Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan is a deeply compelling, dark and fascinating novel, discussing openly the themes of motherhood, postnatal depression and how quickly opinions can form, then leap from one person to the next, without first considering the truth. This is the first novel of Vaughan’s that I have read, and I found it thoroughly intriguing. It certainly held my attention as it delved unapologetically into topics that, only recently, have people been prepared to discuss more openly and without judgement. With an undercurrent of suspicion running throughout, and the dissection of family dynamics and friendships, this was a riveting, emotional novel, incorporating loss, grief, and forgiveness.
In Sarah Vaughan’s Little Disasters, uncertainty develops instantly as Liz, a paediatrician, is greeted by good friend Jess, in A&E, who is there with her baby daughter, Betsey. Irritable, drowsy, and having been sick, it quickly becomes apparent that something is wrong here, and after further examination by Liz, she discovers an injury on the back of Betsey’s head. What starts off as perhaps an accident, an innocent tumble, swiftly spirals into something much more dangerous and concerning. From here, Jess’s life, and Liz’s, spirals into a dark, panic-inducing place, where an investigation unfolds, trapping each of them in a situation they could never have imagined being involved in.
I was absorbed in this story from the get-go. As Vaughan takes us back and forth between the past and present, we’re gifted a glimpse into Jess’s past, before Betsey’s birth, and we’re witness to the moments that become important to look back on, in Jess’s present day. I absolutely love it when authors structure their books in this way. I love being take back to a time before the one we’re reading about, and being given sneaky looks into what happened years before, into events that hold the key for what transpires in the present day. Vaughan does this so well in Little Disasters, and it’s so effective in allowing readers to understand Jess on a deeper level, to truly see what events led up to the moment she takes Betsey to A&E. Not only this, but we get to see how the friendships and relationships that lie between the characters originally developed, providing them with a deeper, more believable history, binding them closer as the years have gone by or, in some cases, not close enough. This structure, this bouncing back and forth, continues throughout the novel, and it allowed me to feel so much closer to the characters and their separate situations.
The characters within Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan were all believable and had a lot of depth. Not only does the plot focus on Liz and Jess, but we’re introduced to their husbands, children and friends too. There’s a lot of life to this story, a lot of activity and conversation, and it was fascinating to see all of this going on while Jess’s own situation grew more unbearable. It’s hard not to have your own opinion form as the plot progresses and the investigation around Betsey intensifies. I had my own, but what was amazing was how this changed overtime, and how the author encouraged me to see the situation in a completely different light. I felt foolish, to be honest with you, that I myself had jumped to conclusions rather than waiting for more details to be brought to the surface, but I suppose that is why this novel is so important. It leaves you knowing that perhaps next time, you won’t be so quick to judge. You’ll be more understanding.
Something else I enjoyed within this novel was the battle that Liz fought between wanting to be a good friend, but also wanting to remain professional. I just can’t imagine being in a situation like that, the tug between what to believe and what you already know of a person. I felt that Vaughan really put Liz in a terrible set of circumstances here, but it was fascinating to watch how the characters would deal with it.
What affected me most, though, was Jess, and the link we later find out between someone else close to Liz. It was an eye-opening subject, which broke my heart and made me wonder about all of the women out there who have battled with the very same thing. I’m obviously aware of post-natal depression, but this novel really lays it out to you in a way that’s both revealing and brutal. We see the truth behind Jess’s actions and it was incredibly emotional to read, and we see how it affects other people too, like her other children and her husband.
Sarah Vaughan writes a moving, sharp and powerful novel within Little Disasters. It’s hard not to become emotionally-involved with the characters, which in turn compels you to read on in order to find out what happens next. Vaughan is a confident writer and it shows in how she handles her characters and the sequence of events that lead to the final conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. This novel is receiving a four out of five rating from me.
You think you know her, but look a bit closer… She is a stay-at-home mother of three with boundless reserves of patience, energy and love. After being friends for a decade, this is how Liz sees Jess. Then one moment changes everything. Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface – and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend, and about herself.
You can purchase your copy of Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan here.
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