Meredith, Alone
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4.3 • 16 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
You’ll be laughing and crying as “the brilliant author of this brilliant book” introduces Meredith, who, after spending three years inside her house, figures out how to rejoin the world one step at a time (Gillian McAllister, author of the Reese’s Book Club pick Wrong Place Wrong Time).
She has a full-time remote job and her rescue cat Fred. Her best friend Sadie visits with her two children. There's her online support group, her jigsaw puzzles and favorite recipes, her beloved Emily Dickinson poems. Also keeping her company are treacherous memories of an unstable childhood and a traumatic event that had sent her reeling.
But something's about to change. First, two new friends burst into her life. Then her long-estranged sister gets in touch. Suddenly her carefully curated home is no longer a space to hide. Whether Meredith likes it or not, the world is coming to her door...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Alexander's satisfying debut follows a woman who hasn't left her home for over three years. Meredith Maggs, nearing her 40th birthday, is content to live within the confines of her Glasgow flat, working as a freelance writer, solving jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with her best friend, Sadie, who helps with such errands as taking Meredith's cat to the vet. Meredith finds company in an online mental health support group, where she meets Celeste, a kindred soul who loves cats as much as Meredith does. Also keeping her company is Tom McDermott, a volunteer from the Holding Hands charity whose objective is to offer "friendship and support to anyone who needs it." She insists on not needing charity, but Tom turns out to be a caring companion with whom Meredith enjoys sharing biscuits and poetry. He gently prods into her past, seeking the reason she stopped going outside and stirring up memories of her difficult childhood. The measured pace keeps the plot moving even as most of the action takes place within Meredith's flat, and the endearing characters offer a sensitive portrayal of what it means to live with mental health issues. The result is a quiet slice-of-life story with heart to spare.
Customer Reviews
Emotional and Inspirational
Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander is an emotional story about a woman who hasn’t left her home in months. It is both heartbreaking and inspirational and a book I won’t soon forget.
Story Recap:
Meredith lives with her rescue cat Fred, and never leaves her home. The only visitors she gets are her friend Sadie and her two children. She has an online support group and loves her jigsaw puzzles. But, things are about to change for Meridith and it’s time for her to face her traumatic past.
My Thoughts:
This is such an emotional book, and I loved every minute of it. It’s not a romance, but a story of abuse, mental health, and coping. And yet, it’s also so inspirational and beautiful. Agoraphobia is such a misunderstood illness, and I enjoyed learning a bit more about it through the mind of Meredith and her interactions with the few people she allows around her.
At first, it seems as if Meridith really is alone, but as the book progresses we see a support system emerge. The chapters flip back and forth in time and we see the trauma that Meridith faced that led her to her agoraphobia. And in the current chapters, we see the way she starts to heal and all the people around her that love her.
While the book and Meridith’s situation are sad and emotional, I liked the way this debut author sprinkled in little bits of humor making this a very well-balanced story. I liked the way the author was able to communicate the seriousness of the illness and the trauma, and still be able to write a book that was so enjoyable to read.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Meridith, Alone to everybody. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.