Reviews

You can check out reviews of my novel on Amazon, but here are a few to whet your appetite:

'A superb read. I liked its bite. It is frank and unflinching.'

Martine Croxall, journalist and BBC television news presenter


'Clare loves her boyfriend, Tom. So why is she panic-stricken when he asks her to marry him? Because marriage means living together. And that means he will find out what she’s really like...

In The A-Z of Normal, Clare inhabits a world in which extreme order and ritual rule. She arranges her belongings with military precision. The simplest of acts have to be done in a particular manner with dizzying attention to detail. It’s no wonder that keeping her compulsive behaviour secret from those closest to her proves exhausting. She wants to change. She tries to change. As she searches for a ‘cure’, however, her life becomes ever more complicated and, at times, she appears bent on throwing away her happiness. The way she is going it seems less and less likely she will ever make things work with Tom.

Helen Barbour understands the nature of obsessive behaviour and writes about it brilliantly. She explores a tricky subject with sharpness and humour. I found myself willing Clare on, wishing she could free herself from the stranglehold of her destructive compulsions. The A-Z of Normal is a funny and poignant story. If ever anyone deserves their happy ending, it’s Clare.'

Maria Malone, Author and Ghostwriter (Cheryl Cole, Tony Hadley, Eamonn Holmes, Mica Paris), www.mariamalonebooks.com


‘I loved The A-Z of Normal, by Helen Barbour. The author uses an intelligent blend of both humour and poignancy to journey with the protagonist through something inherently challenging. It's an intriguing exploration and clever observation of a challenging and touching personal struggle that leaves the reader satisfied...and yet hungry for more by the end of the book. I hope there will be a sequel!’

Tina Cadwallader


The A to Z of Normal is a well-paced book which I found difficult to put down.

Clare is finding it difficult to overcome her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) behaviour before she marries Tom. Her family, each occupied with issues in their own lives, know nothing of her struggle so are unable to offer her any help. She joins a group in the hope that others suffering from OCD can offer support and there she meets Michael who creates additional problems in her life.

This captivating story explores the difficulties faced by OCD sufferers in a sensitive and humorous way.’

Carol Sampson


2 comments:

sophia said...

My first of impressions of this book were: "too long and i'm not going to enjoy the novel,". When I opened the book, that was when I was initially proved wrong, as the first chapter caught my attention as i realised how much this book related to my habits and my routines.

In addition, I thoroughly appreciated the fact that Helen wrote in such detail and thought into her brilliant book. Also,the imagery of the scenes in the novel, created by the talented well written auther, enabled me to benefit from the story line, to interrupt the scene in a clear way.

Thank you so much Helen. i really enjoyed this book and I will defiantly be buying your next one!

Helen Barbour said...

Sophia, thank you for taking the time to post your very kind comments. I'm so glad you enjoyed my book...I'd better get on with the next one! I hope the 'habits and routines' you mention don't affect you too badly - if they do, there is plenty of help available (OCD Action is a great starting point: www.ocdaction.org.uk). Thanks again.