BLOG TOUR: Putting Alice Back Together by Carol Marinelli, Review & Interview

Reviewed by: Siobhán
Format: Paperback
Pages: 397
Published: 2nd March 2012
Publisher: Mira UK
Source: Publisher for Review
Genre: Women's Contemporary Fiction
Buy: Amazon UK I Amazon US I Book Depository

Description:
There's only so much sex, valium and red wine you can take to paper over the cracks...

Alice Lydia Jameson is the friend you wish you had. The girl who makes a party more fun, pulls a funny face to make you feel better, drinks wine out of a mug and makes you laugh while you're crying over an ex. Alice is totally happy, everything is amazing, and there is nothing at all to worry about... except, well: Her job was really great 10 years ago; The sexiest guy alive doesn't want her...because he's gay; Her credit card bills are mounting up... But maybe the biggest problem for Alice is that she has a secret. A secret so big she can't tell anyone...but how do you keep a secret like that when everything is starting to fall apart? And once it's out there, how do you ever begin to put yourself back together again?



Review:
Putting Alice Back Together is just one of those heartbreaking story of a woman who has some series issues going on in her life, past and present. Told between present day Alice at age 27, struggling to deal with her debt and past Alice, a normal seventeen year old teenage from England who loves piano but we slowly discover a dark secret that is tormenting Alice in the present day,

I haven't read much Women's Fiction but from what I have read I do enjoy it and this one of my favourites. Alice is one of those characters that even though she is seriously flawed I found it really hard not to love her. She is a very vulnerable, even though on the outside she comes across as very strong and out going. For ten years she has been living with a tragic secret that is eating away at her. When we read about seventeen year old Alice, she is a shy girl who falls in love with the piano. I felt like I was teleported in to those pages through the highs and lows for young Alice. I think that young Alice people are either going to love or hate her because of how the story is but I loved her and just wanted to hug it through everything,

Carol has created such a fantastic story that isn't short on drama. Usually jumping from present to past in book doesn't work for me. However, with Putting Alice Back Together it works perfectly. Carol has managed to divide the time just right that gives the reader a real and raw insight into Alice's head and what she is going through. .

Aside from the emotional storyline, Putting Alice Back Together also has a bit of humour and a fantastic balance of relationships between Alice and her friends. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes women's fiction or if you are just looking for a really quick and real read that will stay with you long after you finish it. Can't wait to read more of Carol's work.





Rate: 5/5
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Author Interview
It's such a pleasure to have had the chance to have a mini interview with Carol. So here is it:

SIOBHAN: Putting Alice Back together was such a powerful and emotional story. What was the inspiration behind the story? 

CAROL: I never plot – I generally get a glimpse of a character and sort of grow it from there. Alice was initially a lot lighter and funnier. I kept trying to make her “nicer” and when I stopped that the story really started to grow.

SIOBHAN: The story is wonderful pack full of drama but is there Anything you wanted to add in the story that ended up edited out? 

CAROL: Actually, nothing. If anything I was encouraged to push her to the limit. There were parts where the story was flat and certain parts were not working, but there was nothing taken out, rather more of the drama was added.

SIOBHAN: When writing do you like to listen to music? And if so is there certain songs for certain scene and characters? 

CAROL: I listen to music at times while writing, or sometimes if the writing is sticking I will listen to “their” song and then get back to the story. I LOVE working out a song for each character, even if it never appears on page.

SIOBHAN:  Who was your favourite character to write about ? 

CAROL: I really enjoyed Roz. Initially she was just a vague friend of Alice but her character grew so much that I had to go back an rewrite the story with a completely new Roz.

SIOBHAN: I adore Alice she was just a real character. Will we get to see Alice her in future novels and see what happens next in her life?

CAROL: Well, I have just finished the first draft of the follow up. Alice actually appears more than I intended and we do find out some more – but from another persons perspective, that might just make you smile.

A massive thank you to Carol. Hope you are all now rushing out to buy the novel!!

If you want to know about Carol or Putting Alice Back Together and any of Carol's other books check out these links. 

2 comments :

  1. Ohhh that's exciting to see Alice will appear more in the future, I loved this book , glad you did to :)

    ReplyDelete

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