My book review of 'This is not a pity memoir' by Abi Morgan

by Abi Morgan

I wasn't drawn to this book by its cover design or title but I heard the author being interviewed and was sufficiently intrigued to get a copy and read it after all.

Abi Morgan's husband was suddenly taken ill and this is her account of what happened next.

Abi Morgan is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. She's best known for 'The Hour' and 'The Split' on tv and the films 'The Iron Lady' and 'Suffragette'. She's also a wife and mother.

One day, like any other, she was getting everyone ready for the day and working through her list of tasks and chores. Then her husband collapsed in terrible pain.  

The book then charts the next few months coping with his illness and recovery, and her own response to life suddenly changing course. 

It's an incredibly compelling read which I couldn't put down. Her writing is engaging and humorous at times, but this is a difficult story to tell. In some ways I felt that perhaps she's written this book too soon. I wanted her to have more time to process the events. But perhaps that's why it has such impact, because it is raw and real. 

Date of this review: November 2022
Book publication date: 12th May 2022