We follow Alice through her difficult childhood and teenage years with a selfish, uncaring mother, one brother who wants out and another who seems to sop up all his mother's negative energy. The novel follows her life from a difficult childhood to self-discovery and the happy ending that the reader anticipates throughout. In a Thousand Different Ways" is the story of Alice Kelly and her dysfunctional family. Alice's mother struggles to raise her 3 children on her own but, as they grow up, they all leave home for different reasons. Alice suffers with what she thinks of as a curse but some others see as a blessing, not that she tells many people about seeing colours around everything and everyone. This is a story of a woman finding herself and how to deal with other people's anger, darkness. A disabled mother, a brother recently out of jail and her brother and family living in Doha.

In a Thousand Different Ways – HarperCollins Publishers UK

I adore Cecelia Ahern's book so I was stoked to be given the opportunity to read her new novel. Imagine if you could see people's auras in the shape of colours. This is Alice's world. Until one day, she meets someone who has no colours at all associated with him. I loved Alice's journey throughout this book although there were times where I did get confused as multiple timeframes were discussed. Overall though, this was a beautiful story that I really enjoyed. I have heard of synaesthesia where people see music as colours, but limited on those who see people's auras. It certainly makes you think on how it would affect you if this happened to you. It was one of those books that I became totally absorbed in, not light hearted as I normally enjoy, but contemplative especially towards the end. One to read when you want something a bit heavier, but not depressing, and totally different. Highly recommended. Wow what a fantastic book. The concept of seeing a persons emoticons as an aura and how it affects the life of the person seeing the aura.Over the years, and with the help of certain people, she begins to learn how to live with this 'gift', as it is described to her, but not without many battles. I’m not interested in writing the same novel twice. I’m drawn to writing about challenging, transitional moments in people’s lives, and that theme never changes, but how I go about telling the story changes so very much I’m sure it sends my publishers’ heads in a spin. I’m often too quirky to be commercial and too commercial to be literary and while I’m comfortable with not fitting in, it’s never easy when it comes to knowing where to put me on a shelf. What projects are you working on? Thanks so much for reading my review, I look forward to reading any comments. Feel free to browse my books read for your next great read.

In a Thousand Different Ways - Goodreads Farah’s review of In a Thousand Different Ways - Goodreads

This is my first book of Cecelia Ahern. An unusual story, very well written, and I look forward to reading more of her books. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, which I think is so easy when giving a review – I highly recommend this book. Such a beautiful story of family and love. This isn't a light read, rather one that makes you sit and reflect upon it as you go through it. Alice develops the ability to see people's emotions as auras and how this interacts between different people. She struggles with her mother, who is later diagnosed as bipolar, and younger brother, but is supported by her older brother. The story follows Alice through her life and the detrimental effect that her ability has on her interactions with others. Alice has a gift- though she doesn't always perceive it this way. She views people's auras, her ability enabling her to detect and feel how others' feel vividly. Burdened with the pain, despair and anxiety of others she develops ways to shield herself from the transference of their colours.If you don’t feel your own pain, you cannot recognise it in others. Our own suffering can cultivate the ability to help others. It was certainly overwhelming. The workload was immense from the beginning which was excellent training. However, being from Ireland and being surrounded by grounded Irish people, I knew, because I was told, that what was happening to me was not the norm. I knew that it was not going to be the case for every single book for the rest of my life and so I was embracing the moment and enjoying it as much as I possibly could. What makes your work so attractive to film-makers? This book is the life of Alice Kelly who has the rare condition of Synesthesia (dubbed Aura Migraine) whereby she can see the colour of people's aura and lives in a dysfunctional family. It is not clear if she was born with it or developed it later, but she is suffering alimentation and feels cursed. Ollie her younger brother soaks in his mother's blue and red (Depression and Anger) while Hugh her older brother with his Pink (Love) manages to be the beacon of sanity for Alice. I have had a life-long relationship with colours. Enduring them, accepting them, surrendering to them.”

In a Thousand Different Ways | Cecelia Ahern

Once again from the very first chapter, as so often happens in Ahern’s books, you are drawn in from the very start, wanting to know more. The concept of seeing colours to represent emotions is genius, to have the main character be able to see and absorb these feelings and how this insight into others might not be a ‘gift’ is just captivating. On several occasions through the book you could relate to how you really don’t know what is going on with others around you, life seemingly perfect on the outside but possibly something that couldn’t be further from the truth. A story that will make you stop and think more times that I have wanted honestly. It’s all about kindness, acceptance of our different abilities in life and most of all , the fear of not actually firing in a mood that this society is so set upon and likes to put everyone in a box. I loved seeing how Alice learns to live with her gift. The book discusses everything from self-discovery to complicated family relationships, neglectful parents, and a love story. It looks like a challenging topic, but I enjoyed how it was executed within the story. The ending also was beautiful in that it speaks the summary of Alice’s life experiences through colors 🤌🏻 This book is special. Cecelia Ahern writes in such a descriptive and evocative way. The feelings and moods she describes are visceral. Beyond that, the reader is presented with a unique premise with which to digest not only human behaviour but mental health. I loved reading about Alice's journey and was captivated by her colourful insights into the people she met. 'One by one and all at once, I have seen and felt, All the colours of living.' I highly recommend this book.Forgotten the title or the author of a book? Our BookSleuth is specially designed for you. Visit BookSleuth