What I Had Before I Had You - Tapa dura

"The subtler workings of past trauma on present-day lives underscore Sarah Cornwell's psychological page-turner."--Vogue.com

"This debut novel blew me away with the beauty of its language and the honesty of its narrator. . . . The reality of living with a parent with mental illness, and how it impacts a child, is heartbreakingly beautiful in Cornwell's capable hands."--Jodi Picoult Lists Her Favorite Reads of 2014, Amazon

[A] bewitching first novel. . . . In chapters alternating between the puzzling, pressurized present and eerily predictive past, Cornwell weaves the novel s double narrative with the deft touch of a magician and the sure hand of a confident writer to watch. --"Elle""

Twining Olivia s teenage past with her grown-up present, Cornwell tells a sensitive, clear-eyed, and ever so slightly supernatural story of a family shaped by mental illness. --"Boston Globe""

An incandescent debut by turns thrilling and meditative; part coming of age novel, part exploration of the fragility and complexity of love and family. Sarah Cornwell is a writer to be celebrated and watched. --Philipp Meyer, author of "The Son""

Captivating. . . . Depth of insight, dreamy prose, and an engrossing storyline mark this wonderful debut. --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)"

This debut novel blew me away with the beauty of its language and the honesty of its narrator. . . . The reality of living with a parent with mental illness, and how it impacts a child, is heartbreakingly beautiful in Cornwell s capable hands. --Jodi Picoult Lists Her Favorite Reads of 2014, Amazon"

Sarah Cornwell has a brilliant eye for the telling detail, and a wonderfully original way of embodying family history. I was captivated by her memorable characters and the perfectly paced revelations of their surprising relationships. --Andrea Barrett, author of "Archangel" and "The Voyage of the Narwhal""

This is a remarkable debut by an award-winning short story writer; Cornwell s psychological study of the stormy relationships in one particular family is engrossing and insightful. --"Library Journal""

Sarah Cornwell s first novel is as unnerving and authoritative as Hilary Mantel s "Beyond Black." This is a beautifully written book, bold and wounding. Read it and you will never look at the Jersey Shore in quite the same way again. --James Magnuson, author of "Famous Writers I Have Known""