Nell is the daughter of portrait artist, Alice Mae. When Alice’s mother dies, Alice inherits a small cottage and decides to move with Nell from London to Lincolnshire to begin a new life. Sensitive and introverted Nell struggles to fit in at school. She is aware that her mother’s work comes first and that her upbringing is not like those of her peers. As soon as she is able, Nell leaves home, but in Brighton she finds herself in a toxic and dangerous relationship with a choice to make.
The Tiny Gestures of Small Flowers is a haunting, at times brutal, coming of age novel about the mistakes we make when we’re young and how our relationships shape our lives.
'In the bedroom, she pauses, catching sight of herself in the wardrobe mirror. She touches her reflection with her fingertips. Is that you? There is something about her that is no longer whole.'
1985
Alice wakes alone and naked somewhere in Camden. She can see a tree branch through the unadorned skylight. It's windy and the branch is swaying slightly, threatening to tap against the glass. The sound of traffic outside reminds her she is somewhere close to the High Street but she can't remember where exactly. Her head feels fuzzy, her mouth dry. She attempts to sit up, shivering a little and pulling the duvet around herself. There is a glass of water on the table next to the bed. Alice reaches for it and takes a few sips, unsure as to how long the water has been there and if it was meant for her.
READ MOREShe allows herself to take a proper look around the room. It had been too dark last night to take everything in. The room is not what she expected, but then she isn't sure what she expected. Something more luxurious? Perhaps something at least a little more grown-up. This room is no different to the kinds of rooms Alice and her student friends rent: small, shabby, barely furnished. It's dim but she can make out an easel in one corner, a desk, a wardrobe, a small basin under the skylight. A well-used toothbrush stands in a dirty glass. The desk is littered with paint palettes, tubes of oil and sticks of charcoal.
COLLAPSELoveReadingPowerful, reflective coming-of-age novel in which a lost 17-year-old fumbles to find her identity beyond an abusive relationship.
Reader review'a beautifully written story of a mother-daughter relationship'
