A Song for Issy Bradley

Thank you CariGransnet for enduring the hardship on our behalf

Thank you Cari for your hard work, I would love a job like that!
Keep up the good work.

Hi Cari, I have always wondered who chooses the books for the book club and how a choice is made. I love being part of the Gransnet Book Club and I can only remember one book that I was disappointed with. Well done to the "chooser" and a big thank you for extending my range of reading!

winifred01 So sorry. That must have been awful for you all. My baby daughter died back in the 70's, after days in hospital ICU. Reading about the hospital scenes and the smells back at home brings it all back doesn't it? It's my biggest dread that one of the grandchildren should die because I don't want our children to go through that pain. I persevered with Issy Bradley tho and am ready to ask Carys a question now.

Carys - I found myself getting very agitated with the Mormon faith of Ian, I felt as if I was drowning in Mormonism at the beginning of the book. Is this what it's really like? I just cannot believe that Ian's parents didn't come back from their Mission to help to support the family.

Like Rosannie I would like to say what a brilliant book you have written. The characters are excellently portrayed. Al's three Nephites were amazing. Some of Jacob's lines were superb and we now need to know if you are going to write more about the Bradley family.

Thank you Carys Bray and Gransnet

Many thanks for the book- I have started to read it. Finding it a difficult read as we lost a grand-daughter aged 9 years

I couldn't put the book down and had to carry on reading to the end once I had started.
It was well written and very enlightening for me as a person who knew very little about the Mormon religion and how followers incorporate it into everyday family life.
I likened the catastrophic event in the family to an earthquake and the subsequent disintegration of the family, their beliefs and their relationships was like the aftershocks and the shifting of tectonic plates after the disaster.
I liked the way in which the author drew the thread of each character and their perspective on the tragedy separately and then wove them back together for a breath-taking conclusion.
I would like to ask Cary which (if any) of the characters did she identify with the most? I would also like to thank her for an honest, well written book.

Yes - I received my book a couple of days ago, thank you, and am on page 122 and crying already. I have always had an unsubstantiated prejudice about the Mormon faith so this is quite an eye opener! I will post my opinion when I get to the end.
Always good to read something quite out of my comfort zone - as many of Gransnet books are.

I found it difficult to put this book down it totally captured me on several different levels. I believed in the characters and was totally absorbed by the Mormon family life and beliefs. I will post some questions later as I need time to absorb what I have read .Thanks Gransnet yet again for giving me a book that I definitely would not have chosen for myself.

Thanks for my copy too. Will start it this weekend.

Thankyou for my free copy. Such a different, funny and very sad book. I couldn't put it down. I wanted to shake Claire but a very good recognition of the ways grief hits in various ways. A good read but to echo another reader, not for public reading and have man size tissues handy

Thank you for my copy. I'll start it this weekend.

Many thanks for my book. I am looking forward to reading it as well as other Gransnetters comments.

Thanks for my free copy of A Song for Issey Bradley looking forward to starting it this evening.

I received mine yesterday and started it last night. It is proving to be very good. I've always found the Morman religion interesting so I want to learn more. The subject matter is deeply sad, especially if like me, you have a little granddaughter.

Very touching story, sad, tragic but so well told and I have learnt a lot about the religion in question. Did the author know someone who had such a tragic time in their life ? What is her next project?
Thank you for such a touching story.

Thank you so much for my prize of "A Song for Issy Bradley".
I cannot wait to read it. [Grin]

Many thanks for book A song for Issy Bradley. I am going on holiday next week so it will go with me.

Maybe I missed it, but I didnt see anything from Gransnet either on the webpage or email, about the book for May, when was this one advertised please?

My copy was waiting for me when I arrived home last night. Thank you GN.

...and thank you for the advanced warning nonnanna I shall make sure not to read it in public. I do enjoy a good tear jerker. Can't wait.

Thanks so much for my copy GNHQ after reading some off the comments I am intrigued and am looking forward to starting it in the next couple of days.

This is the worst book I have ever received from Gransnet. It arrived yesterday at 2pm and I had finished it by midnight. It made me waste my day completely and it should have been delivered together with a large box of tissues. Thanks Gransnet! To all Gransnetters who have received a copy; No spoilers here but I couldn't have read it in public, too many tears flowed. However, there are beautifully written observations, one-liners and quite a bit of humour too. I couldn't put it down, it made me feel angry, sad, relieved, frustrated with some of the characters and delighted with others. I have several questions for Carys Bray but will post them later so as not to give anything away.