H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald

Image from The London Review Bookshop

Our Book of the Month for March is 'H is for Hawk' by Helen MacDonald, which won The Costa Book of the Year and The Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction. 

Helen MacDonald is a poet, historian, naturalist and illustrator. When she was only 8 years old, she came across 'The Goshawk' by T. H. White. The book tells of his struggle to train the goshawk, and escape his own personal demons. 

Following the death of her father, Mabel the goshawk enters her life and takes her on a journey through the grief she experienced.

A Song For Issy Bradley by Carys Bray

Carys Bray

This was a debut novel shortlisted for The 2014 Costa Book Awards, and selected as a Book at Bedtime for Radio 4. The story is told by each member of a Mormon family at a time of great sadness. Ian and Claire are both mourning their daughter, with Ian clinging to his faith to endure the loss and Claire longing for a sign to prevent her from spiraling into the depths of despair.

 Two brothers have also lost their sister, with Jacob looking for ways to fix his family together again and Zippy coping with guilt and first love. 

The book is set in the North West of England, which is where Carys Bradley lives. She was also brought up in a devout Mormon family herself. Not everyone in the group has read 'A Song for Issy Bradley', but those who have gave it our top rating of 5 stars.

Here's a few words from Elizabeth Adams about it:

What a beautiful story, faith and families

Daunting time ahead for them

the emotive situation of Issy

challenges Ian's beliefs

His daughter is dead!! WHY

he tells himself and his family

God wanted her for the eternal kingdom

The searching looks, the silences,

It shouldn't be like this,

no time for tears!!

A family divided by there faith

the bible that they live by

should be a guide

not a millstone to drag you down

but God does work mysteriously

to bring people back together again

with solace and peace to bind them