Losing Touch
Sandra Hunter
224 pages
Published in July 2014 by OneWorld Publication
Source: Publisher
“There is some pain you cannot breathe through.”
When I read Sandra Hunter’s Losing Touch, I found out that it’s a book of small moments. Of parents not understanding their teenage children, of the longing and regret that can exist between a man and woman, and of past hurts fueling future pains. I didn’t expect a debut novel to read so well.
Losing Touch follows Arjun, a man who traveled from India to west London with his family years earlier. His wife is no longer as carefree as she once was, his children are strangers living in his home, and he is slowly losing control of his body. Arjun has no idea how things came to be the way they are but his family know. Arjun is rigid-thinking, always believing himself to be right. His wife, Sunila, whose view is also told, isn’t perfect and can be just as narrow thinking herself. The two dance around their problems as Arjun is forced to stop ignoring his health problems.
This may be Hunter’s first book but she is a master observer of life. I found myself reading sentence after sentence, turning pages to know more about this ordinary couple and their family. The last chapter left me in tears. Losing Touch is a book that I will definitely reread. My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
1330v: Thoughts of an eclectic reader 
That sounds perfect for middle-aged me!
Sounds perfect for me. Sad that i can identify with the synopsis 😦
This sounds like an interesting book, but I had to laugh at the cover because it is so exactly the stereotypical book-relating-to-South-Asia cover: woman in a sari with half her face obscured.
And it sounds like one that many people can relate to. Sometimes its those ordinary moments in life that add up to be so powerful. I’ll keep my eye out for this one!
This does sound like a book I could relate to as well. I haven’t been a fan of this cover, and hence of the book, but this sounds too good to ignore.
I agree with the comment above about the cover – always the braid and earring! Is Hunter Indian? If not, interesting that she chose to focus on an Indian family.
Hello everyone! Ah, yes: the cover. I have to admit I kicked up a bit of a fuss but the publisher’s PR people said that it would attract people to an unknown author. So, darlings, what to do? That old “don’t judge a book by its cover” saying is, I hope, true in this case! However, if any of you do read the book, I’d welcome feedback.
This does sound like an amazing debut! I’m pleased that you enjoyed it. Thanks for being a part of the tour. I’m featuring your review on TLC’s Facebook page today.
Thank you, Heather — what a boost!