The Light That Bends Round Corners

As a former fashion journalist I knew this was a must read! I cannot wait to share my thoughts and a full review very soon. Very grateful fir the privilege to acquire and share this title with readers,

A Mesmerizing Tale of Struggle, Discovery, and Connection

⭐⭐⭐⭐

In Alexandra Carey's "The Light That Bends Round Corners," we dive into a world where two women, Laura and Mariel, find their lives entwined in the heart of Malaysia. Laura, a London-based fashion journalist, faces a dramatic shift when she moves with her family to Kuala Lumpur. Amidst the exotic landscape, her journey becomes one of self-discovery, navigating the challenges of a new life.

Mariel, the Filipina maid Laura hires, adds depth to the narrative with her resilience against an abusive past and the ongoing battle against prejudice. Together, their stories weave through the beauty and dangers of Malaysia, creating a poignant exploration of identity and the human spirit.

Carey's storytelling is a delicate dance between pain and humor, offering a heartfelt account of cultures colliding. "The Light That Bends Round Corners" is not just a novel; it's a captivating experience that invites readers to reflect on the transformative power of connection and the beauty found in life's unexpected turns. A truly human tale that lingers in the heart. 🌺

Lovely book, title, and cover. Well done for a first novel. I love how two women's lives are the center of this story. Carey did a beautiful job highlighting their struggles. It was interesting to read all about an "exotic" world as well! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I feel this would be a great book for a club to discuss too!

This is a story featuring two women brought together by chance in Malaysia which is the natural home for neither of them. As a consequence of her husband’s career opportunity that is “too good to turn down”, Laura is transplanted to Kuala Lumpur at short notice. Leaving behind her own successful career in London and the luxury of a nanny dutifully attending to her children’s every needs, Laura finds herself instead in uncharted territory, physically and emotionally. In complete contrast, Mariel is a Filipina who steeled herself to leave her family behind and consciously chose to work as a maid in KL to escape her abusive husband and seek a better future for herself.

Alexandra Carey’s writing brings to life the sights, sounds and smells of KL and shines a light on the cultural differences between Western European and south-east Asian lifestyles, with Mariel and Laura often silently questioning, without fully grasping, the choices made by the other. Their differences in perspectives of a situation are constantly conditioned by Laura’s privileged background and Mariel’s humble roots.

The crux of the story is the ability to adapt to new and different circumstances and the longer Laura is in KL the more she has to re-assess her situation and her aspirations. Mariel’s way of coping with change is to always have a plan, and to swiftly re-think that plan if anything threatens to get in the way of achieving her goals. There are other threads in the story that deal with emigration; the emotional upheaval of relocation, the physical trials of escaping oppressive environments and the fragile existence of displaced emigrants.

But for the most part, the storytelling is gentle in tone and rhythm, with an occasional frisson of danger, and so when a particularly shocking event occurs, the contrast with the rest of the narrative is stark and pivotal in the story.

A very enjoyable, evocative, authentic and captivating read that introduced me to a part of the world with which I am totally unfamiliar and which emphasised the importance of striving to understand, and to respect, cultural differences.

The Light That Bends Round Corners is published on 28th November. Thank you to Alexandra Carey, The Book Guild and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC.

The Light That Bends Round Corners is a book that shows life from the perspectives of two very different women, with different backgrounds, culture and personal struggles, but who, on their journey, found strength from each other and broadened each other's horizons.

I connected a lot with the characters of this book. What stayed with the most me was the longing and desperation of Mariel to break free from her loveless marriage and the sacrifices she'd done to own her happiness.

This book is an eye opener!

Thanks to Netgalley and The Book Guild for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book with brilliant stories of two women, Laura and Mariel, in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Laura gave up her job as a fashion journalist in London and moved to Kuala Lumpur with her husband, who got a job as an executive together with two daughters, Tilly and Aggie. Mariel, on the other hand, has been working as a caretaker/ helper in KL for almost two decades.

The two women have very different backgrounds, but they are both foreign to this city. Two things about the book I love the most are the character development and atmosphere.

As the stories move forward, both Laura and Mariel find themselves in KL. While I’m never fond of Laura, I always feel bad for her for giving up her nice job and losing herself when she first arrived in KL. Mariel’s story is also dimmed when she has to work so hard to support her family back in the Philippines and suffers various unfair situations as a foreign helper in KL.

The atmosphere of the book makes me feel I’m brought to KL to experience the humidity and scenery. The languages, such as the Malay words Mariel uses, also make the story more vivid and alive.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Guild for the opportunity to review an eARC.

This is an unusual story featuring two strong protagonists from very different backgrounds. It brings alive Darwin's assertion that the fittest survive through adaptation, not strength.

Mariel is a Filipina maid working in Kuala Lumpur, who has not seen her own children for many years, and has fled an abusive past, now seeking the hope of a new love in kinder surroundings. But she still faces prejudices in the course of her journey, and judgement regarding her choices she is making.

Laura is a successful fashion journalist who has had to leave London on short notice, to move to the capital of Malaysia with her husband and two young daughters, Aggie and Tilly. Kuala Lumpur is a completely alien environment for her, full of exotic sights and sounds, and it is there that she first encounters Mariel.

As their lives intertwine, each woman discovers not only unexpected depths in the other, but also a better understanding of herself. This is gentle, observant storytelling for the most part, and rich in cultural information and nuances.

The tone of this book is extremely muted and flat. I never felt depth of the characters. It's not a bad book. It's good enough. The concept is interesting and the Malaysian / London setting is unique. Just... it never GRABS you. It's just like... telling some things that happened. Never feels like a fascinating, moving story or characters you feel deeply.

A beautifully written book about two women Laura a fashion journalist in the Uk who is now living in Malaysia due to her husbands career.There she connects with her housekeeper Mariel a Malaysian woman suffering her own personal issues.Their connection their relationship makes for a fascinating emotional read looking forward to more by this author.#netgalley #thebookguild.

Hold on to your hats, folks! This book is a wild ride. Think 'The Devil Wears Prada' meets 'Crazy Rich Asians' with a dash of tropical heat and a whole lot of sass. Laura, the fish-out-of-water fashion journo, had me giggling and cringing in equal measure as she navigates KL's expat scene. But it's Mariel, the fierce and fabulous Filipina maid, who steals the show with her unstoppable spirit and heart-wrenching backstory. The setting is lush, the drama is high, and the monkeys? Well, they're just the cherry on top. If you're ready for a book that'll transport you to the other side of the world and leave you cheering for these two remarkable women, grab a cocktail and dive in!

This is a beautiful book about two women from very different backgrounds and their personal journeys. It captures the scenery so well that I felt I was there and could picture everything so clearly. I was rooting for Mariel as she works and dreams of a better life.

The Light That Bends Round Corners is a gently written tale of two women of very different backgrounds.

British fashion journalist, Laura, and her family move to Malaysia to support her husband's once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity. Due to immigration laws, she is forced to put her own career on hiatus, and struggles to adapt to a post-colonial world where she is a priveliged 'lady of leisure'.

Meanwhile Filipino maid, Mariel takes up her employment in Laura's house and is counting the days to when she is able to return to to the Philippines to divorce her abusive husband and marry her Hindu lover.

Both women face very different hardships: Mariel has been away from her children for 10 years, has been abused, and is at the mercy of Malaysia's challenging,contradictory laws. Laura is suffering from loneliness and depression, and feels herself losing her identity in the shadow of her husband's role.

Gorgeously written, this book paints a picture of both the stunning scenery and the hardships faced by different classes of immigrant women in Malaysia. But there is also hope and joy and strength in these women. A captivating read.

~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honesst review~

This was an amazing story. Learned a lot about Malaysia, and how immigrants are treated. The need for self preservation of people in precarious situations of work was interesting to read about. Plus the education and learning curve of expats in a foreign country was interesting to read.

The Light that Bends Round Corners is an escape to life in Malaysia, wholly absorbing and enjoyable from start to finish. The reader can't help but feel Laura's pain, torn from her life and career in fashion journalism, to live in a country miles from home, unable to work, confined to the life of expat housewife. On the other hand, we follow Mariel, Laura's Filipino maid, for whom the road has not been nearly so easy as it has for her white employers. Forced into a loveless and abusive marriage, she has been separated from her family for close to ten years and my heart truly broke for her time and time again as her lowly status leads to misfortune. At times wholesome and beautiful, at others brutally honest and critical of the society they live in. The story progresses at a fantastic pace and I could hardly put it down. This is a novel that will make you feel angry, and distraught, but it is also a story of strength, and overcoming adversity. I truly loved this novel and will be recommending it highly!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

This book brings to life two very different lifestyles living side by side In Kuala Lumpur. Laura, a highly successful UK fashion journalist who has moved to KL because of her husband’s new job. She is the epitome of white privilege. Mariel, a Filipina maid, joins their household, showing Laura, the darker side of life in KL.

I adored Mariel who goes through some awful experiences but never lets them burn her hopes and dreams for future. Every difficult situation thrown at her, only makes her stronger and more determined. She makes Laura look weak and spoiled. Mariel refuses to let her chance of freedom and marriage be taken from her. Laura learns so much from Mariel and the disgusting way she is treated, helping to build a more equal partnership between them for the future.

The descriptions of Malaysia are vivid in detail, bringing the country to life for the reader. It is clear the author knew the country and its history extremely well. The story clearly showed how the white population still tried to rule over every other nationality even though it has been years since they did.

This book is beautifully written, with quiet yet highly emotional prose. At times, it made me sit up straight in shock and open my eyes to the reality of the situation. This book is a journey for all - the characters and the reader, bringing awareness and understanding to a country truly divided by privilege

This book was really a wonderful read. I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend reading it. A must read for everyone. It's a captivating, authentic story.

“The Light That Bends Round Corners” by Alexandra Carey weaves a captivating tale, intertwining the lives of two women, Laura and Mariel, hailing from diverse backgrounds. Laura, a successful fashion journalist from London, faces the challenge of uprooting her life to follow her husband’s promotion to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Meanwhile, Mariel, originally from the Philippines and now Laura’s housekeeper, has sacrificed immensely to support her family and forge a better future.

The narrative skillfully navigates the parallel journeys of these women, both together and separately, as they grapple with understanding the world around them and each other. The complexity and believability of both characters contribute to the novel’s depth.

A distinctive touch comes from the incorporation of Malay words by Mariel, adding a special layer to the narrative. The author’s meticulous research, drawn from her own expat experiences in Kuala Lumpur, is evident, enriching the story with lush scenery and highlighting cultural disparities between the protagonists.

The book effortlessly pulls readers into its pages, delivering an authentic and enjoyable narrative. As a page-turner, “The Light That Bends Round Corners” succeeds in offering readers an engaging exploration of the complexities of life, cultural differences, and the shared journey of two compelling characters.

Thank you to the author @alexandracareywrites and @netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story focusses on two women, both immigrants from completely different backgrounds. Laura, a British journalist who moved to Malaysia for her husband's job and Mariel, her Filipina maid, who is trying to escape an abusive past and move forward with the man she loved even if it means not seeing her children.
The characters are well written. Laura is a naive expat
- she chooses a romantic yet impractical bungalow and is surprised by such things as local corruption, the need for air conditioning and the dangers of the local wildlife. Mariel is world weary and shocked by Laura' western naivety. She holds things together despite coming up against many challenges in a desperation to move forward.
The novel showed the challenges faced by different types of immigrants well. The scenes, sounds and scents are evocative and believable and if that's not enough, the cover is beautiful too!
A great debut novel. I look forward to reading more by alexandra