This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Kirsty Nicole Pole
The first Cecelia Ahern novel I ever read was the widely known and incredibly popular PS. I Love You. Cecelia wrote it when she was 21 years old and I was in awe of her ability to make me care so much about her characters that I laughed and cried with them. As I have read her newest offerings, some I have loved, some not so much but throughout it all I have always had an immense empathy with her characters. Her books are modern fairytales and One Hundred Names is no exception.
Kitty Logan’s journalism career is in tatters after she wrongly accuses an innocent man on television. The only person who still has any faith in her career is mentor and long term friend Constance Dubois but Constance has terminal cancer and is dying. After managing to brave the hospital ward and battling with her fear of seeing the person that she admires and looks up to the most so ill Kitty goes to visit Constance with the hope that she’ll know the answer. Constance tells Kitty about the one news story she always wished she’d had time to write. She tells Kitty to track down a file. The file contains a list of one hundred names, none of which mean anything to Kitty. She hopes that by following up Constance’s story it will lead to reviving her career and achieving the last wish of her friend.
Every time I read a Cecelia Ahern novel I think, “What a unique idea”. Her imagination, teamed with her talent to write such heart-warming stories is dynamite. Every story she creates is wonderfully unique. Kitty’s journey throughout the novel is intriguing and humbling, as she encounters each different person on the list she is transported from drinking brandy in nursing homes to different countries. She is easy to love as a character and I wanted to see her grow with the story.
You have to make time for this book: it isn’t an easy beach read, with its many characters you have to dedicate your time to getting to know each one’s story and as Kitty slowly begins to link them together the time you dedicate to is well worth it. Cecelia Ahern is genius at surprising her reader and I am very rarely disappointed with one of her novels
One Hundred Names ties together all of the elements a great story needs, it is intriguing, heart-warming, funny and touching. It’s clear to see how Cecelia Ahern’s style has evolved over the years and developed into a pure escape from the every day. If you’re looking for something to curl up with on a chilly Autumn evening then this book is perfect.
8/10
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