Pandora's Box by Giselle Green

Paperback:  435 pages.
Genre: Contemporary Fiction.
Publisher: Avon 2008.
Source: My own bookshelves.
First Sentence: When at last I saw her fall, it was exactly as I had imagined it would be.
Review Quote: 'This novel is a heart warming, emotional take on a mother/daughter relationship. I could not put it down.' Closer. 

Literary Awards: Romantic Novelists' Association New Writer's Award in 2008.
My Opinion: Emotionally charged.

Giselle Green is an author I was not really aware of until recently when my attention was drawn to her novels on a social media site. After some interaction with regard to her writing I was offered the opportunity by the author herself to review her forthcoming novel  'Finding You', which I have accepted and will be reading and reviewing soon. By coincidence whilst sorting out my many paperbacks I came across a copy of 'Pandora's Box' her début novel, which I decided for a number of reasons to read first. Having now read this emotionally charged novel I think I have discovered another author whose writing I am gong to be enjoying again in the future.

A very moving storyline, especially so if you are a mother yourself as it is about a mother's relationship with her terminally ill child. Narrated from the alternating viewpoints of Rachel Wetherby and her daughter Shelley. 
Rachel's mother has given her a box of old possessions and it is this that opens up memories and secrets that may have been better left hidden. As both mother and daughter delve into the box revelations and heartache cause problems for them both. Shelly as she tries to come to terms with an early inevitable death and Rachel as she struggles with feeling that everything is her fault! 

Potentially this story had the material to offer more with regards to characterisation, however we must not forget this is a début novel. The fact that the author has gone on to write a number of successful novels since this one was first released way back in 2008, means I feel able to recommend her writing to anyone that enjoys stories with a moral basis. A good choice for Book Clubs as Pandora's Box covers a subject that will evoke a whole range of questions, that you will still find yourself thinking about for a long while after finishing the novel.


Author Profile

Born in Chiswick, London, UK.  Giselle Green was brought up in Gibraltar from the age of seven to eighteen when she returned to the UK to study Biology at King's College London, followed by an MSc in Information Science at the City University. She is also a qualified Astrologer, with a particular interest in medieval astrology.

Her début novel Pandora's Box won the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writer's Award in 2008. Her third novel, A Sister's Gift achieved best-selling number one slot on Amazon Kindle in 2012.

Her fifth novel, the sequel to Little Miracles - Finding You - was released on Kindle on the 30th March 2014 and will be published as a paperback later in the year.
Giselle now lives in Kent with her husband and their six sons.

A fuller biography appears on her website here

The biographical information and photo used in this post are with thanks to the following websites, where you can also find more information about the author and her writing.

Goodreads Author Profile       Amazon Author Profile     Giselle Green - Twitter

Author's Official Website - Giselle Green   Facebook Profile - Giselle Green Author