Book Review: All My Mothers by Joanna Glenn - Reviewed by Michelle Hollis-Hunt

What is a mother? This is a beautifully written story about the life of Eva who, from an early age, feels distant from her mother and has a sense of longing, described as 'saudade' in Portuguese - 'a yearning for a happiness that has passed, or perhaps never existed'.

We follow her story as she grows up and realises that there are so many nourishing relationships you can have, and that they can be found in all sorts of places. The story keeps relaying back to a picture book Eva reads in primary school called 'The Rainbow Rained Us' about different types of mothers, and you wish it was a real book you could read too.

Family isn't always blood relations and this book conveys grief, longing and love in the most magical way. With the glorious setting of Cordoba in Spain, follow Eva on her journey of discovery. My favourite recommendation since starting work at The Little Bookshop.