Close To Me: Now a major TV series

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Close to Me review – Christopher Eccleston arouses suspicion in a deliciously dark binge-watch". the Guardian. 7 November 2021 . Retrieved 6 December 2021. Wife and mother Jo Harding ( Gladiator's Connie Nielsen) has to recover a year’s worth of missing memories in Channel 4’s Close To Me following a fall down the stairs that left her with nasty bruises, a grisly head wound and amnesia. The story moves easily from past to present and it really worked as the reader gets to learn the events of the past year before Jo actually remembers it and this really adds to the momentum and tense atmosphere of the book overall. There were a few times where I felt that the story dragged out just a little bit, but overall it was a well-paced and riveting read. If you like psychological thrillers with plenty of creepy undertones, then you should definitely read CLOSE TO ME by Amanda Reynolds.

Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds | Waterstones Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds | Waterstones

Overall, this was a solid debut. It felt a little slow in parts, but that's expected when it's a more character focused suspense. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more from Amanda Reynolds in the future! So this was a great psychological read, it kept my interest and pulled me in, the writing was superb, and the storyline very easy to follow. This engrossing story of lies,families,secrets and betrayals is voiced entirely by Jo in the third person pov.It unfolds in chapters that alternate between before and after the fall,the chapters are clearly headed and the story flows along nicely.The characters are well developed and realistic but mostly unlikable apart from Jo`s son Fin and Rose who works in the drop out centre where Jo volunteers.It must be absolutely terrifying to lose a whole chunk of your life and the authors portrayal of Jo`s fear,frustration and confusion was believable and realistic but I found it hard to feel any sympathy for her because of some of her thoughts and actions as the story unfolded.Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival.

Close To Me, Now a major TV series by Amanda Reynolds Close To Me, Now a major TV series by Amanda Reynolds

Close to me delves into the dynamics of family and the resulting aftermath when things ultimately implode. One of the things I liked about Close To Me was the family dynamics and the rather realistic dramatic reactions to things that were happening. It came across like a reality show at times, with “looks” between different family members, non communicative children and lots of emotional responses once hidden secrets had been revealed. With Jo being of the age she was, she had to deal with “empty nest syndrome” as well which cruelly often coincides with the menopause which can make women more emotional and sensitive as well as having a dramatic effect on their sex life. Jo thinks she may have had an affair but if so who with? And is that the reason that she feels her fall wasn’t an accident? Due to the way the story was set out, sometimes we could see what had lead to events before Jo did but the twists and turns towards the end weren’t the ones that I had been expecting! I trusted nobody in this book and that’s just the way I like it!I did kind of guess where this was going but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment reading this. This was an okay read, but it didn’t fully hold my interest and my mind wandered a lot while reading this book. The suspense built to a climax that had me rolling my eyes, as it was reminiscent of other stories I’d already read this year.

Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds | Waterstones

To be fair Jo has every right to be upset after everything she's been through but Sasha has NO excuses! What a dreadful woman. stars. When Jo Harding fell down the stairs at her home, she wakes up in hospital with partial amnesia. She can't remember anything that's happened in the last year and her husband wants to keep it that way. Was Jo having an affair? Lying to her family? Starting a new life's? She can't remember the night she fell. Jo has no recollection of what happened in the last year of her life. She can’t remember the night of her fall, but she has an overwhelming sense of dread and fear towards her husband. Rob seems to have convinced her children to not to mention what has happened over the course of the last year. He is constantly reiterating to Jo how happy they are in their marriage. If all of this is true, why does Rob insist on hiding the last year? Why is Jo feeling this way towards the man she has been married to for the last 24 years? Is it possible that Rob pushed her down the stairs? And why on earth can't she remember volunteering at a drop in centre with a lovely lady called Rose, whose messages she has found, and who seems extremely concerned about Jo.Sunner, Amber (7 November 2021). "Where to look for the Close to Me filming locations". BristolLive . Retrieved 6 December 2021. I have no frame of reference for what just happened and no idea what to do next. He’s my husband of twenty-four years; I thought I knew everything about him.” What would you do if you woke up after a fall and can't remember the last year of your life, find yourself apprehensive about a husband you think you love and everyone is tip toeing around you? I’m sorry to downmark, the authors writing is fine, but the storyline has been done so many times before and so much better. The book is told in alternating chapters of the days following Jo's accident and the year leading up to it. It works so well, as the reader discovers what led to the breakdown of her family at the same time as Jo. You get to know Jo almost as she gets to know herself and I found I really connected to her and could relate to some of what she is experiencing in the early days before her fall. Jo is going through a time of change, her youngest child has just left home for university and she needs to redefine herself and purpose - something familiar to me as both my children begin to move on. But unlike myself, Jo is surrounded by manipulating people, taken advantage of by her husband, her kids and then others who sense her vulnerability. I loved the subtle development of her character right through the book, and by the end felt satisfied that this now strong and purposeful woman was going to be ok.

Close to Me ending explained | What happened in Christopher

This is a very addictive read. It isn’t as original as some of the books in it’s genre but the writing is fabulous - engaging and engrossing. Really looking forward to Amanda Reynolds’ next book! Close To Me keeps you guessing, and then just when you think you know, you find another twist in the road. Gripping and suspenseful." - Michelle Adams Jo Harding wakes up on the way to the hospital in an ambulance. Everyone around her is telling her she fell down the stairs. The last thing Jo can remember is taking her son, Fin, to university with her husband, Rob. The problem is that was a year ago.

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Now everyone knows I LOVE a dysfunctional family (rumours that this is because it shows my own family in a slightly better light are of course unfounded!!) so I was totally tempted by the blurb of Close To Me which seemed right up my street, with family secrets lying at the heart of this memory loss suspense. What would you do if you woke up and couldn't remember anything from the last year of your life? CLOSE TO ME by Amanda Reynolds follows Jo Harding as she struggles to find out what happened to her the night she fell as well has the year of memories she has lost. Jo was relatable. She and her husband had been married for over twenty years, their kids had left home and started their own lives, and Jo and her husband were adjusting to their new lives. Jo started to suspect that things were not as perfect as she was led to believe, and she started to followup on her suspicions.