Rose Gold Watts believed she was sick for eighteen years.
She thought she needed the feeding tube, the surgeries, the wheelchair . . .
Turns out her mother is a really good liar.
After five years in prison, Patty Watts is finally free. All she wants is to put old grievances behind her, reconcile with the daughter who testified against her - and care for her new infant grandson.
When Rose Gold agrees to have Patty move in, it seems their relationship is truly on the mend. And she has waited such a long time for her mother to come home.
But is she still the pliable young girl she once was? And is Patty still as keen on settling an old score?
Because if mothers never forget then daughters never forgive.
A chilling tale of obsession, reconciliation and revenge from an incredible new talent.
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Pages: 352
5th March 2020
The Recovery of Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel is a highly impressive debut novel. It is dark, twisted, complex and bound to captivate many readers on its publication.
Rose Gold was abused by her mother, Patty for years. Patty has Munchausen by Proxy and poisoned her daughter in order to convince everyone that she was seriously ill. Rose discovered the truth and testified against her mother, resulting in her conviction and having spent the last five years in prison. Rose is there to meet Patty on the day of her release, with her new baby, Adam. Is Rose ready to forgive her mother or does she have unfinished business?
The story is told from Rose Gold and Patty’s perspectives and you are often left considering which of them is the most unreliable narrator? What becomes evident is that both are a little messed up, partly through abuse and trauma and partly because it’s just how they’re wired.
The relationship between mother and daughter is complex and Wrobel does a fantastic job of presenting the intricacies of what can be a very volatile relationship. Rose and her mother do not trust each other and this creates huge and palpable tension within the book. They are never fully comfortable with each other and the reader is left to question who will come out on top?
There are some particularly clever and unexpected plot twists towards the end of the book, I did not see the final one coming and I love it when that happens.
The Recovery of Rose Gold is not one to miss, what a fantastic debut.
Many thanks to Michael Joseph for gifting me a copy of this book to review, it is out on March 5th.
