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Review
'Tender and subtle, it explores difficult issues in deceptively easy prose... Across the decades, Ashdown tiptoes carefully through explosive family secrets. This is a wonderful debut - intelligent, understated and sensitive.' - OBSERVER 'An intelligent, beautifully observed coming-of-age story, packed with vivid characters and inch-perfect dialogue. Isabel Ashdown's storytelling skills are formidable; her human insights highly perceptive.' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Isabel Ashdown's first novel is a disturbing, thought-provoking tale of family dysfunction, spanning the second half of the 20th century, that guarantees laughter at the uncomfortable familiarity of it all.' - JULIET NICOLSON, EVENING STANDARD 'I love it. It's a book that's very fast and really rewarding for the reader. There's a wrenching end to the first chapter that switches the mood and absolutely hooked me for the rest of the book.' - DAVID VANN, author of LEGEND OF A SUICIDE 'An immaculately written novel with plenty of dark family secrets and gentle wit within. Recommended for book groups.' BOOKS QUARTERLY 'A brilliant debut.' SAINSBURYS MAGAZINE 'It's an incredibly convincing boy's voice; an incredibly convincing woman's voice. It's very subtle, and subtlety is the key to this. The tragedy is happening behind the words and behind what people are saying, and you could be forgiven for wanting to read it again to catch all the nuances. It reminded me of Iain Banks. If you enjoyed The Crow Road, you'll get lots out of this book.' JOEL MORRIS ON THE SIMON MAYO SHOW, RADIO 5 LIVE 'This stirring coming-of-age novel evokes the strictures of the '50s and the tacky flamboyance of the '80s brilliantly. Narrated through 13-year-old Jake's eyes, it's a heartbreaking redemptive tale of family secrets that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Arm yourselves with a box of Kleenex as you'll be weeping into your pillow by the end.' - GLAMOUR 'Carefully observed, unexpected and mesmerisingly beautiful.' - EASY LIVING 'In Jake, Ashdown has created a beautifully realised character, totally believable as a 20th-century boy but imbued with qualities which should resonate with any reader and will surely stand the test of time...The prose is succinct and smooth, the dialogue crisp and convincing. An intriguing, atmospheric read with a healthy dollop of realism.' THE ARGUS 'Skillfully written and difficult to put down...this novel is a page-turningly good read.' DRINK AND DRUGS NEW 'A beautifully poignant, multi-layered family story. There is glorious detail in the writing which renders it truly memorable. [And] I was very impressed by the masterful handling of the chronology and the weaving of the two different points of view in the story as it rushes towards its climax.' - BOOKERSATZ 'The beauty of Ashdown's writing is that readers are able to connect to the real characters presented and understand that life isn't always all that easy...her character representations, no matter what sex or age, are flawless, and her descriptions of small hometowns and country and beachside holidays create superb images to match the story...It's hard to know who to recommend this to without encouraging everyone to go out and buy it. Ashdown is a definite one to watch for in British literature.' THE BOOKBAG
Product Description
From the suburban disorder of 1980s southern England, 13-year-old Jake watches his world unravel as his father and older brother leave the family home and his mother increasingly finds solace in drink. Even as Jake outwardly shrugs off doubts about his paternity, the question hangs over him like an invisible spectre. A brilliantly structured novel, Glasshopper recreates the time and place of two childhoods and two marriages, evoking a poignant sense of home and family. A masterful debut, it celebrates the enduring optimism of youth, even in the face of tragedy.
Observer Tender and subtle, it explores difficult issues in deceptively easy prose... Across the decades, Ashdown tiptoes carefully through explosive family secrets. This is a wonderful debut intelligent, understated and sensitive.
Mail on Sunday An intelligent, beautifully observed coming-of-age story, packed with vivid characters and inch-perfect dialogue. Isabel Ashdown's storytelling skills are formidable; her human insights highly perceptive.
Juliet Nicolson, Evening Standard Isabel Ashdown s first novel is a disturbing, thought-provoking tale of family dysfunction, spanning the second half of the 20th century, that guarantees laughter at the uncomfortable familiarity of it all.
David Vann, author of Legend of a Suicide I love it. It s a book that s very fast and really rewarding for the reader. There s a wrenching end to the first chapter that switches the mood and absolutely hooked me for the rest of the book.
Waterstone's Books Quarterly An immaculately written novel with plenty of dark family secrets and gentle wit within. Recommended for book groups.
Sainsbury's Magazine A brilliant début.
Joel Morris on Simon Mayo's BBC Radio 5 Live It s an incredibly convincing boy s voice; an incredibly convincing woman s voice. It s very subtle, and subtlety is the key to this. The tragedy is happening behind the words and behind what people are saying, and you could be forgiven for wanting to read it again to catch all the nuances. It reminded me of Iain Banks. If you enjoyed The Crow Road, you ll get lots out of this book.
Glamour This stirring coming-of-age novel evokes the strictures of the '50s and the tacky flamboyance of the '80s brilliantly. Narrated through 13-year-old Jake's eyes, it's a heartbreaking redemptive tale of family secrets that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Arm yourselves with a box of Kleenex as you'll be weeping into your pillow by the end.
Easy Living Carefully observed, unexpected and mesmerisingly beautiful.
Argus In Jake, Ashdown has created a beautifully realised character, totally believable as a 20th-century boy but imbued with qualities which should resonate with any reader and will surely stand the test of time...The prose is succinct and smooth, the dialogue crisp and convincing. An intriguing, atmospheric read with a healthy dollop of realism.
Observer Tender and subtle, it explores difficult issues in deceptively easy prose... Across the decades, Ashdown tiptoes carefully through explosive family secrets. This is a wonderful debut intelligent, understated and sensitive.
Mail on Sunday An intelligent, beautifully observed coming-of-age story, packed with vivid characters and inch-perfect dialogue. Isabel Ashdown's storytelling skills are formidable; her human insights highly perceptive.
Juliet Nicolson, Evening Standard Isabel Ashdown s first novel is a disturbing, thought-provoking tale of family dysfunction, spanning the second half of the 20th century, that guarantees laughter at the uncomfortable familiarity of it all.
David Vann, author of Legend of a Suicide I love it. It s a book that s very fast and really rewarding for the reader. There s a wrenching end to the first chapter that switches the mood and absolutely hooked me for the rest of the book.
Waterstone's Books Quarterly An immaculately written novel with plenty of dark family secrets and gentle wit within. Recommended for book groups.
Sainsbury's Magazine A brilliant début.
Joel Morris on Simon Mayo's BBC Radio 5 Live It s an incredibly convincing boy s voice; an incredibly convincing woman s voice. It s very subtle, and subtlety is the key to this. The tragedy is happening behind the words and behind what people are saying, and you could be forgiven for wanting to read it again to catch all the nuances. It reminded me of Iain Banks. If you enjoyed The Crow Road, you ll get lots out of this book.
Glamour This stirring coming-of-age novel evokes the strictures of the '50s and the tacky flamboyance of the '80s brilliantly. Narrated through 13-year-old Jake's eyes, it's a heartbreaking redemptive tale of family secrets that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Arm yourselves with a box of Kleenex as you'll be weeping into your pillow by the end.
Easy Living Carefully observed, unexpected and mesmerisingly beautiful.
Argus In Jake, Ashdown has created a beautifully realised character, totally believable as a 20th-century boy but imbued with qualities which should resonate with any reader and will surely stand the test of time...The prose is succinct and smooth, the dialogue crisp and convincing. An intriguing, atmospheric read with a healthy dollop of realism.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Tell friends and family you have gone away, take the phone off the hook and be prepared to be completely immersed in the lives of Jake and Mary. I've just lost the last two days to this wonderful novel and I've loved every second of it.
Growing up on the south coast in the 1980s myself, this is one of the few books I've read that really captures the little details that make the area and the era so magical. This novel creates a real sense of place and time with settings almost as characterful as the two narrators themselves.
Writing with two voices is difficult to pull off, but the two lives are beautifully balanced. Mary, a life detached through alcohol, and her son Jake, struggling with the preoccupations of adolescence and a family that is frayed around the edges. Jake, in particular, really hit the spot with me, from his love of cold November days and Greek mythology, his thoughts on Joey Deacon and Thundercats, through to some moments of real heartbreak. All of this is beautifully conveyed by the author.
As you can probably tell, I adored this first novel and wait with eager anticipation for Ashdown's next.
Growing up on the south coast in the 1980s myself, this is one of the few books I've read that really captures the little details that make the area and the era so magical. This novel creates a real sense of place and time with settings almost as characterful as the two narrators themselves.
Writing with two voices is difficult to pull off, but the two lives are beautifully balanced. Mary, a life detached through alcohol, and her son Jake, struggling with the preoccupations of adolescence and a family that is frayed around the edges. Jake, in particular, really hit the spot with me, from his love of cold November days and Greek mythology, his thoughts on Joey Deacon and Thundercats, through to some moments of real heartbreak. All of this is beautifully conveyed by the author.
As you can probably tell, I adored this first novel and wait with eager anticipation for Ashdown's next.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I heard the author of this book on our BBC radio station being interviewed on a show on which they were reviewing her book. It received their highest recommendation - higher than any other book on their show, so I recommended it for our book club as we're always looking for inspiration! Well what can I say that hasn't already been said. This is truely a stunning book. I read it in just three days. The story is so tragically normal it sometimes hurts to read it. The tiny details, metaphors and descriptions created an incredibly vivid picture of the characters and their entrapment in what many of us would consider a relatively normal life. I can't wait to talk to about it at our next book club meeting! More please!!
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is ALIVE. I read it in two days. When I finished Glasshopper, I wanted to climb into Jake's world, put an arm around his shoulders and make sure he was going to be alright. Jake is such an endearing character. His mother, Mary, is an alcoholic, and it would be easy to hate her for the way she neglects Jake and his brothers. But the sections written from Mary's point of view give an insight into her mood swings and her descent into alcoholism. Really, this book has everything: teenage angst, sex, sibling rivalry, the intricacies of the English class system. And humour, too. I would definitely recommend...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
This book will take over your life for a day or two.
Capturing a 13 year old on paper is a lot harder than it sounds - I would image.
We are immediately immersed in 13 year old Jake's 1980's world, and that of his mother Mary... Read more
We are immediately immersed in 13 year old Jake's 1980's world, and that of his mother Mary... Read more
Published 27 days ago by Cathy777
Families their secrets, lies and love
This book has been billed as a coming of age story, it is, but it is also so much more. The story is split between the 1980's where Jake, a 13 year old boy is coming to terms with... Read more
Published 1 month ago by C. Bannister
I must have read a different book, disappointed.
Struggling to finish this book and to see why it has such good reviews. I find little to empathy with Mary who appears rather silly and naive from the outset. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Miss J
Quite good
This was quite an interestiong story told by a 13 year old boy and his mother I found it quite enjpyable and interesting.
Published 2 months ago by Giselle
Great journey, daft ending
Don't read this if you don't want know the ending!
Really enjoyed this book, helps if you grew up in the 80's like I did, the descrpitions of young Jake's life are brilliantly... Read more
Really enjoyed this book, helps if you grew up in the 80's like I did, the descrpitions of young Jake's life are brilliantly... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. N. D. White
Incredible read!!
First time i've ever left a review, but this book was so enjoyable I just had to. From the moment I started Glasshopper I was totally hooked. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mel1981
glasshopper
Hard to believe that this was Isabelle Ashdown's first novel. Wonderful - and long after you finish reading the book the characters of Jake and Mary stay with you. Read more
Published 3 months ago by juliette ryan
Well written and engaging story of troubled family life
I really enjoyed this engaging tale of Jake and his mother Mary - told in flash backs and flash forwards which alternate in each voice. The book is well written and easy to read. Read more
Published 4 months ago by C. Hart
Brilliant book, and a great read
After having read "Hurry up and wait", I wanted to read another book by Isabel Ashdown. It was as captivating and I finished it in two days flat. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Christian
Beautiful...
I've been blown away by this book and can't recommend it highly enough. It's beautifully written with evocative descriptions and characters so real you want to hug them, Jake and... Read more
Published 10 months ago by London Girl
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