‘How to fall in love’ by Cecelia Ahern proved to be a very easy read – definitely in the category of holiday reading. However it wasn’t the sweet romantic story suggested by the title and the cover with the thread of suicide running through it – treated lightly.
The premise is that Christine Rossi has witnessed a man kill himself. She tried to help him, but just when she thought she convinced him, she did something wrong. Still getting over the tragedy, Christine crosses the Ha’penny Bridge, Dublin. She witnesses another man, trying to jump off the bridge to kill himself. Desperate not to let another life go, she makes a deal with him: She has two weeks (until his 35th birthday) to prove to him that life is still worth living.
There was a certain cliché about the story which at times felt contrived –there were moments when it really didn’t ring true. Some of us found both the main characters infuriating. Christine with her obsession for self help books illustrated clearly how much easier it is to pour energy into other people’s problems rather than face our own. We loved some of the quirky side characters – in particular Christine’s family.
The ending hinted at a happy ever after but it was left open which felt right.
It brought mixed reactions from the group from those who really struggled to finish it through to those who have already sought out more titles by Cecelia Ahern.
Discover more from Knowledge and Library Services
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.