Hamstead Heath- Blog Tour

 

Publisher: Arcadia Books 

Publishing date:  15th April 2021 

Genre: General Fiction (Adults), 

Many thanks to the publishing team for providing me with a copy to join the blog tour

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Rating: ★★★★★

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Synopsis

Thorn Marsh was raised in a house of whispers, of meaningful glances and half- finished sentences. Now she's a journalist with a passion for truth, more devoted to her work at the London Journal than she ever was to her ex-husband.
When the newspaper is bought by media giant The Goring Group, who value sales figures over fact-checking, Thorn openly questions their methods, and promptly finds herself moved from the news desk to the midweek supplement, reporting heart-warming stories for their new segment, The Bright Side, a job to which she is spectacularly unsuited.
On a final warning and with no heart-warming news in sight, a desperate Thorn fabricates a good-news story of her own. The story, centred on an angelic apparition on Hampstead Heath, goes viral. Caught between her principles and her ambitions, Thorn goes in search of the truth behind her creation, only to find the answers locked away in the unconscious mind of a stranger.

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Review

Although it was a short book just under 250 ages but it packed a punch. I read this in a day and was left contemplating  the impact and hold  that social media has.

We meet Thorn Marsh who has been settled in her job as News Editor for the The New London Journal, however The Goring Group buys the paper and all it changes for Thorn. I liked this concept as it rings true to any job: a new change, new people/ management always brings challenges and adjustment. Thorn seemingly has started to write new stories  for The Bright Side Supplement that really don't float her boat as they say and the preppy stories and celebrity clickbait doesn't make her happy. Thorn was always dedicated to journalism however this impacted her marriage with nick which then ended in divorce and Nick remarrying. But the pair remaind to have cordial relationship. 

Thorn always took pride in her writing, however after a drunken night with her ex husband, it's util the morning the Thorn realises what she has actually done and the true speed of internet and media sharing starts to become harsh reality. During Thorns drunken stuper, she has falsely shared a story a man (who come to know as Rufus). The image was taken by the Nick, of a man who jumped off a man who jumped off a bridge in Hamstead heath in what can be perceived a suicide attempt. However Thorn adds another layer to this story and picture when she shares it with world and adds that the unidentified man at this stage actually jumped into save a women's life. 

Thorn soon realises that the power of social media can unearth lots of things and some has managed to locate this man and now she has to get to him before the whole story starts to unfold.  You begin to unearth another layer to this book and how the relationship changes between Rufus and Thorn and commonalities that they share. This did take me by surprise but It was enjoyable to read.  You also meet Gillie the dog and Thorns mother who could potentially be hiding a one or two secrets. 

There were so many layers to this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found my self reading faster to get to the next part, but equally someone beautiful sentences that I would go back and read. It also had me chuckling away in some parts. I really do love a book that can be like blanket and have all these elements in without being overly complicated or down one too many roads.