The Book of Lost Threads - Tess Evans

This is not a book that I would usually pick up but I have read it as part of the State Library of Victoria Summer Read competition. Summer Read encourages people to turn off the TV and pick up a book. They have a selection of books that are either set in Victoria or by a Victorian author.
This is Tess Evans' first novel and she has written a poignant wonderful book. The characters are believable and have lost some of the threads that hold their life together. Moss is looking for her father and suffers the loss of one of her mothers, Lily an eccentric knitter of tea-cosies for the UN who struggles with sanity since the loss of her child; Finn is a brilliant mathematician has lost his way after he fatally hit a young girl in his car which leads him to become a recluse; Sandy the rich town buffoon has lost his self-respect. They all find themselves in a town called Opportunity which is a rural town that is slowly dying. The lives of these character intertwine as each learns to trust and to rely on each other in their sorrow and brokenness.
The book addresses some huge issues with sensitivity and humour. Issues such as being a child of gay marriage; sperm donation; death of family members; living with guilt and regret; domestic violence; and forgiveness. Evans invites you into the lives of these characters as they deal with these issues so you feel that it you sitting with them as they knit their lives back together.
It has been a while since I have read a book where I can relate to the characters on such an emotional level. Where I am drawn to continue reading so I can discover how the characters come to terms with their pasts to create a stronger future. I was entranced by Tess Evans' storytelling. 8/10