Title: Freckles
Author: Cecelia Ahern
ISBN: 9780008194932
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 352
Source: Private Copy
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
When a stranger utters these words to Allegra Bird, nicknamed Freckles, it turns her highly ordered life upside down. In her current life as a parking warden, she has left her eccentric father and unconventional childhood behind for a bold new life in the city.
But a single encounter leads her to ask the question she’s been avoiding for so long: who are the people who made her the way she is? And who are the five people who can shape and determine her future? Just as she once joined the freckles on her skin to mirror the constellations in the night sky, she must once again look for connections.
Told in Allegra’s vivid, original voice, moving from Dublin to the fierce Atlantic coast, this is an unforgettable story of human connection, of friendship, and growing into your own skin.
Official Summary
16 August 2022
This book so way out of my comfort zone, but I saw so many social media posts about this book last year I had to read it. Was it worth all the fuss? You better believe it. Freckles is a book that stays with you after the close it. You are left thinking about the character and inspired to look at your own five. Well, I am anyway.
The author tells the story from Allegra’s point of view, from start to end you find yourself in this woman’s mind. Consumed by her life as she tells you her story. I believe this was the first time I have read a book with no dialogue at all. I found myself lost in this book, enjoying every moment I spent with Allegra. This character crawls into your heart as she stumbles through life trying to improve herself.
Allegra is on a mission. She left her friends and family behind with one goal in mind. Even her job as a parking warden is planned to help her achieve her goal. When she issues a parking ticket to a young man he loses his temper and insults her. His words stay with her and leave her hurt. But it always leads her to take a look at her life and the people she surrounds herself with. Or rather the people she does not have in her life. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Those words start haunting her. Determined to become the best version of herself Allegra set out to befriend people that will help her achieve that, only to make some amazing discoveries in her search.
This book was a clever, creative, moving tale that will remain with me for some time to come. That one phrase: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Has managed to leave me looking at my life, pinpointing my own five. This book left me feeling enriched, appreciating the important people in my life.
Allegra Bird / Freckles is a curious character. This woman is always on the edge, she is blinded by a need to be the best version of herself. She is trying so hard to get life right, that she misses what’s in front of her. She is sweet and I loved how she always felt she got it wrong. She felt like an outsider. She is quirky and unique in her ways. You will fall in love with this young woman and she will remain with you long after you have closed this book.
While this book is miles away from the books I usually reach for, I found myself deeply engrossed from start to finish. Reaching for this book was a brilliant decision. I loved every minute I spent with Allegra. There is no way you can walk away from this book and not love it.
This is a life-affirming read that is cleverly constructed, has just enough humour to keep it light and delivers a moving ending. I cannot recommend this book highly enough – and there are no dead bodies or gory details – but this book is a brilliant read! Even if this does not sound like your kind of read, take the time to read it.
About The Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Cecelia Ahern was born and grew up in Dublin. She is now published in nearly fifty countries and has sold over twenty-five million copies of her novels worldwide. Two of her books have been adapted as films and she has created several TV series.
“The thread that links my work is in capturing that transitional period in people’s lives. I’m drawn to writing about loss, to characters that have fallen and who feel powerless in their lives. I am fascinated and inspired by the human spirit, by the fact that no matter how hopeless we feel and how dark life can be, we do have the courage, strength and bravery to push through our challenging moments. We are the greatest warriors in our own stories. I like to catch my characters as they fall, and bring them from low to high. My characters push through and as a result evolve, become stronger and better equipped for the next challenge that life brings. I like to mix dark with light, sadness with humour, always keeping a balance, and always bringing the story to a place of hope.”
Thank you for reading my review. I know this is not what you would expect from me, but I promised myself that 2022 would be the year that I ventured outside of my comfort zone and explored different genres – this one was a huge step for me and I am left feeling very satisfied with myself after reading this book. This contemporary fiction is well worth checking out if you are looking for something inspiring. If you have read this one, share your thought by leaving a comment below. Until next time…Happy Reading!
