Book Review: Here and Now by Santa Montefiore

 (**First published on my Medium account - https://nishaagni.medium.com/book-review-here-and-now-by-santa-montefiore-572da67089ef) 

Here and Now is a 2020 publication by British author Santa Montefiore. It follows the story of Marigold and her family, as they deal with the repercussions of a debilitating prognosis of dementia.

The book starts off slow, introducing us to a wide cast of characters. We don’t reach the crux of the story — the diagnosis — until almost half way through the book. While the wait might seem unending, it is necessary, especially since this large cast of characters play an important role in the last few chapters.

The wait is also worth it, because the second half of the book is a sob fest. You feel intensely for Marigold and her family. I found myself praying that the inevitable end would not come. But life isn’t always about miracles, certainly not in the case of an incurable condition like dementia.

Here and Now wasn’t just an ordinary reading experience. It was a life lesson. If there’s one take away that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, it is this:

Stop wallowing in the past and worrying about the future. Live in the now. It’s called 'present' for a reason. Enjoy the gift of today. It won’t be here tomorrow.

The more you read this book, the more your own life, your time and your encounters — even the seemingly mundane ones — will become so important. And rightly so. What we have is precious and a book like Here and Now shows us the importance of acknowledging the blessings in our life.

Overall, I found this book incredibly moving. Yes, there are a few sections that I personally found a bit of a cliche. But, rest of the storyline is original.

Here and Now is a heartwarming ode to the bonds we share with our family, friends and community; and the incredible power of courage, hope and love in the face of an impossibly difficult and heartbreaking future.

Rating: 4/5

-Nisha Prakash