The Book of Tomorrow

Yesterday was a closed book, tomorrow, however, was a different story

Ahern is best known for her first novel PS I Love You which was a best-seller and became a film starring Hilary Swank, and Gerald Butler.

Her newest novel is again set in her native Ireland, and follows the story of Tamara Goodwin who is transported to rural Ireland with her mother after the suicide of her father. There she will live with Arthur-her Mum's brother-and his wife Rosaleen. For spoilt only child Tamara, moving to the country and dealing with a grieving mother is far too much for her. She finds a way out through the visiting mobile library, specifically Marcus, the librarian. However, when she discovers a magic diary that tells her what will happen the following day, life around Tamara begins to unravel as she meet a beekeeping nun, a young man who has moved out of Dublin as well, and unearths secrets her family would rather keep hidden.

The Book of Tomorrow is a fine, enjoyable read. It is not mind-blowing and I'm not sure who it is being aimed at. Whilst PS I Love You and many of Ahern's other works are 'adult' reads, I would question whether Tomorrow is in the same league. It reads very much like a teen book, and that is not just because of the age of the protagonist.

It does however clearly depict the emotions and feelings of a sixteen-year-old girl, without making her seem too adult or too childlike. Whilst it does descend somewhat into a soap opera in the final chapters (revelations about parentage and people appearing to come back to life for example), it is a good piece of escapism.