Title- The Museum of You
Author- Carys Bray
Publisher- Hutchinson London
Format- Paperback
Pages- 360
Rating- 4/5
Summary- Clover was a surprise to her parents, but was it good or bad? She has no memory of her mother as she left them when she was too small. All she knows is her father who has been there all the time. She is curious to know about her mother but is hesitant in asking him as she thinks it might hurt him.
Darren has left no stone unturned in raising Clover. Initially his idea was to make Becky's presence felt in their lives by discussing her as Clover was growing up, but he feels that discussing about her mother makes her uncomfortable.
This summer Clover has a plan. She wants to go to the second bedroom which is full of Becky's belongings to know her story through them. However, what you find depends on what you are looking for.
Review- The author has done a magnificent job in writing this gem of a book. She has the unique capacity of making ordinary things seem magical with her words.
"Some of the towels feel new. They're still soft; they don't have that coarse, crispy texture that towels get when they come out of the washing machine. It's the other way round with the sheets: the crispy ones feel new and the soft ones have a smoothed, slept-on feel"
The story beautifully portrays how a relationship transforms when a baby comes in. The struggles of new parents- the sleepless nights, the wailing baby and also the joys of witnessing the 'firsts' of someone's life has been wonderfully explained. This story gives us a picture of how a single parent copes with everyday life. It also throws light on the void that is created in a child's life when there is absence of one parent. The author has also addressed the issue of mental health.
Darren is an extremely loving father who gives his whole heart in making his daughter happy and meeting her needs- from cooking something special for her, watching their favourite television show together to even accompanying her to buy her undergarments. Balancing his work along with raising Clover all by himself has not been an easy task for him. Clover on the other hand though loves her father dearly, still, greatly feels the absence of her mother. However she doesn't want to hurt him by asking about her and bringing back her memories, so she tries to find her in her belongings.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. The ending is such that each reader can interpret it in his/her own way and that makes it even more interesting. It is a must-read book for all parents, particularly the new ones.
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