Splintered Lives
The discovery of a box of clues sets Isabelle Johnson on an unsettling journey to solve the mystery of her chaotic childhood and uncover the secrets of her mother’s traumatic past.
Splintered Lives, spanning 30 years, 1969-1998, set in London, tells the story of Isabelle and her free-spirited mother Suzanne who intrigues and confounds everyone she meets. Unpredictable and scatty, with parenting skills that leave much to be desired, Suzanne is nothing like the other mothers. For when she can’t cope, one of her other identities takes over: submissive Jessica – forever a child, or cynical Jackie – amoral and ruthless. Isabelle strives to conceal the extent of their problems, but when a school friend’s mother, Liz, misguidedly intervenes, everything changes.
Suzanne, struggling with lost time, accused of misdemeanours of which she has no recall, terrified at how rarely she is in control, is committed to psychiatric care and Isabelle goes to live with Liz’s family.
There, Isabelle is drawn to Liz’s stepson Jamie, but he does not reciprocate her feelings. Lonely and conflicted, she resolves to find her father. A box of diaries, letters and paintings reveal not only his identity, but also the horrors of her mother’s past. Horrified by what she learns and smarting from Jamie’s rejection, Isabelle embarks upon a path of self-destruction.
Suzanne, in a locked ward, is thrown into a nightmare of repressed memories – her mind in fragments, her other identities wreaking havoc. Diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, she must finally confront traumas she has buried deep.
Isabelle, meanwhile, struggling to make sense of a world where bad people get away with evil deeds and good people get punished, must acknowledge her own errors and weaknesses in order to move on from her past.
Love in all its guises – parental, filial and romantic – is stretched to breaking point before Suzanne can find happiness, and Isabelle can break free.
Told from the points of view of Isabelle and Suzanne, Splintered Lives explores the themes of family relationships, friendship, first love and coming of age, as well as the impact of mental illness on those who are touched by it.
Splintered Lives, will appeal to readers of Joanna Nadin’s Queen of Bloody Everything, Amanda Berriman’s Home, Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Ali Land’s Good Me Bad Me, Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Don’t Let Me Go, and Rowan Coleman’s Lessons in Laughing Out Loud, as well as to those who enjoy dark humour and a drama with a bitter/sweet outcome, in which strong female characters are enmeshed in complicated relationships and twisty psychological challenges. It is my first novel and I have started work on my second about the effects of grief and PTSD.
Ranked in the top 10% of the Grindstone International Novel Prize 2018 submissions, the judge said of Splintered Lives’ first chapter:
‘A brilliant piece of writing with good technical execution, decent pacing, excellent flow and believable dialogue. The real strength of this piece is the nuanced characterisation and the gentle reveal of Isabelle’s situation, building the tension from the very start. I was sad when the extract was over!
‘You have a funny and attention grabbing start. ‘Mummy says cooking’s for twats.’ Also love this line: ‘Twelve hours and two decades out of sync with every other mother, mine knew how to make an entrance’. So revealing, in a wonderfully economical way.
‘You have a very engaging authorial voice, and your portrayal of these two starkly different mothers is so relatable – good job. Coupled with well-written prose, your confident style, pulls me through with assurance. The contrast between these two little girls, Isabelle’s reactions to Liz’s house, and the subtle showing of Isabelle’s state of being, shows us without words that she lives an impoverished life. Heartbreaking.
‘The introduction of Jackie / Suzanne’s behaviour is so well written. The fact it is all from Isabelle’s viewpoint makes it even more sad.
‘I like your structure too, the cyclical returning to your opening line, contexualising the situation without info-dumping. Skilfully done.’
I am currently seeking representation for Splintered Lives.
daniellesimpson 