The Things That We Lost

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The Things That We Lost is a beautifully tender exploration of family, loss and the lengths to which we go to protect the ones we love. Patel’s novel was published this January following her winning the #Merky Books New Writer’s Prize in April 2021. “It was really a dream come true, even just to be longlisted and shortlisted,” she tells me. “But to win and to have a book deal was just incredible.” I spoke to Patel about The Things That We Lost , feeling othered, and the importance of representing male friendship in fiction.

Despite having a degree in literature, it wasn’t until my early twenties that I discovered novels by writers from the diaspora. I want to take my time writing the next book, as I did with the first, because I enjoyed it so much and loved having the characters with me for all those years. It was such a joy taking the time to slowly discover who they were. I’m excited to do the same with the next set of characters too. Nik has just finished his A-levels and is starting university. Avani is coming to terms with another layer of grief having previously lost her husband before Nik’s birth. The opening chapters about grief and loss were powerful and authentic. Having lost my own grandfather days before starting the book, every single line was written perfectly.In her debut novel, The Things That We Lost , Jyoti Patel grounds the abstraction of generational trauma in the vivid, tangible stories of Avani and Nik, a mother and son living in north-west London. Nik struggles to come to terms with his father’s death, as his mother refuses to talk about it; Avani strives to protect Nik from suffering, after own mother Agniben tormented her during childhood. Agniben, a Gujarati immigrant, has her own demons too, having moved to England following Kenyan independence and “just weeks after Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech”. A dear friend of Maddie’s died under suspicious circumstances over a decade ago, and it continues to haunt Maddie. On top of that, she is trapped in an unhappy marriage, and she begins to think much of that has to do with the guilt from which she still suffers. Maybe she could have done more. Maybe one different decision could have made a difference for her friend. Maggie Giles, a Canadian writer, has made her debut with 'The Things We Lost'. I got an opportunity to read an ARC (Advanved Reader Copy) of this book though the book is only getting out on April 19th.

Likewise, the development of Nik's character is handled with real insight and I thought it was especially powerful to feature a young man experiencing mental health issues. As with Avani, he is allowed to be a flawed, complex character and the spiralling of his emotions is painful to read about. His reaction to the loss of his beloved grandfather, followed by the sort of life changes which might be expected at his age but which can result in a fracturing of a protective, supportive framework, is so completely believable. This novel is extremely far-fetched, and I'm sure the author realizes this, but I could see that being a turn-off for some readers. The first few chapters drew me in, then it got slow, but I really enjoyed the ending and I think the author did a perfect job wrapping things up. I hope to see more novels from this author in the future. At first, as I neared the end of this book I was getting irritated that there wouldn't be enough time for the follow up story of Nik and Avani. However as I finished I realised that actually, the story itself is an explanation.Eventually, Audrey demands that Jerry leave the house after he questions Audrey on her reaction to Harper playing hooky from school. This causes Jerry to relapse with heroin. Audrey and Neal rescue and rehabilitate Jerry, and he agrees to admit himself to a specialized clinic. At first Harper, who has come to love Jerry as much she did her father, is angry that he is leaving. But after he leaves her a heartfelt note she accepts that he is going. I spent a lot of time with them, about four years. Even when I wasn’t writing or editing the novel for months on end during that time, I was still thinking about my characters, wondering how they would react in certain moments, wondering what they’d say to each other.

Halle Berry gives her best performance since "Monster's Ball" (yes even better than "Catwoman"). We feel her happiness, pain, desperation and hope. The cute kids are played by an amazing 11 yr old Alexis Llewellyn and Micah Berry (not her real life son). Also strong is Alison Lohman, who just doesn't work enough these days. However the strongest performance is by Benecio. I am not sure if the role was written for him or if he just perfectly captures best friend Jerry. It is most complicated role and requires enormous depth. Audrey gets tragic news delivered to her door by the local police: Brian has been killed in an attempt to defend a woman who was being beaten by her husband. On the day of the funeral Audrey realizes that she has forgotten to inform Jerry of Brian's death. Her brother Neal delivers the message to Jerry and takes him to the funeral. Did you ever consider including any sections from the perspective of Agniben, Avani’s mother? She seemed like a very complicated character.I saw you said in an interview that the first draft of the novel was told all from Nik’s perspective. Why did you decide to add in sections told from Avani’s perspective? This is a debut novel, and like the previous 2 debut novels I've read, it absolutely delivers in an extraordinary way.

As Maddie navigates this new world, she realizes she is the product of her own unhappiness. But is this new do-over exactly what she needs, even if it means never seeing her daughters again?

I think we often wonder what could have been, and this debut thriller delivers! It dives deep into the darkest secrets of Maddie's past. Will Maddie realize her mistakes, right her wrongs and make things right to alter her course now that she knows what is in store for her future? Will she meet Nathan again and be reunited with her children? London is also written so well, if you know it you'll have a strong visual of that hill in Harrow and the school children with the straw hats, (if you don't then take a fellow Londoner's word for its accuracy!)