Helen Salsbury – Sometimes When I Sleep

Sometimes a book just comes along that really makes you need to know and know now. This is one of those books and it took me no time at all to finish it. Let’s have a peek at the synopsis first.

For Harriet, Eden university is a chance to escape the shadows of a family tragedy and reinvent herself, even though she doesn’t know exactly who she is or where she belongs. She’s grown up hiding from curious eyes, and seeking refuge in the music of Dark Island, who appear to be the only ones who have words for her hidden traumas. She’s escaped into hockey and being an A* student, found companionship and adventure in role-playing games, but somehow she’s never been able to run far enough to avoid the night-time terrors which haunt her. Spurred by a promise from Dark Island that she’s leaving the shadows, Harriet is convinced that university will be the place where all this changes. And yet, finding where she belongs is not easy. Hockey is dominated by the arrogant Mark Collier, and relationships prove as difficult here as at home.

As the structures which have kept Harriet safe start to crumble, she is drawn somewhat against her will towards the cold, mysterious and compelling Iquis. It’s a tumultuous relationship – full of conflict and misunderstandings. And yet, as Harriet starts to recognise a matching brokenness in Iquis, she becomes convinced that their paths are entwined, and that only by rescuing Iquis from what binds her can she, Harriet, ever find freedom from the chains of her own past. But as the girls’ journeys take them across the night-time landscapes of Cumbria, and then deeper into the frozen north, the questions arise: how much of what the girls fear comes from inside and how much from outside, and what is the price of redemption?

Another extremely well-written book that has skillfully blended more than one genre together with others and created a dark and quite Gothic type of story. It is quite a deceptive book as it begins and the story slowly gains speed as it unfolds and by the time you have even realised it is racing to a place you never expected.

The characters in these pages are all vividly detailed and each with their unique personality, flaws and voice that cannot be missed as you turn the pages devouring the story as it evolves. Harriet, the main character is as messed up as she could be, along with her complexities too. A difficult character to like, although she had her positive traits too. Iquis is a character Harriet connects with while at University, she is a mysterious and gothic character who is unique and not just because of her name.

The sense of place is marvellous, the author has brought so much detail to the setting, that you are almost able to feel the rain. It does help that I am in the North West too, it’s always raining or freezing here! So easy for me to imagine. The chapters are only short so help the ‘just one more chapter’ idea along and the next thing I knew I was at the end, and what an ending!

Thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Matador Books for the copy of the book to bring you my thoughts today.