All Beth has to do is drive her son to his Under-14s away match, watch him play, and bring him home. Just because she knows that her former best friend lives near the football ground, that doesn't mean she has to drive past her house and try to catch a glimpse of her. Why would Beth do that, and risk dredging up painful memories? She hasn't seen Flora Braid for twelve years. But she can't resist. She parks outside Flora's house and watches from across the road as Flora and her children, Thomas and Emily, step out of the ...
Read More
All Beth has to do is drive her son to his Under-14s away match, watch him play, and bring him home. Just because she knows that her former best friend lives near the football ground, that doesn't mean she has to drive past her house and try to catch a glimpse of her. Why would Beth do that, and risk dredging up painful memories? She hasn't seen Flora Braid for twelve years. But she can't resist. She parks outside Flora's house and watches from across the road as Flora and her children, Thomas and Emily, step out of the car. Except... There's something terribly wrong. Flora looks the same, only older - just as Beth would have expected. It's the children that are the problem. Twelve years ago, Thomas and Emily Braid were five and three years old. Today, they look precisely as they did then. They are still five and three. They are Thomas and Emily without a doubt - Beth hears Flora call them by their names - but they haven't changed at all. They are no taller, no older. Why haven't they grown?
Read Less
Add this copy of Haven't They Grown to cart. $2.66, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published by Hodder & Stoughton.
Add this copy of Haven't They Grown to cart. $2.66, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published by Hodder & Stoughton.
Add this copy of Haven't They Grown: an Engrossing and Addictive Read to cart. $11.21, good condition, Sold by The Monster Bookshop rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Fleckney, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2020 by Hodder Paperbacks.
Add this copy of Havent They Grown Export to cart. $12.99, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Haven't They Grown: an Engrossing and Addictive Read to cart. $15.10, very good condition, Sold by Goldstone Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Ammanford, CARMS, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2020 by Hodder Paperbacks.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
Add this copy of Havent They Grown to cart. $15.99, good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of Havent They Grown to cart. $16.93, good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
Add this copy of Havent They Grown: an Engrossing and Addictive Read to cart. $21.21, like new condition, Sold by Reuseabook rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Gloucester, GLOS, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2020 by Hodder Paperbacks.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in mint condition. Both the pages and the cover are completely intact, without zero sign of previous usage.
When Beth drops by on her old friend Flora after 12 years she is surprised to see her still living in her old home. But when Flora's children come into view they do not seem to have aged at all - what is going on?
The only book I've read by Sophie Hannah is The Understudy which I was very much not a fan of. That book had been written by 3 other authors as well though, so I was willing to give her a chance as a solo writer as the plot summary really intrigued me. I'm glad I did as I actually really enjoyed Haven't They Grown. The concept is a great one and the blurb really drew me in. The plot kept me guessing throughout and wasn't an easy one to just work out as you are going along - there are a lot of twists and turns and not all characters are as they seem. It's a nice easy writing style which kept me engaged throughout and I kept wanting to pick the book up to find out the answer to the mystery.
I think one of my criticisms would be that it does stretch believability a little in the plot. Beth seems far too invested in what has happened to her friend Flora and is seemingly willing to even end her marriage because of it which just seemed odd. The beginning of the book hinted that perhaps she had done something in the past that she regretted that would cause this but when it's actually revealed I don't think it was big enough to warrant the fallout. As the book only really has one mystery, (although it's a good one!) it does occasionally feel a little too stretched out. We get so many versions of the truth that it starts to get a bit muddied by the end with so many convenient explanations and people only telling half of the story that it feels frustrating and confusing. The end reveal didn't really have the impact I had hoped that it would have although I did enjoy the conclusion.
Overall I enjoyed Haven't They Grown - it's an engaging read that will keep you guessing from start to finish. Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Abigail
Mar 5, 2020
Unput-downable
When Beth takes her son to an out of town football game, she can't resist the temptation to check out her ex-best friend's new house. Only while she is watching the house, something happens. Flora, who she hasn't seen in over 10 years arrives home, and her children pile out of the back of the car - only they look exactly like they did 10 years ago. Flora has aged, but the children haven't. Why haven't they grown?
Fast forward to a book filled with endless personal investigation, crazy suspicions, unthought-out actions, and a determination to figure out exactly what is going on in the life of someone who was once very important to Beth, and why it feels like something is very, very wrong.
Haven't They Grown is an exciting and very unexpected thriller, filled with dramatic action and bizarre twists. Beth makes a brilliant leading woman and is in equal measures frustrating and admirable. Her determination to figure out what is happening feels at times to be bull-headed obsession, and at other times a selfless need to make sure someone she once loved is safe. I can't imagine acting the way she does, but I admire her spirit and her choice to not allow anyone to shut her down.
Beth and her family are brilliantly written for the most part, although my only question is, didn't she have a son at the start? He basically disappears after the first chapter, and I wonder if he almost would have been better left out. Anyhow, Beth's husband Dom and daughter Zannah are both fantastically believable characters and I love their relatability and the humour they bring to the story. Zannah is beautifully precocious, as you would expect the daughter of a crazy, strong willed rebel like Beth to be. Dom is fantastically content with life, and I love the way he expresses himself.
I really love the part where Beth points out that especially when you are young, you never really consider whether your friends might be bad people. They are just who they are, sometimes that's embarrassing or angering, but mostly it's nothing. You spend time with the people you spend time with, and that's that. It made me think about the people I know, and about how I decided to be friends with them as well as why I continue to be friends with some of them. It can be decidedly refreshing and beneficial to realise that you don't have to spend time and energy on people just because you have always known them. Friendship should not always be a default, especially when someone makes you uncomfortable or anxious.
I loved the this thrill packed book, and I found it fairly impossible to unravel the truth before the end. If you like bold, determined protagonists who will absolutely not take no for an answer, then look no further than Haven't They Grown. Full of twists and turns, you won't be able to stop thinking about it until you know what's really going on.
Li
Jan 19, 2020
A far-fetched and long-winded read
Haven't They Grown was my first foray into the work of Sophie Hannah and unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The premise was unusual and certainly had promise but the execution fell flat for me. The book was too far-fetched for my liking and I found it difficult to believe in the characters and their motives. The majority of the book felt slow-paced, with too much dialogue and too many theories as to why the children hadn't grown. Thankfully, the book picked up towards the very end but it felt like a long slog up until that point. I have read many crime and mystery books and this certainly wasn't the best book I have read. I've given it 3 stars solely for the ending but I can't say I'd recommend it or read it again.
I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher.
