Many years ago ,in another life time, I spent an entire Easter weekend reading my ‘Easter egg’( Ive never been a fan of chocolate) and sobbing uncontrollably over the beautifully poignant P.S I Love You by Cecelia Ahern .
I had no idea of the loss of a husband but the heartfelt words called to a part of me that yearned for true love tragedy as it does to so many young women, We love to be tortured by imagined grief. How naive I was. Notes written by a young husband dying of a brain tumour seemed unimaginably romantic and when our heroine read them and so survived the first year after his death I was hooked by the character of Holly. Of course fans will know this went on to be a major film , changed beyond my recognition but still full of love and tears.
So here we are, Postscript. Set 7 years after the end of the last book Holly is entrenched in a new life and love. Stronger , wiser and confident until a stranger approaches her and begs her help. I will not be giving too much away by saying the help is needed by a group of characters dying in different ways and each having their own unique reason to want to emulate Gerry and leave their own’ PS I Love You’ letters but needing guidance and help from Holly.
Since the last book I have suffered the loss of my husband and although the idea of the book called to me I was not sure if I would be able to read it yet. I haven’t actually read a book in the six months since his death however I felt it might be cathartic and snuggled into his jumper on his side of the sofa and consumed it on one tear drenched Sunday.
I can honestly say Cecelia Ahern has written a beautiful sequel that hurt my heart yet helped me in ways I am still not sure I understand ,I emerged from it red nosed, emotionally drained yet calm. Just like Gerrys lamp in the first book I felt it was a comfort sent to me at a time need it and a way to begin reading again which has been a lifelong joy but recently lost to me.
Cecelia reintroduces us to an older Holly , unwittingly thrown into inner turmoil of if she can dredge up the hurt she has managed to paper over , I cant say I have ever actually liked Holly which is strange since loved the books but maybe that is the point, she is more real than a heroine and has changes of heart, problems we want to solve for her as an outsider but we cant, and makes decisions we are sure we wouldnt.
Postscript is a story of love and hope against all the odds just when you think your world might be over there is a tiny glimmer and once again Cecelia Ahern has proved she is a wonderful story weaver.
