Book of the Month in Ulster Tatler

Click here for the full review: TSOB AUGUST Ulster Tat REVIEW 2014

Delighted to see The Story of Before is Book of the Month is the August 2014 edition of The Ulster Tatler.

Here is part of the review: ”Stairs’ debut novel is remarkable, with a
narrator who commands your attention. Ruth
is an outstanding creation who exudes a
childhood innocence, which is however tinged
with a wisdom far older than her years. What
makes her so believable is that she is flawed;
she is young and as such can make mistakes
because she doesn’t yet know better. In this
way Stairs captures Ruth’s childish qualities
perfectly. Stairs also encapsulates the 1970s
completely; when children were trusted to look
after younger siblings or had freedom to roam
the streets whilst their parents had a sense of
security that they would always be safe.
The Story of Before is an exquisitely crafted
novel. By stating Ruth’s premonition of a ‘bad
thing’ at the, the succeeding tension is
palpable on each page as the reader senses it
coming closer and closer. The Story of Before is
a hugely affecting novel; it captivates you from
the very start and by the time you have
finished, you will feel as if you have been on an
emotional journey. An impressive debut,
which marks Susan Stairs as a name to watch
out for in the future.”