[A] bewitching first novel. . . . In chapters alternating between the puzzling, pressurized present and eerily predictive past, Cornwell weaves the novel’s double narrative with the deft touch of a magician and the sure hand of a confident writer to watch.” — Elle
“Twining Olivia’s teenage past with her grown-up present, Cornwell tells a sensitive, clear-eyed, and ever so slightly supernatural story of a family shaped by mental illness.” — Boston Globe
“An incandescent debut by turns thrilling and meditative; part coming of age novel, part exploration of the fragility and complexity of love and family. Sarah Cornwell is a writer to be celebrated and watched.” — Philipp Meyer, author of The Son
“Captivating. . . . Depth of insight, dreamy prose, and an engrossing storyline mark this wonderful debut.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This debut novel blew me away with the beauty of its language and the honesty of its narrator. . . . The reality of living with a parent with mental illness, and how it impacts a child, is heartbreakingly beautiful in Cornwell’s capable hands.” — Jodi Picoult Lists Her Favorite Reads of 2014, Amazon
“Sarah Cornwell has a brilliant eye for the telling detail, and a wonderfully original way of embodying family history. I was captivated by her memorable characters and the perfectly paced revelations of their surprising relationships.” — Andrea Barrett, author of Archangel and The Voyage of the Narwhal
“This is a remarkable debut by an award-winning short story writer; Cornwell’s psychological study of the stormy relationships in one particular family is engrossing and insightful.” — Library Journal
“Sarah Cornwell’s first novel is as unnerving and authoritative as Hilary Mantel’s Beyond Black . This is a beautifully written book, bold and wounding. Read it and you will never look at the Jersey Shore in quite the same way again.” — James Magnuson, author of Famous Writers I Have Known
“Cornwell’s first novel is an authentic and artful coming-of-age story that is uniquely multigenerational. . . . With great attention to detail and a smooth flow between past and present, this emotionally charged narrative is as memorable as it is compelling.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Gorgeously crafted, Cornwell’s tale shimmers and shimmies with nimble dialogue and poignantly flawed characters. . . . Grafting magical thinking onto gimlet-eyed acceptance, Cornwell’s debut novel enchants.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Cornwell’s debut novel is equal parts page-turner and dreamy meditation on the nature of mental illness. . . . An important exploration of the deepest philosophical inquiries into the nature of existence, family, and love. I highly recommend.” — Antonya Nelson, author of Bound
“Only a few writers can genuinely capture that stormy period between childhood and adulthood and Sarah Cornwell is one of them. . . . The result is an exhilarting, hurtling, unstoppable ride for the reader.” — Margot Livesey, author of The Flight of Gemma Hardy
“[Cornwell] handles the delicate subject of mental illness and the realities of living with a mood disorder with compassion and grace. . . . [A] thoughtful and powerful debut.” — BookPage
“Cornwell’s debut is a dreamy trip to the past with one foot planted in the present. . . . This haunting tale of a childhood distorted by trauma, myth and devotion will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.” — Romantic Times
“An engaging debut. . . . Well-paced, with enough tension to be absorbing, What I Had Before I Had You is replete with lyrical turns of phrase and spot-on details.” — New Jersey Monthly
“If reading literary fiction truly increases one’s emotional intelligence (as a recent study suggests), this lively debut novel by Sarah Cornwell has much to contribute. . . . The novel involves deft plot twists and last-minute revelations that add to the suspense.” — Dallas Morning News
“You’re reading, you’re enthralled by the story and the characters and the Jersey Shore in the summer, and sprinkled throughout are these wonderful sentences that make you stop, simple yet resonant like the clear ping of crystal stemware.” — The Rumpus
“Sarah Cornwell’s debut novel meshes past and present, mothers and children, and magic and memory to give readers the kind of book they can be glad exists.” — Daily Candy
“The subtler workings of past trauma on present-day lives underscore Sarah Cornwell’s psychological page-turner.” — Vogue.com
“Cornwell skillfully navigates themes of mental illness, memories, and identity with carefully chosen prose. . . . [An] impressive first novel.” — The Austin Review
Cornwell’s first novel is an authentic and artful coming-of-age story that is uniquely multigenerational. . . . With great attention to detail and a smooth flow between past and present, this emotionally charged narrative is as memorable as it is compelling.
Booklist (starred review)
[A] bewitching first novel. . . . In chapters alternating between the puzzling, pressurized present and eerily predictive past, Cornwell weaves the novel’s double narrative with the deft touch of a magician and the sure hand of a confident writer to watch.
An incandescent debut by turns thrilling and meditative; part coming of age novel, part exploration of the fragility and complexity of love and family. Sarah Cornwell is a writer to be celebrated and watched.
Sarah Cornwell’s first novel is as unnerving and authoritative as Hilary Mantel’s Beyond Black . This is a beautifully written book, bold and wounding. Read it and you will never look at the Jersey Shore in quite the same way again.
[Cornwell] handles the delicate subject of mental illness and the realities of living with a mood disorder with compassion and grace. . . . [A] thoughtful and powerful debut.
An engaging debut. . . . Well-paced, with enough tension to be absorbing, What I Had Before I Had You is replete with lyrical turns of phrase and spot-on details.
You’re reading, you’re enthralled by the story and the characters and the Jersey Shore in the summer, and sprinkled throughout are these wonderful sentences that make you stop, simple yet resonant like the clear ping of crystal stemware.
Cornwell skillfully navigates themes of mental illness, memories, and identity with carefully chosen prose. . . . [An] impressive first novel.
Only a few writers can genuinely capture that stormy period between childhood and adulthood and Sarah Cornwell is one of them. . . . The result is an exhilarting, hurtling, unstoppable ride for the reader.
Cornwell’s debut novel is equal parts page-turner and dreamy meditation on the nature of mental illness. . . . An important exploration of the deepest philosophical inquiries into the nature of existence, family, and love. I highly recommend.
The subtler workings of past trauma on present-day lives underscore Sarah Cornwell’s psychological page-turner.
Sarah Cornwell’s debut novel meshes past and present, mothers and children, and magic and memory to give readers the kind of book they can be glad exists.
Cornwell’s first novel is an authentic and artful coming-of-age story that is uniquely multigenerational. . . . With great attention to detail and a smooth flow between past and present, this emotionally charged narrative is as memorable as it is compelling.
2013-12-07
Sarah Cornwell has a brilliant eye for the telling detail, and a wonderfully original way of embodying family history. I was captivated by her memorable characters and the perfectly paced revelations of their surprising relationships.
This debut novel blew me away with the beauty of its language and the honesty of its narrator. . . . The reality of living with a parent with mental illness, and how it impacts a child, is heartbreakingly beautiful in Cornwell’s capable hands.
Jodi Picoult Lists Her Favorite Reads of 2014
Twining Olivia’s teenage past with her grown-up present, Cornwell tells a sensitive, clear-eyed, and ever so slightly supernatural story of a family shaped by mental illness.
Cornwell’s debut is a dreamy trip to the past with one foot planted in the present. . . . This haunting tale of a childhood distorted by trauma, myth and devotion will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.
If reading literary fiction truly increases one’s emotional intelligence (as a recent study suggests), this lively debut novel by Sarah Cornwell has much to contribute. . . . The novel involves deft plot twists and last-minute revelations that add to the suspense.
Recently divorced, Olivia Reed takes her children to visit her Jersey Shore hometown before they start their new life in New York City. Karen White's well-paced reading adds to the misty feeling as the trip to the beach unleashes Olivia's memories of her 15-year-old self and the summer she discovered the truth about her parents and her own sometimes strange behavior. White transitions smoothly between the adult and teen Olivia, altering her intonations to reflect the character's stage of life. Bipolar disorder is central to this family story, and White's sensitive performance captures a wide range of moods as Olivia, her mother, and her son each battle his or her own version of the disease. Listeners will remember Olivia's coming-of-age story long after they've heard the last paragraph. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2014 - AudioFile
Recently divorced, Olivia Reed takes her children to visit her Jersey Shore hometown before they start their new life in New York City. Karen White's well-paced reading adds to the misty feeling as the trip to the beach unleashes Olivia's memories of her 15-year-old self and the summer she discovered the truth about her parents and her own sometimes strange behavior. White transitions smoothly between the adult and teen Olivia, altering her intonations to reflect the character's stage of life. Bipolar disorder is central to this family story, and White's sensitive performance captures a wide range of moods as Olivia, her mother, and her son each battle his or her own version of the disease. Listeners will remember Olivia's coming-of-age story long after they've heard the last paragraph. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2014 - AudioFile
Olivia Reed left Ocean Vista when she was 15. Now, 20 years later, she returns with her two children and finally confronts her past. Narrator Karen White tellis this psychologically intense story in Olivia’s voice, ambling between the past and the present. Olivia’s return to her childhood home finds her distracted by memories, so she fails to notice when her 9-year-old son, Daniel, disappears. As she waits impatiently for the police to find him, her mind travels back to the summer of 1987, reliving the events that led to her running away. White’s narrator voice is neutral while her Jersey accent in dialogue gives characters personality. Tone and pace are uniform, making past and present weave themselves into a seamless tapestry. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
