Critical Praise

"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

“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