Nothing But Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon @KathleenMacM @PenguinIEBooks #NothingButBlueSky

 

 Nothing But Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon was published by Penguin Ireland on 30th July 2020

 

Is there such a thing as a perfect marriage?

David thought so. But when his wife Mary Rose dies suddenly he has to think again. In reliving their twenty years together David sees that the ground beneath them had shifted and he simply hadn't noticed. Or had chosen not to.

Figuring out who Mary Rose really was and the secrets that she kept - some of these hidden in plain sight - makes David wonder if he really knew her. Did he even know himself?

Nothing But Blue Sky is a precise and tender story of love in marriage - a gripping examination of what binds couples together and of what keeps them apart.

 

My Thoughts: 

Nothing But Blue Sky is a beautiful portrayal of love, marriage and bereavement. Introspective in a lot of ways with a great depth of understanding and emotion. I found it to be deeply affecting. 

 

The story centres around the marriage of David and Mary Rose. We hear the story from David's perspective as Mary Rose has died and when we meet David he is just trying to navigate his way through his loss and reflect upon his marriage. He is trying to learn what to do when the person that is always there one day isn't. He has good friends around him who are well meaning and try to help. David though now lacks that closeness and familiarity and he appears to be just sitting on the periphery. He struggles to understand how he will go on.

 

David worries that his memories of Mary Rose are slipping away from him much like sand running through his fingers. The best times he spent with Mary Rose was on their regular holidays so he embarks on a trip to Aiguaclara in Costa Brava where they spent a great deal of time. I feel that this is where David begins to heal as it is when he lets his guard down and feels most relaxed. The reader begins to gain more of an understanding at this point as the character slowly reveals himself. 

I loved the way that this book did not paint the characters and their marriage as perfect. As no marriage surely is all of the time. It was realistic and drew me in. If I am honest I found David a little bit unlikeable and set in his ways. He seemed to rely more on Mary Rose than she would have on him. 

The language and vivid way that the author tells the story of a man and memories of his love brought me to tears. It was a moving portrayal of what is such a unique experience. We all go through loss and this was a difficult but beautiful read.

 

This book is not plot driven in any way but the scenery of the Costa Brava and David's voice shone through. 

 

About the Author: 

Nothing But Blue Sky is Kathleen MacMahon's third novel. Her first, This is How it Ends, published in 2012, was translated into more than twenty languages, spent five weeks at the top of the bestseller lists in Ireland, and was a Richard and Judy Book Club choice in the UK. Her second novel, The Long, Hot Summer was published to much acclaim in 2015 and was also a bestseller in Ireland. Kathleen is a former radio and television journalist with Ireland's national broadcaster, RTÉ, and she lives in Dublin with her family.

You can find the author on Twitter: @KathleenMacM

or on her website: http://kathleenmacmahon.com/