The world at my feet: Better than the blurb suggests

The world at my feet is the third novel by Liverpool author, Catherine Isaac. The author has previously found success with a series of romantic comedy novels under the pseudonym, Jane Costello. Don't let the romance novelist background put you off. I absolutely loved The world at my feet!

Since writing this post I've read Isaac's other books published to date. You can read my reviews of those books here.

The world at my feet | Published January 2021 | Read December 2023

I was drawn to the book first by its beautiful cover and the blurb on the back of the book:

1990. Harriet is a journalist and her job takes her to dangerous places where she asks questions. But when she is sent to Romania, to the state orphanages the world has just learnt about, she is forced to rethink her most important rule.

2018. Ellie is a gardener whose garden is her sanctuary. Even though she spends her days outdoors, she hasn't gone beyond the gate in years. Now someone enters her life who could finally be the reason she needs to overcome her fears.

I found both the cover and the blurb to be somewhat misleading, though The book has much more depth to it than those two things would have the reader believe. It's grim in places, where the story delves into the horrors of Romanian orphanages in the eighties and nineties. The author also tackles the subject of agoraphobia through Ellie's story. The novel truly belongs to her rather than to her mother, Harriet, and its strength lies in the charting of Ellie's journey to recovery.

The story is largely told from Ellie's point of view which is partly why I found the blurb misleading. At the centre of the book is Ellie's garden, a safe haven for her to deal with her agoraphobia. Ellie's garden is also her creative outlet that she offers to the world through her Instagram page.

The inclusion of Harriet's chapters is important to provide the context for the story and to educate the reader on the experiences of Romanian orphanages under the Ceausescu regime. I found, however, Harriet's journalistic activities less interesting than the Romanian history she was part of, and I wonder if those chapters could be written slightly differently to achieve the same outcome.

I instantly connected with Ellie and I loved following her story. I liked the way the connection between the Ellie and Harriet is revealed - very subtly done. I found the gardening part super interesting, even though I am hardly a green thumb, and the Instagram posts are a nice touch. The peripheral characters - Ellie's kind, supportive parents and fun, loyal younger sister - are a welcome addition to the story. Their characters are nicely fleshed out and they never feel like bit players. I also enjoyed reading about Ellie's relationship with the little boy who visits her garden with his mother.

There is a romantic element to the novel as Ellie navigates a new relationship with a fellow Instagram influencer. There is also a friendship that develops with an old school classmate. The romantic conclusion is predictable, but since it's not the focus of Ellie's story, it worked for me. It is also vital to Ellie's journey and never seems out of place.

Catherine Isaac tackles the difficult topics of trauma, agoraphobia, and recovery with sensitivity, authenticity and depth. I found the novel moving, heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure. Isaac writes believable characters and stays away from cliché territory. She manages to create Ellie's psychological struggles with credibility and care. There are shades of light and dark to the novel and it's a powerful portrayal of trauma and healing and the importance of deep connections with people. I would easily rate The world at my feet as one of my best-ever reads. I didn't want it to end!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐