Incendiary

A ‘pitch-perfect’ (Telegraph) novel about motherhood and loss from bestselling author of The Other Hand

By: Chris Cleave

Narrated by: Tracy-Ann Oberman

You aren't stupid.
You know there's no such thing as a perfect mother.
Plenty of other books will tell you there is, but this one won't lie to you.

I was weak and I cheated and I was punished, but my god I loved my child through all of it.
Love means you never break, and it means you're stronger than the things they do to you. I know this is true because I have been through fire, and I am the proof that love survives.

I am not a perfect mother but I will tell you the perfect truth, because this is you and me talking.
This is my story.


(P)2012 Hodder & Stoughton©2005 Chris Cleave

Blew me away

Would you consider the audio edition of Incendiary to be better than the print version?

I loved all audio versions of books better than print books. This is a real "storyteller's story" so it works very well in audio format.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Incendiary?

The scene where the characters are heading toward the stadium as people are leaving. I can't say too much without giving away plot.

Which scene was your favorite?

A favourite scene is hard to give, but I loved the idea that the story is written as a letter to Osama Bin Laden & to hear the enmity, the apathy & occasional empathy the main character feels for him.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It inspired my imagination. This didn't happen, but it could have & I read elsewhere that the publication date was the date of the London bombings so the books were taken off bookstore shelves. It has an eerie quality.

Any additional comments?

The character development is fantastic as people move through their emotions & find their limits to coping.