Her Sister’s Gift is the debut novel from Aberdeen writer Isabel Jackson and was inspired by the dramatic lives of her grandparents.
It begins in the early 1900s in Falkirk and follows the life of the Dick family, with oldest daughter Isa at the centre. They suffer a terrible tragedy, one that Isa Dick carries with her for the rest of the her life. The rest of the novel tells the story of this young woman and her battle to forgive herself and move on.
From the very first page the book grabs you with its plot, characters and descriptions – so much so that I actually finished the 300-odd pages in a day. The character of Isa is what really intrigued me. She is so fascinating, from the moment we meet her at 11- years-old and looking after her family in the middle of a tragedy right through her teens and into young adulthood. For me, it was a very relatable story about the strong bonds people have with their families and how differently everyone deals with loss and grief.
The author also has a wonderful gift of describing places – be it a dark
foundry cottage in Falkirk or an upper class town house in London – I could imagine every element of the character’s surroundings.
The only criticism I would have is that the plot synopsis online and on the back of the novel gives far too much away – so much so that there weren’t really too many surprises left for me to discover myself. If you want to enjoy this book to the full, don’t read what it’s about.
Paperback by Black & White Publishing