She tells herself and anyone who asks that she's perfectly happy as she is - she's created a really beautiful and soothing oasis for herself and her beloved cat Fred in the confines of her little house, she bakes and reads and does crossword puzzles, she can have anything she wants or needs delivered to her front door, she has a best friend who visits her regularly, she connects with other people on an internet site for those dealing with personal struggles.

This was a rich and rewarding character study of Meredith Maggs, a woman struggling with trauma-induced agoraphobia who hasn't left her little Glasgow home in nearly 4 years. It’s a beautiful story– heartbreaking at times, but so hopeful at the end. Told through two different timelines (the past and the present), readers slowly learn about Meredith’s past as she takes monumental steps forward in her recovery.

Comparable to the much beloved ELEANOR OLIPHANT, this story is one of building a community and finding strength to overcome seemingly impossible things. MEREDITH, ALONE is the story of a woman who is anything but alone. She works from home (obviously) as a freelance writer, and is perfectly content thank you very much. She occupies her days with a quick exercise routine, plenty of cooking, puzzles, her cat (Fred), and her best friend (Sadie, as well as her two kids but they’re practically a unit anyway). Meredith Maggs has stayed inside her house for 1,214 days (not that she’s counting). Readers should be warned that in this book there are mentions of: rape, childhood abuse, self harm, and suicide attempts Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity* *I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Claire alexander meredith alone