When Because of You first arrived I wondered when I would find the time to get through this door-stopper of a book. It is a sprawling and ambitious novel which spans over thirty years and two countries. It tells the story of Hannah Stein, a Swedish teenager who arrives in London. It is well written and engaging, drawing you into the characters lives and leaves you impatient to learn what happens next. I greatly enjoyed this debut novel from Helene Fermont. Her characters are vivid and well-rounded, and the story has intrigue and glamour that brings you in. I particularly loved the parts about London and following thirty years in someones life. The scenes were brought out so well. Because of You is an ambitious triumph.
Because of You spans 36 years in the life of Hannah Stein, a Swedish teenager who arrives in London, at the tail end of the disco era, for a gap year before embarking on a teaching career. The people she meets change the course of her life irrevocably and the novel charts her changing personal and professional fortunes over the next three decades. Because of You is about love, coming of age, friendship, bereavement, stillbirth and rape. Its themes include redemption, acceptance, fidelity and family. Because of You is a story that every woman can relate to. Because of You is the deeply moving debut novel by Scandinavian writer Helene Fermont. It’s a gripping work of modern women’s fiction with a distinct ‘Scandi’ feel and a psychological twist. Scandinavian noir has firmly established itself as a bestselling genre in the UK. Because of You takes the elements that make this style of writing so compelling – the realism and dark, morally complex mood – and combines it with women’s fiction. This is a dark, morally complex and cross-generational story of enduring love, fate and destiny and will appeal to readers who appreciate an emotive, uncompromising and fulfilling read driven by character and circumstance.
Because Of You by Hélene Fermont (Fridhem Publishing) is out now, priced £9.99 in paperback and £3.99 as an eBook. Visit www.HeleneFermont.com
Because of You is available here.
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