Review: Pages for Her by Sylvia Bronwrigg

Flannery’s life may not have taken the path she envisioned, but it is completely filled with light – the light of her daughter, Willa. Her relationship with her bear of a husband (all the more flavoursome for his being a bold artist) has its ups and downs, but Flannery’s love for her daughter is constant; an anchor in foggy waters. However, she can’t help feel that her life and sense of self have been whittled down to definitions provided by others: mother, wife, and companion. The once wild and deeply passionate writer seems to have been replaced by the practicalities of school lunches and lift clubs. While the writer within her feels starved and undernourished, an opportunity presents itself; a conference aimed at women writers, which she has been asked to attend. The creative allure is enough to pique her interest, but it is the other attendees that cement her decision. Among those participating will be Anne, her first love.

Anne’s career has bloomed. The books and articles she has had published surround her life plumage. A superhero among the literary elite, she wields a power and position many would yearn for, and yet this success does not define her. Recent emotional upheavals leave her feeling aloof and floundering. However, redemption may come in the form of old comforts, as Anne realizes that a distant love will suddenly be only a heartbeat away.

Brownrigg, if nothing else (yet there is so much else), completely dissects the idea of love, in its multi-faceted adventure between torture and elation. The conclusion that the reader reaches is that it seems impossible to define love, making it a journey rather than a destination. The relationships between people are ever-changing and evolutionary; hard to pin down and examine. The mystery of those moments between the minds, souls and hearts of two people are what make Pages for Her exceptionally beautiful, drawing the reader in as a moth to a flame. Poetic and luxurious, Brownrigg presents an in-depth examination of the human heart and its myriad workings, and it is a thoroughly worthwhile experience.

Pages for Her by Sylvia Brownrigg is published by Picador, an imprint of Pan Macmillan.