'Seven Days of Us' is a classic festive feel good read. First published in 2017 this remains an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable novel about a family who are locked down together for seven days over Christmas and New Year. A familiar scenario in the 'new normal', it's still full of fun and fizz!
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Readability
★★★★★★★★★✰
Talkability
★★★★★★★★★★
Den scores
★★★★★★★★✰✰
SEVEN DAYS OF US
BY FRANCESCA HORNAK
377 pages
'Seven Days of Us' gives us all the chance to get in the Christmas mood, even if our usual festivities have been affected by the 2020 virus. First published in 2017 this is an entertaining, light-hearted and thoroughly enjoyable read about a family who are locked down together for seven days over Christmas and New Year. Sound familiar?! The author could never have predicted we would all get the chance to experience a family lock-down. In spite of this, 'Seven Days of Us' remains fun and full of fizz.
The Birch family’s eldest daughter Olivia returns home for Christmas from working as a volunteer aid doctor in Liberia coping with the Haag disaster, a highly contagious and dangerous virus. The family are forced to undergo seven days of quarantine, which inevitably leads to a variety of crises and interesting family dynamics. Join them on this rollercoaster of emotions as secrets unravel and relationships falter.
Written by Francesca Hornak, journalist and writer, this is a compelling, witty, heartfelt novel, and is the perfect “missed opportunity” for the festive season.
'Seven Days of Us' may ironically feel nostalgic and for some dated in 2021 but the Den found reading this book poignant and touching, providing plenty of talkability especially for those who have undertaken quarantine or isolation. A family saga for all.