I’m not entirely sure who sent me a copy of Sally Page’s new novel Six Little Words but I suspect it might have been Libby Haddock at Harper Collins. I know I’m way too early in sharing my review of Six Little Words, but it’s such a wonderful book, I couldn’t wait any longer. 

You’ll find my reviews of two more of Sally’s books, The Book of Beginnings here and of The Secrets of Flowers here.

Six Little Words will be published by Harper Collins on 12th March and is available for pre-order here. 

Six Little Words

Can one small note give her the courage to find a new path?

One Note. One Act of kindness. Her new beginning is closer than she thinks.

Kate gave up her dreams of being a painter years ago. But six little words pinned to the noticeboard of her local café could change her path forever.

‘To be, or not to be…’ – printed on orange card with no explanation – appears one morning.

Each day, a new line from a different Shakespeare play is added, sparking curiosity throughout the café. Among the regulars is Bardy, a retired English teacher grappling with writer’s block.

As Kate and Bardy follow this breadcrumb trail, they discover a local community group encouraging people to rediscover their own creative spark – and the long-lost courage to chase it.

For Kate, their new group might just offer a second chance at happiness, if only Bardy can find the strength to share his story too…

My Review of Six Little Words

There’s a curious note on the board in Lou’s cafe.

Oh my word. It would be hard for me to have loved Six Little Words more. I adored it unreservedly. It’s one of those books I couldn’t stop reading, didn’t want to end and yet was desperate to discover what happened to the characters. 

Six Little Words is achingly beautifully written and the sense of colour that runs through is, quite simply, perfect. With literary, Shakespearean, quotations at the start of each chapter that intrigue the reader, Sally Page has a painter’s eye for detail, colour and setting and yet the book remains accessible and relatable. I think the mix of ordinary people living their own messy, fairly ordinary lives, and the natural nature of direct speech combine with the beauty of the prose so flawlessly that it is mesmerising. The metaphor of birds also adds another layer of interest and enhances the relationships and emotion of the characters in the story. I loved the illustrations too! 

Normally I find different points of view in narratives hard work or irritating but in Six Little Words both Kate and Bardy are so fabulously depicted that I didn’t even notice because I was so drawn into the story. Indeed, all the characters are vibrant, realistic and have the ability to create a visceral emotional response in the reader. From teenage Tay to almost octenegarian Leonard there is a person here for any reader to relate to. I absolutely adored the friendship between Bardy and Luigi because we see them not just as men in their 60s, but as the children they once were too. 

The plot is fantastic. I loved the way that disparate people come together in the craft group and then how, so often, they are distracted from their purpose with an ebb and flow of their interactions that mirrors the way the tide affects the North Norfolk landscape where the narrative is set. 

And it is that creative craft group that unites the gorgeous themes of the story. Six Little Words is a love letter to creativity. There’s painting, quilting, cooking, writing, sculpture, knitting, drawing, music, photography and so on with the clear message that taking part in something for the sheer joy of giving it a go is far more important than awards and prizes for skill in that area. It is through this group that we learn the true meaning of community, of being an outsider, of fitting in, of belonging and of how our past shapes us but does not have to determine our entire future. Sally Page explores relationships in many forms, from the parent-child relationship between Tay and Toni, through kaleidoscopic friendships that form, break and reform, through to marriage and physical attraction. There truly is something for every reader to appreciate and relate to here. 

I thought Six Little Words was utterly wonderful. It made me laugh and cry. It gave me brilliant characters, a superb setting and the most glorious plot. When you come to read the book for yourself you’ll know why I am ending by saying that in Six Little Words Sally Page has produced a vibrant, pulsating and golden novel that deserves shouting about from the rooftops! Do not miss it!

About Sally Page

 

After studying history at university, Sally moved to London to work in advertising. In her spare time she studied floristry at night school and eventually opened her own flower shop. Sally came to appreciate that flower shops offer a unique window into people’s stories and she began to photograph and write about this floral life in a series of non-fiction books. Later, Sally continued her interest in writing when she founded her fountain pen company, PLOOMS.

Sally now lives in Dorset. Her eldest daughter, Alex, is a doctor and her youngest daughter is the author Libby Page.

Sally’s debut novel, The Keeper of Stories, was a Sunday Times bestseller, has now sold over 500,000 copies and has been translated into 29 languages.

For further information, visit Sally’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @SallyPageBooks or find her on Facebook and Instagram.