to sound awful for saying this, especially since Rose was dealing with her illness and was obviously going through a rough time, but I really didn’t like Rose. Natalie described her as “spirited”. I would call her spoiled, ill mannered and obnoxious. She behaved in this way before she was diagnosed, so emotional turmoil doesn’t explain away her horrible behaviour. I’m fine with spirited, strong-willed kids, but I’m not OK with downright rude kids. (Although I guess she learned well from her mother: was it really that difficult for Natalie to say ‘thank you’ to a neighbour for all her kind gestures?)
Although I don’t mind a bit of a “mystical” element to stories, this one went just a little too far to be remotely believable for me. I don’t think she had to go quite so far into the ghost communications/time travel to tie the two generations together… it would have still been a powerful and more believable story with a lighter touch in this regard.
I’m teetering between 3 and 4 stars. I can’t quite bring myself to bump up to a 4, so I’ll give it a very solid 3 stars.
This was a good story, although I don’t think I was quite as captivated by it as many other reviewers. Its strength lay in Colin’s story. Beech did a wonderful job of making the reader feel like they were right there in the lifeboat with Colin and the other men, slowly wasting away while they awaited rescue after their ship was torpedoed by the Germans. This story was actually biographical; this happened to Beech’s grandfather, so it was a great way for Beech to tell his story. It’s an amazing story.
In a sense, the present-day story of Rose’s diabetes diagnosis is also somewhat biographical because Beech’s child was diagnosed with it when she was young. As such, Beech gives an emotional account of what it’s like for both a child and parent to cope with their new reality.
What bothered me about the story was Rose. I know I’m going to sound awful for saying this, especially since Rose was dealing with her illness and was obviously going through a rough time, but I really didn’t like Rose. Natalie described her as “spirited”. I would call her spoiled, ill mannered and obnoxious. She behaved in this way before she was diagnosed, so emotional turmoil doesn’t explain away her horrible behaviour. I’m fine with spirited, strong-willed kids, but I’m not OK with downright rude kids. (Although I guess she learned well from her mother: was it really that difficult for Natalie to say ‘thank you’ to a neighbour for all her kind gestures?)
Although I don’t mind a bit of a “mystical” element to stories, this one went just a little too far to be remotely believable for me. I don’t think she had to go quite so far into the ghost communications/time travel to tie the two generations together… it would have still been a powerful and more believable story with a lighter touch in this regard.
I’m teetering between 3 and 4 stars. I can’t quite bring myself to bump up to a 4, so I’ll give it a very solid 3 stars.
December 7, 2015
This is an absolutely beautiful book. I'm not a fan of split narratives, however in this instance the alternating between past and present worked wonderfully. I'm also not a frequent reader of paranormal, yet again Beech masterfully knitted this into the narrative with perfection.
Beech's writing is stunning, penetrating. Considering Colin's story is fact based on his experience and journal entries makes it all the more moving and haunting. Beech's use of language emotionally grips her audience from beginning to end. Both Colin and Rose's story will capture you mind, body and spirit.
I connected with Colin's story the most, poignant. His harrowing ordeal, the thread of hope he maintained when his peers perish around him. His hunger and thirst never ceasing. His bravery was arresting. I felt the sting of saltwater, the burn of the sun, constant hunger pangs, counting the days adrift bargaining with God, his ordeal is beyond moving.
Louise Beech impresses with this amazing debut novel. Her writing is solid, she certainly comes across as a seasoned author rather than a neophyte. I am anxious to read future writings from this gifted authoress.
A marvelous book demonstrating bravery and courage we all possess, along with how a story wields unimaginable power. A story not to be missed.
Beech's writing is stunning, penetrating. Considering Colin's story is fact based on his experience and journal entries makes it all the more moving and haunting. Beech's use of language emotionally grips her audience from beginning to end. Both Colin and Rose's story will capture you mind, body and spirit.
I connected with Colin's story the most, poignant. His harrowing ordeal, the thread of hope he maintained when his peers perish around him. His hunger and thirst never ceasing. His bravery was arresting. I felt the sting of saltwater, the burn of the sun, constant hunger pangs, counting the days adrift bargaining with God, his ordeal is beyond moving.
Louise Beech impresses with this amazing debut novel. Her writing is solid, she certainly comes across as a seasoned author rather than a neophyte. I am anxious to read future writings from this gifted authoress.
A marvelous book demonstrating bravery and courage we all possess, along with how a story wields unimaginable power. A story not to be missed.
November 15, 2018
Reading this book made for quite the emotional literary journey. It is supremely powerful, fantastical, and above all, beautifully written. When you add the fact that it is strongly based on the author's life and family history, it all amounts to a genuinely compelling and profound piece of storytelling.
The book contains two separate story lines, both extremely effective and impactful. They are linked together not only by the fierce power of storytelling that emanates throughout, but also by a number of poignant themes, and a sprinkling of magical realism.
The magical realism aspect is evident early on, and as the story moves along, it appears in several different forms. It is like an external force driving the characters towards their respective fates, establishing a mutual connection some sixty years apart.
I was completely immersed in both story lines. I liked how the issue of diabetes was explored in such detail, and although some of it did get a bit repetitive at times, the characters were always interesting enough to keep me going.
The story of the men on the lifeboat was genuinely moving and brilliantly told, even more so when I remind myself that this was based on things that actually happened. When I reached the end of the book I felt quite overwhelmed, just consumed by the intensity of it all. It is a story that will make me never forget reading this book.
The characters are multi-layered and wonderfully realised. Natalie is the narrator, and the way she has to immediately come to terms with Rose's diagnosis comes across well. Rose is complex and occasionally unpredictable, not to mention very precocious. On the lifeboat, Colin and Ken were endearing and as the reader it felt like I was being guided through the story with them, and although it would have been good to find out more about some of the other men, there is almost nothing that could be changed to make it better.
I simply must talk about the writing style. It is very poetic, very thought-provoking, and I could tell that a great deal of care went into every word. The book is full of lyrical lines and arresting sentiments, with more than its fair share of inventive similes and metaphors (mostly related to the sea). It was sometimes quite witty, and I liked the little extra touches in there, such as Natalie correcting Rose's grammar, and each character's figures of speech. The only minor thing I can criticise is that there are too many rhetorical questions.
The structure of the book is quite interesting because for a long time, the chapters alternate between the two story lines, but later on, they kind of overlap as the novel really gathers pace. During the middle third of the book the pace was just threatening to lag, but then it suddenly accelerates and is entirely captivating right up to the end and as a result, my rating just kept going up.
Overall, this was a memorable read that becomes more and more powerful the closer you get to the end. We have two superbly told stories in one, carved together by a very talented author for whom they carry special significance. The pace may be slow at times in the middle part of the book, but otherwise this is a standout work of literature with no shortage of things to capture your attention.
The book contains two separate story lines, both extremely effective and impactful. They are linked together not only by the fierce power of storytelling that emanates throughout, but also by a number of poignant themes, and a sprinkling of magical realism.
The magical realism aspect is evident early on, and as the story moves along, it appears in several different forms. It is like an external force driving the characters towards their respective fates, establishing a mutual connection some sixty years apart.
I was completely immersed in both story lines. I liked how the issue of diabetes was explored in such detail, and although some of it did get a bit repetitive at times, the characters were always interesting enough to keep me going.
The story of the men on the lifeboat was genuinely moving and brilliantly told, even more so when I remind myself that this was based on things that actually happened. When I reached the end of the book I felt quite overwhelmed, just consumed by the intensity of it all. It is a story that will make me never forget reading this book.
The characters are multi-layered and wonderfully realised. Natalie is the narrator, and the way she has to immediately come to terms with Rose's diagnosis comes across well. Rose is complex and occasionally unpredictable, not to mention very precocious. On the lifeboat, Colin and Ken were endearing and as the reader it felt like I was being guided through the story with them, and although it would have been good to find out more about some of the other men, there is almost nothing that could be changed to make it better.
I simply must talk about the writing style. It is very poetic, very thought-provoking, and I could tell that a great deal of care went into every word. The book is full of lyrical lines and arresting sentiments, with more than its fair share of inventive similes and metaphors (mostly related to the sea). It was sometimes quite witty, and I liked the little extra touches in there, such as Natalie correcting Rose's grammar, and each character's figures of speech. The only minor thing I can criticise is that there are too many rhetorical questions.
The structure of the book is quite interesting because for a long time, the chapters alternate between the two story lines, but later on, they kind of overlap as the novel really gathers pace. During the middle third of the book the pace was just threatening to lag, but then it suddenly accelerates and is entirely captivating right up to the end and as a result, my rating just kept going up.
Overall, this was a memorable read that becomes more and more powerful the closer you get to the end. We have two superbly told stories in one, carved together by a very talented author for whom they carry special significance. The pace may be slow at times in the middle part of the book, but otherwise this is a standout work of literature with no shortage of things to capture your attention.
December 3, 2018
Full review: https://frombelgium.wixsite.com/withb...
How To Be Brave is the story of Rose and her mum Nathalie. When Rose faints and is taken to hospital, she is soon diagnosed with diabetes. Rose is only 9 years old, and the diagnosis comes as a shock, to her as well as her mum. Her dad works in the military and isn’t around, so it’s Nathalie who has to deal with the aftermath. Quite the stubborn personality, she finds it hard to accept any outside help, let alone ask for it. Her despair, her powerlessness are palpable; every sugar level test, every insulin shot a battle. Desperate to make the situation more bearable, Nathalie promises to read with Rose the story of Rose’s great-grandfather Colin, who was lost at sea and left a diary that Rose found when she was hiding from her mum, and her diabetes.
Although both narratives are equally well-written and are both interesting, I found myself drawn to the Rose part more, because of three things that made it resonate strongly with me:
Both narratives are based on a true story, which really enhances the reading experience. Louise does have a daughter with diabetes and her grandfather was lost at sea. Gem (@GlimpsinGembles) has written a wonderful blog post featuring pictures, which you should definitely check out!
Nathalie is my age and Rose is my niece’s age. I kept picturing her while listening to Finty, and it made everything so much more real.
Like Rose, I’m chronically ill. I don’t have diabetes, I have MS. And I didn’t get my diagnosis when I was 9, I was 31 and I was married and I didn’t live at home anymore, but the despair, the powerlessness Nathalie feels, I know is what my parents felt. And while I didn’t act out the way Rose does, I saw some of my own reactions and experiences reflected in her.
This is not a sob story, Louise doesn’t do cheap emotions and that’s what gets to me. Every. Single. Time.
Highly recommended, because every once in while we all need a little reminder of how to be brave.
How To Be Brave is the story of Rose and her mum Nathalie. When Rose faints and is taken to hospital, she is soon diagnosed with diabetes. Rose is only 9 years old, and the diagnosis comes as a shock, to her as well as her mum. Her dad works in the military and isn’t around, so it’s Nathalie who has to deal with the aftermath. Quite the stubborn personality, she finds it hard to accept any outside help, let alone ask for it. Her despair, her powerlessness are palpable; every sugar level test, every insulin shot a battle. Desperate to make the situation more bearable, Nathalie promises to read with Rose the story of Rose’s great-grandfather Colin, who was lost at sea and left a diary that Rose found when she was hiding from her mum, and her diabetes.
Although both narratives are equally well-written and are both interesting, I found myself drawn to the Rose part more, because of three things that made it resonate strongly with me:
Both narratives are based on a true story, which really enhances the reading experience. Louise does have a daughter with diabetes and her grandfather was lost at sea. Gem (@GlimpsinGembles) has written a wonderful blog post featuring pictures, which you should definitely check out!
Nathalie is my age and Rose is my niece’s age. I kept picturing her while listening to Finty, and it made everything so much more real.
Like Rose, I’m chronically ill. I don’t have diabetes, I have MS. And I didn’t get my diagnosis when I was 9, I was 31 and I was married and I didn’t live at home anymore, but the despair, the powerlessness Nathalie feels, I know is what my parents felt. And while I didn’t act out the way Rose does, I saw some of my own reactions and experiences reflected in her.
This is not a sob story, Louise doesn’t do cheap emotions and that’s what gets to me. Every. Single. Time.
Highly recommended, because every once in while we all need a little reminder of how to be brave.
October 3, 2017
What a great concept for a book this is. Young Rose, aged nine, is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes while her soldier father is away on a long tour and her mum, Natalie, has to cope with it alone. To persuade her daughter to allow her to do the blood tests and injections, Natalie ‘bribes’ her with a family story of her own grandfather’s time in the war.
Rose is a great little character, self-willed and often driven by the disease she’s battling. Natalie is real, flawed, hating what she has to do to her daughter to keep her safe, and often losing her rag doing it. Well, you would, wouldn’t you? Their story thread is wrapped around with that of Natalie’s grandad, Colin. They twist around one another, cross-linked here and there, very much like strands of DNA. They say blood is thicker than water – even sea water. It seemed that through their very different adversities, Rose and Colin taught one another ‘how to be brave’. A great bit of writing and one I’ll remember for a long time.
Rose is a great little character, self-willed and often driven by the disease she’s battling. Natalie is real, flawed, hating what she has to do to her daughter to keep her safe, and often losing her rag doing it. Well, you would, wouldn’t you? Their story thread is wrapped around with that of Natalie’s grandad, Colin. They twist around one another, cross-linked here and there, very much like strands of DNA. They say blood is thicker than water – even sea water. It seemed that through their very different adversities, Rose and Colin taught one another ‘how to be brave’. A great bit of writing and one I’ll remember for a long time.
August 24, 2017
Please check out my book blog at www.thebuzzingbookmark.com
This book is part memoir, part autobiography and part fiction novel. It's a beautifully crafted tale in which the author tells the story of her grandfather, Colin, who survived the sinking of his battleship and survived on a raft out at sea, and the story of her daughter's diabetes diagnosis, and the effect it had on their lives and their relationship.
After finishing Sweetpea (by C.J Skuse) a few days ago, which I absolutely loved and which rocketed into my top 3 reads of the year, I was really worried about what to read next. I felt that nothing would compare and that any thriller that I read next would fall flat in comparison. The only way to deal with that potential problem, was by reading something totally and completely different, something that was definitely not a thriller. So off I went to scan my bookshelf and my eyes landed on this book, which I'd actually been meaning to read for some time. It was the perfect read to get me over my book hangover.
I felt that the author had a very natural and easy writing style. The pages flew by without any effort on my side, and the story unfolded so effortlessly. The bravery shown by Colin, but also by the author and her daughter, was quite clear. In Colin's case, I know that it's human instinct to fight to survive, but I couldn't help wondering if I would ever have been able to endure the hardships that he endured. And as for young Rose, and how difficult it must be to have to prick your finger four times a day, draw blood, inject yourself, and all at the tender age of 9, her bravery, and that of her mother was also clear.
This is a lovely and uplifting story that I'm sure most Bookworm's will enjoy. It was a book that I loved, and it was totally outside of the genres that I normally enjoy. Need I say more.
This book is part memoir, part autobiography and part fiction novel. It's a beautifully crafted tale in which the author tells the story of her grandfather, Colin, who survived the sinking of his battleship and survived on a raft out at sea, and the story of her daughter's diabetes diagnosis, and the effect it had on their lives and their relationship.
After finishing Sweetpea (by C.J Skuse) a few days ago, which I absolutely loved and which rocketed into my top 3 reads of the year, I was really worried about what to read next. I felt that nothing would compare and that any thriller that I read next would fall flat in comparison. The only way to deal with that potential problem, was by reading something totally and completely different, something that was definitely not a thriller. So off I went to scan my bookshelf and my eyes landed on this book, which I'd actually been meaning to read for some time. It was the perfect read to get me over my book hangover.
I felt that the author had a very natural and easy writing style. The pages flew by without any effort on my side, and the story unfolded so effortlessly. The bravery shown by Colin, but also by the author and her daughter, was quite clear. In Colin's case, I know that it's human instinct to fight to survive, but I couldn't help wondering if I would ever have been able to endure the hardships that he endured. And as for young Rose, and how difficult it must be to have to prick your finger four times a day, draw blood, inject yourself, and all at the tender age of 9, her bravery, and that of her mother was also clear.
This is a lovely and uplifting story that I'm sure most Bookworm's will enjoy. It was a book that I loved, and it was totally outside of the genres that I normally enjoy. Need I say more.
May 29, 2019
When nine year old rose is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, Natalie must use her imagination to keep her daughter alive. They begin dreaming about and seeing a man in a brown suit who feels hauntingly familiar, a man who has something for them. Through the magic of storytelling, Natalie and Rose are transported to the Atlantic ocean in 1943, to a lifeboat in which an ancestor survived 50 days before being rescued.
After meeting Louise at an event for her new book Call Me Star Girl and hearing about this book I knew I'd have to give it a read. It isn't normally a book I would pick up as I'm usually more into teen fiction or horror but I loved it from start to finish. Louise has a way of writing that absolutely captivates a reader and she's rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors.
I also really had a love for all the characters in this book, particularly Rose. She is the most hilarious 9 year old I've ever read about.
Structurally it was split into chapters about the present day and chapters about time on the ship. Yet they don't seem clunky because themes carry across both stories. I desparately wanted to know what happened in both stories so i almost wanted to race through each chapter to see what was happening in the next one.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone even people who wouldn't normally choose this genre of book. It's captivating, heartwarming and full of lovable characters.
After meeting Louise at an event for her new book Call Me Star Girl and hearing about this book I knew I'd have to give it a read. It isn't normally a book I would pick up as I'm usually more into teen fiction or horror but I loved it from start to finish. Louise has a way of writing that absolutely captivates a reader and she's rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors.
I also really had a love for all the characters in this book, particularly Rose. She is the most hilarious 9 year old I've ever read about.
Structurally it was split into chapters about the present day and chapters about time on the ship. Yet they don't seem clunky because themes carry across both stories. I desparately wanted to know what happened in both stories so i almost wanted to race through each chapter to see what was happening in the next one.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone even people who wouldn't normally choose this genre of book. It's captivating, heartwarming and full of lovable characters.
September 6, 2015
How to be Brave, by Louise Beech, is a book that I nearly gave up on. I am glad that I did not. When I had read the first hundred pages, the length of time I give a book to grab me, all I could see was the kind of self-absorbed mother I know only too well. Her daughter was behaving like a brat yet she appeared unable to look beyond her precious little snowflake, wronged by a world too blind to recognise such unique wonderfulness and therefore ready to indulge misbehaviour. Is there any mother who cannot see qualities in her child to which the world appears unappreciative? Most will never have to deal with this child developing a life changing illness; who knows how any of us would react to such a shift?
The tale opens at Halloween. Natalie is living alone with her truculent, nine year old daughter, Rose; her husband is on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Rose has been stroppy since he left, disturbing Natalie’s sleep to complain of thirst and copying her mother’s habit of copious swearing. As they prepare to go out Trick or Treating, Rose collapses onto the kitchen floor. She is rushed to hospital where she is diagnosed with diabetes.
As Natalie and Rose struggle to come to terms with a lifetime of regular blood tests and injections a shadowy figure enters their lives. The reader may decide if he is a ghost or a dream but Colin’s presence helps our protagonists through these difficult days. They settle into a routine punctured by numerous battles of will. Natalie persists in babying her daughter who fights through her mother’s preconceptions, desperate to be heard as an individual. What holds them together is a story they start to share woven from imagination, memories and family memorobilia found languishing in a shed where Rose flees for sanctuary.
The story is that of Colin, Natalie’s long dead Granddad. At the end of the Second World War, his ship was torpedoed and he was stranded in a lifeboat for fifty days. Natalie recreates his ordeal from his diary and newspaper cuttings. Her narrative is told in parallel with the present day tale.
Natalie’s personal story is the one that resonated. It was her neediness and self absorption that nearly turned me away, yet as she came to understand how she was behaving the harshness with which she judged herself struck a chord. Mothers are so used to society blaming them for their children’s faults while their children heap blame on them for all their woes. It is little wonder that mothers also berate themselves.
Natalie changes as the story progresses. She recognises that she must allow Rose to move on with her life and that, even though Rose is the centre of Natalie’s life, Natalie is not at the centre of Rose’s. Natalie stops using childish words in her stories, stops trying to protect Rose from every harsh reality of life. She still makes promises that she cannot guarantee to keep and says ‘We’ll see’ rather than ‘No’, but she is starting to find honesty, and to this Rose responds.
Natalie and Rose use Colin’s diary in the same way believers use a bible, dipping in for inspiration and finding text they can interpret as messages to help them through their days. Natalie rebuffs the kindness offered by a neighbour whose efforts are described as ‘bothering them’; she turns away offers of assistance from family and friends; perhaps she conjures up a supernatural presence as the only kind of help she can accept as it will never expect her to reciprocate.
I found it hard to like Natalie until well into the book when I realised that the author was portraying her in the harshest of lights. Allowances were made for Rose’s bad behaviour, and for Colin’s various acts of desperation, but no slack was offered for Natalie’s flaws. I empathised with her loneliness and a mother’s tendency to self-flagellate.
This is a story woven from the author’s personal experience and is one of hope despite devastating challenges. It matters little if Colin actually appeared to them; his story inspired and it is that which was needed at such a difficult time.
The initial build up set a scene necessary for understanding; when finished a powerful story lingers. The writing shifted my perception as the story progressed, reminding me how easy it is to jump to judgement rather than taking the time to learn why others behave as they do. Sometimes it is necessary to look through a different lens to enable us to deal with ourselves and with those who rely on us to accept and understand. One must be brave to grant loved ones their freedom.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Orenda Books.
The tale opens at Halloween. Natalie is living alone with her truculent, nine year old daughter, Rose; her husband is on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Rose has been stroppy since he left, disturbing Natalie’s sleep to complain of thirst and copying her mother’s habit of copious swearing. As they prepare to go out Trick or Treating, Rose collapses onto the kitchen floor. She is rushed to hospital where she is diagnosed with diabetes.
As Natalie and Rose struggle to come to terms with a lifetime of regular blood tests and injections a shadowy figure enters their lives. The reader may decide if he is a ghost or a dream but Colin’s presence helps our protagonists through these difficult days. They settle into a routine punctured by numerous battles of will. Natalie persists in babying her daughter who fights through her mother’s preconceptions, desperate to be heard as an individual. What holds them together is a story they start to share woven from imagination, memories and family memorobilia found languishing in a shed where Rose flees for sanctuary.
The story is that of Colin, Natalie’s long dead Granddad. At the end of the Second World War, his ship was torpedoed and he was stranded in a lifeboat for fifty days. Natalie recreates his ordeal from his diary and newspaper cuttings. Her narrative is told in parallel with the present day tale.
Natalie’s personal story is the one that resonated. It was her neediness and self absorption that nearly turned me away, yet as she came to understand how she was behaving the harshness with which she judged herself struck a chord. Mothers are so used to society blaming them for their children’s faults while their children heap blame on them for all their woes. It is little wonder that mothers also berate themselves.
Natalie changes as the story progresses. She recognises that she must allow Rose to move on with her life and that, even though Rose is the centre of Natalie’s life, Natalie is not at the centre of Rose’s. Natalie stops using childish words in her stories, stops trying to protect Rose from every harsh reality of life. She still makes promises that she cannot guarantee to keep and says ‘We’ll see’ rather than ‘No’, but she is starting to find honesty, and to this Rose responds.
Natalie and Rose use Colin’s diary in the same way believers use a bible, dipping in for inspiration and finding text they can interpret as messages to help them through their days. Natalie rebuffs the kindness offered by a neighbour whose efforts are described as ‘bothering them’; she turns away offers of assistance from family and friends; perhaps she conjures up a supernatural presence as the only kind of help she can accept as it will never expect her to reciprocate.
I found it hard to like Natalie until well into the book when I realised that the author was portraying her in the harshest of lights. Allowances were made for Rose’s bad behaviour, and for Colin’s various acts of desperation, but no slack was offered for Natalie’s flaws. I empathised with her loneliness and a mother’s tendency to self-flagellate.
This is a story woven from the author’s personal experience and is one of hope despite devastating challenges. It matters little if Colin actually appeared to them; his story inspired and it is that which was needed at such a difficult time.
The initial build up set a scene necessary for understanding; when finished a powerful story lingers. The writing shifted my perception as the story progressed, reminding me how easy it is to jump to judgement rather than taking the time to learn why others behave as they do. Sometimes it is necessary to look through a different lens to enable us to deal with ourselves and with those who rely on us to accept and understand. One must be brave to grant loved ones their freedom.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Orenda Books.
November 15, 2015
Novel set in the Atlantic (Uplifting and Compelling)
Rose, aged 9, collapses and Diabetes 1 is diagnosed. Rose’s great-grandfather is adrift on the Atlantic ocean. This is an uplifting book about how what is important in life and survival through exceptionally hard times.
This brilliant book commences with the diagnosis of Rose, and her mother’s struggle to cope with the medical regime alone. She needs help, as does Rose, and they find it in the amazing story of Rose’s great grandfather (Colin) stranded in a lifeboat, in the South Atlantic back in 1943. All 3 main characters are struggling to survive, and their stories have many parallels. These 3 characters, and the others (though there are not many in the story), are wonderfully portrayed drawing the reader into their lives, thoughts and hopes, and the realisation that it is ok to ask for help.
The boat that Colin Armitage jumped from was the SS Lulworth Hill, and there is plenty on the internet about his part of this story, but do read the book before you look it up so as not to ruin the story. Much of the book is true (the author’s daughter was diagnosed with Diabetes, and Colin is the author’s grandfather), and some of it is fiction. “In the end all you can do is believe the parts that sound right to you” as Rose says in the book.
The descriptions of coming to terms with a Diabetes 1 are very moving, and the narration about the tests and injections stirring. Meanwhile the struggle for survival in the lifeboat is shocking, compelling and emotional. Yet through these two terrible struggles the author portrays positivity and warmth.
For the tourist this is a book that will take away any stresses of travel; it is so engrossing you will find any journey whizzes by as you avidly turn the pages. A fantastic holiday read, and equally good for snuggling down in the safety of your sofa whilst you escape to the turbulent Atlantic seas.
I loved this book! The mix of fact, fiction and memoir were perfect, and the stories of lives intertwined were gripping from the first page to the last. There were few characters, so easy to follow, and those characters were very skilfully portrayed. Despite the subject matter it was an uplifting book overall, though the hardship both on the lifeboat, and in getting accustomed to diabetes are clearly portrayed. Hope shines through.
With no sex or violence, though there are moments of anger, this book is suitable for all the family.
This review first appeared on our blog: http://www.tripfiction.com/novel-set-...
Rose, aged 9, collapses and Diabetes 1 is diagnosed. Rose’s great-grandfather is adrift on the Atlantic ocean. This is an uplifting book about how what is important in life and survival through exceptionally hard times.
This brilliant book commences with the diagnosis of Rose, and her mother’s struggle to cope with the medical regime alone. She needs help, as does Rose, and they find it in the amazing story of Rose’s great grandfather (Colin) stranded in a lifeboat, in the South Atlantic back in 1943. All 3 main characters are struggling to survive, and their stories have many parallels. These 3 characters, and the others (though there are not many in the story), are wonderfully portrayed drawing the reader into their lives, thoughts and hopes, and the realisation that it is ok to ask for help.
The boat that Colin Armitage jumped from was the SS Lulworth Hill, and there is plenty on the internet about his part of this story, but do read the book before you look it up so as not to ruin the story. Much of the book is true (the author’s daughter was diagnosed with Diabetes, and Colin is the author’s grandfather), and some of it is fiction. “In the end all you can do is believe the parts that sound right to you” as Rose says in the book.
The descriptions of coming to terms with a Diabetes 1 are very moving, and the narration about the tests and injections stirring. Meanwhile the struggle for survival in the lifeboat is shocking, compelling and emotional. Yet through these two terrible struggles the author portrays positivity and warmth.
For the tourist this is a book that will take away any stresses of travel; it is so engrossing you will find any journey whizzes by as you avidly turn the pages. A fantastic holiday read, and equally good for snuggling down in the safety of your sofa whilst you escape to the turbulent Atlantic seas.
I loved this book! The mix of fact, fiction and memoir were perfect, and the stories of lives intertwined were gripping from the first page to the last. There were few characters, so easy to follow, and those characters were very skilfully portrayed. Despite the subject matter it was an uplifting book overall, though the hardship both on the lifeboat, and in getting accustomed to diabetes are clearly portrayed. Hope shines through.
With no sex or violence, though there are moments of anger, this book is suitable for all the family.
This review first appeared on our blog: http://www.tripfiction.com/novel-set-...
October 5, 2015
How to be brave booktrail
1943 – The power of stories and how they can help us make sense of difficult times
Prepare for tissues. You would never think that a story of illness merged with a story of sailors abandoned at sea would work but this does and more. It is about how one story can inspire hope in another and how bravery and grit comes in many different forms. A poor young girl with Type 1 diabetes and her mother who tries everything in addition to her treatment, to try and make things better. How heartwarming a story and how brave to use another story of survival against the odds. Shock and illness can make you feel alone, isolated and shut away from the outside world so to bring in someone who has endured these feelings albeit in a different way works so well. Remarkably this is based on true fact and the image on the front cover shows the men in the boat in between the healing hands of mother and daughter.
he setting for this novel is unique for the landscape is grief dotted with hope and inspiration. Natalie and Rose live a nice life before the illness and diagnosis. Following the news, their life becomes one of pain and anguish as they come to terms with what it all means.
Navigating this rocky and unknown terrain, Natalie uses a story,a diary of her father Colin detailing his experience of being all adrift on a life raft in the middle of the ocean
The ghost of the narrator’s grandfather is everywhere – it is he holding both their hands as they navigate their own stormy waters.
The grandfather’s story was inspired by the author’s real life relative and it is this – the story of a team of men who suddenly find themselves adrift in the middle of the Atlantic with dwindling supplies, hoping and hoping that they will be rescued. the passing of time, the isolation, the hope against hope that someone, soon will rescue them….something also felt by Natalie and Rose.
Remarkable. The power of stories really can change the world.
1943 – The power of stories and how they can help us make sense of difficult times
Prepare for tissues. You would never think that a story of illness merged with a story of sailors abandoned at sea would work but this does and more. It is about how one story can inspire hope in another and how bravery and grit comes in many different forms. A poor young girl with Type 1 diabetes and her mother who tries everything in addition to her treatment, to try and make things better. How heartwarming a story and how brave to use another story of survival against the odds. Shock and illness can make you feel alone, isolated and shut away from the outside world so to bring in someone who has endured these feelings albeit in a different way works so well. Remarkably this is based on true fact and the image on the front cover shows the men in the boat in between the healing hands of mother and daughter.
he setting for this novel is unique for the landscape is grief dotted with hope and inspiration. Natalie and Rose live a nice life before the illness and diagnosis. Following the news, their life becomes one of pain and anguish as they come to terms with what it all means.
Navigating this rocky and unknown terrain, Natalie uses a story,a diary of her father Colin detailing his experience of being all adrift on a life raft in the middle of the ocean
The ghost of the narrator’s grandfather is everywhere – it is he holding both their hands as they navigate their own stormy waters.
The grandfather’s story was inspired by the author’s real life relative and it is this – the story of a team of men who suddenly find themselves adrift in the middle of the Atlantic with dwindling supplies, hoping and hoping that they will be rescued. the passing of time, the isolation, the hope against hope that someone, soon will rescue them….something also felt by Natalie and Rose.
Remarkable. The power of stories really can change the world.
January 8, 2016
How is a nine year old girl, diagnosed with diabetes connected with a ghost from the past, a man who survives a gruelling ordeal upon a lifeboat after his ship is torpedoed during WW2? That is what this beautifully written, moving story sets out to explore. Expertly weaving back and forth between well-researched historical fact and fiction, the past and the present day, Louise Beech takes us on a journey in which a story is exchanged for blood, a powerful and haunting metaphorical image. I was gripped both by the journey of nine year old Rose as she slowly comes to terms with her medical condition and Colin as he battles to survive, against all odds, in the shark-ravaged oceans.
A unique, stunningly related tale which I would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone.
A unique, stunningly related tale which I would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone.
September 27, 2018
With her military husband away in Afghanistan, Natalie finds herself dealing with the sudden onset of type 1 diabetes in her 9-year-old daughter Rose. Rose's insulin-affected mood swings make life very difficult until they discover the diary of Natalie's grandfather Colin, who spent weeks adrift at sea after his ship was torpedoed during World War II. Natalie begins telling Rose his story, and they both feel his presence guiding their lives.
This is a simple story, but it packs a big emotional punch. It's all based on the author's (and her grandfather's) real experience, which I think lends it extra pathos.
This is a simple story, but it packs a big emotional punch. It's all based on the author's (and her grandfather's) real experience, which I think lends it extra pathos.
February 4, 2017
Such a lovely book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews