The Other Half of Augusta Hope: The best-selling, heart-warming debut novel shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award

Reviews

shaz kelty

He plans to walk 8,000km to the North African coastline and cross over the Mediterranean Sea in a boat to Spain. The Other Half of Augusta Hope is a quirky read on a par with Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Augusta Hope is one of a pair of twins and though they were born not far apart timewise, they were born on different days and a different month: Julia on 31st July and Augusta on 1st August. The narrative switches between Augusta and Parfait who are both complex characters with wildly different upbringings but who, at the same time, seem to have things in common.

@novel_natters

An emotionally heartbreaking tale of home and belonging, and what that really means is it a place and feeling or a mixture of both? The only minor quibble I had was with the ending.

Ashley Madeline

Burundi, England become the shared story of Tarifa in Spain , where the locations take the story to their joint conclusion. More unites people than divides them. I read this book completely unbiased, I realised I didn't even read the blerb on the back, I just adored the shiny dragonflies on the cover and dived in.

Tea Leaves and Reads

When a heartbreaking tragedy occurs Augusta is thrown into the unknown of live and love. I thoroughly recommend this book to others. Joanna studied Spanish at the University of London (and taught Spanish and English to all ages before becoming a school headteacher). I dislike suggesting authors similar to others because I feel a work of amazing literature is the writers own – in their own right.

Tara (After The Rain)

5 stars. Well, hello! That’s where the story of another person without a place in the world ends up. He is determined to escape the wars between the main two tribes in Burundi.

The booktrail

She’s from England and he’s from Burundi and these two cultural differences are what drive the story. It is clearly a passion and she makes good use of it in this book, particularly the way she explored duende (a “Spanish term for a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity, often connected with flamenco”, according to the dictionary). Their eventual meeting seems inevitable but getting to that point is a vivid, emotional and sometimes dark rollercoaster ride.

James Koppert

The feelings portrayed are palpable and these characters are unique, not always likable regardless they stole my heart, after all, no one is perfect right? This is about a child turning to an adult, but it's not s coming of age, it has death without being mournful and love without ever being a romance. It’s amazing to think this remarkable book is Joanna Glen’s debut novel.