Critical Praise

“Maggie O'Farrell's cinematically vivid novel is moody and powerful and plotted at a breakneck pace. This book, like life, will disarm you with its unannounced twists and tragedies and moments of unexpected beauty. She delivers to readers that rarest of experiences --- total emotional investment. Hers is a brilliant feat of prose marksmanship --- also, it made me cry on the subway.”

—Heidi Julavits, author of The Effect of Living Backwards and The Uses of Enchantment

“Maggie O'Farrell knows how to weave a bewitching tale, both thrilling and poetic. The Hand That First Held Mine will no doubt enrapture you, just as it has me.”

—Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah's Key

"Maggie O'Farrell is an uncommonly perceptive writer, and The Hand That First Held Mine is an unforgettable story of family, ambition, and love. I couldn't stop thinking about it long after I read the final page.”

—Lauren Grodstein, author of A Friend of the Family